Worst Impressions

Chapter Forty One

Beth,

Don't worry if you think I'm going to try to ask you out again. You made it clear that you weren't interested in me. My cheek didn't bruise after you slapped me, by the way, so Madame Courtenay won't ever know about it.

The reason I'm writing to you is to address the things you accused me of last night.

First, yes, I broke up Charlie and your friend. I'll come to this later, because I want you to finish reading this note before you tear it up.

Gideon is a liar.

You might think I'm the liar, but I'll tell you my side of the story, anyway. That way, you can decide how you feel about the story he told you when you have all the facts.

He took a teaching placement at my school for a short time, but before that he'd grown up on our estate. His parents worked for mine. We were often thrown together because we were all a similar age. He didn't seem like a bad kid, but he changed after his parents died. My father wanted him to be looked after. When my dad died, too, my mother continued to honour his wishes. She helped Gideon by recommending him to my school, after funding all his studies and paying the rent on a small apartment for him.

Around that time, he got into a relationship with my older sister. I thought this was strange because we'd all be brought up like we were siblings and they were both still in university. But Amanda was happy, and I didn't want to ruin that for her.

Then I walked in on him with another woman at school. A teacher, no less. He threatened me and ordered me not to tell my sister. He said it would break her heart. To solidify his relationship with her,

and to make it more difficult for me to tell the truth, he proposed to her.

Gideon wasn't earning anything between his placement and university, but he spent excessively trying to create an image and a lifestyle he couldn't afford. He borrowed money, and he gambled. While he kept all this from Amanda, it was plainly obvious to me that he was in desperate need of help.

How?

Because he asked me for money.

He thought that I could get it from my mother and pretend it was for something I needed. Naturally, I refused. After that, it came to light that someone was stealing from the school. At first, they were petty thefts from other teachers, and then cash boxes and savings went missing from the offices. Everything pointed to Gideon, and I finally told my mother everything I knew.

She paid off everything for him, but only on the condition that he stayed away from our family, and that included Amanda. After she heard about him cheating on her, she didn't want anything to do with him. It was a coincidence that shortly afterwards he was placed at Netherfield Academy and that I had already transferred there.

I know that Gideon blames me entirely for what happened.

I hope, no matter what you think of me, you'll at least not hold these events against me. I did what was right for my family, and we only didn't take the matter to the police out of respect for my sister's reputation. She was hurt enough, and being dragged through that ordeal would have made it worse. If you want to check any of these facts, you can talk to Freddie. He knows everything about it.

Now, as for the issues with Jenny and Charlie.

Yes, I broke them up, and I was happy to do it.

It's not because Jenny is a bad person which I might have implied last night. If I did, then I did so in anger, and I apologise. I came between them because it's clear that she doesn't like him as much as you say. I understand that she won't just be after his money, and that her family is respectable, but she seems so quiet and unmoved by him. It's impossible to tell if she likes him as anything more than a friend. It would have been cruel to let her lead Charlie on any longer when he was falling in love with her.

Aside from that, the attitudes of your friends on the night of Charlie and Chantelle's birthday caused a huge amount of concern. Not just with me, but with his family, too. Lisa and Chrissy were completely out of control. It was like being at a zoo. They have no sense of social norms, and no idea how to behave as anything but five-year-old girls.

Meg ruined Chantelle's dress and, while I accept that Chantelle isn't the nicest girl in the world, she deserved an apology. Instead, you all ran from the party, and left her without any consideration.

I shouldn't have to tell you how ridiculous Wyatt is. He made a spectacle of himself by talking to me so openly when I didn't know him as anything more than a soon-to-be teacher. He presumed that his slight connection to my great-aunt put him in the same sphere as me. It didn't, and it never will.

If my actions hurt Jenny, then I can only apologise. That wasn't my intention. I only thought of my friend and his happiness. If I was mistaken in her feelings, then I will admit that, but it's all been done now, and nothing can change my past actions. Charlie will give up on her, and I suggest that you convince Jenny to do the same in return.

Now, as you requested, we don't need to ever see each other again.

I hope that if you do think of me, you will think of me better as you have until now.

Sincerely,

William Darcy