Chapter 26
CASUAL ACQUAINTANCES
One moment, Wickham was hurrying to the billiards room and the next he found himself standing in the room across the hall, face to face with a very irate Miss Bingley.
“Why have you failed to uphold your end of our bargain?”
“I beg your pardon?” Wickham responded after freeing his arm from the young lady’s grip.
She folded one arm over the other. “Did you and I not agree that you would do everything in your power to keep Eliza Bennet from throwing herself in Mr. Darcy’s path?”
“I believe I said I would only do so if sufficiently compensated for my efforts. You have failed to uphold your part of the bargain.”
“I cannot possibly secure the necessary funds while here in Derbyshire. I shall arrange payment for your services upon my return to London.”
His brow arched, he said, “In other words, I should trust you.”
“My word is as good as gold.”
“That may very well be, but I think I shall require something more valuable,” he replied, his eyes fixed on the lady’s décolletage.
“Surely you do not expect me to bestow certain liberties, for I absolutely will not consider it,” she protested.
He smiled a little at such a prospect. He had known many young women who were wont to put forth similar protests, most to no avail when he truly meant to press his point. In this case, he did not.
“You flatter yourself, my dear. I have something far more tangible in mind—this lovely bauble for instance,” Wickham said while fingering the teardrop emerald attached to a strand of pearls draped about her neck. “Indeed, this will satisfy quite admirably—for now.”
“I would not dream of parting with this,” she cried.
“It would seem you are not so intent on keeping Darcy and Miss Elizabeth apart after all.”
“You know I am!”
“Then, you know what you must do,” he said, eyeing the rise and fall of her bosom as much as the jewel.
She slowly acquiesced. “Shall we consider this as collateral, for I would not wish to be separated from this particular treasure for very long,” she said as she proceeded to unclasp the emerald.
“A family heirloom?” Wickham said reaching out his hand to accept the jewel.
“Indeed,” she said. “Mind you, I expect you to do exactly as I specify to the letter.”
“I mean to please,” Wickham said, tucking the emerald inside his pocket.
Satisfied, Caroline proceeded to instruct the gentleman on his part in the scheme. “It is vitally important that the two of you are perceived as more than casual acquaintances.” She reached into her own pocket and retrieved a folded piece of paper. She handed it to him.
“Pray what is this?”
“It’s a letter—from Mr. Darcy to Eliza Bennet.”
Wickham perused the paper. “This is not Darcy’s handwriting.”
“Indeed. I shall need you to exercise your best imitation of Mr. Darcy’s handwriting.
As intimate as the two of you are, what with your lifelong friendship, I am sure you will do the job admirably.
Once you are done, I shall instruct you on the appropriate time to place the letter in Eliza Bennet’s apartment. ”
“It seems you have everything all planned out save one important detail, and that is Darcy himself. No doubt he will deny having written such a letter, and that will be the end of that.”
“On the contrary, sir. By the time I have carried out my part of the scheme, the gentleman will want nothing at all to do with Eliza Bennet. Trust me.”
Wickham shrugged. “So long as I am compensated in full, I shall not be concerned one way or the other.” His manner turning to his more pressing concerns, he said, “Now, about the other proposition you alluded to moments ago—”
Aghast, the lady exclaimed derisively, “Not even if you were the last man on Earth!”