“I understand my old friend Darcy stood up with Mr. Bingley at the wedding.”
Elizabeth tensed. While she now knew of the truth between old Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham, she did not feel comfortable sharing those details with the major. After all, it would be difficult to explain how she had come to such intimate knowledge of their affairs.
“Yes, he did. I believe they are good friends,” she said cautiously.
“Mr. Bingley is quite fortunate, then. Darcy is a good man.”
Shocked, Elizabeth’s eyebrows flew up on her forehead. Wickham smiled ruefully. “I do not blame your surprise, Miss Bennet, at my making such a statement, especially given the tale I related to you when last we spoke.”
“Why, yes, I must admit to a certain amount of astonishment.”
“Three days ago, I received a visit from Darcy’s man of business. He came with a letter for me from Darcy, which explained everything that happened all those years ago. It’s rather private, else I would share it with you, but suffice it to say that I was completely wrong about everything. I had thought that Darcy… Well, you know what I thought. It turns out that Darcy actually fought for me until his father threatened… well…”
His voice trailed off, and Elizabeth hastened to reassure him that he need not say any more. “I completely understand the need for privacy, sir. You are under no obligation to reveal additional information that belongs between two gentlemen.”
He gave her a grateful smile. “I appreciate your discretion, Miss Bennet.”
“It must feel wonderful to know that your friend never betrayed you, and that he was as faithful to you as you were to him.”
“Oh, yes,” Wickham cried. “Even more so! For Darcy’s man also came with a bank note!”
“Really?” asked Elizabeth, stunned.
“Yes! For Darcy had remembered how his father had promised to pay for schooling and provide a living. When he saw me in uniform, his letter said he realized his father must not have kept that promise. So he sent a bank note worth the value of four years of Cambridge, plus what a preferment would have cost.”
“My word!”
“But please do not tell a soul,” Wickham begged. “I only tell you because I had made Darcy quite the villain to you, and I am determined that you shan’t think ill of him.”
“You may depend upon my silence,” she assured him.
“I knew I might. You didn’t tell anyone about Darcy before, either. With this fortune—and indeed, it is a fortune—I shall finally be able to marry how I choose.”
His eyes darted over to where Lydia and Kitty were sitting on the sofa with their aunt, speaking with some of the other officers. Elizabeth’s eyebrows raised once again, and Wickham gave her a small wink. “Not a word yet, though, eh? I haven’t wished to raise any hopes when I hadn’t the means to take a wife. Now I must do some courting!”
Wickham rose from his chair and went to join the other officers, leaving an astonished Elizabeth near the fireplace to ponder on all the new information she had just received.
∞∞∞
It was with a heavy heart that Elizabeth trudged back to Netherfield. The warm weather she had enjoyed on her way into Meryton seemed to have been blown away with her sunny spirits.
This report from Major Wickham is of no trifling nature. What praise is more valuable than that of a former enemy? And to be able to dispose of a fortune so readily in order to right a wrong that was committed by someone else nearly a decade and a half ago. To have access to that kind of money—what kind of estate must Pemberley be? As a landlord, a master, a brother… so many people’s happiness are in his guardianship! It is in his power to bestow so much pleasure or pain, depending on his temperament. The more I come to learn about Mr. Darcy, the more I see that he truly is the best of men—and I the cruelest of ladies.
She immediately returned to her chambers upon her arrival at Netherfield and once again pulled out Darcy’s letter, which she was in a fair way of knowing by heart. She studied every sentence, and her feelings towards its writer were at times widely different.
When she remembered the style of his address, she was still full of indignation. While her family was not the most well-behaved, they were still her family and she loved them. It was not a stranger’s place to come into her town and immediately begin to judge others without coming to know them.
“Besides, Papa has provided for us,” she muttered to herself. “We wouldn’t need Charles’s money if something were to happen to Papa.”
In all fairness, though, she did have to admit that not even Mama knew the truth about their financial situation, and Kitty and Lydia’s wild behavior was quite repelling.
Still, he didn’t have to be so condescending about her relations. Not when his own father had behaved so abominably towards his own wife and daughter.
The thought of poor Miss Darcy was enough to cause Elizabeth to forgive Darcy of almost everything. He was proud, it was true, but he clearly had a strong sense of duty and in doing that which was right.
Stop this, Elizabeth, before you drive yourself mad!
Unfortunately for her, Elizabeth’s chastisements to herself were not enough to keep her from ruminating over every interaction she’d ever had with Darcy for the next several days. It was only when news of another kind came that she was able to put all thoughts of the tall gentleman from Derbyshire to the side.
