“Lizzy, forgive me but I barely understand you. Mr Wickham received compensation for the living? That is hardly surprising—I never suspected Mr Darcy of being a cruel, dishonourable man who could simply deny someone’s rights. I do not know what you mean about Mr Wickham’s inclination for waste and dissipation though—again, we cannot be certain of such accusations.”
“I beg your pardon, but we can be certain indeed—I heard the entire conversation! He did not even deny it! And he was so insolent, so disrespectful when he implied that I was his friend! He told Mr Darcy that I despised him and I favour Wickham himself! And he referred in such a cynical voice to Miss Darcy, who must be as old as Lydia and whom he said he had not seen in years.”
“You favour who, Lizzy? Who had not seen Miss Darcy in years?”
Elizabeth turned and replied with a sharpness she rarely used when addressing Jane.
“Mr Wickham! Is it truly so hard to understand, Jane? He told Mr Darcy that I favour him! Did other people in Meryton believe the same? This could be the basis of the gossip about me trying to conquer him? A vain, shallow, dishonourable man, ready to soil his godfather’s name!”
“Lizzy, I am going to bring some tea. In the meantime, please try to calm yourself and then we will try to clarify everything. Precisely because they are groundless, such rumours will vanish soon.”
Jane left and Elizabeth remained alone. She walked around the chamber with even greater anger, her head spinning.
Among other feelings, she became desperate with shame by the notion that Mr Darcy himself might hear the rumours. Mr Bingley's departure had turned out to be fortunate, after all. If he was there, Elizabeth would not have been capable of facing him.
Who had invented such a sordid story and spread those infamous rumours about her? With every passing moment, she became more certain that whoever it had been, they had purposely and maliciously intended to harm her, as the gossip was meant to ruin her name, her reputation and her honour. She was the main recipient of someone’s hate.
Jane returned with the tea and, wishing to protect her sister from more worry, Elizabeth tried to calm herself. She watched Jane preparing the tea, then she began to relate the details of the conversation she overheard in the Netherfield library.
“Jane, the rumours regarding Mr Wickham must be my punishment for my unguarded behaviour. In earnest reflection, I admit that I never concealed my enjoyment of his company and I have always encouraged his apparent friendship. Although not a single improper word passed between us, I can see why people would imagine more of the situation.”
“Lizzy, you are too harsh on yourself. We all encouraged Mr Wickham’s friendship and the whole of Meryton admired his amiable manners. You have done nothing wrong.”
“And yet, the gossip is only about me,” Elizabeth replied bitterly. “And yes, I know it will pass soon, but I am still hurt by people’s readiness to assume the worst about me.”
“Lizzy…”
“But what shocked me indeed is the rumours about an affair with Mr Darcy...What have I ever done to arouse such suspicion? It is preposterous!”
“It is preposterous and absurd, Lizzy. It must be a bad joke, there is no other explanation.”
However, the days that followed proved the opposite. People in Meryton did not take it as a joke and, to Mrs Bennet’s despair, Lady Lucas’s visits to Longbourn stopped and the Bennets were not invited to two consecutive parties.
Lydia and Kitty were devastated, together with their mother. Mary usually found a quote full of wisdom to express her feelings. Mr Bennet was annoyed and forbade any conversation on the topic. He spoke to Elizabeth briefly and assured her that he did not even give a thought to the gossip, and any silly person who believed it did not deserve her distress.
Elizabeth spent even more time than usual with Jane. She found no peace trying to understand what had happened and how her life had been so altered in only a few days.
The two sisters discussed the matter and tried to comfort each other, both distressed by things that remained unsaid.
Elizabeth remembered Mr Wickham’s statement about Darcy’s admiration for her and the fact that Darcy had never denied it. She had never suspected it, but if it was a falsehood, Mr Darcy would have readily dismissed it! If it was true that Mr Wickham was so well acquainted with Mr Darcy’s nature as to guess his most hidden thoughts, could others have observed it too and taken it as grounds for that scandalous report?
Jane, on her part, secretly feared that the rumours might reach Mr Bingley and become another reason to keep him away. Her generous heart, touched by love, suffered in silence, torn between the man who owned it and her beloved sister.
“Lizzy, I am going to Meryton! It is not fair! Why should we stay in the house? And Maria Lucas said her mother said we will never be able to find honourable husbands since our entire family’s reputation is destroyed! You said all the rumours are stupid and false—so do something! We have to attend parties and balls and find husbands! I am fifteen and Kitty is seventeen! We cannot all remain spinsters like Charlotte Lucas and Jane!”
“Oh, shut your mouth, Lydia!” cried Mrs Bennet. “Jane is not a spinster! But Charlotte Lucas was and now she is suddenly treated like a princess! This is so shameful! So embarrassing! So dreadful! Never in my life have I not been invited to any party in Meryton! You will all remain unmarried and Charlotte Lucas will throw us all out of our own home! My sister, Mrs Phillips, visited me yesterday! She said Sir William and Lady Lucas said they must be cautious in connecting with people whose reputation is polluted, since their son-in-law is a respectable clergyman! She said Lady Lucas said she does not want to upset her son-in-law. Son-in-law? Your cousin, Mr Bennet!”
“Yes, my pompous cousin Mr Collins. I received a letter from him today. He instructed me to be more severe with my daughters’ behaviour and insisted that Lady Catherine congratulated him for his prudence in choosing a proper wife for his position. You see, Lizzy? You are not a proper wife for his position,” Mr Bennet said with mockery and a large grin on his face.
However, instead of sharing his amusement as always, Elizabeth struggled to fight tears of embarrassment and anger.
“This is not laughable, Papa. I shall write to Charlotte now. Lydia, since you are going to Meryton, I am counting on you to give it to her in person.”
With anger in her heart and in her fingers, Elizabeth filled a full page, watched by Jane, who did not dare say a word.
‘Charlotte,
I have never been so hurt and betrayed by anything or anyone. That the whole of Meryton shares such a poor opinion of me as to believe some ridiculous gossip, I must accept. It is proof of their unworthiness, not mine! But that you, my lifelong friend, who was my confidante, who I trusted with my thoughts and my feelings, would believe it too and allow it to affect my family, it is painful and disappointing. If you were in my place, I would have fought the world for you, Charlotte! All this will pass soon and the truth will come to light, but my friendship is gone forever. I still wish you all the best in your future life and much happiness in your marriage.’
