London; Wickham and Lydia

Wickham and Lydia paused by the - and Son's Jewelers on Smyth Street and Lydia entreated him to enter. "Oh dear Wickham we must look at the wedding rings. We must. I can't go home to Longbourne without a ring on my finger to show the sisters. She giggled effusively – cant you just see their faces when I dazzle them with my beautiful engagement ring and wedding band all encrusted with diamonds. Oh GEORGE please let's look!

Wickham took a deep breath and smiled benignly at her while the face of Elizabeth played before his eyes. Beautiful, charming Elizabeth. If he had been going to entangle himself with one of the dowry-less Bennets – would that he had continued courting that playfully charming second eldest daughter instead of this puerile girl. Elizabeth clearly had brains as well as beauty and would certainly have been able to better help him advance his career opportunities. Blast that Darcy – refusing him his living! A frown furrowed over his brow causing Lydia to fuss over him like a mother hen over her chicks.

He brushed her hand away from his face while addressing her irritably "Very well, if we MUST get you a ring, let's look shall we?" Oblivious to his irritation Lydia gave a little hop and pulled him behind her through the doors into the extravagant looking establishment.

Lydia paused, slightly awed by the glamour of the interior of this fashionable jewelry store and then quickly sidled up to a case where several gorgeous rings twinkled and sparkled. Excitingly she squealed "Oh WICKHAM! Do look at this beautiful emerald. It's ever so much bigger than the ring that old prig Collins gave Charlotte. Mama would be so proud to see that on my little finger. She twirled her fingers in front of Wickham's face and laughed loudly.

With great disdain written across his face the only unoccupied clerk quickly strode across the room to them and almost hissed "How can I be of assistance to the madam and her gentleman?" He looked down his nose at them causing Wickham to blush at the scene Lydia was causing. For not the first time he greatly regretted that reckless decision to allow her to drag along with him when he absconded from the -shire military the week prior.

Wickham smiled his most charming smile at the clerk and clearing his throat said "Might we look at that emerald ring in the center of this showcase please.' Sensing a serious buyer, despite the ridiculous female at his side, the clerk quickly unlocked the case and pulled the ring out for Wickham to look at. Lydia grasped at it but Wickham quickly whisked it out of her reach; tut tuting and winking at the clerk. "Now Miss Bennet" he purred – "mind your manners – let me first decide if this is even worth you trying it on." This elicited more giggles out of Lydia.

He studied it carefully as if looking for any possible flaws while in truth Wickham's mind was racing; 'There is no possible way we can afford this ring or even one 10th of its value But that widow - Mrs. Jansen certainly has such a beauty. I saw it resting on her bureau when I delivered that letter from Mrs. Young last night. It could do quite nicely as a wedding ring if Darcy can actually come up with that dowry and enough to pay the debts owed back in Meryton and Brighton.'

Wickham's charming smile turned to a sneer as he passed the ring back to the clerk. "Here, what are you playing at my good man! This ring is clearly flawed. I certainly would not consider it for my lady's dainty finger. Come Miss Benson, there is a much more reputable business up the road. Let's check them for a more suitable ring for you.

Lydia giggled her agreement "La! Wickham, lets. And maybe we can stop at the finery shop and get some new ribbons for I'm sure my mother is already choosing my wedding trousseau and I MUST have new ribbons for my new bonnet to go with it.

Only too glad to distract her from jewels and diamonds he steered her out the door whilst the clerk looked on in bewilderment and astonishment at the sudden change in his customer.

Longbourn

Sitting in the quiet garden well away from Mrs. Bennet's nerves, Mr. Bennet passed their uncle's letter to his daughters and bade Elizabeth to read it to them.

"Read it aloud," said their father, "for I hardly know myself what it is about."

"Gracechurch-street, Monday, August 2.

My Dear Brother,

At last I am able to send you some tidings of my niece, and such as, upon the whole, I hope will give you satisfaction. Soon after you left me on Saturday, I was fortunate enough to find out in what part of London they were. The particulars I reserve till we meet. It is enough to know they are discovered; I have seen them both—"

"Then it is as I always hoped," cried Jane; "they are married!"

Elizabeth read on:

"I have seen them both. They are not married, nor can I find there was any intention of being so; but if you are willing to perform the engagements which I have ventured to make on your side, I hope it will not be long before they are. All that is required of you is to assure to your daughter, by settlement, her equal share of the five thousand pounds secured among your children after the decease of yourself and my sister; and, moreover, to enter into an engagement of allowing her, during your life, one hundred pounds per annum. These are conditions which, considering everything, I had no hesitation in complying with, as far as I thought myself privileged, for you. I shall send this by express, that no time may be lost in bringing me your answer. You will easily comprehend, from these particulars, that Mr. Wickham's circumstances are not so hopeless as they are generally believed to be. The world has been deceived in that respect; and, I am happy to say, there will be some little money, even when all his debts are discharged, to settle on my niece, in addition to her own fortune. If, as I conclude will be the case, you send me full powers to act in your name throughout the whole of this business, I will immediately give directions to Haggerston for preparing a proper settlement. There will not be the smallest occasion for your coming to town again; therefore, stay quietly at Longbourn, and depend and my diligence and care. Send back your answer as soon as you can, and be careful to write explicitly. We have judged it best that my niece should be married from this house, of which I hope you will approve. She comes to us to-day. I shall write again as soon as anything more is determined on. Your's, &c.

Edw. Gardiner."

"Is it possible!" cried Elizabeth, when she had finished.—"Can it be possible that he will marry her?"

Jane looked at her and their father in astonishment. "So Wickham is not so bad as we thought if he is actually to marry her."

"I only wonder at his willingness to settle for so little." replied Mr. Bennet.

I have to ask two questions; how much money your uncle has laid down to bring this engagement about; and the other, how I am ever to pay him."

"Money! My uncle!" cried Jane, "what do you mean, Sir?"

"I mean that no man in his senses would marry Lydia on so slight a temptation as one hundred a year during my life, and fifty after I am gone."

"That is very true," said Elizabeth; "though it had not occurred to me before. His debts to be discharged, and something still to remain! Oh! It must be my uncle's doings! Generous, good man; I am afraid he has distressed himself. A small sum could not do all this."

"No," said her father, "Wickham's a fool, if he takes her with a farthing less than ten thousand pounds. I should be sorry to think so ill of him in the very beginning of our relationship."

"Ten thousand pounds! Heaven forbid! How is half such a sum to be repaid?" gasped Elizabeth. Mr. Bennet left them to ponder this puzzle as he returned to the house to write his reply to his brother in-law. The business of enlightening their mother of the good news he also left to their capable hands.

London and Mrs. Young's boarding house

Lydia flopped herself down in the chair beside the unmade bed and waved her hands at the pile of dirty dishes on the table before the window through which a slight breeze blew. "Darling dearest" she wheedled "WHEN is Mrs. Young going to send a maid for these dishes. La but my feet hurt" she yawned as she stretched her toes – kicking off her now worn slippers. Wickham, knowing the few shillings he had paid Mrs. Young would not cover a whole month of boarding AND housekeeping chided – "Take them down yourself for Lords's sake, There's the tray, take them to the kitchen and leave them there. "

"You needn't be so cross" Lydia groused at him but she gathered up the crockery anyway suspecting that perhaps they were not as flush with money as he had lead her to believe the night they left the -shire.

Not wanting to know the truth of their circumstances she changed the subject as she slipped her slippers back on whilst balancing the tray on her hip. "Well – make the bed then if I'm to drag these dirty old dishes to the kitchen – I'm certainly not the maid here, am I?" With which she flounced out the door with Wickham kicking it shut behind her.

Rather than making the bed he flung himself down upon it and began to map out just how he might get his hands on that stunning emerald ring along with the glamorous ear rings and matching necklace he caught a glimpse of the other night. He knew just where he could pawn these pieces and the sum they would fetch would not only be enough to pay Mrs. Young another weeks lodging but would be enough to pay off his debt to Private Evans and keep him away from here. And actually if he could get his hands on some of the finer pieces in Mrs. Young's private parlour- he might even be able to avoid this whole catastrophe of a wedding! He glowered at the memory of seeing Evans following them as they whiled the hours away today on - street. Lord, but Lydia could talk a man's ear off. Sighing deeply in the warm heat of the room, the pleasant breeze lulled him to sleep as he enjoyed the first silence he'd had all morning.