Alright, so I lied. This chapter is solely Lydia and Wickham and that scandal. Next chapter will be society and such since this one was becoming too long. Enjoy! Thanks for reviewing!
This is Mr. Darcy's POV
Upon arriving in London, the Colonel and he went directly to Mrs. Younge's former residence. As luck would have it, she was still living in the small residence, a mere three blocks from the Gardiner family.
"Henrietta" The Colonel shoved his boot into the door before the woman could close it at the sound of his voice.
"I ain't done nothing this time" She rasped. She had done a good job at hiding her illness, and lack of decorum when in employment of the Darcy's, but her condition had severely deteriorated. Consumption was a deadly disease in this part of London. Thankfully she had a ragged cloth tied around her mouth. Based off of her coloring, her cough, and her malnourished form, she had mere weeks, perhaps a month to live.
"Do you know where Wickham is?" He asked, keeping a far enough distance from her and her cough.
"Might be I've seen him around" She answered, appraising the two. "He got the little princess again?"
"No" He replied tightly.
"Then he's got something else of yours" She got a determined look in her eyes. "I ain't part of whatever he's done now, but I know where you can find him, it's going to cost you though"
"First, we find him, then we pay you," He growled. This woman had tricked him one time too many. She seemed to deflate, but nodded.
"He's got a little bird with him along the river. Seen him at the old dock pub by central" She told them.
"What does she look like?" He asked, hoping it would be Lydia Bennet.
"Loud little thing, she has brown hair, fair skin. She got a nice firm shape, impressive chest" She leered.
"If we find him, we will pay you" He promised, allowing the Colonel to remove his foot.
"We can't know if she is telling the truth," The Colonel admitted. He nodded.
"We had best go change into something else, find the two quickly"
To their disappointment, they did not see him on the first night, although several drunken men confirmed Mrs. Younge's story. He was here in London, somewhere along the Thames.
The next morning, Georgiana and Lizzy arrived in London. He was sitting in his office when the butler announced their arrival. He met them on the front stairs, Lizzy throwing herself into his awaiting arms.
"Have you found anything?" She asked as soon as they were behind closed doors.
"We've tracked them down to the old docks near the central side" He answered slowly. "Several people have confirmed their presence. We will find them tonight hopefully"
Tears welled in her eyes, but she nodded anyways.
"How was the ride? Do you feel alright?" He asked, noticing her pale color.
"She was ill several times during the trip" Georgiana told her brother quickly, ignoring Lizzy's pointed look. "I'm going to bathe and then rest for awhile. Would you have dinner brought to my room brother?" She asked. Mr. Darcy merely nodded, taking his wife's hand into his own. He led her up the stairs, but when Georgiana turned left, they turned right.
"Lizzy?" He questioned as she sat motionless on the bed. She looked up at him with large, tear filled eyes.
"She's only 16 William. Barely 16 in fact. Her birthday was not even a month ago. Remember, I sent her those slippers?" He wrapped a strong around her shoulders. "I am so worried, yet I feel anger towards her as well. How could she have been so daft as to run away with a man she barely knew!"
"We will find her Lizzy, I promise. Please, just focus on yourself right now. You are ghostly pale, shaking, and look quite ill. You must take care of yourself," He pleaded. He had watched his own mother grow ill, as her pregnancy with Georgiana had advanced, until she passed away mere seconds after Georgiana was born.
"I did not sleep at all last night without you beside me" She told him quietly.
"Neither did I my love," He whispered.
He laid her gently down on the bed, and pulled the blanket up over the two of them. They fell asleep fully clothed, shoes and all.
It took them another four days to finally track the two down.
Mrs. Younge found them at the dock pub. She gave them a slip of paper with a name of a boardinghouse and a room number. In return the two men gave her coin enough to spend her remaining time in a warm inn with warm food to be eaten.
The boarding house was a mess. It was covered in filth, and had rats and vermin openly displayed on the floor. Several prostitutes littered the entrance, along with many drunken men. In short, this was not a place he would want his sister or wife to be.
When they reached the room, they decided to just kick open the door. The Colonel did the honors. As soon as the door fell, Darcy regretted his choice.
The two sprung apart from each other, faces red and surprised. Lydia Bennet was stark naked, clutching a thin sheet to her chest, but hiding nothing. Wickham was just as naked, but languidly stretched on the small bed.
"Ah, I was wondering when you two would show up" He laughed. Lydia Bennet looked horrified.
"Why are you here?" She sneered. "Leave us alone"
"Yes Darcy, leave us alone" Wickham echoed with a grin.
"Miss Bennet, get dressed, now" He was trying to conceal his anger.
"No" Lydia retorted, crossing her arms across her chest. The blanket was still clutches across her nakedness.
"Miss Bennet, get dressed" He repeated.
"You cannot make me"
"Come on love, put on some clothes" The Colonel stepped forward, an easy, albeit fake, smiled plastered on his face. "Your family is awfully worried about you"
"George is my family" Lydia replied, her nose in the air now. She sat down next to Wickham, resting her head on his shoulder. "We're going to Gretna Green on the morrow to get married" She said lovingly, looking up at him.
An hour later, after much cajoling and bribing, Lydia Bennet was returned to her aunt and uncles home in Cheapside. He did not want to risk his wife's health with Lydia's theatrics.
Mr. Darcy returned to the comfort of his home, where his wife sat asleep on the front parlor couch, awaiting his return. He gently shook her awake.
"William?" She blinked open her tired eyes. "What happened? Did you find her?" She asked.
"Yes, we found them. They will have to get married Lizzy, I am sorry" He whispered. Tears pooled in her eyes.
"Damn traitorous tears" She muttered to his amusement. She blamed their child for the rapid mood swings and frequent tears. "I knew it would have to come to this. I just wish it hadn't" She sighed. "Will you lie with me for awhile?" She asked.
"On the couch?" He questioned. She nodded sleepily, burrowing into the velvet on the couch. "How about we lie together in bed?" He asked, picking her up off of the couch. "Tomorrow will be a long day, you need rest"
She was already asleep.
The next morning the weather was anything but nice. Thunder boomed overhead, and rain pelted the windows. Lizzy gloomily dressed for her youngest sisters wedding. She wore a pale grey dress, not quite appropriate for mourning, yet certainly too drab for a wedding. She wore no jewels, and her hair was loosely pulled into a bun under her rain bonnet.
Her husband was dressed in a similar manner.
"Lizzy, love, we must leave now" He called, opening the door to her new dressing room. She stood and sighed heavily.
"I cannot help but be sad. She is too silly and young to realize what she has gotten herself into" Lizzy muttered.
"It is okay to be sad darling, she was tricked into this. But she is happy, she is unaware of his transgressions. Let her live in her fantasy world for as long as she can, reality is going to emerge eventually" Mr. Darcy rubbed her shoulders. "Your sister will always be welcome in our home, if she needs it"
"Without her husband" Lizzy sighed. "I hate him"
"Well then, we agree on that love. Let us go, or we shall be late"
Lydia stood in a pale yellow gown. It was simple, and old. She complained loudly about it every chance she got. It had been an old dress of Lizzy's. Her Aunt Maddy, and Lizzy herself tried to block out her complaints as they readied her for the simple ceremony.
"I do not see why we could not invite more people" Lydia whined.
"Lydia, you ran away with a man, ruined your reputation, and almost ruined Kitty and Mary's reputations as well. You are a ruined woman!" Her Aunt had had enough of this nonsense. Madeline Gardiner was a respected woman. She had always favored the elder Bennet sisters over her youngest niece She had listened to Lydia for the past 24 hours, enough was enough.
Lydia scowled, glaring at her aunt.
"You know nothing Aunt"
"She is right Lydia. You are ruined. You are lucky that Mr. Wickham is willing to marry you" Lizzy was hesitant to ruin her sisters fantasy She would learn the hard way eventually.
"George is the best of men" The conversation ended there as both elder women declined to either agree or disagree with Lydia.
Her husband, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and her Uncle made up the rest of the wedding party. The vows were simple, the wedding bands were simple, everything was utterly simple. There was no breakfast feast at the bride's house, the married couple was packed onto a carriage and sent to Liverpool, where Darcy had purchased a commission for Wickham. Coincidentally, it was the same regiment that the Colonel would return too in a fortnight.