Chapter VI #3
“You may leave it in my hands, Fitzwilliam. Should Wickham elude us, you will have the pleasure of hunting him to ground.”
“Then I shall pray for Wickham’s success. Even more satisfying than witnessing his downfall would be having a hand in it myself.”
Fitzwilliam departed soon after, leaving Darcy again to his thoughts.
As they were only to be away for a few days, there was not much preparation to be done, so it was completed by the third hour of the afternoon.
That was when the second visitor of the day arrived, a man for whose arrival he had waited the previous week.
“Darcy!” exclaimed Bingley as Mrs. Mayfield led him into the sitting-room. “I see you are returned from Kent in good order.” Bingley winked. “Caroline is most eager to be in your company again, though I do not suppose a similar affliction besets you.”
“Bingley,” said Darcy, rising to greet his friend with an extended hand, Georgiana standing by his side, with a bright smile.
Appearing to see something of it, Bingley regarded them with open curiosity. “There is something strange at work here, but I cannot put my finger on it.”
“There is no time like the present, William,” said Georgiana. “I shall excuse myself while you and Mr. Bingley speak. If you need me, I will be in the music room.”
With that, Georgiana departed, leaving Bingley to watch her as she left. When the door closed, Bingley turned back to him, a question in his expression.
“There is a matter of which I must speak to you,” said Darcy. “Please sit, and I will explain all.”
“Very well, Darcy. I am listening.”
Darcy explained the business with Miss Bennet to Bingley, who listened to him with an attentive focus Darcy had rarely seen from his friend, who sometimes tended to carelessness.
Though he did not touch on his proposal to Miss Elizabeth, he related her assertions about her sister’s feelings and his conclusion, which he now believed to be error.
Then he explained his intention to depart for Hertfordshire the following morning and the reason for it.
When he completed his account, Bingley sat back and considered what he had heard.
“I cannot quite determine what to make of this, Darcy,” said Bingley, his manner showing less dejection than Darcy had expected.
“I apologize if I have recalled unwelcome memories, Bingley. My concern was for my error and informing you of it so you could take whatever action you deem necessary.”
“Return to Netherfield,” agreed Bingley, sitting up straighter. “Yes, that is the proper course. Though I have pushed my feelings for Miss Bennet away these past weeks, I feel not a jot less for her than I did before.”
When Bingley’s eye fixed on him, Darcy felt the piercing quality. “Tell me, Darcy, did my sisters also know that Miss Bennet was in town? They must have, for I cannot imagine you would learn of it while they remained unaware.”
Omitting Bingley’s sisters was deliberate, for Darcy had not wished Bingley to think he was pushing the blame to them. “Miss Bingley informed me of Miss Bennet’s visit to her. Other than that, I know nothing of what passed between them.”
Bingley nodded, a decisive motion. “For answers, I must approach my sisters. Tomorrow, however, I shall accompany you to Hertfordshire.”
Darcy laughed. “I have always known you were impulsive, my friend. I should have expected it.”
“Yes, you should have,” said Bingley with a grin. “Might I assume you mean to depart early?”
“I do,” agreed Darcy. “If we leave at eight o’clock, we can arrive by noon.”
“Very well,” said Bingley. “I shall arrive a half an hour early.”
“Do not bother, Bingley. I shall direct my coachman to call for you at your house at fifteen minutes before eight.”
“Thank you, Darcy. I will be waiting. No doubt Caroline will attempt to prevent me from going—or she may wish to accompany us.”
“That will not be possible, Bingley,” replied Darcy. “With Mrs. Annesley, we will be four travelers already.”
Bingley offered a broad, mischievous grin.
“Excellent. I shall inform her that she is not welcome and forbid her from following me. With your indifference, perhaps she will finally understand that you have no interest in her. Perhaps she will even open herself to the possibility of another man paying court to her.”
With that, Bingley excused himself and departed.
Georgiana proved no more surprised by Bingley’s sudden insistence on accompanying them, her wit flowing at Bingley’s impulsiveness.
Darcy was pleased by the day’s events—perhaps he should not have waited as long as he did, but Bingley now knew and was determined to return to Hertfordshire. Both objectives were now within reach.
THE EVENING THAT THE Darcys were preparing to return to Hertfordshire, Elizabeth and her sisters boarded the Bennet carriage to go into Meryton to another of their aunt’s ubiquitous card parties.
As Mrs. Philips loved company and appreciated the officers, her functions had increased in regularity.
While Elizabeth loved her aunt, she could be a loud woman, her behavior not equal even to that of the most unrestrained of the genteel class, and her parties were frequented by the townsfolk rather than the other gentlefolk of the neighborhood.
As the Bennet sisters were friendly with most of those in the town, mingling among them was an agreeable prospect.
“Well, Lizzy,” said Lydia as the carriage lurched into motion, “do you mean to continue your campaign to defame Mr. Wickham tonight? Or have you decided you have done enough damage to his reputation?”
“Neither,” replied Elizabeth, not rising to her sister’s bait. “I have said all I wish about Mr. Wickham; the man’s own behavior condemns him.”
Though Lydia huffed, she said nothing further, instead choosing to sit in petulant silence. Given her ability to annoy and the piercing quality of her voice, Elizabeth preferred a peevish Lydia to a screeching Lydia.
As had become the custom at these events, redcoats dotted the rooms of Aunt Philips’s house, laughter spilling out in waves, young ladies still fascinated with the men of the regiment, giggling behind hands or listening with rapt attention.
Lydia, Elizabeth noted, was not the only one who behaved as she did, nor was she even the worst. The difference was that Lydia was a gentlewoman, which should have led her to behave as one rather than as a silly flirt just out of the schoolroom.
Though Elizabeth had not at first observed him, consumed with greeting her aunt and a few acquaintances, it was not long before she saw Mr. Wickham standing across the room.
The force of his gaze told Elizabeth that he had learned of her actions since his return, the heat of his contempt scorching her where she stood.
It appeared that the confrontation she had avoided was now upon her.
With any luck, she could ensure that Mr. Wickham could not escape without answering for his deeds