A Most Civil Proposal (42 page)

“The only officer I have ever known is my cousin. He is a colonel also.”

“Really?” asked Kitty in interest. “Where is he located? I know he was not part of Colonel Forster’s regiment; I knew all the officers. Do you not think that a red coat is the most delightful attire for a young man?”

“I have never really thought about it,” Georgiana confessed. “It is just the way my cousin has always dressed. He commands a regiment of cavalry near to London though he has been to the continent several times. I think it must have been dangerous, but he never talks of it.”

“I should quite like to meet your cousin,” Kitty said enthusiastically, failing to notice the look of distress that came over Georgiana’s face suddenly and then disappeared just as quickly.

“But surely you are enjoying your travels with your aunt and uncle?” Georgiana changed the subject.

“It seemed better than staying at home with the regiment gone, but it has turned out to be so tedious. We visited any number of large estates on our journey, but they soon began to look much the same. I had thought earlier that we would be going to the Lakes, but my uncle’s business would not allow it.”

“The Lakes are very beautiful, Kitty. William took me there two summers ago.”

“Perhaps, but there are no parties or balls. Will you not be having any parties while we are here?”

Georgiana smiled. “I am afraid that our life here might seem rather dull if parties and balls are what you measure by. We have some celebrations in the autumn after the harvest is in and then a larger celebration at Christmas. But right now, all the tenants are exceedingly busy in the fields.”

“Is there not an Assembly hall in Lambton?” Kitty asked.

“I believe there is, but I have never attended. I do not believe that William has attended either; he is not much interested in such activities though Elizabeth has mentioned that we might host a ball now and then, once I am out.”

“It is really most vexing!” Kitty exclaimed. “Especially since Lydia is so much enjoying her time in Brighton. Her last letter was especially annoying since she said that one of the most popular officers in the regiment has become her particular favourite and has even gone so far as to talk of marriage.”

“Then he has proposed to her? Oh, how exciting that must be!” exclaimed Georgiana.

“Well, he has not actually proposed yet from what I can tell from Lydia’s letter. But she is sure that he will at some time or the other, and it is really difficult to swallow how she keeps going on and on about ‘dearest, dearest Wickham.’”

Kitty did not see Georgiana blanch, but she did notice that the other girl stopped walking suddenly. She turned around and could not help but observe that her friend looked most distressed, pale and trembling as she clenched her hands into fists at her side.

“Why, Georgiana, whatever is wrong?”

Georgiana could not talk at first, but at last she got out tremulously, “What . . . who was that you talked about?”

Kitty frowned in confusion. “Lydia? Or was it Mr. Wickham? He is an officer in the militia that she has become quite fond of.”

Georgiana finally forced herself to ask, “What . . . what is his Christian name?”

“Why, it is George. George Wickham. Are you acquainted with him? Is he not the most handsome and amiable young man?”

Kitty was thus completely unprepared as Georgiana broke down, bursting into tears and turning to flee, stumbling and tripping, toward the house. Kitty chased after her friend, calling her name.

Elizabeth and Darcy had just left the house, planning to walk some of the yet unexplored paths of Pemberley when Georgiana burst around the hedge and ran past them, sobbing and crying as she fled into the house. Kitty came up at just that time, asking in concern, “What is wrong with Georgiana? We were walking when she suddenly started crying and ran into the house. She would not even answer when I called her.”

Darcy turned around quickly to follow his sister, pausing only to say, “I will find Georgiana, Elizabeth, if you will speak to Kitty to see if we can find out what could have caused such distress.”

Elizabeth instantly pulled Kitty aside to sit on one of the benches to discover what they were talking of when Georgiana became so upset.

“I have not an idea, Lizzy,” said Kitty, wringing her hands. “I was telling her about how bored I have been since the regiment went to Brighton, when she ran off.”

“The regiment has left? That is good news to me though you and Lydia might not find it so,” said Elizabeth.

“Well, at least Lydia got to go to Brighton. I have been forced to stay at home with no officers, no parties, and no one except Mary for company.”

“Lydia went to Brighton?” Elizabeth asked in shock. “And father allowed her to go? By herself?”

“She went as the special guest of the colonel’s wife, Mrs. Forster. Mama tried to get Papa to take us all there, but he would not hear of it.”

“But he allowed Lydia to go? That is deplorable!” Then she remembered what she was trying to determine, and came back to her object. “But why should that distress Georgiana? She knows nothing of this, and she only met Lydia briefly at my wedding.”

Kitty wrinkled her brow, trying to remember exactly what she had said. “I was talking about how Lydia was becoming quite attached to one of the officers when she suddenly stopped dead still and asked me his full name. After that, she ran off.”

“Who was this officer?”

“Why, you know him, Lizzy! Mr. Wickham was quite your favourite for a while, was he not?” Kitty said with a smile.

“Wickham!” exclaimed Elizabeth with a look on her face that made Kitty’s smile disappear instantly. “Quick”— she grabbed Kitty fiercely by her shoulders —“tell me
exactly
what you said to Georgiana.”

“Lizzy, you are hurting me!”

“Tell me, Kitty!” commanded Elizabeth sternly though she did release her grip.

“Well,” said Kitty, rubbing her arms, “I told her that Lydia had written that Mr. Wickham had become her particular favourite and that Lydia was sure that they were going to be married. Georgiana asked if he had proposed, and I told her not yet, and then I mentioned his name, which I guess is when she fled into the house.”

“Married!” Elizabeth exclaimed, grabbing Kitty again. “Lydia said Mr. Wickham was going to marry her?”

“She said that she was sure that they were going to be married at some time or the other,” Kitty said, and Elizabeth instantly recognized that Kitty was holding something back.

“Kitty,” she commanded, “you are hiding something. You know that I can always tell. Tell me what you are not saying!”

“Lizzy, please!” pleaded Kitty, but seeing the determination on her sister’s face, she eventually admitted, “Lydia did say that Wickham had some business problems to take care of and that it would be much less expensive if they went to Gretna Green. She said it did not matter to her, as long as she could sign her name, ‘Lydia Wickham.’”

Elizabeth released her sister and sat back in dismay. “Wickham! Will we never be free of that man?”

“Why do you speak so?” asked Kitty in confusion, rubbing her arms again. “You always thought well of him, did you not? He is certainly the most handsome and amiable officer in the regiment.”

“Wickham will never marry Lydia,” Elizabeth told her sister in irritation. “He must marry a woman with money since he has none of his own. Do you not remember Miss King? And he is, in addition, a most wicked man. Did my father not warn you of him?”

“Father? Certainly not! He spoke quite well of Mr. Wickham, and I remember at the party before the regiment went away, Mr. Wickham told father that Mr. Darcy would soon make you rue the day that you ever married him, that his cold manner and pride would soon make you dreadfully unhappy.”

“He said that?” Elizabeth asked, shaken again. “And did my father say anything in my defence to this outlandish statement?”

Kitty only shook her head miserably. “He only said that bad results come when daughters refuse to heed their father’s advice.”

“Do I look unhappy to you?” asked Elizabeth in exasperation. “Does Uncle Gardiner think my husband a cold and proud man? Does Aunt Gardiner? Cannot you see that he is truly the best of men? Oh, how silly can you be? Do you not have the wit to see anything other than officers and red
coats? Oh, you and Lydia are the two most foolish girls in the world!”

With that, Elizabeth jumped up and ran into the house, heedless of Kitty, who promptly burst into tears at her sister’s harsh words.

* * * * *

Elizabeth met Darcy coming down the stairs, and the look on his face told her that Georgiana had informed him of what Kitty had said, and they quickly compared notes

“We must talk, Elizabeth. I would suggest that you ask your aunt and uncle to join us in my study. I value their advice and sense, and they are more familiar with your family than I am, though I am far more familiar with the character of George Wickham than I desire to be!”

Quickly, Elizabeth found them, and she and Darcy informed the Gardiners of what they had learned.

“Mr. Wickham?” asked Mrs. Gardiner in confusion. “I would no more wish Lydia to marry him than I did you, Elizabeth, but the reaction of both of you tells me that there is much that you know that your uncle and I do not.”

Elizabeth realized that she had never related even a part of the story that Darcy had told her in Kent of his history with Wickham, and she looked at her husband questioningly, seeking to know how much she should reveal.

“We must tell them everything, Elizabeth,” said Darcy. “I have tried to keep the details quiet to spare Georgiana, but I now believe that was a mistake. I should have made his character known years back. It might have saved much trouble.”

Between Elizabeth and Darcy, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were soon made aware of the history and background of George Wickham. Both were shocked at learning the full tally of the man’s iniquities, and this knowledge made their concern for their niece much greater. Lydia had never been one of their favourites, but they had no desire to see the family scandalized by a possible elopement. However, Darcy was quick to dissuade them of that thought.

“I assure you that the idea of having Wickham as my brother is enough to make me ill, but please believe me when I tell you that there is no fear of that happening. Wickham will never marry a girl like Lydia Bennet because he must marry for money in order to solve his problems. I believe that he has probably run out his string at the regiment and must soon disappear as he has done before in order to evade his debts and avoid debtor’s prison. I know that, for I have paid off his creditors twice before both in Lambton and at Cambridge. Despite his pleasing manner, the man has no trade, no source of income, and is always in search of a match with a woman such as this Miss King that Elizabeth mentioned.”

He looked soberly at the other three, wondering whether he should mention his suspicion, and decided there should be no more concealment.

“I must make you understand what I truly fear. I believe that Wickham is preparing to disappear again, and when he does, he may well take Lydia Bennet with him for . . . for idle diversion.”

Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner gasped in shock, but Mr. Gardiner’s expression only became graver; he had been working toward the same conclusion though he had not the same experience with the man as Darcy.

“He will deceive her into thinking that they will be married, he will take his pleasure with her, and one morning, she will wake up to find him gone. Then she will just be one more young girl, alone and friendless and without funds, left ruined and hopeless in a situation that will lead to only one result: she will be forced to use her only possession, herself, merely in order to eat.”

Elizabeth tried not to cry, for she was so offended by Lydia’s foolishness, but the tears that flowed down her cheeks could not be stopped. They would have been the same as occasioned by any young girl caught in a similar situation by a single, foolish mistake. At least, that was what she told herself . . .

Mr. Gardiner at last broke the brooding silence. “I believe you have the truth of it, Mr. Darcy. I would suggest that we immediately dispatch an express to inform my brother of what we have concluded. He can then immediately travel to Brighton and bring her home.”

“I do not believe my father is likely to act quickly enough in this matter,” Elizabeth said regretfully, “for I fear that he will not take our warning with the seriousness that is required. From what Kitty said, he is inclined to regard Wickham favourably in order to maintain his disapproval of Mr. Darcy. There is also this — despite our warnings, he allowed Lydia to accompany the regiment to Brighton in the first place, and if he had taken us seriously, it would make the foolishness of that decision crystal clear. But not only did he ignore these warnings, it is obvious that he never cautioned my sisters to beware of Mr. Wickham. That is assuming he ever read my letters; certainly, he has never answered any of them.”

Mr. Gardiner was unhappily forced to agree with her. “Certainly, my experience has been little different than yours since none of my letters have received the courtesy of a reply,” he said slowly. “For these reasons, I fear you are correct, and my brother might ignore our warning altogether.”