Chapter 7 #2
As Miss Bingley was no longer the hostess, Elizabeth did not feel the need to accede to the supercilious woman’s request. “As you know I am such a great walker, Miss Bingley; I have had more than enough exercise today. I appreciate your invitation, but respectfully decline.”
Miss Bingley, with a sour look on her face, was about to retort with some barb when there was a positive response to her seeking a partner.
“As part of my recovery, it would be good for me to walk a little bit, if I may join you, Miss Bingley,” Jane stated as she stood up.
There was no way to refuse without making herself look bad in Mr. Darcy’s eyes, so Miss Bingley accepted, albeit ungraciously. Both walkers were disappointed.
When there was a possibility Miss Elizabeth would be one of the walkers, Darcy had stopped reading and was waiting with keen anticipation to watch her lithe figure as she made circuits of the room.
As soon as she refused, he lost interest and returned to his book.
Miss Bennet joining Miss Bingley did not even pique his interest for a moment.
As the two women walked, Miss Bingley tried to attract Mr. Darcy’s attention, but to no avail. Less than ten minutes later, using Miss Bennet’s recent illness as an excuse, Miss Bingley abandoned her attempt to show herself off favourably to Mr. Darcy.
By the time Jane sat down, she was convinced that for whatever reason, regardless of her beauty, Mr. Darcy was not interested in her at all. She was determined to have him; it would have to be by way of a compromise.
Her mother always told her all she needed was her beauty to get anything she desired, but Mr. Darcy seemed as immune to her charms as he was to those of Miss Bingley. The only one he would look at was Lizzy.
Jane did not understand why her mother’s advice had not worked in this case, but she would still have him, nevertheless. The how was not as important as succeeding and becoming the wife of an extremely wealthy man.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
George Wickham was at his wits’ end. He was being hunted by one of the Spaniard’s men. Juan Antonio álvarez, known as the Spaniard, was not one to allow a debt to remain unpaid. Wickham did not know what to do; he was out of options.
Mrs. Karen Younge no longer welcomed him to her home or her bed. He owed her too much money and his sweet words were not the currency she wanted. Wickham had tried begging, but Mrs. Younge had been adamant. Unless he paid her the full five and thirty pounds he owed her, she did not want to see him.
On the point of despair, Wickham spied Jack Denny from Lambton. He had never trifled with Denny’s sister and he hoped the man was unaware of his other exploits in the area. Denny was wearing the scarlet coat of an army man.
“Denny,” Wickham clapped the man on the back like a long-lost friend, “it has been far too long.”
“Wickham, you old reprobate, what are you doing here in the bowels of London?” Denny asked.
“Unfortunately, I find myself down on my luck and looking for an occupation,” Wickham told the man, doing what he did best, bending and twisting the truth.
“You completed your studies at Cambridge, did you not?” Denny enquired.
“Correct,” Wickham replied quizzically.
“Then your luck has just changed. I am in the Derbyshire Militia. We are quartered just outside the little market town of Meryton in Hertfordshire,” Denny explained. “We are short of officers so I am recruiting and looking for men from Derbyshire.”
“It sounds interesting, but I do not have the funds for a commission readily available,” Wickham lamented.
“That is just it, you need no funds. My Colonel is offering a free lieutenant’s commission to a university educated man from our shire. If you want it, it is yours,” Denny offered.
Normally, Wickham would shy away from anything even hinting at work, but he was desperate and accepting a commission would take him to a town where he was unknown.
He would be able to get credit to replenish his wardrobe.
In addition, he was sure there would be a fresh supply of innocent girls for him to taste as well.
“It seems that militia life might be for me. How much is the pay and when do we depart?” Wickham asked, the second part of his question being far more important than the first.
“A Lieutenant receives two pounds and a half crown a month,” Denny revealed. “I am on my way to the post now. A few minutes later and you would not have seen me, my friend.”
As he sat on the box of the post, Wickham started to relax as the distance from London increased.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
That evening as they returned to their chambers, Jane slowed down, giving Elizabeth the impression she had overtired herself on her first day out of bed. The truth was she wanted to make sure she knew which door was Mr. Darcy’s.
Once that gentleman entered his chambers, Jane was able to walk a little better than before.
She decided to attempt the compromise on the morrow.
She would claim fatigue and convince Lizzy to remain in the drawing room and would tell her sister not to disturb her when she returned to her bedchamber.
Her mother had packed a very revealing nightgown. She would don it, slip into Mr. Darcy’s bedchamber, and wait for him in his bed. She would scream as soon as he entered, ensuring that they would be seen.
Jane felt better now she had a fool proof plan. She fell asleep dreaming of the wealth that soon would be hers.