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Yet if she was honest with herself, Elizabeth did not think it was only the charges Mr Darcy laid against him that made her hesitate.

She had always found Mr Wickham charming, but marriage?

No, it was too soon between them — and Elizabeth was uncertain that the time would ever come.

Perhaps it was only friendly affection she had felt all along.

He shook his head good-naturedly and leaned closer to her. “If it is the opinion of others from Meryton that troubles you, I can suggest an alternative.”

Elizabeth was taken aback. “Alternative? Alternative to what, pray tell?” Her heart began to thunder in her chest. She could not begin to guess what his suggestion might be.

She held her breath as he leaned forward, lowering his voice.

“I confess, I have never seen the validity of having the banns read, jotting down settlements and waiting for all the pomp of ceremonies uttered by dithering old men.” He glanced over his right shoulder to where her aunt sat, as though worried Mrs Gardiner might overhear.

Of course, with the din of chatter around them, her aunt would not be able to hear a word of what was said between them.

“We could simply elope. You are of age, and I am certainly of an age to know my mind.” He paused and looked deeply into her eyes. “I want you.”

For a moment, Elizabeth could not move, could hardly even breathe.

The scandalous suggestion could be nothing less than a confirmation of the warnings Mr Darcy had given her.

Perhaps Mr Wickham was only a desperate fortune hunter, after all.

Was it possible he had never cared for her, only for her inheritance?

“I can see I’ve shocked you. You must forgive me for making such a foolish jest. Of course, I was not seriously suggesting that we elope. But I am quite serious about marriage, Miss Bennet.”

Elizabeth did not believe he had been jesting in the slightest. “Are you certain, Mr Wickham? You seemed quite serious when you made the suggestion.”

Mr Wickham put a hand over his heart, looking hurt.

“I would never suggest something like that — not to an upstanding young woman of good family. I was only trying to give some much-needed levity to our discussion. And while I apologise if I’ve done wrong, I am offended that you would think that I was serious.

Indeed, I am surprised that a virtuous young woman such as yourself could have thought me to be speaking in earnest. We shall say nothing more about it. ”

“Forgive me, Mr Wickham,” Elizabeth apologised, feeling more than a little bewildered. He had seemed perfectly serious to her — until he had seen her shock and disgust. It was only then that the idea became so impossible to him. Wasn’t it?

But if that were true, then Mr Wickham was purposely concealing his true intentions — and blaming her in the process.

“No offense is taken, Miss Bennet. I would count it a great honour if you would consider my proposal. Take as long as you need.”

Elizabeth only nodded. She hardly knew what to say.

She had known from the beginning that she could not accept him on so brief an acquaintance.

But if Mr Wickham were truly the despicable man that Mr Darcy had painted him, the kind of man who would suggest elopement to a young woman for his own convenience, she would do better never to speak to him again.

The rest of the outing was pleasant enough.

Mr Wickham was gentleman enough not to press her, and Elizabeth was grateful it was so.

They finished their ices, and then he saw them off at the door, waiting until her aunt’s carriage could be brought around.

Rather than seeing them back to the house, he hired a hackney and was on his way.

Elizabeth could almost feel her aunt’s eyes boring through her skull as they bounced along the road toward Gracechurch Street. “Do not look at me like that, Aunt Gardiner. I have done nothing wrong.”

“I saw the way he was pressing your hand and leaning so close to speak to you, close enough so that I could not hear him. Pray tell, what did he have to say?” she asked, raising one of her brows disapprovingly.

Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “He was very charming, as usual,” she began.

“Of course he was. I would not have thought anything different. But what did he say?” Mrs Gardiner pressed.

She looked down at her hands, wishing she did not have to tell her aunt that she had been right about the man. Or at least, that her suspicions were almost sure to be correct. She sighed and glanced up at her aunt. “He asked me to marry him.”

Mrs Gardiner slowly nodded. “And what did you say?”

“I said I would have to consider it, that I was not ready to enter into an engagement.” Elizabeth wondered if she ought to tell her aunt that Mr Wickham had suggested they elope.

No, surely not. He had told her he did not mean it, that he was offended she could have thought so.

It would be unjust to tell her aunt as though it were a fact, when Mr Wickham had so earnestly protested that it was not.

“I told him I would need time to think. He told me to take all the time I needed.”

“Yes, my dear, of course they all say that. But you cannot leave him waiting forever. That is cruel.” Her aunt clicked her tongue in disapproval.

“If you have no plans to accept the man, then it is only right that you tell him as soon as possible. Really Lizzy, I know your mother has taught you that you must jump at any chance of marriage that comes along, but you must think about what you need in a husband, and what you want. This is a lifetime commitment, one that should not be entered into lightly.”

“I know, aunt. And that is why I hesitate as I do.” Elizabeth hung her head.

Perhaps it was wrong to keep Mr Wickham’s suggestion of an elopement to herself, but she was too ashamed to tell all.

“How is one supposed to know if one is making the right decision when choosing a husband? How did you know my uncle was the right man for you? I confess, I cannot seem to see myself married to Mr Wickham.”

“I cannot explain how you will know, Elizabeth.” Her aunt got a far-off, dreamy look in her eyes as she watched the lane pass by, smiling to herself.

“Your uncle was the only man I felt I could be myself around. He listened to me, and before I ever felt anything akin to romantic love for him, I felt we had developed a friendship — an understanding that went deeper than the need for security.” She met Elizabeth’s gaze once more and shrugged.

“Perhaps I have not told you before that there were three gentlemen who had proposed to me. But I could only see myself with one — your uncle. Indeed, I felt I could not live without him. And that is why I accepted his proposal in the end.”

“How am I to reject his proposal without hurting his feelings, aunt?”

“You cannot, really. You must reject him as delicately as you can, but in the end, if his feelings are genuine, he will be hurt. There is no way around that, my dear. It is still much better than becoming entangled in a match that you do not really want. Nor would you wish to break off an engagement. That would only be worse, both for Mr Wickham’s heart, and for your reputation.

You must give him your answer soon, my dear niece.

The longer you wait, the more painful it will be. ”

Elizabeth nodded, thinking. She had thought that she had refused him during the earlier part of their conversation. But then Mr Wickham had brought up the idea of elopement and thrown her into confusion. He had asked her to consider his proposal and let him know what she was ready.

And that answer…what must she say? Elizabeth had no reason to doubt that Mr Wickham was sincerely devoted to her. He was overeager in urging her to elope, to be sure, and Elizabeth could not like either the immorality of the suggestion or the looseness of the joke — if it had really been a joke.

All that spoke for refusing him, and at the thought, she felt something not dissimilar from relief.

But that must be only folly. Elizabeth well knew what her mother would have wanted her to do — to marry Mr Wickham, and quickly.

Jane, too, liked Mr Wickham. She thought his manners almost the equal of Mr Bingley’s, and for Jane, that was praise indeed.

Even her aunt and uncle seemed to like him, for all her aunt’s cautions.

What was it that held her back? She hardly knew. Elizabeth only knew that she would have given a great deal for certain knowledge of whether her doubts were justified.