How Can a Girl of 16 Survive When Not Admired?
July 18, 1812
It had been a month since Lydia Bennet’s sixteenth birthday, and she had been nothing but disappointed—no offers of marriage, no late night rendezvous with handsome officers, and only two kisses from anyone of worth. And even then, Denny’s breath had tasted like onions, and Sanderson had bit my lip. Lydia huffed and burrowed deeper into the corner of the couch facing the street in the sitting room. No, this was not turning out to be the greatest year of her life, as she had assumed it would.
Her dear friend, Harriet Forster, the Colonel’s wife, had been more often than not, indisposed in the mornings, causing Lydia to remain at home and not go out until after mid-day. She would sit at this same window and watch all the young ladies walk by with their maids trailing behind, and often handsome officers as well.
She had never seen so many men in all her young life, and wanted to go out to the shops and cafes, and meet them all. Short ones, fat ones, tall ones, skinny ones…it did not matter. Every man in Brighton was missing out on her charm and vibrancy, and there was nothing she could do about it but wait.
The apothecary had come two weeks ago, and Lydia thought Harriet was dying. The maid immediately called for the Colonel who left his morning drills and flew up the stairs at break-neck speed. He was there long after the apothecary had come down. When the Colonel had finally descended, he seemed irritated when she had asked if Harriet was coming soon as they were supposed to go get ices.
Then, he said what Lydia believed was worse than death. Harriet was with child. And now Lydia… was trapped. Why could Harriet not just take a tincture or other remedy and be done with this morning malady? I understand having a baby makes one sick, but she is being selfish. She invited me to Brighton as her guest, and now I cannot even enjoy my holiday.
Lydia huffed again, and pounded her fists into the armrest.
“Why are you so cross, Miss Bennet? Someone as lovely as you should never frown. But, even when you do, you are still the handsomest girl in all of Brighton.”
Lydia turned at the sound of the one voice that always caused her insides to flutter. “Mr. Wickham. Aren’t you supposed to be on guard duty?”
“I am, but traded with Smith,” he said, raising his brow. “How did you know that?” He walked in the room and stood above her, smiling down.
My he’s handsome. Probably the handsomest man in all of Brighton, and the world for that matter. “Because I make it a point to know the business of all my friends.”
“Is that what I am?” He asked sitting down next to her and reaching out to touch her hand. “Just your friend?” He traced his fingers slowly over her knuckles then up her wrist and down again.
Her heart started racing, and for once in her life, Lydia Bennet did not know what to say. That is, until she did. Pulling her arm away she said, “You have been ignoring me for the Miss Andersons and their sparkling jewels since we arrived. But guess what?” she said with a superior smirk. “They do not have the money everyone thinks.”
Here Wickham leaned in. “What do you mean?”
“Their jewels are paste. They’re not real.”
“Paste? How do you know that?” He asked, squinting at her.
“I heard their brother tell them to be cautious with their necklaces. If they fell, the glass would break.” She held up her chin smugly. “You see, you have been wasting your time with them, and ignoring me.” Lydia turned to the window, and did not see Wickham’s blank stare at the rug.
“Glass,” he mumbled quietly. Seeming to rally his spirits, he smiled as Lydia turned back to him. “What care I for glass, or diamonds? I am a man who has been cheated all my life. One more time will not affect me.”
“I have been cheated too,” Lydia said, pounding her hand once again on the armrest. “Harriet invited me here, and now she has, she has…” Lydia waited only a moment before blurting out, “become with child and ruined my holiday! It is no fun here anymore. I want to go somewhere else. To London, or Dublin or anywhere but here.” Her lower lip stuck out. “Not even the officers are paying attention to me. Only Denny and Sanderson, and they are not as good as I deserve. I am tired of their company, but it is all I have had.”
“Denny and Sanderson are boys. Of course, you would tire of their company. What you need is a man.” Here, he rested his hand on the couch next to her leg and slowly began tracing her knee with his finger. “You are too beautiful a woman to remain alone.”
Lydia nodded and folded her arms across her chest, trying to keep her breathing even. Wickham gently moved his hand up her thigh to her waist and began stroking her side. He leaned and nuzzled her ear. In a low velvety voice he said, “I believe I have realized what I have been missing these last weeks.”
She slowly lowered her chin, leaning into him, her heart racing as his breath caressed her neck. “And what is that, Mr. Wickham?” she squeaked.
“You.” He turned her head swiftly and captured her mouth with his, plying her untrained jaws open, until he groaned. After a moment, he leaned back, and removed his hands from her hair, where they had gone on their own accord.
He picked up her hairpins, and handed them to her. “And that, Miss Bennet, is how you learn to have fun in Brighton.”
“And you don’t even taste like onions.” She was breathing heavily, but trying to sound as if a grown man kissing her senseless was a usual thing.
“Of course not,” he laughed.
After a moment, she exhaled, dreamily and rested back in the couch, grabbing at his hand trying to pull him toward her. “More. Kiss me again.”
“Miss Bennet, lower your voice,” he said standing. “If Colonel Forster discovers what happened, he will court martial me. Can it not be our secret?”
Lydia gave a suggestive pout, and reached up to tug on his waistcoat. “Only as long as you kiss me like that again.”
Wickham raised his brow, then gave a knowing grin. “Is that what you have wanted while in Brighton, you wicked girl? For me to kiss you?”
“That is all I have dreamed about,” she said, bringing her hand down to trace his leg. Wickham started at the touch, but then looked at the door before reaching down and capturing her mouth once again. “Who needs diamonds when I have you, Lydia Bennet?”
“Oh, George!” She threw her arms around him and pulled him down on the couch with her, their kisses flaring into something that would have burned hotter had not the Colonel called for Wickham from the stairs.
“Wickham? Wickham, I say, are you here?”
“Yes, Colonel Forster,” he said, untangling himself from the young woman. “I am only saying farewell to Miss Bennet.”
“Very well.” His steps could be heard coming down the stairs, and Lydia smoothed her hair, and turned to face the window, lest the Colonel see her swollen lips.
The Colonel stopped in the hallway. “Come Wickham. We must make haste to camp before we are late for the meeting. Good day, Miss Bennet.”
“Colonel,” Lydia said, not turning from the window.
He exited the room, and she turned to find Wickham still by the door. “Tonight,” he whispered, loud enough for her to hear. “I will wait for you in the rose garden. I did not realize how much I love you until this moment, and need to show you.”
“I will be there, George,” she said, blowing him a kiss.
He smiled and walked from the room, the front door closing behind him.
As she watched them walk down the steps, then onto the street to mount their horses, Lydia smiled to herself. This is turning into the best year of my life! A kiss that puts all kisses to shame, a late night rendezvous with the man of my dreams, and soon, an offer of marriage. “Because no man can kiss a woman like that and not want to marry her,” she whispered as she watched the men ride away. “Lydia Wickham… how marvelous that sounds!”
13 comments
Skip to comment form
Yep. Sounds like Lydia.
Author
It sure does. 🙂
Oh, Lydia, you foolish, foolish girl. She did not notice any signs that Wickham was not a good person.
His disregard for his duty, when he swapped out his job, was not bad in and of itself. However, I doubt he will reciprocate when the guy wants him to return the favor. The military/militia is not keen on men disregarding orders and not doing their duty.
Wickham’s demeanor changed completely when he learned the jewels were paste. That was a huge clue. However, she missed it completely because she was so absorbed in herself.
His taking liberties with her crossed a BIG line. However, her mother never taught her where that line was so she didn’t have a clue. She thought it was exciting that she was now a woman grown and at just 16. Oh, dear.
Lastly, his asking her to meet him [a man, not a boy] after dark and alone was the biggest clue that things would not go well for her.
Fat, dumb, and happy: Lydia will waltz straight into her ruin without a backward glance. This travesty is laid at her parents’ feet. Not all parents are to blame when their child steps off the path. However, this child grew up wild and nearly feral. She only had directions from her mother and they were faulty. Her father ignored her and that is another psychological discussion altogether.
I am hoping the Colonel sends her home before she ruins herself. It would be funny if Harriet no longer wanted the complaining selfish child with her during her pregnancy. Hopefully, the Colonel will take Wickham to task, for being alone with Lydia and shirking his duties. Oh, the possibilities. What happens next? Huh? Huh? LOL!
Author
J.W., What happens next, indeed? 🙂 LOL
I assume your use of the word “fat” in regard to Lydia was caused by Jane Austen referring to her as “stout.” Stout at that time meant something closer to “strong.” In my opinion, although Lydia is very likely to put on weight in the next few years, at the age of 16 I think she is simply strong and healthy.
I agree Lydia had a terrible upbringing, but it was the same upbringing her sisters had and they all turned out to have a variety of personalities. I believe a child’s basic personality is born with them and although life’s events and training may modify that personality, the basic things are there from the beginning.
Author
Dorothy, I think Lydia was misguided and didn’t realize the consequences of her choices because she never had to think of them. I think that’s why I love variations so much…we can help characters who might have needed helping. BUT, in this case, I stuck to canon. 🙂
So you mental picture of Lydia continues to show her overweight. OK. It’s not terribly important.
I still think people are born with their basic personality traits and those traits do not change. (For instance, I was a bookworm from the start.)
I had a sister-in-law whose personality was very close to Lydia’s. Although she was physically small, she was very strong. When she wanted to do something only physical force could prevent her doing it. ( At the age of two she butted a fence down with her head to be able to run away.) When she was in high school her mother was frequently contacted by the school to report worrying behavior, but her mother always believed her daughter and Donna went her merry way, having a baby when she was 18, and laughing it off as if it was a joke. She eventually by some miracle married a decent man, but she dumped him and continued her harebrained way until she died at a relatively young age as a result of her drug experimentation. The last time I saw her she told us she had gone through all the steps to divorce her husband EXCEPT she had not filed the final papers. “If he wants to get married again I’ll have a surprise for him!”
She was Lydia all her life. (I hope I have not bored you too much with all this.)
Author
I am so sorry. When I said “It sure was,” I was responding to your statement of ‘basic things are there from the beginning.’ In your post, thought you were bringing up the word ‘fat’ in regard to another poster’s response. I don’t believe Lydia is fat. I referenced the different type of men she wanted to meet, implying any man who gave her attention would do. Forgive the miscommunication. 🙂
You have not bored me at all. I also believe people are born predisposed to certain things, but can truly change if they want to. I don’t believe Lydia at this point in the novel has a desire or reason to. There is nothing ‘better for her’ so to speak, and Harriet is now no longer fun because she’s been sick for the last few weeks. And then comes Wickham, and he is almost the answer to her prayers. She wasn’t attracting the men she thought she would, and might actually have felt ‘her own insignificance’ as Mr. Bennet predicted had Wickham not decided to leave.
What do you think? 🙂
I need to apologize for starting this avalanche when I used my Southern slang/idiom: ‘fat, dumb, and happy.’ It was inappropriate and I regret using it. I was not referencing Lydia’s size in any way. It is an old expression that means ultimate contentment. It can also mean being blasé and not caring for anything other than herself and what she wants. Again, I apologize. Thank you.
I have never heard that expression! Words are tricky things!
Totally what Jeanne said! Only her eldest sisters ever said ‘no’ to her and of course her mother supported her over them.
Harriet isn’t much older but as a respectable married lady she obviously doesn’t seem to realise how ignorant and selfish Lydia is.
As for ‘poor’ Wickham, cheated all his life????? He only needs some comfort and who better than a stupid 16 year old idiot?
Author
Wickham is preying on Lydia’s ignorance. It is really sad when she thinks a number makes her a woman.
Oof. You’ve captured Lydia’s character perfectly. And Wickham, too — what a cad. As selfish and silly as Lydia can be, I always blame Wickham more because he was older. I still hold out hope that a 26-year-old Lydia (prefrontal cortex, fully formed) could be a little more thoughtful than her 16-year-old self. But who knows? Age certainly didn’t help Wickham! Thanks, Anngela! This was a great addition to the P&P Untold Stories series!