Page 69 of Master of Himself

Stunned, Lydia blinked at her father’s harsh rebuke. “I’m sorry, Papa, but I truly thought Wickham would marry me.”

Mr Bennet turned to stare out of the window. “Well, he won’t. From what I gather, he never had any such intention, nor did he even bother to defend his honour,” he said in a subdued tone.

Darcy could well imagine Bennet’s frustration at this untenable situation. He had felt the same last August when he had separated his sister from Wickham. Despite Georgiana’s despair, at least she understood that he was protecting her future.

“Wickham’s going into the regulars as soon as it can be arranged, Lydia,” Mr Gardiner said.

She nodded meekly. “Can I still have new gowns?”

Mr Bennet glared. “I’ll send your gowns from home.”

“This is providing, of course, that Miss Huntington has room for you, and finds you worthy of her establishment,” Mrs Gardiner said in a cautionary tone.

“Her standards are quite high,” Darcy said, without having the slightest idea if the headmistress had any such lofty standards. Regardless, he would make it well worth the woman’s trouble to accept this unmanageable, undisciplined student.

“She can even board there, if you prefer,” Charles said.

Mrs Gardiner recoiled at this suggestion. “I would hate to see Lydia thrust in with strangers when we’re so close.”

“Being thrust in with strangers is precisely what she deserves, Madeline,” Mr Bennet said. “It might teach her of her own insignificance in the world, but I should be in your debt if you are willing to take in the thankless child. The Lord knows she has been too much coddled at Longbourn, and I ought to have taken a firmer hand with her.”

“I hope you fully understand the great lengths your family has gone to save your reputation, Miss Lydia,” Darcy said. “Without them, you might have been left to fend for yourself, and I daresay that’s no life for you.”

“None of this would have happened if you had held a ball at Netherfield, Mr Bingley.”

Mrs Gardiner gasped. “Lydia! Mind your tongue.”

“I believe we have heard quite enough from you, my dear child,” Mr Bennet said in a measured voice. “You have no one other than yourself to blame for your current predicament.”

Darcy wanted to rail at this selfish, unrepentant girl, and make her understand that she had been the architect of her own downfall. Why did she persist with her false notion that she hadn’t erred in the smallest way?

But he quickly banished that thought. Hadn’t his own sweet sister nearly done the same? Any girl of fifteen years must naturally be consumed with thoughts of romance, fancy gowns, and dancing with handsome beaux. If not for the illusive hooded man’s warning, he wouldn’t have gone to Ramsgate, and Georgiana would have run off with Wickham.

And what of his own faults – arrogance, pride, resentment, and countless others? Shouldn’t a man of seven and twenty years be astute enough to admit his mistakes and learn from them? Certainly he ought to be wiser than a green schoolgirl.

“If Miss Huntington gives you an excellent report at the end of the term, I shall hold a ball, and you shall have a new gown,” he said, hoping to sweeten the deal.

“From a modiste in town?” she inquired, her eyes gleaming with hopeful anticipation.

“Of course.”

“I shall be the very best student Miss Huntington has ever seen.” Although her father cast a dubious glance, she paid him no heed. “When do I start?”

***

“I hope you’ll stay for supper, Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy,” Mrs Gardiner said, as she rose to escort her exuberant niece out of the room.

Charles gratefully accepted. Since he hadn’t eaten all day, this was a welcome invitation. He and Darcy couldn’t easily have gone anywhere else for a meal, like the club, Hurst House, or Darcy House, where there would have been endless questions with no reasonable answers.

“I can’t thank you enough for what you gentlemen have done,” Mr Bennet said, shaking hands with Charles and Darcy.

“Indeed, bringing Lydia home would have sent tongues wagging,” Mr Gardiner said.

Mr Bennet nodded his grim agreement. “There will likely still be talk, but at least we have a plausible solution, and my other daughters won’t suffer from Lydia’s folly.”

A servant entered to announce a military man to the drawing room. Wearing scarlet regimentals, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam entered and bowed neatly.

Darcy nodded slightly, prompting Charles to greet the colonel. “Ah, here is my cousin. Thank you for answering my summons so quickly,” he said, shaking Richard’s hand. “Colonel Fitzwilliam, please allow me to present Mr Gardiner, master of this house, Mr Bennet, and Mr Bingley.”