Page 155

“Oh! This is not merely supposition on my part. I have known Darcy all his life. Nothing is more important to him than money and power. He may trifle with the affections of unsuspecting young ladies, but he will never marry one of them. I say these things to you for your own benefit.”

Elizabeth looked at her watch. She realized she was late for her assignation with Mr. Darcy. She did not like the idea of keeping him waiting for no good cause, or in other words, Mr. Wickham’s baseless claims.

I shall not allow him to poison my opinion against Mr. Darcy any more than I would allow Mr. Darcy to poison my opinion against Wickham. Whatever is the source of acrimony between the two of them can have nothing at all to do with me.

Besides, if there were even a shred of truth to what Wickham had to say, then surely she owed it to Mr. Darcy to hear his own account. She would not even allow herself to consider the implications of Wickham’s words on the sentiments espoused by Mr. Darcy earlier that very day and the ensuing purpose of their clandestine meeting in the library.

Let me speak with him for myself, and then I will know what to think. Furthermore, I shall ask him directly what were his intentions toward my sister, and whatever his reply, the matter shall be settled for all time.

Thus resolved, she bid Wickham a hasty adieu, but before she went on her way, he seized her hand in his, raised it to his lips, and bestowed a lingering kiss. And then they parted.

Upon arriving at the appointed place, albeit a tad late, Elizabeth sentiments were a mixture of regret and relief that Mr. Darcy was not there. Her chance encounter with Mr. Wickham had bothered her more than she had allowed, and she needed to compose herself before seeing him.

I shall speak with him tomorrow, she silently promised herself.

Upon returning to her apartment, Elizabeth surmised she must have had a visitor in her absence, for there was a missive on her dressing table. Having dismissed her maid for the evening, she could not help but wonder how the letter got there. Elizabeth reached for the letter. It bore the Darcy seal.

Did Mr. Darcy place it here himself? Perchance he provides an explanation for his absence.

She tore open the seal and began reading the missive in silence. The following words sprang from the page:

It is with a heavy heart that I find myself writing this letter to you.

Words can hardly express the depth of my disappointment in seeing you and Wickham speaking so intimately this very evening. Is nothing I have said about that gentleman - his vile manner and low propensities - of any consequence? Seeing you two behaving so intimately toward each other serves as sufficient proof that indeed, it does not.

Furthermore, your comportment makes me question whether I ever knew you at all. I have witnessed too many young women being taken advantage of by Wickham. I always supposed you were too sensible to be counted among them. It seems I have badly mistaken your character, and now I must congratulate myself for having been denied the private audience I requested of you.

I shudder to think what I might have said or done had we met this evening, as I had proposed. Indeed, I am ashamed of what I once felt and cannot help but rejoice in having been spared the possibility of connections with people whose conditions in life are so decidedly beneath my own.

I will further add the only pleasure I shall expect where you and your family are concerned is your imminent leave-taking of Pemberley—an occasion which cannot come soon enough.

I will only say in closing, God speed. May you and all your family find the happiness you so richly deserve.

FD

The turmoil in Elizabeth’s mind increased with every review of the letter. She thought she knew him too well to suspect that he might be jealous of George Wickham. Perhaps there was some truth to Wickham’s words after all. How else was she to explain such a harsh rebuke? In all the time she had known Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, she never would have suspected such a cold dismissal from him.

Well, if he did not mean to see her again, if he chose to willfully misunderstand something so innocent as her walking and talking with Mr. Wickham, then it was just as well that their paths never crossed again.

Thus resolved, and by now wild to be away from Pemberley, Elizabeth rang the bell for her maid, with hardly a concern about the inconvenience of the hour.

It is painfully evident my presence at Pemberley is no longer tolerable. I must speak to Papa post haste and insist we take our leave of Derbyshire as soon as can be.

CHAPTER 29

IMPROPRIETY ASIDE

Having successfully prevailed on her father to arrange for their precipitous departure from Pemberley, Elizabeth returned to her apartment intent on not wasting a single moment of her time dwelling on those thoughts that had accompanied her to sleep, wreaked havoc on her dreams, and shaken her from her slumber.

“—the only pleasure I shall expect where you and your family are concerned is your imminent leave-taking of Pemberley—an occasion which cannot come soon enough.”

Elizabeth’s heart sank all over again. Such unfeeling words once spoken, or in this case once written, can never be forgotten.

Amid the hurry and confusion inherent in such a speedy departure, she threw a long look about the apartment that had been hers for so many weeks, just in case she had overlooked one of her possessions. How fortunate she was to have cared so little for the people she was leaving behind—to be alleviated of the need for hastily written notes with false excuses for their sudden departure. As they were already scheduled to return to Hertfordshire later during the week, most of the work of packing up her belongings had already been done. As for her sister’s belongings, Elizabeth had overseen the packing and shipping to Scarborough where Jane and her husband were staying.

A light rap on the door drew Elizabeth’s attention from the task at hand. Not knowing who might be on the other side, the thought that it might be Mr. Darcy himself demanding that she leave the premises immediately did occur to her. She hesitated a bit.

Surely it is not Mr. Darcy. The impropriety aside, he has made it clear he never wishes to see me again. The inevitability that such a prospect was altogether impossible, she summoned her courage. Silently signaling her intention to answer the door to the maid, Elizabeth tucked a loosened strand of hair behind her ear. She smoothed her skirt. On her way to the door, she threw a quick glance at her reflection in the mirror.