“Affair?” she repeated dumbly. How was this happening? “An affair with you?”
“It began while we were in Ramsgate,” he said, smiling.
“And why would I have married Mr Darcy if I loved you?”
“Because you have cold-hearted ambition,” he said, his smile falling from his lips. “You married him for his money. I married his sister for hers, and was cruelly disappointed there, and then you and I resumed our affaire de coeur.”
“No one would believe it,” she insisted. “No one would even believe I even associate with you. Everyone knows Mr Darcy cut you off and?—”
“Look around, Mrs Darcy,” he interrupted with irritating calm. “Someone is bound to see you, that pretty parasol notwithstanding, and they will remember having seen you with me when the scandal breaks. I am your brother-in-law, after all, and we were friends in Ramsgate. I made quite a nuisance of myself at your house, as well.”
He must have done it to cause a distraction, to draw her attention and give Georgiana time alone to sneak and steal. And now the servants knew he was there, and that she had seen him here today. Sheknew not how to feel, nor where to look. But surely, the gossip would all come to nothing? A journal entry would not undo all her claims to reputation. It could not ruin her marriage. “I am happily married; why would I be unfaithful?”
“The most virtuous matron has often more lust than the greatest prostitute who is simply earning a living.” He waved the journal. “From these words, you were desperate for it.”
“Not for you,” she whispered. “And Mr Darcy would never believe it.” He knew she had grown to care for him, even if he did not know the extent, the depth of her feelings. Society’s scorn would matter not a whit to her, so long as Darcy trusted her.
“Not even if you gave me a token of your esteem?” From another pocket, he drew out her diamond aigrette. Elizabeth brought a hand to her mouth with a gasp. Georgiana must have taken it from its box when she was in her room. “This is a well-known article. A gift from the ‘lovestruck’ new husband, I remember the newspaper saying. And how generous of you to give it to your lover. If I recall, you left it on my bedside table after a particularly rousing evening together.”
She could be sick right here outside Kensington Gardens. Being seen with Wickham, along with the explicit words and the jewellery, might cause a whirlwind of gossip. Even if Darcy believed her and did not divorce her, the talk would mortify him. After all their efforts to make their marriage seem conducted on purpose, to not disgrace his family name, this would undo everything.
This was her fault. Darcy had told her not to help Georgiana because Wickham would take advantage of it, and she thought she knew better. She thought she could help and all the while persuade Georgiana to leave him. All she had wanted was to bring Darcy some happiness by helping his sister come home. But Darcy had been right, and now he would suffer the consequences of her foolishness.
Her hands shook and she knew not where to look. “What do you want?”
“Fifty pounds.”
She exhaled shakily. That could feed a family of five. Pay a coachman’s salary. Provide all the medicine and doctoring her family wouldneed in a year. “Just sell the diamonds. You could live well off what it will bring.”
“No,” he said calmly. “This, along with the journal, is proof of our intimate acquaintance.”
She only received fifty pounds a quarter. It was beyond her needs and wants, but how was she to come up with such a sum all at once? “I cannot pay that.”
“I am sure Darcy has you in high keeping.”
“I have little actual money!” Did he think Darcy poured out a bag of fifty guineas on each quarter day? “I have accounts wherever I go, and Mr Darcy settles the bill every quarter. It is up to me to record it and be sure I do not exceed my income.”
“Mrs Darcy,” he said, with a chuckle, “I do not think you understand how this works. I set the terms, and you pay for my discretion.”
“And you must understand that I have no money of my own, a situation you can relate to.”
She held his gaze, willing him to concede as she shook with rage and fear. He appeared to be considering, and then he smiled and said, “In deference to our friendship, my dear Mrs Darcy, I will accept twenty-five pounds.” He waved the journal and leered. “Surely you can think of some way to persuade him to give you a bank note.”
Sick feelings washed over her at his innuendo. She could never do that. How could she even look at Darcy when Wickham held this threat over her? To kiss him or more, to tell him she loved him and yet know she had done this to him was impossible.
Wickham carefully put the aigrette and the journal back into his pocket. “When does your husband return?”
“Tuesday,” she whispered.
“Meet me in Berkeley Square on Wednesday, half one, with twenty-five pounds.”
He tipped his hat and walked toward the Serpentine across the park as though without a care in the world.
Sickness and sorrow oppressed her as she made her way toward the footman to accompany her home. How she put one foot in front of the other, she could not say.
Wickham would imply an awful sexual misconduct on her part ifshe did not pay him. Darcy would surely resent her for being entrapped like this. Her single goal in coming to town was to act above reproach, to do the Darcy name credit, and she had destroyed all of her efforts by her foolhardiness.
Darcy had told her not to get involved, and that was exactly what she had done. There was no way she could ask Darcy for money that would go right into Wickham’s hands. She could scarcely breathe from shame, but she had to pay to protect Darcy’s good name, and protect her dear husband from any further pain.
