Chapter Ten
Richard cantered through the picturesque village of Meryton and paused for one brief moment when he beheld the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, walking with three other girls, one of whom gave him a flirtatious little wave.
He wished he could find a valid reason to stop and be introduced.
All too soon, he passed them by and continued on to the encampment.
In short order he stood before Colonel Benjamin Forster, whom he knew quite well, and had appraised him of Wickham’s perfidy, providing all the receipts Darcy had purchased over the years.
In total, they added up to over one thousand pounds.
The colonel ordered Wickham to report to his office and Richard took a seat in the adjoining room.
His smile was feral at the sound of raised voices and furniture being overturned.
Wickham was not giving up without a fight.
No small wonder. If he didn’t rot in Marshalsea, he would be deported and he was not one to forfeit his pleasures.
Soon, all was quiet and Colonel Forster called him back into the room.
“Mr. Wickham will be stripped of his rank and ready for transport tomorrow morning. I have called in the local magistrate and once he has signed the required documents, I wash my hands of the man.”
“Do you mind if I chat with Wickham? I have something which needs to be cleared up, and I will admit, it is of a personal nature. Nothing to do with all of this in any way.”
“You can go to his cell and talk about anything you like.”
“Thank you, Benjamin. It was good to see you again.”
“We will need your signature on the documents as well before the magistrate leaves.”
“Not a problem. I shall return within the hour.”
Richard left the office and asked for directions to the temporary brig set up near the colonel’s quarters. He could not help but smile when he was led to where Wickham was chained to a wall, his face swollen from a well-placed punch.
“I never thought I would see the day when you were as ugly on the outside as you are on the inside.”
“Fitzwilliam. I would ask what you were doing here, but then we both know Darcy usually sends his faithful lap dog to do his dirty work.”
“You had it good, Wickham.” Richard refused to rise to the bait. “You had four thousand pounds in your pocket. You could have gone anywhere, and been anything you wanted, but you chose to be a gambler and degenerate womanizer. You have no one to blame but yourself.”
“Quit your sermonizing. What I do with my life is none of your business.”
“True, but I would like to know more about your latest adventure.”
“What adventure?”
“The one you cooked up with a gullible girl here in Meryton. I must admit, it was a good one. You almost got Darcy, but he figured it out in time.”
“I have not the faintest idea of what you are talking about.”
“Oh, come now, Wickham. I know you were skulking about the ball at Netherfield, biding your time.”
“You need to check your sources, old man. I was not even in Hertfordshire that night although I wish I had been. I would have paid money to see Darcy come to ruin and be forced to marry a country mushroom. Imagine the poor girl’s life, leg shackled for eternity to Dour Darcy of Derbyshire.”
“What woman would not want to be married to my cousin? He is wealthy, somewhat handsome, and virile. What more could a girl ask for?”
“Do you truly believe your cousin will make her happy? I have heard that he is livid over the whole thing and you and I both know he will make her life absolutely miserable. He is rigid and unbending. I feel sorry for Miss Elizabeth.”
Richard quickly realized Wickham had no hand in the compromise, and it was an easy task to ascertain if he was telling the truth about not being in Hertfordshire the night of the ball. It seemed Miss Elizabeth, or rather, Mrs. Darcy had indeed tripped on the terrace and fallen into Darcy’s arms.
He returned to the colonel’s office and immediately noticed an older man. At one time he would have been handsome and fit. Indeed, he still was trim, but there were lines of worry around his mouth and his shoulders were bowed forward as though the weight of the world lay on them.
“Colonel Fitzwilliam, might I introduce you to our local magistrate, Mr. Thomas Bennet of Longbourn.”
Hiding his surprise, Richard took Mr. Bennet’s hand in welcome and said, “I am very glad to meet you, sir. I understand congratulations are in order on the marriage of your second eldest to Mr. Darcy.”
Richard did this for one reason. He wished Mr. Bennet to know he had inside knowledge.
If he was as intelligent as his niece, he’d seek more information from him.
Information he would gladly share and set the man’s mind at ease.
His only concern was that Mr. Bennet would lump him into the same clay mold as Darcy.
The marriage settlement had been a travesty and grievous insult.
He might not wish to speak with him at all.
“Thank you for that, sir. I am surprised a colonel in His Majesty’s army would have knowledge of a poor country squire’s daughter’s marriage.”
“England can be surprisingly small and you would be amazed at who we have in common.” Richard cut a glance toward Colonel Forster, who had a very confused look on his face. “Where do I sign so we can ship that useless piece of sheep dung to London?”
After he’d signed the documents, Mr. Bennet stopped him from leaving the room.
“Colonel Fitzwilliam, the day is lengthening. Were you planning on traveling back to town?”
“I had thought of taking a room at the inn. I will set out at first light.”
“No need for that. We have a guest room, which has recently been aired out, and my wife sets a good table. I wish to offer you our hospitality and hear more about our common acquaintance.”
“Mr. Bennet, I must admit that when I met you, I had hoped you would extend some form of invitation. As it is, I saw a beautiful woman as I passed through your delightful village and if I gave you a description, you may be able to tell me where I can find her and lay my heart at her door.”
Mr. Bennet’s congeniality disappeared in an instant.
“If you are another skirt-chasing officer like the one locked up, you can find your own bed for the night, sir. I will not harbor a licentious cad beneath my roof.”
“You misunderstand me, Mr. Bennet. I was struck by her beauty and would only like an introduction. As you are from here, you may know who she is.”
“Was she tall and blonde with three duplicates walking either by her side or behind?”
Surprised once again, Richard replied, “Yes, she was.”
“Come for dinner and I will tell you who she is.”
Both men turned and said their farewells to Colonel Forster, and Richard followed Mr. Bennet’s carriage to a decent-sized manor. He stabled his horse, then went around to the front entrance where a butler greeted him and took him to Mr. Bennet’s library.
His whole impression of the manor and Mr. Bennet was one of genteel country living.
They were nowhere near as wealthy as Darcy – few in England were – but there were priceless paintings on the wall and expensive bric-a-brac scattered about that almost screamed of quiet wealth.
Even Mr. Bennet’s clothes were well-cut and well-tailored.
He was not as impoverished as Darcy made him out to be.
***
Upon entry into the library, Mr. Bennet made the shushing motion and with a jerk of his head indicated Richard was to enter without saying a word.
Intrigued, he did as bid. Once settled with a brandy within easy reach, the older gentleman leaned back in his chair and folded his hands over his stomach.
“Now, Colonel Fitzwilliam. Enlighten me on whom we know in common.”
“I had the most fortunate experience of meeting an intelligent young lady who readily admits to studying The Art of War. A book she received from her father.”
“She reads ancient works, does she?”
“Not only reads but studies and understands the concept of laying far-reaching plans and keeping the enemy in the dark until it is too late.”
“She sounds like someone I know very well.”
“You should. She is after all your niece and my cousin by marriage.”
Bennet’s reaction was brief, but telling when he shared that piece of information.
“I am surprised. Elizabeth is usually more careful with what information she releases to relative strangers.”
“I appreciate the pun, Mr. Bennet. It was but an inconsequential comment and she did not elaborate further, most likely in the hopes I would not think further on the subject, but my job in the army is to interrogate captured spies, so I have an annoying tendency to analyze every sentence uttered.”
“Good to know, Colonel. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.” He studied Richard for a moment longer and then began to speak. “As you have met Elizabeth, dare I ask how things are going in that quarter?”
“I will admit, my cousin has made a hash of things. He is first and foremost a gentleman and has always behaved as such.” Mr. Bennet harrumphed and rolled his eyes. “I have learned he deviated from his behavior while here, and I have a theory as to why.”
“Please, enthrall me. Explain how a gentleman would say that my niece was not handsome enough to tempt him and was barely tolerable.”
“He said that?”
“At a local assembly, in her hearing. He looked directly at her and said those words when his friend Bingley offered to facilitate an introduction in order for them to dance.”
“Has he done anything right whilst here?”
“Yes. He left.”
Richard couldn’t help the harsh eruption of laughter that escaped his mouth. He liked this man’s humor.
“Ah, but he left with something precious.”
“He did at that.”