Elizabeth helped guide her hysterical youngest sister to the furthermost back room of Mr. Seymour's office. Their steps echoed across the bare wooden floor, audible over Lydia's sucking breaths and heaving noisy sobs. The gentle tapping of the rain on the window was entirely overpowered by her cries, though the water running down the glass would have been soothing had any of the ladies cared to watch.
Elizabeth and their aunt guided Lydia to one of the leather wingback chairs drawn close to the fire, which had been built up high and was now crackling merrily, filling the room with welcome warmth. Mrs. Gardiner knelt next to her youngest niece, as Elizabeth crossed back to the table in the middle of the room, where a pitcher of cold water sat on a serviceable tray alongside several glasses. Elizabeth poured a glass of water and turned back to the chair just as Lydia's sobs swelled to a crescendo again, half-comprehensible invectives against Wickham mangled through her tears.
Elizabeth's hand gripped the glass with the sudden urge to fling the water into her histrionic younger sister's face. A moment later she scolded herself for such an ungenerous impulse; Lydia was still young, and ignorant, and had just suffered a terrible disillusionment and heartbreak. She had been terribly and catastrophically foolish, but vituperation from Elizabeth would not do anything to mend matters.
"Lydia, my dear," Mrs. Gardiner coaxed, "do drink a little water."
"He … he said he loved me," Lydia choked. "He said he wanted to … oh, what am I to do? What am I to do?"
"Lydia, drink some water," Elizabeth commanded, and Lydia, worn out, shocked, and dazed by the events of the previous hour, obediently did so.
Elizabeth looked into her young sister's pretty, petulant, tear stained face then dropped to her knees and reached over to embrace the girl.
Lydia was trembling, and Mrs. Gardiner smoothed back her dark curls, which were escaping her bonnet, and Elizabeth kissed her on the cheek before leaning back.
"I am sorry," she said simply. "I am very sorry."
Lydia raised her handkerchief to mop her face and then looked down at her own abdomen.
"I am ruined," she said drearily. "I was so certain that he meant what he said, that he loved me and wished to marry me, and he was so handsome, and seemed so kind. Oh Lizzy, how could he treat me so cruelly? How could I have been such a fool?"
Elizabeth could not suppress her astonishment at this remark; Lydia had never owned up to her own idiocy in her life!
"My dear, I have every hope that we will be able to protect your name and the name of your family as well," Mrs. Gardiner said gently. "Now, come, dry your tears, and we will return to Half Moon Street. You need a rest."
It was another symptom of Lydia's oppression of spirits that she meekly followed her aunt and sister out of the room and to the carriage awaiting outside. Elizabeth longed to speak to Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam and thank them for their assistance, but Lydia needed to be in bed, away from prying eyes and curious ears, as quickly as possible.
She comforted herself that Colonel Fitzwilliam would doubtless call at Half Moon Street soon to speak to Jane, and perhaps, Mr. Darcy would come as well.
/
Mr. Seymour's Office
"I will destroy the prospective marriage settlement, Mr. Bennet," Seymour said.
"Thank you, sir, for your assistance," Mr. Bennet answered, just as a tap on the door heralded a young clerk, who said, "Mr. Bennet, the ladies wish to inform you that they are ready to depart."
"Thank you very much."
"Darcy and I will put our heads together and will visit Half Moon Street within the next day or two," the colonel said.
"Thank you again."
The master of Longbourn hurried out of the room to join the ladies, and Richard grinned at Darcy and said, "That was a good day's work."
"It was. The man is an excrescence on the earth, and I am most thankful he will be locked up where he cannot harm anyone else."
"Mr. Seymour," Richard said, turning toward the solicitor. "You have my profound thanks."
"It is always an honor to serve any member of the house of Matlock," the man said, and then, after a brief pause, continued, "May I ask what you would have done if Mr. Wickham had accepted the offer?"
The cousins exchanged amused looks and Darcy said, "We knew he would not. Wickham is one of the greediest men in all of England, and with the awareness that Miss Elizabeth is now mistress of seventy thousand pounds, there was not a chance that he would accept a mere ten percent of that sum."
"Then Mr. Wickham is a complete and utter fool," Mr. Seymour said dispassionately.
"Indeed, he is," Darcy agreed.
/
The House on Half Moon Street
Three days later
Dear Mamma,
Pray do not worry about Lydia; she is, the doctor says, not terribly ill. However, she still feels quite poorly, and it is not wise for her to return to Hertfordshire.
I am aware that she has not been happy at Longbourn of late, and we are hopeful of introducing her to some of our new gentleman friends in the next week or so. That should cheer her up.
I must go as we are expecting visitors shortly.
With much love,
Elizabeth
Elizabeth read the letter carefully, sprinkled it to dry the ink, folded it, and sealed it. Everything she had written was entirely factual, though she had written very cautiously to keep Mrs. Bennet from learning the truth about Lydia's "illness".
It was a great pity that her mother was not a reliable person. Lydia could use some gentle mothering given that she was still sick every morning, and was also battling oppressive and depressing thoughts. But no, Mrs. Bennet, if she were to learn the truth, would panic, and gossip, and scream, and all of Meryton would be aware of the Bennets' shame within the week, if not the day!
Thankfully, Miss Phoebe Adler was proving a treasure. The woman spent long hours at Lydia's side every morning, helping her when she was sick, wiping her face, reading books to her, and generally assisting in every way possible. Elizabeth made a note to double the salaries of both of the Adlers; they most definitely deserved it!
There was a tap on the door, and Jane entered a moment later, her face flushed with excitement. "Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Darcy have arrived and are speaking with Father in the study, but they will join us in the drawing room as soon as they can. Would you care to come down?"
Elizabeth's heart sped up at the news that Mr. Darcy was in the house, but she merely said, "Yes, of course."
Jane spun around and departed, and Elizabeth leaped to her feet and hurried toward a large mirror hanging on the wall. Her garment, and old one she had brought from Meryton, was well enough for writing letters, but she decided to change into one of dresses she had purchased from Madame Fanchon, an aqua overdress over a white underlay, with lace at neck and wrists. She would also need her maid to dress her hair, as it looked rather untidy.
She had decided, in the last few days, to allow herself hope regarding Mr. Darcy. Yes, Lydia was pregnant by George Wickham. But Darcy was a good man, and a generous and forgiving one. Perhaps…
In any case, she had every intention of looking her best in the presence of the master of Pemberley.
/
The Study
"I believe I have found just the man for Miss Lydia," Colonel Fitzwilliam enthused.
Mr. Bennet poured glasses of Madeira for his guests and handed them out, and then he said, "Please do sit down, gentlemen, and tell me about this individual."
"Josiah Russell is currently a half pay captain in the Regulars," Richard explained, taking a seat by the window, while Darcy sank down into a chair nearby. "He is a distant connection of my mother's; a very distant connection, a third cousin's wife's nephew or something of the sort. He is a good man, and I met him personally when we were both serving in Portugal. Sadly, he was injured sufficiently at the Battle of Talavera that he has been unable to return to the Peninsula and has been lingering on half pay, which is a discouraging life for a man who is only a little more than thirty years of age."
Bennet grimaced at these words and said hesitantly, "Is he, erm, disfigured, Colonel?"
"Not at all," Richard replied promptly and grinned in understanding. "I take your meaning very well, Mr. Bennet; Miss Lydia would not be pleased with an unsightly husband. In truth, Captain Russell is a fine looking gentleman, not as handsome as Darcy, but better looking than I am. He has a fine figure except for his left arm, which is permanently damaged, not that his handicap is obvious when his arm is inserted in a sleeve. He also limps a trifle from damage to his ankle when he was shot and fell off his horse. He is a good man who wishes to leave the army, but thanks to some poor decisions on the part of his father and older brother, he has very little money to make that possible. He understands the situation and will take care of Miss Lydia and the child, and he will be kind to them both. Alternatively, if Miss Lydia wishes for the child to be raised by another, he is amenable to living quietly until the birth and then moving with Miss Lydia elsewhere."
"It sounds excellent," Bennet said with relief. "Lydia will need to decide, of course, but she seems chastened, so I have high hopes of convincing her."
"Perhaps Captain Russell can call here tomorrow and meet Miss Lydia?"
"Yes," Bennet agreed, and noting the eagerness on both men's faces, said, "Now shall we join the ladies in the drawing room?"