“I do not,” Darcy added reflectively, “consider it a bad matter that those words were nailed into my mind.Rather the opposite.Yougave me the impetus to become a better man, a man who might become worthy of the affections of a woman who is worthy of admiration — I do not say I have succeeded entirely, for I do yet have great pride, but I always seek to be honestly concerned in the wellbeing of those around me, I always seek to treat those beneath me in a courteous manner, and I ask myself how I would wish to be treated if I was in such a condition and state as they, and I make that a guide to my actions.Further, I have made an effort to not stick my nose in business where it does not belong, thoughthatI confess has in some ways been harder and less rewarding than my attempt to be more courteous.”
“You mean to avoid such behavior as what you showed towards Bingley?”
“Aye.I talked with him about the matter, a year or two ago, and he confessed it had been a full year before he ceased to compare every woman to Miss Bennet.I parted a couple with a full potential for happiness.I hope Miss Bennet has not suffered greatly — has she married?”
“She has, to a poor vicar, but she is very happy with him.”Elizabeth smiled softly, her eyes dreamy.“I do like him very much.I confess helooksa little like Bingley, and has similar manners.And he is loved greatly by everyone in the parish.They have no great store of money, and should the marriage be particularly fruitful it will be a struggle to see the children all settled respectably, but there is a deep contentment in both of them.And I should not overstate their difficulties in matters of money; they have a maid of all work, and a comfortable parsonage.They do rather better than most persons.”
“And your other sisters?”
“Ah, Lydia — for a kindness her fate turned out not so bad as we feared.Did you ever hear that she ran off, believing she would marryanothergentleman lacking in every respectable feeling of our acquaintance?”
“Good God.Mr.Wickham — you do refer to Mr.Wickham?”
“I do.”
“I have some guilt in that, for not having denounced him for what he was.”
“Nonsense, the blame rests entirely with two people, and you are neither of them.”
“What happened — I cannot believe he married her.How was it not so bad?”
“She married in the end, someone else.”Elizabeth frowned at the coverlet covering her lap and paused with a sad look in her eyes.Carriage wheels passed along the square outside.“I remember how Papa looked when he came back from searching for her.I miss him very much, you know.”
“I still miss my papa as well.”
Elizabeth stretched forward her hand and gripped Darcy’s.Her fingers were strong despite her illness, and he thought she wished to comfort them both for the loss of a good parent.
“Lydia’s elopement seemed at the time the worst fate we could imagine.The trip that year I took with my uncle to the Lakes was interrupted just as we reached so far north by the news of it.Jane at first believed theywouldmarry.But with the name of the man she had run off, supposedly towards Scotland with in the letter… I knew in an instant the disaster was certain.”
“Mr.Wickham,” Darcy stated flatly.
“A single name, all therein described.”
“I would I allowed my cousin to run him through after he—”
Darcy glanced at Becky, who stood up as the sun was setting and quickly bustled around lighting a half dozen candles before returning to her knitting.
“Colonel Fitzwilliam?”Elizabeth asked.
“General Fitzwilliam now, but yes.He wanted to.”
Elizabeth laughed, her dark eyes dancing in the light from the candles that had been set out as the sunset progressed.“I remember his manner, a charming and personable gentleman.I liked him very much, but he had that manner about him, the sort of man who you would not be surprised in the slightest to hear that he shot a man’s brains through in a duel where the right was entirely on his side.”
“Mr.Wickham was far too frightened of General Fitzwilliam to face him in a fair duel on any account.And rightly too.My cousin is a capable man.”
“And a general now.Employed, I must imagine.”
“He leads one of the divisions of the occupying army in France near Cambrai.Though he is in London at present as they are gathering the second battalion of his regiment.”
“I would wish to hello him, but I fear that in all cases a secret kept to as few hands as possible is always superior.”
“Yes.”Darcy frowned.“Though if matters become dangerous, he is a capable man who may help us.I would have already spoken to him, if Lachglass was not his cousin on his mother’s side.”
Elizabeth stared down at her hands.Her hands clenched and gripped the soft red duvet and then she forced herself to relax the fist.“Things will not turn dangerous.He lives yet, and all other matters will clear up in a decent frame of time.”
“Lydia, she was abandoned by Wickham?”
“Yes, or at least that is what I assume.When she did send letters to us again, following her marriage, she did not give any detailed account of that period of time.”
