The Ramsgate Affair

by Lynne Davidson

  The two were followed almost immediately by Darcy, escorting Mrs. Clarke.

  "Here we are, Miss Elizabeth," declared Mrs. Clarke. “I have been telling Mr. Darcy about how anxious you are concerning the dancing, and he has promised to look after you. You could not have a more capable partner, I assure you. And now, I must seek out Colonel Fitzwilliam, as I told him that I would give him a hand of cards this evening."

  She drifted away, leaving Elizabeth and Darcy standing looking at one another.

  "I would be delighted if you would honor me with a dance," said Darcy.

  Elizabeth had already decided that she would very much like to dance with him, but she did not want him to offer on Mrs. Clarke's instructions, so she said, “Pray do not feel obliged to, sir; I know you dislike dancing. I am not so desperate a case as that.”

  His face changed from one of courteous attentiveness to one of offended rigidity.

  "Forgive me, Miss Bennet," he said coldly. "No doubt there are other men with whom you would much rather dance. I would not dream of cluttering up your dance card!" With that, he bowed stiffly and walked away.

  Elizabeth looked after him, appalled. She had never intended her words to be meant in such a way.

  Moments later, before she could decide whether to go after him, or hope for a chance of explaining later, Colonel Fitzwilliam approached her, and asked her to dance. Elizabeth looked round and noticed that Denny was leading Lydia on to the floor, and that Darcy had clearly persuaded Mrs. Clarke to delay her card game, for they were preparing to dance together.

  Smiling in a rather strained way, she put her hand into that of the colonel and allowed him to lead her on to the floor for a set of country dances.

  "I could have sworn that you were going to dance with Darcy," murmured the colonel provocatively.

  "No . . . yes . . . that is, I . . .He asked, but I. . . I expect that. . . "

  Colonel Fitzwilliam listened with courteous interest. "Not one of your more lucid comments," he remarked, when there was clearly no more to come. Elizabeth had to laugh then, despite herself.

  “There was a foolish misunderstanding," she said at last. "I expressed myself badly, and Darcy decided that I meant I did not want to dance with him."

  “I'll have a word with him after the set," promised Colonel Fitzwilliam. "It would not do for you to be pining away."

  "I will not pine away!" exclaimed Elizabeth. "Good heavens, what a fuss just because a man does not really . . . that is, does not want to dance with me! I pray that you will say nothing at all!"

  "Ah!" said Colonel Fitzwilliam in the tones of one who has made a great discovery.

  "Colonel Fitzwilliam, I forbid you to say anything to William!" cried Elizabeth. "Please—just leave it be."

  "How can I possibly refuse a lady who has just done something that I have been wanting her to do ever since I met her?" he said impishly.

  "Sir?" she asked.

  "You have called my cousin by his Christian name. Now I really shall have something to tell Darcy!"

  When the dance was over, Colonel Fitzwilliam led Elizabeth back to her chair, bowed gracefully, and made his way over to Darcy's side. Almost immediately, Elizabeth was addressed by a Mrs. Ayles who was acquainted with her aunt Mrs. Gardiner in London, so she was unable to do other than cast an anguished glance in Colonel Fitzwilliam's direction and pray that he did not say anything too outrageous. Whatever it was, it could not have been to Darcy's liking, for he kept his distance for the rest of the evening.

  The following week was not one of unalloyed enjoyment for Elizabeth. On the one hand, she loved being in Ramsgate, attending concerts and parties and shopping and just being free of household concerns. On the other, wherever Darcy was, there Mrs. Clarke seemed to be, and she had to admit to finding this disturbing. There had been no obvious opportunity to explain her comment in the assembly rooms, and now she felt that she could hardly refer to that occasion without it sounding decidedly odd.

  Her one consolation was that Mrs. Clarke and Darcy often appeared to be accompanied by Colonel Fitzwilliam. This circumstance pleased Wickham too. He became convinced that the colonel had simply come to Ramsgate to take the air and had never had a thought of marriage on his mind.

  “After all," he said to Elizabeth, as the end of the week drew near, "it stands to reason that he cannot be so enamored of Georgiana if he is keeping his distance. I shall definitely offer for Georgiana now."

  Elizabeth said nothing, but felt doubtful. And after all, although people might talk of love matches, it was a fact of life that in the case of an under-aged girl, her opinion mattered less than that of her brother.

  The day that Wickham had chosen to make his offer was the same day on which there was to be a firework display in the evening. He got up bright and early, then realized that he could hardly pay a visit of form at nine o"clock in the morning.

  Denny was still in bed, so he went out to stroll around a little on the pier. There was a jeweler's shop, and he stopped outside, wondering whether to go in and take a look at rings. He certainly needed to speak to Darcy first before making a purchase, as there might be a family ring which ought to go to the bride, but it would do no harm to look all the same.

  Once inside he found that he was obliged to wait because a lady and gentleman were already being served. He soon realized that they were Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mrs. Clarke, and they, also, were looking at rings.

  "But it is your money, Richard," Mrs. Clarke was saying. "Yours must be the final choice."

  "Not at all," replied the colonel. "Come; I insist that you choose." He smiled at the assistant. "Nothing is too good for my bride to be."

  "Bride to be!" said Mrs. Clarke, archly. "When I have it on good authority that you have not yet made a formal proposal!"

  "Have patience, my dear," answered the colonel in a similar tone. "Be assured that when I do make a formal proposal, you will be the very first to know."

  Wickham did not wait to hear any more, but hurried out of the shop. So it was true after all! Colonel Fitzwilliam was to offer for Georgiana and was even buying a ring. But if the formal proposal had not been made, he still had a chance. He must make his own offer without delay.

  ****

  As they made ready to walk the short distance from Lilley Place, Elizabeth could not but reflect how easily simple conversations could poison the prospect of even such a novel entertainment as that which presently awaited her.

  She had a rather disturbing encounter with Lydia, when she had popped in to help her to get ready. Lydia had obviously taken great care with her appearance, and seemed very excited. This did not surprise Elizabeth; she was feeling quite excited herself. She could not help feeling suspicious, however, that her sister's excitement might have something to do with the possible presence of a certain militia officer.

  Lydia had assured her the previous week that she had not been meeting the young lieutenant, and Elizabeth would not stoop to doubt her. But she found herself feeling rather uneasy when she had looked in the mirror and caught sight of Lydia looking at her with an expression that was almost calculating. Then, almost at the very moment when she had noticed it, it was gone and she simply said, "Will Mr. Darcy and Mrs. Clarke be in our party this evening, Lizzy?"

  "I believe so."

  "She certainly seems to know him very well, does she not? Do you think that they might make a match of it, Lizzy?"

  Elizabeth had made some non-committal remark, and changed the subject very quickly. Lydia clearly did not need any help, so Elizabeth whisked herself out of the room with some excuse about having forgotten to put a handkerchief in her reticule.

  Once back in her room, she found that she did not want to be alone with her thoughts, so calling through to Lydia that she would wait for her downstairs, she went down to the drawing-room to find her hostess giving instructions to a footman who was to follow with extra shawls, in case the evening should prove to be chilly.

  "How charming you look, my
dear," said Mrs. Younge after the man had gone. She was looking very attractive herself in a cloak of dark blue with a bonnet with matching ribbons. "We only await your sister and Georgiana, and Mr. Darcy and Mrs. Clarke who are to walk with us." She looked around and dropped her voice, for all the world as if she expected there to be spies behind the curtains or under the table. "Mrs. Clarke confided in me this afternoon that she has hopes of being married soon. What a fine thing that will be for Darcy! He has been alone for too long. And of course, there is no question of his needing an heir, because he has Pemberley to think of.”

  Lydia came in at this point and Mrs. Younge exclaimed, "Oh my dear, what a pretty cloak! But there is a tiny mark on the shoulder which I think may be dust. Do let me see if I can brush it off for you."

  Elizabeth left them and wandered over to the window to look out over the dark street. She was glad of the diversion for it meant that her hostess would not wonder why she was suddenly looking so pale. Mrs. Clarke popping up everywhere had made her feel uncomfortable, but she had not been able to understand why. Now she suddenly realized that if Mrs. Clarke married Darcy, then life would no longer be tolerable. How could she possibly bear seeing them together, now that she had discovered that she was in love with him?

  Moments later, the doorbell rang and Sims admitted the very two people about whom she had just been thinking. At the sight of Darcy, she could feel herself turning bright red and she could barely greet them with equanimity.

  "My dear Miss Bennet!" exclaimed Mrs. Clarke. "You look quite flushed! Are you sure you are well?"

  "Yes, thank you," replied Elizabeth, thankful that even if she had no control over her complexion, she could at least control her voice. "I suppose I must have hurried down the stairs." She caught a glimpse of Darcy looking at her steadily, but he said nothing beyond the usual polite greeting.

  Soon it was time for them to leave the house. To Elizabeth's surprise, Mrs. Clarke chose to walk with Mrs. Younge and Georgiana, and Darcy offered one arm to Elizabeth and the other to Lydia. It was not the first time that she had taken his arm, but this time, with her feelings for him awakened, she seemed conscious of his presence and the feel of him as never before. What would she do now if he married Mrs. Clarke? Her first instinct was to run away, but she knew that that was impossible. Where could she go?

  In any case, how would the family manage without her? Having now begun to change her opinion of him, she did not see how she could ever go back to how things were.

  Elizabeth looked around and, to her surprise, she realized that she had been so absorbed in her thoughts that they had reached their destination already. It was far busier than Elizabeth had ever seen it. Many other people had obviously been similarly drawn by the mild weather to take in the spectacle.

  "Oh,” exclaimed Mrs. Younge, "had we come here a few years ago, we would have had to be escorted across the river in order to get here. Now wouldn’t that have been romantic?"

  "Madam," replied Darcy, "I cannot think that any boat trip in your company would be in the slightest degree romantic. When we went on a boat in Bath, you were violently sick."

  "Sir," replied Mrs. Younge. "I protest, it would have been charming."

  Just then, Lydia noticed Mary King and her party and asked permission to join them. Elizabeth, feeling that she had been rather unfair to her sister that day, readily agreed, but added, "I will come and have a word with her aunt."

  "To make sure that I don't arrange an assignation with Mr. Denny?" asked Lydia defiantly.

  "Of course not," replied Elizabeth. "But Mrs. Montgomery has been very kind, and it seems only right to thank her for all the hospitality that she has extended to you."

  "Oh all right," said Lydia ungraciously, but she did look a little shame-faced. Mrs. Montgomery exchanged courtesies with Elizabeth in a friendly manner and assured her that Lydia was no trouble to her.

  “I often think that it is easier to look after two than one,” she said. “Then they can keep one another amused." They exchanged a few more commonplaces, whilst Mary and Lydia chattered together. “I will see her safely home after the display if we do not find you,” promised Mary’s aunt.

  Elizabeth thanked her, and turned back to rejoin her party. She had not gone more than three or four steps, when she felt a tap on her shoulder and she turned to see Wickham standing close to her. His face looked ghastly in the pale-blue light close to him, and his chin jutted defiantly.

  “I'm glad I've found you, Miss Bennet," he said in the tone of someone who is determined to keep in control, however strong his emotions. "You were right, of course. I went to see Darcy, but he barely listened to me. I don't think he even took my offer seriously. He looked as if he begrudged the time that it took to put down his paperwork. He has set her mind on the colonel, that's certain."

  "Has he offered for her?" asked Elizabeth.

  “From what Darcy has said, the matter is as good as settled," he replied. “Georgiana's birthday is next week. The engagement is to be announced then. Georgiana is to be sacrificed on the altar of her brother's greed."

  "Oh Mr. Wickham, I'm so sorry," cried Elizabeth, her heart going out to him even more, now that she knew what it was like to feel love that was surely doomed to disappointment.

  "Don't be,” he said firmly, drawing himself up. “I'm not going to let it happen."

  "What do you mean?" asked Elizabeth apprehensively. "You are not going to do anything rash—"

  “There's only one way of stopping it now," he replied resolutely. Georgiana and I are eloping."

  "Mr. Wickham!" she gasped. "You can't!"

  "Why not?" he asked recklessly. "I've tried the honorable approach and it didn't work. What else can I do? Stand by and watch whilst Georgiana is married to another man? Think of her having to share his home, his bed? No. I won't do it."

  "Mr. Wickham, there must be another way," she pleaded.

  "Then tell me what it is. Now." She was silent. "You see? There isn't another way. We're leaving tonight, from here. I have a carriage arranged. We'll never get a better chance. I've only told you because of all you've done for me." He gave her a quick hug. "Wish me happy!"

  "Oh, I do, but . . ." It was too late. He was gone. For a moment, that was all that she could take in. Then into her mind came rushing many jumbled thoughts concerning the disgrace of an elopement, pursuit and possible duels, Georgiana's ruined reputation, the effect of scandal upon Wickham's career prospects, and the grave shock that it would be to her family.

  What could she do? Suddenly, she recalled Darcy's voice saying, "If you hear of Wickham planning anything rash, tell me".

  She looked around, half expecting to see him, so clear had his voice been in her head, but there was no sign of him. Anxious to find him, she ran in the direction nearest to where she had last seen him. This led her briefly down an unfrequented path and she stopped for a moment to look around and set her bearings. As she did so, she saw a couple locked in a passionate embrace and, as they drew apart briefly, light fell on the young woman's face. It was Lydia. The man, whose face was in shadow, looked to be Denny.

  Elizabeth took a deep breath, then ran on. She could not possibly think about her sister's deceitfulness now. That would have to be dealt with later. Just now, the most urgent need was to save Wickham and Georgiana from disgrace. As she reached the end of the path, she cannoned into a man standing there, nearly knocking him over. As he turned, she saw to her relief that it was Darcy.

  "Good grief, it's another invasion,” he declared in an amused voice. Then as he caught sight of her face, his tone changed and he said urgently. "Elizabeth what is it? What has happened?”

  "It's Mr. Wickham,” she said, almost sobbing with relief at having found him so quickly. "He's eloping with Georgiana—tonight!"

  "Did he say if they were leaving from here?" he asked her in a calm voice.

  "Yes, they are. He just came to say goodbye to me." She could feel a sob rising in her throat as she finished speaking. "O
h, William, can you do anything?"

  "Don't worry. I'll stop them," he said reassuringly. "You go and join the others—they're over there," he said, gesturing towards a knot of people.

  She stood watching them helplessly for a moment or two, then because she could not think what else to do, she did as he bade her and walked over to join Mrs. Younge and Mrs. Clarke.

  "Oh there you are," exclaimed Mrs. Younge. “I was afraid that we might have lost you, such a press of persons as there is here tonight."

  Elizabeth found herself replying courteously, but inside, she was almost screaming with the absurdity of having to conduct this polite social conversation whilst there were events taking place so close to them that might determine more than two people's happiness.

  Lovely music played and fireworks went off, but Elizabeth was oblivious to it all. The only thing that did recall her to the present was when suddenly she happened to see Lydia by her side. At once she remembered seeing her with Denny, but now was not the moment to challenge her, especially since Mary King and her aunt were nearby. Until Georgiana's affairs were settled, she could think of nothing else.

  All at once, she was conscious of a presence behind her and turning round, she saw Darcy. He was alone. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, he murmured, “All's well. We found them in time. Colonel Fitzwilliam is taking care of Wickham."

  She closed her eyes in relief. He took hold of her hand and gave it a little squeeze, then released it. She wished that she could have held on to him forever.

  At last she said, “I want to speak to Mr. Wickham."

  “I'm not at all sure that that would be wise," he replied carefully.

  "Why not? He will be distressed about the failure of the elopement.”

  All at once she caught sight of Wickham and immediately started pushing through the crowd in order to reach him.

  She heard Darcy say behind her, "Elizabeth, wait!" But she hurried on regardless, thinking only that she must reach Wickham's side. At last, quite breathless, she got to him. He was standing on his own, a little apart from the crowd.