Page 75 of Bitterness of Spirit

In a corner, Darcy and the colonel watched with embarrassment, unsure whether their presence was needed or unwanted. Darcy glanced at Elizabeth from time to time, but she avoided him.

“How in the world could you elope with Wickham?” Mr. Bennet asked Lydia. Then he glared at her companion. “Or better said, Mr. Wickham, are you out of your mind?”

“I believe Elizabeth and Madeleine should take Lydia upstairs. That is the only reason I called them here. For the rest, this is a man’s job. We have to settle this business with Wickham,” Wilson said harshly.

“I am not going anywhere,” Lydia cried. “You cannot make me! I love Wickham, and I will marry him! He might not be as wealthy as Mr. Bingley, but he is more handsome, and I will be at least as happy as Jane!”

“Lydia, please be reasonable. You have caused enough trouble for one evening,” Elizabeth said in low voice, glaring at Wickham’s impertinent face.

“I will not be reasonable until you are. You would not allow me attend the ball; you will not let me marry. You never let me do anything! And you are just jealous, Lizzy, because Wickham was once your favourite and now he wants to marry me!”

“Lydia!” Elizabeth cried with appalled distress. “Mind your words!”

“I am only telling the truth!”

Tension was heavy in the room full of people, none of whom wanted to be there. Darcy and the colonel looked at each other and at the others. Embarrassment was mutual and overwhelming, each trying to silently apologize as if they were at fault.

“Sir, we can leave if you prefer,” Darcy offered. “However, if we may be of any help, please do not worry about our secrecy. We have dealt with Wickham many times, and nothing he does astonishes us any longer.”

Mr. Gardiner responded, “We have nothing to hide from you except our shame, Mr. Darcy, and we certainly do not doubt your discretion. We are grateful for your timely intervention. If not for your fortunate presence, we would have probably found my niece too late for any reasonable conclusion. We should have been more careful, but we never suspected any partiality between her and Mr Wickham, nor did we imagine he was still in Town. I cannot imagine when they could have planned this elopement.”

“Wickham is very skilful at devising schemes; you must not blame yourself. And you should not blame Miss Lydia, either. I am sure she believed him to be honest in his proposal.”

“You should not listen to Darcy’s mischievous accusations, Mr. Bennet. I have nothing but the most honourable intentions regarding Miss Lydia,” Wickham claimed.

Wilson glared at him. “Do you? So honourable that you convinced a fifteen-year-old girl to desert her family in the middle of the night? From my house? From my protection? And how did you communicate with her? Did you secretly write to her? Have you made her sneak out of the house at other times too? I should kill you where you stand.”

“Don’t you dare hurt him,” Lydia cried and ran to Wickham’s arms, embracing him.

The man continued his explanation with apparent sincerity. “Sir, we decided to elope because we suspected you would not approve our union. And understandably so, as I admit my present financial situation is very ill; I can barely afford to live on my income as I am overwhelmed with past debts. So any father might wonder how such a man could support his daughter. But I assure you, I am doing everything I can to improve my situation, and a family’s support is everything I need to provide a decent life for my future wife. Perhaps it will not be as comfortable as I would like at first, but my wife will want for nothing; I give you my word.”

“I do not want anything so long as I marry Wickham! I can live in the woods and eat leaves if I can be with him. I need nothing more!” Lydia cried again, tearfully.

The scene was so embarrassing that Elizabeth and her aunt were pale with shame. The gentlemen glanced around, no one able to decide how to proceed.

Lydia and Wickham continued to embrace, and for a moment, they seemed the image of genuine affection and devotion.

“I believe Mr. Bennet should speak to Miss Lydia privately. And we have to discuss several matters with Wickham.” Darcy’s own recollections stirred his distress, and although Georgiana had never been so careless and loud in her opposition, he could remember her pained expression when he told her the truth about Wickham.

Wickham responded, “Mr. Bennet should know I have genuine affection for Miss Lydia. I understand that I placed her in a compromising situation although it was not exposed publicly. I am willing to accept any arrangement that Mr. Bennet considers appropriate.

Mrs. Gardiner was outraged. “What sort of ‘arrangement’ might be appropriate when a young girl of fifteen—almost a child—is involved? Lydia cannot be trusted to know her heart and her mind, and she is certainly unable to make a decision that will affect the rest of her life.”

“I completely agree with Mrs. Gardiner. That is why I suggested continuing this conversation tomorrow after proper rest and sound consideration,” Darcy concluded.

“Yes, but I will marry Wickham no matter what! Nothing and nobody will change my mind,” Lydia cried, holding Wickham even tighter.

“Mr. Darcy’s suggestion is wise,” Elizabeth finally spoke. “Come, Lydia, let us go upstairs. Tomorrow we shall see what can be done.”

“I am not going anywhere until Papa promises to let me marry Wickham!”

“Lydia!” Mrs. Gardiner tried to intervene.

“No ‘Lydia,’ Aunt! I am determined, and nobody can change my mind.”

“Miss Lydia, your behaviour towards your father and your aunt is far from what I expect from someone who lives in my house. This must change immediately. And I would like a word with Wickham too,” Mr. Wilson spoke severely.

“Please do not be upset with Miss Lydia. Her affection honours and touches me deeply, and I am sure we shall find a reasonable conclusion to this delicate situation,” Wickham said with an apparent attempt at a truce.