by Alexa Adams
“Aunt Catherine,” Mr. Darcy began to interpose, but Georgiana stayed him, speaking in her own defense.
“Mr. Brooks has been so good as to ask me to marry him,” she spoke primly, “and I have told him I cannot at this time.”
“Oh Georgiana!” moaned Kitty, having been so intent on her own sufferings that she had not noticed her friend’s, or at least not long enough to ascertain what sacrifice had been made on her behalf.
“Well, I cannot say I do not understand you, Georgiana,” Lady Catherine said. “While Mr. Brooks would be a perfectly acceptable match, you might meet someone far higher. A lady of your position need not accept the first offer she receives.”
“I could not accept him at this time,” Georgiana continued grandly, “because my dearest friend in the world was suffering terribly, having been forced to reject the man she most admires.”
“What is this?” demanded Lady Catherine. “If I understand you correctly, Georgiana, you young ladies have been enacting the most ridiculous romantic farce I have ever born witness to! Did Sir James Stratton propose to you, Miss Bennet?”
“Yes, ma’am,” responded a cowering Kitty.
“And you rejected him?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Are you a fool, girl?” bellowed the irate lady.
Quivering from head to toe, Kitty looked to her companions, suddenly seeing her decision in a new light. “Yes!” she declared in defeated tones. “There can be no doubt. I must be the stupidest lady in the kingdom!” and she ran from the room, past protesting siblings, and sought solace somewhere in the glorious immensity of the park.
“How could you, Aunt Catherine?” cried an incensed Georgiana before following her friend, leaving a burdened Darcy and Elizabeth to try and rectify such a disastrous arrival.
“How could you allow her to reject him, Fitzwilliam!” their hostess demanded. “She was in your charge, Elizabeth, and I thought you would advise her better! I insist you tell me which of you is most to blame!”
“Aunt Catherine,” Darcy said soothingly, “there was no advising her. We betrayed her trust, all of us, and she sought her own counsel. Let us sit down and I will tell you all.”
By the time the Darcys together had fully detailed the events of the last few weeks, it was well past time to prepare for dinner. The young ladies were found and sent to dress, and Lady Catherine, at the earnest request of her daughter, promised to not mention their respective romances again. As she had seldom ever had so much to say on a subject, Anne absorbed the bulk of her sentiments, sheltering their guests to some degree. Though the evening proceeded peacefully, a decided tension remained in the air throughout. Elizabeth excused herself early, eager to go to sleep and put the horrid day behind her.
Chapter 17
While such momentous occurrences were occupying the Darcys, Mrs. Wickham was anxiously waiting to hear from her dear friend, Miss Eustacia Beaumont, who was visiting with friends in Twickenham. When she returned home Tuesday afternoon, it was to discover that Caroline had called no less than twice during her absence, leaving very eager messages insisting she had important news to convey. Such excitability evoked a bored sigh. While Miss Beaumont and Miss Bingley had been fast friends during their school days, the relationship had grown rather tedious. She had almost completely cut all ties to Caroline upon learning of her ill-conceived marriage. She found it more than a little galling that her intimate friend had thrown herself away on a penniless soldier of no family whatsoever, particularly because Caroline’s background was already less than genteel. The Beaumonts, squires to their little piece of England for longer than anyone could trace, valued lineage, and it was already unseemly that Eustacia associated with a tradesman’s daughter, no matter how agreeable her companionship. It was Mr. Bingley’s far more suitable marriage that preserved the friendship, particularly once she heard her brother declaring his love for the new Mrs. Bingley’s sister. Caroline had proved very helpful in ascertaining all the details of the Bennet family, and while she did not like the relationship to the Gardiners, as Mr. Darcy visited Cheapside regularly for the felicity of their companionship, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh was also known to have dined with them more than once, she would not cavil.
Eustacia was the elder child and felt it her duty to protect her rather foolish brother’s interests. He had inherited young, their father’s old friend Mr. Burke administering the estate until he came of age, and their mother, having rekindled a youthful passion for drawing, had little time or interest for tending to the affairs of her children. She found Miss Lydia Bennet a satisfactory match for Hugh – a good thing for the young couple, who would otherwise have found quite an obstacle in their path. She had met her in Bath, at Mr. Burke’s house, and was pleased with what she found, for she was just as silly as Hugh, and as a married couple they were sure to leave the running of Freningham to her, which was just what she wished. Miss Beaumont would remain mistress in all but name. Furthermore, his interest in Lydia kept Hugh away from London, where he had proved rather reckless in his behavior. Miss Bennet’s likely connection to Sir James Stratton was icing on the cake, confirming Eustacia’s very good opinion of Miss Lydia, and in her happiness it was gratifying to gloat with someone sure to be just as pleased with the situation as herself. Still, she little cared if Caroline succeeded in restoring her husband’s place in the Darcys’ affections, and so took little trouble to respond promptly to her inconvenient message. At breakfast the next morning she felt no more inclined to see Mrs. Wickham than she had the day before, and was just considering what sort of excuse might be used to put her off when the mail arrived, bringing a rare letter from Mr. Beaumont. Its contents prompted her to seek her friend with relative haste.
Caroline, rather annoyed to have not seen Miss Beaumont the day before, was gratified by her announcement at an hour earlier than fashionable. Furthermore, she looked harried, quite an uncommon thing for Eustacia, and Caroline relished her discomposure. “My dear, Eustacia! You are not yourself! Do sit down. Have you had your breakfast yet?”
“Yes, I have, Caroline. Let us be left in private. I have received the most alarming tidings from Hugh!”
“He has not eloped, has he?”
Miss Beaumont stared in shock. “Not yet, but how did you know? “
“My dear, that is why I wanted to see you! When I was with Mrs. Darcy on Monday, Miss Bennet received distressing news from Miss Lydia. It seems Sir James traveled to Longbourn against her will, or some such thing, but more important is that Miss Lydia is so desirous to be married before her sister that she threatens to elope with a ‘secret lover’! Of course, she meant your brother! I knew Miss Lydia would be just the sort to bring her family to grief the very first time I met her,” Caroline concluded with apparent glee.
Miss Beaumont looked at her askance. “You might have mentioned so much when we discussed her in the past! I would never have promoted the match had I thought it would come to this. They must be stopped! Indeed, I cannot think but he wrote to me in order to have the thing prevented in time. Miss Bennet thinks Gretna would be romantic, but she couldn’t be more wrong, and Hugh knows it. Beaumonts do not elope! It is unseemly!”
Caroline, having been married over the anvil herself, ignored this slight, asking eagerly, “What do you intend to do?”
“We must go to Mr. Darcy. He will know how to act!”
Caroline shook her head, “He and his entire household leave for Rosings Park this morning.”
“Then we must hurry and catch him before they depart,” she said as she rose.
“It will not do, Stacy,” replied a firm Caroline. “They planned to leave first thing and are surely already gone. We must seek Charles for assistance. He is just as much a brother to Miss Lydia as Mr. Darcy.”
“I have already been to the Bingleys,” Miss Beaumont confessed.
“Stacy! How could you not come to me first?” complained the slighted Caroline.
“I needed to act as fast as pos
sible, but I’m afraid they departed town quite suddenly yesterday. The butler could tell me no more than that some emergency arose.”
Mrs. Wickham looked concerned. “I hope they are alright.”
“If they were traveling, health must not be the issue, but the important thing now is to decide what to do. They must be stopped, Caroline!”
“Then it must be George who will attend to the affair. I will get him ready at once,” she said firmly while ringing the bell.
Miss Beaumont looked suspicious. “How is Mr. Wickham to help? He is not her brother and cannot interfere without calling on the authorities.”
“He will go to Longbourn and tell Mr. Bennet.”
As there were few other options open to her, Miss Beaumont had no choice but to put all her hopes of avoiding unbearable scandal in Mr. Wickham’s already tarnished hands.
--
Sir James rode up to Longbourn Wednesday afternoon with a heavy heart, his feelings dramatically different from what he had felt on the occasion of his previous visit. Then it had been a source of interest – the blessed place from which Miss Bennet had sprung – but now its faded beauty only served as an additional pummeling to his injured hopes, seeming to cast the world in a haze of sadness. Mr. Bennet, who was surveying the shrubbery when he saw the visitor approach, was just the remedy needed for such sunken spirits.
“Sir James!” he hailed him. “I guess your presence here means you either made a muck of the situation yourself, or that Mrs. Bennet could not hold her tongue. Which is it?”
“Both, I am afraid. It was Miss Lydia Bennet, informed by her mother, who sent the tidings, but as I created the circumstances in the first place, ultimate responsibility must fall on me.”
Mr. Bennet shook his head sadly, though with a hint of approval. “So be it! No use wallowing. What brings you here?”
“Well,” he began, his irrepressible grin emerging, “I did get the impression that you had taken a strong liking to me, sir, and I thought I might take advantage of your hospitality to regroup a bit while Miss Bennet remains in Kent. They left this morning, you know.”
Mr. Bennet narrowed his eyes with suspicious glee, “You did not watch their departure from a distance, did you? The very picture of the rejected lover?”
“Certainly sir, if it brings you joy, then I’ll happily say that I did.”
“Very good! The image is quite priceless, be it true or not! What shall I do for amusement when all my daughters are married? Lovelorn gentlemen are the most diverting entertainment! Come in, Sir James, come in! We shall have a glass, and you will disclose the entire predicament. And do not leave out any details just because they make you look foolish, for those are the very best parts!”
It felt good to laugh. “I would never dream of depriving you, sir, of all the entertainment to be had at my expense.”
When they were comfortably situated in the library, Sir James poured his tale into Mr. Bennet’s attentive ears. It seemed he did not find as much fun in the account as he had anticipated, for his face took on a contemplative intensity as he listened, not saying anything for several minutes after Sir James finished, as he muddled over his thoughts. Finally he snickered, “You know, it is a very good thing Mrs. Bennet is spending the day in Meryton. Your report would quite offset her, I’m afraid, and then we should really be in a tight spot.”
“I do not see how it can make the situation any worse now. She would not fly off to Rosings to demand Kitty marry me, would she?” Mr. Bennet’s gaze was answer enough. “She would! I knew I liked her, for it is precisely what I would like to do. I am glad that she is not privy to my current circumstances, though, for I do not think I could keep another such temerarious creature in check. I have a hard enough time squelching my own infamous impulses. Can you image the outrage I would confront if I stormed into Rosings and demanded an audience with Miss Bennet? There is a scene to tempt your fancy, sir1”
“A marvelous notion, indeed! Just the grand gesture to prove your affection, and not at all high-handed in the least! The thing would be quite perfect if you should fight a duel first, but unfortunately I know of no rivals for the lady’s affections. Such foolishness aside, I fear I owe you an apology, Sir James, for I am perhaps to blame for Kitty’s current sentiments. As you can see, it has always been my way to find humor wherever I can – particularly in the foibles of humanity. My wife is a great resource for this hobby, and she is fortunate to not be quick enough to ever find my amusements offensive. In that sense we are a very fitting couple, but I am learning that Kitty was cast in a different mold from her mother. She is far more sensitive than I ever imagined, more perceptive, too, and I am afraid I have given her good reason to shun satirical gentlemen.”
Sir James saw the truth in this, and while he found it frustrating, he had to respect Mr. Bennet for acknowledging the shortcoming, however little it helped his predicament. He was looking for the words to express these sentiments when their conversation was interrupted by a commotion in the hall. Excusing himself, Mr. Bennet rose and opened the library door to investigate. Immediately upon spotting him, Mr. Wickham stepped forward, brushing aside Mrs. Hill, who was attempting to belatedly announce him.
“Mr. Wickham!” said an unpleasantly surprised Mr. Bennet. “To what do we owe the honor?”
“Please, sir, may I have a moment of your time? I am in possession of some news that must interest you most dearly.”
“I have a visitor, as you can see,” he stepped aside to allow the newcomer a glimpse of Sir James, who had risen and stepped forward upon hearing the name of the invader. “If you will wait in the parlor, I will be with you shortly.”
Mr. Wickham took in the form of Sir James, whom he immediately recognized, with visible surprise. “Mr. Bennet, if you please, I believe my news may interest your guest as well. Sir James, you will not remember me, but...”
“Indeed I do remember you, Wickham, though it has been some time,” replied a leery Sir James, who never liked George as a boy and had heard little good of him since. “What do you know of my interests?”
Mr. Wickham gathered all his dignity. “I have come on a matter of utmost importance to all who care for the good names of Bennet and Beaumont, at the behest of a member of the latter family.”
Mr. Bennet frowned and glanced to Sir James before turning his attention back to the intruder. “I suppose you ought to sit down, Mr. Wickham,” he said, returning to his own seat.
Mr. Wickham looked about before claiming not the hard bench which Mr. Bennet had indicated, but a cozy arm chair near the window. “I say, Bennet,” he began familiarly, “I had no notion you had such a fine library here at Longbourn. Your collection must be worth a small fortune.”
“You had something of urgent importance to address with me, Mr. Wickham. The good names of Bennet and Beaumont are at stake, remember? Pray tell, what is it?”
“Yes. Indeed I do,” said a more serious Mr. Wickham, fixing upon his face the proper degree of gravitas he deemed the topic at hand required. “Miss Beaumont is a dear friend of Mrs. Wickham’s. The two were at school together and have always remained close. Miss Beaumont has been deeply distressed ever since receiving a letter from her brother, Mr. Hugh Beaumont, this morning. He is sojourning in Bath, you see, at the home of his old guardian...”
“What care I for your friends’ travel arrangements,” interrupted Mr. Bennet impatiently. “Do get to the point, man!”
Mr. Wickham smiled benignly, “Certainly, Mr. Bennet! If my daughter’s reputation was at stake, I too would be distressed!”
“Not Miss Bennet!” cried an alarmed Sir James, rising to his feet.
“Calm down, Sir James!” replied Mr. Bennet grimly. “I see he means Lydia. What has she done? Exposed herself in some way? I always knew she would.”
A bit taken aback by the calm manner of his host, Mr. Wickham said straightforwardly, “We hope not, sir! She and Mr. Beaumont have hatched some foolish plan to elope. It is to be tomorrow night, an
d if you hurry, sir, they might still be prevented!”
Mr. Bennet rose from his seat, rage suffusing his face, and a quelled Mr. Wickham, quite shocked to see the normally placid man so incensed, dropped all bravado as he hurriedly explained, “I came as soon as I heard of it. They plan to take off from a ball tomorrow, held at Mr. Burke’s home in Bath.”
“I will leave at once,” announced Mr. Bennet, anxiously ringing
the bell.
“Stay just a moment, Mr. Bennet,” said Sir James. “I’d like to be of assistance, for this may be just the opportunity to prove myself. My horse is relatively fresh, and I could be in the saddle in a moment.”
Before Mr. Bennet could respond, Mr. Wickham, not one to let opportunity slip by, was quick to offer his aid as well. “I, too, will accompany you, sir, as there are more details to relate, and it will save time if we speak en route. My horse, however, is rather exhausted from my hurried ride here.”
“My stables are not extensive, but I can adequately saddle you until we reach the first posting inn. Mrs. Hill!” he cried to the lurking servant. “Get someone to pack my portmanteau, and tell your mistress I am off to Bath to visit my daughter. I will send word when to expect my return.”
Chapter 18
Not an hour after Mr. Wickham’s arrival, a strange band of heroes set forth from Longbourn to rescue Miss Lydia from her own infamous inclinations. They journeyed as late as they could without stopping but to change horses, and arrived in Bath Thursday afternoon. Proceeding directly to Mrs. River’s school, the maidservant who answered the door was quite shocked by the appearance of three disheveled gentlemen on horseback, such an entourage rarely bringing good news to an establishment of young ladies. Upon asking to see Mrs. Rivers and receiving a timid reply regarding rules against interrupting classes, Mr. Bennet demanding Mr. Burke’s direction. It was presented, and disposing of their horses at a nearby saddlery, the gentlemen proceeded the short distance to his abode on foot.