“Colonel Fitzwilliam said there were things he could not speak of for fear of breaking someone’s confidence.He alluded to a foiled elopement of some kind.I don’t know any of the particulars, but the colonel was grim when he told me of it.”
“That is no small matter, Eliza.If a man elopes with a woman, there is no settlement.”
“I know.”
“Her dowry is completely unprotected.”
“I know.”
“She is utterly at his mercy.And likely socially ruined.”
Elizabeth nodded miserably.
“If Wickham is such a one, then heisa monster.”
“Yes, I think you are right.”
Charlotte looked out the window, unsure of what to say to her friend.Elizabeth lay on the bed, her gaze fixed on the ceiling, tears silently running down her face.
“I am a fool.A ridiculous, vain, stupid fool.”
Charlotte squeezed her hand.
“I was so sure of my judgment.He had such truth in his looks!”She guffawed.“As if looks have anything to do with a man’s probity.”
Charlotte could only squeeze her hand again in silent commiseration.
“He flattered me.He flirted with me.Hepreferredme.And so I believed him!Have I always been such a fickle creature, so easily swayed?I believed everything he told me of Mr.Darcy on two days’ acquaintance.The impropriety of his telling me never occurred to me.Any sensible woman would have thought, ‘This man is telling me intimate details of his business dealings and I only met him yesterday.Perhaps something is odd here.’Or ‘What can he mean by telling such things to a near stranger?’But did I wonder anything of the sort?No!I was flattered.”She laughed cynically.“I thought he trusted me.That we had made some sort of ridiculous connection and were therefore instant friends and confidants.How could I have been so stupid!”
She rolled over and buried her face in the pillow and growled into it.Charlotte stroked her hair.“Do not be too hard on yourself, my dear.You are young yet, and Wickham is a man of the world.You cannot be the first person to whom he has told such stories.”
Elizabeth clenched her fists in frustration.“I should have realized!Looking back on it now, I see so many inconsistencies.Besides the impropriety of him telling me at all, he said he would not blacken the son’s name for the sake of the father.But as soon as Mr.Darcy left Meryton, the whole town knew of his supposed perfidy.Wickham wasted no time spreading his lies.For that matter, he said it was for Mr.Darcy to avoid him and that he would not be frightened away from Mr.Bingley’s ball, and yet he went to London instead of attending.And I defended him still!Vain girl.”She shook her head.
Charlotte continued to stroke her hair, not knowing what to say.
“Mr.Darcy insulted me and I was all too happy to hate him for it.I thought myself so original, to dislike a man so many bow and scrape to.It made me feel superior.Clever.”She scoffed.“I had no evidence of Mr.Darcy’s lack of principle.I had not thought him as bad as all that until Wickham whispered his lies in my ear.Jane asked Mr.Bingley about it, and he said Darcy was blameless, but I ignored it, thinking Bingley was merely defending his friend.Stupid, foolish girl!”
“There, there.It could have happened to anyone.”
“Not to you.”
Charlotte gave her a speaking glance.Of course it would not, but then Charlotte was older and more mature, and she was not nearly as vain as Elizabeth, though she had less reason to be.“You were wrong about Mr.Wickham, but you know now.I’m certain you will be more cautious in future.”
Elizabeth scoffed.She would certainly be more cautious.And distrustful and suspicious.
“It does raise a great many questions about the other officers.”
“What can you mean?”replied Elizabeth.
“If they are aware of Mr.Wickham’s behavior, are they of the same ilk?Or has he deceived them as well?”
Elizabeth groaned, burying her face in the pillow again.
“And of course, there is the most pressing question of all.”
“What is that?”
“If you are wrong about Mr.Darcy in this matter, could you be wrong about him in other matters as well?”
