Chapter 24
"Richard, what are you doing here?" Georgiana asked, a little surprised. She was in the garden picking some flowers to have a beautiful decoration for dinner that night. She loved to see her brother and Elizabeth together.
"Business matters, Georgie. Is Darcy working in his office, or is he riding around the estate with his steward?" Richard asked. He needed to talk to his cousin as soon as possible about an urgent matter.
"Neither, Richard," Georgiana said with an enigmatic smile.
"What happened? Is there anything I need to know? Where is Darcy?"
"He is in Lambton visiting a lady," Georgiana replied, and she enjoyed the look of surprise on her cousin's face.
"Visiting a lady? I imagine she must be a lady in her eighties. Fitzwilliam Darcy has no female friends because he thinks all women want to marry him," Richard laughed.
"Miss Bennet looks quite a bit younger than eighty," Georgiana added.
"Is Miss Elizabeth Bennet in Lambton? Now, that is quite a surprise. But, in any case, no wonder your brother is visiting her. If you had seen his silly face when he looked at her every time we met her in Kent? But it was not just that; every time we had the pleasure of enjoying her company, he behaved like a real idiot. He would either freeze like a rock or start arguing with her. I swear it was hilarious. But please tell me more about it," said Richard, helping his cousin with the flowers.
Georgiana told Richard that Elizabeth was traveling with her aunts and uncles and that she had met Mr. Darcy again when touring Pemberley. "Richard, I think their relationship is more than a friendship."
"I am happy for him; she is pretty, charming, quite clever, and has a very open and friendly personality. Your brother needs a woman like her to help him be more sociable and put him in his place when needed so he will not be so pompous."
"Richard, do not say that about William! You know that he is an excellent person and brother. It is just that he does not feel comfortable with strangers. So do not make fun of my brother; I know you also have a special friend."
"I do not know anything about that, young lady!" the Colonel said, trying to divert the conversation.
"Indeed? Now, you do not remember her. I would love to know what Ruth will say when she finds out you do not think of her as a special friend."
"You will not say anything to Miss Carter, you little monster," Richard said immediately. Then, both cousins entered the house while still talking.
Mr. Darcy dismounted his horse and ran into the house. First, he had to talk to his valet and ask him to get everything ready to leave early the following day. Also, he needed to explain to Georgiana that the guests would not be able to come to dinner because they had to leave immediately for London due to a family emergency.
At that moment, he only wanted to have Wickham in front of him to make him pay for all the damage he had done to him and his family. Just when everything was going so well with Elizabeth, and he thought all his dreams would come true, Wickham had to appear to ruin everything.
But what hurt him the most was seeing Elizabeth so sad and devastated. He could not stand being away from her at a time like that and not being able to be the one there to hold and comfort her.
Just as Mr. Darcy was about to ask a footman to tell Mrs. Reynolds that he urgently needed to speak with her, he heard Richard's voice calling him. "Darcy, I need to talk to you urgently."
"Fitzwilliam, you could not have come in a worse time. I am sorry, but you must wait for me to fix a few things first…."
"No, Darcy. This is urgent, and I need to talk to you now," Richard said in a commanding voice.
Mr. Darcy asked the footman to leave them alone, and he and Richard went into his study for a more private conversation. "Alright, I am listening, but I beg you to be brief. I am in the middle of a very complex situation that I have to try to solve, and for that reason, I have to leave for London first thing in the morning."
"I understand; I shall be brief then. A few days ago, an alert came to the War Office about a deserter. That deserter is none other than our old friend George Wickham. I offered to capture him, and we suspect he is hiding in Lambton. I am with a few men; two are with me here, and the other two are in Lambton making inquiries. I am here because I need lodging for my men and me for a few days. Of course, I shall keep you informed of how the matter progresses."
"Wickham in Lambton? That scoundrel will pay this time for what he has done," said Mr. Darcy, smiling. "You do not know how relieved I am to hear what you told me. In fact, it is no longer necessary to travel to London." Mr. Darcy poured his cousin a glass of brandy and told him about Lydia Bennet.
"I cannot believe it, Darcy! Wickham is a pervert, always abusing naive girls. And what are you going to do?" the Colonel asked.
"I shall return to Lambton to talk to Elizabeth and her family," said Mr. Darcy.
"Elizabeth? It seems you are more than just good friends, just like Georgie thinks," Richard said with a smirk.
"Look, Fitzwilliam, I do not have time for your nonsense. Elizabeth and I are in love, and as soon as possible, we will get married. You already know everything you need to know, and now I need to go to Lambton."
"I am coming with you, Darcy. Let me speak with my men, and I shall be ready in five minutes."
Mr. Darcy, his cousin, and two officers left for the little town to investigate further and to reassure Elizabeth and her family. The matter of Wickham and silly Lydia would be resolved sooner than projected.
P&P
Mr. Bennet returned to Longbourn after spending three days around London to no avail. No one knew anything, and he had no money to hire help. What little money he had managed to save in the last few months, he spent on books, good brandy, and giving Lydia money to travel to Brighton after Mrs. Bennet's constant insistence.
He was aware that he had made a mistake in how he raised his daughters, but mainly with Lydia. She had grown up without proper education and behaved like a vulgar girl wherever she went. Worst of all, he did not even have the money to bribe Wickham into marrying her, so he knew Lydia's action would ruin her and the entire family.
First, he went to his wife's room and explained that he had not found Lydia and did not know where she was. So he decided to return to Longbourn. There, he would wait for Mr. Gardiner to return from the north to see if they could work together and do something to recover Lydia.
"Oh, Mr. Bennet, my poor girl, where will she be? When can we have her back in this house?" cried Mrs. Bennet inconsolably.
"Lydia is where she chose to be, and I am afraid she can never return to this house. It is the only thing we can do to preserve the reputation of her sisters."
"What do you mean, Mr. Bennet? When they are found, we shall organize a beautiful wedding so everyone can see that my daughter is a decent young lady. It is the only way to end all those horrible rumors."
Mr. Bennet explained to Mrs. Bennet again that Colonel Forster told him that Wickham possibly never intended to marry Lydia. "This is our fault, Mrs. Bennet. You have always allowed and even encouraged our daughter's irresponsible and shameless behavior. And I, seeing what you did and knowing how dangerous it all was, never did anything to correct it. And when I tried to do something, it was already too late, and I did not want to take the trouble to correct her properly."
"How dare you say such things to me, Mr. Bennet? You do not have mercy on my poor nerves."
"No, my dear. I do not have mercy on your nerves because you never have mercy on my ears. But anyway, you will have to suffer and pay for your mistakes every time you remember your lost daughter. For my part, I shall have to suffer when I see my other daughters' contempt for not having been the father they deserved. Now, I am going to my study; please do not bother me," said Mr. Bennet. He left the room while his wife cried inconsolably.
P&P
The Gardiners, the Stones, and Elizabeth were gathered in a small sitting room. They were all worried not only about the future and reputation of the family but also about Lydia. The Stones had only seen her twice when she was younger, and although she had seemed quite spoiled and unpleasant, they could not help but feel sorry for the future that awaited her if she did not marry that man.
Elizabeth's eyes were red from crying, but she was calmer. Mr. Darcy had offered his protection so much that he would be in charge of tracking down Wickham. Feeling his support was the only thing that kept her hopeful.
Mrs. Gardiner was serving tea as she thought about what she saw earlier and wondered if that girl she had seen was really Lydia. According to the reports, she was in London, but despite that, her reason told her that it was not possible she was Lydia. She had a hunch that that encounter was the solution to their problem.
Suddenly the maid announced visitors, and Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam entered the room. Once they greeted the presents and made the required introductions, the newcomers went straight to the point.
"My cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam has important information to share with you," Mr. Darcy said as everyone listened intently.
Richard explained how he had learned of Wickham's desertion from his military post and how he had been traced to Lambton. "One of my men has just informed me that after asking a few questions here and there, he discovered that Wickham has an aunt who owns a bar. Apparently, he and Miss Lydia are staying there."
"Yes, two hours ago, I saw a girl who looked like Lydia. So, it was her; she is here," Mrs. Gardiner said.
"My men and I shall arrest Wickham; I hope you can take care of the girl," the Colonel explained. "I am so sorry to tell you this, but I think it is best for Miss Lydia's reputation to keep her away from that scoundrel and find a way to cover up her indiscretion."
"I agree with you, Colonel. We shall try to help Lydia as best as we can," Mr. Gardiner said. He, his wife, and Elizabeth accompanied the officers, and as expected, Mr. Darcy also went with them. Agatha and Archibald stayed at the inn to rest after most of the morning walking.
P&P
Lydia was bored of being locked in that dirty and wretched room. Wickham disappeared all day and left her alone. Also, the food was horrible, and she was starving; even the water was dirty, and she was disgusted to drink it. That morning, she decided to go for a walk. But when she returned, the horrible woman in charge of that dirty place scolded her for several minutes. Then, when she tried to defend herself, she just slapped and locked her in that horrible room that did not even have a window.
The foolish little girl Wickham had brought with him was the most spoiled and pretentious girl Mrs. Buchanan had ever met. She just wanted Wickham to return and take her away from her establishment.
When she saw Mr. Darcy entering her bar, she thought something important was occurring. He came with several people who seemed very elegant. She was curious to know what the most important man in the region could want in a place as humble as her establishment.
"Mrs. Buchanan," Mr. Darcy said in his familiar commanding voice. He took out a small bag of coins and placed it on the bar counter. "I do not know what Wickham told you, but I can assure you that he is in serious trouble, and I hope you understand that if you try to protect him, you will be considered his accomplice. So please accept this money, and tell us everything you know."
Nellie knew her nephew-in-law very well and was not about to take any chances on him. In addition, the money Mr. Darcy offered her would help recover what she spent on food to feed those two extra guests. She thought that perhaps the silly girl's father was a friend of Mr. Darcy and that she might be accused of abduction. So she related the whole story Wickham told her. "He said that the girls' brother-in-law was a wealthy gentleman, and he would pay for everything."
"Can you tell us where the girl is?" Elizabeth asked.
"I shall take you to her, and please get that girl out of here immediately. I have never met someone so unpleasant in my life," Mrs. Buchanan exasperatedly said as she led the Gardiners and Elizabeth into the room. Mr. Darcy and Richard waited by the bar to wait for Wickham.
Once they entered the room, Lydia was stunned when she saw all the visitors but was glad in a certain way. She could not stand being locked there anymore. "Lydia, grab your things! We are leaving immediately," Mrs. Gardiner said.
"I am sorry, Aunt, but I am not going anywhere without my dear Wickham. In a few more days, I shall be Mrs. Wickham and need to be with my future husband."
"Lydia, please stop talking nonsense," Elizabeth retorted.
"Lizzy, you envy me because I am much younger than you, and I shall get married while you do not have anyone…."
"SILENCE," Mr. Gardiner yelled, absolutely enraged, so much so that Lydia did not dare say another word. "Here is not your mother who spoils and lets you do whatever you want, nor your father, who tolerates your tantrums without correcting you, Lydia."
"I told you she is insufferable, but she is also a fool," Mrs. Buchanan said. "You should abandon her; she does not deserve your efforts. This girl is so silly that she thinks Wickham is in love with her when he spends all day visiting an old lover. Who would want a silly easy woman like you, girl? Be thankful you have a family that wants to protect you. I was not half as foolish as you are, and look how I ended up believing the lies of a scoundrel like Wickham."
Lydia began to cry after hearing Mrs. Buchanan and Elizabeth hug her to calm her down. A few minutes later, they finally managed to get Lydia out of that place and take her to the inn. After taking a bath, Lydia ate as much as she wanted. She had not eaten well for days.
After questioning her, Mrs. Gardiner learned that Lydia had not lost her virginity. The first night they ran away, they were both exhausted, and the following days, Wickham returned too late and drunk to be able to consummate their union.
Taking advantage of the fact that they had packed everything to leave for London first thing in the morning, Mr. Darcy suggested that they stay in Pemberley for the next few days. There, they would have time and tranquility to decide how to deal with Lydia's scandal.
Richard stayed in Lydia's room, and when Wickham came back late and a little drunk, he gave him the welcome he deserved.
Wickham opened the door of the room and immediately fretted. If Lydia started complaining and protesting again, he was ready to give her a good slap. He was not violent, but that girl drove even the most patient man crazy. "Lydia, I am exhausted and just want to sleep, so do not you dare complain about…."
Richard lit a candle and replied. "My name is Richard, not Lydia, and I am sorry to tell you that I have a long list of things I want to complain about, you bloody coward." Richard said and punched Wickham hard in the face. "This is for what you did to Darcy and all the women you have fooled."
"What are you doing here, Fitzwilliam," Wickham said, frightened and in pain.
"I am here to arrest you on behalf of the British Army. Colonel Forster reported you, and I shall be the one to take you to the martial court as soon as possible. So in less than a week, I shall see you on the gallows, just as you deserve."
"You cannot do that to me," Wickham said, getting to his feet and trying to run away, but four officers stood at the door and restrained him.
"Of course, I can, and I will," Richard replied.
He and his men bound Wickham and put him on a cart, where he traveled as a prisoner until he reached London. He was sentenced to exile, and after a month in prison, he was sent to Australia, where he died in prison years later.
P&P
Caroline was desperate. They had been locked up in an inn in the middle of nowhere for two days. The previous week's rains had made the river swell, washing away one of the bridges connecting the southern and northern parts of the country. That had caused them to take an alternative route that lengthened the trip by almost a week. She was anxious to get to Pemberley and hear the news of the Bennet family's downfall. It was the least they deserved for ruining all of her plans.
On top of that, she felt increasingly isolated from her family. Louisa and Mr. Hurst seemed to grow closer to Charles and silly Jane every day. She had no choice but to pretend everything was well, but deep down, she wanted everyone to go to hell.
"Jane, you have to teach me all your secrets. I want to have a beautiful garden like the one you had at your father's house," Louisa said as they dined at the inn. That day, they had traveled many hours and planned to go to bed early.
"The essential thing is that you do it with love and dedication; that is the most important advice I can give you," explained Jane.
"Louisa, are you sure you want to spend hours working in a garden? That will make your skin tan and look like a peasant," Caroline added scornfully.
"Those are city people's prejudices, Caroline. We sons and daughters of landed gentlemen spend many hours outdoors, whether in the garden, hunting, or riding horses. If you do not like the country or its activities, you should marry a tradesman. They always live in the city," explained Mr. Hurst with smiling.
"On the big estates, the work is done by the servants and tenants, Henry," Caroline retorted, annoyed.
"The estates where the Master and Mistress of the house delegate everything to servants usually are not prosperous," Caroline. "The prosperous estates are the ones where their Master spend much of the year working outdoors."
"Darcy is always busy touring his estate," Mr. Bingley added. "But let us talk about more pleasant topics. Jane, when we are in Pemberley, I want to show you its beautiful park."
Caroline stared at her family and wished the days would go by quickly so she could see and enjoy Mr. Darcy's company and beautiful estate.
P&P
The whole family gathered in one of the rooms in the south wing of the house. That place offered much more privacy to discuss the sensitive issues they had to discuss. In the morning, an express arrived from Richard confirming that Lydia's indiscretion was a well-known fact in Meryton. An officer friend told him that Wickham was Colonel Forster's wife's lover, and when he left her for Lydia, she told all her friends in that town what Lydia had done. In that way, the rumor began to circulate, and at that moment, she was the talk of the whole Meryton.
Lady Victoria traveled to Pemberley to learn more about the girl who had conquered her nephew's heart and inadvertently found herself in that situation.
"The best thing to counter gossip is to generate another even more interesting," Lady Victoria explained.
"It sounds like an excellent idea, Aunt, but I hope you are not suggesting we create another scandal," Mr. Darcy said, puzzled.
"Not a scandal, but a shocking piece of news. One that is much more entertaining to tell and may also offer a good excuse for this girl's presence here," Lady Victoria said, pointing at Lydia. She had listened to the spoiled girl for five minutes, and it was enough for her to realize how unpleasant she was. It was hard to believe that she was the sister of the angelic Jane. Fortunately, her sister Elizabeth was much more like her older sister in temperament and demeanor.
"Without a doubt, my Lady, your idea has merit. But do you have any idea what we could do?" asked Mrs. Gardiner.
"I do not know; maybe it's a wedding. Are any of your nieces engaged?" Lady Victoria asked, looking at her nephew.
Mr. Darcy looked at Elizabeth, and she smiled at him so he understood that he could talk about their relationship. "I asked Miss Bennet to marry me, and she accepted. I was thinking of traveling as soon as possible to Hertfordshire to talk to her father. But, with all that we have to do, I doubt we can get married before two weeks. Besides, we must justify why Miss Lydia abruptly left her friend's house. Also, I want Miss Bennet to have a beautiful wedding, just the way she deserves."
"I do not care about that, Mr. Darcy. When I accepted you, the last thing I expected was to have a big wedding," Elizabeth explained. He had asked her to marry him when he was William Thompson. But then, she thought they would have a simple wedding due to the limited financial resources of her betrothed.
"It is not fair that Lizzy gets married and has a nice wedding. I was getting married before her, and you ruined everything," Lydia said petulantly. But she did not get what she wanted because everyone ignored her, and she had no choice but to remain silent, brooding over her frustration.
"That would have been the ideal solution to the chaos this girl created with her irresponsible behaviour," said Aunt Agatha.
"William, how long would it take you to buy a license?" Archibald asked.
"I can get one tomorrow if necessary," Mr. Darcy replied.
"Darcy, we could say that this girl left her friend in Brighton to attend her sister's wedding. And believe me, it will be the news of the season that Fitzwilliam Darcy has surprisingly married such a lovely girl," said Lady Victory, smiling.
"The problem, my Lady, is that I am not yet of age. I am twenty, and it will take Mr. Darcy three days to travel to ask for my father's permission. So I think we should return to Hertfordshire with Lydia and hide from everyone until the rumors are over. I see no other way out of this tragedy," explained Elizabeth, downcasted.
"I think I have the solution," Archibald smiled.
"What kind of solution?" they all asked simultaneously.
"Lizzy, this was a surprise, but I must tell you everything, given the circumstances. My wife and I will make you our heiress, and since there are a series of documents to process and you were thinking of living with us, when I was at your parents' house, I asked Bennet to name me your legal guardian. Your Uncle Phillips prepared all the necessary documents, so you just need my permission to marry," Archibald explained. "Of course, if you want to get married," he added with a wink.
"Thank you, my dear Uncle," Elizabeth said and ran to hug Archibald.
"It is all settled, then. We have twenty-four hours to plan a wedding, so we should better get to work," Lady Victoria said merrily.
P&P
The following day, a little after noon, Elizabeth Bennet signed a document under that name for the last time. From then on, her new name was Elizabeth Darcy.
In Pemberley, a small gathering was organized where the family celebrated the newlyweds. After the wedding breakfasts, the Countess invited everyone to Matlock and took Georgiana with her to give the newlyweds time to be alone.
The Gardiners and the Stones stayed one night with the Countess and left for Hertfordshire the next day with Lydia. They spoke with Lady Victoria, who promised to help in whatever was necessary. They had all agreed on a plan of action to ensure that neither Lydia nor her negligent parents could ruin the good name of the great family they all now belonged to.
P&P
Mr. Darcy could not stop looking at his beautiful wife. She slept peacefully in his arms, and he thought that not even in his best dreams had he been able to glimpse how happy he felt at that moment.
"What are you thinking, Fitzwilliam?" Elizabeth asked, laughing.
"Fitzwilliam? Why do you call me that, my sweet love?" Mr. Darcy asked, his voice cracking with the overwhelming passion he felt at having his beautiful wife's body so close to his.
"Because when you are this serious, you remind me of the man I met in Netherfield. He told me his name was not William but Fitzwilliam," Elizabeth said, mimicking her husband's voice.
"Mrs. Darcy, I know you greatly enjoy teasing your husband. But I feel compelled to warn you that any time you dare to laugh at my expense, you will be punished accordingly," Mr. Darcy said as he kissed Elizabeth's neck with small, passionate kisses that sparked a series of nervous giggles in her.
"Yes, William, it is alright… You are William, not Fitzwilliam," Elizabeth said, trying not to laugh.
"Too late, my love," Mr. Darcy said, silencing his wife with a passionate kiss. "I love you, Elizabeth."
"And I love you, William," Elizabeth replied, and she enjoyed her husband's passionate kisses.
P&P
Thanks to everyone who leaves comments and enthusiastically follows the story. There are only two chapters left of this story. Once it is complete, I will remove it in a couple of days.
The next chapter will be devoted to the early days of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's marriage (very cheesy dialogues, kisses and those things), which will be interrupted by the unexpected arrival of the Bingleys.
See you soon!
Saludos,
Yo