Chapter 21
"Darcy, what are you doing here?" Mr. Wickham asked in surprise.
"I do not have to explain myself to you, Wickham. I want to warn you that I shall not allow you to disrespect Miss Bennet or any other lady in this town," Mr. Darcy replied seriously.
"Miss Bennet and I are friends; I do not think she would mind me calling her by her name," Mr. Wickham said. He was sure Elizabeth would defend him because she detested Darcy.
"Mr. Wickham, we were once acquaintances, but that was long ago. Besides, sir, we were never close friends, so you should not take the liberty of calling me by my name."
"I understand, excuse me, Miss Bennet," said Mr. Wickham resentfully. He suspected that, given her new status, Elizabeth was trying to ingratiate herself with Darcy to have influential friends. Unfortunately, George Wickham was envious and vindictive, so he would not allow Elizabeth to humiliate him in front of his worst enemy. "I imagine, Miss Bennet, that now that you are friends with Darcy, you will give credit to whatever he tells you about me."
Mr. Wickham looked at his nemesis and added, "Darcy, until not long ago, this lady never missed the opportunity to speak ill of you to anyone who would listen. I would not trust her... I perfectly remember what you said about Darcy: He is such an arrogant and disagreeable man, and I do not understand how Mr. Bingley could be his friend," said Mr. Wikham, mimicking Elizabeth's voice.
Elizabeth did not lower her gaze and replied immediately. "Many of the things I thought and said about Mr. Darcy were based on lies. Now that I know him better, I know he is not perfect, but he is honorable and always keeps his word. I do not know if the same can be said of you, Mr. Wickham."
"I see that now that you have an important brother-in-law, I am too poor to be your friend, ELIZABETH. If you talk to me like this to ingratiate yourself with Darcy, allow me to inform you, he will never be friends with the daughter of an inconsequential country squire..."
"DO NOT SAY ANOTHER WORD, WICKHAM…" said Mr. Darcy menacingly. He had lost his patience, and if it had not been for Elizabeth's presence, he would have told Wickham everything he deserved.
"What you think of me, Mr. Wickham, it is irrelevant to me. Now, if you will excuse me, I do not wish to continue wasting my time talking to you," Elizabeth said.
Mr. Wickham again tried to block Elizabeth's way, but this time, Mr. Darcy pushed him to let her go. "Miss Bennet, I believe you had better walk home," said Mr. Darcy.
Elizabeth nodded and continued walking as fast as she could. She did not want to create problems for Mr. Darcy because she knew Mr. Wickham had bad intentions and could do anything to harm the Darcy family.
Once Mr. Darcy saw Elizabeth far enough away from them, he said to Wickham threateningly. "I do not want you to come near Miss Bennet or her sisters again…"
"I am not afraid of you, Darcy. You know very well that I know many secrets about your family, especially your dear sister. If you threaten me again, I will be forced…"
"Not another word. It is a shame that my father protected and helped you. And what did you do in return? You tried to hurt his children. But I am not like my father... You have exhausted my patience, and if you say you are not afraid of me, I advise you to be afraid of me..." Mr. Darcy pushed Wickham away and walked away. He did not want to lose control and create a scene in the middle of town.
Elizabeth stood on the bridge between Meryton and the road to Longbourn, waiting for Mr. Darcy. She was very uneasy thinking about the worst. Therefore, she was relieved when she saw him walking in her direction.
"I am sorry, Miss Bennet. I know I should not have lost control, but that scoundrel has the talent for getting on my nerves," Mr. Darcy explained more calmly.
"Do not worry, Mr. Darcy. That man did everything he could to provoke us… I do not know how I could ever believe all his lies," Elizabeth said sadly.
"That scoundrel is a manipulator who knows very well how to abuse the trust of good-hearted people like you or my father. Do not feel guilty; you have not done anything wrong."
"I was wrong to believe all his lies blindly, but I have learned a great lesson. People are not always what they seem," Elizabeth said with a smile.
When Mr. Darcy saw Elizabeth smile, he forgot about Wickham. "I have learned exactly the same lesson, Miss Bennet. I always assumed that people's worth was tied to their place in society, and today, I know that goodness and evil are everywhere."
Mr. Darcy offered his arm to Elizabeth, and they began walking towards Longbourn. Although she realized he did not continue talking about Wickham, Elizabeth was concerned.
"Mr. Darcy, I am afraid that if Mr. Wickham discovers that Georgiana is here, he will try to find her or say things about her."
"Do not worry, Miss Bennet. As soon as we get to Longbourn, I want you to lend me some paper and ink so I can write to Fitzwilliam. I plan to get rid of that scoundrel as soon as possible."
"I am glad to hear that. That man on the loose is a danger to this entire community."
"Sir, I also want to apologize... When I said what Mr. Wickham mentioned. At that time, I did not know that..."
"Please, Miss Bennet, do not indulge Wickham. He said all that to create discord. Besides, you and I know that we both said and thought things based on our prejudices. We have already agreed that we shall not talk about the past. If we are honest, we can maintain a cordial friendship."
"You are right, Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth replied, more relieved. She was glad to be able to speak honestly with him. But for some reason, she did not understand; she did not like that he was only looking for friendship. Apparently, the feelings he confessed in Kent no longer existed.
With that unpleasant matter resolved, Mr. Darcy decided to talk about other topics. "Miss Bennet, I want to tell you that I have been drawing these last few days. It helps me think and relax. When I draw, I put my mind on something other than my troubles and duties."
"You are very talented; I am glad you have drawn again. I am trying to make a sketch of Longbourn, but I have not managed it yet. I want to have something to remind me of home once it is no longer mine," Elizabeth explained sadly.
"I can help you with the sketch, Miss Bennet," said Mr. Darcy. He was sad that he could not help Elizabeth from losing her family home.
"I would love to, but I know you are helping Mr. Bingley with Netherfield's affairs."
"After breakfast, I explain to Bingley what he has to do, but he is the one who has to do it. In the afternoon, we review what he has done, and I give him some suggestions. As you can see, I can spend some hours helping you with your Longbourn sketch. Maybe we can try to make a painting, what do you think, Miss Bennet?"
"It is an excellent idea. I would love to have a painting of Longbourn to put in the room of my new house. But I shall need much help to do that."
"It is always a pleasure to help you. Plus, I am sure Georgiana will love the idea." Mr. Darcy was pleased, thinking he would have the perfect excuse to spend several hours a day with Elizabeth.
While they were walking back to Longbourn, Mr. Bingley had gone to pay his respects to Mrs. Bennet and offer his condolences. Caroline had accompanied him with the excuse to visit Mrs. Bennet, but in reality, she wanted to know why Mr. Darcy spent so much time in that house.
As soon as Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth entered the room, Caroline began a conversation with Mrs. Bennet. She wanted Mr. Darcy to see that woman's vulgarity exposed in case he had forgotten.
"Mrs. Bennet, I know that I did not behave as I should the first time we came to Netherfield. Although we were initially excellent friends, it was my fault that my dear Jane and I became estranged. But thanks to a sincere conversation we had between siblings, my family and I have decided to correct our mistakes," Caroline said with feigned sincerity.
"I am pleased to know that you have analyzed your behavior and tried to improve. I understand you very well, Miss Bingley, for I have done the same," replied Mrs. Bennet.
Caroline was shocked. But she would continue to insist on provoking Mrs. Bennet. "I am delighted that Jane has married such an illustrious gentleman and is now part of the nobility. Without a doubt, she has made a very advantageous marriage."
"My Jane has been very fortunate, but not because her husband has a title, but because she has managed to find a man who loves her and is willing to support her."
"You are correct; the most important thing is to raise a family with love and respect," Mr. Bingley said.
" Lizzy, I am happy that you have returned so quickly. I do not feel well, and I think I should go and rest. I thank you very much, Mr. and Miss Bingley, for coming to visit us." Mrs. Bennet took her leave and left the room.
Caroline was taken aback. She had come to hear Mrs. Bennet brag about her new family connections. However, she found a reserved lady who said what was proper and necessary.
Elizabeth greeted Mr. Bingley and his sister and chatted with them for a few minutes. She could tell that Caroline was trying to be kind, but she sensed that this sudden change was insincere. Fortunately, Mr. Bingley noticed the situation was a little tense and realized it was time to return to Netherfield.
Mr. Darcy and Georgiana stayed for lunch with the Bennet family and returned before dinner to Netherfield. They enjoyed the day and planned to visit their friends the following day.
P&P
"You should extend that line a little further to the right so that it meets this one coming from the ground," Mr. Darcy said. He and Elizabeth sat on a bench under a tree, looking towards Longbourn.
"I see it now, Mr. Darcy. I believe the northern part of the house can now be seen in perspective. I feel grateful that I do not have to draw the stable animals. I do not think you could even help me with that," Elizabeth laughed.
"We could try it if you want," said Mr. Darcy, smiling.
"I prefer not. I still remember how you could not appreciate my talent for drawing animals."
"It was not that I could not appreciate your talent. I just remember asking you what you had drawn, and you told me that I could not see it because I did not have an artistic eye."
"Are you sure I told you that, Mr. Darcy?"
"I do not remember the exact words, but it was something like that."
"I am sorry; I think I was unfair to you…"
"Maybe, but in some sense, you were correct. One can find beauty in many things that, at first glance, perhaps are not. There is a certain beauty in imperfection."
Elizabeth looked at Mr. Darcy for a few seconds. She thought he was right. She had not seen anything good in Mr. Darcy. But once she left behind her prejudices against him, she realized he was an interesting person. Mr. Darcy noticed how Elizabeth was looking at him and had to make a great effort not to tell her that he still loved her and that he dreamed every day of seeing her in Pemberley.
Elizabeth preferred not to continue glancing at Mr. Darcy because she could hardly breathe and felt herself blushing. Mr. Darcy felt like he needed to say something, but he could not because Elizabeth seemed very concerned.
"Why is Mr. Collins here? We agreed that the following week, we would leave the house. I hope he has not come to create problems; my mother is very affected by everything happening. I am sorry, Mr. Darcy, but I must see what that gentleman wants."
"Of course, please allow me to accompany you," replied Mr. Darcy.
When they entered the house, they heard the voice of Mr. Collins and a man who was accompanying him."
"Mrs Bennet, this is my solicitor, Mr. Bernard King. He will stay at Longbourn until I return the following week. He will be in charge of taking inventory of everything in the house that belongs to my inheritance. That way, we avoid problems and confusion. I do not want my assets to be affected, much less for you to take something that now belongs to me."
"A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Bennet," Mr. King said. He was very similar to Mr. Collins in intellect and behavior, so they became friends at university. Like his client, he believed himself to be much more important and intelligent than he was.
"Mr. Collins, how dare you imply that I or my daughters want to take items that do not belong to us."
"Maybe you will not do it consciously. You may think that something that belongs in the house is yours. Therefore, it is best to do a detailed inventory of everything," said Mr. Collins.
"My client is absolutely correct. It is not uncommon for people in your situation, Mrs Bennet, to take items that belong to the estate thinking they are their own," Mr King explained. He had a notebook where he was writing everything he saw.
"I understand, Mr. Collins," Mrs. Bennet replied dejectedly. She could not help but shed a few tears.
"Mr. Collins, I find it terrible for you to come to this house and make Mrs. Bennet cry, knowing how difficult all this is for her," Mr. Darcy said. "And you, sir, please leave that vase where it was," he said to Mr. King, who was inspecting everything he saw around him.
"Mama, do not worry. It would help if you went to rest. I shall take care of Mr. Collins," Elizabeth said.
Georgiana and Kitty went to see what was happening, accompanied Mrs. Bennet to her room, and stayed with her until she fell asleep.
When Mr. Collins saw Mr. Darcy, he bowed almost to the floor. After giving him a series of compliments, he presented his solicitor. "Mr King, this illustrious gentleman is the nephew of my esteemed patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Mr. Darcy also has one of England's most beautiful estates and…"
"It is an honor to meet you, Mr. Darcy. Mr. Collins has told me so much about your aunt that I hope one day to have the fortune of meeting her and listening to her wise advice. At the moment, I am working as an assistant for a major law firm in London, and one day, I shall have my own office. I have always thought that if a man dedicates himself to work faithfully, he will be able to achieve…"
Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth looked at each other bewildered. Tolerating one Mr. Collins was a challenge to any individual's mental health, so having to endure two Mr. Collins was more than Mr. Darcy could handle.
"Mr. Collins, I shall call my uncle Phillips to arrange everything with your attorney," Elizabeth explained. She did not want to continue listening to those two men talking nonstop.
"Cousin Elizabeth, I have no objection to you calling Mr. Phillips. Now, you should ask a maid to prepare a room for Mr. King. He is the only person I trust and will be in charge of taking the inventory. That way, when my wife and I take over our estate next week, everything will be resolved between our families."
Elizabeth knew that she could not oppose what Mr. Collins was asking of her, but it seemed horrible to her that the family had to spend the last week in what was their home with that stranger wandering between the house's rooms.
"Mr. Collins, what do you say if I take an inventory of everything on this property, and then your solicitor and Mr. Phillips review it, and we conclude this matter? I am staying in Netherfield for a few days and shall have no trouble visiting Longbourn daily. My sister is an excellent friend of Miss Bennet and her sisters, so I still have to come to this house every day."
"Thank you very much, Mr. Darcy, for your generous offer," Elizabeth said excitedly.
"Mr. Darcy… I…" Mr. Collins was doubtful. On the one hand, he wanted his friend to take care of that matter, but on the other hand, he could not disrespect the nephew of his venerated patroness.
"Do you not trust me, Mr. Collins?" Mr. Darcy asked very seriously.
"My most illustrious sir, I do not believe that my good friend Collins does not trust you. A man of your importance and social and moral stature could never generate distrust. But making a detailed inventory, my dear sir, requires a certain expertise that only people like me, who dedicate themselves to the law, can do satisfactorily. Besides, my dear Mr. Darcy, it is a very arduous work that requires much concentration..."
Mr. Darcy had never heard a man say so many things without saying anything, and he was no longer willing to listen to such nonsense. "Mr. King, since I was twenty-two, I have handled my estate and all of my family's affairs. I believe that I am more than qualified to read and understand the conditions stipulated in the will of this estate and then make an inventory of the things it contains and those that have been acquired during the years in which Mr. Bennet was in charge of the administration. Mr. Collins, I hope you do not doubt my abilities as your friend has."
"Of course not, my dear Mr. Darcy. Furthermore, I feel honored that a gentleman of your standing and wealth wants to serve as a mediator and represent my interests."
"Mr. Darcy, I think you misunderstood me. I would never dare to imply that you are not qualified to do a work like this. I just think that a gentleman as important as you should not waste his time doing something so irrelevant..."
"I thank you for your consideration, Mr. King. So, we have an agreement, Mr. Collins?" Mr. Darcy asked, offering his hand. He did not wish to listen to any of those men any longer.
"Of course, Mr. Darcy," Mr. Collins replied and shook the hand of his beloved Lady Catherine's nephew.
The men stayed for almost twenty more minutes, talking and praising the Darcy family. Finally, they left, and Mr. Collins explained that in another week, his solicitor and he would return to take possession of his inheritance.
"I cannot believe it, Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth laughed.
"If someone had told me that there was another man as ridiculous as Mr. Collins, I swear, Miss Bennet, I would not have believed it."
"Sir, you do not know how much I laughed seeing your face. I congratulate you for not having lost your patience…" Elizabeth could not stop laughing.
"I nearly lost it, Miss Bennet," replied Mr. Darcy. He was pleased to see Elizabeth so content. He knew how hard the following few days would be for her, having to pack her belongings and leave her life behind. Therefore, he was satisfied to be able to support her during that process.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Darcy. I thank you with all my heart on behalf of myself and my family for allowing us to ensure that our last week in our house was not a nightmare."
"It will always be a pleasure to assist you, Miss Bennet," Mr. Darcy replied.
Fortunately for Elizabeth, Mrs. Hill told her that luncheon was served. She did not know how to deal with the feelings Mr. Darcy provoked in her when he was so kind and considerate.
At lunch, Elizabeth told Georgiana and her sisters that Mr. Darcy would take the inventory, and they all volunteered to help. Mr. Darcy felt content with himself. If Elizabeth could not love him, she would at least consider him a friend. In this way, he was ensuring that Georgiana could maintain her relationship with the only true friend she had ever had.
P&P
Mr. Wickham was pleased. After several months of everything going wrong, he had finally received excellent news. A friend who worked at Netherfield informed him that Georgiana Darcy was among the guests. Now, he just had to find a way to get closer to her. He was convinced that she was still in love with him. If she were unwilling to elope with him, he would have no choice but to compromise her and make it public to force a marriage between them. He knew Darcy would never object if he knew his dear sister's reputation was at stake.
Mr. Wickham would have preferred to marry someone like Elizabeth Bennet, but that was not possible anymore. She was now pretending to be Darcy's friend out of convenience, and although he disagreed with her decision, he understood. Being friends with Fitzwilliam Darcy would open many doors for her, which undoubtedly was the reason she decided to endure his presence. Deep down, Mr. Wickham was convinced that Elizabeth was still in love with him, but she chose to be practical and do what was best for her.
Since Colonel Forster died following the flu epidemic that struck Hertfordshire the previous year, Lieutenant Wickham's life had become quite difficult. Captain Felix Martin had assumed command of the troops, and everything had changed drastically. Martin was an extremely disciplined officer who kept his men under strict control. One of the first measures he had taken was to talk to the traders in the area and ask them not to give credit to any official who had any kind of debt. In addition, he limited his troops' participation in social events and prohibited any display of inappropriate behavior in public.
That morning, Wickham had a watch to do, but he asked a friend to cover his duty. He knew that his contact in Netherfield would come to town to order the necessary provisions for the week. Then, he would take the opportunity to question her about Georgiana's daily activities.
Unfortunately for Wickham, as soon as he returned to the camp, he was informed that Captain Martin was waiting for him in his office. Wickham knew the man was difficult to deal with and probably would not believe any of his excuses, but he also knew that he could not make final decisions regarding his position there. He was not exactly in charge of the regiment.
"Come in, Wickham, please sit down. I called you because I have to tell you some news," Captain Martin said, indicating a chair in front of his desk.
"Of course, please tell me," Wickham replied nonchalantly. He did not show any respect for Captain Martin. He would not be intimidated by someone younger and slightly higher in rank than him.
"Wickham, I have received many reports about your constant indiscipline. Without going any further, today, you had a guard to do, and once again, you did not fulfill your duty. The post was empty for almost two hours."
"Price agreed to do it for me," Wickham replied.
"Price is still sleeping because he was on night duty."
"It's not my fault Price committed and then did not do it."
"You are wrong, Wickham if it is your fault. In the army, each soldier is responsible for his actions. Also, as I told you, this has happened before. And as if your irresponsible behavior with your duties was not enough, I have received multiple complaints about your behavior towards the people of this town and about your debts to merchants."
"I am very sorry I could not be on my post. I promise it will not happen again," Wickham explained. Then, he stood because he did not want to continue wasting his time listening to Martin's recriminations.
"Sit down, Wickham, I have not finished," said Captain Martin, furious.
"Martin, I have nothing more to tell you. Besides, I do not want to spend my time arguing with you. You and I know you have no authority over me and cannot make any decisions. Therefore, I believe we should not continue wasting our time…"
"That is what I wanted to discuss with you, Wickham. The war office has appointed someone to be in charge of this regiment, and I have informed him of your case. In fact, he is here, and I want to introduce you. He will decide what to do with you," said Captain Martin with a smile of triumph.
At that moment, Wickham realized that someone was sitting in the chair in the corner of the office, watching everything. When he could clearly see who it was that officer was, he felt his legs trembling.
"Good morning, Lieutenant Wickham. I have been very entertained reading Captain Martin's detailed report, and I think I know quite well what I should do with you," Richard said. Finally, he would have the opportunity to put that scoundrel in his place.
P&P
My sincere thanks to everyone who leaves comments and follows the story enthusiastically.
In the next chapter, Mr. Collins will come to take possession of his estate.
See you soon!
Saludos,
Yo