by C. J. Hill
"Well," puffed Mrs. King as she kept up with the other two, "I suppose it will be seen only as an amusement and not something for which he can be blamed, surely? He did it to please Mrs. Forster as well as Lydia Bennet; the Colonel cannot take him to task for merely complying with his wife’s wishes, can he?"
"I should not think so, but he will have some severe jokes made against him by his fellow officers, of that I have no doubt. He will be lucky if it is forgotten before we go to Brighton. He will live to rue the day he agreed to it."
"Lydia Bennet is a dangerous girl, I think," murmured Miss King. "She seems always to get her way and to influence men against their will; she has no restraint or caution. She may be amusing but it always seems to be at someone else’s expense, and it is not beneficial to her reputation to be so outrageous; I am surprised her Mamma does not speak with her about moderating her behaviour."
Wickham laughed at the thought. "Mrs. Bennet is merely an older edition of her daughter, Miss King. She sees nothing wrong with Lydia's high spirits: in fact she encourages them, and certainly would never think of interfering in her daughter's enjoyment of life. I believe her older sisters have tried to impress Lydia with the foolishness of her behaviour, and the likely result of it, to no avail; she will not be cautioned. She lives to feast on life's banquet and takes great mouthfuls of it at every opportunity; I just pray she does not choke upon such a mouthful one day and live to regret it. But for all her failings, she is not a vicious or malicious creature you know."
Miss King paused as they parted at her door, her mother already climbing the steps to the house.
"That is a very thoughtful thing for you to say about a most thoughtless young woman, but she needs to learn her place and situation and not make herself ridiculous every time she appears in public. It does her no favours at all and everyone she attaches herself to will be tainted also - just look at that poor man tonight. He will remain forever remembered for this one foolishness but no one will remember why he did it: certainly not Lydia. It is too cruel indeed.
"Good night, Mr. Wickham, I thank you; it has been quite an interesting evening."
"Good night Miss King. I wish you a pleasant rest and I hope we shall hear from your uncle very soon."
Miss King merely nodded and passed into the house, closing the door as Wickham stood watching her.
Chapter 24
Wickham's wish was not long in being granted. Mr. Liston, mindful of the grave possibilities presented by any delay, appeared in person in the environs of Meryton well within the fortnight he had first proposed and immediately set about further ascertaining the character of Mr. Wickham.
Not a prejudiced man, he first insisted upon meeting with Wickham in the company of his sister and niece in order to gauge what level of affection existed between the couple. Over afternoon tea and polite discussions of the weather, military matters and business, Mr. Liston found himself unable to see any overwhelming signs of affection on the part of his niece, even allowing for her natural modesty. Of friendliness and ease, there was evidence aplenty; the two clearly enjoyed each other's company a great deal but other, deeper feelings were more difficult to estimate.
Mr. Liston was extremely impressed with Mr. Wickham, even though he was almost certain that this was the man whose reports had been so damaging. Mr. Wickham was in every way charming. He could agree with any matter brought before him: or disagree, just as others pleased - his aim was to be agreeable! His replies to questions about his childhood on the Pemberley Estate were open and seemingly truthful; his father had been the estate manager and both he and his father had enjoyed great rapport with and affection from the Darcy family. The reason they were not still so intimate was evaded quite easily using distance and time as the excuse.
When Mary looked surprised at his responses to her uncle, Wickham refused to be drawn, dismissing it as all in the past and stating his preference for it to remain so. Mr. Liston watched his niece's confusion with an interested eye and determined to enquire about it when he had her alone.
"But he has told everyone in Meryton how cruelly he has been used by Mr. Darcy, uncle!" she protested later. "He has been most unfairly treated by Mr. Darcy; refused the living he was supposed to be given and cast out without any support other than that which the late Mr. Darcy bequeathed him and over which the current Mr. Darcy, fortunately, has no control. I was most surprised at Mr. Wickham's reticence in informing you, uncle, about the affair. But perhaps he wishes you to see him as a forgiving, forward-thinking person rather than one living in past bitterness."
"Aye, niece, that may well be the size of it; let us hope so, at any rate. But how do you feel about him, my dear? As a future husband he has little to recommend him, other than his ability to make pleasant conversation; his character, which I am here to find out as well as I can, is more difficult to assess, but if you have feelings for him, it would not much matter what I discover, surely?"
Mary blushed and averted her eyes from her uncle's gaze; she did not know him very well but she knew him to be an honest, hardworking man who would do his utmost for any of his family who needed his help.
"I like him very well, uncle, as a friend and amusing companion, but as to any greater feelings - I hardly know if there are any on either side. I cannot ignore how quickly he switched his attentions from Miss Bennet to me once I returned from Grandfather's funeral. I know many men and women marry only for money - many must - but I should like to know there is some level of affection on his side."
Mr. Liston laughed and took her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him.
"You are too sensible for your own good, my dear. Most women, having the full attention of a man such as Mr. Wickham would be delighted to believe it was all down to love and attraction and ignore the other, more obvious reason. But you; you have allowed your good judgment to rule your heart and I like to see that in a woman. Such good sense will serve you well in the world, I believe."
He paced the floor for a moment, considering.
"I must make some enquiries here in Meryton to add to those I have previously made, but I warn you, from what I already know of your Mr. Wickham, your reluctance to immediately accept him shows great prescience. It may well be that what I uncover will firmly establish your opinion against him and you will be forced to refuse his proposal, or accept him as he is. What would you feel then, when you know for certain that which you only suspect now?"
"It must be uncovered, sir, and soon. I could no more marry someone, even if I was in love with him, if his intentions were not honourable, honest and affectionate."
"Oh; I cannot promise to discover that, my dear, but merely to understand what he brings to the marriage table. If he has little, so be it, if you do not mind it: if he has great debts or other vicious propensities, then I will uncover them and advise you accordingly. You give me permission to act further in this matter?"
"Of course, uncle. Discover what you can. I know you will act only in my best interests and I shall be ruled by you and what you learn on my behalf."
So Mr. Liston discovered, in very short order, that Mr. Wickham was generally well-liked, particularly amongst his fellow soldiers: this level of affection diminished rapidly when his name was raised in the local inn and other local shops. Several merchants made no bones about the fact that a great deal was owing to them and that they hoped rather than expected their bills to be paid before the Militia left Meryton. Most admitted to informing Colonel Forster of other of his men's outstanding debts but had been reluctant to do the same with Mr. Wickham who had assured them that he would be coming into some money very soon, and had earnestly offered small sums against the whole in good faith; he was such a gentlemanlike man they could not but believe that it would be the case. Mr. Liston listened to each tale with an increasingly grave air and thanked each merchant for his frankness. However, he still had no clear idea of the extent of the debt in which Mr. Wickham would involve his niece should she insist upon marrying him, and so d
ecided to intensify his investigation by arranging a meeting between Mr. Wickham and himself, under the auspices of the local lawyer, to make it appear as though the marriage articles were to be imminently drawn up and lull Mr. Wickham into a sense of security.
He engaged Mr. Philips and sent word to Mr. Wickham that he was expected at three in the afternoon the following day at the offices of Mr. Philips.
Wickham, upon receiving the note, and as anticipated by Mr. Liston, feeling a wave of relief and congratulating himself for having managed to escape detection, arrived at the offices at the appointed time with the full expectation of leaving as the happy betrothed of a wealthy young woman: his lack of forethought and the lowering of his guard placed him in an unenviable position between an angry uncle and a prudent attorney.
"Mr. Wickham, sir! Delighted to receive you at this most important meeting; Mr. Liston and I have been in consultation regarding the legal matters surrounding the proposed liaison between his niece and your good self. Take a seat, take a seat, sir. A drink, perhaps? No? Very well then: Mr. Liston, would you care to outline your plans and concerns for Mr. Wickham?"
Mr. Liston cleared his throat and began in a more conciliatory manner than he was feeling.
"It is my understanding, Mr. Wickham, that you have proposed marriage to my niece, Mary King, and she has accepted the offer pending my enquiries and approval of the match?"
Wickham nodded his complete agreement.
"In that case, sir, as I am sure you are well aware, the reason my niece postponed her full acceptance was based upon her incomplete understanding of your history as regards to your reputation, security and other pertinent and sensible concerns. For that reason, she requested my assistance; and in that capacity, as far as possible, I have exercised my authority as her closest male guardian, and made those enquiries on her behalf."
Wickham moved uncomfortably in his chair, fidgeting with his tunic buckle.
"In the first instance I would confirm from observations at our casual meeting the day before yesterday that I noticed a pleasing level of affection and mutual respect between the two of you."
"Indeed there is, sir." Wickham interjected enthusiastically. "Miss King and I are very well acquainted and at ease in each other's company."
Mr. Liston smiled faintly and continued.
"My niece's concern has to do with the speed with which you paid her attention once she returned from her grandfather's funeral; she wishes, in short, to ascertain at what level your feelings are influenced by that event rather than by her; I am sure you follow my meaning, sir. I have endeavoured, while still in Liverpool and now in Meryton, to allay those fears if it was at all possible: unfortunately, I have found that endeavour impossible, sir."
Wickham reddened but remained calm. "What have you learnt that is detrimental to my suit, sir?"
"That you are in considerable debt to most of the traders of this town, sir; that you left London under similar circumstances due to gambling debts; and that your one-time friend, Mr. Darcy, was also prevailed upon to clear debts in your name upon your vacating Derbyshire. What have you to say on those counts, sir?"
Wickham swallowed nervously; this was worse than he thought.
"Only this, gentleman: most of what you mention, while true accounts, are in the past and have been honoured. The accounts held here in Meryton are, unfortunately, still outstanding but I intend to clear them before leaving for Brighton."
"And how do you intend paying them, sir, if you have not already done so, might I enquire? What will change in your situation to enable you to suddenly find yourself in a position of affluence?"
Wickham reddened even further but continued calmly. "I have every expectation of being able to honour my debts as soon as my annuity is paid; it is only disbursed every quarter and therefore, as with many others reliant upon the vagaries of the banking system, I am forced to maintain credit until then."
Mr. Liston closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again, glancing quickly at Mr. Philips who had been following the proceedings with great interest and making hasty notes where applicable.
"And, since I must ensure that my niece is not inheriting an unwieldy amount of debt, should she consent to marrying you, pray enlighten us as to the full extent of your debt and that of your annuity, sir."
Wickham hesitated.
"Do not think to falsify the amount, sir!" shouted Mr. Liston, springing from his chair. "It is foolish to try, as Mr. Philips here will be in charge of securing the exact amount you will bring into the marriage, or lack thereof, and the exact amount of my niece's inheritance over which you will have control. As of this moment, I am favouring that portion being extremely small, the majority being tied up in marriage articles."
He turned to look Wickham full in the face.
"Does that alter your affections towards my niece in any way, Mr. Wickham?"
Wickham’s heart sank. He gathered his last shreds of dignity and spoke quietly but honestly.
"The amount of my annuity is not sufficient, sir, to enable me to pay off any of my debts; indeed, it is hardly any amount at all for a single man to live off and certainly not enough to support a wife and family. I joined the Regiment to enable me to start anew but confess I have found the way of life much too similar to that which I had hoped to escape." Wickham leaned back in his chair, defeated.
"And so you have me, sir; you have found me out. I intended to marry your niece - with whom I believe I should have been quite content, and she with me - with the understanding that I would have control over her inheritance, although I would not have used more than necessary to expunge my debts. Without unrestricted access to Miss King's inheritance, I am not in a position to support a wife and home at this present time, nor do I expect to be so in the immediate future."
Wickham rose from his chair and bowed to the two men politely.
"Please give my regards and sincere regrets to Miss King; I will not trouble her again. I apologise for any inconvenience and pain I have caused her or you and I beg her forgiveness most sincerely."
He left the room without a backward glance, closing yet another of his life's chapters on anticipation and disappointment.
The two men looked quietly at each other before venturing a comment.
"I hope that Miss King will not be too affected by this revelation of her favourite's faults, Mr. Liston."
"I do not think so, Mr. Philips; she had already perceived a great deal more than she wished to admit even before my interference. She is a sensible girl and wished for no more than proof that he loved her more than her money; I think we have discovered it not to be the case."
"I have to say, sir, that while you were enumerating his crimes, I realised that some mention of them had reached my ears, but only through the gossip of my wife and nieces, and you know how unreliable listening to ladies’ gossip can be."
"Aye: but there is always a grain of truth to be had in any whispers, Mr. Philips, as we have discovered. I thank you for your presence here today; it gave the whole meeting the gravitas it required. Mr. Wickham had no doubt we were in earnest."
Mr. Liston rose as he spoke. "I will not take any more of your time, sir. It has been a pleasure making your acquaintance and should I ever return to this part of the world I shall certainly make every attempt to renew it."
"Likewise, sir! And when do you return to Liverpool?" The two men moved towards the inner door.
"Immediately, I hope; there is much to be seen to and this errand has quite set me back; however, I may need to wait while my niece gathers her belongings together - I intend removing her from Meryton and taking her with me to Liverpool where she will be away from prying eyes and gossiping neighbours, and where she will be able to move in a greater society than she is in now. I believe a fresh start will be for the best. Good day to you, sir."
Mr. Philips closed the door after his guest, anticipating his wife's delight upon learning the news first-hand of the neighbourhood's most-discussed couple.
Chapter 25
Mr. Philips estimation of his wife's delight was accurate. Mrs. Philips was entertaining her nieces Lydia and Kitty along with their friends Harriet Forster and Pen Harrington the next morning, overjoyed at her ability to inform them of her exceptional news just reinforced by her friend, Mrs. Long.
"What do you think, girls?" Mrs Philips asked impatiently. "You will never guess, but it is about someone you all know and like! But perhaps Mrs. Forster knows of it already. Perhaps it is not such great news as I thought." She sank back into her chair waiting to be persuaded.
The girls pleaded with her; they were quite sure they had heard nothing, at all, about anybody, in weeks.
Mrs. Philips complacently smoothed her dress, taking her time; she knew just how shocking and delightful the news would be.
"Mr. Philips has been very busy the last two days with Miss King's uncle from Liverpool who arrived to meet Mr. Wickham. I do not know anything from my husband, of course, as it was all very secret and hush-hush, and even if he had told me, I would be the last person to spread rumours!"
All the girls nodded in understanding.
"But I did hear raised voices coming from my husband's office yesterday, and saw Mr. Wickham leave the meeting looking quite disconsolate. What do you think of that, my dears?"
Lydia gasped. "Perhaps my uncle informed him something about Wickham's past, aunt. But what does he know, I wonder, that we do not, to send her uncle into such a rage?"