Elizabeth remained silent for long enough that Jane wondered if her sister would speak. “It seems Mr. Darcy is not content with denying Mr. Wickham his due and ruining his prospects; he also takes delight in blasting Mr. Wickham’s reputation wherever he goes.”
“What did Louisa say?” asked Jane, keeping her tone even.
“Just that Mr. Darcy cared little for Mr. Wickham,” replied Elizabeth, shaking her head with disgust. “Given the history between them, that Mr. Darcy would say anything at all is impudence of the highest order.”
“And what history is that, Lizzy?”
Elizabeth regarded her as if she thought Jane was daft. “Do you not recall that Mr. Darcy denied Mr. Wickham the advantage his father designed for his protégé?”
“You take an eager interest in Mr. Wickham’s concerns, Lizzy,” replied Jane. “As he is an acquaintance of a month’s duration, I might wonder why you care for Mr. Wickham at all.”
Though Elizabeth was not pleased, she shook her head. “I shall tell you what I told Aunt Gardiner, Jane. I am not at risk of losing my heart to Mr. Wickham, if that concerns you. Even if I held a tender regard for him, it would matter little—he appears to find Mary King much more agreeable.”
“No, Lizzy, I was not asking that. I know you are not disposed to have your head turned by a handsome face. But you must own that you have taken far more interest in Mr. Wickham than I might have expected. I would like to know why his concerns are of so much interest to you.”
“Who would not have an interest in his concerns when knowing what he has endured?” demanded Elizabeth, rising to pace the room, her footsteps against the floor evidence of her agitation.
“Lizzy, please sit,” said Jane.
Though she felt it rarely, Jane did not appreciate her sister’s penchant for hasty judgment and disregard of other explanations. Elizabeth was confident, and such self-assurance was not disposed to allow uncertainty. It was both her dear sister’s greatest strength and her deepest flaw.
“Now,” said Jane when Elizabeth resumed her seat, though she did not appear comfortable, “I would like to ask you something, Lizzy. Have you ever considered that you have the matter between them from Mr. Wickham’s perspective? Unless I am mistaken, Mr. Darcy has never offered his opinion.”
“Only to say that Mr. Wickham could not keep his friends,” muttered Elizabeth, still unhappy.
“Which may have many interpretations,” replied Jane with a nod. “The question then is not whether Mr. Darcy haspersecuted Mr. Wickham, but whether Mr. Wickham’s account is trustworthy.”
“Oh, of course,” said Elizabeth, her tone filled with scorn. “Indeed, let us ask Mr. Darcy for his account, for I amcertainhe can say something on the matter to justify his unchristian treatment of Mr. Wickham.”
Jane shook her head. “Lizzy, this irrational disdain for Mr. Darcy will not allow you to consider any scenario in which the gentleman is justified for his actions. Tell me this—do you suppose that Mr. Bingley is a good man?”
“Considering he departed Hertfordshire after paying so much attention to you, I must question him,” retorted Elizabeth.
“And yet, according to the man’s sister, his return might be imminent.”
Elizabeth’s response was a glare no less mulish than before. “I fail to understand how the exact degree of Mr. Bingley’s goodness relates to Mr. Darcy.”
“If he is a good man,” replied Jane, “do you suppose he would associate with a man such as Mr. Darcy?”
“Perhaps he does not know Mr. Darcy so well as he supposes.”
“No, Lizzy, it is not sound.”
Jane rose to take her leave. “There are times, Lizzy, when you cling to your opinion in defiance of other possibilities or even alternate evidence. Until you have Mr. Darcy’s account, Mr. Wickham’s story is suspect. To tell the truth, I suspect that Mr. Wickham is not a good man and has misled you for some reason of his own. You may believe what you wish, of course, but I shall remain wary of Mr. Wickham.”
And with that, Jane left the room. Let Lizzy think on it for a time—she was opinionated and quick to judge, but Lizzy was not in the habit of ignoring advice. In time, Jane was certain her sister would see sense.
AFTER JANE DEPARTED, Elizabeth sat in her room for some time, thinking about all Jane had said. Given her general contempt for Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth was tempted to push Jane’s assertions to the side and think of the two men as she always had.
What made this impossible was complicated, but not difficult to understand. Jane was her dearest sister, and her opinion was worthy of consideration. Elizabeth had no choice but to acknowledge that her sister’s comments had merit.
Mr. Wickham had shared the account of his grievance with Mr. Darcy, had done so when she was only newly acquainted with him. That Mr. Darcy had declined to respond except for that one cryptic remark was beyond dispute. A man could tell an untruth for his own purpose, but Elizabeth could not comprehend why Mr. Wickham would think it necessary to lie to her. It was not as if they were anything to each other, after all.
In her support for Mr. Wickham, Elizabeth knew she had no ulterior motives. Though she considered Mr. Wickham an amiable man, Elizabeth was not in love with him. How could she be? He had been in town for a month and a half, and while she had seen him often after the ball, he had been absent of late. Now that she thought on the matter, she could not remember having seen much of him since the party at Lucas Lodge, and not at all since the turning of the calendar.
What that meant, she did not know, and she did not wish to consider it at length. The question was the truth of Mr. Wickham’s assertions, not the state of her current connection to him.
Along with that, Elizabeth indulged in thoughts of Mr. Darcy, and she came to a startling conclusion. Though Mr. Darcy had not behaved well when he came, he had been proper—thoughnot warm—after that night. Other than one comment, she had nothing to hold against the gentleman. If that was so, did holding onto her offense and considering him the worst of men make any sense to a rational woman? Elizabeth did not suppose it did.
