by P A Hill
“She seems to be a friendly and a sincere girl. Is she the person that Wickham had described to you earlier?”
“No, she is not that person. Wickham said many untruths but she is the opposite of the way he depicted her.”
“I suppose you were shocked to literally run into him today? Were you nervous?”
“I did not see him and turned the corner of one of the aisles of books and walked right into him. I know he saw my discomfiture but I hope he did not hear my heart beating. He caught me before I lost my balance but I do not know what I would have said had he been by himself.”
“You were lost for words, Lizzy. This is not a surprise for your situation.”
“What situation are you referring to Jane? You cannot mean that I have romantic feelings for a man who I once hated.”
“Lizzy, that is exactly what I mean. I have seen your melancholy since you returned from Rosings and I believe you came away from Rosings hurt over something and that Mr. Darcy did as well. It is acceptable to care for a man so above your station in life. Mr. Bingley believes Darcy cares for you and he probably always has, even from his first meeting you at the assembly.”
Elizabeth reflected on this intelligence from Jane. Her sister knew that she was troubled about something and had asked why she had taken so many long walks. No, Jane knew that something was wrong. Still, Elizabeth would never mention that Mr. Darcy had proposed to her. She wanted to protect him against ridicule and herself about her decision to refuse him. Now her opinion of him had changed and she was hurt that she may have thrown away any hope of a good man’s love. Elizabeth Bennet had turned inward.
***
Back at Netherfield, Bingley and his friends had a fine dinner and retired to Bingley’s library where Darcy added a few more titles to the collection.
“Georgiana said you tried to knock over Miss Elizabeth in the bookstore.
I hope she was not injured.”
“No, I am happy to say she was unhurt, but I must correct you. Miss Elizabeth turned the aisle and walked into me. It seems she and Georgiana are enjoying each other’s company.”
“I like her. She is very intelligent and witty and very beautiful. You have my permission to court her, brother. Have you thought of that?”
Georgiana’s fishing expedition was getting old but Darcy played along.
“Brother, you do care for Miss Elizabeth very much, do you not? Have you told her of your feelings?”
“Stop it young lady! You have no right to inquire of my inner most feelings and I ask you to refrain from this line of discussion in the future. Just you and Miss Elizabeth be careful around Lord Elkton. As for me, I shall attempt to behave better than the last time I was at the assembly.”
The day of the assembly Elizabeth came to Netherfield and helped style Georgiana’s hair before returning to Longbourn. It was a beautiful summer’s evening as the assembly opened. The dance was well into the second set when the doors were opened and two gentlemen entered. One was Lord Elkton and the other was George Wickham, and he was dressed in civilian clothes. Immediately Darcy and Wickham’s eyes made contact but Wickham just starred at Darcy as he pointed out Georgiana and Elizabeth to Lord Elkton.
Darcy was with Elizabeth and Georgiana and all noticed Wickham’s new confidence. Just then the two men approached Darcy and the two ladies. “Mr. Darcy,” said Wickham, “I believe you know Lord Elkton. When I learned there would be a dance I insisted on coming with my friend. I told him of the many beauties here in Hertfordshire and he said he is looking to get married so I suggested he might want to see if some country ladies would suit his fancy.”
“Yes, Wickham, I remember his Lordship. Lord Elkton, the lady on my left is my sister, Georgiana, and this lady is my good friend, Miss Elizabeth Bennet.” Curtseys and bows were exchanged as Lord Elkton immediately inquired of Miss Bennet for the next dance but she declined.
As the others walked off Elizabeth vetted her anger. “Where did Wickham come from? I thought he was about to be thrown out of the militia. Do you think that Lord Elkton helped him to get out of the militia?”
“I do Miss Bennet. He has high connections and is very rich and probably has paid off all of Wickham’s creditors and paid off the militia to allow him to resign his commission.”
“And the merchant who discovered his young daughter being fondled in his own store. Was he paid off as well?”
“That is very likely, Miss Bennet.”
“Then why would Wickham be here? Certainly there is nothing here for him.”
“Oh, but you need to think like him. Wickham is always trying different things to make money, and I suspect he has spoken to his rich friend and told him of some fair maidens who will be at the assembly. There is no doubt that he would like nothing more than to hang your wings upon Lord Elkton’s horns. As for Lord Elkton, I am persuaded he has planned to harm you or Georgiana or both. He is known as a lady’s man but he uses his power and money to seduce his women, then brags of his conquests, even when he feeds his victims too much drink. This business about his coming into Hertfordshire in search of a wife is his plan to lure young women to him even as he makes plans to compromise them.”
“Why should a man of his great wealth want to be seen with a George Wickham? I do not understand.”
“They are both depraved. Wickham only lacks wealth or he could be Lord Elkton’s brother. They are both users of women and gamblers and drinkers and are dishonest. I have known other men who are depraved but these two take it to a different level. There is something sick about a man who is so determined to have his way with young women. It is as though he hates women and is a misogynist and this is his way of getting even.”
“I see, but why have they chosen this dance in Meryton? He must be here because he and Wickham both hate you.”
“That part you can be sure of, and they intend to humiliate me and my friends.”
“Then I shall help you, Mr. Darcy. I shall know what to say if he approaches again, though I shall choose the time.”
“Miss Bennet, you have the look of a determined woman, but why did you not accept Lord Elkton’s request for a dance?”
“There are two men that I will dance with this evening and one is Mr. Bingley and you are the other, that is, if you wish to dance with me.”
“I would like to dance the next set with you, Miss Bennet, if you are not otherwise engaged.”
“I accept your offer Mr. Darcy, but let us go and see Mary. Georgiana can visit with her whilst we dance. Georgiana, after your brother and I dance we shall return.”
Darcy now took his sister aside. Georgiana, it is important that you do not dance with Wickham of Lord Elkton.”
“Brother, I shall only dance with you or Mr. Bingley.”
“If some other men ask to dance with you please let me advise you before you accept their offer.”
Darcy and Elizabeth walked to the dance floor and began their dance. He could not take his eyes off of Elizabeth. She had never been more lovely and her fragrance of lavender on a warm summer night had him enchanted. She smiled at him and he responded in kind. “Miss Bennet, I am dancing with the most beautiful woman in England and when I am with you I feel like I am royalty. Please do not ever change from the way you are right now.”
“That, I cannot control Mr. Darcy, but I do enjoy being in your company again. So much has passed between us and I have learned so much more about you since Rosings. After I read your letter things became clearer about Mr. Wickham and about you as well. When Mr. Bingley returned to Netherfield with your cousin I figured you had arranged for him to accompany Mr. Bingley for support. I suspect you saw your cousin as taking your place, but I also believe you wanted him to determine my feelings for you.”
“You are correct, Miss Bennet, for I did wish to see you but thought that we both needed time. There were many nights I awoke in the early hours and wanted to get on my horse and come here and see you, but I knew I had to wait. Even then, I thought you had no
desire to see me.”
“Mr. Darcy, I thought of writing to you, then I thought of going into town to visit with my aunt and uncle and from there I would go to your house and meet with you.”
“I do not understand why you felt a need to do that. Everything was my fault at Rosings.”
“No sir, I was wrong about accusing you of being mean to Mr. Wickham. Your letter clarified things about that gentleman. Also, I realized after Rosings that I had been prejudiced against you from our first meeting at the assembly and your cousin explained that you had been sick and still rode from town on the day of the assembly. I feel so absolutely ashamed at the way that I treated you.”
Darcy saw Elizabeth’s distress and her eyes began to well up so the two soon left the dance for refreshments and to step outside for some fresh air. Fortunately they were alone as he pulled her to him.
“Miss Bennet, I am happy that you have met my sister. She has been hounding me about meeting you and about my feelings for you and the like. Please forgive me if that causes you too much discomfit, I would never...”
Darcy could not finish his words as Elizabeth reached up and kissed him fully on his mouth. As she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her, he reciprocated with a kiss of his own that brought on a soft moan as she backed off and looked into his dark eyes.
“My sir, I have wanted to do that since I read your letter at Rosings. Please forgive me for interrupting what you were saying earlier about your sister asking about us. I hope my kiss will not be the end of us Mr. Darcy.”
“Darcy looked into her beautiful beguiling eyes now as he said he hoped it would be the first kiss of many and he again covered her mouth and deepened his kiss as he watched as her eyes shut. She responded to his kiss as before but next she moved away and softly giggled.”
“We must return to the dance sir, or else people will be talking.”
“No, we would not wish them to talk. Let us go back and visit with the others.”
The dance went well but both Wickham and Lord Elkton appeared uneasy. Darcy and Elizabeth watched as both men could not find a partner to dance with. When Elizabeth was asked about this she stated that Wickham’s conduct amongst the people of Meryton was known to be rude and scandalous and no woman would accept his request for a dance. The other gentleman suffered the same fate as Wickham as he had aligned himself with that man. Because they could not dance they took to drinking and later to arguing with each other.
Wickham later asked Lydia to dance but she refused and told him to find another partner. After a few minutes he came back but now appeared drunk and again asked her to dance and received the same reply. When she turned away he grabbed her arm as if to pull her onto the dance floor but as she pulled against Wickham he suddenly let her go and her momentum caused her to fall back into the serving station and knock over the punch and many plates of food. Darcy then went to Lydia and helped her up and consoled her as Lord Elton went to help Wickham, but Wickham would have none of it.
“There is no need for your help, your Lordship. I promised you there were women near Meryton that would satisfy you and you have paid me well and I thank you, but you cannot undo our deal. I still say that Miss Elizabeth Bennet is a woman who you might be able to compromise and now she is keeping company with Mr. Darcy’s younger sister. So it seems you have your pick of beautiful young women. As for Miss Darcy, my experience has been that she....”
Three men dragged Wickham from the assembly just as he got sick and messed the floor at the entrance. A few minutes later Lord Elkton apologized for his friend and left the assembly. The two men had designs on Georgiana and Elizabeth but got nowhere. There would be talk, that was certain, but most knew of Wickham and soon learned that his friend had come into Meryton with the intent of seducing the young women in the area.
With those men now departed, the remainder of the assembly went well and all present enjoyed the dancing. Georgiana had two young men dance with her. One was the nephew of Sir William Lucas and the other was his friend. Both men attended Oxford.
That evening back at Longbourn Jane and Elizabeth spoke before bed.
“Lizzy, that was a strange evening we just had. It appears that Mr. Wickham sold Lord Elkton on the story that you and Miss Darcy were loose women and the man bought into this. Wickham probably used this money to pay off his creditors in Meryton and to allow him to resign his commission.”
“That is exactly what Mr. Darcy suggested,” Elizabeth said.
“Lizzy, Mr. Wickham must have been very drunk to make such a fool of himself with Lydia. Poor thing, she was humiliated that Wickham had essentially thrown her onto the floor. She has a bad cut on the back of her head where she fell into the serving table. At least we need not worry about Mr. Wickham anymore.”
“I am not as sure as you are, Jane. Mr. Darcy says he has a way of showing up at the wrong time and he is convinced that we have not seen the last of that gentleman. You know Jane, I did not see Mr. Wickham drink that much wine. I fear he may have been drugged or something last evening for I have never known him to drink to excess.”
***
“Georgiana, that was not the assembly that I thought it would be. Neither Mr. Wickham nor Lord Elkton had one dance, or at least I did not see them dance. Both men must feel like fools.”
“I did enjoy Miss Elizabeth’s company, brother. She is quite intelligent, and I should like to know her better. Her sisters are very different but I like them. Mary is very serious and stoic while Lydia and Kitty are spirited and lively. That was a kind gesture you made to help Lydia after Mr. Wickham dragged her onto the floor. Did you notice how he laughed when she fell backwards into the table?”
“I did not see his reaction, only her fall, but I know the man to be cruel. I am certain many others saw his laugh. He is one of the worst of men.”
CHAPTER 9
Mrs. Bennet was the first to tell her husband the news from the dance and about Mr. Darcy’s change from months ago. “Mr. Bennet,” she said, I must say he was as much a gentleman as anyone there, and I am certain he has improved his standing amongst the locals. I saw him speaking with the other gentlemen and ladies present and he did not act haughty or above his company. He only danced with Lizzy and Jane and his sister but he was kind and respectful to all the ladies and complimented me about my looks and my dress. After Lydia’s fall he was most kind when he went to assist her. Oh, excuse me, I have not told you that Mr. Wickham was drunk and pulled Lydia onto the dance floor and when she pulled back he let her go and she fell back into the serving station and knocked it over.”
“What are you saying, Mrs. Bennet? I understood that Mr. Wickham had moved on to Brighton with his regiment.”
“Papa,” Elizabeth said, “he had gone to Brighton but Mr. Darcy suspects that Lord Elkton paid off Wickham’s creditors in Meryton as well as the merchant whose daughter Wickham fondled. Mr. Darcy also believes that Lord Elkton used his connections to allow Wickham to resign his commission with the militia.”
“Lizzy, it appears your friend has figured this all out, but this is all speculation and conjecture. There is no proof of anything. Perhaps Mr. Darcy would have been a renowned investigator in another life, but I doubt that he is correct in what he proposes and I cannot understand why you would believe a man that you hate. Mr. Wickham is very resourceful, but I want nothing to do with him or his friend, even if he is Lord Elkton, and I most certainly will not allow my daughters to go near either man. What do you suppose Wickham did for Lord Elkton in exchange for his money and his connections?”
“Papa, Wickham told the man that I was a likely candidate to be seduced. He knew that Mr. Darcy was my friend and once he saw that Miss Darcy and I were at the assembly together, Wickham probably suggested that both of us might be seduced. You know of Wickham’s past with Miss Darcy, but now Lord Elkton had two choices.”
“This is not to be believed.”
“Yes, papa, I overheard Wickham and Lord Elkton arguing and saying
such things, but I was near the men and heard everything but I suspect others could not hear because of the music. Both men appeared to be drunk and soon Mr. Wickham was forcefully removed from the assembly and was taken sick before he could exit.”
“So has Mr. Darcy ran both men through? I should think that would be an acceptable retribution.”
“No papa, but Mr. Darcy spotted a reporter from The Times who writes all the gossip columns. I suspect he will not have any flattering things to say about either of these men. Mr. Darcy did get agreement that the man would not publish anything derogatory about Miss Darcy and me.”
“Was Mr. Darcy improved at this assembly, Lizzy? I should think he would have come here first to apologize for leaving Netherfield the way he did.”
“It is not the same as with Mr. Bingley. He and Jane care very much about each other and always have.”
“I see what you mean, Lizzy. You do not care for Mr. Darcy and never have.
Such a pity that you never hit it off with him. Perhaps all those times I watched you stare at the man you were just checking his clothes for defects. Do not be bothered by my talk Lizzy. I saw him stare at you as well and I believe he liked you from that first dance at the assembly when he said you were tolerable. How those words must haunt the man.”
“You are going too far, papa. I see that Mr. Darcy has changed and I enjoy his company and that of his sister. She has invited me to visit with her in town and at Pemberley.”
Mr. Bennet had made his point and now returned to his library. He was happy to hear that Elizabeth and Darcy and Miss Darcy were close and he expected he would hear from him in a few days. An hour later he replied to the knock on his door with his usual reply.
“Come in Mr. Darcy, I have been expecting you.”
“It is I, Charles Bingley, Mr. Bennet. I can come back later if you are expecting someone else.”