***
Darcy was left reeling.
He could not understand how a flirtatious moment had turned sour so quickly. Her words were meant to cut him and she did a marvellous job, for he was left bleeding upon the hearth.
He felt it was a hopeless case.
Richard had instructed him to woo the lady with romantic words and flattery, but she would have none of it. She was determined to think the worst of him. The sooner he fixed one misunderstanding there were two or three new ones to deal with.
He decided he must address this new accusation as soon as possible. There was no time to lose. Unfortunately Georgiana’s secret was going to have to be shared for he knew that Elizabeth was resolved against him. Unless the bare truth of Wickham’s character was revealed, he himself would remain the villain while the miscreant Wickham the hero.
There was nothing for it; Wickham had to be exposed in the eyes of all the people he had managed to charm. It was actually very disturbing to see Elizabeth, bright and intelligent Elizabeth be taken in by the likes of George Wickham, a man who was nothing but a liar and a rake.
He wondered why Wickham had set his sights on his very own Elizabeth. She had no dowry to speak of, while he did not normally meddle with gentle women, unless they were heiresses with impressive fortunes. He never took the risk with the lower gentry, but not because he cared about them. No, he only cared about money.He lived his life from one scheme to another; he never did anything without a purpose and the purpose never varied.
So why Elizabeth? The many women he used for his own personal, sick pleasure were, unwavering, farm girls, or inn or scullery maids. He made no distinction but he never paid for the services of a professional either.
Darcy was puzzled by this, but one thing he understood clearly was the fact that he owed the people of Meryton the truth about Wickham. He should have done it when he was first there. If he had exposed the libertine when they were all in Hertfordshire he would have had one less thing to put to rights with Elizabeth, while the neighbourhood would have been a lot safer too.
This was entirely his own fault, all because of his insufferable pride; now he was paying for it with interest.
***
Elizabeth ran into one of the many small parlours of the grand old house and into the arms of her sister.
“Jane how good it is to see you.”
“Lizzy!” Jane held on to her sister. “I was so surprised to get your letter. How is Charlotte? Please do not tell me that I am too late.”
“What?”
“Charlotte, how is she?”
“Oh, no, no, she is not at death's door. I am sorry if I led you to believe that she was in great peril, though she is still very weak. I… I just needed… ermmm… emotional support.
“Emotional support... Lizzy, are you well?”
Elizabeth bit her lower lip in uneasiness, “Let me show you to your bedchamber Jane, there will be time to talk later. I am sure you want to refresh yourself and rest a little before dinner.”
As the sisters were removing themselves from the parlour Mr Collins was exiting Lady Catherine’s private sitting room. “Cousin Jane! What are you doing here?” Mr Collins asked, startled, without bothering with the smallest attempt at civility.
Jane blanched, “Mr Collins how good it is to see you. How are you sir? I hope you are not too distressed by Charlotte’s illness.”
The man seemed untouched by guilt, “oh my dear Charlotte is beyond blessed. I wish I could reside under this magnificent roof. I would welcome any illness if only I could be this close to my noble patroness.”
Jane gasped and tried to hide her horror.
However Elizabeth had no compunction about offending the pompous and unfeeling man, “Not that the great lady would visit you anymore than she has visited Charlotte.” She spat angrily.
Mr Collins turned a red and angry face towards Elizabeth, “Cousin Elizabeth, I am ashamed of you, how dare you…. how ungrateful of you! And about your kind hostess, no less!”
“Yes Mr Collins how dare I? Dare I ask if you have visited your wife today? Or any other day since she came to stay here?”
“I am a busy man Cousin Elizabeth. You would not understand.”
“I understand that you make time for Lady Catherine every day. But somehow you are too busy to visit your own wife.”
“Lizzy!” Jane touched Elizabeth’s arm and gently steered her out of the way of the parson, who quickly bowed and exited the house without looking back.
