“Oh, how silly of me. I should not have said anything, Denny was worried that you might be upset with him. But Lizzy, all the officers talk about it!”
Elizabeth lost her patience. “Lydia, listen to me carefully! You will never again repeat this foolishness! It is ridiculous. So laughable that it is not even worth denying it. Lieutenant Denny should be ashamed for encouraging such stupidity. In case he has any doubt, he should ask his friend Mr Wickham, who stated to Mr Darcy that I despised him. As for the notion that I would pursue Mr Wickham, again, he could easily dismiss such fatuous claims.”
“What is happening here? Why are you all yelling?” Mr Bennet enquired severely. “Is there nobody with a little common sense in this house?”
“Oh, my dear Mr Bennet, Lydia said that people in Meryton are saying that Lizzy had a secret affair with Mr Darcy and he refused to marry her, and then she tried to conquer Mr Wickham but he would not have her either!”
“Yes! Yes, that is what all the officers say!” Lydia repeated and Kitty supported her.
Mr Bennet rolled his eyes, in a gesture similar to Elizabeth’s, then scolded them with a glare.
“You have ruined all my hopes. Indeed, none of you possess even a little common sense. Nor do the people of Meryton. And heaven forbid we may need these slanderous men in uniform—more backbiters than twenty old, bored ladies—to protect us from the enemy. I am sure their best weapon to fight Napoleon would be gossip!”
“But, Mr Bennet!”
“Yes, Mrs Bennet, what is it?! Do tell me what you expect from me?” he asked, with a sharpness that startled his wife and daughters.
“I do not expect anything! But if Lizzy’s reputation is ruined…”
“Ruined? There is no more proper, nor smarter or wiser girl in the whole of England. If there is someone whose reputation nobody with the slightest bit of reason should doubt, it is Lizzy. An affair with Mr Darcy? Do you hear yourself speaking? Until a week ago, you all hated the man for being too proud and arrogant and refusing to dance with Lizzy. You said a hundred times that he never spoke to anybody in the neighborhood, that he is unpleasant and presumptuous. And suddenly, he has turned into a slick rascal, who seduces honourable girls and involves them in sordid affairs? Mr Darcy, of all people? Really?”
Under his mocking tone, his wife and younger daughters slowly realised the absurdity of the claim. Indeed, none of them could imagine Darcy in such circumstances and any connection with Elizabeth, analysed with wisdom, appeared preposterous.
“And the idea that Elizabeth would pursue Mr Wickham—what on earth for? To die of starvation together? That man seems hardly capable of feeding himself, let alone a wife with no dowry. Besides, I was left to understand that Elizabeth had changed her opinion of Wickham, due to some unexpected knowledge she had received. Am I wrong, Lizzy?”
“No sir. You are perfectly correct. Mr Wickham has been a complete disappointment with his insincere nature and faulty character!”
“Lizzy, do not say such things about Mr Wickham!” Lydia cried. “I understand you are angry and resentful, and full of rancour, but it is not fair to speak of him in such a manner!”
“Oh my Lord, I cannot do this anymore,” Mr Bennet declared in utter vexation, returning to his library.
“I must be excused too,” Elizabeth said, hurrying to her chamber, ignoring her mother’s insistent calls to remain.
After a brief hesitation, Jane followed her, while the other four remained to debate the matter further with growing excitement.
∞∞∞
“This is ridiculous, Jane! I am so angry, so angry!” Elizabeth repeated, pacing the room. “How dare they? To suspect me of something so awful? How dare they?”
“My dear Lizzy, please calm yourself. As you said, it cannot be anything but a ridiculous and improper joke… Surely nobody can seriously consider…”
“But Jane, what have I ever done to induce people to jest at my expense? Has my behaviour ever been questionable?”
“No, my dear, of course not. Papa mocked the entire situation, and so would any other decent person. You have no reason to worry!”
“I am not worried, Jane, I am furious! Of course Papa does not believe such foolishness. And yes, people with sense and reason, who know me, would readily dismiss such charges. But even the notion that people are gossiping about me around Meryton is dreadful!”
“Dearest…”
“Yes, I was a fool to believe MrWickham’s stories so readily! You were right all the time, Jane, when you told me I should not trust him so implicitly! But I did not listen to you! I was conceited and arrogant and prejudiced and I allowed myself to be deceived by his handsome face and amiable manners! Like a simpleton! And he used my grudge against Mr Darcy to spread his lies!”
“Lizzy, what are you talking about?”
“About Mr Wickham, of course! That night, when we were locked in the library, I heard them fighting! Mr Wickham received compensation for the living! And he is a man inclined to dissipation and waste! So cynical—if you could hear him! I did not even recognise his voice, so altered by malignancy it was!”
Elizabeth paced the room as she spoke, restless, with growing perturbation. The enormity of the unfair accusationshad defeated her composure and her anger burst out in her harsh words.
Jane followed her with a worried gaze, trying to comfort her.
