Page 5 of I am Jael (Pride and Prejudice Variation)

Darcy blew out a slow breath, struggling to remain calm, “Georgie, it is not your role to defend me. I truly cannot believe what I am hearing from you, my darling! You happened to catch sight of Wickham, and in the space of seconds, you chose to verbally accost the man who nearly ruined your life?”

“I knew he was in Meryton. I was looking for him, though it was indeed a gift from God that he appeared on the street so that I was able to confront him.”

Now Darcy was even more stunned, “You knew he was in the militia here? How? Did he write to you?”

Georgiana’s eyes flew wide and she shook her head vigorously, “Of course not. He would not dare, and if he had dared, I would have handed his letters unopened to Mrs. Annesley. No, you sent a messenger to Darcy House two days ago with some letters for your solicitor, and the messenger caught sight of Wickham when he rode through Meryton. He spoke of the matter to our butler, and I made a point of listening in on the conversation.”

Darcy was now truly appalled, “You listened in on the servants’ conversations? Georgiana, that is ...”

“Unrefined? Vulgar? Unladylike?” Georgiana interrupted fiercely.

She was truly angry now, “I suppose it is, Brother. I suppose I am all those things. But if I had known what everyone else knew about Wickham, if I had been warned of the degenerate, cruel, vicious man that he is, I would have been a far wiser girl. If I had known what he did to the maid Jenny at Pemberley, I would never have allowed him near me at Ramsgate.”

Darcy’s brow furrowed in confusion, “Jenny?”

“Jenny, yes,” she replied, struggling to maintain some semblance of serenity.

“I pray you have not forgotten her, Fitzwilliam. She was ruined by Wickham some eight years ago and bore his twins. He, of course, abandoned her and his children without compunction. I know that you are supporting her and her children, but she lost all chance of a respectable marriage to a nearby farmer named Reeves.”

“Georgiana,” Darcy said gently, sinking into a nearby chair and studying her gravely. “For all that Wickham is at fault, so was Jenny. Yes, he was and is charming, but it was her decision to ...”

“You needn’t conceal the truth from me, William,” the girl interrupted, rising to her feet and stalking over to the window. “I am old enough to acknowledge the ugly reality of what truly happened.”

“What reality?”

He sounded genuinely perturbed and confused. She turned to stare at him, her brows raised.

“It was not her choice, Fitzwilliam. Jenny was in the still room, cleaning the tables at Mrs. Reynold’s orders. Wickham had free run of Pemberley and found her there. He shut the door, wedged it shut, prevented her from leaving. He forced himself upon her. You know that to be true.”

“I most certainly do not!” Fitzwilliam replied, his dark eyes flashing angrily. “Who dared tell you such a terrible thing?”

“No one told me, Brother,” Georgiana replied, more gently now. It was possible, she supposed, that he truly did not know.

She turned back to the window now, staring at the rain which wept onto the east flower garden, “I had trouble sleeping after ... after Ramsgate. I would lie awake at night, angry at myself, furious that I had given into that liar’s words.”

“It wasn’t your fault, Georgie,” he began.

“No, let me finish, Fitzwilliam. Please. I would often go to the library after lunch. It’s so soothing there. I remember Papa sitting next to the fire, reading one of those books which you too love so much.”

She took a deep breath, “There is that little window seat near the drapery on the north end. I would take a book and start to read, and would often fall asleep. Six times I woke to two maids cleaning the room. I was concealed by the draperies so they did not know I was there.”

“You spied on them?” Fitzwilliam demanded incredulously.

Georgiana turned now and shook her head, “No, I did not spy on them, or at least not intentionally. Yes, perhaps I should have spoken up but it was awkward and truly I enjoyed the first five times. They spoke of their work, of their families, of the Darcy family, of Pemberley. They are proud of Pemberley, Fitzwilliam, and proud of working for the Darcy family. It made me feel good inside. I made such a dreadful mistake at Ramsgate, but the Darcy name lives on and I am a Darcy. I was proud.”

She looked down at the floor, noting the rather garish orange and yellow hues of the rug placed there, “The last time, Mrs. Reynolds came as well. She had a new maid to train, and she wished to ensure that the job was done correctly, but it was apparent she also wished to privately warn the girl. She closed the door and told the new girl, Ruth, that she must come to her if she was ever uncomfortable about anyone working on the estate. Mrs. Reynolds explained what happened to Jenny – that Wickham had singled her out and she had resisted his charms. That Jenny had told Mrs. Reynolds that he was making her uncomfortable. That he crept into the still room ...”

“Stop, Georgiana,” her brother ordered, though softly. “Stop. My darling, surely ... surely you ... could you have been dreaming? Mrs. Reynolds would have told me!”

“Why would she, Fitzwilliam?” the young woman demanded.

“When have the Darcys ever done anything to stop the depredations of George Wickham? She probably assumed you knew when Jenny fell with child. The new maid asked about whether this was customary at Pemberley and Mrs. Reynolds said no, it was not, but that Wickham was the old master’s godson and favorite, and nothing would ever be done to stop him.

All that could be done was to avoid him, and poor Jenny was not able to do so.

She did assure Ruth that Wickham was long gone, but she made a point of warning new maids in case another foul fiend appeared on the horizon.

She said it broke her heart that she had failed Jenny so.

She is Mrs. Reynolds’s own niece, you know. ”

Darcy’s teeth were clenched. That dear Mrs. Reynolds felt partially responsible for Wickham’s horrid actions was terrible enough. That his loyal housekeeper thought Darcy would do nothing was agonizing.

“If I had known, I would have done something, Georgie. I promise you.”

His sister gazed into his eyes, her expression making her look older, “What would you have done, Fitzwilliam?”

He blinked, his brain moving sluggishly. What would he have done if he had known his childhood playmate, his father’s godson, had perpetrated such a dreadful deed on one of the servants of Pemberley?

“I would have,” he began slowly, then more confidently, “I am not certain, my dear. But I would have had him sent away, perhaps to Van Diemen’s Land, or the New World. I would have had him transported where he could never harm anyone again.”

“Are there vulnerable women in the former Colonies, Brother? In Van Diemen’s Land?” Georgiana asked quietly.

Darcy stared at her in bemusement, “I suppose so, Georgie, but ...”

“That is not enough, then, Fitzwilliam! George Wickham is an evil, dissolute man. It is not enough to push him off somewhere else, to allow him to wage his war against God and man elsewhere. The Darcys made him what he is, and the Darcys are responsible for ending his vicious ways!”

Darcy was tall, handsome, strong, and confident, but as he looked into the eyes of his younger sister, he suddenly felt meek, and very much wanting.

“My darling, it is not your problem. It is mine.”

“No, it is mine as well. I would prefer to leave it in the hands of my male relatives but when men refuse to do their duty, sometimes women must step forward. I am Jael.”

This whole conversation had grown increasingly surreal, but now Darcy truly wondered if he was asleep and dreaming.

“Jael?”

“From Judges, in the Holy Book.”

He was very well read, and his memory a good one.

“The woman who drove a stake through the head of Sisera?” he demanded in alarm.

“Yes! She was so brave, Fitzwilliam. She is my inspiration. She destroyed Sisera, and I will destroy George Wickham.”

Darcy stared at Georgiana in shock. His sister looked entirely too enthusiastic.

“Georgie, I do hope that you have no intention of driving a stake through Wickham’s head.”

The girl’s eyes widened before she released a nervous giggle, “No, of course not. No. I intend to stop him if I can.”

“Stop him from what?”

“From attacking servants and deceiving gentlewomen, Brother,” Georgiana stated, “I heard him, and saw him, in that book store, William. I heard his honeyed words and the Miss Bennets’ responses ...”

“Miss Bennets?”

“Yes, two young women, Miss Elizabeth and Miss Mary Bennet. They were standing in the book store, and I could just hear that clawing charm in his voice. He is very handsome, Fitzwilliam, and his manners are beautiful. When I stepped forward, I saw that light in his eyes that he used to turn on me. I had to warn them. So I did.”

“My dear,” Darcy breathed out, aware that his heart was beating quickly. Elizabeth Bennet had been there when Georgiana confronted his old playmate? He did not entirely know what Georgie had said, but …

“Georgiana, your reputation,” he began.

“Is not as important as the life and livelihood of those below us, Brother!”

She looked so fierce as she said these words. So strong.

“We owe it to the lower classes, do we not? Wickham has the air and manners of a gentleman, and the morals of a wretch. If my reputation suffers, it suffers. I will not be violated, nor will I lose all hope for a good marriage, like poor Jenny did.”

Darcy gazed at her astonishment as the bell sounded outside for tea.