‘It is not. It is trickery of the basest kind. He has made love to you in order to gain your fortune, and in order to hurt me! To persuade you to forget friends and family and run away with him to your utter ruin is monstrous!’
‘No!’ she exclaimed. ‘It is not so. He loves me.’
I saw the fear in her eyes and I did not want to go on.
For her to learn that the rogue had never loved her must hurt her. But I could not let her continue under such a misapprehension.
‘I do not want to tell you this, Georgiana,’ I said softly, ‘but I must. He does not love you. He has used you.’
At this she broke down. I was helpless in the face of her tears. I did not know what to do, how to comfort her, and in that moment I missed my mother more than I have ever done. She would have known what to do. She would have known what to say. She would have known how to comfort her daughter, whose affections had been played upon. I could only stand helplessly by and wait for Georgiana’s grief to spend itself.
When her tears began to subside, I handed her my handkerchief. She took it and blew her nose.
‘I must speak to Mrs Younge and make sure she knows what has been going on behind her back,’ I said. ‘It has been negligent of her not to notice.’
Something in Georgiana’s expression stopped me.
‘It was behind her back?’ I asked.
Georgiana looked down into her lap.
‘She helped me plan the elopement.’
I felt myself grow grim.
‘Did she indeed?’
Georgiana nodded miserably. I was cut to the heart by the sight of it. For my sister’s happiness to be destroyed by such a worthless man!
I put my hand on her shoulder.
‘Never fear, Georgie,’ I said, overcome with tenderness. ‘When you are older you will meet a man who will love you for yourself. A good-natured, charming, respectable man who is liked by your family. A man who will ask me for your hand in the proper manner.
There will be no need for an elopement. You will have a grand wedding, with splendid wedding clothes and a honeymoon wherever you wish.’
She tried to smile, and she put her hand on mine.
‘I have been a sore trial to you,’ she said.
‘Never,’ I told her gently.
I wanted to find something to distract her thoughts from their unhappy path. I glanced around the room and my eye came to rest on one of her sketches.
‘This is well done,’ I said. ‘I see you have caught the fishing boats just coming in from the sea.’
‘Yes, I had to get up very early to catch them. The fishermen were surprised to see me sitting there,’ she said.
I was pleased to see that she put aside my handkerchief as she took the sketch, and to hear that her voice was stronger.
‘Perhaps you would like to finish it. Can you do so indoors, or would you need to go out again?’
‘No, I can do it here. I have done enough to show me what is needed.’
‘Good. Then I will leave you for a few minutes whilst I talk to Mrs Younge.’
‘You will not be angry with her?’ asked Georgiana.
‘I will be very angry with her. She will pack her bags and leave this house within the hour.’
My conversation with Mrs Younge was not pleasant.
First of all she denied all knowledge of a friendship between my sister and Wickham, saying she had never admitted him to the house and indeed that she did not know such a man.
To hear her call my sister a liar made me more angry than I have ever been and she shrank, admitting at last that she had encouraged Georgiana’s friendship with him.
Upon further enquiry I found that Mrs Younge had known Wickham previously, and had planned the first meeting between him and Georgiana. She had then told him where they would be every day, so that he could arrange several further ‘chance’ encounters. After this she had encouraged Georgiana to invite him to the house, and had taught her to see him, first as a friend and then as a lover.
‘And why shouldn’t I?’ she asked when I berated her. ‘After he’s been so badly dealt with by you. Why shouldn’t he have what’s owing to him, and a little bit of fun besides?’
I had been going to allow her an hour in which to pack, but I changed my mind.
‘You will leave this house immediately,’ I said to her coldly. ‘I will send your boxes on.’
She seemed about to refuse, when one glance at my face told her it would be unwise. She muttered curses under her breath, but put on her cloak and bonnet, then gathering up her basket she left the house.
When my anger had cooled, I wrote to Wickham, Mrs Younge having given me his address, telling him that he must leave Ramsgate at once. Furthermore, I told him that if he ever attempted to see or speak to Georgiana again I would ruin him.
I am still angry as I write. That he could have done anything so underhand. That he could have used Georgiana in his schemes, his playmate of gentler times. …He is lost to all decency. I am almost tempted to expose him, but if I do so, Georgiana’s reputation will suffer. I must hope that his experiences in this matter will prevent him from ever doing anything like it again.
August
I have brought Georgiana back to London. She will stay with me until I can find a new companion for her. After the trouble with Mrs Younge, I am afraid to leave her, but I know it must be done. I cannot be always in London, and she cannot be always travelling with me. She must attend to her studies. However, I mean to make sure I am not deceived in a companion again. I will not only follow up references, I will visit former employers and satisfy myself as to their honesty, and the prospective companion’s suitability, before leaving Georgiana in her charge.
It is a comfort to me to know that as long as Georgiana is in London, she will have the protection of a faithful butler and housekeeper. They have been with the family for many years, and will soon alert me if anything is amiss. I do not mean to send Georgiana away from the city again, unless I can go with her.
‘I have discovered a lady who might suit Georgiana,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam when he dined with me this evening.
As he is joined with me in Georgiana’s guardianship, I had told him what had happened in Ramsgate.
‘Who is she?’
‘A Mrs Annesley. She comes from a good family, and her time with my friends, the Hammonds, is coming to an end.’
‘Have you met her?’
‘Yes, on a number of occasions. I know the Hammonds have been very pleased with her.’
‘Then I will call on the Hammonds tomorrow and see what can be arranged.’
I called on the Hammonds and found Mrs Annesley to be a genteel, agreeable-looking woman who impressed me favourably with her breeding and her discourse. She will take up her position with Georgiana next week. I will remain in town for a few weeks to make sure she is as suitable as she appears, and then I intend to make several unexpected visits over the next few months to satisfy myself that everything is in order.
In the meantime, Georgiana’s school friend will be arriving soon. It will do her good to have some company of her own age.
Mrs Annesley arrived this morning. She and Georgiana have discovered a liking for each other and I think the relationship will prove to be a happy one. She is delighted to know that one of Georgiana’s school friends is to visit, and she has arranged a variety of outings for the girls. I hope this will complete Georgiana’s recovery from her affair with Wickham. I am persuaded that by Christmas she will have put the whole incident out of her mind.