Chapter 13

George Wickham was furious because luck had not been on his side. The journey from London to Hertfordshire was very uncomfortable because his godfather lent him one of his smallest carriages. He was sick of depending on the charity of others and not being given his place. He deserved so much more, and he hoped Mr. Darcy would understand that if he did not give him what was rightfully his, he would have to force him to do it.

Also, Caroline had given him a tiny room that looked almost like a servant's. But what bothered him most was discovering that Charles had fired Mr. Holt without consulting him. He considered asking Holt to lend him money because he was broke. He requested Mr. Darcy to lend him some funds a few weeks ago and could not ask again without explaining himself. His godfather did not know, and he should never find out about his fondness for gambling and debauched women.

William got up early because he had not slept well. The night before, he had a series of dreams that made him uneasy. Since he was little, he had always had recurring dreams of an elegantly dressed, very pale lady with a gentle voice who would read him stories while she kissed him on the cheek. He had never seen her face, but strangely the previous night, he saw Miss Darcy as that lady. Without a doubt, it was a ridiculous and meaningless dream.

William did not like wasting his time trying to figure out the meaning of his dreams. He was a practical man and had an interesting life, and now he had also found love, and he would not ruin his happiness trying to make sense of things that he would probably never understand. Because of that, he had never told anyone about his dreams, not even his parents, because he did not want to trouble them with his silly concerns. But the truth was that William was afraid to delve into his memories for fear of finding some truth that it was better not to know.

After breakfast, William and Mr. Bingley went to the study because William needed to explain everything he had learned by analyzing the maps and contracts. But, Mr. Bingley could hardly concentrate because he went to bed very late, so William had to write all his conclusions in a document. Mr. Bingley promised to study them later because he had to help Jane with the final wedding preparations. William felt he had done all he could, and it was up to Mr. Bingley to take charge of his affairs. So he took advantage of answering some letters and reading some reports because, for several days, he had not been able to take care of his business.

To thank William for all his help, Mr. Bingley asked the housekeeper to help him prepare a special lunch in honor of his new best friend. Besides, he invited Violet and Elizabeth so that William could be with his family and feel more comfortable.

At the same time, Mr. Bingley was writing to Aunt Henrietta and telling her all the wedding details. She told him she could not attend the wedding because she was ill and the trip was too long. But the reality was that she did not want to see Caroline because the last time they saw each other, there was a big fight between them. But Aunt Henrietta preferred not to tell her nephew to avoid conflicts in the family. She was a pleasant woman with a very similar personality to her nephew Charles. Furthermore, Mr. Bingley was close to his aunt, so he traveled yearly to see her. She had been his great support and best advisor since his parents died.

William finished answering all of his letters and was reading the newspaper when Wickham entered the study, visibly upset. He did not notice William's presence because he was sitting in the opposite corner.

"Bingley, what happened to Holt? I cannot believe you fired him without letting me know. You have no idea how long it took me to convince him to work for you because he had many better offers than working in Netherfield." Mr. Wickham did not stop talking for several minutes to make Mr. Bingley feel guilty. "I think the least you should do for him is pay him compensation. I plan to visit him in a few more days to apologize, and if you want, I can give him the money."

"Wickham, I am so sorry for Mr. Holt, but he was not doing his job adequately." Mr. Bingley was a little troubled because he did not like to see his friend upset with him.

From the corner where he was seated, William heard and observed the conversation between Wickham and Mr. Bingley. He was astonished to discover that Bingley's friend was the man who was bothering Elizabeth in London long ago. The moment he saw Wickham, he did not trust him, but after hearing him ask his host and friend rudely for explanations, William was convinced that he was a scoundrel of the highest order.

"Bingley, can you explain why you fired him? Because I don't think you made that decision alone."

"Well, no, my friend Dalton recommended that I…."

"Who?"

William stood and said, "I was the one who recommended Bingley to fire Holt."

Wickham turned to see Elizabeth Bennet's friend looking at him defiantly. "I didn't know you knew Bingley, Dalton."

"William Dalton is Miss Elizabeth Bennet's betrothed. We will be brothers soon. I imagine you remember my future sister-in-law, Lizzy."

"Of course, a woman like Miss Elizabeth is hard to forget. Also, during the months I spent here, she and I maintained a very close friendship," Wickham said with a smirk at Dalton. He realized that his words had had the desired effect and was amused to see the anger and jealousy reflected in the eyes of that haughty man.

"Bingley, I think I shall go for a walk before my mother and Elizabeth get here," William said because he didn't want to put up with such an unpleasant person for another minute.

"Before you go, Dalton. Could you explain to me why you interfered in Bingley's affairs? What do you know about managing an estate?" Wickham was furious and would not let William go before he answered his question.

"I did not interfere in anyone's affairs, Bingley asked me for help and advice, and I gave it to him. Besides, I do not have to explain anything to you," replied William, surprised by the insolence of that man.

"Then you acknowledge that you had no reason to demand that Bingley fire Holt." Wickham was furious. Because of William, he lost his chance to get money from Holt.

"Do you have trouble hearing or understanding? I didn't make any demands on Bingley; I just suggested that he hire a steward who could do the demanding work of an estate. You do not have to be an expert in the field to know that a man who cannot keep the ledger, oversee the crops, and is more concerned with drinking brandy than working, is useless and must be replaced."

"Wickham, Dalton is right. Unfortunately, Mr. Holt neglected his duties, and I had no choice but to fire him. My solicitor interviewed candidates for the position, and next week, my new steward will start working with me. So I shall ask you not to blame my future brother-in-law because he gave me the right advice, and I decided to fire Mr. Holt."

Wickham knew he had lost that battle but did not want to admit he was wrong. "I am very surprised by everything you have told me, Bingley. Holt has never neglected his duties because he is one of the most responsible men I have ever known."

"Maybe Mr. Holt is not irresponsible, but you are Wickham, and you cannot deny it. You always have always had an easy life and enjoy taking advantage of your friends. Dalton, do not believe a word of this clown, or in another month, he will tell you some sad story and ask you for money," Richard said, sneering at Wickham.

"Fitzwilliam, it is not my fault that Mr. Darcy loves me more than you. Do not be so bitter because it is evident how much you envy me," Wickham retorted indignantly.

"Yes, that must be it. I envy a useless man who doesn't know how to make a living," Richard replied sarcastically.

"Dalton, your mother must be arriving soon; what do you think if we wait for them outside?" Mr. Bingley said to prevent the dispute between his two friends from escalating.

Mr. Wickham left the study angry and nervous. He had planned to ask Mr. Bingley for money, but it would be much more challenging with those two men in Netherfield.

"I am sorry, Bingley, Dalton; I didn't mean to cause discord. But that fool knows how to put me in a bad mood."

"Don't worry about me, I have seen that man twice, and I know everything you have said about him is true," William replied.

To forget about the incident, the three friends went for a walk in the garden to discuss more pleasant topics and wait for the guests, who would arrive at any moment.

P&P

Georgina was happy to be with Caroline and Louisa because she knew it was the best way to keep George Wickham away. Although Mr. Bingley's sisters were very nice to her, Georgiana did not like how they talked about other people, but that was preferable to dealing with the unwanted attentions of her father's godson.

"My dear Georgiana, you cannot imagine how delighted we are that you came to our brother's wedding," Louisa said.

"We also want to apologize for forcing you to stay under the same roof with people so… so different from us. But you know Charles is very generous and fell in love with a woman from a family far below our social status." Caroline told Georgiana a bit more about Jane, and though she tried to be cautious, she still said more than she should.

"The important thing is that Mr. Bingley loves his future wife very much, and I am sure that she must love him very much, too, because he is a good and generous gentleman." Georgiana felt uncomfortable because she preferred not to speak ill of anyone, especially people she did not know.

Twenty minutes later, Jane arrived with Elizabeth and Violet at Netherfield. On the way from Longbourn to there, Jane said almost nothing despite Violet and Elizabeth trying to bring her into the conversation. But Jane did not feel like talking to anyone. She was nervous and worried about all the changes that would soon begin in her life.

Unsurprisingly, Caroline introduced Georgiana to Jane and the other ladies very dismissively, making everyone very uncomfortable. Even Louisa thought that her sister had been ruder than necessary. After the introductions, the Bingley sisters ignored Jane, Elizabeth, and Violet as if they did not exist.

Elizabeth excused herself to avoid the awkward situation by saying she wanted to walk around the garden for a while and invited Violet. Georgiana took advantage of the occasion and asked permission to accompany them because she felt uneasy with the tense situation.

Caroline was not pleased that her friend Miss Darcy had preferred Eliza Bennet's company, but she and Louisa had more pressing things to do at the moment.

"Dear Jane, I think there are things you should know as our brother's future wife," Louisa said, looking at her sister for her to continue.

"Eliza's betrothed came to this house, giving orders and making abrupt decisions. You already know what a good person Charles is, and many take advantage of him for that reason. Mr. Dalton has been here in Netherfield for two days and cajoled Charles into letting him see the ledgers and all the important documents. I do not know Jane, but we do not trust that man and need your help to protect Charles from him. And if you think we are overstating, you can ask Charles. Of course, he will tell you that Mr. Dalton was helping him because you already know how naive our brother is." Caroline explained to Jane for several minutes that it was her duty as the future Mrs. Bingley to advise her husband and help him make good decisions.

"I understand, and thank you for trusting me," Jane said, concerned.

"I am sure that Mr. Dalton thinks he can manipulate Charles as Eliza has always manipulated you, my dear Jane," Louisa added to make Jane doubt even more.

"And how do you think I can protect my husband from that man or people like him?" asked Jane impulsively.

Caroline and Louisa stared at each other and discretely smiled. They had achieved what they wanted and had their prey where they wanted.

"What we will tell you is a little complicated, dear Jane, and maybe difficult to process initially. We cannot tell you what to do, but we can share our experiences because they might help you. We had to do something similar with part of our family to keep the peace," said Louisa.

Caroline sat down next to Jane, took her hand, and finished. "You must keep all those people who desire to hurt you or Charles as far away from you as possible. Jane, you will be a Bingley, and we will be your new family."

"I understand," Jane replied and fell silent and very thoughtful.

Caroline and Louisa took the opportunity to continue ranting against the Bennets, mentioning each of their defects and exaggerating to the maximum the virtues of a life without them present.

"Part of our family never knew how to keep their distance and respect our decisions. They even embarrassed us on more than one occasion or dared to tell us what to do," Caroline explained.

"Because of that, we had to stay away from them and only see them when it is unavoidable," Louisa concluded.

P&P

Meanwhile, in the garden, the conversation was much more pleasant and entertaining. Elizabeth and Violet had told Georgiana who they were and why they had come to Netherfield for lunch. No doubt, they thought that Georgiana must be confused after seeing how Caroline and Louisa treated them.

"Yesterday, I met your son, Mrs. Dalton, and your betrothed, Miss Elizabeth. Although I must say that I already knew him a bit because my cousin had told me about him," Georgiana explained.

"The world is much smaller than we think, Miss Darcy. Indeed, your cousin is one of the good friends my William has made in London," explained Mrs. Dalton, smiling kindly.

"Richard is also very fond of your son, Mrs. Dalton. He says that he is intelligent and hard-working and that thanks to his advice and business, he will comfortably retire when he finishes his military career."

"Miss Darcy, I can assure you that my betrothed is always willing to help others," Elizabeth added proudly. "Though I think he is a little too serious sometimes for being so young," Elizabeth added teasingly.

"Lizzy, I must tell you that every time I see my son with you, he is smiling happily, and he is not at all a serious gentleman, as you say," Violet said, and she could not help but laugh when she saw Elizabeth blush.

"Are you and Mr. Dalton planning to get married soon, Miss Elizabeth?" Georgina asked. "Sorry, I did not mean to be prying."

"You are not prying, Miss Darcy. We decided to decide our wedding date after my sister's wedding. My family is a bit chaotic now, Miss Darcy, and they cannot deal with two such important events simultaneously."

Elizabeth told Georgiana a bit about her sisters and her life in Longbourn in such a humorous manner that she could not stop laughing. She was glad to have met such friendly ladies and thought Mr. Bingley's wedding would be much more agreeable than initially thought.

"So, Miss Elizabeth, when you marry, will you live in London? I know your husband's company in the city," Georgiana asked curiously.

"For at least another year, then we may move to Manchester and travel to London occasionally. That is because my husband's main company is in Manchester," Elizabeth explained.

"I am glad to know you will live in London for a while, that means maybe we can visit each other… sorry, I did not mean to force you…."

"Of course, we can see each other if you want. I do not have any friends in London, and I will need someone to show me the city. I promise I am not as terrible as my sister Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst suggested," Elizabeth said with a laugh.

"But I never believed that; please don't think I am like them... I mean..." Georgiana was visibly concerned and did not know how to explain that she did not enjoy talking ill about other people.

"My dear Miss Darcy, one of the things you must learn from Lizzy is that she enjoys teasing her friends. So please ignore her comment," Violet explained.

Mrs. Dalton is very wise, and you should follow her advice. Elizabeth winked at Georgiana, and she relaxed.

Georgiana told Elizabeth and Violet a little more about her life, that she lived with her father for part of the year between Derbyshire and London. She also explained that, at the moment, they could not return to her father's estate because he was recovering from a very rebellious cold. Violet told her that she knew Pemberley because her family was originally from Lambton, and she had fond memories of that area.

The conversation was so exciting and entertaining that Violet walked for almost an hour around the gardens, with Georgiana holding her right arm and Elizabeth holding her left arm.

From one of the large windows in the drawing room, Jane watched Elizabeth smiling while her mother-in-law-to-be talked to her with appreciation and affection. While she was listening to Louisa and Caroline, speak against her family and everything she represented. Since they were little, everyone always said she was the prettiest, the best behaved, the most beautiful, and the ideal girl. But after a few minutes, everyone forgot about it and preferred to spend time with Elizabeth. She knew how to make everyone laugh and entertain, while she only knew how to smile.

When Jane was sure she had finally accomplished something to earn everyone's respect, Elizabeth had to ruin it. With her beauty, she managed to get a wealthy man to propose to her and thus achieve her mother's dreams. She would be the savior of the family, and no matter how lovely Elizabeth was, she would be the one to protect her sisters and mother the day Mr. Bennet passed away.

But Elizabeth would also marry a prosperous man with a lovely mother willing to help the Bennet family to make her future daughter happy. Violet Dalton had not asked Elizabeth to keep her family as far away from them as possible, quite the contrary to her future sisters-in-law.

"Jane, dear, you are so silent. Are you feeling unwell?" Louise asked. Jane stared out the window for several minutes without being part of the conversation.

"I'm well, Louisa; thanks for asking. I was thinking about everything you shared with me, that is all."

"And have you come to any conclusion?" Caroline and Louisa asked.

"Yes, I have decided to follow your advice and protect my future family from people who want to take advantage of us," Jane replied.

"Excellent conclusion. Please do not doubt that you are doing the right thing and will have our full support, dear Jane."

"I know, Caroline," Jane replied nervously but convinced of what she needed to do.

Jane continued to look out the window, confident that she had made the right decision. If Elizabeth was the one everyone admired and her perfect Mr. Dalton and her lovely mother were the heroes of the Bennets, she did not care. In two more days, she would be a Bingley and have a new family.

P&P

Thanks to everyone who leaves supportive comments and enthusiastically follows the story. I love reading your thoughts about the plot because it keeps me motivated!

If it's not too much to ask, what did you think of the story? Doesn't it bother you that Jane isn't so perfect? I would not say that she is bad, Jane, but rather that she is very wrong in how she interprets what happens around her.

In the next chapter, Jane's wedding and some surprises!

Saludos,

Yo