“I heard an interesting report from Denny and Pratt last week, and I have been eager to speak of it to you.”
Elizabeth nodded but said nothing.
“They were returning from Meryton by way of Lucas Lodge, and both men say they saw you walking on the arm of none other than Mr Darcy, having an intimate tête-à-tête! They thought he might have even kissed your hand. They were adamant, although I told them they could not have suggested a more unlikely couple. After all, Mr Bingley and his party have been removed from the neighbourhood for six months.” Here Wickham lowered his voice, but Elizabeth heard his contempt. “So do now tell me, my dear Miss Elizabeth, how could it be that Fitzwilliam Darcy lent you his arm to stroll about Hertfordshire?”
Darcy’s letter had asserted that Wickham had followed Georgiana to Ramsgate by design, induced by both fortune and revenge. A shiver of revulsion ran down her spine.Could he be so angry about my knowing the truth that he tries to exact revenge upon me?She now knew Wickham to be a man without scruples, but surely he was not dangerous and desperate? She was too poor to be an object of prey, and she held too much disgust for him to continue their acquaintance, let alone be duped by his lies.
Surely, he could have no power over her.
“Are you asking that I account for my whereabouts?” She affected an air of indifference. “Such a responsibility falls to my father.”
Wickham scoffed. “Yes, Mr Bennet is very alert to his family’s cares and concerns.” Elizabeth blushed with shame; it was well known in their neighbourhood that Mr Bennet was a careless father. “I am…surprised that you would choose to pass your time with a man whose foul misconduct has caused me such suffering. You yourself have said how little you can tolerate Darcy, for he does so despise his fellow creatures in general.”
“Mr Darcy improves on further acquaintance. At Rosings, I had the opportunity of knowing him better, and I now understand his true nature.”
Wickham’s complexion heightened and his eyes narrowed as he, for a moment, sat silent. He exhaled loudly and nodded, then said in a low voice, “To whom, may I ask, do you owe this newfound information? Perhaps the good colonel?”
“My knowledge of Mr Darcy and the quality of his character comes from the gentleman himself.” Her patience was wearing thin, and she was in no humour to indulge Wickham. He knew her to understand the truth behind his connexions to the Darcy family, but he did not appear embarrassed, only angry. Elizabeth wished he would be gone.
“I can imagine few inducements that would drive a man as private and reserved as Darcy to discuss his intimate dealings with one wholly unconnected to him.” He paused and allowed his gaze to linger over her in a manner that could only be described as lecherous. “Or perhaps you are not as unconnected to Darcy as you would have me believe?”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened in affront, but before she could reply, Wickham rose and left to give the other ladies their share of his attentions. Elizabeth was unsettled, and she desired never to meet him again.
When the party broke up, Lydia left with the Forsters, as they intended to depart early the next morning. Elizabeth was forced to accept that her father refused to exert control over Lydia. Elizabeth had frequently united with Jane in an endeavour to check the imprudence of Kitty and Lydia, but as long as the younger girls were supported by their mother’s indulgence and suffered their father’s disregard, there was little chance for improvement.
She was disappointed but consoled by the knowledge that Darcy would not be a disinterested husband and father.
* * *
Darcy missed Elizabeth.Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst had called while Georgiana visited with him, and after Bingley announced they were at their leisure, Darcy was imprisoned in his own drawing room. Miss Bingley refused all attempts to direct the conversation to more pleasant topics and protested against her brother’s summer plans to return to Hertfordshire.
“Charles, I prefer to travel to Bath and then on to Pemberley as planned. Perhaps we might convince Mr Darcy to accompany us to Scarborough at the end of the summer.”
“You and Louisa and Hurst may go on to Bath, but I will return to Netherfield. Imagine, Miss Bennet was in town all winter! You are both fortunate that Darcy learned this from Miss Elizabeth, and I could call on her.”
Darcy was attempting to read his book, but upon hearing this, his guilt made him meet Miss Bingley’s eyes. The ladies had been the recipients of Bingley’s short-lived anger for their involvement in the affair. Miss Bingley may have longed to tell Bingley thatDarcyhad also hidden Jane’s presence, but her desire for his good opinion kept her silent. Still, he would soon have to confess the truth himself.
“How insupportable to pass another evening in such society as we found in Hertfordshire!” she cried. “I was never more annoyed than when I was there. Miss Darcy, you cannot imagine the nothingness, the insipidity of such people.”
“Miss Bennet was your dear friend while we were in the neighbourhood,” said Bingley.
“Jane is a sweet girl, despite her inferior connexions, but I still do not think that she admires you.”
“She was attentive when I called at her uncle’s house. Even Darcy agreed that she favours me.”
“Far be it from me to question the judgment of Mr Darcy!” she insisted, smiling at him. “But need I remind you of all the follies and absurdities of the entire Bennet family?”
Bingley spoke on of Miss Bennet’s loveliness while Miss Bingley harangued her relations. However little Darcy liked her address, he attempted to remain cool and unaffected. If Bingley were to pursue Jane, he should act with conviction. If he could not limit his sister’s disparagement of his intended love, what would Bingley do in the face of the fashionable world?
His notice of the conversation was captured again when he realised that Miss Bingley had proceeded from maligning the Bennets’ connexions to discussing Elizabeth.
“I cannot abide that Eliza Bennet! She is unconventional and not in a fashionable way, which is intolerable. Such an impertinent girl with no taste, no style, and no conversation.”
“I found Miss Elizabeth Bennet kind and charming,” Georgiana whispered.
Miss Bingley looked confused, and Georgiana explained she had met Elizabeth at the Gardiners’ home and the visit was promptly returned.
“Eliza Bennet called here? I am all astonishment. She did not walk here from Cheapside by herself, did she? Was her petticoat covered in mud when you received her?”
