heard.
“What did Colonel Forster say? Did he and his officers have any apprehension of anything before the elopement took place? Lydia and Wickham must have been seen together on many occasions, after all, or she never would have been able to form an attachment.”
Jane admitted Colonel Forster suspected some partiality between the couple, especially on Lydia’s side, but he had not seen enough to give him any alarm until he discovered they were not gone to Scotland.
“And you wrote that Denny was convinced Wickham would not marry,” Elizabeth continued. “Did he have any intimation of Wickham going off with Lydia? Did Colonel Forster question Denny himself?”
“Yes, he did, but Denny denied knowing anything of their plan and would not give his real opinion about it. But he did not repeat his persuasion of their not marrying to Colonel Forster, and from that, I am inclined to hope he might have been misunderstood before.”
“And it was not until Colonel Forster came to Longbourn that any of you entertained a doubt of their being really married?”
“How could such an idea ever enter our brains? I felt a little uneasy, fearful even, of Lydia’s happiness with him in marriage because I knew that his conduct had not been always quite right. But my father and mother knew nothing of that and only perceived the imprudence of the match. Kitty did disclose, with a certain triumphant air on knowing more than the rest of us, that in Lydia’s last letter she had prepared her for such a step. Kitty knew, it seems, of their being in love with each other many weeks.”
Elizabeth grimaced in dismay at this additional knowledge of secrets being shared between the two sisters who were the most deserving of Mr. Darcy’s contempt for improper and inappropriate conduct, and she forced down her anger in order to continue.
“But Kitty did not believe they were in love before they went to Brighton, did she?”
“No, I believe not.”
“Did Colonel Forster give any indication of what he now thinks of Wickham himself? Does he know his real character now?”
“I must confess he did not speak so well of Wickham as he formerly did,” Jane said, again showing how unhappy she was to be admitting such. “He now believes Wickham to be imprudent and extravagant. And, since this sad affair has occurred, my Aunt Phillips says Wickham left many debts in Meryton, but I hope this is a false rumour.”
Elizabeth, however, could well believe it, and her voice was despairing as she lamented, “Oh, Jane, we should have been less secret. We should have told what we knew of him. If we had, this whole affair could not have happened!”
“Perhaps it would have been better, but to expose the past faults of any person without knowing whether they might have repented seemed unjustifiable. We acted with the best intentions.”
“Best intentions!” said Elizabeth miserably. “How many tragedies have occurred because of the best intentions? Did Colonel Forster tell you what Lydia said in her note to his wife?”
“He brought it with him for us to see,” Jane said, withdrawing the note and handing it to her sister, who instantly gave it her full attention.
My Dear Harriet,
You will laugh when you know where I am gone, and I cannot help laughing myself at your surprise to-morrow morning, as soon as I am missed. I am going to Gretna Green, and if you cannot guess with who, I shall think you a simpleton, for there is but one man in the world I love, and he is an angel. I should never be happy without him, so think it no harm to be off. You need not send them word at Longbourn of my going, if you do not like it, for it will make the surprise the greater, when I write to them, and sign my name “Lydia Wickham.” What a good joke it will be! I can hardly write for laughing. Pray make my excuses to Pratt for not keeping my engagement, and dancing with him to-night. Tell him I hope he will excuse me when he knows all; and tell him I will
“What did Colonel Forster say? Did he and his officers have any apprehension of anything before the elopement took place? Lydia and Wickham must have been seen together on many occasions, after all, or she never would have been able to form an attachment.”
Jane admitted Colonel Forster suspected some partiality between the couple, especially on Lydia’s side, but he had not seen enough to give him any alarm until he discovered they were not gone to Scotland.
“And you wrote that Denny was convinced Wickham would not marry,” Elizabeth continued. “Did he have any intimation of Wickham going off with Lydia? Did Colonel Forster question Denny himself?”
“Yes, he did, but Denny denied knowing anything of their plan and would not give his real opinion about it. But he did not repeat his persuasion of their not marrying to Colonel Forster, and from that, I am inclined to hope he might have been misunderstood before.”
“And it was not until Colonel Forster came to Longbourn that any of you entertained a doubt of their being really married?”
“How could such an idea ever enter our brains? I felt a little uneasy, fearful even, of Lydia’s happiness with him in marriage because I knew that his conduct had not been always quite right. But my father and mother knew nothing of that and only perceived the imprudence of the match. Kitty did disclose, with a certain triumphant air on knowing more than the rest of us, that in Lydia’s last letter she had prepared her for such a step. Kitty knew, it seems, of their being in love with each other many weeks.”
Elizabeth grimaced in dismay at this additional knowledge of secrets being shared between the two sisters who were the most deserving of Mr. Darcy’s contempt for improper and inappropriate conduct, and she forced down her anger in order to continue.
“But Kitty did not believe they were in love before they went to Brighton, did she?”
“No, I believe not.”
“Did Colonel Forster give any indication of what he now thinks of Wickham himself? Does he know his real character now?”
“I must confess he did not speak so well of Wickham as he formerly did,” Jane said, again showing how unhappy she was to be admitting such. “He now believes Wickham to be imprudent and extravagant. And, since this sad affair has occurred, my Aunt Phillips says Wickham left many debts in Meryton, but I hope this is a false rumour.”
Elizabeth, however, could well believe it, and her voice was despairing as she lamented, “Oh, Jane, we should have been less secret. We should have told what we knew of him. If we had, this whole affair could not have happened!”
“Perhaps it would have been better, but to expose the past faults of any person without knowing whether they might have repented seemed unjustifiable. We acted with the best intentions.”
“Best intentions!” said Elizabeth miserably. “How many tragedies have occurred because of the best intentions? Did Colonel Forster tell you what Lydia said in her note to his wife?”
“He brought it with him for us to see,” Jane said, withdrawing the note and handing it to her sister, who instantly gave it her full attention.
My Dear Harriet,
You will laugh when you know where I am gone, and I cannot help laughing myself at your surprise to-morrow morning, as soon as I am missed. I am going to Gretna Green, and if you cannot guess with who, I shall think you a simpleton, for there is but one man in the world I love, and he is an angel. I should never be happy without him, so think it no harm to be off. You need not send them word at Longbourn of my going, if you do not like it, for it will make the surprise the greater, when I write to them, and sign my name “Lydia Wickham.” What a good joke it will be! I can hardly write for laughing. Pray make my excuses to Pratt for not keeping my engagement, and dancing with him to-night. Tell him I hope he will excuse me when he knows all; and tell him I will
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