Page 23 of The Heir and Spare
Lizzie nodded. “Mary is correct. I wish she had not gone alone to see him. But here we are. Have you heard anything from her? Do you know their intentions?”
Kitty looked away.
“Kitty.”
She pulled a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket. “She left me this.”
“Dear Kitty. You will think me the most romantic heroine when you hear what I’ve done. By the time you read this, I will be a married woman, the first of the Bennet sisters. Not even Jane will be first in this.”
Lizzie shook her head. But Mary reading over her shoulder said, “It shows she had every intention of marrying. It shows that she hoped to do things the right way…sort of.”
“Yes, except for the running away part, she hoped to marry.” Lizzie nodded. “You’re right.”
“Then is everything going to be fine? Will they?” Kitty had so much hope Lizzie hated to dash it, but there was little to entice Wickham to marry Lydia. They’d both be abysmally poor for the whole of their lives.
“I don’t know, Kitty. I can’t imagine that was Mr. Wickham’s intent, but I am happy to hear it was Lydia’s.”
Kitty folded the paper back up. “Are you going to tell Mama?”
“That you knew?” Lizzie considered her for a moment. “I think you should tell Papa. It might assist him in the search.”
“Is there any hope? Will he find them?” Kitty shook her head, answering her own question. “It would take a miracle.”
“And we believe in those. We must not lose hope.” Mary linked arms with her sister.
The three moved toward the house. Lizzie could hear her mother calling out even from where they stood in the back garden. “We must assist where we can. I will be goingimmediately after Jane.” She stopped. “Kitty. What was Jane’s intention?”
“I don’t know. She just said she needed Bingley and asked for a horse to be saddled.”
“This was yesterday.”
“Yes, we received word that she’d caught a cold and would be spending the night.”
“Oh! Oh, well, I must go to her right away.”
Kitty nodded.
Mary stood taller. “We will assist with Mama and send any news from Father.”
“Thank you.” Elizabeth turned from them both, hurrying in the direction of Netherfield on foot. Jane had taken the only horse that was ridable.
Chapter 13
Fitzwilliam
Fitz was more and more disgusted with Wickham the longer he followed his trail. His military commanding officer had little good to say of him. The local tenants and working class were not missing him, that much was certain. Several maids were suspiciously hidden from sight. He’d racked up an obscene amount of debt in a short amount of time. And everything Darcy learned told him that the man had no honorable intentions toward the Bennet girl. Fitz was left in a moral quandary. The more he exposed the man, the worse things would be for Lydia Bennet and therefore for her family. The best thing possible for her family would be for her to marry Wickham quietly and for them to live far away. In that way, all reputations would be salvaged. Miss Lydia would undoubtedly have a terrible marriage, but if there was a way for Wickham to have a living, perhaps they could make good of this ill begone path.
He stood outside the largest of Wickham’s debtors and closed his eyes. He would love to just expose the scoundrel and be done with him forever. If they’d done so initially, Wickham would not now be able to prey on innocence like he was.
But the same moral dilemma had faced them then. To preserve Georgiana’s self-respect and her reputation, they swept the whole thing away.
He did not know Miss Lydia at all. He’d seen her rather overly emotional and loud self at two gatherings of the local gentry outside of Meryton, and he’d seen little he admired in her or in the family. The eldest two sisters aside, the Bennets had little to recommend them, admittedly. He knew the eldest two to be beyond reproach, and he had a surprising amount of thoughts directed at Miss Elizabeth. Even though he’d refused to ask her to dance, she had intrigued him. So be it. Here he was attempting to ease her situation. Beyond his admiration for her, he could not help or ease his sense of responsibility for the wrongs Wickham had committed, knowing Darcy could have prevented such a thing to occur, could have warned the whole area and the military of his character. Fitz did not often trouble himself in the affairs of others. But this situation with Wickham hit too close to home. He’d hidden his worry from his siblings, but Georgiana’s almost fall had worried him more than anyone would guess.
Having Wickham handled by the military had been a relief to both he and his brother. They’d somehow mistakenly believed they could now wash their hands of him. Unfortunately, they were gravely mistaken, and now Miss Lydia and her family were suffering the consequences. His friend Charles might also be suffering the consequences by either associating with such a scandal through Miss Jane or distancing himself and therefore being deprived of his love. The idea that one man, one despicable human, could cause so much upheaval was inconceivable. And Darcy should have the means to put a stop to him. He should have done so long ago.
But be that as it may. Truth had a way of making itself known and freeing everyone of the bondage of deceit and secrets andlies. He had to trust such a thing for his current situation even though he’d been too fearful to trust before. Truth had a way of making things right.
He made a decision. He was going to expose Wickham. Perhaps these people would stand by the Bennets, vouch for Lydia’s good character, somehow keep the news quiet? He had not seen behavior that magnanimously demonstrated in any of his interactions with the gentleman’s class but there was always a first. And it was time. The man had been left free to cause ruination and defamation long enough. He would expose him, his debauchery, and ask for help in tracking him down with Miss Lydia in tow. In truth, Wickham had already exposed himself all over town and with his commanding officers.
