Page 100 of Sketching Mr. Darcy
J ust before noon, Mr Bingley barged in, unexpected, unannounced, and tired from the road.
The first thing that crossed Elizabeth’s mind was that something tragic happened at Longbourn, but Bingley’s smile was so wide and he so hastily embraced her that Elizabeth’s heart melted with joy.
The guest then bowed to Georgiana and Mrs Annesley and took a seat.
Food and drinks were ordered as he began to speak enthusiastically.
“I apologise for arriving so unexpectedly, but I need Darcy’s assistance in an urgent matter.
Jane—I mean Miss Bennet… I asked her to be my wife, and she accepted last evening.
So after having Mr Bennet’s consent, I hurried to London as I need to know how to procure a special licence.
I want to marry as soon as possible… perhaps in a month or so?
Oh, and Miss Bennet—Jane—sent this letter to you, Mrs Darcy.
And Mr Bennet sent one to you, Darcy,” he said, barely catching his breath as he handed them the papers.
Elizabeth and Georgiana smiled at his obvious agitation while Elizabeth embraced him once again, expressing her delight at having him as a brother. Darcy filled a glass for him.
“Bingley, you express yourself as poorly in speech as in writing. You do not need a special license to marry in a month! I congratulate you, and I will be happy to be your brother. But not so much your sister’s brother,” Darcy concluded while Georgiana and Elizabeth laughed and Bingley began to mumble worse than before.
Eventually, he returned to his old self, and he could hardly cease sharing his happiness with them.
“Oh, I forgot to mention something important! Wickham left his regiment two nights ago. Such effrontery—I was very close to calling him out!”
“Bingley, what on earth are you saying? Perhaps we should speak of this later,” Darcy interrupted him, glancing with panic at his sister. Georgiana paled but asked courageously.
“Brother, please. I would like to hear Mr Bingley’s story. What happened, sir?”
“That is the second reason for my arrival in Town. Mr Bennet said I should talk to Darcy. You have everything in the letter. Wickham was involved in some sort of a scandal a few nights ago regarding some card debts and—you will not believe this—he secretly planned to leave the regiment and to convince Miss Lydia—your sister—to elope with him!”
“What?” Elizabeth cried in disbelief, turning white. Mr Bingley continued unruffled.
“Even before you visited Longbourn, he was conducting a secret correspondence with Miss Lydia, declaring his admiration and intention to marry her. So two nights ago—one evening after you left—he convinced her. She was ready to leave her family without telling anyone but Miss Kitty. Fortunately, she changed her mind just a few hours before. He came to wait for her, and she left the house to speak to him. I found them in the middle of the night. You may easily imagine how strong my reaction was! I tried to avoid a scandal, but I pushed Wickham away, and I went to awaken Colonel Forster despite the late hour. By morning, Wickham had not appeared with the regiment, leaving behind a large number of creditors.”
Georgiana’s hands trembled. Darcy struggled to express his astonishment without disturbing the ladies further.
“Thank God that Lydia made a wise decision,” Elizabeth finally said. “Although God knows that I wonder how it happened. I love my sister, but her decisions are rarely wise.” Elizabeth spoke mostly to herself, but Mr Bingley seemed happy to know the answer.
“Well, Miss Bennet—Jane—explained it in the letter. Miss Elizabeth—I mean Mrs Darcy—promised to take Miss Lydia and Miss Kitty to Town for the Season and to offer them a private coming out ball in Meryton next year. Miss Lydia said she could not abide that only Miss Kitty would have the private ball and the chance of staying in London for the Season, so she decided she would rather not marry than miss such opportunities. She said—I believe I can quote—that she loved Mr Wickham dearly, but she could easily find another gentleman officer, while a private coming out ball was once in a lifetime.”
Darcy, Elizabeth, and Georgiana stared in disbelief, struggling to understand Mr Bingley’s tangled explanation.
“So…Miss Lydia refused to elope in order to not miss any balls?” Darcy attempted to conclude. This time Bingley seemed puzzled himself.
“I believe so…”
“This must be a first for Wickham,” Darcy said as he filled Bingley’s glass—and his own.
Georgiana—pale and tearful from the emotion and her own embarrassment—started to laugh, unable to stop despite the others’ astonished faces. She covered her mouth with trembling hands, excusing herself and hurrying to her room.
Elizabeth followed her while a grave Darcy remained still, his half-empty glass in his hand, as he stared, confounded, at the closed door. Then he emptied the glass and turned to his friend.
“Bingley, I thank you for your invaluable help in handling this situation, but I must ask: What on earth were you doing near the Bennet’s house in the middle of the night?”
Mr Bingley choked on his brandy, turned pale then crimson and put some meat into his mouth while he mumbled an incoherent response. Darcy did not inquire further.
Inside Georgiana’s room, the girl continued to laugh for a little while, tears rolling from her eyes. Elizabeth put her arms around her. Slowly, Georgiana’s laughter became sobs, and she embraced Elizabeth. They sat together, holding hands.
“I have been such a ridiculous fool, Elizabeth. He tricked me as easily as if I were a child.”
“I am sorry you suffer so much, dearest, but I believe it is for the best. Now you can easily see how little Mr Wickham deserved your affection and how right William was about him.”
“True. Forgive me for laughing so foolishly, but it is all so ridiculous and painful. I hope your sister does not suffer. It seems she was very wise in her decision; wiser than me.”
“This is not true, my dear. Your behaviour was admirable too. Although I never would have imagined it, I admit that Lydia surprised me pleasantly this time.”
“Oh, I am sorry—I did not even congratulate you for the news. I know how fond you are of your sister, and I am sure she will be very happy with Mr Bingley.”
Elizabeth chuckled. “I am beyond joy for my dear Jane, but I am even happier imagining the faces of Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst when they learn the news. Does that make me a bad person?”
“A little,” Miss Darcy answered in jest. “But I can surely sympathise with you.”
The light conversation and Elizabeth’s warm care eventually calmed Georgiana. And despite her troubled countenance, Elizabeth was certain that the wound inflicted on the girl by Mr Wickham had begun to heal. Oddly enough—with Lydia’s help!
** *
It took a full hour before the three ladies were ready to visit the modiste.
Since Mrs Gardiner was expected to join them too, Darcy found no cause for him to accompany four ladies to try on dresses. He had planned a meeting with Mr Aldridge, but he assigned three servants and the coachman to chaperone them.
They fetched Mrs Gardiner from Gracechurch Street and spent the long ride to Madame Claudette’s discussing the wonderful news of the anticipated wedding.
In her letter, Jane had repeatedly told Elizabeth how grateful she was for Mr Darcy’s help in achieving the happy resolution. Jane insisted that, without Mr Darcy, Mr Bingley would likely not have returned to Netherfield and they would have probably not met again.
Elizabeth fully agreed with her sister: without Mr Darcy’s letter and encouragement, Mr Bingley would not have returned to Hertfordshire.
What Jane did not know—and Elizabeth still remembered with shivers—was his involvement in Mr Bingley’s leaving in the first place.
That, however, was a fact she would not recollect again.
For the time being, there were plans to make, perhaps new dresses to order, and joy to share.
The visit at the modiste lasted an hour, and another half hour was needed to take Mrs Gardiner to her house and finally return home.
When the carriage entered their street, the nearly setting sun was painting the sky with spectacular colours.
The weather was pleasant and rather soft for a January day.
Elizabeth considered asking her husband for a walk when her attention was drawn by activity, voices, and barks on the paths of Hyde Park across the street from their house.
She easily recognised from afar the familiar forms of Peter, Libby, the dogs, and one of the footmen. She turned to her companions.
“Would you like a stroll before returning home? It will surely benefit our appetites. I think the children and dogs will all be happy to see us,” Elizabeth said with a laugh.
Her companions agreed somewhat reluctantly, Mrs Annesley expressing her concern about walking in cold weather and insisting the outing be short. Elizabeth dismissed the carriage and asked the footmen to inform Mr Darcy of their whereabouts.
There were very few visitors in the park. A few carriages rode by them at a slow pace, and Elizabeth remembered her husband’s promise about the sleigh ride.
In a little while, the children noticed and loudly greeted them. The ground was slippery, and the ladies’ steps small and careful.
Their progress was abruptly interrupted by a carriage stopping near them and three men hurrying down from it. Elizabeth was certain they must be some new acquaintances she could not recall, so she smiled at them.
“Mrs Darcy ma’am, you must come with us. If you make no noise, nobody will be hurt,” one of them said in a low, cold voice.
Elizabeth looked in disbelief. They wore regular winter clothes and appeared as any other visitor to the park. A moment later, she observed the shape of pistols in their coats and looked closely at their faces. She was too bewildered to react.
Mrs Annesley spoke first.