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“I meanexplicitpictures, Mom. Sexually explicit pictures.”
“Oh, I don't believe it,” Mrs. Bennet said, her cheeks pinking. “Lydia is a good girl. She wouldn't do such a thing.”
“She would, and she did. Your sweet Lydia isn't so sweet,” Elizabeth stated firmly. “She's selfish and sneaky. Her only concern has always been, and always will be, for herself. It's time you opened your eyes and really took a good look at her.”
Mrs. Bennet held her hands to her chest and looked at her oldest daughter. “Jane?”
“I’m sorry, Mom, but it’s true,” Jane responded quietly.
“That's not the end of it,” Elizabeth continued. “I wasn't the one who found the pictures. Will found them hidden in a drawer, and he recognized Lydia’syoung man. George Wickham is a sexual predator. He–he hurt someone close to Will, forced himself on her after drugging her, and took pictures of himself assaulting her as a souvenir.”
“What? No, I–I don’t believe that,” Mrs. Bennet said weakly. “It can't be him.”
“Itishim. Jane tried to warn Lydia, but she wouldn’t listen.”
“That's why I came to the Cape last week, while Elizabeth was still in South Carolina,” Jane said. “I needed to get the truth from Lydia. She confessed to all of it. I told hereverythingthat scumbag has done, everything he's capable of, but she didn't believe me.”
“I don't believe it either,” Mrs. Bennet repeated. “Why would he do something like that?”
“Because he’s twisted. He gets his kicks from it, and he deserves to be in jail.” Elizabeth swallowed thickly. “And when Will saw those pictures…he thought Lydia was me, and he left. He walked out on me.”
"Well, there must have been a reason he assumed it was you. What exactly did you do to make him think you were some kind of loose woman, Lizzy? Something you did—"
Jane exploded. "That's it! You’ve gone too far, Mom. You should be ashamed of yourself! Do you hear what you're accusing your own daughter of? Maybe you should be saying these things to Lydia, sinceshe'sthe daughter who needs to hear it."
"Oh, it's always Lydia's fault," Mrs. Bennet said. "The poor girl is just trying to find herself some happiness, and all you and your sister can do is come down on her for every little thing."
Elizabeth's father suddenly appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. His face was red and his eyes were bright.
"That's enough, Frances," he said, his voice low and firm. "I have heardenough."
