Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice Sequel Bundle: 3 Reader Favorites (140 page)

Saturday 16th August

I called on Mr Gardiner and this time found him alone. He was surprised to see me, but welcomed me cordially.

‘Mr Darcy. I did not know you intended to visit town so soon. How is your sister? Well, I hope?’

‘Very well.’

‘We were delighted to meet her in Derbyshire. She is a beautiful girl.’

‘Thank you. You are very kind. It is not about my sister I have come to talk to you, however, but about your niece.’

I saw him change colour.

‘Will you not sit down?’

‘Thank you. I called on her shortly after her sister’s letter was delivered,’ I said,‘and learnt the unhappy truth. I felt responsible for the situation, for I knew of Wickham’s character and yet I kept silent. He had done something similar before, but I had not mentioned it because
I had wanted to protect the young lady’s reputation. If I had made his perfidy known, then no woman would have been able to love him, and Miss Lydia Bennet would have been safe.’

His expression said that nothing would have kept a girl as wild as Lydia safe.

Aloud he said: ‘It is really not your fault.’

‘Nevertheless, I took it upon myself to track him down. I knew his acquaintances, and knew how to find out where he might be. I have seen him, and persuaded him that a marriage must take place.’

He looked more and more surprised as I unfolded the details. He refused to let me undertake any of the financial arrangements, but as I argued it with him back and forth, a thoughtful expression began to cover his face. He suspected the nature of my feelings for Elizabeth, I am sure of it, but said nothing. How could he? He said at last that we had talked long enough, and invited me to call on him again tomorrow. I think he wishes to consult his wife as to how far I should be allowed to help.

I left him and retired to my club. Everything will soon be settled, I am confident of it. As soon as Elizabeth hears of it she will be relieved of care, and it is that thought that sustains me. She will be able to laugh again, and tease me, and she will forget all about her sister.

Sunday 17th August

I called upon Mr Gardiner again, and this time Mrs Gardiner was with him. They welcomed me warmly, and
after exchanging pleasantries, I said again that I expected to settle Wickham’s debts. That they agreed to, but they would not agree to me settling anything else. There are some arrangements still to be made, however, and I mean to work on Mr Gardiner again tomorrow, until he agrees to let me settle the whole.

Monday 18th August

All has finally been settled. I have at last managed to have my own way. Mr Gardiner had an express sent off to Longbourn, and it gave me great satisfaction to know that it will relieve Elizabeth from distress. Mr and Mrs Gardiner are to offer Lydia their protection until the marriage can be arranged. I do not envy them. She has shown no remorse for what she has done, and seems to think it a great joke. She is one of the most worthless girls of my acquaintance.

Tuesday 19th August

I returned to Pemberley, and I was pleased to find that my guests had noticed nothing strange about my absence. If they knew that I had been arranging a marriage, instead of attending to business, how astonished they would be!

Saturday 30th August

I travelled to London, and tomorrow I have the unpleasant task of making sure Wickham attends his own wedding.

Monday 1st September

Today Lydia was married, and her reputation saved.

The morning started badly. I called on Wickham in his lodgings at half past ten as arranged and found him only half-dressed.

‘What is this?’ I asked. ‘You have to be at the church in half an hour.’

He poured himself a drink and threw it off.

‘It will only take us ten minutes to get to the church. There is plenty of time.’

‘If you are beyond the hour you will not be able to marry today,’ I said.

‘Do you know, Darcy, if you had given me the living I wanted when I applied for it, all this unpleasantness could have been avoided.’

I made no reply.

‘It would have suited me better to marry other people rather than being married myself. I am beginning to think I do not want to be married at all,’ he said.

‘Then you must face your debtors.’

‘Ah. I would like that even less.’

He put his glass down and picked up his coat. He shrugged himself into it and tied his cravat, then we went out to the waiting carriage.

‘This is like our boyhoods,’ he said to me, as we climbed in. ‘The two of us together. I always thought you would stand up with me at my wedding. Lately I began to doubt it, but here we are you see, friends again.’

‘You are no friend of mine,’ I said.

He smiled tauntingly. ‘Unless I miss my guess we will soon be closer than friends. We will be brothers.’ He lolled back on the squabs. ‘How happy it would have made our fathers, to know we will be so close to each other. We were almost brothers last year…’ He paused, and I required all my self-control not to respond. ‘But alas, fate had other ideas. Or, at least, you did. How is Georgiana?’

‘Better for being away from you.’

‘A pity. I did not think she would forget me so soon. I rather thought she was in love with me. I am looking forward to seeing her again, when Lydia and I visit Pemberley.’

‘That is something you will never do,’ I said with finality.

The journey to St Clement’s was a short one. The church had been chosen because it was in the same parish as Wickham’s lodgings, and the rector was willing to perform the ceremony. He knew nothing of what had taken place in order to bring the marriage about, only that a young couple wished to wed. He greeted us with smiles as we entered the church and we waited for Lydia to arrive.

‘Perhaps she has changed her mind,’ said Wickham. ‘You could not hold that against me. You would still have to pay my debts.’

‘She will be here. Her aunt and uncle will see to it.’

At that moment Lydia entered the church. She glanced towards the altar then broke out in effusive spirits when she saw that Wickham had already arrived.
Her aunt and uncle bade her remember where she was, and walked with her to the front of the church.

‘I will be glad when this is all over,’ said Mr Gardiner to me in an undertone.

‘I agree,’ said his wife. ‘I tried to make her understand the worry she has caused her parents, the disgrace she has brought on her family and the gratitude she owes to those who have rescued her from ruin, but to no avail. She paid no attention to me and instead talked constantly of Wickham, with every now and then a complaint that we never set foot outside the house.’

The ceremony began, and the marriage which had taken so long to bring about was quickly accomplished.

‘I hope you will thank Mr Darcy for all he has done,’ said Mrs Gardiner when it was over.

‘Mrs Wickham. How well it sounds!’ said Lydia, ignoring her aunt and gazing at the ring on her finger.

A number of curious people had entered the church, and Lydia showed them all her ring, telling them that they must congratulate her and be the first to call her by her new name.

‘How envious my sisters will be,’ she said, as we left the church. ‘Not one of them is married, though they are all older than me. I should be ashamed to be more than twenty and still not married. Jane is fast becoming an old maid. She will have to give up her place to me at the table, for I am a married woman now. What fun it will be! “Jane,” I will say, “I take your place now, and you must go lower, because I am a married woman.” ’

Mr and Mrs Gardiner exchanged glances.

‘They will all be so jealous of me and my handsome husband. I was so worried this morning, when we were coming to the church. I had a horror of him wearing black, but my happiness was complete when I saw he had chosen his blue coat.’

I felt a surge of satisfaction as I realized that Lydia will be just as silly as her mother, and I took enjoyment in the knowledge that Wickham will, after all, be punished for his iniquities, because he will have to live with her for the rest of his life.

Tuesday 2nd September

I dined with the Gardiners this evening. We were all relieved that everything had passed off well. The last few weeks have been a strain, but everything turned out for the best.

They are a most pleasing couple. Mr Gardiner is intelligent, and Mrs Gardiner has a great deal of common sense. They are cultured and well-bred, and I spent a very pleasant evening in their company – so pleasant that I forgot I was in Gracechurch Street. I have spent many a worse evening at a better address.

To think I once dismissed them without even knowing them, and rejected Elizabeth because her relations did not fit my notion of what they should be! Had I turned such a critical eye on my own relatives I might have realized that she was not alone in having undesirable connections. Lady Catherine, for all her elegance,
disgraced herself by suggesting that Elizabeth – her guest! – should practise the piano in the housekeeper’s room, something I am persuaded Mrs Gardiner would never do. And Bingley’s relations are hardly any better. Caroline Bingley might be a woman of breeding and fashion, but she is also a woman who is eaten up by jealousy and spite.

Wednesday 3rd September

I returned to Pemberley to find that Caroline and Louisa were full of plans to visit Scarborough.

‘Do come with us, Mr Darcy,’ said Caroline. ‘Scarborough is so invigorating at this time of year.’

‘I have too much to do on my estate,’ I said.

‘But it would be so good for Georgiana. I do believe she has not seen the sea since last summer, when she stayed in Ramsgate. She must be pining for it.’ She turned to Georgiana. ‘Would you not like to see it again?’

Georgiana blushed, and said she had no desire to do so. Caroline turned to me.

‘You would return to Pemberley refreshed, and manage twice as much work as if you had never gone,’ she said.

‘My intentions are fixed. But you must go,’ I said as she opened her mouth to change her mind. ‘The sea air will do you good.’

‘Sea air,’ said Mr Hurst, then retreated into his stupor.

Thursday 4th September

Caroline, Louisa and Mr Hurst departed for Scarborough. They tried to persuade Bingley to go with them, but he said he had no wish to be blown about and would remain at Pemberley. Caroline encouraged the idea. She still believes he will marry Georgiana, and wants him to see her more often, though it is obvious to an impartial eye that he never will.

Monday 8th September

‘I think I will go to Netherfield again,’ said Bingley nonchalantly as we rode out this morning.

‘A good idea. If you mean to keep the house, you should use it from time to time.’

‘That is exactly what I think. Will you come with me? I should like to repay your hospitality.’

My spirits rose. If I went to Netherfield, then I would have an opportunity of seeing Elizabeth again.

‘When do you intend to go?’ I asked.

‘In about a week. I thought I would send the servants tomorrow, to ready the house.’

‘Yes, I will come.’

He looked pleased.

‘It is almost a year to the day that I took it. I little thought then…’

His voice trailed away, and it was not difficult to guess what direction his thoughts had taken. I said no more, but let him lose himself in day-dreams. Perhaps they will become reality before very long. And my dreams…what of them?

Wednesday 17th September

We arrived at Netherfield this afternoon. Bingley declared his intention of riding into Meryton as soon as we arrived, and it was only the onset of rain that made him put his visit off.

Thursday 18th September

Sir William Lucas called this morning, to welcome us back to the neighbourhood.

‘Mr Bingley,’ he said with a low bow, ‘you do us too much honour in returning to our humble neighbourhood. We thought we had not joys enough to hold you and yet here you are, fresh from your triumphs in town, to honour our humble village with your presence. Mr Darcy,’ he said, with a low bow to me. ‘It seems but a moment since we were all taking tea with Lady Catherine in the delightful dining-parlour at Rosings Park. You enjoyed your stay, I trust?’

Enjoyed it? That was hardly the way I would have described my feelings during those turbulent few weeks, but he took my silence to mean that I had.

‘Have you visited your estimable aunt since that time?’ he asked.

‘No,’ I said shortly.

‘I hope to visit my daughter again before very long,’ he said.

He embarked on a rambling speech, extolling the virtues of his daughter’s position. How long he would have gone on if Mr Long had not called I do not know!

When our guests had left, Bingley said: ‘It was after Sir William called last year that Mr Bennet called on us. Do you suppose he will do so again?’