Page 28 of To Go Against Her Heart
“I could never bring myself to act according to your suggestion, Lizzy,” she protested in horror.
“You can. I have a terrible feeling about this and cannot comprehend why. If you could somehow inform Mr. Bingley that Mr. Wickham is spreading falsehoods about his friend, I am certain he would take it up. He might inform Mr. Darcy, and we will learn the truth then.”
“How do you suppose I could even ask him this?” Jane cried with discomfort.
“Jane, Mr. Bingley will not allow his friend’s reputation to suffer. I am convinced he remains entirely ignorant of Mr. Wickham’s proceedings, for none among our acquaintance would presume to bring such a matter to Mr. Bingley’s attention, unwilling to trouble him with the particulars of his closest friend’s character.”
“I am worried about what Mr. Bingley would think if I informed him of the same. I do not want him to presume I am demanding that he act according to my wishes.”
“If he warned you out of concern about Mr. Wickham, then you are doing the same. You are trying to help his best friend. Please, Jane, I cannot bear our people thinking ill of Mr. Darcy,” she said and cursed her slip of the tongue.
Jane looked at her with shock.
“I mean, it is not right for an innocent man to be accused so. Don’t you agree with me?”
“I do. I will try to bring up the subject when I meet him next.”
“I think it will be tomorrow. He has called on you almost every day this week, has he not?” she asked with a smile.
***
In town, Darcy stood in his favorite bookstore along with Georgiana. His mind wandered to the moment he had spent with Elizabeth in the Meryton bookstore. No matter how hard hetried, everything reminded him of her: her voice, her eyes, and most of all, the happiness he felt around her.
“I am glad to spend time with you today, Fitzwilliam,” Georgiana said as Mrs. Kingston and Mrs. Harrington had frequently called on her to favor her company in the past weeks. Though she appreciated their effort to befriend her, Georgiana did not enjoy spending time with them discussing nothing but fashion and gossip about mutual acquaintances.
They made their purchase and returned home, and Darcy was surprised to find a letter from Mr. Bingley through an express rider. He opened the letter, unable to understand what matter warranted such urgency.
To his dismay, the letter contained particulars about a man he detested more than anyone in his life. Darcy’s anger knew no bounds as he read the letter, understanding what had transpired in Hertfordshire in his absence. Understanding the matter from Jane, Mr. Bingley had wasted no time in writing to Darcy about the developments.
I made a grave mistake. I should never have let you roam freely after what you did. I did it to protect Georgiana, and now you dare to spread falsehoods about me,Darcy fumed.
Darcy paced the study for about an hour and finally decided how to act. He informed Georgiana that he needed to leave for Hertfordshire.
“Could you please take me along this time?” Georgiana asked excitedly. Darcy hated to disappoint her, but he was not willing to distress her with Wickham’s news.
“I promise you, I will next time, as Bingley needs my assistance urgently. I hope to return soon,” he said, feeling sad to upset her. He urged Georgiana to stay with his aunt.
“We are always happy to have Georgiana stay here, Fitzwilliam. But I do sense that you are worried about something; I hope there is nothing to worry about with Mr.Bingley and his family,” his aunt said, sensing that something troubled him.
“I assure you; they are well; he needs my assistance with the property. I apologize, but I am unsure of when I will return; I shall write to you as soon as I know.”
Richard understood very well that Darcy was not revealing the truth and ushered him into the study.
“What is the matter?” he asked with worry.
“Wickham!” he replied bluntly, handing Mr. Bingley’s letter to his cousin.
“Good heavens! This is atrocious. I cannot believe he dares to go about lying this way. I am coming with you, Darcy.”
“No! I will handle this. I do not want Georgiana to suspect anything. Were you aware that he had joined the regiment?”
“I heard talks about it, but I was not certain. We made a mistake and trusted his words—that man can never change. Wickham has escaped without punishment after causing Georgiana such harm, and my blood boils at the thought of what he has done.”
“We acted to protect her, yet every day I have been troubled by the guilt of not revealing him to the world. I have no alternative now; I must do so, for the sake of the people of Hertfordshire, far more than for my own redemption. If he is circulating falsehoods concerning me, it is plain that he has not altered his ways, and no woman in his company is safe from ruin.”
His heart immediately raced to Elizabeth, and he could not imagine her breathing the same air as Wickham. Without contemplation, he started for Netherfield, resolved to do what was needful.
***
