Act I: Enter Mr. Wickham
Scene I
"Oh, I beg your pardon," Lizzy apologised.
Her attention taken by a particular book on display in the window, Elizabeth had sighed with regret. Such volumes were extremely expensive and well beyond a country miss's allowance. Still looking at the book, Miss Elizabeth Bennet had stepped backwards onto the cobbled walkway before the shop with dreams of, one day, owning such a tome. Unfortunately, two young women already happened to be in the space she attempted to occupy at that very instant. Thereby, Lizzy knocked over the older of the two and unbalanced the other. The extremely well dressed and fashionable girl righted herself immediately, before hiding her smile behind a gloved hand. She, at least, seemed to find the situation amusing.
Lizzy reached down to help the elder, and less finely dressed, lady to her feet. "Please," she added when the injured party gave her a withering glare, "accept my apology. My attention had been quite captured by a book and I did not see you."
"No harm done," stated the lady, brushing ineffectively at her skirts. However, an icy stare accompanied the softer words. Then she suddenly directed her eyes down the street, as if expecting to see another witnessing her gracelessness.
Elizabeth found her gaze following in the attempt to see what caught the woman's notice. She, too, would be mortified if her mother or sisters observed such an incident. From the corner of an alley, between the haberdashers and milliners, a young man's head popped out. Brazenly, upon catching Miss Bennet's eye, he smirked provocatively before winking at her, then promptly disappeared from sight. Something in the man's manners seemed dissolute, or why else would he be loitering on a busy street in the middle of the day.
"I do not think you should continue in this direction," Elizabeth started to explain, only to be rudely interrupted.
"First you knock me down," the woman hissed, her eyes narrowing to slits, "now you make demands upon my time. I do not know who you are, Madam, nor should I wish too. Impudent upstart," she whispered the last under her breath.
Angered by the unjust comment, Lizzy turned her ire on the lady. "There is an unsavoury character dallying between the next shop and the one after. By all means, if you wish to have your coin taken or worse, pray continue. However, should you wish to protect the innocence of your ward, I suggest you consider another direction."
"A…a thief," the younger woman stammered, moving closer to Lizzy. She seemed timid and easily frightened.
"I cannot be certain," Lizzy commented, her tone softening as she responded to the girl's insecurity. Elizabeth found it strange, this child seeking refuge with a complete stranger rather than her companion and supposed protector. It forced Lizzy to take a long hard look at the older woman, who stood and glared at her with accusation in her brown eyes. Miss Bennet did not like the callous expression, set upon the face of an unfeeling individual. It appeared the individual attempted a ladylike countenance but, somehow, did not quite bring the entire picture together. The companion seemed false in both manner and feeling. "I believe it better not to take the chance. I should not like my younger sisters exposed to such possibility of danger," Lizzy directed her statement toward the girl.
"Then we shall cross the street, Mrs. Younge," the girl tried for a commanding tone, only it came out thin, "and go the long way around. I know Fitzwilliam would not wish me to be in any danger."
"As you wish," Mrs. Younge smiled. However the expression did not reach her eyes. Indeed she glared at Elizabeth as though at fault for foiling some plan.
"Are you alone," requested the younger woman, glancing around for a companion before Lizzy could collect her thoughts. "I should not like for you to continue this way without protection."
"I am not alone," Lizzy pointed to a footman following a respectable distance behind. "My aunt would not allow me out of the house without a servant. However, I have been charged with attending to her list. Perhaps we might walk the same way, if you are in a mind to go in the direction of the circulating library. I must choose several new books to read to my aunt, as her eyesight fails."
"I would be honoured to join you. Oh, I have not introduced myself. I am Miss Georgiana Darcy," she curtsied, "and this is my companion, Mrs. Younge. We are lately come to Ramsgate."
"Miss Elizabeth Bennet," Lizzy offered, belatedly. Placing her hands behind her back, she began to cross the road with Georgiana at her side. Mrs. Younge lagged somewhat behind with the manservant. "I have been here several weeks as companion to my aunt," Lizzy smiled, trying to place the young woman at ease. Leaning close to the girl, she whispered, "she is not really my aunt, even if I call her so. The relationship is quite tenuous." To this Georgiana giggled, as she too understood the respect owed to family, no matter how distantly related. Both straightened as Mrs. Younge coughed to capture their attention, then gave them a withering look as if chastising their easy familiarity. "Now, if you can follow, my mother's brother, Mr. Gardiner, married Aunt Marianne's niece. I am to stay the entire summer as her companion and would desperately like a friend in this strange village," Lizzy stated in a more normal voice. "My sister Mary will accompany Aunt Marianne to her estate in the north, and there she will stay for the winter."
"Has she no family of her own?" Miss Darcy asked.
"Mrs. Gardiner," Lizzy answered, "is Aunt Marianne's only living relative of age. Her son, Edward Gardiner, who is four, is to inherit the estate. Aunt Gardiner is very good to our family and often hosts my elder sister Jane and I in London. As we are five unmarried daughters, Aunt Gardiner suggested it would give us opportunities to meet new people and experience new places whilst travelling with Aunt Marianne. Besides, Aunt Gardiner has four young children and my uncle's business keeps them in Town."
"I would love a sister, but I have only one brother and he is more than ten years my senior," Georgiana lamented. "Sometimes I feel as though I have no siblings at all."
"Then I envy you for I have not one, but should dearly love a brother," Lizzy tried to keep the conversation light, "even were he so much older. I should like to introduce you to Aunt Marianne if the occasion arises. While her body is frail, her mind is sharp and she enjoys company. I believe she would enjoy making your acquaintance."
"But I am not yet out," Georgiana stated.
"Would your family disapprove," Lizzy asked, somewhat taken back by the comment.
Mrs. Younge muttered under her breath at the pretensions of an unknown woman imposing herself on Miss Darcy. For her part, Lizzy did not think the lady an appropriate companion for anyone, let alone a young girl quite obviously from the highest social circles. Mrs. Younge's manners appeared unrefined and very unladylike, quite unsuited to Miss Darcy's superior society.
When Miss Darcy offered information regarding the recent loss of both her uncle and father in a carriage accident, Lizzy felt for the girl. Learning of her mother's death many years past only made her situation more pitiable. 'Fitzwilliam', it seemed, was her guardian and he too had suffered in the accident. Although now recovered, he resided lately in London. Unwilling to ask, Miss Bennet wondered if 'Fitzwilliam' could be the son of Lord Fitzwilliam, the Earl of Matlock and Miss Darcy's uncle, or the much older brother. Either way, Elizabeth felt compelled to take the young woman under her protection in a society new to her and without a friend or relative to ensure her safety. The very presence of Mrs. Young made the gesture, in Elizabeth's estimation, imperative.
Arriving at the shop required to fulfil her Aunt's wishes, Miss Darcy promptly decided to accompany her new friend inside. Mrs. Younge, a frown covering her features, chose to wait outside with the footman. It gave Lizzy the opportunity to speak more freely with Miss Darcy. By the time they parted some half hour later, Elizabeth Bennet felt she had made a new acquaintance and had the promise of meeting again in the park for a stroll the following day.