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Authors: Mary Lydon Simonsen
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matter.”
“But what if I wish to speak of it?”
“Georgiana, this is not subject to discussion,” and he got up to pour a glass of Madeira.
“Will, that is unfair. You have determined in your own mind what happened, and a good deal of it is wrong. And, yet, I cannot tell you the truth as you will not hear it. So I have to bear this burden of you thinking I would have eloped with Wickham, but I never would have. Never.”
Will sunk back into the chair. Were the stars aligned against him? Is that why he was unable to say or do the right thing as far as the female of the species was concerned?
“I know it pains you, but you will have a different understanding if only you will listen.”
Darcy shrugged his shoulders in resignation. “I will hear you, and then we will not speak of it again. Is that agreed?”
“Yes, of course, and you will be glad when I am done.”
Just the mention of George Wickham’s name infuriated him. Darcy knew little about Wickham’s early background, except that, as a young child, he had been placed in the care of Pemberley’s steward and his wife, who were childless and who loved their adopted son dearly. Darcy’s father also grew fond of Wickham, who had a most pleasing manner, one that hid a deceitful and conniving character, and had agreed to support him at Cambridge. In an act of generosity, Darcy’s father informed Wickham that once he had completed his studies, some money would become available so that he might purchase a living in the church, a commission in the army, or study the law. From that one conversation and because of old Darcy’s interest in his welfare and education, Wickham had decided that he was the natural son of his uncle, George Ashton, who was known to have fathered several children and had scattered them about the country. Because of Ashton’s association with the Darcy family, in Wickham’s mind, he was entitled to much more than the purchase of a living.
After the elder Darcy had died, Wickham left Cambridge and came to Darcy to ask for the value of the living and had disregarded all of Darcy’s arguments against such a scheme. At Wickham’s insistence, he had provided him with a draft on a London bank for the full amount. Within six months, Wickham was back at Pemberley asking for additional sums, but was refused. An angry George Wickham had declared that he knew who his father was and would expose Ashton if his demands were not met. The conversation and his response were still lodged in his memory.
“I do not know who your father is, but I know who he is not. And he is not George Ashton. My father agreed to manage a sum of money on your behalf as long as you pursued your studies or a career. It is obvious that your intention is to do neither. You made a mistake by coming to me today with your demands. You will get nothing from me, and you are to leave Pemberley immediately.”
In a rage, Wickham had told him, “You will come to regret your decision. I will see to it.” And he had come very near to succeeding.
A year earlier, on the spur of the moment, Darcy had decided to visit his sister in Ramsgate. Instead of enjoying the sea air with her companion, Georgiana had been receiving, in her rooms, George Wickham. The scoundrel had followed his sister to Ramsgate and had convinced her that he was in love with her, so much so that they should marry immediately. Because Darcy had thought it improper to discuss the man’s appetite for gaming and loose women and his spendthrift ways with a girl who knew nothing of how the world really worked, Georgiana had been unaware of Wickham’s true nature. As far as Darcy was concerned, Wickham had ceased to exist when he had accepted a cash payment in lieu of a living.
Although Georgiana insisted she would never have married without his consent, Darcy believed he had prevented their elopement, and now she was asking that he listen to the details of Wickham’s plan. And he signaled for his sister to
“But what if I wish to speak of it?”
“Georgiana, this is not subject to discussion,” and he got up to pour a glass of Madeira.
“Will, that is unfair. You have determined in your own mind what happened, and a good deal of it is wrong. And, yet, I cannot tell you the truth as you will not hear it. So I have to bear this burden of you thinking I would have eloped with Wickham, but I never would have. Never.”
Will sunk back into the chair. Were the stars aligned against him? Is that why he was unable to say or do the right thing as far as the female of the species was concerned?
“I know it pains you, but you will have a different understanding if only you will listen.”
Darcy shrugged his shoulders in resignation. “I will hear you, and then we will not speak of it again. Is that agreed?”
“Yes, of course, and you will be glad when I am done.”
Just the mention of George Wickham’s name infuriated him. Darcy knew little about Wickham’s early background, except that, as a young child, he had been placed in the care of Pemberley’s steward and his wife, who were childless and who loved their adopted son dearly. Darcy’s father also grew fond of Wickham, who had a most pleasing manner, one that hid a deceitful and conniving character, and had agreed to support him at Cambridge. In an act of generosity, Darcy’s father informed Wickham that once he had completed his studies, some money would become available so that he might purchase a living in the church, a commission in the army, or study the law. From that one conversation and because of old Darcy’s interest in his welfare and education, Wickham had decided that he was the natural son of his uncle, George Ashton, who was known to have fathered several children and had scattered them about the country. Because of Ashton’s association with the Darcy family, in Wickham’s mind, he was entitled to much more than the purchase of a living.
After the elder Darcy had died, Wickham left Cambridge and came to Darcy to ask for the value of the living and had disregarded all of Darcy’s arguments against such a scheme. At Wickham’s insistence, he had provided him with a draft on a London bank for the full amount. Within six months, Wickham was back at Pemberley asking for additional sums, but was refused. An angry George Wickham had declared that he knew who his father was and would expose Ashton if his demands were not met. The conversation and his response were still lodged in his memory.
“I do not know who your father is, but I know who he is not. And he is not George Ashton. My father agreed to manage a sum of money on your behalf as long as you pursued your studies or a career. It is obvious that your intention is to do neither. You made a mistake by coming to me today with your demands. You will get nothing from me, and you are to leave Pemberley immediately.”
In a rage, Wickham had told him, “You will come to regret your decision. I will see to it.” And he had come very near to succeeding.
A year earlier, on the spur of the moment, Darcy had decided to visit his sister in Ramsgate. Instead of enjoying the sea air with her companion, Georgiana had been receiving, in her rooms, George Wickham. The scoundrel had followed his sister to Ramsgate and had convinced her that he was in love with her, so much so that they should marry immediately. Because Darcy had thought it improper to discuss the man’s appetite for gaming and loose women and his spendthrift ways with a girl who knew nothing of how the world really worked, Georgiana had been unaware of Wickham’s true nature. As far as Darcy was concerned, Wickham had ceased to exist when he had accepted a cash payment in lieu of a living.
Although Georgiana insisted she would never have married without his consent, Darcy believed he had prevented their elopement, and now she was asking that he listen to the details of Wickham’s plan. And he signaled for his sister to
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