Page 153 of Obligation and Redemption
This story, he knew would also cause her pain, but her discomfort could not keep him from telling her, so with renewed vigour, he said, “Six years ago, my father and I visited Rosings on our annual trip at Easter time. We brought my friend, George Wickham with us.” Darcy paused her, looking for some evidence of her regard.
He saw that he had surprised her and was now utterly determined she know the truth of her favourite.
“While there, Wickham seduced a young woman, the daughter of the rector at Hunsford, and she became with child. Truth be known, I have every reason to believe that he had not actually seduced her but forced himself on her, although she would not admit it. Miss Wainwright was ostracised by the community and had no choice, for her father’s sake and position, but to leave.
My own father died before he learnt of Wickham’s vile act, so the obligation fell to me.
I set her up in a small home, after she refused to marry.
I check on her each year to ensure her continued comfort if not respectability.
Her father, up until he died last year, always acted as liaison, but without him, I went alone.
I realised, even at the time, how it might look to an outsider, but I could not in good conscience ignore my continued duty to her care.
“I must say that I am shocked my aunt would spread a falsehood such as this, not only because I am her own family, but also because she knows it is blatantly false. She knows that Wickham is the boy’s father.
I cannot understand why she would say such a thing, to your sister no less.
” Seeing the disturbed look on her face, he recalled how she must feel now knowing that her friend, Wickham, could be so cruel, if she even believed him.
“Forgive me, Elizabeth. I know that you have kind feelings towards the man, and surely I should have told you some of his history sooner; however, I could not bring myself to share my painful history with him. There is more to tell, but that will have to wait for another time.”
“So you think that he imposed himself on the young woman? Why? What would make you think that?”
“She was but fifteen. She has refused to marry – says she cannot bear to be with another man. Her father was adamant that he would not force her. I think he knew the truth.”
“I cannot believe…. ”
“But you can believe that I would, that I was the father?”
She looked up at him with sadness. “Your aunt, she said that you were the father. Why would I doubt your own relations?”
“Because, I hope that you know me well enough not to believe such a story.”
“I don’t know that I do know you. There are such mixed accounts of you that sometimes I am unable make you out.”
“I think you do understand me, Elizabeth. You knew me well enough to be hurt by the possibility. You must have thought it unlikely at some level. Surely you are not so deceived by Wickham that you would believe him innocent and me guilty.”
“I noticed that a female had written to you, and you left so quickly without even telling me why. What was I supposed to think? And then you have not come to my room. I thought that maybe you had been meeting your needs elsewhere. My mother….” At that she stopped.
Her mother’s words had always lacked wisdom. Elizabeth had known this.
She then began to cry, tears of relief or pain, she did not know.
Elizabeth had not wanted to believe her husband capable of any misdeed.
She had grown to admire him as a landowner, gentleman and husband.
To have thought him capable of such offences had afflicted her, but now she felt saddened by her own lack of faith in him.
She wanted to believe him about the brothel, and that he had not followed through with the transgression, but she was pained that he had gone there in the first place.
Langston! The vile man, trying to poison me against my husband!
He delighted in tormenting me with this story and with Lady Annette as well.
And I let him. She looked to Darcy who appeared truly worried for her and said, “Do not fret over me. He has hurt me in almost every way possible, but I will prevail.”
“You speak of Wickham. Elizabeth, I must know – how has he intruded upon you? Has he ever laid hands upon you? — With or without your consent?” Darcy turned his head away as if doing so might somehow change her response.
“Wickham? No, I do not speak of him. He was nothing but kind to me while at Longbourn. That must have been the surest way to torment you; I see it now. Though had I been in love with him, I could not have been more wretchedly blind. But vanity, not love, has been my folly,” she finished quietly, ashamed of her credulity.
“I speak of your cousin, Lord Langston.”
“Please, do not conceal what he has done.”
Elizabeth closed her eyes shut, as if to disappear, but she knew that she had to confide to her husband what had happened.
It was his right to know. And otherwise he would guess and likely come up with worse than was true.
Nonetheless, she feared his judgement upon her for the viscount’s misdeeds.
“Your cousin hates me, Darcy, and has tormented me since we first met but making it seem as though he was being solicitous to my needs. He was deceiving you with his false kindnesses.” She took in a deep breath and turned away as she spoke, “The first time was Christmas at Tromwell House. If you will remember, your cousin told you that Georgiana was looking for you. He offered to return me to the family, but after you walked away, he led me to one of the bedchambers, instead, and locked us inside.” She glanced back to see Darcy’s look of shock and confusion and then with emotion continued, “He began trying to kiss me and to touch me; he eventually picked me up and carried me to the bed.” Tears were flowing down her face as she recalled the scene that she had tried so many times to forget.
“If not for his brother, the colonel, coming just at that moment, he would have succeeded in … violating me. Colonel Fitzwilliam was looking for me, knocking on doors and calling my name, so Langston let me go, promising to finish what he had started another time. He said you would not believe me if I told you – that you did not trust me.”
“But, that is not true. You should have said something!” Darcy said with vehemence that soon lost its zeal as she continued.
“Darcy, you thought I had taken advantage of you in order to make you marry me. Can you honestly say that you would have believed me over your own cousin? He would have denied any wrongdoing. I told you I did not wish to dance with him at the ball, and yet you made me. What was I supposed to think?”
“I don’t know. I would like to think that I would have believed you, but it pains me to say that I might not have. I just don’t know.”
“He joined us at the show and sat next to me in the carriage and at the theatre. He kept whispering words of seduction and malice, rubbing up next to me, yet I could do nothing to stop him. And at the ball, he told me about you and Lady Annette, suggesting that you still had feelings for her. And then you proved his point by dancing with her and dining in her company without me.” Her voice gave way here.
She could not have known how much that event had injured her those many weeks ago.
“Langston took your seat, so you would be forced to sit elsewhere; he did that to hurt you. Elizabeth, I let him.” Darcy said, distressed at his own insensitivity.
“But you must know, I never truly had feelings for the woman. She was a good match; that is all. Once you and I were engaged, my connection with her ended.”
She looked away again, her feelings too raw to even comment.
“Then I received word from you that he would be coming here, and I panicked. I tried to protect myself, even going so far as to ask Clark to teach me methods of defence, which was fortuitous for I eventually had to put what I learned to the test. Langston found Clark and me while we were walking and threatened him, finally convincing the poor man to leave. But I found my escape and ran. You would have been even more proud of me than before,” she said with a little sparkle in her eye, “for I ran faster and longer than even the day of our walk. Indeed, I ran twice as far as I ever had in my life – until I could go no further and fell to the ground. I know not how long I lay there trying to catch my breath. I feared for my life at that point, for I had behaved most unladylike, I am afraid, causing a great deal of pain for your cousin. I could hear him yelling in the distance, threatening me. I was truly at the mercy of Providence.”
“Elizabeth, please speak plainly to me. Tell me that he did not succeed in forcing himself upon you. “
“He did not prevail, but doubt not that he would have. I am afraid of what might happen should I ever see him again. I feared coming home that day, unsure of what he might do to me without your protection. The servants had no choice but to obey him; he could have defiled me without recourse had I returned home. I was looking for shelter, somewhere he could not find me when I tripped in the dark.”
“Your dress is torn. I have been in agony thinking of what he did to you.”
With more emotion, she continued, “I had to let him think that I was giving in to him, so I could take him by surprise. He let up his grip and began to lose control of his desires. He never expected what I did; I have no doubt. That was the only thing that allowed me to escape. I am quite certain he was unable to ride, or he would surely have caught up with me. Husband, he did assault my mouth and touched me inappropriately, but it went no further. I am fine. I did not want to be exploited in that way, but no true harm was done.”