by Wendi Sotis
They skirted around Oakham Mount and through the woods to the fields below it, then followed a direct route to Netherfield.
CHAPTER 25
Darcy paced the corridor outside Ana’s rooms.
He had taken care of all essential business, and now there was nothing to do but wait. After delivering a note to Longbourn asking Mr. Bennet to come to Netherfield, a footman would continue on to London at the quickest pace possible with a message for Richard, simply stating, “Urgent! Wickham is here.” That would get his cousin here with all haste.
Exhausted, Darcy sat in a chair against the wall.
I could have lost the both of them today. Now that he had time to think instead of needing to react or care for his injured sister, the thought had been niggling at him, but he had not yet actually put it into words, even internally.
His stomach turned over. He felt sick.
No, he could not remain still. He paced some more.
There was a ruckus downstairs. Raised voices, followed by hurried footsteps on the staircase, gave him pause. He tightened his fists until he saw Mr. Bennet and Miss Bennet, still wearing their outerwear, pass Mrs. Curtis, who had led them up.
“Mr. Darcy! What happened to Lizzy?” Miss Bennet cried, rushing towards him.
Perhaps he should have been a little less discreet in his note. It seemed to have unnerved them both.
Come at once to Netherfield. Miss Elizabeth has been involved in an incident.
What he had to say now was not going to ease their concern.
“There was an attempt to kidnap my sister in which Miss Elizabeth was caught up. Both ladies are well, thanks to Miss Elizabeth’s quick thinking, but I felt it best to send for the apothecary to make certain. Mrs. Annesley is sitting with them while Mr. Jones examines them both.”
“May I go in?” Miss Bennet asked while unpinning her bonnet. She hastily discarded it on a nearby table.
“By all means, Jane.” Mr. Bennet said, “Lizzy will appreciate your company.”
Mrs. Curtis escorted Miss Bennet into Ana’s bedchamber.
Mr. Bennet unbuttoned his coat and sat in the chair. “So, tell me what happened. From the beginning.”
Darcy found himself pacing before Mr. Bennet the entire time he explained what he knew.
“That is all I am aware of at this time. I am certain there is more, but we have had little time to discuss what happened.”
“Who is this man, Wickham?”
“Wickham is the son of my father’s steward. In thanks for all the senior Mr. Wickham had done at Pemberley, my father sent his son through school with me. He did not turn out well.”
“How did he know you and your sister were here?
Darcy raked a hand through his hair. “I know not how he could have been aware that we were here, but he has always been able to charm his way into the good graces of people who can supply him with the information he needs.”
Mr. Bennet’s gaze moved quickly to the door to Ana’s room, and he rose.
“Wickham joined the militia stationed in Meryton, but it was under the name of Drake,” Elizabeth’s voice came from behind him.
Darcy spun in place to face her.
She stood at the open door to Ana’s rooms. She had washed the grit off her face, but her gown was torn in several places and covered in blood and dirt. Her hand was now bandaged. Miss Bennet stood just behind her.
The sight of Elizabeth eased his queasiness. He knew if she were injured severely, the apothecary would not have let her leave the room, and also, she would not have left Ana if she was in worse shape than he had thought.
Darcy let out a deep breath. “Drake is his mother’s family name.”
“Lizzy? What happened to your hand?” her father asked.
She walked past Darcy to her father. “Mr. Jones says I am well. The back of my hand was scratched during what happened today. We both have a few blisters from running while wearing riding boots.” She took a deep breath. “Ana’s arm was grazed with a bullet, but she is well.”
“Bullet!” Her father paled and sat down again. “This man threatened my daughter and Miss Darcy with a gun?”
“His pistol accidentally went off when he dropped it.” She turned to Darcy. “Mr. Jones gave us both salves to put on our wounds. Ana was given a cup of willow bark tea to help with the pain, which unquestionably worked since she fell asleep while Mr. Jones was packing up his instruments. At present, Mr. Jones is giving instructions to Mrs. Annesley and should join us shortly. Mrs. Annesley will remain with Ana while she sleeps.”
Darcy had hoped to see Ana after her examination, but he had better let her rest. “Let us go downstairs to the library and discuss what should be done next.” He turned to Mr. Bennet. “Unless you would like Mrs. Curtis to escort the ladies elsewhere?” He turned to Elizabeth. “A room can be made up if you would like to rest, as well? It has been a trying experience.”
He hoped she would join them. Elizabeth knew much more of what had happened than he did, and it was his opinion that she should have a say in deciding Wickham's fate.
Elizabeth shook her head. “I wish to accompany you.”
“I would not dare to hide any of this from Jane and Lizzy,” Mr. Bennet agreed.
Mrs. Curtis stepped forward. “Shall I send Mr. Jones to the library when he is finished, Mr. Darcy?”
“Yes, please do.”
She curtsied and went into Ana’s rooms.
As they navigated down one level, Bingley met them on the landing. He fell into step and followed them to the library.
Once they reached their destination, Bingley asked, “How is Miss Darcy?”
“She is sleeping,” Miss Elizabeth answered. “The apothecary says she should recover quickly.”
Bingley was covered in dust. Darcy was just as dirty, but Miss Elizabeth’s gown was even filthier. He should have included in his note that Mr. Bennet should bring her something to change into.
“Where is Wickham?” Darcy asked.
“Simons and I put him in an outbuilding that is currently not in use. Simons remained with him. I sent a footman to stay with them.”
Elizabeth asked, “Simons was knocked unconscious earlier. Perhaps he should be resting.”
For some reason, it was satisfying that she always seemed to ask what he was just about to explain. Their thoughts were almost synchronized.
Darcy shook his head. “I know Simons. Especially after what happened, he will not rest until Wickham’s fate has been decided and is actually being carried out.”
Bingley asked, “So, what shall we do with him, Darcy?”
“That is what we are here to discuss. I have summoned Richard from London, as well.” He looked up at the clock. “I sent my best rider. If Richard left immediately upon receiving my note, I expect him to arrive in about an hour.”
“Do you mean Colonel Fitzwilliam?” Elizabeth asked.
He nodded. “Yes.”
The lilt to her voice made Darcy’s stomach feel like it dropped to his knees. He had forgotten about their previous acquaintance and about Richard’s emotional reaction every time his cousin had spoken of Elizabeth.
There was nothing he could do about it. Legally, Richard was his equal when it came to being Ana’s guardian. He needed to be here for this.
Mr. Bennet chuckled.
Why is he looking at me that way? Darcy looked around and saw mirth twinkling in Bingley’s eyes, as well.
What was going on? He looked down at his attire. Other than being desperately in need of a bath and change of clothing, all was well. Everything that should not be showing was covered.
“Are you well, sir?” Elizabeth asked.
What had his expression been?
“Excuse me.” He shook his head. “It was just a private thought. No one else would find it interesting.”
Bingley was holding back a smile now. Apparently, that was not the case.
To take the attention off whatever about him was causing so mu
ch amusement for some and concern for others, Darcy offered the gentlemen brandy and the ladies some sherry. All accepted.
Elizabeth asked, “May I send to Longbourn for a clean gown?”
Darcy provided her with the supplies she required to write her note. When that was sent off, Mr. Jones came and went, saying almost exactly what Elizabeth had already told them.
After he left, Mr. Bennet held up his glass and said, “An excellent brandy, Mr. Bingley.”
“It is Darcy’s.” Bingley paled and froze.
Mr. Bennet smiled. “That reminds me… I have been wondering, Mr. Darcy, why are you allowing everyone to think Mr. Bingley is the new owner of Netherfield when it is you who actually purchased it from your cousin?”
“Papa!” Elizabeth cried out. “How did you know?”
He smiled smugly. “I have my sources.”
Darcy closed his mouth, which had dropped open at Mr. Bennet’s question. “You knew?” he asked Elizabeth.
Elizabeth nodded. “I suspected, but then Ana told me.”
Mr. Bennet cleared his throat. “And I am guessing you are responsible for repaying all the landowners in the area for the repairs they had made to your tenants’ homes over the past few years, as well?”
Elizabeth’s eyebrows rose. He could see she had not known about that part. He wished her father had not mentioned it in company.
“Since it was my cousin’s solicitor who was instructed to gather the information about what had been spent and forward the reimbursements, how did you figure out the money did not come from my cousin?”
“Because your cousin never would have done so. He is not that kind of man.”
Darcy chuckled and shook his head. “You are correct, Huxley would have ignored it. I was not looking for recognition, only hoping to cleanse away the stains that my cousin had placed upon the Darcy name.”
“In that case, you have done well. I will not betray your confidence,” Mr. Bennet said.
Ah, but he already had — to his daughter. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Elizabeth looking at him, beaming with appreciation.
Darcy would not meet her gaze. He did not want her gratitude; he wanted her love.
The thought took him by such surprise, he had to sit down.
He was quite aware of having warm feelings towards Elizabeth, but love?
Earlier, when he found her at the site of the attempted abduction, he had been so relieved that Elizabeth was essentially unharmed that the impulse to take her in his arms was almost stronger than doing the same with Ana.
But did that mean he was in love with her?
He blinked several times in a row and then pushed the thought aside. He could not think upon this now.
He stood.
“Let us begin to come up with some ideas of what to do with Wickham now, so we have some options available to discuss with my cousin when he arrives.”
“No need to wait,” Richard’s voice came from the doorway.
“Richard!” Darcy had not even heard the door open. “How did you arrive here so quickly?”
He closed the door, took off his coat, and threw it across a chair. “I was with a few men on the London road and recognised the man you sent as he rode past at great speed. I hope you do not mind. I appropriated him to send a letter to my commander at Headquarters. I had to let him know I was taking an emergency leave.”
“Not at all,” Darcy answered as he watched Richard advance and take stock of all who were assembled. When his gaze stopped at Elizabeth, a smile the likes Darcy had never seen on his cousin’s face spread across his features.
Darcy refused to look at Elizabeth to see her reaction.
“Miss Bennet!” Richard made a grand bow before Elizabeth. “I was hoping to meet with you while I was here.”
Darcy’s eyes betrayed him and landed on her. A shudder ran through him. She was just as happy to see Richard as he was to see her.
An ugly emotion directed at Richard rose in his chest. He took a deep breath to try to dispel it.
“Colonel Fitzwilliam,” said Elizabeth, “it is so nice to see you again. May I introduce my father…”
She made the introductions. Richard would switch to calling her Miss Elizabeth now that he had been introduced to her elder sister. Was Richard as thrilled as he had been to use her Christian name, even if it was preceded by Miss?
Darcy wanted to rush out of the room and take some time to come to terms with all this, but he could not. Wickham must be dealt with quickly.
After making his greetings to all, Richard turned to Elizabeth once more. “Miss Elizabeth, I have heard you are now close friends with Georgi— I mean, with Ana?”
“Yes, we met at Pemberley while I was on holiday and have continued our friendship now that she has come to Netherfield.”
“Where is Ana?” He turned to Darcy.
Darcy answered, “Ana has been injured.”
CHAPTER 26
Richard jumped to his feet, so Darcy quickly added, “It is not serious; she will be well. I am not overly concerned.”
Richard asked, “Where is she?”
“Ana is sleeping. We have a great deal to discuss, Cousin. Brandy?”
Richard accepted, and, once settled, Darcy explained his and Bingley’s part of what happened earlier in the day. “I was just about to ask Miss Elizabeth to explain the rest when you came in.”
Miss Bennet, who was sitting next to Elizabeth, took her sister’s hand in hers, hopefully lending her strength. Elizabeth then told them all about what had happened at Pemberley’s Harvest Ball, about meeting Drake in Meryton, and about suspecting Drake was Wickham.
“It makes sense now.” Elizabeth nodded. “The night of the ball in Derbyshire, I did not see his face. He was wearing a mask, and it was dark. Recently, when I met him in the village as Lieutenant Drake, his hair was cropped short, and he used his own voice instead of trying to imitate yours, Mr. Darcy. I thought it odd that he seemed to be slumping, but now I can see it was to hide that his height was similar to yours so that I would not recognise him. Still, I must blame myself. I had a bad feeling about him, and he… well, to tell the truth, Drake smelled like Wickham.” She shook her head, her eyes directed down at her hands, and then looked at him. “What happened today was all my fault.”
Darcy swallowed the lump in his throat and stepped toward her. “You are not to blame. What were you to accuse Lieutenant Drake of? His bad taste in cologne? It would not have made sense to anybody.”
She chuckled without mirth. “Those words were almost the same ones I used to convince myself that my first impression of him as Drake must have been faulty. Also, it made no sense that Wickham would come here.”
Darcy said, “Miss Elizabeth, please… if anyone should be blamed, it is I. I never should have cleaned up his messes for all those years.”
“You did so to protect your father,” said Richard. “He was ill and did not need any further worries.”
“Wickham came to expect that my efforts to make things right would continue, even after my father’s death.”
Richard shook his head. “His behaviour is not your fault, Darcy.”
Elizabeth changed the subject slightly, seemingly to pull the attention away from him. “I realised during our ordeal that Drake had not been seen in public since Mr. Darcy and Ana arrived in Meryton.”
“Which could have been a coincidence,” said Richard.
Darcy said, “You saved Ana from the horrible fate of being forced to marry that fiend. That is what you should remember about today’s events.”
She nodded.
Elizabeth continued to tell them everything that occurred earlier in the day. The recital must have been exhausting.
Everyone was quiet for a while, listening to her tale, though Miss Bennet did gasp a few times.
At one point, Richard jumped up from his chair. “That piece of filth threatened to shoot you?”
Elizabeth calmly answered, “He used the threat of ha
rming me as leverage to force Ana to cooperate with the abduction.”
She continued her story. Darcy found that hearing it all at once like this was even more infuriating than learning it in bits and pieces. He had to tightly grip the arms of his chair to keep himself from rushing outside and beating Wickham to a pulp.
“Ana has been shot?” Richard bellowed and looked at him. “And you are not overly concerned? Are you insane?”
“Calm down, Richard. The bullet barely scratched her arm. She will be fine as long as infection does not set in. Everything possible has been done to prevent that from happening,” Darcy explained.
“And what about Miss Elizabeth’s hands?” Richard asked. “Did Wickham do that to you?”
“No, I did,” Ana’s voice came from the doorway.
He really should tell the staff not to oil those hinges again, or people would continue to sneak up on him.
Elizabeth stood and shook her head. “It was an accident. My hands are only scratched. Mr. Jones put some salve on them, which is why they are bandaged.”
Darcy rose to escort Ana in, but Richard had already crossed to Ana and embraced her. They conversed quietly for a few moments, then he helped her to a seat between himself and Richard.
“So,” began Darcy, “now that we are armed with some of the history and the full account of what happened today, we need to decide what to do with Wickham. He is now in an outbuilding, being watched over by an incensed Simons and a footman.” He hesitated. “Wickham has caused us more difficulties than I care to discuss at the moment. But one thing we should all keep in mind is that both the ladies’ reputations are at stake, as well.”
Elizabeth said, “I do not think that will be a problem. When he approached me in Derbyshire, my aunt was nearby. Today, neither of us was ever alone with him, not even for a moment. There was no compromise.”
“I think we need to tell them everything, Brother,” Ana said. “I trust everyone in this room.”
Darcy looked at Richard.
Richard nodded. “It is brave of you, sweetling.”
Darcy opened his mouth to speak, but Ana began. Perhaps it would be helpful for her to tell the story?