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Elliot shook his aching head. “Not the slightest. I can remember no symptom of affection on either side!”
There was little more to be said on the subject between the three of them than that, but with few other options they did rehash that same conversation over and over before they eventually arrived at Longbourn some days later.
Jack met them at the door, his pale face lined with worry and his moustache now a full-grown beard. He looked quite wild and that more than anything underlined the precariousness of their situation to Elliot.
“Where is papa?” he asked.
“He had left already,” Jack said. “I did counsel him to await our uncles, but he left with Colonel Forster to begin investigations. We have since had a letter from him to tell us that he has had no success in tracking them down.”
The Gardiners quickly conferred with themselves on this news, and it was agreed by all that excepting a quick comfort break, and a chance for something to eat and to drink, they would be on their way again before night fell.
Elliot was immensely grateful for his uncles’ aid. Given the scandalous nature of it all they could well have removed themselves from the situation, continuing on alone to London, and provided no assistance at all. He busied himself with helping their preparations as he talked the situation through with Jack, and before long the much-abused carriage was ready to leave and all that remained was a conference with Mrs. Bennet.
“If I had been able to carry my point in going to Brighton, with all my family, this would not have happened,” she said as the Gardiners took their leave of her. “But poor dear Louis had nobody to take care of him. Why did the Forsters ever let him go out of their sight? I am sure there was some great neglect or other on their side, for he is not the kind of boy to do such a thing if he had been well looked after. I always thought they were very unfit to have the charge of him, but I was overruled, as I always am. Poor dear child! And now here’s Mr. Bennet gone away, and I know he will fight Wickham, wherever he meets him and then he will be killed, and what is to become of us all? The Collinses will turn us out before he is cold in his grave, and if you are not kind to us, brothers, I do not know what we shall do.”
They all exclaimed against such terrific ideas, and Mr. Gardiner, after general assurances of his affection for Mrs. Bennet and all her family, told her that they would assist Mr. Bennet in every endeavour for recovering Louis.
“Do not give way to useless alarm,” he added. “Though it is right to be prepared for the worst, there is no occasion to look on it as certain. It is not quite a week since they left Brighton. In a few days more we may gain some news of them and till we know that they are not married, and have no design of marrying, do not let us give the matter over as lost.”
“Oh! my dear brother,” replied Mrs. Bennet, “That is exactly what I could most wish for. And you must assure me that when you get to town that you will make them marry! And as for wedding clothes, do not let them wait for that, but tell Louis he shall have as much money as he chooses to buy them, after they are married. And, above all, keep Mr. Bennet from fighting. He knows what a dreadful state I am in, that I am frighted out of my wits—and have such tremblings, such flutterings, all over me—such spasms in my side and pains in my head, and such beatings at heart, that I can get no rest by night nor by day!”
“Papa is well aware of your afflictions, mama,” Elliot said even as he had to take several deep breaths listening to Mrs. Bennet’s rewrites of recent events. Try as he might, Elliot could not forget that she had encouraged Louis to go to Brighton and knowing full well that he was up to all sorts of mischief! But then, at the same time, he couldn’t help but think on how they had also neglected Louis…they should have taken him in hand months ago and put paid to his wild behaviour!
The Gardiners left not long after that. Elliot and Jack then left Mrs. Bennet—busy berating the household staff including the much abused housekeep, Hill—and joined Christian and Marc in the dining room. Christian was glum indeed and no doubt felt betrayed by his younger brother and comrade in arms. Marc on the other hand was viewing the whole thing with a grave countenance and began whispering to Elliot the moment he sat down at the table.
“This is a most unfortunate affair,” he said. “And will probably be much talked of. But we must stem the tide of malice by ensuring that we provide brotherly support and consolation.”
“How will that stem the tide of malice?” Christian asked.
“Perhaps not stem it,” Marc conceded. “But certainly, we can learn a lesson from it. Unhappy as the event must be for Louis, it has made clear to us all how irretrievable the loss of a good reputation is. One false step and Louis is in endless ruin.” He shook his head. “An omega cannot be too much guarded in his behaviour, that much is obvious.”
Elliot was both amazed and in agreement with Marc’s words for there was truth in them, but it was a truth Elliot would rather not confront just then. However, later in the afternoon, the two elder Bennets were able to be for half-an-hour by themselves, and Elliot directed the conversation in such a way for them to consider the wretched reality of their situation.
“How was Colonel Forster when he arrived?” Elliot asked.
“I must confess that he did not speak so well of Wickham as he formerly did,” Jack replied. “He believed him to be imprudent and extravagant. And since this sad affair has taken place, it is said that he left Meryton greatly in debt, owing monies to numerous tradesmen and women.”
“I cannot find myself to be surprised by that,” Elliot said.
Jack pointed to the letter that Colonel Forster had brought with him. It was a letter sent to his wife from Louis talking of his elopement—or what he perceived as an elopement. “I never saw anyone so shocked as our papa when he read that,” Jack said. “He could not speak a word for full ten minutes. Mother was taken ill immediately, and the whole house in such confusion!”
“You have borne this alone,” Elliot said.
“You came as soon as able.”
“And now we are to do nothing but wait!”
“There is no other option,” Jack said. “To be anywhere near Louis right now…”
“Scandal,” Elliot whispered, and they looked at each other then, their thoughts on the same lines.
“The impact on us all…” Jack began, but he did not continue. He did not need to.
“If Louis is found and married off then we are tarnished,” Elliot said. “No respectable person will wish to marry us with that tarnish but perhaps we would still be able to find useful apprenticeships.”
“Our friends in Meryton?—”
“Yes,” Elliot agreed because he was thinking of all Jack’s previous suitors and that following this Jack would have to be the one grateful for their attention, not the other way round. “I’m sure they will still stand by us.”
