Page 38 of The Blackmail of Mr. Darcy
“I imagine that the magistrate will wish to ask her questions,” Darcy said.
“Yes, of course. He will be askingallof us questions, I suppose. Will you come with me to my study for a further conference?” he asked.
Darcy nodded and, as soon as they reached the study and locked the door behind them, he said, “Bingley, I would prefer if you attempt to keep Georgiana’s name out of the report to the magistrate. Of course, tell the truth, but if his questions do not require that you discuss Wickham’s attempted elopement, please do not bring it up, and even if his questions do necessitate a mention, you could allude to an attempt to elope with ‘an heiress known to and esteemed by my family.’ He may allow the heiress’s name to remain unknown.”
“Of course I will be as discreet as possible, Darcy, and will not mention Miss Darcy unless directly asked. But you know that my sister will not hesitate to name her.”
“You are likely correct.” Darcy shook his head, thinking to himself that the secret was truly out, or would be soon. “But perhaps no one will believe her, given the fact that she is behaving in a very irrational way.”
“Well, I shall write to the York Retreat,” Bingley said. “Naturally, I should like the news of the need for such a place to remain in a very small circle.”
“Quite right.”
At that moment, there was a quiet knock on the door. Bingley asked Darcy to unlock the door and see what was needed.
Darcy felt a jolt of pleasure that seemed even more vibrant than usual, in the midst of the day’s horrors, as it was Elizabeth standing there, her hand up to knock a second time.
“Miss Elizabeth, how do you and your sister do? And Georgiana, if you have seen her?”
“We are all well enough, I thank you. But I am very bewildered and wondered if I might learn what has occurred.”
Bingley said, “I must see to my eldest sister and tidy up before the magistrate arrives.”
Darcy said, “Bingley, I recommend that it be Louisa who writes to the York Retreat, and you can sign the letter. It would be best if the staff at the retreat could actually read the missive.”
It was not an appropriate time to tease and, indeed, Darcy was not teasing. Bingley must have realised that. He nodded and thanked Darcy for the excellent suggestion. When he left the study, he left the door open.
Darcy said, “Here is what I know….”
Chapter 23
Elizabeth
After Mr. Darcy told her what he and Mr. Bingley had found out from Miss Bingley, Elizabeth shared Jane’s words about her brief encounter with Mr. Wickham.
“I was certain,” he responded, “that Wickham would have tried to arrange an opportunity to make off with Georgiana—and her thirty-thousand-pound dowry—rather than your sister, and you have just confirmed it. I gather the plan was to climb a rope into her room but then unlock her door with the key Miss Bingley gave him. But did Wickham really think he could bundle Georgie out the front door under the noses of all the servants?”
She thought about the question for a short interval and then suggested, “I think that, no matter what we discover about his plans, we must conclude that Mr. Wickham allowed his focus on revenge against you to supersede his self-interest. In other words, he took unwarranted risks.”
Darcy said, “He has always been a coward, and he used trickery and seduction to accomplish his goals, never physical force. I worry that he had an ally on the Netherfield staff, but possibly he intended to rely on Miss Bingley to spirit him and Georgiana out of the building?”
“I wonder if he was counting on Georgiana to be as compliant as she used to be?”
“Perhaps. But, as it turned out, Miss Bingley betrayed him by directing him to the wrong room. What could she have meant bythat? If she was going to have him steal away or compromise a Bennet sister, I might have supposed she would target you rather than your sister.”
He blushed, and Elizabeth knew he was embarrassed to have thus obliquely referenced the fact that Miss Bingley liked him but that he liked Elizabeth.
She suggested, “If we are going to attempt to understand an irrational woman, we could suppose that she wanted to ensure Jane does not marry her brother, and that she would think that the fastidious Mr. Darcy would never choose to even speak with someone whose sister was ruined by Mr. Wickham.”
Mr. Darcy opened his mouth—by his expression, Elizabeth supposed he meant to protest—but at that point Richard and Bingley entered the room. The latter said, “It turns out that the magistrate is Sir William Lucas, so it was easy for the colonel to fetch him. He awaits us all in the blue drawing room.”
Elizabeth, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Mr. Darcy carefully answered Sir William’s questions—and he never asked anything that led to discussing the Ramsgate incident. The affable Mr. Bingley gave short, unemotional answers to the affable magistrate, and soon Sir William declared that he was finished with the four witnesses. The only others he wished to question were Jane and Miss Bingley. Elizabeth hastened upstairs to ready her sister. That particular interview was very short. When Jane quoted Mr. Wickham’s exclamation, ‘You are not Georgie!’ Sir William looked questioningly at Mr. Darcy. “Should I be speaking to your sister, as well, sir?” he asked.
Mr. Darcy replied, “She knew nothing of what happened, other than the fact that she was locked in her room. But ofcourse, Wickham knew my family from his childhood, and he definitely knew that my sister is an heiress.”
Sir William nodded briskly and then said, “Now, Bingley, lead me toyoursister.”
Elizabeth saw Mr. Bingley’s embarrassment, but he acted very matter-of-fact as he led the magistrate out the door.
