He congratulated Jane on her engagement to his friend before he addressed Elizabeth. They spoke on inconsequential subjects for some minutes before tea was offered.
“I must away, but may I call on you again, Miss Elizabeth?” Lord Archibald requested as he refused the tea.
“It would not be a good idea, your Lordship,” Elizabeth stated as gently as she was able.
“If you are concerned about the disparity in our stations and wealth, do not be. My mother and father have no concerns…” The Marquess stopped when he saw Miss Elizabeth hold up her hand.
“While I appreciate the Duke and Duchess’s condescension, my reason is twofold. I am not ready to begin an official relationship yet, and much more importantly, I do not think we would suit,” she related. “I know you to be a good and honourable man, so it is not that which sways my decision.”
Although he was sorry not to be able to pursue the vivacious, intelligent beauty, the Marquess appreciated she would not accept him for the wrong reasons.
“Thank you for being candid, Miss Elizabeth.” Lord Archibald stood, bowed over her hand, then bowed to the other three ladies, and took his leave.
There was much for Elizabeth to tell Anne that day.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The same day the notice appeared in the London papers; Darcy was reading his aunt’s letter. Although he had never met them, the name Bennet was known to him.
One named Bennet had saved Anne and Uncle Lewis and they had been friends ever since then. He remembered Aunt Elaine telling how she would sponsor each daughter to be presented to Her Majesty.
He realised he should have paid more attention to his sister when she had related information when they were together. He was sure Giana had mentioned being very close to…four or five Bennet sisters. He could not remember the exact number.
He knew nothing of the lady’s fortune or connections and hoped she was not a Caroline Bingley, hunting for wealth and advancement in society.
No sooner had that uncharitable thought reared its ugly head when he discounted it. The Bennets had been known to members of his family since before Mother had passed away. If they had been anything but Godly, upstanding, and honourable people, the connection would not have been maintained.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
When Andrew and Matlock presented Bennet with a draft settlement, they had left the space for Jane’s dowry open. To say that both men were flabbergasted when Bennet revealed that each of his daughters had a dowry approaching twenty thousand pounds was an understatement.
Chapter 17
George Wickham had made his way to London on behalf of the Younges.
They owned a boarding house, if one could call the dilapidated dwelling on Edward Street in St. Giles by that name. It had only three rooms for guests, and that was when the so-called master chamber was rented out as well.
It was run by their cousin, Jake. The truth was his wife was the one who managed the house as Jake did not have enough intelligence to keep even a boarding house as bad as the Younges’ concern running competently. With nothing to keep him occupied, Jake spent most of his time soused. It was only when Clay Younge needed him for a job, he was reasonably sober.
Jake’s wife, Glenda, was not happy having to do all of the work while her husband was invariably deep in his cups. Her disappointment had made her susceptible to Wickham’s charms and he had been tupping her since his second visit to Edward Street.
Wickham had just left Glenda at the boarding house after a session of love making, and was on his way to the closest tap room when he remembered he had asked the landlord of the last inn where he had a room during his short stay in London before ending up in Margate—one he actually paid for—to hold any letters for him.
It had been many months since Wickham had called at the Grey Goose Inn, but as he always paid the postage and a fee for holding his letters, if there were any, the landlord keptanything addressed to George Wickham for him.
“Do you have any letters for me?” George asked after he had greeted the landlord.
“Yeah, this ‘ere black-edged one arrived in early April. You owes me a shilling and tuppence,” The man stated as he reached below the counter to find the letter to which he referred.
He handed over the coins and the landlord handed the letter to Wickham. After all the time it had been sitting, it was now stained, dirty, and dusty. He found himself a table in the corner of the taproom, not close to any other patrons who were frequenting the dingy place in the middle of the day.
First, he stared at the letter. Although he had not seen the prig’s handwriting for some time, he recognised the script which had scribed the direction. How Darcy knew he had resided at this inn for a fortnight, Wickham could only guess.
There was no point in procrastinating. He broke the seal and began to read.
31 March 1808
Pemberley
