Disdain, Agony, Hope, and Love #Wattys2020

Chapter 39

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On Saturday Darcy paused before knocking on the door to the Gardiner's house in Cheapside. Mr Edward Gardiner had given his address to him that long-ago summer's day when they had gone fishing at Darcy's estate in Derbyshire. Taking a beep breath, Darcy thought over what he was to say to Mr Gardiner.

It was a week since he had visited Wickham and Lydia. The reason for the delay in finding the fugitives and the visit to the Gardiners was that his negotiations with Wickham had for some time been going nowhere. When Wickham had found out that he and Lydia were to be married, he had ranted and raved that there was no way he would spend the rest of his life attached to her and swore that he would leave as soon as possible. After listening to this tirade for some ten minutes, Darcy had calmly announced that it would be in Wickham's best interests if he married Lydia, for Darcy was still willing to assist Wickham.

Negotiations then began. It was agreed that all of Wickham's debts would be paid - a sum of more than a thousand pounds. It was the only thing they had agreed on, for when the subject of Wickham's future was brought up, one could not agree with the other.

Wickham, of course, had wanted more than Darcy was willing to give. He had expressed his desire for a small estate of 'no more than three thousand a year' in order to become a member of the landed gentry with no cost to himself in comparison to Bingley's family who had worked hard to gain their present position. It was implied that Darcy would give Wickham land from his own large estate of Pemberley. Darcy had steadfastly refused to comply, and Wickham had steadfastly refused to back down.

They had met again the next day and the day after that. After the third meeting, Wickham had grudgingly relented to set his sights a bit lower. Entering a trade was discussed and each of Darcy's suggestions discarded. Wickham had no intention of studying the law, becoming a merchant, practising medicine or any other trade. The Church was out of the question; Darcy would not allow a man of Wickham's morality to set a spiritual example for any parish.

The only feasible alternatives left was a career in one of the military disciplines, the Navy or the Army. Wickham wanted to go into the Navy, the more prestigious of the two as England commanded the greatest naval forces in the world but was impossible because of his age. Therefore, it was to be the Army regulars instead of the militia. As soon as they had agreed upon it, Darcy had written to Colonel Fitzwilliam, informing him of the basic facts that he believed was needed and requesting for some arrangement. His reply was helpful, though the writer had no doubt written it in a state of great curiosity, Darcy inferred from the general tone of his cousin's letter. Colonel Fitzwilliam said that it was possible to get an ensigncy in General _______'s regiment in Newcastle.

Wickham had been duly informed of this new arrangement, and after some characteristic grumbling, it was agreed on as pleasing to both parties.

All this had taken up to that Saturday morning. Over the grueling week, Darcy had frequently asked himself just why he was taking so much trouble to assist the man he hated. He told himself that it was his fault, of not informing others of Wickham's bad character and so preventing situations like this. Sometimes he just wanted to forget the whole affair and pretend it was no business of his - he frequently returned to his townhouse in London late in the night, tired and frustrated and ready to give up. But whenever such thoughts entered his mind, he remembered Elizabeth, upset and distraught with tears in her eyes after she had received news of Lydia's elopement. One thought of her and he was again determined to see the matter through to the end; not for Lydia's, certainly not for Wickham but for Elizabeth. And though he knew he would never see her again, at least he knew that he could ensure her happiness.

Darcy had come straight from Wickham and Lydia's lodgings to Cheapside in search of the Gardiners. As the affair involved the Bennets, he needed to inform a member of their family. Mr Bennet he did not know well enough in order to talk comfortably with him and no doubt the sentiment would have been equal.