Chapter 3

"G irls, you are home! You will never believe what happened! Your father is an old friend of Lord Matlock's! An earl! He is also Mr Darcy's uncle! They called, with Mr Bingley — all three of them! Your father knowing an earl! Who could imagine?"

"Mama, we just saw Lord Matlock, Mr Darcy, and Mr Bingley in Meryton," Elizabeth explained. "They escorted us home. I first met the earl yesterday."

"Yes, he told me. He said you were lovely and charming! Who am I to contradict him? Do you know he has two sons? The eldest one is married, but the youngest is a colonel and still single!"

"It was such an extraordinary moment to meet Lord Matlock and Mr Darcy," Mr Collins interjected. "I cannot wait to tell Lady Catherine de Bourgh! She will be surprised, I am sure!"

"And Mama, we met a new officer. Mr Wickham. He is exceedingly handsome. The most handsome of all the officers!" Lydia said.

"Forgive me, I shall go and speak to Papa," Elizabeth said, eager to escape the din of voices. In the library, she found her father reading, with a glass of brandy on the table. When she entered, he raised his eyes from his book and gazed at her.

"You are home, Lizzy. I heard your mother's voice. She has still not calmed down, even though Henry left some time ago."

"We met the earl and his companions in Meryton, and they walked back with us. He is a very pleasant man, and without doubt, he is exceedingly happy that he saw you."

"It was a happy reunion, indeed. We have both changed a lot in almost thirty years, but somehow we have also remained the same."

"You sound happy too, Papa."

"I have very few friends, Lizzy, and I do not even like all of them. So seeing an old friend from my youth is a joy for which I am grateful."

"I understand we are invited to dine at Netherfield tomorrow?"

"We are. I am counting on the fact that they have a large and rich library and nobody uses it much. I am already curious about it."

"That is true. I found some interesting pieces when I stayed there. Besides Mr Darcy, nobody was interested in reading, though."

"Ah yes, Mr Darcy. He was here too. He does not resemble his uncle much, though Henry seemed to think highly of him. He praised Darcy a few times in the short while we all talked."

"I shall refrain from expressing an opinion about Mr Darcy. We have heard too many conflicting reports about him to properly sketch his character. His uncle and his friend might like and even praise him, while others could hold him in resentment and suffer because of him."

"You seem to have heard much more about Mr Darcy than I have. And I have not much interest in knowing more. He seems to have an interest in books and in business, Henry mentioned. That is enough for me."

With her father's decided refusal of further discussion on the subject, she chose not to mention anything about the incident with Mr Wickham.

"So, Papa, may I ask — if you were good friends with Lord Matlock, how did it happen that the two of you became completely estranged? London is not so far from Hertfordshire, and you are both educated men — you could write, you read about him in the newspapers I assume… It was not as though you lived across the world from each other."

"Ah…that is a good question, Lizzy. We talked about it a little and both wondered how we allowed such a complete separation."

Mr Bennet paused a moment and sipped from his glass.

"Now that I think more carefully, there were some reasons that caused the separation. The most important was the difference between our situations in life. Henry married an heiress, then he inherited the earldom and had two sons. His family lived most of the time in Derbyshire, at the Matlock estate. As for me, after I graduated from Cambridge with the highest marks, I found myself rather lost. I was proficient in the fields of law, literature, geography, history, even estate business, but I had too few connections and even less fortune."

"Oh…Lord Matlock married before you by several years?"

"Yes. By almost ten years. When I married, I had not seen him for at least three or four."

"But Papa, if your situation in life did not bother Lord Matlock when you were at university, why did it become an obstacle later on?"

"It was not my situation in life that became an obstacle but my attempt to help him in a delicate situation that caused a terrible fight between him and his family. His sisters and the late Mr Darcy were there, as well as Henry's father-in-law. It was a dreadful quarrel, though Mr Darcy and Lady Anne remained mostly silent. I tried to take his side, though he was not blameless. Lady Catherine accused him of acting imprudently and disregarding honour and decorum. Dreadful is not too strong a word to describe the scene."

"But Papa…how did it happen that you were present at such a quarrel in their family? It sounds like a personal matter."

"The matter was very personal and intimate. But except for Henry, I was the only one who possessed complete knowledge of the circumstances. I became deeply involved in trying to help my friend. In truth, I put the friendship above what was just."

"Oh dear… Papa, this sounds terrible."

"It was. But enough of this, Lizzy. I have already said too much on a matter I have kept secret for almost thirty years. Very few of those involved in that situation are still alive. Let us not share this discussion with anyone else. Not even with your sister Jane."

"Of course, Papa. As you wish."

"Now tell me, how was your visit to Meryton? Any interesting news? Was Mr Collins pleasant company?"

"Yes and no. I am begging you to not joke about Mr Collins, Papa! Mama already insists on her ridiculous expectations that I might marry him. I have to warn you that, if he proposes, I shall reject him. Nothing and nobody will convince me otherwise."

"I am warned, Lizzy. I certainly did not assume you might accept him."

"Poor Mr Collins. He was so overjoyed to meet Lord Matlock, but his enthusiasm was cut short by your friend."

"Yes, Henry has little patience for such effusions of adoration. We were always very much alike in that. But to me, the problem was not so worrisome. There were very few people willing to express their admiration for me."

Elizabeth laughed and embraced him. "I am certainly one of them, Papa! I shall always adore and admire you!"

"Thank you, my dear. But I would rather see you adore and admire a man who deserves you, who is clever enough to recognise your worthiness and kind enough to love you dearly. I pray to see you happily married, Lizzy. Not only you but all your sisters. I am more worried for you, though, as I know you would suffer if you married a man whom you could not love and respect."

Mr Bennet was serious — which rarely happened — and Elizabeth felt a knot of emotions in her stomach.

"Papa, I try to avoid Mama and her talk about marriage, but you have just introduced the very subject! There is no reason for such a discussion at this moment, I assure you."

"I know, my dear. I am not sure what came over me. Perhaps I should talk to your eldest sister. Mr Bingley appears quite charmed by her, and I would not be surprised if he has some further intentions towards her."

"I hope that is the case, Papa. Mr Bingley seems a very good match for Jane, in every way."

"Now let me finish my book, and then it will be time for dinner."

∞∞∞

"How is it possible that scoundrel joined the militia?" Lord Matlock asked Darcy. They were in the earl's room, just returned from Meryton. Darcy's astonishment at seeing Wickham was deep and painful, but he refrained from voicing it aloud. The earl, however, had no such scruples.

"I am as confused as you are, Uncle. I wonder where he found the money for the commission, as I am sure he cannot have earned it. An officer in the militia? What a poor joke."

"Could he have made some improvements in his character? Could he have decided to live honourably?"

"I hope so, but I doubt it. I shall have a private conversation with him tomorrow."

"When did you last see him prior to today?"

"A year or so ago," Darcy answered after a slight hesitation. The last time he had seen that scoundrel was four months ago, when he had attempted to deceive Georgiana and elope with her from Ramsgate. The earl did not know about that event, and Darcy intended to keep it that way.

"Good. Talk to him and let me know what he has to say. If you have the smallest suspicions about his intentions, I shall discuss it with Colonel Forster. He must know what sort of people join his regiment."

"I was always reluctant to reveal much about Wickham because of his connection with our family, particularly with my father. I must be cautious in my actions if I wish to protect our name and our comfort. I am thinking of the memory of my parents, as well as of Georgiana."

"Yes, I know. Your actions are driven by prudence, honour, and decorum more than mine have been," the earl answered in a particular tone and with an absent gaze into the fire that confused Darcy.

"Now let me rest a little, and then I shall change for dinner," Lord Matlock requested.

∞∞∞

An hour later, the entire party was gathered in the drawing room, except for the earl.

"You have been out visiting the Bennets for hours and hours, and now you have invited them to dinner tomorrow?" Miss Bingley questioned her brother. "I am sure Mr Darcy is as displeased as I am by your actions, Charles. I remember how appalled he was when Mrs Bennet and her daughters came here. Have you not considered how distressed he will be to bear that woman for an entire evening?"

"Bingley acted generously by inviting the Bennet family," Darcy interjected. "He did so to please my uncle. I am sure I shall bear their company well enough for a few hours."

"I am not sure I can be so strong! It will be insupportable to listen to Mrs Bennet and her youngest daughters talking nonsense for so long, and to observe Eliza Bennet's arrogant manners. The only pleasant person in that family is dear Jane!"

"Miss Bingley, if you find the Bennet family so unpleasant, we can cancel the dinner," Lord Matlock interjected, walking in. "Mr Bennet is an old friend with whom I have just reunited, but I can find other ways to enjoy his company. I can have dinner at Longbourn."

Miss Bingley blushed and mumbled an excuse, while Bingley responded with determination. "Lord Matlock, it is my greatest pleasure to have you here, and I look forward to having dinner with the Bennet family. I very much enjoy their company. If my sister disagrees, she may remove herself. She can very well eat in her room tomorrow evening."

"It was not my intention to offend you in any way, my lord," Miss Bingley said. "If I did, it was most unwittingly, and I beg your forgiveness. I am not acquainted with Mr Bennet, but as for the rest of the family — with the exception of Jane Bennet — I am sure you will soon agree with me."

"I met the entire family today, and I must say I found them very agreeable," Lord Matlock responded. "But there is no need for apologies. It is not unusual for different people to judge things differently."

"I could not agree more," Bingley said. "Since we arrived at Netherfield, I have constantly argued with my sisters and with Darcy about the Bennet family — and the entire neighbourhood, in fact. I have found everyone exceedingly charming, but they do not share my opinion."

"Now you have an ally," the earl replied.

"We are only trying to protect him from making an error that might affect his future life," Miss Bingley said. "My brother has a kind heart and is too easily impressed. He pays too much attention to his feelings and too little to his reason. One cannot act based on an impulse and cannot be hasty in making decisions that require thorough consideration."

"One should not, but one often does," the earl replied. "I do agree with your sister on this, young man," he continued, turning to Bingley. "Whatever you intend to do, search your heart and your mind and consider the consequences."

"That is what I intend to do, my lord," Bingley answered. "But it is not an impediment to dining with the Bennet family tomorrow."

"It certainly is not," the earl concluded, asking for a drink.