by J Dawn King
“Gentlemen,” Elizabeth finally broke the silence. “Should you want to ride alongside the carriage, I would use this opportunity to become better acquainted with my new sister.”
It was an offer both men gladly accepted. While Richard had no regrets, Darcy worried that his actions might be seen as abandonment of his new bride. Her smile reassured him.
Georgiana Darcy was pleased with the results of the day. She had immediately felt comfortable with Elizabeth when they had met the day before. She appreciated Elizabeth’s discretion in not causing trouble in the carriage with Wickham by trying to start a conversation. Georgiana also appreciated Elizabeth’s quick thinking in alerting her brother to the danger Georgiana found herself in. Miss Darcy was delighted with her new sister and, as soon as the coach got underway, she did not hesitate to tell her so.
Elizabeth reached over and patted the back of Georgiana’s hand, thanking her for her kind words of welcome. It had bothered her that there had been no recriminations for Georgiana from either Miss Darcy’s brother or her cousin. Elizabeth knew how volatile and impressionable those years were and felt it a failure if they did not help Georgiana appreciate that the ends did not justify the means.
“Sister, dear,” Elizabeth cautiously began. “You seem well pleased with today’s events. Are you happy?”
“Oh, Elizabeth,” Georgiana’s words gushed out of her like water released from a dam. “Yes, I am pleased. It is the most romantic thing— William coming to your rescue so you would not have to marry Mr. Collins.”
Elizabeth paused before she responded, wondering how she could best help Georgiana to see the erroneousness of her thinking.
“I do not understand, Georgiana? Why would you think it romantic? Your brother is now tied for life to a stranger who is not of your social sphere. I have ties to trade and have never had a presentation or a London season. I bring nothing to the marriage, not even love. Please explain to me how you find this to be romantic?”
The color instantly rose in Georgiana’s cheeks. Elizabeth could almost see the thoughts churning in her youthful head.
“I… I guess I never considered those facts, Elizabeth. But, surely, William will overlook them, will he not?” Georgiana’s voice grew more hesitant with each word.
“I do not know, sister, how my husband will respond.” Elizabeth vowed to herself to help the girl see the complete picture. “Had the events of yesterday not unfolded, I would have arrived back home and met Mr. Collins today as an unencumbered, single woman who has been trained to care for a household. I have also received the education needed to be a successful governess, and I have family who would have welcomed me into their homes, should I have not wanted to marry that man. Also, Mr. Collins may never have offered for me, so my life would have gone on as I was used to. Those options were taken away when I chose to write to your brother for help. Had you not been in that carriage, my life would have still been my own. But, since you did choose to foolishly assert your independence by attaching yourself to a worthless man, my choices were taken away from me— by you.”
Georgiana dropped her chin to her chest and Elizabeth could see that her breathing had become shallow. Elizabeth was not yet done.
“Georgiana, I will not ask that you look at me while I continue, only think long and hard about what I will now say.” She waited until she saw a small nod from her companion. “It was your decision, and your decision only, that endangered your reputation and your family name to the point that your brother had to take drastic action. This decision also affected your cousin, Mrs. Younge, Mr. Wickham, my family, and me. Please know that I do not tend to hold a grudge, so your forgiveness is guaranteed. However, there will be consequences. It will be my recommendation to your guardians that your presentation be postponed until you are at least eight and ten years of age. Until then, you will be trained in every aspect of running a house, from learning to launder clothes, cook meals, care for the floors and the furniture, and plan meals on a budget.”
“But we have people who take care of that for me.” Georgiana could not help but interrupt; her voice whiny and her attitude rebellious.
“Ah, that is where you would have been wrong, dear sister.” Elizabeth again reached over and patted her hand. “Had you carried out your ill-advised elopement, you would have had to live on the income that Wickham generated. Since he was, apparently, constantly in debt, your home would have been a hovel and provisions meager. There would have been no one to care for your needs, no servants to tend you, and no one to help you when children came along. It is not a pretty picture, is it Georgiana?”
The tears started with that mental picture and then poured without let-up onto the young girl’s hands clasped on her lap.
Elizabeth, used to the tears of Kitty and Lydia being turned off and on in an attempt to gain their desire, was unmoved.
“It will be your choice, Georgiana. You have a reprieve while we are in Ramsgate as it is important that William and I present ourselves as a couple who are in love, with you happy for our union. Then it will be your choice whether you learn your lesson at Darcy House or at Pemberley. But, learn it you will.”
Georgiana suddenly realized that having an older sister might not be all she had thought it would be. She glanced up at Elizabeth to see if there was any vacillation or room to move her new sister to a different outcome. Elizabeth was resolute. Georgiana sighed and, for the first time, wished she could go back to the days in Ramsgate before George Wickham showed up.
“There is no sense wishing to return to the days before your aborted elopement, Georgiana.”
Georgiana’s head whipped up and her mouth dropped open at Elizabeth’s words. How did Elizabeth know what she had been thinking?
Elizabeth just patted Georgiana’s hands and sat back comfortably on the seat. She shook her head slightly at the knowledge that it did not matter the level of society that a young girl was from. A young girl longing for love, affection, and independence was a dangerous thing. She sighed to herself at what she had become involved in.
She left London yesterday as Miss Elizabeth Bennet and was returning this day as Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy. She now had five sisters, not just four. With all of this happening in the last four and twenty hours, she pondered what the next four and twenty would bring. It was with horror that she realized what was to come. The wedding night!
CHAPTER TEN
Darcy looked through the window of his carriage at the two women who were now most important to his life. He saw them deep in discussion and then he saw his sister wipe away her tears. They worried him and he could not help but fret.
Richard, too, was aware that Elizabeth was doing most of the talking. She had impressed him as being wise beyond her years. Nevertheless, his new cousin was virtually unknown. He had to admit to himself that he was fretting as well.
When they reached the first stop at an inn to rest the horses and refresh themselves, it had been agreed that the ladies would remain in the coach until a private room was acquired. It had only been the day prior since Georgiana and Elizabeth had been inside that very inn on the trip north. How much had changed.
Parker returned to the gentlemen with the news that Wickham and Mrs. Younge were inside the building. Apparently, there had been some disagreement between the two of them as to the course that should be taken once they reached London. Foolishly, Mrs. Younge had allowed Wickham to carry the twenty pounds Darcy had given her. Since he was unwilling to return the funds to her, she vowed to stick as close to him as burrs on a dog, until she received her money in full. Their carriage would not leave for another thirty minutes. There had been trouble with an axle and their arrival in London had been delayed.
“Of all the foolish…” Richard did not hesitate to display his disgust. Even Darcy rolled his eyes at hearing what had befallen the two culprits.
Letting Elizabeth and Georgiana know the reason for the delay, Darcy and Richard walked inside.
“What have you in mind, cousin?�
�� Richard could see anger and frustration simmering just below Darcy’s stoic countenance. This would not go well for Wickham.
“I will know when I see them.” His words were sharp and pointed.
Less than five minutes later, they returned to the carriage. Richard handed out Georgiana while Darcy helped Elizabeth out of the carriage.
“I beg your pardon, ladies.” It pained Darcy to have his wife and sister in association, for the second time that day, with two such amoral people. “Both Wickham and Mrs. Younge were identified by the innkeeper. Apparently, they played their part well as the owner of this fine establishment wished me joy.” Darcy saw his cousin roll his eyes, shaking his head slightly.
“We are actors on the stage, Georgiana, and we need to do our part. Apparently, George explained that you were unhappy yesterday because you had not yet met the woman your brother intended to marry. None of you were aware that Miss Bennet, who was also on the stagecoach, was to be the future Mrs. Darcy. With this explanation, we shall need to share a private room with Wickham and Mrs. Younge.”
He looked closely at his sister. He saw the evidence of tears and could imagine how difficult her day had been. “Will you be able to play your role, Georgie?”
Georgiana, still bruised from the exchange she had with Elizabeth, would not raise her eyes to look at him. She did mumble her acquiescence.
“Then, smile, sister dear.”
With that, they pasted smiles on their faces and entered the inn. The minutes that passed were long. The small dining room was filled with the deafening sounds of silence. The clink of a teacup set too firmly on its plate, the scuff and shuffle of a foot moving under the table across the uneven wooden floor, and the clearing of a throat as if a bone had been caught sideways.
Colonel Fitzwilliam had chosen to place himself alongside Wickham, sitting as close as possible without touching. Wickham responded by pulling at his cravat and clearing his throat. Each time he shuffled over on the bench, Richard would follow. It was a game of cat and mouse that the colonel was destined to win. The extent of the damage done to Wickham’s face by only two of Richard’s blows kept Wickham endeavoring to distance himself from the colonel.
Darcy finally stood and walked to the table. From his height, it appeared that Wickham was shrunken in stature. For some odd reason, his mind registered that there was a thin spot on the top of Wickham’s head where the hair had been skillfully combed over. Darcy pushed that observation to the back of his own mind.
“If you both would like the opportunity to have a fresh start with the charge of theft dropped, I will forgive the fine I paid for your release Wickham. I will also provide you both with transportation to the Americas, to the port of your choice, and one hundred pounds to start your new life. My two stipulations are that you leave England on the first vessel sailing west and that you never return to England.”
Darcy’s words hung in the air. They could hear the activity increasing outside the dining room and knew the stagecoach was ready to make its way to London.
“Five hundred pounds,” Wickham boldly stated.
“One hundred pounds,” Darcy replied without pause. “Should you choose to accept my offer, which is available only if you both accept it, you can meet with my man of business on the morrow at one o’clock in the afternoon. Wickham, you know where his office is located, do you not?”
Wickham nodded his head.
“If you do not accept my offer, know that the twenty pounds you both possess from me is the last money you will ever see from the Darcy family. Ever!” Darcy stared hard at them, turned his back on them and crossed the room to his wife and sister. His emotions were torn and his heart had a physical ache that seemed to have no cure. He hated Wickham for what he tried to do to Georgiana and he hated the kind of man Wickham had become. Yet, he fondly recalled the years of play and companionship from their youth. It was a turmoil that would only settle with time and removal of any possibility of future contact.
The events of the past twenty-four hours had been difficult for everyone in the room. Thus, it was a relief when Wickham and Mrs. Younge accepted the agreement, boarded their coach and left.
Richard, having the tact of a rutting bull in a field of daisies, plunged ahead with what weighed on his mind. Several times in recent years his life and the lives of others had been saved by having all of the cards laid out on the table, with nothing hidden. It was most often uncomfortable; however, the benefits far outweighed the potential embarrassment.
“Georgiana, what could you possibly have been thinking to want to elope with that man?”
In a show of solidarity, Elizabeth moved over and grasped Georgiana’s hand.
“Colonel Fitzwilliam, as one of Georgiana’s guardians you have a right to know that we have canvassed this subject thoroughly as the miles passed from Meryton to here. As a consequence of her actions, Georgiana has agreed to learn firsthand what life would have been like married to Mr. Wickham. She will learn to cook, clean, launder clothing, and shop for food on a limited budget.” Elizabeth squeezed Georgiana’s hand and whispered to the young girl beside her to lift her head. “This, she has accepted with grace and with firm resolve to learn from her mistakes so that she will be better able to look for potential consequences before making another weighty decision like the one she made in Ramsgate.”
Georgiana knew in her heart that it was not with grace that she had responded to Elizabeth’s counsel. She was relieved at the kind way Elizabeth had chosen her words. It might not be so bad having an older sister after all.
While Colonel Fitzwilliam could see the sense in Elizabeth’s discipline, Darcy did not. His first response was irritation that this woman had stepped into his place and he thought the punishment harsh. Then he reflected on what he would have wanted to do as punishment compared to what he probably might have done. He could not remember the last time he had spoken firmly with his sister. That thought shamed him. It was his position to guide as well as protect. This, he had erroneously left to others. Gratitude for Elizabeth poured over him like chilled water from a waterfall on a hot day. This woman he had married was refreshing
He quickly made a decision. “Sister, in addition to the strictures my wife has settled on you, I will remove your allowance for the time period that you are undergoing your training. It is my hope that we shall never have to repeat the last day. Do you also share that same hope, Georgiana?”
She hated it when her brother was clever. If she said “yes”, she would be admitting that the punishment fit the crime. If she said “no”, there was the possibility of more unwanted constraints. Georgiana had reached five and ten years with few interruptions to the course she wanted. Her brother and cousin had supplied her with companions and a governess who easily bent to her will. Georgiana looked to her new sister and realized that Elizabeth might be smaller in form, but she would bend as easily as one of the thick marble columns that flanked the entry of her home. The fact that she would not be able to sway her new sister to her way of thinking left a sour taste in Georgiana’s mouth. It was something she could not ever remember feeling before.
When Georgiana did not answer right away, her brother stared at her, his eyebrows raised in question. Darcy should not be surprised at her stubbornness. It was a quality that flourished on both sides of their family.
They both were relieved when Elizabeth spoke up. This was probably the first time that her young sister had been backed into a corner that she could not squirm or cry her way out of. She caught Richard’s eye as she moved her eyes from her husband to Georgiana. Richard was sitting back in a chair with his arms crossed over his waist. His feet were stretched in front of him and crossed at the ankles. He looked to be the picture of relaxation. However, his eyes were alive and proved he was completely invested in the discussion.
“Georgiana, you have in front of you a wonderful opportunity.” Elizabeth stated, her tone kind.
At that, all three occupants of the room looked at her in amazeme
nt.
“I see your surprise, all of you. But, think of matters from this viewpoint. I have been a sister to you for only two hours. You may feel that I was hasty in settling your punishment upon you and, in part, you are correct. However, I was taught from an early age by a wise, beloved grandmother, to start as you mean to go on. I will do this with your brother as my husband and I also do this with you as my sister, Georgiana. As I mentioned to you in our conversation, I rarely hold onto anger. So, from your guardians and myself, we have now discussed your error and you know what must be done. Unless you balk at your tasks, there is no need for it to be mentioned again. Your opportunity is in what you will take from these actions. Will you learn nothing and place yourself in danger again? That, we do not know. Will you learn valuable lessons that will set you apart from your peers as being a truly accomplished woman? Again, that we do not yet know. What we do know, Georgiana, is that you will be shown how to care for every need of a family, under conditions that are good as well as poor. How could this not improve you? How could this not make you wise? How could this not be an opportunity?”