Miss Lucas Read online

  “Perhaps it would have been better,” replied Jane. “But to expose the former faults of any person without knowing what their present feelings were, seemed unjustifiable. We acted with the best intentions.”

  “We acted with the most common sense,” Charlotte corrected. “The general opinion of Wickham was so good that I imagine even if we had gathered together all the tradesmen with their different debts they still might have managed to talk one another out of dislike of him with the belief that he truly meant to pay them back and would do so at the first opportunity. I can almost hear my own mother rationalizing away his extravagance because a young man who had once lived in such superior circumstances cannot be expected to change so quickly, especially when associating with people of such fine quality as those in Meryton. His appearance of goodness was so profound to the last that it wouldn’t have done the smallest amount of good to change their opinions. And given the disposition of the sisters involved, your disapproval likely would have thrust Lydia into his arms even sooner. At least in this situation, there is the small comfort that she ran away when in the care of other people and far from home.”

  “Small mercies to our reputation then.”

  “Don’t be snide, Lizzy. Those small mercies might make all the difference in the world.”

  With all the Bennet girls back in attendance, Charlotte took her leave of the family much earlier than had grown to be her custom over the last days. Instead of being allowed to slip quietly out the door and perhaps spend most of tomorrow at home instead of waiting upon word that might change the lives of the Bennet family, Elizabeth decided to, “See Charlotte so far as the lane to convey her gratitude.” Elizabeth needn’t have announced anything. Jane was the only one likely to ask a question and she had been called back upstairs to her mother.

  “Thank you for permitting me my little ruse. I’m ashamed to say that I’ve been home for only half a day and already I need a reprieve from my dear mother’s lamentations.”

  “Jane has been a jewel on that matter and has barely left your mother’s side since this began.”

  “You’re making me feel worse about my little walk, Charlotte.”

  “That would be hypocrisy from me since I never once relieved Jane of the duty. Your housekeeper has been entrusted both with the secret and care of your mother, while I have left that burden entirely to her and Jane.”

  “I will need to learn to better handle my mother’s moods, won’t I? This will be our lives now, trapped in the house because no good family will associate with us, spending the rest of our days dealing with mother and no chance at escape.”

  “I do not think it will be so terrible as that. Lydia has long been known as reckless. Most of the blame will fall on your parents for not curbing her before. Though now that Wickham’s scandalous behavior throughout Meryton has come to light, many will treat the matter as something that could not be avoided when a man such as Wickham was involved and your Lydia was simply the one who fell for his trap. She will certainly never be a wife, but with a sufficient show of decency the rest of you might be fine.”

  Elizabeth’s grimace said that she didn’t believe such hopefulness. “I presume his scandals went beyond the debts that Jane knows about?”

  “According to Colonel Forster, there have been several seductions. No children,” Charlotte added before Elizabeth could shout, “at least none that either the Colonel or his officers are aware of.”

  “A wild girl fallen prey to a known seducer, running off with him and living in sin to add to her folly. We will never be free of this.”

  “Free? No. Things will be exceptionally difficult, but that doesn’t mean they will be ruined entirely. Until you know more of Lydia’s condition and what sort of story you can tell about what she knew and when, you can only guess how unfortunate the fallout from these circumstances will be.”

  “Ah! The waiting is the worst part.”

  “I am more accustomed to the perils of being forced to sit idly than you are Elizabeth, and even I have found these last days difficult.”

  “It is different! You were waiting to hear of a friend’s sister, I am waiting to find out just how ruined all our lives are!

  “I will say it again, Lizzy: it will be difficult, but this doesn’t mean the end. Mary and Lydia’s chances will be damaged for sure unless they blossom into some better versions of themselves, but you and Jane will likely be fine for some marriage.”

  “Don’t lie to me Charlotte. We both know that no gentleman worth having would allow himself to marry into such a family.”

  “You have been telling me for years that people do all manner of foolish things when they’re in love. I imagine that this will be no different. Your circumstances are more unfortunate than they were before, but Jane is still beautiful and you are still clever, and your own reputations have never been tainted by such nonsense. That can be enough if you let it.”

  “Enough for marriage to some man who considers that he is doing me a favor by thinking to propose to me at all and I would be a fool to reject him because we have no better options.”

  “Elizabeth, I cannot imagine that under any circumstances you would ever allow yourself to marry for anything less than love. Your stubbornness will not fade away now that your circumstances are altered.”

  “And you’ll forgive me for that foolishness?”

  “I would have you be no other way.”

  Elizabeth tucked Charlotte’s arm in hers and they walked silently together long past the lane. “I am still frightfully concerned about funds, and spending the rest of my days with my mother and all my sisters in some small house that we will never be free of. But when I think of it, I have some small comfort that you will be there with me. It is a terrible fate to wish on anyone, but I think with you and Jane I might be able to handle anything, even a lifetime of Lydia.”

  “I am only sorry that my happiness should come at the expense of your own.”

  “Not at my expense, you didn’t plan this. But it is a comfort. I have never met a man I think better of than I think of you, so I imagine that this is how things always would have ended between us. Only now we have Lydia to thank.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  The next morning Mr. Gardiner waited only long enough to be certain that Mr. Bennet had not sent a letter before he set off for town. According to the Bennets, they were certain of at least receiving constant information from their uncle. He promised, at parting, to prevail on Mr. Bennet to return to Longbourn as soon as he could, which was to the great consolation of his sister who considered it as the only security for her husband’s not being killed in a duel. Charlotte kept to herself that she could hardly imagine Mr. Bennet touching a sword, let alone thinking himself equipped to fight with one.

  Mrs. Gardiner and the children were to remain in Hertfordshire a few days longer, as the former thought her presence might be useful to her nieces. She shared in their attendance on Mrs. Bennet and was a great comfort to them in their hours of freedom. Charlotte thought that thanks to this she could leave the family to spend time amongst themselves. However, when she did not arrive until after luncheon she found Elizabeth wild-eyed at the apathy of her younger sisters and Jane exhausted, having been prevailed upon to sit with her aunt and listen to her mother’s complaints instead of trading places. With apologetic kisses to her own sisters, Charlotte resumed her days at Longbourn after that.

  Mrs. Phillips also visited the Bennets frequently. She came with the design of cheering and heartening the women—though, as she never came without reporting some fresh instance of Wickham’s extravagance or irregularity, she seldom went away without leaving them more dispirited than she found them. All Meryton seemed striving to blacken the man who but three months before had been almost an angel of light. Colonel Forster’s opinion seemed verified by stories that suddenly became common knowledge. Everybody professed that he was the wickedest young man in the world and declared they had always distrusted the appearance of his goo
dness. Though all Meryton knew that Lydia had gone off with Wickham, Charlotte’s efforts had kept vague the truth of her circumstances.

  The first letter from Mr. Gardiner arrived on Tuesday, telling that he had found his brother and persuaded him to come to Gracechurch Street. Mr. Bennet had made unsuccessful inquiries at Epsom and Clapham and now was determined to inquire at all the principal hotels in town, thinking it possible they might have gone to one of them before they procured lodgings. Mr. Gardiner did not expect any success from this measure, but as his brother was eager in it, he meant to assist him in pursuing it. He added that Mr. Bennet seemed wholly disinclined at present to leave London and promised to write again very soon.

  His own efforts were directed more towards Colonel Forster, writing to the man to see if some of the other officers might know if there were any relations or connections who might know in what part of town Wickham could conceal himself. His particular thought was that Lizzy might know his relations better than anyone. Elizabeth had neither a notion about the man’s relations nor why her uncle might believe she did. Lizzy chose to take such belief in her knowledge as a compliment, while Charlotte would have been wounded by the assumption that her fondness for Wickham would have given her knowledge of such intimate matters.

  Each morning began with some mild hopefulness, but as the day wore on the tension would rise and they each became nearly frantic as the time for the post arrived. It grew to the point that the whole household would have been relieved to hear even bad news because that would be better than the stress of guessing after nothing.

  But before the family heard again from Mr. Gardiner, a letter arrived for Mr. Bennet from Mr. Collins. Jane had received directions to open all post that came for him in his absence, with a significant look at Charlotte to be of whatever use Jane might need. Elizabeth looked over Jane and read it likewise, then cast it to Charlotte in a temper. It was as follows:

  “MY DEAR SIR,

  “I feel myself called upon, by our relationship, and my situation in life, to console with you on the grievous affliction you are now suffering under, of which I was yesterday informed by a letter from Hertfordshire. Be assured, my dear sir, that I sincerely sympathize with you and all your respectable family, in your present distress, which must be of the bitterest kind, because it proceeds from a cause which no time can remove. No arguments shall be wanting on my part that can alleviate so severe a misfortune—or that may comfort you, under a circumstance that must be of all others the most afflicting to a parent’s mind. The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison to this.

  “You are grievously to be pitied, in which opinion I am joined by Lady Catherine and her daughter, to whom I have related the affair. They agree with me in apprehending that this false step in one daughter will be injurious to the fortunes of all the others, for who, as Lady Catherine herself condescendingly says, will connect themselves with such a family?

  “And this consideration leads me moreover to reflect, with augmented satisfaction, on a certain event of last November. For had it been otherwise, I must have been involved in all your sorrow and disgrace. Let me then advise you, dear sir, to console yourself as much as possible, to throw off your unworthy child from your affection forever, and leave her to reap the fruits of her own heinous offense.

  “I am, dear sir, etc., etc.”

  Elizabeth was justifiably furious over Mr. Collins’ daring, perhaps even more so because the man wasn’t wrong. It was far easier to loathe Mr. Collins when he was being ridiculous. Though in this case, it was cause enough for disdain that the man thought it was his place to share such criticism of Lydia. Reckless though Lydia might be and grievous her faults may have been, that did not mean Mr. Collins had any right to speak of his cousin in such a way, particularly as he was a man with no daughters and had never participated in the raising of any young lady. His disrespect was obscene and the accuracy of such an opinion was not a point of concern to anyone involved.

  It was luck that had Elizabeth out for a walk to calm herself when Maria and Henrietta arrived. Charlotte’s sisters had only been told that Lydia had eloped with Mr. Wickham and denied any other details of the affair. They knew no more than the rest of Meryton about Lydia’s circumstances and Charlotte was anxious to keep it that way. Informed as they were, the Lucas girls had made it their primary concern to offer support to Mary and Kitty in such a trying time. They could hardly imagine what it would be like to have Charlotte run off and elope, but they treated the two sisters with all the care they would have wanted under the circumstances. Matters were quite different between the beautiful, sixteen-year-old Lydia and spinster Charlotte, but as far as Maria and Henrietta were concerned a sister was a sister and that absence should be mourned accordingly.

  As genuine as Charlotte’s sisters were in their concern for the Bennet girls and their desire to aid Charlotte in what small way they could, their motives for arriving this day were not entirely pure. Before assuming care for the Bennet sisters, Henrietta handed Charlotte an unopened letter that their mother had entrusted to her, because for all Maria’s sweetness, she had never met a secret she could keep. As this letter was addressed from Mr. Collins, secrecy was necessary.

  “Mother sent me with it immediately and didn’t ask me if I had any idea why he might be writing you directly.”

  Charlotte just stared at the envelope still in her sister’s outstretched hand. “You wouldn’t have had an answer.”

  “I think she knew that, but still decided it was your own business. Expect a few dozen long looks when you get home tonight, though.”

  Henrietta flounced off before Charlotte could reply, obviously believing her sister needed to time to formulate an acceptable lie. Charlotte made a mental note to remind her sister that lying to her was not necessary and that their parents were not so naive as youth might like to believe.

  However, the letter in Charlotte’s hands was a more pressing concern. It would be easy to explain away post from Mr. Collins as nothing more than a reiteration of his offer to console the Bennet family made through a party he knew would be far more likely to accept than the intended recipients. That was a purpose far more likely than whatever thoughts had Charlotte’s heart pounding in her chest.

  Charlotte declared herself far too mature for this nonsense and after tucking herself into an unoccupied room she ripped open the letter with shaking hands. It read:

  “MY DEAR MISS LUCAS,

  “I hope you might forgive me for being so forward, but dear I now may call you. I am certain that you are aware of the terrible circumstances that have recently befallen my cousins. If you are not, then I beg you to make your way to their home and offer some comfort to them in their hour of need. Show pity on them, for this is a most trying time.

  “It is my understanding that Lydia has eloped with a young man of inferior birth, with no connections and no fortune to recommend him, little more than a Lieutenant in the militia who Lady Catherine has reliably informed me was once the son of Mr. Darcy’s steward and left their home in some disgrace. Now Lydia’s recklessness has caused the ruin of their entire family. I confess myself in no small part satisfied that I have been spared the ignominy of such an association. In truth, I believe this licentious behavior must result both from a naturally bad disposition, only increased by the faulty degree of indulgence that Mr. and Mrs. Bennet have allowed in all their children. That they would have allowed their daughter to refuse a gentleman of my good understanding and place in the world signifies to me how willing they have been to allow such poor behavior from all of their children. That they did so has proven to be a blessing to me and will result in their own ruin. I like to think that had I been a son to them that I would have intervened before such behavior was permitted to such an extent, but alas, it was not to be and now they are reaping the consequences of their own choices.

  “However, circumstances are such as they are and I cannot help but to be grateful for them. This terrible turn in th
e Bennet family has reached Lady Catherine’s ears and upon understanding fully the poor behavior of my cousins it has only improved her already good opinion of you. You have been a valiant friend to them, despite all of their scandalous traits; traits that Lady Catherine is now certain outweigh my responsibility to their family. Lady Catherine informed me that she hesitated so long in offering me her blessing only because it is the duty of a clergyman to keep to his word, even when he has been released from it as Mr. Bennet attempted to excuse me. However, these are such circumstances where no gentleman of honor might be expected to do more. The behavior of the whole Bennet family in this instance is such that any person would not be expected to link themselves with such a family beyond the necessities of blood.

  “I expect to shortly be returning to Longbourn so that I might succor my cousins in their time of need, offering my condolences for their ruined reputations and whatever other counsel I might provide to improve them all so that such terrible circumstances might never occur again. It is both my privilege to be of use to my family and my duty to do whatever I might for them to overcome the deficiencies of their upbringing and their own parents’ inability to preserve the family name in whatever way possible.

  “I would be honored if you would do me the courtesy of a visit when I return to Longbourn so that we may renew those circumstances that we shared the last time I was in Hertfordshire. I come with Lady Catherine’s full blessing and I confess that I am overjoyed at the opportunity to see you again and to finish what we began all those months ago. It is a relief to know that I need not apologize for the delay since you are one of the few women of my acquaintance who can understand perfectly why I waited for Lady Catherine’s approval when I would have done otherwise if left to my own devices. Your practicality is the surest signal to me that you are my perfect match, and now nothing remains for me but to assure you in the most animated language of the violence of my affection.