Chapter XI
Had he considered it, Darcy could have predicted Wickham’s actions in advance. The moment he caught sight of them, Wickham’s desperation turned to renewed confidence. Darcy was not inclined to be charitable.
Of more immediate concern was the state of the Bennets.
Mr. Bennet was shaking his hand, likely bruised from the altercation with Wickham, while Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth stood behind him, the former with an expression of utter fury for the disgraced officer, unlike anything Darcy had seen before, while the latter regarded Darcy himself with astonishment.
Wickham had stopped struggling, already showing Darcy a pleading look.
Darcy, unwilling to accept Wickham’s mewling, turned away.
“Thompson,” said Darcy to his most trusted and burliest footman, “perhaps you might lend a hand to subdue our dear friend.”
A wicked gleam entered Mr. Thompson’s eyes. “With pleasure, Mr. Darcy.”
Thompson did not need to do anything. The moment Wickham caught sight of him, the color in his face drained, and his struggling ceased. His pitiful looks at Darcy were an annoyance, but Darcy found himself equal to ignoring his erstwhile friend.
“Mr. Darcy,” said Mr. Bennet, “it seems that I should have expected you to join us. I can think of several reasons for your arrival—perhaps you would be so good as to share what brought you here.”
Though nonplussed by Mr. Bennet’s statement, which appeared unaccountably sly, Darcy nodded toward Wickham. “If you suspect me of wishing to deal with this snake, you are not incorrect.”
“Ah, the obvious reason then,” replied Mr. Bennet, again confusing Darcy.
“Darcy!” exclaimed Wickham, finally overcoming his fear of Thompson. “The timing of your arrival is most fortuitous, for I seem to have come across a spot of trouble.”
Darcy regarded the sorry excuse for an officer, wondering at Wickham’s daring.
Perhaps there was some reason in Wickham’s mind to hope for a reprieve—Darcy had paid Wickham’s debts in both Lambton and Cambridge after all.
That was several years ago, and Darcy had done so specifically to avoid tarnishing his family name that Wickham had used to get what he wanted.
After paying the man the sum in exchange for the living, Darcy had cut all ties with him, had made it known in Lambton that he would no longer accept responsibility for Wickham’s accounts.
It appeared that Wickham did not consider that aspect of their history.
Then again, Wickham never considered anything unless it benefited him.
To him, the Darcy family had always been a way to an easy life of dissipation, to do what he wished without restraint or consequences.
But even if Darcy’s father had not passed away early, Wickham would not have continued to benefit from the family’s largesse.
Eventually, his father would have learned the truth of Wickham’s character—there had been no man more upright than Robert Darcy.
“Tell me, Wickham,” said Darcy, pushing these thoughts aside, “did this spot of trouble have anything to do with your usual habits? Or perhaps you were misunderstood, just like you have been misjudged in so many other places.”
For a moment, Wickham’s mouth fell open in astonishment. Then he recovered, and far more quickly than Darcy might have wished.
“It does not signify. If you will assist, I shall resign my commission and depart from this place, never to intrude upon your notice again.”
“If I possessed a farthing for every time you promised that, I would be as rich as Midas. No, Wickham—I suspect your troubles are your own doing. It is about time you paid the price for your deeds.”
Then Darcy turned away and addressed the crowd that had gathered, which included a few local merchants and several more officers.
“If Wickham has debts in Meryton, it is nothing compared to the debts I already hold in his name. Since I did not inform you of the danger, I shall settle Wickham’s accounts, but from this moment forward, I will not do so again.
You should also speak with your womenfolk, for Wickham will seduce any woman who catches his fancy. ”
“In that, at least, we are fortunate,” said Mr. Bennet. “According to the colonel, Wickham has been so busy pursuing a woman of fortune, he has had little time to engage in his usual seductions.”
“This is all amusing, Darcy,” said Wickham, a mocking quality in his voice, “but perhaps you should reconsider. You would not wish me to reveal your secret and that of your precious sister.”
Darcy glared at Wickham, not amused. For a moment, he considered telling Thompson to silence the libertine, but then another spoke.
THE MOMENT ELIZABETH heard Mr. Wickham’s disgusting words, she understood his intent.
Behind Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, who had not yet spoken, a young lady descended from the carriage, drawn by Mr. Wickham’s threat.
Though Mr. Darcy had spoken of his sister as a shy girl, the fury in her features told Elizabeth that she was not about to allow Mr. Wickham to threaten them.
A thought entered Elizabeth’s mind, and she followed it without thinking.
“That is just what I would have expected from an unprincipled man such as you,” said she, stepping forward.
Mr. Wickham recoiled in surprise, but Elizabeth did not hesitate.
“This man defrauds the community and dallies with the ladies, and yet he spits threats against a man who has only ever shown him kindness he does not deserve. Can it be any surprise that a man such as Mr. Wickham will say anything if he thinks it will save him?”
The murmuring of the crowd reached Elizabeth’s ears, and she knew she had made a strong impression.
That effect, however, was nothing beside the expression of utter admiration Mr. Darcy bestowed upon her.
Georgiana Darcy, caught by surprise, flashed Elizabeth a grateful smile and stepped next to her brother.
In that moment, as she gazed with pitiless disdain at the caricature of a man before her, Elizabeth knew she truly was the granddaughter of an earl.
“It would be best if you remained silent, Wickham,” rumbled Thompson. “Don’t worsen your situation.”
Several officers, Colonel Forster in their midst, pushed their way through the assembled at that moment, the colonel nodding to Mr. Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Then he cast a contemptuous glare at his disgraced officer.
“You have led us on a merry chase, Wickham, but at last we have you. That uniform is disgraced because it rests on your shoulders.”
The colonel motioned to the men restraining Mr. Wickham. “Take him to the guardhouse. We will deal with him later.”
Though the men turned him and marched away, Mr. Wickham was not finished. “I compromised little Georgiana and tainted her,” he screamed. “Darcy is—”
What Mr. Darcy was, they would never find out, as Mr. Thompson struck him sharply, producing a howl of pain. Then, with the footman assisting, they hauled him away, interrupting his continued shouts until he was gone.
Georgiana Darcy, Elizabeth noted, was standing tall and proud, not betraying a jot of what she was feeling.
Though Elizabeth knew the basics of the events at Ramsgate and knew that, for once, Mr. Wickham was speaking something of the truth, she was behaving in a way that would bring doubt on his words.
“That is all nonsense,” said Mr. Bingley, speaking into the sudden ring of murmurs and glances at the Darcys.
“I have known Darcy for five years and his sister for three. Miss Elizabeth is correct—a viper such as this Wickham has descended to malicious revenge and telling tales with no foundation in truth.”
“Trust me, Bingley,” said Mr. Bennet, “no one here is foolish enough to be taken in by the words of an officer who has used the town so ill.”
“Of course, he will try to ruin my brother and me,” said Miss Darcy. “I have long known that Mr. Wickham covets my dowry—had he the chance, I am certain he would have attempted to charm me so that he might obtain it.”
Had they conferred in advance to tell a convincing tale, Elizabeth did not think it could have gone much better.
The mutters and nods of agreement were near universal.
Though Elizabeth suspected the confrontation and Mr. Wickham’s charges against Miss Darcy would be much talked-of in the community as the tale spread, she suspected no one would believe a word of what Mr. Wickham had said.
“Well, that is rather curious,” said Mr. Bennet, turning to them all, though Elizabeth noticed he was still flexing his hand. “This is far more excitement than Meryton has seen in many a year. It even outstrips the regiment’s arrival last autumn.”
“I think, Papa,” said Elizabeth, “that we could do with much less excitement.”
“That is the truth,” replied her father. “And I could do without such altercations. I have never been a pugilist and am far removed from my antics as a boy.”
“Yet you protected your daughters from a much younger man,” said Mr. Bingley with a grin.
“I did only what I must,” replied Mr. Bennet with a sort of exaggerated modesty that set them all to laughing.
“But I shall reiterate, sir,” said he, turning back to Mr. Darcy, “that I am shocked by your arrival, and the timing is no less than curious. Will you not explain why you are here?”
Though Elizabeth could see that Mr. Darcy was not eager to respond, he did so without hesitation.
“When we were in Kent, your daughter spoke of Wickham’s activities in Meryton, and I responded by giving her facts she did not already possess.
After some thought, I realized I should have said something of a warning. I have come to rectify that error.”
“Hmm, yes, I believe we have heard something of your dealings with Elizabeth.”
It was apparent that Mr. Darcy did not like the sound of that, and Elizabeth suspected he would like it even less when he learned the truth. Before he could reply, Mr. Bennet shrugged.