Wickham


Mr Parker to Mr Wickham

London, July 23

The end of the month, eh? Then you will need a week or two to get to Scotland and back, but by the middle of August, or the end of August at the latest, we will all be in clover.

Parker


Mr Wickham to Mr Parker

Ramsgate, July 28

Congratulate me, Matthew, for I have won the hand and the purse of Miss Darcy! Ah, life is good. I went to dinner there this evening and Belle left us alone on pretence of going to fetch her workbasket. Georgiana blushed very prettily and I satisfied every girlish dream, you can be sure. I told her how much I loved her and then I went down on one knee and proposed. Belle, who had been listening outside the door, came in at the right moment to hear our news and then congratulated Georgiana. ‘Oh, this is wonderful news! You were made to be with each other! Just like my good, dear Stephen and me. Oh, the happy times we had together from the moment we met to all the magic of our wedding in Scotland, to all the happy years we had together until he died. I only hope you two young people can have the same,’ she said.

At this I appeared much struck, and said, ‘Why should we not go to Scotland?’ I talked of the romance of it all and Georgiana, who has been encouraged to think of nothing else all month, was carried away with the idea. She hesitated only for a moment, thinking of her brother and worrying that he might not approve, but Belle rose to the occasion, saying that her family had thought it quite wonderful that she had eloped and had been full of admiration for her when she returned, praising her for following her dreams.

So take the best set of rooms at The White Hart, Matthew. No more Black Bull for us! No more living from hand to mouth or scraping along; there will be plenty for all.

Wickham


Mr Wickham to Mr Parker

Ramsgate, July 29

A note in haste. It is all up with me. Darcy is here. He arrived unexpectedly, d——n him, and foiled the elopement. What’s more, he understood Belle’s part in the scheme at once and dismissed her. He was in a towering rage, and only his sympathy for his sister and his desire to comfort her prevented him from pursuing me at once.

Belle and I are leaving Ramsgate together within the hour. Cancel the rooms at The White Hart, or play out the charade by pretending your wealthy friend will be arriving imminently, whichever you please, but do not expect to see us in London this month. We have nothing to live on but what we have on our persons, and we will have to find some cheap hole to hide in. God knows what we will live on when the money runs out.

Wickham

AUGUST

Mr Darcy to Colonel Fitzwilliam

Darcy House, London, August 2

Henry, are you still at Rosings? If so, find out all you can about Mrs Younge from my aunt. I must find her at once. She has proved to be a deceitful, scheming impostor—but you do not know all. And yet you must have it.

When Georgiana wrote to me about love and happiness and the future and old friends, I thought she meant nothing more than that she was enjoying her holiday, that she felt secure in my love, and that she had by chance met someone from Derbyshire. Little did I know she meant something quite different.

When I found myself with a free couple of days, on account of having finished some business more quickly than I expected, I went down to Ramsgate to pay her a visit before the appointed time. Thank God I did! For I found her about to elope with George Wickham.

Was there ever anything more villainous than his determined seduction of such an innocent girl? And the whole thing was cynically done, of course, with a view to persuading her to elope with him, whereupon he would become the master of her fortune.

He could not have done it without the help of Mrs Younge. I soon discovered that she and Wickham knew each other and that she was responsible for inviting Wickham to the house. It was child’s play for her to encourage Georgiana’s romantic notions and encourage my sister to see Wickham as a romantic hero.

Georgiana, poor girl, is heartbroken, and no wonder: the villain can make himself very agreeable when he chooses. He is handsome and charming and he knows how to make women admire him. He deliberately sought her out in Ramsgate and presented himself as a respectful and attentive cavalier who flattered her gently, bought her gifts, took her on outings, reminisced about their happy childhoods and expected nothing in return. What girl of fifteen could resist such a determined assault? He so worked upon her that she quite forgot it was wrong to run away, and thought instead it was romantic. It was not until she saw me that the glamour was broken, and she came to herself. She remembered the worry it would cause her family to find that she had gone, and remembered, too, that it would ruin her reputation.

That was Wickham’s hope, of course: that once he had ruined her reputation, I would do anything to prevent the knowledge of her ruin becoming known; that I would recognise the marriage and disguise its beginnings; in short, that I would welcome him into the family for the sake of appearances. He would then have everything he wanted: a wealthy wife, an indissoluble connection with the Darcy family and his revenge upon me.

The latter, I am sure, was his chief motive. Revenge. He has never forgiven me for refusing to give him the living my father promised him. He conveniently forgot that he did not want it; that he asked me for money instead; that I gave it to him, knowing him to be unsuited to the church; and that he had willingly given up all claims upon it. Only when he had spent the money and found himself with nothing to live on did he remember the living, and try to claim it.

And now he has had his revenge.

Although, not quite. Thanks to Providence I was able to save Georgiana, and she is now upset and ashamed, but otherwise unhurt. In time, I hope, she will come to see it as a lucky escape, although at the moment her sense of relief is mingled with regret at what she has lost: a handsome suitor who engaged her affections and promised her a lifetime of bliss.

Once I find him, I mean to make him pay for what he has done and to this end I need your help. Find out everything you can about Mrs Younge, for where she is, Wickham will not be far behind.

Darcy


Colonel Fitzwilliam to Mr Darcy

Fitzwilliam House, London,

August 4

Darcy! I was appalled by your last. I discovered Mrs Younge’s address in London and went there at once, intent on calling Wickham out, but the birds had flown. Let me know what you want to do. I am entirely at your disposal.

Henry


Mr Darcy to Colonel Fitzwilliam

Darcy House, London, August 5

I would call him out myself if I could find him. I have visited all his usual haunts but he has gone to ground. It is as well for him that he has. If he approaches Georgiana again, I will ruin him. She is devastated, poor child. She is pale and wan, and weeps at the slightest provocation. She has no appetite and she wanders the corridors of Darcy House, unable to settle to anything. Her painting lies untouched and she never sits down at the pianoforte without rising again a minute later with a heartfelt sigh.

I am doing my best to cheer her, taking her out and about to all her favourite places and doing everything I can think of for her pleasure, but she remains downcast. I hope you will help me to raise her spirits, before she goes into a decline.

Darcy


Miss Georgiana Darcy to Miss Anne de Bourgh

Darcy House, London,

August 15

Dearest Anne,

I must tell someone, though I have to swear you to secrecy, but I know I can trust you. I am so ashamed and so unhappy I do not know where to turn. My brother and guardian are both very kind, but I miss a woman to talk to. I had Mrs Younge, but now she has gone, and oh, Anne, I am so miserable. I have been very wrong and done something dreadful but even though it is all to be hushed up so that no one will ever know, I must have someone to tell. I have been in Ramsgate, as you know, but what you do not know is that I met George Wickham there. You know how charming he is and how handsome. He was kind to me when we were children and he was friendly to me in Ramsgate, and then more than friendly. Oh, always respectful! Never a hint of anything improper, unless it was to woo me without the consent of my brother. I did not know what he was doing to begin with, even now I can scarcely say when his friendship ended and his wooing began, but before I knew it I was falling in love with him. Mrs Younge smiled on the attachment, telling me of her own romantic past when she eloped with her husband and everyone said how much they admired her for following her heart. And all the while she was in league with Wickham and they were only after my fortune. My brother has dismissed her and is trying to find me a new companion, but it is a matter of indifference to me whether I have one or not. He is trying to cheer me by giving me his time and his company, but his kindness only makes me feel worse.

Oh, how could I have been so foolish! And, oh, Anne, how can I live without him; for without George the world is empty and dull. I wish, how I wish, his love had been real, for mine was heartfelt. You will think me very foolish I know, but I cannot help it. Even now I love him.