“Eighteen? I shall be old! If I am not married by then, I shall be a spinster! You will ruin my life if I do not go, Papa!”
“And yet, I am unmoved. If you wish to keep me company further, take a seat and grab a book — we might read together.”
Lydia burst into tears, crying her soul out, but Mr. Bennet remained composed. He glanced at Elizabeth and shrugged, while Lydia ran out, calling for her mother. Mr. Bennet looked pleased with that outcome, so he put his spectacles on and returned to his book.
Elizabeth left the library, following Lydia’s cries and whines. Her sister was complaining to Kitty, Mary, and Jane about how unfair their father was.
Elizabeth, perceiving an opportunity, drew her mother aside.
“Indeed, Mama,” she said with gentle urgency, “you would not wish to risk Mr. Bingley’s good opinion by allowing Lydia to be seen in such close company with the officers at only fifteen years of age. He is a man with important connections, and he is fond of decorum. Any hint of impropriety might trouble him, even if he did not say as much. After all, Lydia will soon be his youngest sister by association.”
Mrs. Bennet was thoughtful for a moment. “Oh! You are quite right, Lizzy. Lydia, you will speak no more of Brighton! Not another word, or I shall be quite cross with you. Think of your poor sister’s future! And of yours! We want Mr. Bingley toplace all of you in the path of other handsome and rich men. Officers are amusing, but their income can hardly support a wife properly! So there is no point in you going there!”
“But, Mama—!”
“Lydia, enough of this. You will be Mr. Bingley’s sister-in-law very soon, and you must act properly!”
Surprised by the harshness of the refusal, Lydia ran to her bedroom, followed by Kitty, the only one who attempted to comfort her. Kitty looked quite pleased; since she had not been invited, she evidently preferred that her sister not go either.
Not many days later, as the regiment prepared to depart, Elizabeth chanced to meet Mr. Wickham in Meryton. He approached her with a large smile on his face, so she seized the moment with a composure born of newfound conviction.
“Miss Bennet! What a wonderful pleasure to see you again! You look exceptionally well, and you have been missed. One thing that I shall regret after our move to Brighton will be the loss of my friends.”
“Will it? I am glad to hear you are fond of your friends, Mr. Wickham, though I am clearly not one of them.”
“Why would you say that? I have long considered you among my most valuable friends, Miss Bennet.”
“How strange. I would assume a friend is someone you do not deceive, whose trust you do not betray, and to whom you do not tell many falsehoods.”
He gazed at her, his eyes widened in disbelief.
“I am not sure what you mean, Miss Bennet.”
“Of course you are, Mr. Wickham. I mean that I discovered how untrue your stories were regarding your dealings with Mr. Darcy. You received, I understand, some important compensation, which you neglected to mention at the time.”
Mr. Wickham started, his handsome face colouring as he took a step back. “Miss Bennet, I hardly know what you are saying. There must be some misunderstanding—”
“I am more than happy to listen to any explanation you may offer,” Elizabeth interrupted with a slight smile, “provided you can present me with proof to support your words. Without any evidence, sir, I fear our conversation must end here.”
Mr. Wickham attempted a few more words of justification, but finding Elizabeth unmoved, he bowed stiffly and walked away, his usual charm quite deserting him.
Elizabeth watched him leave with a deep sense of relief and satisfaction, praying she would not see the man ever again.
The regiment departed for Brighton three weeks before Mr. Bingley’s wedding to Jane. Without all the soldiers, Meryton returned to its usual peace and comfort. Some reports spread around about officers who had left behind many debts to the local shops; no name was mentioned, but Elizabeth had quite a good idea about who it might be.
The forthcoming wedding of Mr. Bingley to Jane had now become the main point of interest. More than four-and-twenty families were expected to attend the wedding, and Mrs. Bennet’s nerves were under constant distress.
A week before the date itself, Mr. Bingley’s family arrived, together with Mr. Darcy and his sister. Also, the Gardiners joined the Bennets at Longbourn.
While the Bingley sisters hardly impressed anyone, the return of Mr. Darcy and the arrival of his sister stirred interest and curiosity. The notion that Miss Darcy was already acquainted with the eldest Bennet sisters, as well as with the Gardiners, provided Mrs. Bennet with new reasons to brag, and the report was spread around Meryton the very next day.
To Elizabeth, the reunion with Miss Darcy was delightful, but seeing Mr. Darcy again aroused a sense of exhilaration andfulfilment inside her. She was so happy to see him that she feared what would happen if he were to leave forever.
“Mr. Darcy, I am so happy to finally meet you, sir,” Mr. Bennet said. “I must thank you for several things, and I would prefer to do it in person.”
“It is a pleasure to be here, Mr. Bennet. I believe it is my first time at Longbourn.”
“It is indeed, because, I am sorry to mention, last autumn you seemed undesirous of our company,” Mrs. Bennet interjected.
