Chapter 16 Bennet recalls his past and gives his consent. #3
“Thank you.” Darcy’s shoulders visibly relaxed as the tension left his body. Bennet suggested he sit by the fire and offered him a celebratory brandy, which Darcy accepted. After Bennet refilled the two tumblers and passed one to his friend, he joined him there.
“So, old man, how does your chess game go?” Bennet’s eyes twinkled with humour. “Did you happen to lose to my Lizzy? Perhaps that is why you have stayed away from Longbourn for so long, because you could not bear to be bested by me again.”
Darcy ignored the jibe and spoke instead of his time spent in Elizabeth’s company.
“No, we did not play chess. We were in company during short calls at the parsonage and dinner at Lady Catherine’s. She would not have approved of our matches but did favour Lady Elizabeth’s playing and singing, so I was able to gain pleasure from listening to her once again.”
“And you were not able to break away from conversations with my cousin, of course,” Bennet quipped.
“You are somewhat correct. When we called at Mr. Collins’s home, it was rare for me to escape the honour,” Darcy said sardonically, enjoying this new levity after their prior distressing discourse. “But at my aunt’s home, he was exceptionally quiet due to his deference to her opinions.”
Bennet ribbed Darcy further. “No doubt Collins expounded on his expertise on all topics while remaining appropriately flattering to you?”
“Of course,” Darcy said with mock solemnity.
“So I must conclude that, because of Collins, you did not converse with Lizzy enough for me to have received more comments about you in her letters. So tell me, who commanded her attention?”
“I must admit that my cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam had her ear much of the time. He is a very engaging sort and skilled at escaping those such as Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine.”
“She did mention him, but no more than she did you,” Bennet said, and Darcy’s gaze fell to his glass.
“It was difficult for me to watch him flirt and see her respond more favourably than she did to my attempts at engaging her in light conversation. I was in love with her, and yet she would only speak to me with disdain and contrariness.”
“Ah, yes, the infamous Lizzy and Darcy rivalry. So you resumed your bickering and posturing to show which one of you was superior?” Bennet teased, trying to lighten the mood. Darcy returned an exasperated look.
“Many of our conversations were similar to those you witnessed at Longbourn, such as the chemical processes involved in combustion. Lady Elizabeth complimented the work of various theoreticians, such as Mr. Lavoisier and Mrs. Fulhame. Apparently in my absence, you shared with her some documents that I had not perused, and I was unable to keep up with her arguments.”
“I am surprised Lizzy did not mention much about your exchanges. I would have thought she would be proud to tell me how she bested you on such issues. She may have been a bit circumspect herself,” Bennet mused then added, “I wonder how you could manage a proposal among such discussions?”
“I can only say that I was every bit the gentleman when we walked out and that my proposal occurred at my aunt’s house during a very short interlude on the terrace.”
“And what of Wickham? You mentioned that you had seen him.”
“He was there in Kent, sir, and he tried to importune your daughter,” Darcy said with great feeling.
“It was due to Mrs. Collins’s suspicions of his less than decent intentions, and her good plan for me to meet Lady Elizabeth on her walks, that I was able to intervene before she was hurt.
I heard her calls for help, and when I came across them, he had hold of her wrists, though she was valiant in her efforts to free herself. ”
Bennet paled. “Good god, I did not know it was so serious. Lizzy did not even mention the incident.”
“Perhaps she did not want to worry you. I felt so helpless when I came upon her. I’m sure you can understand how it feels to have one you love injured.
I feel somewhat responsible since he was wearing a disguise consisting of some of my clothing.
With the lack of loyalty among my aunt’s staff, I am sad to say they were probably not difficult to procure.
You cannot imagine my sense of guilt that Elizabeth had to endure such a fright before I came to her rescue. ”
Bennet grimaced. He was quite shocked at the assault on his daughter.
“Was she…was she…injured?”
“She was frightened, but her injuries were minor.”
“I had no idea.”
“It only occurred three days ago.”
“Was he apprehended?”
“No, he was not. At the time, I was more concerned with helping Lady Elizabeth than stopping him. But the local magistrate was contacted. At least we know she is safe at Longbourn while he is in Kent.”
“I can not be as easily relieved as you,” Bennet said.
“I have more reasons than you know to worry about the motives of a man such as Wickham. Before deserting the militia, he made his distaste for me known through clear threats to my well-being. The coward left before being taken to task by the community, but I fear his return.”
“I believe that, while spying on us in Kent, he may have noticed my regard for Lady Elizabeth and was trying to hurt me. As you know, he and I have a long history of disagreements, and I would not be surprised if he once again would covet something so dear to me. I wish she had not been the target for his grievances, but I can see no other reason.”
“I am just as concerned for the welfare of the rest of my family. He is a rake of the worst kind if you recall.”
“Yes, I am all too aware of his history, knowing him as I did as a youth and at university.”
“Do you believe he will be caught?”
“I shall do my best to see that he is. It is as much in my interest as it is yours that he is caught; your family will soon be mine.” Darcy expressed a further apprehension. “Wickham also knew Lord Shelton in Derbyshire. Have you no concern that he will recognize you?”
“I did consider it, but since you knew me well when you were a child and did not recognize me, I had little concern that Wickham would. Due to the disparity in our circumstances, he had no reason to have contact with me.”
“But I recall introducing him to you the day you saved me from drowning.”
“That was a long time ago, and I had not seen him again until last autumn. Although I am not sure how he evaded the introduction, we had no personal interaction in Hertfordshire. If he has not exposed me by now, I am certain he has no reason to suspect anything.”