Page 14 of Saving Jane
“A scheme, sir?” Uncle Gardiner asked, surprised and offended.
Finally, Elizabeth intervened, unwilling to hear her uncle so ill-used, “There is no scheme sir! Interview your sister and she will tell you that when I came upon her in the park she was crying and upset. As soon as I calmed her and my uncle arrived, he immediately wished to return her to your home.”
The man–handsome and tall with black hair and blue eyes–frowned but did not say more as his sister took his arm and whispered in his ear.
“We shall leave now Elizabeth,” Uncle Gardiner said.
“Yes, I think that is a very good idea Uncle,” Elizabeth agreed. “Good day Miss Darcy.”
But she turned her back on Mr Darcy without taking his leave and climbed back into the cab.
“Good afternoon, Miss Darcy, Mr Darcy,” added Mr Gardiner as he bowed to Miss Darcy and tipped his hat to Mr Darcy again.
~~}{~~
As the carriage travelled back across London, Elizabeth and her uncle discussed the afternoon’s events once more.
“Miss Darcy said that her companion, Mrs Young, left her to ride away with a Mr Wickham,” she explained. “She said that the man kissed Mrs Young when she climbed into the carriage with him.”
“But he wasn’t her husband, this Wickham?” asked Uncle Gardiner.
“Miss Darcy said that her companion was a widow.”
His brow wrinkled with thought, Mr Gardiner asked, “Where have I heard the name ‘Wickham’? We must speak with your aunt.”
“But uncle, what of Miss Darcy’s brother? He insulted you thinking you attempted to curry favour with him through some scheme.”
Shaking his head, Mr Gardiner replied, “I shall make inquiries through my solicitor; it may be that Mr Darcy has had swindlers and schemers attempt to steal his monies. He is one of therichest men without a title in the kingdom. As a matter of fact, I do not understand why the king has not made him a lord before now.”
“A lord? He looks so young!” Elizabeth exclaimed. “And that does not excuse his bad manners. You brought his sister home to him without thought of recompense.”
“Perhaps the man has had poor experiences with strangers in the past, Lizzy. And he was frantic to locate his sister apparently–her companion had deserted her on the street so let us not judge him too harshly.”
~~}{~~
Upon arrival at the Gardiner home on Grace Church Street, Elizabeth and her uncle were greeted by Aunt Gardiner who asked, “My dears, did you safely return Miss Darcy to her family?”
“Yes, her brother was most anxious for her safety,” Mr Gardiner replied.
“But it was most strange,” Elizabeth added. “He suggested we were part of scheme to take money from Mr Darcy.”
“Truly? Whatever could have caused him to think thus?”
“I have no idea, my dear,” Uncle Gardiner told his wife.
“Aunt, do you recognize the name George Wickham?”
As soon as Elizabeth said the name, she saw her aunt grow pale and reach for her husband. Uncle Gardiner took his wife in his arms and turned to his niece. “Elizabeth, will you fetch a glass of sherry from my library for your aunt?”
She hurried down the hall, poured the sherry and hurried back to the parlour where she found her uncle sitting on the sofa holding his wife who was in tears.
Handing the glass to her uncle, Elizabeth pleaded, “Aunt Gardiner, please do not cry. I am so sorry for whatever it was that I said.”
“Lizzy, it could have just as easily been me who said that name,” replied Uncle Gardiner. “Your aunt will be well in a moment.”
He offered the sherry to his wife, and she took the glass and sipped it until the glass was empty. Handing the glass back to her husband who set it on a side table, Aunt Gardiner looked at Elizabeth and said, “My dear, George Wickham is the worst man in the whole of England.”
“If Mr Darcy is connected to Mr Wickham,” Uncle Gardiner added, “I shall not conduct any additional business with the man.”
