His Good Opinion: A Mr. Darcy Novel (35 page)

This was not at all Darcy's impression of Wickham, but he knew exactly what had brought about the change. "Would you?"

"Damn it, you know I would! She's... well, I've got to marry sometime; I might as well marry her."

Darcy coughed to hide his laughter.
He is playing right into my hands... Oh George, it is truly sad that you can be so easily led.
"That is very romantic of you."

Wickham cut off the comment with a wave of his hand. "Oh, you know what I mean."

"I daresay I do. But if you need to marry for money, then none of these sentiments toward Miss Bennet matter in the slightest. Her father can only provide the smallest token of a dowry; we discussed that yesterday."

Wickham tapped his fingers nervously on the table. "I do believe I have a solution to that as well, Darcy."

"And what might that be, pray tell? Do not tell me you intend to take up a profession, for I shall not believe it."

Wickham shook his head. "No, something much simpler. Here, let us sit down." He waited until they were both seated before he continued. "It occurs to me that you have taken a keen interest in our marriage. It seems the logical answer is for you to pay for it."

Darcy shook his head. "If I would not pay you to marry my sister, why do you think I would pay you to marry... Miss Bennet?"

He swore to himself. He had nearly slipped and said, "Marry Elizabeth's sister" instead--he had barely caught himself.

Wickham glowered at him. "It's your bloody morals that will answer if you do not."

Darcy snorted. "I daresay my conscience will not suffer if I allow the chit to have the reward she asks for."

Wickham gripped the edge of the table and leaned forward. "Come, Darcy. You must know I need the money."

"That I can readily believe. I do not see why you expect me to provide it."

Wickham crossed his arms and pouted exactly like the petulant child he was. "Well, will you or won't you?"

Darcy leaned back. "I suppose that depends on how much it will cost me."

"I want a commission."

"Naturally." Though it went against Darcy's nature to provide a living for such a man, he would not leave Elizabeth's sister without an income.

"And the ten thousand I mentioned last night."

"Of course."

"And I want all my debts paid off."

Darcy blinked; this was not expected, though perhaps it should have been. "Do you have a list of those?" he asked after only a moment's hesitation.

"I can make one for you if you like."

Darcy nodded, and Wickham pulled out a piece of paper. After considerable thought, he handed Darcy the list, which was longer than even Darcy had thought it would be.

"Do we have an agreement then?"

"Ten thousand, plus a commission, plus the retirement of all your debt."

"Agreed."

Darcy rose and looked down at Wickham. "I did not believe you would ever do the right thing, George. I am glad to have been wrong for once."

Wickham stood up and shook his head. "You know as well as I that nothing but your money could convince me to marry that girl."

"I will share the news with her family," Darcy said after a long pause. "I believe they will want her to come stay with them for the duration of your engagement, but I will leave that up to them."

Wickham smiled sardonically. "Your rigid moral code again. What does it matter? She has been in my bed this last week."

Darcy frowned. "If you care for your financial security, you will not utter those words to anyone else."

The
smug
expression on Wickham's face made Darcy want to hit something, but he controlled his anger. "Very well, if you would have it be that way."

"And I need not tell you that if her uncle arrives this evening to find Lydia missing, you will never see another penny of Darcy money."

Wickham smiled at Darcy, some of his self-assuredness returning now that financial gain was at hand. "So we are clear then."

"I believe we are." Darcy eyed the man for a long moment and then held out his hand. "Though it goes against everything in me to do business with you, I am glad nonetheless that you could be persuaded to do the right thing--even if it was only for your own sake."

Wickham took his hand and shook it. "And I am glad you could be persuaded to support me, as has always been your duty. A pleasure doing business, Darcy."

Darcy rose from his seat, but before he reached the door, he turned back and gave Wickham a hard look. "There is one thing we have not discussed, Wickham."

"What is that, Darcy?"

"You will not receive a penny of this money, nor the benefit of your commission, until I see you married to Lydia Bennet. That will happen within the next two weeks by a special license I will provide. If you choose to decamp before the wedding, you will never gain another farthing from me. Do I make myself clear?"

A pettish, mulish expression crossed Wickham's face, and Darcy knew he had been right to demand this condition. "I should have known you would have the last word," he muttered.

"Yes, you should have. Well, Wickham, what will it be--marriage to Lydia Bennet and comparative easy living, or poverty by yourself? And I warn you, if you choose the latter, I will ruin your good name so thoroughly that you will not be able to deceive any other young lady into taking you."

Wickham stared at him for a long moment and then nodded curtly. "Very well then. Buy the license, and we will meet with a clergyman."

"A wise choice. Felicitations on your upcoming marriage, George."

The gesture Wickham gave in reply left no doubt as to his true sentiments, but nonetheless Darcy was satisfied when he left the lodgings. Wickham valued his own livelihood too much to back out now.

With this happy news to report, Darcy finally felt comfortable informing Mr. Gardiner of his niece's location. "Gracechurch Street," he ordered Broderick, and then chuckled to himself.
It is lucky I heard Miss Bingley mention the Gardiner's address so often
.

Wickham's lodgings in Southwark were not four miles from the City, but they were leagues separated in fashion. The Gardiners' house was large and handsome, and Darcy felt another aspect of his pride fall by the wayside. He climbed the stairs and knocked on the door, which was opened by a liveried servant.

"Yes, sir?"

"Is Mr. Gardiner available?"

"No, sir--he and Mr. Bennet are out for the day."

Darcy wondered that he had not considered Lydia's father would still be in London. "I do not wish to disturb him while he has company. Tell me, will Mr. Bennet be long in town?"

"I believe he is to return home on the morrow."

"Very well. I shall call again then. Inform Mr. Gardiner that a gentleman came by on business and will inquire around tomorrow afternoon."

The next morning he went back to Gracechurch Street directly after breakfast. His card guaranteed him entrance into the house, and he was shown straightaway into Mr. Gardiner's study.

"Mr. Darcy, to what do I owe this honor? I take it you were the gentleman who called yesterday?"

"I am." Darcy took the seat indicated. "I am not unaware of the task that kept you from home yesterday, sir. Did your niece tell you I happened upon her shortly after she received Miss Bennet's letters?"

Mr. Gardiner's expression darkened. "Indeed she did. I understand you have had some unpleasant dealings of your own with Mr. Wickham. Though I do not know their nature, having spent the last week searching for the scoundrel, you have my full sympathies, Mr. Darcy. We had no idea of his true character."

"That is the point of my visit," Darcy cut in, glad of the segue. "Even while I was still with Miss Elizabeth, it rapidly became clear to me that this whole affair was partly my own fault, however indirectly." Mr. Gardiner opened his mouth to object, and Darcy held his hand up. "Had I made you aware of what Wickham really is, or had I given your niece leave to do so, this could never have happened."

Mr. Gardiner leaned back in his chair, a frown on his face. "You cannot have known he would behave so infamously."

Darcy shifted in his seat and his gaze dropped to the floor for an instant. He knew exactly how Wickham behaved when left alone with a vulnerable fifteen-year-old girl; he knew, and he had not taken steps to ensure that no other young lady would be treated as his sister had been.

"I assure you, I knew enough. But as I was saying, while I was still talking with Miss Elizabeth, I realized that I had a distinct advantage over yourself and Mr. Bennet. Neither of you knew where they might go on entering London. I still had the last forwarding address of a friend of his. I resolved to come to London and seek them out, and I have done so."

Mr. Gardiner leapt to his feet. "Am I to understand, sir, that you know where my niece and this blackguard have been concealing themselves?"

"I do."

"Then let us go at once." When Darcy did not move, Mr. Gardiner sat back down. "I do not understand. Is there any reason we cannot retrieve Lydia this instant?"

"May I be frank with you, sir?" Mr. Gardiner nodded. "Your niece has already been alone in his company for almost a week. Another few minutes will do no further harm, and the extra time will give me a chance to explain the arrangements I have made with Wickham."

"The arrangements you have made?"

Darcy nodded. "I will explain more fully in a minute, but first allow me to tell you how I found them." Mr. Gardiner nodded and settled back in his chair, and Darcy took a deep breath.

"It took me several days to discover them, and when I did, I easily learned he had never had any intention of marrying her. He found it expedient to leave Brighton, which I am sure you can understand, and when he told Lydia of his intentions, she insisted on going with him. She assumed his plan was then to go to Scotland, but he never promised anything of the kind."

Darcy pinched the bridge of his nose. "My first thought, I admit, was to find your niece and bring her home, hoping the matter could be hushed up well enough if she returned in good time. However, she would have none of it. She was content with his vague promises that they would eventually marry. When I pointed out the certain evils to her reputation, she brushed them off."

Mr. Gardiner sighed heavily. "Yes, that sounds like Lydia. I am afraid my sister has spoiled her, as we are all liable to do with children who remind us too much of ourselves."

Darcy kept his own counsel on that point and moved on. "That discovered, I then determined that the only thing was for them to marry."

"Agreed."

"I know Wickham, however; the grudge between us is longstanding and bitter. If he suspected I had any true interest in the matter, there would be no way to accomplish the feat."

Mr. Gardiner smiled knowingly, but like the gentleman he was, he did not ask what Darcy's true interest was. "It took me two days to work around to it, but I finally was able to settle on exactly how much money it would take to convince him to marry Miss Lydia."

"Tell me the sum and I will have my solicitor draw up papers this afternoon."

"You do not take my meaning, sir. It is all arranged between us; I shall provide Miss Lydia's dowry. In addition, I shall buy his commission and take care of his debts, as well as provide one thousand pounds to settle on your niece."

"This is too much!" Mr. Gardiner cried. "Am I to accept such charity from a gentleman I hardly know?"

Darcy stood and used his imposing height to full advantage. "I assure you, sir, there is no arguing with me. As I said, this could not have happened if I had been more open regarding my dealings with Mr. Wickham. I am determined to take care of the matter myself."

"We will return to this point shortly, I assure you. Is there anything else you have arranged with the gentleman?"

"In addition to the funds already mentioned, they will receive an amount to live on until his first paycheck arrives from the army. I will pay for the wedding, and I will be there myself to make sure he follows through. I do not need to tell you that he is not the most dependable of men."

"No, you most certainly do not. Ah, Lydia." Her uncle sighed and shook his head in resignation. "Could you not have chosen a better man to elope with?"

Darcy had to hide a smile at the sentiment. "As to their location, I will gladly give you the direction now. I am sure you and Mrs. Gardiner will want to bring Lydia into your house for the fortnight preceding the wedding. That will at least give the affair a veneer of respectability, however thin it might be."

"Indeed." Mr. Gardiner rose and shook Darcy's hand. "May I attempt once more to change your mind? If you will not allow me to pay for my niece's wedding, at least allow me to settle Wickham's debts in Brighton."

A frown furrowed Darcy's brow for a moment as he considered the request.
Perhaps I am once again being inconsiderate to the feelings of others,
he realized.
I cannot assume Mr. Gardiner is any more willing to sit idly by while others handle his affairs than I would be.