Battle of the Dragons Chapter 5, a pride and prejudice fanfic

~O~

Fourth Dragon

By the time Isabella returned to her own home that afternoon, she had come to the conclusions that she had arrived in Meryton just in the nick of time.

When Elizabeth had told her about her family the previous day, Isabella had thought that the girl's opinion was coloured by the frustration of recent events.

Having met the Bennets, it seemed that Elizabeth had presented the family in a mostly factual manner, with only a slight bias. Yet despite their deficiencies, it should not take too much effort to improve the ladies.

Mrs Bennet's famous nerves would sure improve once she was assured of security for her daughters and herself. Perhaps a companion to lead by example could be of benefit.

Jane had lovely manners but seemed to be lacking objectivity as well as a spine. A few weeks in London seeing the best and the worst society had to offer should cure much of her hubris. Come to think of it, she had refused to countenance chasing after Mr Bingley. There was hope for her yet.

Getting Mary away from her mother's influence and encouraging her to see that that she was just as beautiful as her sisters should go a long way to improving her outlook on life. Providing her with a music master to improve her performances should then allow her to receive some honest praise, something the poor girl had been craving.

Kitty should be the easiest to improve. All the poor girl wanted was some positive attention. That and a proper education should help her to become a pleasant and confident young woman in a couple of years.

Lydia needed to learn that the world did not revolve around her. Isabella suspected that the girl was more intelligent than her family gave her credit, which the girl had used to get her own way. Once she had a proper outlet for her energies, she too could grow into a proper young lady.

Elizabeth was the most interesting of the sisters. Having been denigrated by her mother for most of her life had left some deep wounds. She disguised those wounds by her cynicism. Isabella suspected that the way she had refused to discuss Mr Darcy had something to do with her waspishness as far as the party from Netherfield was concerned.

Of course, Elizabeth's intelligence had engendered a certain arrogance in her attitude towards those she believed to be more limited. Isabella felt that perhaps she was the only one to recognise those attributes, because she had suffered from them as well.

But Elizabeth had a further handicap. She considered herself an excellent judge of character and believed her first impressions to be infallible. That was something about which Isabella had great doubts, as, despite her own decades of experience, she had been known to be wrong.

The final member of the Bennet family Isabella dismissed out of hand. Mr Bennet had the power to fix the problems in his family, but he had never bothered to do so. Instead, he made things worse by laughing at the ladies.

Isabella was not going to waste her time on him. As long as he did not interfere with her plans, she was prepared to ignore him.

~O~

All the Bennets had much to think about that night.

Mrs Bennet was the most excited.

For the first time since Lydia was born and she was informed that she would never be able to have another child, she had hopes for the future.

While Aunt Isabella was somewhat abrasive and had firm ideas about what was acceptable behaviour for young ladies, there had been kindness underneath that inflexible demeanour.

If she were not kind, she would not have offered to take her girls to London for the season. Surely there they would all find husbands and gain a secure future. And even though her dearest Lydia had to wait a little while before she could take her rightful place in London society, she would have much greater choice than in Meryton.

Perhaps with Aunt Isabella's help, even Lizzy and Mary could find men who were prepared to overlook their flaws.

As the reality of the situation slowly sank in, Mrs Bennet became gleeful that she would be able to say to the other matrons in the neighbourhood, my aunt, the duchess. She tried to say it aloud, 'My aunt, the Duchess of Markham.' Oh, how well that sounded.

~O~

As they had already struck up a friendship, Isabella invited Elizabeth to visit her the next day.

Once they were comfortably ensconced in the small parlour with tea and a variety of small cakes, Isabella requested, 'Tell me something of your neighbours. As you know my first priority was to meet my family, but now that I have done so, I am eager to learn something of the other residents.'

'You have met Aunt Phillips. Her husband is nothing like her. He is much quieter. He is highly intelligent, and I think you will enjoy his company. He is the solicitor here in Meryton. He had the opportunity to practice in London, but the air did not agree with his wife, so he settled in Meryton and took over Grandfather Gardiner's business.'

'I am pleased that my brother found a competent successor.'

Elizabeth nodded in agreement as she continued, 'It is such a shame that they have not been able to have children. Aunt Phillips makes up for that lack by being very sociable. Her card-parties are always good fun. You can meet everybody at her house or at Sir William's home.'

Elizabeth went on to describe the four and twenty families of the Meryton area until she arrived at the inhabitants of Netherfield.

'We have been most fortunate that Mr Bingley's company were not the only newcomers to the area. To make up for having to endure Miss Bingley and Mr Darcy, we have had a most charming addition to the company here in Meryton. While I do not consider them in a matrimonial light, many of the officers of the militia are excellent partners at dances. Mr Wickham especially has proven to be a particular favourite.'

'George Wickham? The godson of Mr George Darcy?'

Elizabeth beamed, pleased that her aunt knew the charming man. 'That is indeed the gentleman.'

'That man is many things, but he is no gentleman. Please, Elizabeth, tell me that you did not fall for that scoundrel's blandishments?' exclaimed Isabella, concern written quite clearly all over her features.

Elizabeth was shocked at the vehemence in her aunt's tone and expression. She gasped, 'Scoundrel? Did you just call Mr Wickham a scoundrel?'

'I did indeed.'

'That cannot be. The gentleman is all that is charming. And despite his ill treatment by Mr Darcy there is still such an expression of goodness in his countenance! Such an openness and gentleness in his manner.'

'And you must not forget such evil in his soul,' Isabella added her own opinion in the same vein.

'You must be mistaken,' Elizabeth exclaimed, perturbed that her aunt could have such an opinion of the gentleman. She voiced her suspicion, 'Did Mr Darcy blacken his name to you too?'

'I have never spoken to Mr Darcy. At least not as an adult. I have my reports about that man's predilections from a reliable and independent source. And I confined myself to calling him a scoundrel, because I did not wish to upset your delicate sensibilities.'

'You are protecting my sensibilities by calling him a scoundrel? What would you call him if you were speaking bluntly?' Elizabeth bristled.

'Liar, wastrel, cheat, gambler, womaniser… and those are his better points.'

'Surely a man destined for the church could not be any of the things of which you seem to accuse him.'

Isabella suspected that there was a story which she had better learn. 'Tell me. Do you know the prerequisite to being granted a living?'

Elizabeth gave her a puzzled look at this non sequitur but answered readily, 'A man must have studied theology and been ordained as a minister in the church, as well as having served as a curate.'

'Excellent summation,' Isabella complimented. 'Now, can you tell me if Mr Wickham has been ordained?'

A slight frown appeared on Elizbeth's face as she said, 'While he did not specifically say so, I assume that he was ordained so that he could be granted the living.'

'I am afraid that he lied by omission. He never even completed university. He was so lazy that he failed all his subjects. Without completing his courses, he could never be ordained and is therefore not eligible to be granted a living as a parson.'

'How would you know? Did Mr Darcy–'

Isabella snapped, 'You really have to stop blaming Mr Darcy for everything. While it is common knowledge that he is rude and arrogant, it is also firmly established that he is honourable.'

Spearing Elizabeth with a gimlet stare she said carefully, 'My youngest son Patrick started at Cambridge a year after Wickham. You have to allow that young men will get to know each other when in such close proximity. He learnt that Wickham ran with the fast crowd who are into drinking, gambling and seducing women. To make things worse, Wickham seemed to favour young girls no older than fifteen years of age.'

Elizabeth paled at the blunt statement, but Isabella had not yet finished. 'He promises marriage to girls to young to recognise him for what he is and uses that promise to get them to anticipate their vows. Except of course, he never has any intention of making good his promises. As there is nothing in writing, he claims the girl is lying and moves on to the next one. I have heard of at least three girls who bore Wickham's children.'

'But if he was truly this bad, why did not his godfather put a stop to his predations?' exclaimed Elizabeth in horror.

'Because that fool was taken in by Wickham's lies. No matter what anyone told him, George Darcy refused to believe them. At best he shrugged off Wickham's behaviour as boys will be boys and sow their wild oats.'

'But why did not Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy speak up? If your information is correct, surely, he must have known what Mr Wickham was like?' Elizabeth huffed in frustration, but before Isabella could answer, she spat, 'But I suppose he did not care since those people were so far below him.'

'You are wrong on several counts. According to my reports, Darcy did speak up but since Wickham had run up many of his debts in Darcy's name, Wickham convinced Mr Darcy Senior that his son was just trying to shift the blame.'

Elizabeth sat in stunned silence. Isabella gave her a minute to absorb the information before she added, 'After Mr Darcy died, his son arranged for those girls to be hired at Pemberley… with their children.'

Finding her voice at last, Elizbeth said, 'That is not the Mr Darcy I know. The one who came to Netherfield and attended an assembly was quite prepared to look me in the eye before declaring, she is tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me. I am in no mood to give consequence to ladies slighted by other men.'

Isabella nodded thoughtfully. 'Ah, so that is why you hate him so much. He injured your vanity which has been severely wounded by your mother all your life. His comment must have been like rubbing salt into an open wound.'

She sighed, understanding the pain Elizabeth must have felt. While her reaction was not admirable, at least it was understandable. Leaning forward she took hold of one of Elizabeth's hand. 'I understand why you reacted the way you did, but by closing your eyes to the truth, you only hurt yourself.'

'What truth?' That man is arrogant, rude and thoroughly unpleasant. There can be no two opinons about that.'

'Yes, everyone agrees that he is rude and arrogant, but he is not an unprincipled monster which you make him out to be. He cares for his family, friends, staff and tenants. Unlike many young men, he does not waste his life in debauchery. He does have some good points… even though he is still rude and arrogant,' Isabella finished with a grin.

That smile was infectious enough to surprise Elizbeth into a small chuckle, which helped lighten her mood. She was not made for constant sorrow and having a sensible woman to talk to, who understood her concerns even if she did not share them, was a balm to her wounds.

'Was I a very great fool to believe Mr Wickham?'

'He flattered where Mr Darcy hurt you. As I said, it is understandable especially as you are still full young.' Isabella smiled at the angry look Elizabeth shot at her for that comment, but she went on regardless. 'As long as you learn from your mistakes and try to see things from all sides in the future, it was a valuable lesson. You are not an infallible judge of character.'

Elizabeth gave her a mulish look. 'I still do not like Mr Darcy.'

'I do not expect you to do so. As long as you remain civil if you should encounter him again, that is all for which anyone can ask.'

Relaxing slightly, Elizabeth nodded even as she silently berated herself for having been duped. Worse, she had been so eager to have her opinion of Mr Darcy confirmed, that she had not realised the many contradictions in Wickham's tale. That thought sparked another worry. 'I just realised that since the party from Netherfield have left, Mr Wickham has been spreading the story about Mr Darcy's supposed perfidy to all and sundry. Surely, I am not the only one who will believe his tales. How can we prevent him from further depredations of our neighbours?'

Isabella gave her a pleased smile. 'I am glad that you consider the wellbeing of your neighbours. You can leave it to me to slay that particular dragon.'

~O~