CHAPTER FOURTEEN

A Young Lady Runs Away

The next morning, two letters came from Jane. One of them had been sent to the wrong address.

They had just been preparing to go on a walk when the letters came. Her uncle and aunt, leaving Elizabeth alone to enjoy them in quiet, began their walk. The one that had the wrong address had been written five days ago. The beginning contained nothing of great importance, but the second half, dated a day later, contained more important news.

"Something most serious has happened since I wrote the beginning of this letter. At twelve last night, just as we had all gone to bed, an important message came from Colonel Forster. He said that Lydia had run away to Scotland with Wickham! Imagine our surprise! I'm sure his action is not so that he can get money, at least, for he must know that our father only has very little. Our poor mother is greatly upset. Our father is handling it better. Lydia and Wickham set off on Saturday night, it is guessed, but nobody noticed they had gone until yesterday morning. Colonel Forster is expected to arrive here soon. Lydia left a short note for his wife, telling her of their plan."

Elizabeth instantly opened the other letter and read it—it had been written a day later.

"By this time, you will have received my hurried letter. I hope this will make sense to you. My head is so confused I hardly know what I am writing. I have bad news. We know that a most unwise marriage between Wickham and our poor Lydia has not taken place, but there is reason to believe that they have left for Scotland. Colonel Forster arrived yesterday. Though Lydia had written in her short letter to Mrs F. that they were going to Gretna Green in Scotland, a friend of Wickham's told them that he believed Wickham never planned to go there, or to marry Lydia at all. When Colonel F. heard about this, he immediately set off from Brighton, hoping to find them. He followed their route all the way to Clapham, but could not find any farther signs. All that is known after this is that they were seen continuing along the London road. After finding out all he could, Colonel F. came to Longbourn and told us of his worries. Our fear, my dear Lizzy, is very great. Colonel F. said he knew that Wickham was not a man to be trusted. Poor mother is really ill and stays in her room; and as for father, I have never seen him so worried in all my life. I am glad that you are not here in the middle of these horrible events, but I still want you to return. I cannot help myself from begging you all to come here as soon as possible. My father is going to London with Colonel Forster to try to discover where they are. At this time, uncle's advice and help would be everything in the world."

"Oh! Where is uncle?" cried Elizabeth. She quickly walked to the door. Just then, the door was opened by a servant, and Mr Darcy appeared. Her white face and worried look surprised him.

"I'm very sorry," Elizabeth exclaimed, "but you must excuse me because I must find Mr Gardiner. I don't have a second to lose."

"Good God! What is the matter?" he cried, with more feeling than politeness. "Please allow me, or allow the servant, to go after your uncle. You do not look well enough."

Elizabeth tried to argue, but her knees were shaking under her. She called back the servant, and asked him to bring his master home immediately. Then she sat down.

"Let me call your maid to bring you something," said Darcy gently. "A glass of wine? Shall I get you one?"

"No, thank you. There is nothing the matter with me. I am quite well. I am only upset by some horrible news which I have just received from Longbourn ... "

She burst into tears and could not speak another word. Darcy was greatly worried, but he could only watch her in silence. At length she spoke again.

"I have just received a letter from Jane. It has such horrible awful news. My younger sister has run off to marry—to be with—Mr Wickham. When I think that I might have stopped this from happening! I knew what he was and told no one! Had I told my family of his character, this could not have happened."

"I am most sorry," said Darcy. "But it is certain—completely certain?"

"Oh, yes! They left Brighton together on Sunday night, and Colonel Forster found that they had made it as far as London, but not further. They have certainly not gone to Scotland, as Lydia wrote to Mrs Forster."

"What has been done to bring her back?" he asked.

"My father has gone to London, and Jane has written to ask my uncle for his immediate help. We must go back to Longbourn. I hope we can leave in half-an-hour. But nothing can be done. How are we even going to discover them?"

Darcy did not answer. It seemed that he was hardly listening to her. He walked up and down the room, his head bent, his manner dark. Elizabeth understood what he must be thinking. He could no longer wish to be with her after such a display of family weakness, such a deep mistake. His response made her understand her own wishes; she realized that she strongly loved him.

"I wish to heaven that I could do something to help you," he said, "but I cannot. This bad situation will, I fear, stop my sister from wanting to visit you at Pemberley."

"Yes. Please be so kind and apologize for us. Say that very important business calls us home immediately."

He bowed, and with a serious look, went away. Elizabeth felt that it was unlikely that they should ever see each other again on such friendly terms.

Mr and Mrs Gardiner had hurried back. They were very worried and feared that their niece was suddenly ill. Promising both of them this was not true, Elizabeth read the two letters aloud to them. After the first cries of surprise and horror, Mr Gardiner promised to help in every way he could. Elizabeth thanked him gratefully; and soon their journey was quickly settled. In a short space of time, Elizabeth found herself seated in the carriage and on the road back to Longbourn.

They traveled as quickly as possible. They stopped and slept for one night on the way so as to reach Longbourn by the next day.

As soon as they pulled up to the house, Elizabeth jumped from the carriage and hurried into the hall. Jane, who had come running downstairs, immediately met her. They hugged, and Elizabeth asked whether she had heard of any new news.

"Not yet," replied Jane.

"And Mother ... How is she? How are you all?"

"Mother's feelings are greatly shaken. She will not leave her room. Mary and Kitty—thank Heaven!—are both quite well."

Then Jane went to greet her aunt and uncle. They went to Mrs Bennet's room. She received them with tears and complaints of her problems.

"I always knew that the Forsters were not able to take good care of my poor dear Lydia," she said, "but no one would listen to me, as usual! And now Mr Bennet has gone away, and he will fight Wickham, and he will be killed. Then the Collinses will make us move out after his death! I do not know what we shall do."

They all told her to stop thinking such horrible ideas. Mr Gardiner told her that he would go to London the very next day to help Mr Bennet in his search for them.

Everyone was hoping for a letter from Mr Bennet the next morning, but nothing arrived. On Tuesday, a letter from Mr Gardiner came to say that he had found Mr Bennet and asked him to go with him to Gracechurch Street. Mr Bennet had, he said, learned no new information. Now they had decided to ask at all the major hotels.

Every day at Longbourn was now one of worry. Mr Gardiner's next letter said that they might expect to see their father arrive home on the following day, which was Saturday. Mr Bennet was without hope of ever finding them, and he had agreed to the idea of his brother-in-law to return to his family. Mr Gardiner would continue to search for them alone. When Mrs Bennet heard this, she did not seem as happy as her children expected.

"What? Is he coming home without poor Lydia?" she cried. "Surely he will not leave London before he has found them. Who will fight Wickham, then, and make him marry her?"

When Mr Bennet did arrive the next morning, he seemed as calm as ever. He said very little, but this was his usual way, and made no talk about the unpleasant business Lydia had caused them.

When he joined them at tea later in the afternoon, Elizabeth decided to say that she was sorry for all that he had recently been through.

"Who should be blamed but myself?" he replied. "It has been my own doing, and I deserve it."

They were interrupted by Jane, who came to fetch her mother's tea.

"Your mother's way of acting," he said, "gives a new definition to being ill! One day I will perhaps do the same; I will sit in my library, in my cap and gown, and give everyone as much trouble as I can—or, perhaps, I shall wait until Kitty runs away."

"I am not going to run away, Papa," said Kitty. "If I should ever go to Brighton, I would behave better."

"YOU go to Brighton! I would not trust you to go as near as Eastbourne! No, Kitty, I have at last learned that I must be very careful. No officer is going to enter my house ever again, and you are not allowed to go to any more dances. And I will not let you outside again until you can prove that you have spent ten minutes each day in a wise and thoughtful manner."

Kitty, who took all of this seriously, began to cry.

"Well, well," he said, "don't be unhappy. If you are a good girl for the next ten years, then I will take you to the theatre at the end of them."

(end of section)