Page 28 of Saving Jane
She nodded but did not say anything else.
“I know that many men call themselves ‘gentlemen’ without understanding what the word truly means. To me, the word means that I am bound to do what is right and follow the law. Too many gentlemen use their wealth and position to their personal benefit without regard to their family or tenants. When my father left the bequest to Wickham in his will, I was bound to honour his wishes.”
“Had Mr Wickham taken orders and been awarded the living at Kympton, the bishop and church would have dealt with him eventually, but many innocent lives would have been damaged. With the payment of funds that the law said were his, I was able to direct his attention in another direction. Believe me, I would never pay him such a sum on my own without great influence, but the bequest was my father’s wish and as his heir, I was bound to follow his wishes.”
“I am sorry Mr Darcy,” Elizabeth apologized. “Since my father betrothed my sister to Mr Collins, I have taken a new look at my own future. My father discounted my abilities to manage our estate because I have not increased the income in the last year though he would not allow me to make any improvements–he just spends the income as he sees fit. During my visit to London, my uncle has been discussing trade with me–if I was a man, I would be working in his warehouses today to make a fortune and save my sisters.”
They sat in silence for a moment before Mr Gardiner asked, “Mr Darcy, you have only told us how you have helped Mr Wickham. Why does the man bear resentment against you?”
Darcy continued to stare at Elizabeth for a moment before turning his attention to Mr Gardiner.
“Three years ago, the living at Kympton became available when Mr Berwick died and Wickham came to my home in London, demanding the living to fulfil my father’s will. He had not taken orders and had spent every guinea of the four thousand. I refused to grant him the living and when he became agitated, I had my footmen remove him from the house. Since that time, he has told anyone who would listento him that I stole a living from him and refused to honour my dead father.”
Mrs Gardiner was affected by Mr Darcy’s story.
“The very worst man in the whole of England!” she murmured wiping her eyes.
“I hardly know what to think, sir.” Mr Gardiner held his wife’s hand and glanced toward his niece who was staring at Mr Darcy.
The man glanced at Elizabeth. “He knows that Miss Bennet is my sister’s friend. I want to make certain she is not approached by Mrs Young, Wickham or any other person unknown to you.”
“Do you think she is in any danger?” asked Mrs Gardiner. “My niece is as precious to me as if she were a child of my own.”
Darcy lowered his head. “I shall provide three trustworthy footmen to secure your home Mrs Gardiner and if you will allow Miss Bennet to continue to visit with my sister, I shall have two more footmen on the coach.”
The Gardiners exchanged glances and Mr Gardiner said, “We shall consider allowing Elizabeth to visit Miss Darcy in two or three days. Elizabeth’s opinion will be considered, and I shall be interested in what you discover from your meeting with Wickham.”
Mr Gardiner stood, signalling the end of the meeting and Mr Darcy rose, bowing first to Mrs Gardiner and then turning to Elizabeth, he bowed deeply before following Mr Gardiner to the door.
~~}{~~
The coachman carefully directed the team of horses through the crowded streets of London on the journey back to Darcy House. Inside the carriage, Fitzwilliam Darcy was silent, and the maid remained still–the master was frightening when he was angry.
“Mrs Jones spoke to you?” he asked the girl suddenly.
She bobbed her head. “Yes sir, Mr Darcy. She told me to keep my mouth shut when we get back to the house sir.”
He nodded once. “Your good service will be remembered.”
For the remainder of the trip, Agnes watched her employer and by the end of the ride, she had decided that he was lonely and not as terrifying as the other girls whispered.
The man’s thoughts moved in two directions–concern for plots and schemes by Wickham and the fascination that was Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
‘Why has Wickham reappeared in my life now? I must speak to Mrs Young and find out her part in his plan for surely there was some schemethat fell apart.’
‘I must not allow anything to happen to Miss Bennet. Georgiana has found a friend who likes her for herself, not her name and position. And I should like to know her better myself. I had no notion that such a woman could exist–not obsessed with my wealth and position.’
~~}{~~
The morning following a night of much tossing and turning about the bed, Elizabeth made no requests to set foot outside of the house. She did not venture close to the windows but kept herself above stairs with her cousins in the nursery for most of the morning. In the afternoon, she remained in her uncle’s study where she found a copy of Shakespeare’s sonnets.
The book had been a gift from Mrs Gardiner to her husband in the first year of their marriage and Elizabeth found the pages worn from much reading and turning of the leaves.
“I carry that book with me when I travel, Lizzy,” her uncle told her when she asked to borrow it. “It helps me when I miss your aunt.”
“I shall treat the book well and return it to you when we have completed our study,” she assured her uncle.
Elizabeth made her way to her room and there she wrote a letter to her friend.
