Chapter 5

Lizzy woke her sister after returning from the library. She needed to tell her what had happened and give her an update on the characters of Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy. Jane had been correct about the two gentlemen, while her first impressions of both had been wrong. Her sister had perceived both the one's weakness and the other's compassion.

After several hours talking about their hopes for the future, Jane was allowed to fall asleep again. Lizzy spent the time waiting for her dawn departure by writing a letter to her father. She felt the need for a formal goodbye even though it could not be in person.

Her discussion with Mr Darcy about libraries and reading had provoked much consternation. Delightful memories of reading with her Papa flooded back. She knew French because of Histoires ou contes du temps passe by Charles Perrault. At barely four they began reading French together using his fairy tales. Her favourites had been Cendrillon and Barbe Bleue. Her mother had been furious with her Papa for putting in her head the belief husbands married in order to murder their wives.

Later Papa had given her Rousseau, Voltaire, and the plays of Molierre and Racine to improve one of her few accomplishments. She remembered with particular pleasure reading Beaumarchais' Le Mariage de Figaro and appreciating her father allowing her to read something considered scandalous. However, he would not allow her to read the libertine novels of Leclos or the Marquis de Sade. She wondered if Mr Darcy had such novels in his vast library and whether he allowed his sister to read them. It seemed unfair that men could have all manner of wicked literature and refuse to permit ladies to read such books.

Despite her appreciation, he was not to be forgiven, but at least she could thank him for providing her with so many hours of dreams of what might be. Perhaps her Papa would find it diverting when she judged him harshly for not bothering to find out whether the man to whom he agreed she should be shackled was a bluebeard. Next, she knew she must warn him of that deceiving offender being in the militia in Meryton. Would her indolent father do anything to protect her sisters from him?

She closed the epistle by wishing him a truce in his war with her mother, and made him aware, "despite being disinherited and banished by you I will find my own contentment!"

Miss Bennet confirmed Miss Elizabeth's departure with words that implied knowledge of their time together in the library. Despite a sunny smile for her breakfast companions, her eyes struggled to conceal the pain caused by the loss of her sister. Darcy knew not how to solve her heartbreak, but his conscience refused to ceaset plaguing him. He was also the cause of her agony.

He and Colonel Fitzwilliam had arrived together to find her alone sipping tea and plaintively staring out the window. His apprehension about Bingley's reaction this morning had prompted his request for his cousin to accompany him. An encounter alone with his friend or his sister was not wanted currently. It was not a matter of reprisal; but how he should deal with his friend which caused his anxiety. All evidence said they had surely planned to trap him together into a loveless marriage. Richard when told what had happened advised a swift departure from Netherfield. He insisted a note of explanation should suffice. Bingley was known for changing his mind on a moment's notice so why not his 'friend' Darcy doing the same.

"I am returning to Longbourn this morning. The first thing I did after saying goodbye to my sister was ask Mr Roberts to send a footman with word to my father for the carriage. Based on what Lizzy told me happened, I am uncertain of my welcome here after last night."

"I too am uneasy. Mr Bingley and I have been friends for several years; and yet, betrayal is the best word for what occurred. However, reprimanding him is not my priority. Letting your father know what happened needs to happen before I leave. I must not forget your sister's reputation."

"Mr Darcy, Lizzy insisted I tell you again you have no obligation toward her. She enjoyed your conversations these last few days and believes you gave her insight into how to approach the new chapter in her life. Besides my father cares little about her reputation. He and my mother have disowned her because of earlier inappropriate behaviour."

Richard's questioning look told him he would have to tell him about the kiss in Vauxhall Gardens and Wickham's role in her downfall. "I understand and greatly appreciate your sister's generous spirit. Still, I believe the only honourable thing to do is to inform her father what happened and the role I played. This is a small community and the Netherfield servants will talk, I am certain."

"I will inform him to expect you. Please, see him soon. I do not trust my mother's reaction once she learns of your indiscretion. You are too wealthy and important, Mr Darcy. She will insist you wed even her least cherished second born child. Lizzy is too dear to me to see her, once again, forced into a marriage without love."

He was certain her words of reassurance were spoken for his benefit, but they were much more unsettling than he imagined.

Lizzy's journey to London by coach was more uncomfortable than her trip to Herefordshire. She wondered whether it was despondence at leaving her sister causing her to be so conscious of the man next to her reeking of port and the woman on the other side who was almost as large as Kitty and Lydia put together. She felt crushed between the two of them. She had no memory of whom she sat with on her way to Meryton. Her emotions had been filled with the delight of seeing Jane again.

Before leaving, Elizabeth had learned her father had refused to force her to give up the name Bennet. Her query to her Uncle Phillips whether he believed his reaction to such a demand by his wife to be a break with his uncaring attitude was not reassuring. He related his opinion with a sardonic smile. "It is a legal requirement which would be difficult to mandate and your Papa preferred not to bother."

Lizzy spent the rest of her journey thinking about Mr Darcy—remembering his contradictory reactions to her—one minute staring at her intently with most likely disapproval and the next cajoling her out of her despair. Why would he have asked her to dance? It would have caused such a spectacle. Her dancing days seemed over since she had fallen from grace. Would she have the opportunity in the next place she was sent? Those pesky tears were threatening again, so she decided to spend her time trying to imagine what, the Countess of Matlock, looked like. She most definitely must be tall and elegant. That seemed best for him and he definitely would have chosen so. Jane was tall and so was Lydia. She unfortunately was the shortest of the Bennet sisters—the shortest with the biggest feet.

"Mr Darcy, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit. Have you decided one of my daughters suits your fancy. My wife believes it is Catherine, but my little time in your company tells me no. She would bore you within a month."

"I came to speak about Miss Elizabeth."

"She definitely could keep your interest. Jane mentioned you had met."

"I am here to admit I have compromised her."

"And what do you intend to do about it?"

"Whatever you believe to be honourable."

"My opinion is no longer applicable to her situation."

"Why, sir?"

"I have disowned her per my wife's instructions. Have you spoken with Lizzy about the situation?"

Darcy noticed a similar affliction with Mr Bennet's eyes as had plagued Miss Elizabeth. He fiddled with his pipe as he regained his sardonic demeanour. "I was told by her to be a rational creature and not be intimidated by any pressure. She seemed to believe she is long past redeeming."

Mr Bennet laughed at her words. "I was told she was hopeless as well—but most important, she was a detriment to the reputations of the rest of my daughters. According to Mrs Bennet, it is imperative they marry well."

"Mr Bennet, you are her father. She is not yet one and twenty. Why do you believe you have no responsibility?"

"Because I surrendered in the war that has been raging with my wife for years."

"Explain what that means to Miss Elizabeth."

"First, indulge me. I must explain how the war began. At around five-years-old, my Lizzy told Jane that being married meant your husband would probably kill you. I had taught her to read French using Perrault's tales. She was particularly drawn to the macabre aspects of Bluebeard. His predilection for killing his wives fascinated her. She resolved she would not wed and warn her sisters of the dangers."

"But that was just a child's fanciful notion."

"I agree, but Mrs Bennet has always felt her most important duty was to marry off her daughters. By the time her second oldest was telling anyone who would listen about the dangers of that blessed state, she had just given birth to her fifth daughter and had given me no sons. Longbourn has an entail on the male line. When I die, a distant cousin takes possession. She has become irrational with the fear."

"Have you done nothing to protect them?"

"I meant to, but I thought she would certainly have a son. Planning for the future is not truly my talent. Poor Elizabeth became a pawn in our struggle and because she was a child, she began to resent her mother's demands."

"What were Mrs Bennet's demands?"

"Not to walk for long distances alone and come home filthy, not to always be reading, not to day dream about having adventures, to grow taller, and mostly to care more about her appearance—to name but a few. She even used to complain to me that my Lizzy's feet were too big for a proper lady from walking so much."

Darcy struggled to suppress a smile at his last revelation. "Someone once told me they bind little girl's feet in China to keep them small and dainty."

"How amazing, Mr Darcy. Lizzy read something about that in one of my books on China and told me how in the end it meant the young ladies could barely walk."

With a shrug, he asked, "What exactly did Miss Elizabeth do to deserve being disowned, Mr Bennet?"

"She allowed a man to kiss her in public. When he was caught and held to account, he agreed to marry her. However, he did not show up for the wedding."

"So even though she was afraid of being murdered, she agreed to marry him to save her sisters' reputations?"

Her father increased his mirth to a laugh at his remark. "Touche, sir! I never thought of that. Perhaps, I could have done a better job of saving her had I countered with that argument."

"Mr Bennet, I am appalled at your careless attitude toward you daughter's life. She tells me she is being sent away without knowing where."

"How dare you judge me! You say you compromised her. If that be true, make it your responsibility to save her."

"Maybe I will, but first you must tell me where she is being sent."

"I have not been told. My wife's brother, Mr Edward Gardiner, is making the arrangements. He has a warehouse in Cheapside. Take your query to him and leave me be."

"Write out his directions, and I will write out mine for you. If you learn anything about where she is please let me know."

They were both silent for a few moments. Her father who had been angry with him moments before seemed to have mellowed in his attitude. "It would please me to know she was at least content. Our time spent together made me happy for many years, despite the turmoil it caused in my marriage. These last two being apart from her have been easier in some ways, but much less enjoyable."

Darcy decided to put aside his feeling of disgust for this man and try to do what he believed she would want him to do. "I know the man who did not show up to marry her. We grew up together… he was the son of my father's steward. Though his father was honourable, he is not. She is lucky they did not wed."

"Do you believe he would have murdered her?"

Darcy laughed despite himself, "No, He is no Monsieur Barbe Bleue, but I doubt he would have been constant or made her happy."

"I learned his name is George Wickham. Lizzy wrote a letter to say goodbye, and in it is a warning he has joined the local militia. She fears for her sisters. I understand he is handsome, and quite charming, not to mention very adept in the art of kissing."

"I am unable to comment on the kissing part, but most ladies are drawn to him."

"From what I heard, my Lizzy, though she felt she was wrong to allow him to kiss her, was quite impressed with his performance. However, I know from experience such feelings are not enough to build an enduring marriage on… a dream of one maybe, but not much more."

"No, I think in your daughter's case, it would be best for her groom to have an excellent library and plenty of land to allow her to walk and ponder as much as she desires."

"You seem to know her well."

Darcy's lack of sleep the previous night allowed him to snooze most of the way back to London. This meant he was able to delay his confession of the circumstances of his life altering indiscretion until the following morning. Once Richard had been fed an excellent breakfast, they moved to Darcy's study. He started by giving his cousin the facts of the matter.

"You kissed Miss Elizabeth Bennet two years ago in Vauxhall Gardens? What possessed you to do such a thing?"

"I was foxed, and I thought she was a boy because she was wearing the same costume we were."

"You kissed her because you thought she was a boy?"

"No, no, no, Richard. I am trying to explain all the misconceptions leading to my acting so unpardonably reckless."

"Pardon me, cousin. Do go on and tell your tale."

"Her conversation was thoroughly delightful. She told me in the most engaging way all about her hopes and dreams."

"You kissed her because she was adept at communicating?"

"It was more than that. Since she was doing most of the speaking, I became intrigued by her mouth. I found her lips so enticing. Richard, they were painted gold and were full and sensuous." He paused for a minute before adding, "very unlike Isabelle's." He reached into the drawer of his desk and showed the colonel the unwashed handkerchief he had kept.

"Oh yes, I see the traces of gold. Now I definitely am enlightened."

"Enough of your sarcasm! She kissed me back, and it was different than I had ever been kissed before.

"How so?"

"It was as though it meant something special to her, and felt like her whole body was involved. I believe that was what her uncle saw."

"So, are you saying she was at fault?"

"Oh no. I definitely ruined her life and possibly her sisters' as well. Her father is a lazy man who cares only for his own immediate pleasure. He has allowed her to be disowned and cast out alone in the world with no protection. I have to figure out a way to make things right."

"Her family punished her so severely because of one drunken kiss?"

"No, it was what happened next that forced them to act so drastically. You see, they thought it had been George who compromised her and attempted to force him to marry her. He agreed, but then did not show up at the church. It probably was fortuitous. I shudder at the thought of her actually being wed to him."

"You are saying George Wickham jilted her?"

"Yes, her dowry was only a thousand pounds… If it had been a few thousand more, the scoundrel might have gone through with the marriage and then abandoned her. It was too paltry a sum even for him."

"Could not she tell the difference?"

"Evidently not. Remember, we were wearing a hooded cloak and a mask. I only recognized her by her lips… and a few things she told me."

"What do you plan to do?"

"I am at a loss. The honourable thing would be to marry her, but her family is much beneath ours and even they do not want to be associated with her… all because of my drunken kiss."

"I would marry her sister in a minute, if only she had money. I could care less about her lack of connections."

"But I could not do so. Think of Georgiana."

"You are talking about the sister who almost eloped with that same George Wickham. And then there is my step-mother who was about to marry you, but instead married my father just before your wedding day… and left poor you devastated as I remember. I am also recalling you telling me entirely too many times, how your bride came from one of the most prestigious families in all of Derbyshire… as if that was what was most important to you." Richard took a sip of brandy before he began to disparage their family again. "Then there is the Viscount Smallwood, my father's heir and my brother, he will bankrupt the estate with his gambling debts before he even inherits. And let us not forget our dear aunt Lady Catherine de Bourgh."

"Well, if you put it that way." Now it was Darcy's turn to take a sip as he reflected on possibilities to resolve his conundrum. "In many ways Miss Elizabeth and I are well suited. The problem is I have no idea where she has gone. Her father told me he did not know either."

"Do you believe him? If he is not arranging her banishment, who is and when was it supposed to happen?"

"Her uncle, Edward Gardiner, lives in Cheapside; and I believe he was sending her away very soon after she arrived back in London from Meryton."

"Just for you dear cousin, I will pay a visit, with the intentions of renewing my acquaintance with her sister. I believe that was the relative with whom Miss Bennet was due to reside. Perhaps once I have become reacquainted with her, I might learn Miss Elizabeth's whereabouts."

"That would do, Richard. Perhaps I will go with you just in case Miss Elizabeth is still in London. If she has departed, maybe her sister will know. I vaguely remember her hoping to be able to surreptitiously correspond with Miss Bennet. I believe Mrs Gardiner is in support of allowing communication between the sisters."

"I am looking forward to seeing Miss Bennet again."

"She looks somewhat like Isabelle."

"They look nothing alike. The Countess of Matlock looks evil just like the wicked step-mothers in fairytales. Miss Bennet's face is filled with kindness and compassion."

"I have never heard you speak of a lady with such admiration and evidence of affection."

"I have never heard you speak of a lady with such enthusiasm and evidence of aroused ardor."

"Yes, I was mortified by my body's reaction as I absconded in Vauxhall Gardens."