His Uncle's Favorite

by Lilian, Lory

  Elizabeth could not be certain how much time had passed before Mr. Bennet decided to interrupt Wickham’s discourse.

  “Mr. Wickham, I greatly appreciate your talent at entertaining us with little, amusing stories of your misfortunes. However, if you say another word against Mr. Darcy, I shall ask Mr. Bingley to drop you at the next inn. Travelling by post is not so bad, after all…”

  Chapter 12

  There was no doubt that Mrs. Bennet missed her daughters dearly and was content to see them back home, but nothing could compare with her happiness at the sight of Mr. Bingley. It was without doubt Mrs. Bennet’s best day in many years.

  Elizabeth felt relieved that Mr. Bingley was an amiable and tolerant gentleman, or else he would have hastily departed for Netherfield. Instead, he expressed his delight in seeing Mrs. Bennet again and eagerly accepted her impromptu invitation for dinner, as he could appreciate the advantage of a meal in the midst of pleasant company versus dining alone.

  As soon as she retired to the comfort of her room, Elizabeth remembered her promise to write Miss Darcy—not that she would have forgotten for a moment. Nor could she forget Mr. Darcy’s insistent gaze when he gently suggested she inform them as soon as she arrived safely. He was worried for her—that was obvious! He was worried, caring and understanding, and he seemed elated that she had read his letter and trusted it. Surely, she could do as much as to write his sister a short letter immediately.

  A sharp knock on her door interrupted her, and she was surprised to see her father requesting entrance.

  “Certainly, Papa! What is it?”

  “It is about Wickham. I know he was your favourite, but he really irritated me. I sense a sort of duplicity in his behaviour, and I truly dislike his continuous references to how badly Darcy persecuted him. It has become quite tedious. I could tolerate him reasonably well in the past when I had the liberty of retiring to my library, but I found it impossible to bear him in a small carriage. I hope I was not offensive; I would not wish to spoil your pleasure of dancing with him in the future.”

  She felt her cheeks warm with embarrassment, and she forced a laugh.

  “I thank you for your concern, Father. I am sure I will manage at the next ball even if I have no partner. I think your words to Mr. Wickham were well deserved. I used to consider Mr. Wickham a friend, but that changed some time ago. I am ashamed to admit that I was wrong in my first impression of his character.”

  “Good—for a while, I was worried that you resembled your mother and youngest sisters more than I would like. My mind is at ease. I think I shall go and rest a little. Oh, I forgot—please do me a favour and send a letter to Mr. Darcy.”

  “Excuse me? I cannot write a letter to Mr. Darcy! Papa, are you teasing me?”

  “Oh come, Lizzy, do not be missish. Just drop him a few words in my name to inform him we arrived safely and apologise that I cannot write him myself. My eyes hurt, and I am in no mood to write, but I think I owe him as much. He was considerate to come and say goodbye, and I appreciate his concern; he seemed genuinely worried about our trip. I tell you, that young man is a continual surprise to me. He is uncommonly kind and friendly, considering our brief acquaintance.”

  “Very well, Papa. In truth, I was about to write Georgiana, so I suppose I could send a short note for Mr. Darcy, too.”

  “Thank you, my child.” He took a few steps and then suddenly returned. “By the way, Lizzy, I am quite curious—what was the urgent thing you wanted to tell Mr. Darcy? If it is not too great a secret…”

  She froze and for a moment was lost for words. She stared at her father, both waiting. She bit her lower lip, desperately seeking a convenient answer.

  “I… It was not such a great secret but…I did not want Mr. Wickham to hear us.”

  “Oh?” Mr. Bennet’s puzzlement mixed with apparent interest.

  “I…I have to confess that Mr. Darcy and I spoke quite a lot while I was in London…and we talked a little about Mr. Wickham. Mr. Darcy kindly offered me a bit of information that helped me to understand that Mr. Wickham’s easy cordiality is not always genuine. And…when Mr. Darcy saw Mr. Wickham in our carriage, I was certain he would be displeased…and I thought he deserved to know that I did not take his words lightly and it was not I—we—who invited Mr. Wickham to join our group.”

  “I see…well, well—such a surprise. Not Wickham—I could have told you the same without knowing the details—but Mr. Darcy talking to you about Wickham. I would not expect that, considering he seems to be a very private man. I think you did well in speaking to him before our departure if only because your secret conversation made Wickham angry! So amusing, truly! I shall go to sleep now. Please remember to write Mr. Darcy, though I somehow doubt there will be any danger of your forgetting.”

  He left with a last glance at his daughter; by that time, Elizabeth was sitting in the chair, silent again and positively flustered. Mr. Bennet felt too tired to think properly of everything he just discovered, but there would be time in the next few days. He felt more pleased and lively than he had been in many years.

  Elizabeth finished her letter to Georgiana and folded it carefully. Then she took another sheet and breathed deeply before she started.

  Mr. Darcy,

  Allow me to convey my father’s apologies for being unable to write this letter himself and to inform you that we have arrived home safely after an uneventful trip. Everything was perfectly fine on the road as well as at Longbourn, and we kindly thank you for your concern.

  She read the short note and found it cold and impersonal, but she did not dare write anything more private. Yet, if she were to receive such a letter, she would be disappointed. She thought for a bit, put the paper aside, then took it again and added:

  You must not worry that my father did not write this letter personally. He is quite well; his eyes are just a little tired from the delightful effort of enjoying, during the entire trip, one of the books you kindly loaned him. I am afraid he is a little too eager to finish each book as soon as possible in order to move on to the next, an eagerness quite easy to understand.

  I thank you for offering my father this opportunity as well as for all of your help.

  Sincerely,

  Elizabeth Bennet

  She read it once more and folded it immediately, afraid that she might change her mind. A moment later, she handed both letters to John to be sent as soon as possible.

  ***

  Darcy had dined alone with his sister countless times, but that night the silence seemed heavier. Neither of them appeared interested in conversation, and as soon as the meal was finished, he retired to his study while Georgiana returned to her rooms.

  Darcy was pacing his office impatiently. Many things required his attention, but he could concentrate on none of them. His mind was completely occupied remembering his last conversation with Elizabeth—her last smiles, her hand resting in his, her sharp replies to Wickham, her daring invitation to speak to him privately in the presence of her own father…

  She had courage and determination, and her gesture had more meaning than he first understood. She had willingly broken with propriety for his benefit only; she had nothing to gain from their brief conversation, but she insisted upon it for his sake. She guessed his distress when he saw Wickham, and she was concerned enough to seek a way to dissipate it. She also discovered a means to express her opinion about the letter and to assure him of her confidence in his words. She did all those things for him—because she cared for him! There could be no other reason!

  He dared not consider the nature of her caring for him nor ask himself whether she would ever offer him the opportunity to propose again. Those were questions whose answer was yet to be found. Nevertheless, he was certain that her poor opinion of him had improved. She no longer hated him, nor was she indifferent to his feelings and concerns. Whether that happened because of the letter, because of her father’s partiality for him, or because of her attachment to his sister, he could not be
certain nor even speculate. He was content that, at least, he was given another chance to prove he was worthy of her good opinion. He knew it was more than he hoped in the last weeks and more than he deserved.

  Until the last moment, he unwisely considered returning to Netherfield with Bingley, and if only his wishes were considered, he would have done it. However, there were two persons more important than himself whose well-being was his main concern: Georgiana and Elizabeth. He knew his sister would be happy at Netherfield, if only to be close to Elizabeth, but Wickham’s proximity required supplementary measures in order to protect Georgiana. As for Elizabeth—he knew he was too insistent in forcing the acquaintance with Mr. Bennet and frequently imposing himself in the Gardiners’ house during the past three days. Moreover, by helping Mr. Bennet with business advice, he was aware that he had obliged Elizabeth to behave politely towards him, even had she wanted to distance herself. Making an appearance at Netherfield—when surely Bingley spent most of his time at Longbourn—would put him in Elizabeth’s path again, and she would have little choice but to accept his presence whether she liked him or not. It was fortunate that her feelings for him seemed to be changing; there was no reason to force her trust. Therefore, he decided it was impossible to join Bingley at Netherfield for the time being.

  However, when he saw Wickham’s impertinent face and discovered his mischievous scheme to impose himself in Bingley’s carriage, his previous resolution dissipated; for a moment, he was decided to go to Netherfield with them. Happily, he needed little time to realise how ridiculous such a gesture would be—and even happier, Elizabeth guessed his struggle and put an end to it with a few wise words and a smile.

  Yet, he had no rest as he lay on his bed; countless thoughts spun in his head as he wondered what Wickham’s plans might be.

  The next day, after a silent breakfast and a brief chat about their plans for the day, Georgiana inquired how long it would take for a letter to arrive from Longbourn.

  “I am sure the letter will arrive as soon as possible. I think it would be helpful if you visit Selina while you wait for news.”

  “Perhaps I will. And I plan to stop at Mrs. Gardiner’s for a tea. She invited me.”

  “Excellent. I am sure you will have an agreeable time, dearest.”

  Darcy returned to his library while Georgiana prepared for the day. Half an hour later, Colonel Fitzwilliam made a welcome appearance.

  “Darcy, I came to take you to the club. Father and Thomas are already there.”

  “I am not certain I can interrupt what I am working on—”

  “Nonsense. Get your coat; there is not the slightest chance I will leave without you.”

  “You seem in an excellent disposition, Cousin.”

  “No more than usual. How are you, Darcy? And Georgiana?”

  “She is visiting Selina—and Mrs. Gardiner, I think. So, I understand you were assigned to fetch me. Are you being punished for something?”

  “So amusing—I am glad to see you so well humoured.” The colonel looked at Darcy briefly. “You did not sleep well. Any thoughts keeping you awake?”

  “Quite a lot.”

  “Will you share them?”

  “Not likely.”

  The colonel laughed as Darcy took his coat, and they left the house together. Only when they were inside the carriage did Darcy speak.

  “Yesterday I went to say goodbye to the Bennets. I had some business in the morning, so I arrived only a few minutes before they left.”

  The colonel smiled to himself, tempted to ask his cousin why he did not leave with them. However, Darcy’s countenance was too serious for mockery.

  “And? Did anything happen? You seem worried.”

  “Wickham was there. Apparently, he just happened upon Bingley that morning, and he was also on his way to Meryton. So Bingley asked him to join them.”

  “Wickham? Did you not say he was in Meryton? How long was he here?”

  “Wickham was in town for almost a month. He resided at Mrs. Younge’s as usual.”

  “How do you know that? Do you have people watching him?”

  “Once he had the impudence to cross paths with me in Meryton. I wanted no more surprises from him, so I took appropriate measures.”

  “I see… But what the hell is the scoundrel doing around the Bennets? And what is wrong with Bingley? He should know better than to befriend Wickham!”

  “Bingley knows too little about Wickham to avoid him; you cannot blame him. And you know how insistent Wickham can be when he has something to gain.”

  “Do you believe Wickham just wished to benefit from a ride at no charge? He is well capable of that. So it has nothing to do with the Bennets?”

  “You cannot believe me so naïve; surely it was no coincidence. Unfortunately, I can only speculate what his interest might be.” Darcy remained silent as the colonel waited.

  “Well? What speculations? What do you suspect?”

  The answer did not come easily, and the colonel needed to repeat his impatient question.

  “Wickham has a… From the beginning, he showed an interest in Miss Elizabeth.”

  “Oh come, you cannot be serious! I am quite charmed by Miss Elizabeth, but we must honestly admit that her situation does not recommend her as one of Wickham’s usual targets. She must have a small dowry, if any.”

  “You are not wrong in that; I am not certain about Wickham’s interest, but surely he does not intend to trap her into marriage.”

  “I am not in the slightest worried about other kinds of interests he might have. Miss Elizabeth Bennet would eat him alive if he dared exercise his charms with her! Even an idiot like him must see she is not a woman to trifle with.”

  Darcy hesitated a moment. “Miss Elizabeth is a very young and…genuine lady. It would not be impossible for her to be deceived and… Nevertheless, that is not the issue here. I have not the smallest doubt that she never would do anything improper. Besides…” He hesitated again then cast a quick glance at his cousin. “I had an opportunity to speak with her about a number of things and…I told her of my past dealings with Wickham.”

  The colonel stared in shock. “You mean—about Georgiana and Ramsgate? Why would you do such a thing? Do you think that was wise?”

  “It was necessary. Do not worry; I trust Miss Elizabeth’s secrecy completely.”

  “You trust her more than your own relatives?”

  “I do not… I would not say that. The situation was a special one. I struggled over the decision for some time, and I believe I was not wrong. Please let it be. And about Wickham: let us hope his only interest was to pinch a free ride to Meryton.”

  “But how the hell did he know that Bingley planned to return to Hertfordshire?”

  Darcy’s countenance became even sterner, and his uneasiness increased.

  “Robert, there is no one I trust more than you, and I see no other way to tell you that… I am sorry to upset you but…I am afraid the earl might have informed Wickham.”

  “My father? Surely, you are joking! My father is not even aware Wickham was in town.”

  “Uncle is well aware of Wickham’s presence in town. He even met Wickham a few times.” They looked at each other, both embarrassed by the subject.

  “I am truly sorry, Darcy. I do not know what to say. You know my father means well but… his attachment to Wickham seems… I am stunned. I am certain he kept silent in order not to bother us; you know he never would favour Wickham over you. His affection for you…

  “I do not doubt the earl’s affection for me or my family, and I will not hold against him his inclination towards Wickham. After all, my own father favoured him more than he deserved. I would just wish that uncle saw more in Wickham’s behaviour…”

  “Darcy, I do not mean to sound rude, but perhaps you should trust my father as much as you trusted Miss Elizabeth. You should tell him everything about Ramsgate.”

  “I shall consider the entire situation carefully. Let us speak no more abou
t it for now.”

  They finally arrived at the club where Lord Matlock and Lord Brightmore were expecting them. The rest of the day passed in pleasant conversation until two gentlemen of middle age approached their table.

  “Lord Sinclair, it is good to see you!” said the earl. “How long have you been in town? We were told you were with a hunting party.”

  “The pleasure is mine, Lord Matlock. Darcy, Colonel, Brightmore… Yes, I was in the country, and I would have preferred to stay there, but my wife insisted we return. She complained of feeling lonely and bored, so I had little choice. I wish she would find something to amuse her. I am not in the mood to attend balls and parties. Women are quite tiresome sometimes, but that is the price one must pay for having a young wife.” He laughed loudly.

  “True… Will you stay longer? I hope you will join me for a glass of brandy one day.”

  “I would be delighted. By the way, I did not forget about your invitation to hunt at your estate. As soon as spring arrives, I shall remind you.”

  “No hunting party would be complete without you, Sinclair.”

  Lord Sinclair departed with a last greeting, and Lord Matlock laughed to his companions.

  “Well, boys, you heard the man: he must find a way to keep Lady Sinclair amused.”

  “Do not count on me; I care only for my wife’s entertainment.” Lord Brightmore laughed. “Other young women should be the responsibility of unmarried men.”

  “I might attempt to help, but I do not trust I will accomplish much,” the colonel replied. “On the other hand, no one can doubt Darcy’s success, had he ever bothered to try.”

  Their amusement was a contrast to Darcy’s severe countenance.

  “Robert, your comment is quite rude and I would be grateful if that is the last time you bring up such an improper subject. You know that kind of joke appals me—now more than ever.”

  “Nephew, do not be upset; you know we are only joking. But you are right, as usual. Even Mrs. Gardiner scolded us; we should have listened to her.”

  “What do you mean, Uncle? When did Mrs. Gardiner scold you?” Darcy inquired.