Pride in Meryton, page 5
At Camilla’s advanced age of nine and twenty, she was no longer considered marriageable. This bothered her not in the slightest since being on the shelf freed her from the constraints placed on marriageable young ladies, who were not permitted to be in the company of men without an escort. She enjoyed the freedom that spinsterhood afforded her, now known as ‘Mrs. Younge’, making her own decisions, traveling unescorted and conducting school business without the benefit of a protector. Yes, George had enjoyed her company on many occasions and was glad that she was not the type of female to insist on matrimony.
It had been Camilla who had notified George that the Kympton living had again become available. The vicar at St. Augustine’s had advised her that the poor soul who had accepted the living after George had declined it had passed on to his final reward. With this knowledge and Lady Luck boldly encouraging him onward, George had travelled to Derbyshire to demand that the living be bestowed upon him, in keeping with the wishes of his late godfather. Unfortunately, no argument was successful in this regard; William would not be convinced and George was once again forced to leave his beloved Derbyshire with empty pockets.
George and Camilla made the best of the situation, combining forces to live as thriftily as possible; George was sometimes able to find work as a clerk, but the tedium proved to be too daunting and the lure of Lady Luck was too strong. He found himself, more often than not, leaving his vowels [2] at the gaming tables and walking home, without even enough spare change for a hackney coach.
However, before too long, Lady Luck once again graced him with her favours; Camilla had the good fortune to secure a new student at her school – Miss Georgiana Darcy from Derbyshire. George had not seen Georgiana since she was a child; he had often been in her company in those days and he had adored her as a younger sister. She was beautiful as a child and would undoubtedly be even more so as she prepared for her coming out in a few years. But now that she was coming of age, his thoughts turned to her dowry. It had always been his desire to marry an heiress and what better way to exact his revenge on William for denying him his due than to marry his precious sister. Certainly her thirty thousand pounds made the notion all the more enticing. He desperately desired to remind his proud and arrogant friend that he was merely the nephew of an earl, not an earl in his own right. All George needed was time and patience; the first he had in abundance, the second, unfortunately, was sorely lacking.
Regrettably, Lady Luck and her fickle ways turned against him once again; his vowels had accumulated to unacceptable levels and he was forced once again to go into hiding to avoid his creditors. The lure of the gaming table never left him but he was no longer accepted at any establishments in the vicinity. He found employment as a clerk and endured the tedium as long as he possibly could, just to provide the barest essentials; room and board at his new lodgings in an unsavoury section of Town. Camilla played her part well; each time a creditor inquired after his whereabouts, she staged a convincing scene as the heart-broken damsel, abandoned by her calloused lover. She wept, she swooned, and she clutched her smelling salts, while telling her tale of woe to the outraged creditor; she mourned his loss and complained of sleepless nights. Of course, her lover was never long out of her sight and together they managed quite successfully to keep the creditors at bay.
Fortunately, Lady Luck chose to smile on him one more time; Camilla was hired as a traveling companion for young Miss Darcy. Her brother had leased a house for them in the town of Ramsgate where she and Georgiana were to spend the summer. George applied new vigour to his tedious clerical job, taking on additional tasks and saving his earnings for his trip to the coast. He planned his strategy for winning the favours of the fair Georgiana Darcy; he would present himself as a former admirer and woo her with his charming manners and excellent address. His years of instruction under the tutelage of the elder Mr. Darcy would finally pay off. Without the protection or interference of her older brother, Georgiana would fall easily into his trap and consent to the trip to Gretna Green. His fingers had itched at the prospect of her thirty thousand pounds.
~~~
Unfortunately, Lady Luck had once again turned her back on George and he was forced to leave Ramsgate empty-handed. How William had managed to appear in Ramsgate before his plan had been fully executed haunted him for weeks afterwards; did he know of the plan or was it just a spontaneous visit? It mattered not, in any case; Georgiana was under his full protection with a new traveling companion. Camilla’s services had been terminated; word of her termination had reached back to St. Augustine’s board of elders and she was forced to resign her position as headmistress.
However, Camilla was not without resources; she sold her father’s house and used the funds to purchase a boarding house. Of course, the Edward’s Street location was not in a fashionable section of Town but she enjoyed a handsome living. Regrettably, she was less inclined to share her fortunes with George and he retreated to his former lodgings and clerical employment.
It was during this time that he happened to make the acquaintance of Mr. Carlton Denny, a lieutenant in the ––Shire militia who advised him to purchase a commission and join him in his pursuit of a military career. Having no better offers and no other options, he agreed. Denny provided him with the necessary introductions and George paid five hundred pounds for the commission. Camilla, of course had no knowledge that the money had actually come from the locked desk in her study and he had no inclination to advise her of that minor detail.
Now, with only one option left open to him, he took a final glance around his meagre lodging room, grasped his portmanteau, packed with his meagre belongings and set out to meet Denny for the carriage ride to Hertfordshire where his future awaited.
Chapter 6: Meryton Meeting
George Wickham stood on the street in Meryton with Carlton Denny; he had just come from meeting Colonel Forster who had warmly welcomed him into the regiment. He was to report for duty at eight o’clock the next morning where he would receive his uniform and his gear. He planned to enjoy his last few hours of freedom when he noticed a small group of local lovelies calling out to Denny. “Yes, my stay in Hertfordshire might prove to be quite advantageous if these lovely ladies are any indication of the feminine company I might expect to enjoy,” he silently concluded.
Denny introduced him to the five lovelies who turned out to be sisters; one more beautiful than the next, especially the two eldest. He exchanged civilities with them and found them most amiable. He would have enjoyed their company even more had they not been accompanied by their cousin, an absurd little man who made his living as a parson. George thanked Lady Luck for allowing him to escape a similar fate; how dull the parson was with his drab attire and ridiculously practical hat. At least his new regimentals would turn a young lady’s eye; he could not imagine how he would have been able to attract the fairer sex while adorned in such drab attire.
He had just begun to engage the ladies in conversation when they were interrupted by two gentlemen on horseback, whom the ladies seemed quite enthused to encounter. Introductions were made and George could not have been more astonished by the sight before him; William Darcy glared at him from atop his black stallion and the fury in his eyes was unmistakable. George suddenly felt the blood drain from his head and wondered if he should run for his life.
~~~
Darcy rode with Charles to inspect the Netherfield grounds and he advised his friend of issues that needed attention; a crumbling wall here, a broken fence there, a foot bridge in need of repair. None of the repairs needed were of any urgency but combined, they gave the appearance of neglect. If Charles intended to purchase the property, he would need to address these issues at some point.
Of course, he knew that estate repairs were the furthest thing from Charles’s mind, which was fully consumed with thoughts of Miss Bennet. He had not seen the angelic lady since she left Netherfield on Sunday morning and had spoken of nothing else last night after dinner; “Should we call on the Bennets?”, “When do you suppose we might see the Bennets again?”, “How I wish Miss Bennet had stayed one more day at Netherfield!”, “I do so miss her company!”, “I am quite looking forward to dancing with Miss Bennet at the ball!” Charles was planning a ball so he might have the pleasure of dancing with Miss Bennet. Yes, Darcy knew that his friend was quite enamoured with the beautiful lady but he fell so easily in and out of love, it was unclear if this infatuation was any different from those in the past.
Of course, he could not fault his friend for his infatuation; he had sorely missed Miss Elizabeth’s company in the past two days. There had been no sparkling conversation or witty repartee since her departure on Sunday morning. Miss Bingley had rejoiced at having his attentions all to herself and it had taken all his forbearance to withstand her constant attempts to gain his notice. He had taken to hiding in the library or his chambers to avoid her; he had even gone below stairs to the kitchen on the pretence of inspecting the scullery and the larder. If he had to hear one more speech about his sister’s accomplishments, his vast library collections or his excellent handwriting he might very well lose his mind!
When he and Charles had left the house that morning, they planned to inspect the grounds, ride into Meryton to order some supplies, and then call on the Bennets at Longbourn. Charles hoped for a quiet conversation with Miss Bennet and in all honesty, Darcy hoped for the same with Miss Elizabeth. As they approached the centre of Meryton, it appeared that the Longbourn visit would be unnecessary; the Bennet sisters were observed standing near the milliner’s shop engaged in conversation. Charles was delighted at the sight and rode directly towards them.
Darcy could not even pretend to be displeased; Miss Elizabeth was there with her lovely smile and enchanting eyes. He kept his eyes fixed on her as he approached her. She appeared to be in the highest spirits, laughing and enjoying herself. When they reached the ladies, they exchanged civilities and Miss Elizabeth curtsied and gazed at him with those enchanting eyes. He could not help returning her smile; it was quite impossible as he observed her easy demeanour. There were a few gentlemen in the group who were unknown to him and introductions were made. Darcy was astounded to behold his worst enemy standing before him; George Wickham – the most despicable blackguard of his acquaintance!
~~~
Elizabeth and her sisters had walked to Meryton with their cousin, the absurd Mr. Collins, who was visiting Longbourn under the guise of repairing a rift between their two families. Elizabeth had no doubts that he had come to inspect Longbourn which was entailed to the male line; having no brothers, Mr. Collins was her Papa’s only living heir. Her Mama had spoken of nothing else but the dreaded entail since Mr. Collins’ letter had arrived announcing his intent to visit; how a stranger would take possession of her home and property upon her husband’s death was the source of her greatest despair. However, Elizabeth chose not to dwell on things over which she had no control.
She preferred instead to walk; it helped to clear the cobwebs from her mind and order her jumbled thoughts. Now that they had arrived in Meryton, she had just made a new acquaintance through her friend Mr. Denny; Mr. Wickham had just joined the local militia. He was a handsome man with a fine countenance and a pleasing address; he was altogether charming. She imagined that when he was adorned in his regimentals, he would cut a fine figure.
They were interrupted from their conversation by the appearance of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley. She could not help but notice Jane’s delight at seeing Mr. Bingley. Turning to Mr. Darcy, she could not help but admire him sitting astride his horse, looking exceptionally handsome in his riding attire and beaver hat. If there was a fine figure of a man to be admired, Mr. Dashing Darcy was certainly that man. Upon his arrival, she offered him an appreciative smile and bobbed a curtsy. He returned her greeting with a disarming smile and a nod; she was charmed by his attentions and felt a warm glow from within.
Within an instant, Mr. Darcy’s charming smile turned into enraged fury and his countenance changed to a fiery red. It appeared that his anger was directed towards Mr. Wickham, who suddenly appeared rather pale in response to seeing Mr. Darcy. What could be the meaning of it? Did they know each other? Did they have a dispute? The two men said not a word to each other but their mutual displeasure could not be more apparent.
Mr. Darcy dismounted his horse and approached the newcomer: “Mr. Wickham,” he scowled, with not a trace of cordiality in his voice. His tone and posture were quite menacing and Elizabeth wondered if he might cause a scene.
Mr. Wickham appeared quite intimidated by the greeting and took a step backwards: “Mr. Darcy,” he meekly replied as he bowed in deference to Mr. Darcy.
The two stood in silence for a few tense moments until Elizabeth broke the silence. “Mr. Wickham has just joined the local militia, Mr. Darcy,” she advised him, hoping to ease the uncomfortable scene.
Mr. Darcy turned to her and nodded his understanding. Suddenly changing his demeanour, he offered her a warm smile: “It is a pleasure to see you this morning, Miss Elizabeth. Please give my warmest regards to your parents,” he told her. He warmly addressed each Bennet sister by name and took his leave of them with a polite bow. He mounted his horse and waited for Mr. Bingley to join him.
Mr. Bingley cast an apologetic smile to Jane: “I am pleased to have encountered you this morning, Miss Bennet. I hope to call on you again soon,” he told her. Jane assured him that she would indeed welcome him anytime at Longbourn and he took his leave of the group. He mounted his horse and the two gentlemen rode away in the direction of Netherfield.
Elizabeth was astounded by the tense encounter and although she dearly wished to ask her new acquaintance for an explanation, she dared not.
~~~
As Darcy rode away from the scene, his mind was in a tumult; just when he thought he was rid of the blackguard, Wickham had resurfaced from the depths of hell to torment him. It was not enough that he had injured his dear Georgiana, now he was here in Hertfordshire to wreak what kind of havoc, Heaven only knew! “Is it a coincidence that he is now in such close proximity? Will he attempt to extort money from me? Will he attempt to use his gift of charm against Miss Elizabeth? Should I warn her? Will she see through his schemes or fall prey to them as so many other young women have done? Should I speak to Mr. Bennet?” He struggled with one question after the other, finding suitable answers to none.
“What is Wickham doing in Hertfordshire?” Charles asked.
“I wish I knew.”
“I suppose the militia is his only option now,” Charles suggested.
Darcy merely nodded in agreement. Charles had met Wickham at university and was well aware of his predilections; however, he had no knowledge of the attempted elopement scheme. Darcy had ensured that that story was never repeated; even his own family knew nothing of it.
“He shall have no invitation to the ball. I will not allow my sister to be exposed to his depravity,” Charles said with conviction.
“No, I cannot disagree with that decision,” Darcy replied.
“Did you notice how comfortable he made himself in the Bennet’s sisters company?” Charles inquired with no small amount of discomfort. “I feel compelled to speak to Mr. Bennet immediately. I should not wish for Miss Bennet to come to any harm at his hands,” he insisted.
“Nor I,” Darcy replied, thinking instead of Miss Elizabeth’s safety.
“Will you accompany me?” Charles inquired. Darcy assured him that he would unquestionably accompany him and the two set off for Longbourn.
Upon being admitted, they requested an audience with Mr. Bennet and were shown immediately to the study. “Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, what brings you to Longbourn?” he asked with a cordial smile. “My daughters are not at home and I can scarcely believe you have come to call on me!” he said with a jovial chuckle.
Charles explained that they had just encountered his daughters in Meryton, engaged in conversation with George Wickham; a man of disreputable morals. Charles attempted the utmost diplomacy to describe his knowledge of Wickham’s past behaviour; however, Mr. Bennet urged them to speak in plain terms: “Are you warning me to keep my daughters away from this Mr. Wickham?” he asked.
“Many young ladies have fallen victim to his charms, Mr. Bennet,” Darcy told him. “I have been acquainted with Wickham since my youth and I know of his want of character far better than I care to,” he told the older man. Both he and Charles retold Wickham’s exploits during their university days involving intoxication, gaming and womanizing. Darcy declined to mention the most recent episode involving Georgiana.
“Well gentlemen, I appreciate your forthrightness and I shall heed your warning.” He thanked them for coming immediately to him with the information and they took their leave.
Charles and Darcy rode back to Netherfield in silence.
~~~
George Wickham had been excessively relieved when William Darcy rode away from Meryton. The encounter had left him shaken to the core. He had come to Meryton for the express purpose of forging a new path to the future; he could ill afford to have the story of his past exposed.
However, after further consideration, he felt fairly confident that William would not wish for his attempted elopement with Georgiana to become known; any exposure of that story would certainly ruin her reputation. No, William would do anything in his power to protect her. She would never be able to make a suitable match if the story were to become known. That conclusion helped to alleviate George’s concerns. He would not trouble himself about the prospect of being exposed.
