Pax, the Canine Cupid

8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Remembering the recent sighting of Mr. Wickham, Elizabeth decided to stick to more traveled paths on her morning commune with nature. Taking up a stick, she began throwing it for Pax to fetch. He could certainly use the exercise. It had been a few days since they had had the chance to get out for a walk due to the poor fall weather. If it had been only cold, she could have easily endured it, but the relentless rain in combination with the cold had forced them to stay indoors.

After two days stuck indoors with her mother and sisters, Elizabeth was glad to be out and about. Pulling in the crisp, cold air of a fresh fall day always helped her to settle herself and let go of the things that bothered her. Things like the weight of her mother’s disappointment and her worry over the way her youngest sisters flirted with ruination. Elizabeth needed time alone to handle the stress of her life. Oh, her life was not all that bad, but if she wanted to keep from snapping at her mother and sisters, she needed time away from them on occasion.

At least staying in had helped her to talk things over with Jane a time or two. It had not been easy to start thinking of Mr. Darcy in the light that he deserved. The evening that they had shared talking at Lucas Lodge had helped greatly with altering her opinion, of course. He had acted so differently that night. He was kind and attentive not only to her but to others. If she didn't know any better, she could almost feel a fondness growing for him. All she knew for certain was that she wished to see him again and come to know him better.

Then there was Mr. Wickham to consider. Now that she knew he was a liar at the very least, and probably more than that, she wondered how she would handle him the next time she encountered him. Could she act as if she did not see through him? Act like she did not see him as a threat to herself and those of Meryton? She did not think so. Things had moved past that when she had spoken with him at Charlotte’s engagement party.

She hoped that next time she had to face him, there would be a crowd of people nearby, providing a sense of safety as she confronted him. Because she would not be able to let his behavior slide. There were too many people who could be hurt by him to leave him be.

Turning to her ever-faithful companion, she smiled and asked, “What do you think, Pax? Should I confront Mr. Wickham outright or just quietly whisper that he is no good in everyone’s ear? Gossip does have benefits in certain situations, after all.”

Pax eagerly barked in response to her question, prompting her to answer, “I think you would have me confront him.” Leaning down, she lovingly tousled his fluffy mop of hair and continued, “I do not have your strength or your sharp teeth to back me up, so I think I might not confront him unless I have to.”

Picking up Pax’s stick of choice once again, she threw it a short distance, which Pax seemed to find insulting because he was back, dropping it at her feet with a bark, in no time at all. So picking it up, she threw it farther, only to have him come charging back fairly quickly. Laughing, she said, “Come now, Pax. This walk is not all about you. This morning’s goal is to assist in organizing the chaos inside my head. Thus, you need to help me. I no longer want to dwell on that vile Mr. Wickham, so I will ask you this—what do you think of Mr. Darcy?”

This got Pax to run around her in a circle in a playful manner that was odd to see on such a large and ungainly dog. Chuckling, Elizabeth countered with, “I will take that to mean that he has your approval. Do you think I should hope for more with him, or will that only break my heart?” As if sensing her sadness, Pax nuzzled her affectionately and licked her hand with a whine.

This caused her to smile. “You are such a love, Pax. You would think that I deserve even the king himself, were he single.”

The timing of this comment was uncanny, making it seem as if Pax sneezed in direct response to what she said and showing his displeasure with her idea of marrying royalty. Leaning down, Pax nudged the stick he had brought her towards her feet, reminding her of their game. With a giggle, Elizabeth accepted the stick back from Pax and threw it again, this time so far she could not see where it went in the woods by the path. Pax lunged into the brush, bounding after the stick. He might no longer be a puppy, but he still had the goofy edge to him when playing. As Elizabeth continued walking, she did not worry about Pax; she knew that he would rejoin her before long.

“I see you do not have your large companion with you today. I thought you must walk everywhere with him.” Mr. Wickham’s voice behind Elizabeth was a great surprise and her first reaction was to wish that she had not thrown that stick quite so far. Her second thought was to wonder why, of all people, she kept running into Mr. Wickham? Why couldn’t she run into Mr. Darcy? She would much rather talk to him and try to uncover more about his complicated character than deal with someone she did not trust.

Turning to face him, Elizabeth hoped she would be able to keep her annoyance out of her voice. “Mr. Wickham, I seem to be running into you everywhere.”

Wickham’s eyes narrowed slightly as he took in Miss Elizabeth. Though she did not scorn him, there was something about her countenance that was unwelcoming. There was no joy in her expression. She was not happy to see him. He struggled to maintain a neutral expression, concealing the anger boiling inside him.

He was handsome, gregarious, and knew how to compliment a woman and make her blush. Yet Miss Elizabeth had scorned him at the engagement party he had attended with the other militia officers. There had to be something wrong with her. It was not like she had so much society to mingle with. She may not be interested in him as a marriage partner, but she should not have been averse to a little flirting. Who was she to be so dismissive of him?

He idly wondered whether he would still pursue her had she not shown such resistance. Mentally shrugging, he decided he did not really care one way or the other. He was committed to having her either way. Wickham refused to lose to Darcy. He began with something she would not be able to take the wrong way. Then he would draw her in. He was tired of waiting. “I am always eager to see you, Miss Elizabeth. We have not had the chance to talk much of late and it is always something I am eager to do.”

Carefully watching her expression, Wickham was able to catch the way she froze for a moment. What was with the girl? She should at least be smiling at him. He had given her no reason to dislike him, at least not yet. Had someone told her unfaltering tales about him?

Miss Elizabeth shook her head. “Oh, do not say that, Mr. Wickham. We saw each other just the other day.”

“But we did not have the chance to really talk. As much as I like your younger sisters, they do rather take my attention, when I would much rather it be elsewhere.” There, Wickham thought, she would be flattered to be preferred over her silly sisters.

Instead of a smile showing up on her face, Miss Elizabeth’s lips compressed into a line. “Mr. Wickham, I do not know what you are after, but I feel we talk more than enough for my tastes. I am sure that you have plenty of duties that you should be seeing to as a lieutenant in the militia. Do not feel the need to waste your time trying to chat with me.”

What was wrong with the world? Taking a step closer to her, Wickham struggled to keep Miss Elizabeth from seeing his anger. He did not want to scare her unless he had to. Placing his hand on his chest, he tried for a sincere and wounded look. “You wound me, Miss Elizabeth. Here I am, wishing for your beauty and wit to grace my day, and you are practically dismissing me. As a humble soldier, I understand that winning the hand of a lady like yourself may be beyond my reach, but I hope that I may yet have the honor and worthiness to engage in conversation with you. After all, you know the only reason I do not have a position of greater respect is the fault of another.”

Wickham waited expectantly. It was a ploy he had used before and almost always worked on girls from fine families. Miss Elizabeth would not want him thinking that she was prejudiced against him. She saw herself as a good and kind woman, so behaving cruelly towards him would contradict her self-perception, and that's exactly how he would manipulate her.

Elizabeth was not ignorant of all the small steps Mr. Wickham was taking towards her. Though the words he said appeared to be nothing but flattery, there was something about the look in his eyes that left a gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach. She could not decipher what exactly he was about, but whatever it was could not be good.

Did he hope to flummox her into some kind of tryst? Was he looking for money? He must know that she might be better off than many, but she did not have access to the sort of funds that would mean much to him. What exactly did he want with her?

While she knew Pax was about and would certainly come if she screamed, Elizabeth did not want to scream like some damsel from a Radcliff novel. Hopefully, Pax would show up with his stick in tow and she would somehow feel safer confronting Mr. Wickham. As it was, she felt her vulnerability facing him alone on the lane keenly. It was not a feeling she liked.

She tried to maintain a certain amount of cool civility as she spoke with Mr. Wickham. She did not want her anger or, worse, fear to leak through. He seemed more and more like a predator on the prowl with every word he spoke. Elizabeth may have realized that her knowledge of the world was not as extensive as she believed, but she was certain about one thing—never show fear to an attacking animal.

When Elizabeth realized just how he was trying to manipulate her, her control snapped. Unable to hold her mounting anger back any longer, Elizabeth scoffed, “You saw that the only reason you do not have a position of greater respect is the fault of Mr. Darcy. However, I must admit that cannot see the truth in that statement.”

Mr. Wickham’s eyes narrowed, and Elizabeth thought she saw a hint of a flush cross his cheeks. He took a step closer to her, saying, “Are you calling me a liar, Miss Elizabeth?”

While Elizabeth considered taking a step back and moving away from him, she was too angry. So instead, she put her hands on her hips and said, “You may infer what you wish. I am only pointing out the fallacy in your statement. Even if Mr. Darcy did deny you the living, if you had taken orders there would be any number of other livings open to you. Then too, if you had applied yourself while at the school your godfather sent you to, there would be many honest professions you could have worked at. With the education you would have received, at either Cambridge or Oxford, you could easily enter the profession in the field of law. Had you done so, you might even be a solicitor by now.” Elizabeth paused to take a breath, trying to keep herself from becoming too worked up. She could see by the slight widening of Mr. Wickham’s eyes that she had surprised him by her logic. Wanting to put the final nail in the coffin of his story, Elizabeth said, “So you see, Mr. Wickham, the position you find yourself in is almost entirely of your making.”

What Elizabeth did not see was just how angry she had made Mr. Wickham but she found out when he reached out and grabbed her upper arm in a vice like grip. Leering down at her, he said, “Who are you to think you are so smart? You are a little country nobody with the merest of beauty and no dowry to speak of. Do you think of yourself so far above me that you are unwilling to flirt a little? Exchange a kiss or two? Or possibly more? Many women in your place have been more than happy to enjoy my attentions. What makes you so resistant?” Jerking her back and forth in his anger, he elicited a whimper from her at his action. Grinning when he saw her pain, Wickham pulled her closer to him, drawing her up. He forced her to go up on her toes as he glared into her face.

The tension in Elizabeth’s jaw made it difficult for her to force words past her contempt for the man. She said, “I dislike being lied to, Mr. Wickham. Between your story so full of holes and the way Pax reacted to you, I knew you were not a man to be trusted. I am no fool.” His grip on her arm was painful, and she knew she did not have the strength to pry his hand from her arm or wrench free. Where was Pax? Then she heard it, a rustle in the woods and a growl. Looking up into Mr. Wickham’s enraged eyes, she knew he was too focused on her to realize what was coming.

Laughing in a way that completely lacked all mirth, Mr. Wickham said, “You are not a fool? You are practically in the middle of nowhere with no one near to come to your aid and you have angered a much larger man who holds you in his power. If that is not foolish, I do not know what is.”

Elizabeth would never know what Mr. Wickham intended to do with his raised hand because as soon as he raised it, Pax was there clamping down on his wrist and jerking him away. In a flash of gray fur and growls, Pax had Mr. Wickham on the ground and, most likely, severely regretting his life choices.

Though the move had also knocked Elizabeth to the ground due to Mr. Wickham’s strong grip on her arm, she did not regret it. Scooting away from the mass of furious dog and Mr. Wickham, Elizabeth sat there rubbing at her arm. While she no longer feared what Mr. Wickham might do, she did wonder what she should do next. It appeared that Pax had let go of Mr. Wickham’s wrist and now had taken up a grip on his shoulder. His front paws were pressed firmly into the screaming man’s chest. He would not be going anywhere, anytime soon.

Realizing that she should at least try to get him to release the horrible man, Elizabeth wearily said, “Pax, release.”

The well-trained dog removed his mouth from Mr. Wickham but did not stop his growls of displeasure. With the teeth out of his shoulder, Mr. Wickham’s screams turned into fearful blubbering. Pax glanced over at Elizabeth and whined, but did not move from standing on Mr. Wickham’s body.

Wanting to reassure her dog, Elizabeth said, “Good boy, Pax. Thank you for protecting me.”

Elizabeth let out a tired sigh, her fingertips massaging her forehead gently. Mr. Wickham had wrenched her right arm rather thoroughly, and it was beginning to ache quite badly. She knew that she should get up off the ground and dust herself off in case someone came to investigate Mr. Wickham’s screams, but Elizabeth just could not make herself want to move. Was it possible to be so overwhelmed that you just could not cope?

Gazing over at Mr. Wickham and Pax, she saw that her dog was still growling at Mr. Wickham and resting his full weight on him, which was substantial. Elizabeth knew that it was a public lane, and someone would come down it eventually who could help. She only wished that it was not quite so cold.

Darcy was happy to take the crisp fall air into his lungs as he rode Agilis. The recent bad weather had prevented him from getting out of doors much, so he was glad to go riding with his cousin. Fitzwilliam, with Georgianna and Mrs. Ansley, had arrived in a cold shower the day before. It had been horrible traveling weather, but he was thrilled to have them. He hoped to introduce his closet family members to Miss Elizabeth sometime soon. Everything within him told him she was the basis of his future happiness.

Letting their horses wander down the lane instead of going cross-country over the muddy trails, Darcy and Fitzwilliam could freely converse with each other. They had already discussed family and the happenings with Fitzwilliam’s siblings and parents when Fitzwilliam said, “This is a rather pleasant area, Darcy. Bingley seems to have chosen an excellent location to try out estate management.”

“Yes, at first, I struggled as I usually do among new people and places, but I quickly learned what a gem this area is. In fact, there is a lady—” What Darcy was going to say was cut off by that agonized screaming that erupted somewhere nearby.

Ever the soldier, Fitzwilliam was urging his horse forward before Darcy had time to process what was going on. Darcy spurred his horse forward, following Fitzwilliam to the source of trouble. In no time at all, Fitzwilliam turned a bend and was skidding to a halt. Coming to a halt behind his cousin, Darcy took in the sight before him in shock.

Miss Elizabeth sat on the ground, looking rather disheveled. She was staring at her dog, Pax, manhandling a blubbering Wickham. Off his horse in a flash, Darcy hurried to her side. Heart in his throat, Darcy approached her in a rush.

Though Miss Elizabeth did not seem to notice his approach, Pax did. The large dog quickly shifted his focus to Darcy, his growl subsiding and his tail showing a faint wag as he observed his approach. Though when Wickham tried to move, Pax’s attention shifted back in a flash, and he snapped viciously at the fiend. His aggression made Darcy worry about what exactly Wickham had been doing before Pax had taken him down.

Clearing his throat, Darcy couched down next to Miss Elizabeth, and asked, “Are you all right, Miss Elizabeth?” With wide eyes, Miss Elizabeth's gaze finally settled on him, as if she had been oblivious to his presence until that moment. The fear he saw in her gaze caused a fire to begin burning in his chest. It was without question that Wickham had harmed her. It wouldn't be long before Wickham learned that Darcy's benevolence had reached its end.

Licking her lips, Miss Elizabeth stammered, “I, I am well enough, I suppose. Though Mr. Wickham may need to be seen to.”

It did something to Darcy to see Miss Elizabeth so much less than her usual self.

“I take it you know this lady, Darcy.” Said, Fitzwilliam.

Looking up, Darcy saw Fitzwilliam had not approached. He was standing next to his horse and watching Pax terrify Wickham. Darcy supposed that it was an intimidating sight. Pax was a rather enormous dog, and he was very unhappy with Wickham. For the moment, though, he was just ensuring that Wickham did not move.

Nodding at his cousin Darcy said, “Though this is not the best situation for introductions, Miss Elizabeth, may I introduce my cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam?”

Darcy studied Miss Elizabeth carefully as she seemed to realize that there was someone else there. Her hand went to her hair that was half out of its pins as she looked around. When she spotted Fitzwilliam, though, she smiled. “It is nice to meet you, Colonel Fitzwilliam, even despite the circumstances. Mr. Darcy has spoken of you before.”

Fitzwilliam gave a swift bow before saying, “I can only say that have of what he says is exaggeration and I hope you listen to my side of the story when given the chance.”

Quirking her eyebrow, Elizabeth said, “Oh, so you are not the best of cousins and more like a brother to Mr. Darcy? I am surprised that he would exaggerate his affection for you. I had not expected that of him.”

Darcy observed as Fitzwilliam's eyes darted between him and Miss Elizabeth, before bursting into great peals of laughter. Eventually, he got his breath back enough to say, “I retract my former statement, Miss Elizabeth. Darcy is honest in all things, for I am the very best of cousins. There can be no doubt in it.”

Darcy knew instantly that Miss Elizabeth had his cousin’s approval. It made him happy to know, not that he needed his approval, but it was nice to see the recognition in Fitzwilliam’s eyes. He saw how perfect they were for each other in one moment. Darcy joined their conversation by saying, “Now you see Miss Elizabeth, why I did not say more about my cousin when last we spoke? He is already so full of himself I did not need to add to his big head. Frankly, I blame it on his new position as colonel. It is giving him delusions of grandeur.”

“Oh, will you stop chatting and get this animal off of me!” The yell from Wickham caused Pax to snap at him and drew the group’s attention back to the situation at hand.

Fitzwilliam approached with caution, taking a step closer before saying, “This is just a guess on my part, but may I assume that the splendid beast is your pet, Miss Elizabeth?”

Smiling, Miss Elizabeth said, “Yes, that is Pax.” Upon hearing his name, Pax stopped staring down at Wickham dauntingly and looked up at his mistress, his tail wagging. She continued, “He is my great protector.”

With a smile on his face, Fitzwilliam studied the dog and said, “He seems to have done the job quite well.”

Nodding, Miss Elizabeth rubbed at her shoulder in a way that alarmed Darcy. Had she been hurt? He was just about to ask when she said, “It is why he is named for peace. After all, he brings me peace of mind. With him at my side, I have little to worry about when it comes to my safety.” Biting her lip, she paused for a moment as if considering something then she said, “I suppose with both of you here Mr. Wickham cannot get far, especially not in the condition he is in. Pax Off.”

In a flash, Pax left his prey behind and instantly moved to Miss Elizabeth’s side. Sniffing her over, he seemed to focus his attention on her right arm and shoulder, where there were a few rips in the sleeve’s fabric. Once satisfied with his inspection, he licked her check and then lay his head in her lap with a huff.

Darcy watched it all with fascination. He was a rather remarkable specimen of a dog. Highly loyal and protective, fierce but at the same time affectionate. An idea started to form in the back of Darcy’s mind, but he shoved it away for the moment. There were more important things at the moment.

As Wickham started to sit up, Fitzwilliam moved to his side and said, “Wickham, old friend. It is interesting to see you here. What have you been up to that would warrant such a rebuttal from the lady’s dog?”

“Nothing, her dog just attacked me out of nowhere! It is crazy and vicious. I think it broke my wrist. It should be put down!”

While Fitzwilliam was questioning Wickham, Darcy decided to focus on Miss Elizabeth instead. He did not like having her so close to the villain. Turning to her, he asked, “Do you think you can stand, Miss Elizabeth?”

“Of course.” Miss Elizabeth stated as if there had never been any question.

Eager to help, Darcy drew closer to her and received a lick from Pax as he got off his mistress’s lap and sat back from her a bit. Moving his arm around her slender shoulders, Darcy helped support her weight as she stood. Once she gained her feet, he thought to move away from her, but she seemed to be unsteady. So, he asked, “Are you sure you are well, Miss Elizabeth?”

Scrunching her nose, Miss Elizabeth rolled her eyes and Darcy wondered if she was frustrated with her apparent limitations. She was a robust woman, fond of moving about under her own power. She said, “I’m only slightly dizzy. I am sure I will ache for a few days, but it will be no worse than when I was unseated from our horse last summer.”

Darcy was quick to reassure her, his tone gentle and soothing. “After what I can only assume was a harrowing morning,” he said, “I am not surprised that you may need some assistance.” Though a pretty blush moved across her cheeks, Elizabeth did not move away. In fact, she seemed to allow him to support more of her weight in his embrace. Standing with her nestled into his side was a remarkable sensation that he was desperate to see happen again. Though hopefully it would not take another encounter with a villain such as Wickham. Finding the need to know what exactly had happened, he asked, “Though I know Wickham lies with nearly every breath, I am left wondering what exactly happened before my cousin and I arrived. Are you up to explaining Miss Elizabeth?”