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  “Perhaps,” said Anne. Her mien was introspective and her manner troubled, and when Elizabeth asked her what was the matter, she sighed.

  “Elizabeth, do you not remember that my mother interviewed a lady by the name of Miss Younge? I was simply wondering if it was the same woman.”

  “It is possible,” replied Elizabeth. “I seem to remember Mr. Collins telling me that your mother sent her away because she did not like the look of her.”

  “Then it is possible she is still scheming with Mr. Wickham.”

  It was possible, but Elizabeth did not know what she could do about it. Of her actions with respect to Georgiana, Elizabeth could now only be ashamed. She knew she should have held her tongue, but given what she had learned, she was relieved she had spoken. It would put her on her guard with respect to the man she now knew was no gentleman.

  Chapter XVI

  A distracted Elizabeth thought about what she had learned about Mr. Wickham, and she was not quite certain how to act. The man had gone from amiable and unfortunate to contemptible and mercenary, a change so stunning that had she not heard from Georgiana’s mouth exactly what had happened, she might not have believed it. What this did to her opinion of Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth preferred not to think—she knew a large part of her disdain for Mr. Darcy had been based on his supposed treatment of Mr. Wickham—if that foundation was removed, then her opinion of Mr. Darcy must necessarily change.

  But Elizabeth decided that she could not dwell on Mr. Darcy at this point—she was polite to him, as she must necessarily be at all times now that she resided in his house, but she did not go to any trouble to learn more of him at present. She was more concerned about what to do about Mr. Wickham.

  At present, Elizabeth had no notion of any of Mr. Wickham’s other sins. She knew he had attempted to elope with a girl of fifteen years and had lied about his knowledge of another man, though whether that was in revenge for the foiling of his plans or for some other reason, she did not know. The things that she had learned did not speak well to his character. But were they the extent of his sins? Was there some danger to those in Meryton? And most importantly, were her sisters in danger? Mr. Wickham was a regular visitor to Longbourn, his tales accepted as truth, his position in the community and regiment, secured.

  “Why do you not simply ask Darcy?” asked Anne early the next morning. She had noticed Elizabeth’s distraction and asked about it, and though Elizabeth had been reluctant to say much, her friend had wheedled the truth from her.

  “I hardly think Mr. Darcy wishes to speak of his past with Mr. Wickham, especially to one such as I.”

  The look Anne bestowed upon her was not amused. “Are you still caught up in this unreasoning animosity you have for my cousin?”

  “I hardly think any animosity between Mr. Darcy and myself is unreasoning,” replied Elizabeth. “But no, it has nothing to do with that. It is clear Mr. Darcy and his sister have been hurt by Mr. Wickham, and I would not dredge up unpleasant memories. Besides which, he truly has no reason to tell me anything he does not wish.”

  Anne regarded Elizabeth for a moment before she spoke. “I would not wish to bring the subject to Georgiana’s attention again—at least not so soon after yesterday’s events—but Darcy is made of much sterner stuff, and he has known Mr. Wickham all his life. Furthermore, I would think he would agree to speak when he understands your fears, especially if Mr. Wickham is as poor of character as I suspect. You say Darcy does not have a care for anyone in your neighborhood, and you may be correct—but do those of good character not have a duty to inform others of those who mean to harm them?”

  “Then why did he not speak with the gentlemen about Mr. Wickham?” challenged Elizabeth.

  “I do not know,” replied Anne. “Perhaps it was in an effort to protect Georgiana, or perhaps the man is not so morally deficient as we think. Or perhaps he is, as you obviously think, proud and unwilling to concern himself with those he considers beneath him.” Anne impaled Elizabeth with a look. “I do not see this measure of proudness in him, but I was not at Meryton when you first met. But I doubt he could simply brush off an appeal to him if he knows this Mr. Wickham is not to be trusted.”

  Elizabeth chewed on her lower lip in thought. “You may be correct. I shall have to think on it.”

  The look Anne returned informed Elizabeth that she had best think quickly and come to a resolution. While Elizabeth attempted to focus on the problem of Mr. Wickham, her earlier resolution of not considering Mr. Darcy was frayed, and there were times her mind wandered to the complicated man. And the item which came to her mind most often was that if Mr. Wickham was not a good man, then perhaps Mr. Darcy was not quite the villain she had thought him to be.

  When Mr. Gardiner arrived at the house, Darcy was in his study reading some letters of business. Fitzwilliam had been there for a time, but he had departed for his barracks, stating that he would prefer to keep his leave if there was no real requirement for him to use it.

  Darcy had received a letter that morning from Bingley. In it, though it was sometimes difficult to decipher the man’s writing, Darcy learned that Bingley would be returning to London with his family shortly. It presented a dilemma—Darcy did not think his friend had recovered from his fascination with Miss Bennet, yet the woman’s sister was staying at Darcy’s house at present. Their meeting would lead to questions about Miss Bennet, and Bingley would no doubt discover her presence in London. It was unfortunate, but Darcy had no notion of how to avoid it—Miss Elizabeth was quite ensconced here, and Anne—and Georgiana, he suspected—did not wish her to leave. Perhaps he could arrange to meet Bingley at their club. Darcy snorted—he might even have an unknowing ally in Miss Bingley, for he knew she would visit here the moment she returned to town, and when she discovered Miss Elizabeth staying here, her interest in keeping her brother away would be aroused.

  Of Miss Bennet herself, Darcy decided not to think too much. The knowledge that he had purposely aided Miss Bingley in keeping her presence in London from Bingley was troublesome—as always, any such deceptions made him uncomfortable. It was unfortunate she was ambivalent about Bingley, for Darcy would have had no true objections to their union otherwise, and now that Miss Elizabeth was once again in his life, Darcy secondary motive was not a consideration.

  The knock on his door provided a distraction away from his thoughts, and when the door opened, his butler announced Mr. Gardiner, Darcy rose to greet him.

  “Mr. Gardiner, welcome,” said Darcy simply, extending his hand to shake the other man’s.

  “Mr. Darcy.” Mr. Gardiner was shorter, a little portly, appearing about ten years Darcy’s senior, or perhaps a little more. He was dressed fashionably, though in practical clothing, devoid of any of the fluff tradesmen often chose to adorn themselves to make it appear they were higher in society. His features were pleasant and good-humored, and in his eyes shone the light of intelligence. It appeared Fitzwilliam had been correct in his assertions.

  “Thank you for receiving me, Mr. Darcy,” said Mr. Gardiner, sitting when Darcy invited him to do so. “I understand that many men of your stature would consider my coming an imposition, and I appreciate your forbearance on the matter.”

  “Not at all,” Darcy was quick to reply. “Your niece is staying with me, and I understand you wish to ensure her living conditions are appropriate.”

  Mr. Gardiner laughed. “I hardly think that staying with the Darcys of Pemberley could be deemed inappropriate, sir.”

  “You are familiar with my family?” asked Darcy, trying not to frown.

  “Only by reputation, sir. I have heard something of you, and none of what I have heard is negative in any way. My wife is also familiar with your family name. I hope you are able to meet her some time, as I believe you would know some of the same people and locations.”

  Though intrigued by this statement, Darcy decided not to ask. He was still not certain if Mr. Gardiner wished to use this circumstance to cl
aim an acquaintance with him, or worse. Something in his expression must have shown, for Mr. Gardiner chuckled and shook his head.

  “You need not fear, Mr. Darcy. I have no interest in making our acquaintance to be more than it is. You are hosting my dearest niece, and I wish to see her and hear of these mysterious circumstances which have led to her residence in your home. It was only a few days ago that she asked my permission to extend her stay in Kent.”

  “I would never have expected a beloved relation to Miss Elizabeth to behave in such a manner,” said Darcy, attempting to cover his slip.

  “Mr. Darcy,” said Mr. Gardiner, leaning forward and placing his arms on the edge of Darcy’s desk, “you do not need to dissemble with me. You have met my sisters, have you not?”

  Feeling a little ashamed, Darcy owned that he had. “I am acquainted with Mrs. Bennet, though I have only made your other sister’s acquaintance in passing.”

  “Then you are familiar with her character. As an intelligent man, I hardly think you could have missed it.” Mr. Gardiner paused. “My sisters are not the most intelligent creatures, but they are, at heart, good women. Mrs. Bennet is ruled by her fears of the entail, but she does wish the best for her daughters. Lizzy, however, would tell you that her idea of the best does not always coincide with her daughters’ opinions.”

  Darcy shook his head and laughed. “There is many a society mother who is exactly the same, sir.”

  “Then you understand my meaning. I am quite used to being an object of curiosity to those who have met my sisters and taken their measure. Now that I have proven myself to be of some intelligence, I hope you will acquit me of their brand of foolishness.”

  “I never would have expected it, sir,” replied Darcy, thinking of Fitzwilliam’s opinion. “And whatever her mother’s faults, it is clear Miss Elizabeth does not suffer from similar deficiencies.”

  “I see you have met Lizzy,” replied Mr. Gardiner with a hearty laugh. “No, Lizzy is more her father’s daughter than her mother’s. Given her outspoken nature, I almost wonder if this difficulty in Kent was in some way exacerbated by that frankness.”

  “I would not have you think so,” replied Darcy. “She has been of great assistance to my cousin, and Anne, it seems, cannot do without her. As for the particulars, I shall leave them to Miss Bennet to relate.”

  “Then shall we join them?” asked Mr. Gardiner. “I find that I am impatient to hear her tale.”

  Agreeing with his guest, Darcy rose and led Mr. Gardiner from the room. As they walked, they chatted about inconsequential subjects. Darcy’s mind was taken back to his conversation with Fitzwilliam again, and he was reminded of his previously meager opinion of Mr. Gardiner and how unjustified it had been.

  It was a lesson to be learned, he decided. To think meanly of the world, particularly of those who, by society’s standards, were not of his own level, was a serious mistake. Had he not befriended Bingley to the scorn of many of his acquaintances? Bingley’s relative wealth in no way made him more acceptable to most of society, and still Darcy had not cared. Given what he had seen of Mr. Gardiner, Darcy doubted the man’s wealth was appreciably less than Bingley’s. Darcy steeled himself to ensure he did not make the same mistake again.

  “Uncle!” said Elizabeth when the gentlemen entered the sitting-room where Elizabeth had been conversing with Georgiana, Anne, and Mrs. Annesley.

  Throwing all caution to the wind, Elizabeth rose and threw herself into her uncle’s arms. “I did not know you had come.”

  “You appear well, Lizzy,” said Mr. Gardiner. He held her at arms’ length as if to inspect her. “I hope you have not been giving these fine people too much difficulty.”

  “Oh, Uncle!” exclaimed Elizabeth. “At times, you are as bad as Papa.”

  Mr. Gardiner only grinned. “Someone must tease you when your father is not present.”

  “Will you please introduce us?” asked Anne, turning Elizabeth’s attention back to her friend. “I believe your uncle will be an effective check on your behavior. I know I have not had much luck calming your exuberance.”

  “You may all laugh at my expense if it pleases you,” said Elizabeth when they did just that. She glared about the room. “But I warn you to beware of my uncle. His wit is not quite so satirical as my father’s, but it is not benign either!”

  “I have missed you, Lizzy,” said Mr. Gardiner with a fondness which could not be hidden. “Please, introduce me to your friends.”

  Elizabeth readily obliged, and the company sat down to visit. “In fact, I spent a few moments with Mr. Darcy in his study after he had received me in his house. I understand there are a few events of which I should be informed concerning your removal to London. Should I look to you for this explanation, or would one of your companions be better suited to give me a full understanding of what has happened?”

  Though Elizabeth was not quite certain what to make of Mr. Darcy’s seeming amity with her uncle, she declined to think on it at that moment. Her attention was instead directed toward Mr. Gardiner’s query. She was not quite certain how to answer him, however, as she did not wish to offend those with whom she was currently staying.

  “You do not need to hesitate, Elizabeth,” said Anne, and all at once Elizabeth realized her silence was of such a length that it had been noted. “My mother’s behavior to you was reprehensible. There is no need to attempt to paint it in rosy colors.”

  “You must have affected her to a great degree, Miss de Bourgh,” said her uncle, winking at Anne. “I have never known Elizabeth to be anything other than forthright.”

  “You would lead them all to believe I possess no tact!” exclaimed Elizabeth.

  “Tact you have aplenty,” replied Mr. Gardiner. “But your sense of outrage often overwhelms your discretion.”

  It was clear they would continue to tease her until she related what had happened, so Elizabeth began speaking in an attempt to avoid their wit. Mr. Gardiner listened intently, interjecting a question or requesting clarification at times, but for the most part he simply listened. Though Georgiana and Mr. Darcy were largely silent, Anne also inserted comments in numerous places, her observations usually caustic and humorous, and at times Elizabeth almost grew cross with her friend, as her interruptions lengthened the tale and made it more difficult to relate.

  When all had finally been shared, Mr. Gardiner shook his head and gazed at her fondly. “Only you, Elizabeth, could cause such havoc in a place you only visited for a short time.”

  Elizabeth made to protest, but Mr. Gardiner only held up his hand. “I do not speak to censure, my dear. You have been of great assistance to Miss de Bourgh when she stood in need of it.”

  “That is exactly it,” said Anne, her steady gaze embarrassing Elizabeth all that much more.

  “You have always done what you thought was right, regardless of the consequences,” continued Mr. Gardiner. “I am not surprised that you have followed that same principle in this instance.”

  “I am glad she did,” said Anne. “My association with your niece has changed my life for the better, sir. I would not wish to give up her society.”

  Mr. Gardiner sighed. “Unfortunately, that will not be for me to decide.” Mr. Gardiner turned to Elizabeth. “I assume you are already aware of your father’s desire for your return.”

  “I received a letter from him not long before I left Kent,” confirmed Elizabeth.

  “He may be persuaded to relent. But you know he has always been most comfortable when you are home.” Mr. Gardiner turned to the rest of the company, and his expression showed him to still be feeling a little mischievous. “Elizabeth has always been his intellectual partner, and as my sister and her younger daughters tend a little toward silliness, he feels Elizabeth’s absence keenly.”

  “I can well understand that,” replied Anne.

  Mr. Gardiner smiled and turned back to Elizabeth. “I believe we may put him off. How long did you mean to stay?”


  “Miss Bennet is welcome to stay as long as she likes,” said Mr. Darcy. “She and Anne are great friends, and my sister has also become fond of her.”

  The shy nod Georgiana gave was acknowledged by Mr. Gardiner. “A month or two should be acceptable. I will write to him and inform him of the situation and your current circumstances. I do not doubt he will be agreeable, at least in the short term.

  “Now, I am certain you must be aware that Jane wishes to see you.” Mr. Gardiner chuckled. “In fact, it was difficult convincing her that I should come alone this morning.”

  “And I long to see Jane.” Elizabeth turned to Anne. “I should like to introduce you to my sister. In many ways, she is much like Georgiana.”

  “I am quite happy to be introduced to your sister,” agreed Anne. “I am certain we could commandeer my cousin’s carriage to go to your uncle’s home, and perhaps she could visit us here, when convenient. Your wife would also be welcome, of course.”

  “Why do you not come to dinner with your family, Mr. Gardiner?” asked Mr. Darcy. “We would be happy to have you. My cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, is also living at my house, and I believe he would appreciate an introduction as well.”

  To say Elizabeth was shocked was an understatement. Mr. Darcy’s distaste at receiving a tradesman at his home had been evident only a few days before. Surely the desire to be agreeable would not induce him to such measures of civility!

  “We would be happy to attend,” said Mr. Gardiner, apparently thinking nothing of the invitation. “I must consult my wife concerning our schedule, but I do not foresee any difficulty.”

  They spoke on the matter for a few more moments, deciding to gather for dinner three days hence, and after it was agreed, Mr. Gardiner soon took his leave, Elizabeth walking him to the front door. They walked in silence for the most part, only speaking when they had reached her uncle’s carriage.