Chapter 34

Though the Gardiners had intended to travel to the Lakes later this summer, they decided to delay that trip and remain at Pemberley a little while longer. After several conversations about the youngest girls, Elizabeth and Jane sat with their aunt and Lady Matlock to tell Kitty and Lydia about the plan for them to attend school.

Kitty was cautiously excited about the prospect of attending a school where she would have the opportunity to study with an art master and learn other accomplishments. Kitty enjoyed drawing, although she had few opportunities to do so. Truthfully, she enjoyed most artistic activities, and Lady Matlock and Mrs. Gardiner ensured her that she would have the opportunity to pursue these at school.

"I could go to school to learn art with masters," she exclaimed. "That sounds wonderful! I have always enjoyed drawing and various artistic pursuits, but opportunities have been scarce. Mama and Lydia always thought it a worthless endeavour." This last was said with an uncertain glance toward her elder sisters since Kitty was uncertain how they would interpret her comment.

The ladies all exchanged glances, reassured by Kitty's positive reaction. "You shall have ample opportunities to explore and develop your artistic talents at school, my dear," Lady Matlock assured her, smiling warmly. "And when you are prepared for your coming out in society, I will assist you. Perhaps you and Georgiana will be able to come out the same year."

Meanwhile, Lydia received the news with less enthusiasm. "School?" she scoffed, a disapproving frown marring her features. "What nonsense! I do not need any further instruction as I am ready to catch a husband. All I require are a few fine dresses, a dowry, and the chance to flirt and tease with young men, preferably one in uniform who can support me in style. Surely Mr. Darcy possesses enough wealth to ensure I will make a good match."

At this, Lady Matlock fixed Lydia with a stern gaze, her resolve evident. "Lydia," she began, her voice carrying a weight of authority, "while a fine dress and dowry may catch a man's initial attention, it takes more than that to sustain a lasting and meaningful connection. A lady's accomplishments extend beyond mere flirtation. You must understand that society demands more than a charming facade. In truth, most men would not marry a girl who can do little other than flirt because they would have no guarantee she would stop once she ‘captured' him."

Lydia, undeterred, tossed her head defiantly. "Well, I have plenty of charm and beauty, and that's more than enough! Who needs all those silly accomplishments when a smile and a twirl of the hair can do the trick?"

Lady Matlock's expression remained unyielding as she continued, "Charm and beauty can only carry you so far, child. A true lady is admired for her intellect, grace, and ability to navigate social situations with poise. It is not just about catching a husband; it's about being a respected and accomplished woman in your own right."

Lydia, clearly unimpressed, countered, "Respected? I would rather be adored and envied. And accomplishments? What good are they if they do not catch me a handsome husband?"

Elizabeth responded to this swiftly, chidingly. "Lydia, a woman with substance is far more appealing than one with empty charms. No man wants to marry a trollop who flirts with every gentleman she meets. A husband worth having will value a lady who brings more to the union than superficial allure. Your future lies in cultivating a character that will be admired, not just noticed."

Lydia huffed, crossing her arms in defiance and glaring at her sisters, aunt, and the countess. "Well, we shall see about that. Once I am married to a wealthy gentleman, we can discuss the importance of all these accomplishments. Until then, I will do as I want. You cannot make me go to school."

Over the next few days, Elizabeth and Jane frequently repeated this conversation with Lydia. Lydia remained defiant, though she eventually capitulated with a promise of being permitted to shop if she attended school without a fuss and did as the teachers required. Any attempts to escape or refusals to comply with the rules would cost her both pin money and the ability to shop. This, along with the promise of some time in London at the end of the school term, eventually garnered Lydia's tentative acceptance, though she was still disinclined to the idea and hoped to find a better option.

However, Elizabeth soon began to notice that not all was well with Lydia. At the picnic, her youngest sister had been her usual loud and boisterous self with her cousins that day, but since then, she had become increasingly withdrawn, her laughter sounding hollow, her smiles forced. Despite her efforts to maintain a facade of normalcy, Lydia's nerves were stretched thin. She became increasingly withdrawn, her laughter sounding hollow, her smiles forced. Elizabeth and their aunt noticed the change in her sister's demeanour, her brow furrowing with concern.

"Lydia, is everything well?" Elizabeth asked one evening, as the family sat together in the drawing room of Pemberley, the soft glow of candlelight casting flickering shadows across the walls.

Lydia hesitated, torn between the desire to confide in her sister and the fear of burdening her with her troubles. But as she met Elizabeth's gaze, she saw the genuine concern reflected in her eyes, and she knew she couldn't keep her secret any longer.

"Elizabeth, I… I saw Mr. Wickham," Lydia admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Here, on the grounds of Pemberley, the day of the picnic."

Elizabeth's eyes widened in alarm, her hand reaching out to grasp Lydia's. "Are you certain?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

Lydia nodded; her throat constricted with emotion. "Yes. He… he approached me when I was out for a walk. It was… unsettling. I admit I was outside by myself; I had slipped the guard and wanted a few minutes alone."

Belying the tense set of her jaw, Elizabeth squeezed her sister's hand reassuringly. "You did the right thing by coming to me, Lydia. We must tell William at once. He will know how to handle this."

Lydia felt a surge of gratitude for her sister's support. She had not always been a good sister, but all the girls had grown closer together since their departure from Longbourn. Not only that, but the encounter with Wickham had left her unsettled and afraid.

"What did he say to you, Lyddie?" Elizabeth asked.

For a moment, Lydia was lost in thought, recalling what had transpired. Then, she began. "I felt restless after the picnic and was still upset about the idea of going to school. I was a little anxious about what Aunt Gardiner and Lady Matlock had said to me about my behaviour, and I have been watching how Georgiana behaves. Kitty and Mary started spending more time with her and Anne and I was feeling … a bit lost, I suppose. So, I snuck out for a walk, intentionally avoiding everyone's notice."

Lydia paused to think, and Elizabeth wisely kept quiet. She knew better than to push Lydia when she was like this and so allowed her to speak. "Since you returned from Kent, everything has been different. Everything I thought I understood—what Mama said about catching husbands—nothing was as it once was. I was walking quickly, thinking about these things when I ran into Mr. Wickham. I asked him what he was doing at Pemberley and moved to put some space between us. He was … hateful about your marriage to Mr. Darcy and the way he looked at me …" she trailed off, shuddering in recollection. "I was frightened," she said in a small voice.

Elizabeth reached out to clasp her sister's hands and squeeze them, whispering, "What did he say to you?"

"He asked about your marriage and tried to get me to stay longer. I am not certain what he intended, but the look in his eye …" again she paused, her eyes wide. "…I think he would have hurt me if he had the chance. He tried to block me, but I ran away as fast as I could toward the gardens and people. He followed for a moment, but as soon as I was in sight of the house, he stopped."

Elizabeth, growing concerned at the blank expression on her sister's face, asked hesitantly, "Lydia?"

"I am well now, Lizzy, but he frightened me. I know I should have spoken up sooner, but I was uncertain what to do or who to tell. Mr. Darcy has been so kind already and I hate to be more of a bother to you."

Elizabeth sighed. "You should have spoken to someone sooner. It would not have been a bother," she agreed, her words scolding, but her tone gentle.

"I know," Lydia said, her eyes fixed on her hands in her lap.

Concerned,Darcy suddenly approached the pair, having seen from the look on Elizabeth's face that she was upset. "What is wrong, my dear?"

Elizabeth looked pointedly at her sister, who nodded almost imperceptibly. "William, Lydia was approached by Wickham on the day of the picnic. She had left the house without an escort, and he encountered her just on the edge of the garden."

Though he said nothing, the tightness of his jaw indicated he was upset at this and while Elizabeth likely knew where his anger was directed, Lydia did not.

"I am sorry for not saying something sooner, Mr. Darcy," she said in a quiet voice, so unlike Lydia's normal self that it caused both of them to stare at her in surprise.

The fear in her voice made Darcy turn to her, taking her hand in his and squeezing it lightly. "I am not angry with you, Lydia. You did know better than to leave the house without an escort, and I hope you have learned your lesson. Presently, I am more concerned with learning what Wickham intends and thinking about how to act. It is unfortunate that Richard and my uncle are on the way to Wales with Lady Catherine as I could use Richard's assistance."

Both ladies nodded at this. "Then you are not upset with me?" Lydia asked again.

Darcy smiled at his youngest sister by marriage. "No, Lyddie, I am not. While I might have wished you said something sooner, you have done so now. We will need to be more cautious for the nonce, and I will inform the staff that they need to be on their guard."

Then, looking down at his watch, he realised it was late enough that he could suggest they all retire. He met briefly with Mr. Gardiner before retiring to the room shared with his wife who was sitting at her vanity brushing her hair, already attired in a night rail and dressing gown.

"What will you do, William?" she asked as he entered. She stood and walked to him, pressing a light kiss to his cheek before she began performing the office of his valet.

He was quiet as she helped him untie his cravat and remove his coat and waistcoat. Then, he toed off his shoes before pulling Elizabeth tightly into his embrace. "You are not to leave the house without an escort, my love, and preferably not at all," he whispered as he held her.

Inhaling deeply and letting it out slowly, she attempted to let go of the frustration such a demand caused in her. "Fitzwilliam, I am inclined to forgive your officiousness, since I know it to be related to your concern regarding Wickham, but I would have you know that I had already determined the same. I would not deliberately put myself in danger and I am intelligent enough to know that I am Wickham's target. All my sisters will need to be warned to be cautious."

"Before we retired, I spoke to Gardiner briefly. I will speak to the staff on the morrow, particularly the groundskeepers and the stable hands. Likewise, I will ask the steward to find some extra men who might be hired to patrol the grounds until Wickham is caught. The man is notorious around here and no one will think much of it, especially when they are informed that he deserted from the militia." He sighed heavily and scrubbed his face. "I will need to write to Forster and your uncle as well, to let them know of the sighting."

"Come, dearest, that is a matter for tomorrow. Let us retire for the night and I will do all that I can to keep you from worrying, at least for tonight," she teased, causing his lips to twitch up into the barest shadow of a smile.

"I am so delighted to be married to you, my dearest, loveliest, Elizabeth," he said, kissing her. He pulled away after only a moment to say, "and even more pleased to have you in my bed." This last was said with a growl, and then, without warning, picked her up and carried her to their bed where the problem with Wickham was forgotten, at least for the night.

Early the following morning, Darcy met with his staff to inform them of the potential trespasser upon Pemberley's grounds. Men were organised into teams to search any of the several outbuildings on Pemberley's grounds. Residents of Lambton and Kympton were warned of the possible presence of Wickham in the vicinity and his threat to those at Pemberley. The area was well aware of Wickham's infamous reputation, and many men harboured grudges against him for his misdeeds in his youth. That he was a deserter from the militia made people even more eager to discover him.

Unfortunately, Wickham was not found on the first day, nor the second. While there were signs indicating his recent use of one of the outbuildings, he seemed to have either been absent when the cottage was inspected, or he had somehow become aware of their efforts. Only traces of his presence rather than his actual whereabouts, but among his things they found a letter from Lady Catherine detailing her plan to have Wickham eliminate Elizabeth from Darcy's life, along with a ring she had given him as a part of the payment for his services. With these confiscated, Wickham would likely be unable to claim his reward, and he had lost the potential of funds he would receive in selling the jewellery.

This discovery was less pleasing to Darcy than some might have hoped. He had evidence tying his aunt and Wickham, evidence his family could use if required, but he worried that taking away this hope of a reward from his aunt would make Wickham even more desperate to somehow cause harm to his family.