Chapter 2

“I cannot understand what he was doing there!” Lydia uttered. “Kitty and I were having a pleasant walk with Wickham and Denny, and I am sure they would have come into the house for refreshments. Then suddenly Mr Darcy appeared and ruined everything! We tried to get rid of him, but he insisted on coming to Longbourn!”

“What did he have to say to you, my dear?” Mrs Bennet enquired of her husband.

“Some gentlemen’s affairs. But Lydia, did I understand correctly? You and Kitty were walking with two officers, one of whom you only met a few days ago?”

“Yes, Papa. We were coming from Lucas Lodge, and we met them, and they offered to escort us. They are both exceedingly amiable and funny, and Mr Wickham is the most handsome man I have ever met.”

“How lovely! I am sorry I did not have the chance to meet them,” Mrs Bennet said. “Perhaps next time they will come in.”

“I feel like we are speaking different languages,” Mr Bennet declared. “There will be no next time, Mrs Bennet! And I forbid Lydia and Kitty from going to Meryton without one of their elder sisters or parents. A girl of fifteen should not be alone in secluded places, far from home, with officers! Have you all lost your minds?”

Mr Bennet’s outburst — so rarely, if ever, seen before — left the ladies speechless and dumbfounded.

“I shall be in my library with no more interruptions, I hope,” he concluded before anyone recovered enough to reply.

“What on earth has come over your father?” Mrs Bennet enquired a few minutes later.

“I am sure Mr Darcy said something to infuriate him. This is so unfair and unreasonable!” Lydia said.

“Lydia, it was you who told Papa about your walk with the officers,” Jane interjected gently. “And I do not think he is being unreasonable. He is only trying to protect you from danger.”

“That is true!” Kitty added. “It was you who told him, Lydia! But Mama, you must force Papa to change his mind. What danger can there be when we are with the officers?”

Elizabeth was intrigued about Mr Darcy’s unexpected visit, and her family’s conversation made her uncomfortable.

Mr Darcy was not acquainted with her father, and his arrogance would never allow him to introduce himself to someone so below him. So what had been his business at Longbourn?

The previous evening, Mr Wickham had kindly revealed to her the painful and shocking story of his past dealings with Mr Darcy. Why would a man who had not hesitated to disregard his father’s wishes and had condemned his childhood friend to poverty come to Longbourn unexpectedly — and at the same time as Mr Wickham? It was puzzling and made no sense at all — just like her father’s behaviour.

Lydia and Kitty were accustomed to walking into Meryton alone and had been doing so for two years. The distance was short, and the road and paths that led there were good — there had never been a concern for their safety. And, while she agreed Lydia was too young to be out at parties, she could not see a danger in her sisters being escorted by two honourable officers. Mr Bennet was rarely inclined to address a situation with more effort than was warranted, so she was perplexed by his actions.

While her mother and sisters continued to chat, Jane leant towards her and whispered, “Lizzy, what do you think Mr Darcy talked to Papa about? Could it be regarding Mr Bingley?”

“Oh, I doubt that. I mean, Papa had not even been introduced to Mr Darcy before, while he and Mr Bingley have spoken on several occasions. I cannot imagine Mr Bingley not speaking for himself and sending his friend instead.”

“True… It was too unexpected and too improper a visit to have been requested by Mr Bingley,” Jane admitted.

“I shall wait a little longer, until Papa composes himself, then try to speak to him,” Elizabeth said.

Her plan was hastened by the return of Mr Collins, who was still in awe after his meeting with Mr Darcy. There was nothing more annoying, so she excused herself from the room.

As she had never done before, Elizabeth stopped in the hall, hesitant to enter the library. She knocked and, as she heard no answer, tapped again.

“Papa?” she called softly.

“Yes, Lizzy, come in. Did they send you to ask me to change my mind?”

“No, Papa. It is not for me to change your decision. I am just worried, and I wanted to know how you are feeling.” She paused, bearing her father’s scrutiny. “And yes, I admit I am curious about Mr Darcy’s visit. To my knowledge, you two were not even acquainted. Am I too bold to ask what he wanted?”

“Yes, we were not acquainted until earlier today. And yes, you are bold to ask, but I expected no less from you. I shall satisfy your curiosity as soon as you clarify something for me.”

“Of course, Papa.”

“I heard you girls mention something at breakfast about Mr Darcy and Mr Wickham being enemies. I cared little about such rumours before now. May I ask how you acquired that piece of information?”

Mr Bennet was speaking in his usual dry tone, which Elizabeth recognised too well, so she smiled.

“Mr Wickham told me himself. We were in Meryton when we first met him. While we were speaking, Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley appeared, and it was obvious by their coldness towards each other that Mr Darcy and Mr Wickham were not friends. Furthermore, Mr Darcy left, leaving Mr Bingley there.”

“Did he?”

“Yes. Then last evening, at Aunt Phillips’s card party, I spoke to Mr Wickham, and he told me how unfairly Mr Darcy had treated him. In truth, the injustice Mr Wickham suffered was so terrible that it deserves to be publicly exposed.”

Elizabeth became more animated as she spoke and supported the cause of her favourite. Mr Bennet’s expression revealed his curiosity.

“So, Mr Wickham just told you about his life’s misfortunes?”

“Yes.”

“At Mrs Phillips’s party?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Why?” Elizabeth repeated. “What do you mean, Papa?”

“Why would a stranger who had just met a woman about whom he knew nothing tell her of his private affairs?”

“I believe he trusted me, Papa.”

“Trusted you? Why?” Mr Bennet insisted. “He knew nothing about you — he could not know you were trustworthy. To him, you were just one of many women he had met in Meryton, and to you, he was just one of the many officers in the regiment.”

Elizabeth needed a moment to consider her father’s words and to form an answer. The more she thought about it, the more it muddied her understanding.

“Are you delighted to hear my cousin Mr Collins talking about Lady Catherine de Bourgh?”

“Not at all!”

“But you did enjoy listening to a stranger, with no connection to your family, talking about the private events of his past.”

Again, Elizabeth’s puzzlement increased, together with her discomfort.

“What do you mean, Papa? What do you imply?”

“I imply nothing, as I know too little of the truth. But I cannot remember a single situation in my life where I shared my misfortunes with a new acquaintance — either man or woman.”

“So…you are suggesting Mr Wickham lied to me, Papa? Why would he do that?”

“I can hardly guess, since I do not know what he told you.”

“He told me his father had been the steward of the late Mr Darcy. That same Mr Darcy had been his godfather and had loved him very much, even supporting him at school. Before he died, he requested that a good living in Derbyshire be given to Mr Wickham when it fell vacant, as well as one thousand pounds.”

“And?”

“When the time came, the young Mr Darcy refused to honour the request, exposing Mr Wickham to a relative state of poverty, as he still suffers today. I do not believe any excuse can justify the intentional dismissal of someone’s dying wishes.”

“This is quite a story, Lizzy. One that is a little too convoluted for me to understand. So, Mr Wickham and Mr Darcy are long-standing acquaintances.”

“Yes.”

“If Mr Wickham knew about his godfather’s wish, it means it was publicly expressed. Was it in a will?”

“No. Apparently, it was clear enough but left to the discretion of the present master, who chose not to honour it, probably out of envy and revenge.”

“But did Mr Wickham receive the sum of one thousand pounds?”

“He said he did.”

“And why would Mr Darcy give him the money but not the living?”

“I…I do not know, Papa. I have not thought of that before.”

“Mr Darcy could also have refused to give him the money if he wished to. However, he did not. It was only later, when the living became vacant, he refused to grant it. It is quite obvious that something happened during that time. And it is obvious that the late Mr Darcy trusted his son to decide either way.”

“Papa, you seem to mistrust Mr Wickham, and I wonder why.”

“You, Lizzy, seem to trust Mr Wickham completely, and I wonder why.”

“I am afraid we cannot agree on this matter. Will you not tell me what the purpose of Mr Darcy’s visit was?”

“I shall. He was apparently worried about seeing your sisters alone with the officers. He came to speak to me, regardless of how improper his visit was, in order to warn me. He specifically said Mr Wickham is not to be trusted around young girls.”

Elizabeth stared at her father, stunned, struggling with the gravity of his words.

“He said what? How dare he make such an accusation! Such audacity! And you believed him?”

“I was as surprised as you are, Lizzy. I even implied to Mr Darcy that he might be biased about Mr Wickham, due to their history. Strangely, Mr Darcy did not try to convince me, nor did he try to tell me anything about the story you just related to me. He simply stated it was his duty to express his concern.”

“Oh…this is… Why would he even take the trouble to come here and speak to you? Why would he care?”

“Exactly, Lizzy. That is what I have been wondering since he left. He took a lot of trouble with this visit, and he has nothing to gain from it. There could not have been another reason for his call other than his genuine concern.”

“I cannot believe his opinion is fair, Papa!”

“And yet, he does not seem the kind of man to speak without proof. In fact, he does not seem to be the sort of man you described, Lizzy.”

“I was told he is capable of making a good impression, when and if he pleases.”

“His opinion of you appears good, which was another surprise.”

“That cannot be true. Just as his assertions about Mr Wickham cannot be true either.”

“We shall see. For now, I am unwilling to take any risk. As I said, your sisters will not leave the house by themselves. And I expect prudence from you too, Lizzy.”

“You give Mr Darcy too much credit, Papa. I hope he is worthy of it.”

“Just as you give Mr Wickham too much credit, Lizzy. One of us will certainly be disappointed, and I wonder who.”

The conversation ended without resolution, leaving Elizabeth distressed. She had no reason to doubt Mr Wickham, but her father’s concerns could not be overlooked.

Her common sense forced her to question things she had simply accepted as being true.

Apparently, both Mr Wickham and Mr Darcy required much more attention and consideration to make a proper sketch of their characters. She had not enough information for a thorough examination, and any detail would be helpful. The Netherfield ball was to take place in five days’ time, and she wondered whether she would have the chance to see either of the gentlemen before then.

Mr Collins’s presence, his annoying attentions towards her, and his irritating voice were not helpful and only increased her vexation, especially when he began praising Mr Darcy again.