“You do not know that!” spat Elizabeth. “Tomorrow will tell the truth. All you can see is a handsome face and pretty manners. What sort of idiocy provokes a girl of fifteen to throw her reputation and her safety on the mercy of a man of suspect morals?”
Mrs. Bennet gasped, but Elizabeth ignored her, as did her father.
“Lizzy is correct,” said Mr. Bennet. “Had you gained access to Mr. Wickham, what do you suppose he might have done?”
“Fled from the unjust accusations against him!” cried Lydia.
“Whether they are unjust remains to be seen,” replied Mr. Bennet. “What if he attempted to force you to go with him wherever he went?”
Lydia blanched, proving she understood something of how a woman’s reputation could be ruined, but she recovered at once. “He would never!”
“On the contrary,” replied Mr. Bennet, “I suspect he would. We will never know, for you shall not leave the house. If I must confine you to your room until you are thirty, I will do it to keep you safe.”
Though Lydia looked at her father with horror, Mr. Bennet paid her no attention. His glance took in all his other daughters, standing nearby, watching the scene.
“It looks like none of the rest of you were involved with this folly.”
That his thoughts were on Kitty was clear, but Elizabeth stepped in to defend the sister who had surprised her of late. “It was Kitty who prevented her from leaving, Papa.”
Mr. Bennet’s visage softened. “It appears we have you to thank for preventing this disaster, Kitty.”
Though she blushed at his praise, Kitty raised her chin. “I suspected she might do something like this, Papa. I stayed awake when I heard her moving in her bedchamber long after the rest of the house fell silent.”
“Yes, Lizzy has told me of your perspicacity of late, Kitty. Well done, indeed.”
Though Kitty blushed anew, Lydia threw a hateful glare at her sister. Mr. Bennet noted this and decided it was time to end the nighttime confrontation.
“It is time that we return to our chambers.” He turned to his wife. “Mrs. Bennet, ring for Mrs. Hill. We will station John by Lydia’s door for the rest of the night. That should keep her from any more nocturnal adventures.
“And not a word from you, Lydia,” instructed Mr. Bennet, seeing the girl’s barely restrained fury. “Though I shall not address this matter tonight, you should know that there will be consequences for this silliness. Do not suppose you have escaped them. Now, return to your room at once and go to bed. If I must, I will summon the maid to ensure you comply.”
In true Lydia fashion, she huffed and turned on her heel, marching into her room. The slamming of the door behind her was a surprise to no one in the family. For a moment, they stood in silence; Elizabeth did not know what the rest of her family was thinking, but she was considering the narrow escape, how much Lydia could have ruined if she had fled the house without detection.
“Oh, Mr. Bennet,” wailed Mrs. Bennet, though she had the sense to avoid waking all the servants, “whatever are we to do?”
“The danger has passed for the moment, Mrs. Bennet,” replied he. “But this event emphasizes the need for us to take Lydia in hand. Her improper behavior has now crossed dangerous lines—if she continues as she has, she may ruin herself and, by extension, all her family.”
Mrs. Bennet fretted and moaned, wringing her hands as the truth of the situation settled in. If Lydia ruined herself, Mrs. Bennet’s cherished dreams of marrying her daughters to wealthy men would be at an end. That alone would convince the Bennet matron of the need to reform their daughter, even if she did not understand the finer points of proper behavior.
“Do you believe her, Papa?” asked Elizabeth. “Did she tell the truth that there was no rendezvous planned with Mr. Wickham?”
Mr. Bennet shook his head in disgust. “Though she is as foolish a child as has ever lived, I suspect there was no planned meeting. Not only was she not carrying a trunk, but she was not wearing travel clothes.”
“I do not think even my sister isthatfoolish,” said Kitty.
Turning a smile on her, Mr. Bennet patted Kitty’s shoulder. “Lydia’s intention to go to Meryton in the early hours before dawn is evidence of her foolishness, my dear. We cannot be certain of anything.”
“What shall we do, Mr. Bennet?” repeated his wife, who appeared calm, other than a quaver in her voice.
“That is something I must think on,” said Mr. Bennet. “We shall discuss it when the matter of Mr. Wickham is concluded.”
Though she did not appear sanguine, Mrs. Bennet nodded. Mr. Bennet sighed and motioned for them to seek their beds.
“I cannot say if we will sleep anymore tonight, but it would be best if we retired. There is no longer any question of going to Meryton in the morning—I must learn what has become of Wickham and whether he still presents a danger.”
“Then I shall go with you, Papa,” said Elizabeth.
Mr. Bennet regarded her, amused. “I suppose I should have anticipated your wish to be involved, Lizzy.”
