Chapter 11
Although she was familiar with the room and had been there since Mr Darcy occupied it, Elizabeth stepped in timidly.
“Miss Elizabeth, please come in. Forgive my boldness in calling for you, but it will be short, and I have Mr Bennet’s approval.”
“Mr Darcy, how are you feeling, sir?”
“Not as bad as Dr Bates feared, nor as well as I would wish to.” He smiled. “Would you sit a moment?”
She chose a chair reasonably close to the bed.
“Dr Bates told me about your little chat. I had no objections as I trust your discretion, but I regret that you have been burdened with a situation inappropriate for a young lady.”
“The only thing I regret is my foolish trust in Mr Wickham when I first met him. I am as angry with myself as I am with him. May I ask — what do you plan to do?”
“I am not sure. Bingley confirmed to me the horse had a similar wound. But I did not provide him with the other details, so he is not aware of our suspicions.”
“Mr Bingley should be warned since he is hosting the ball and Mr Wickham might be there.”
“Bingley has been warned, but I am sure Wickham would not be a danger in public. He is a coward whose every action is deceitful and dishonest. Disguise and secrecy are his usual weapons.”
“But why would he… My father told me of your past dealings with him. But why hurt you now? Could he expect some gain if you…?”
“Wickham must have felt desperate that I tried to expose him and he might lose his comfortable position in the regiment and within the Meryton community. He knew he could not stop me otherwise — that he had already done too much. I warned him a few months ago that… You do not know, Miss Elizabeth, but…”
He paused and averted his eyes for a few moments, while Elizabeth waited, silent and anxious.
“Besides my financial dealings with Wickham, something more dreadful happened this past summer. Something that I did not tell your father.”
“Oh…?”
“Once I refused him any assistance, Wickham tried to take advantage of Georgiana. She was in Ramsgate with her previous companion, and he followed her there on purpose. He convinced her to renew their friendship and tried to use her innocent affection for his personal benefit. The consequences could have been tragic if not for my sister’s wisdom and strength of character. ”
Elizabeth held her breath, waiting for his narration to unfold. The few details he offered were enough for her to sketch the circumstances. His last words suggested the worst had not occurred, which allowed her a bit of relief.
“That is why you were angered by Mr Bingley’s letter. You feared Miss Darcy would come here and encounter Mr Wickham.”
“Yes. And that is why I wish to avoid any possible meeting — even a brief one — between my sister and that scoundrel.”
“Is Miss Darcy aware Mr Wickham is in Meryton?”
“Yes. I told her yesterday.”
“The poor girl! How she must have suffered at such a betrayal.”
“She did… I fear she still does… She would be distraught if she heard or suspected he might take further steps to harm her. When I take proper measures against him, I must ensure I destroy any evidence of the Ramsgate affair, and I must be certain Georgiana will not suffer any further because of it.”
“But you do remember he was near you? And we saw him.”
“Yes, but neither of us heard or saw a pistol.”
“What do you think happened?”
“I believe he tried to shoot me, but he missed and hit the horse, who panicked, reared, and tried to throw me. There must have then been a second shot, which grazed my temple. Then I hit my head on a branch, which caused me to fall from my mount and lose consciousness.”
Elizabeth quivered, pressing her hand to her mouth. The image Mr Darcy conjured was terrifying, and it was as if she could actually see it.
“Wickham approached me when I was on the ground and said something to me. I am not sure whether he would have attempted to fire another shot or just waited for the cold and rain to kill me. Fortunately, you passed by.”
“I do not understand why… Colonel Forster was not upset with him — you said so. And it is likely most people in Meryton would not believe any accusations against him. He suffered no real consequences. Papa has forbidden my sisters from going to Meryton and meeting the officers, but Mr Wickham would not care about Lydia and Kitty.”
“Perhaps he believed my death would open his path towards Georgiana, but my cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam is also her guardian and would not allow him near her.”
“Could he be so horribly cruel?”
“I wonder too… Or perhaps he fears something else, and it has made him desperate. He wrote to me on the day of the accident, asking to meet and talk. I refused, of course.”
“But how was it possible that he knew you would be there, at that precise moment?”
“That is a mystery… His note said he would be there in the afternoon, close to the spot where I saw him with your youngest sisters last week. I remember mentioning that I used to ride out there. A well-detailed plan…mere coincidence…both… There are only assumptions.”
“Assumptions that are difficult to accept,” Elizabeth whispered. “So what can be done, Mr Darcy? Is there something particular you wish me to do?”
“No… I only wished you to know the truth and to explain the importance of keeping the secret. Please take care of yourself, and please watch over my sister since you are with her and I am not.”
“Of course, sir.” She stood up to leave but stopped at the edge of the bed. “And please take care of yourself, Mr Darcy. I hope you are keeping your promise to take your medicine and to eat.”
“A promise is forever, or until it is no longer required, Miss Elizabeth,” he said. His smile looked a little broader, a little more at peace, and she was shocked to notice dimples in his cheeks. Chills ran down her spine, making her quiver, and she felt her face colour.
“Tomorrow is the ball,” Elizabeth said. “Miss Darcy wishes to come and sit with you during the evening.”
“She told me. Bingley will make the necessary arrangements. Mrs Annesley will come with her.”
Elizabeth took a few steps towards the door, but he called to her again.
“Miss Elizabeth, there is something else I must tell you. In regard to the ball.”
She turned and approached the bed again. He was gazing at her intently, and she felt the wave of heat spreading to her neck.
“The ball? Do you wish to confess you had the accident on purpose so you could avoid it?” she attempted to joke in order to conceal her nervousness.
He laughed. “No, indeed. Quite the opposite. I planned to ask you to dance at this ball, and I wondered whether you would have finally accepted my request.”
Utterly astonished, she looked at him, bearing his intense gaze. “Ask me to dance? Are you sure? We all know you believe any savage can dance and you dislike the activity.”
He laughed again. “That might be true, generally speaking. But not on this particular occasion. I looked forward to dancing with you.”
“It would be rude to doubt your word, Mr Darcy, but I shall reserve my opinion,” she replied. She felt more at ease, and teasing him was rather pleasant. “But I must ask — what do you mean by finally accepting your request?”
“Well, I have already asked you to dance twice, and you have refused me.”
“That I can easily declare to be untrue, Mr Darcy. You refused to dance with me at the assembly — which was your prerogative, of course.”
She was still keeping a light tone, but his voice gained some gravity.
“At the assembly, my behaviour was outrageous, and I cannot apologise enough for offending you, Miss Elizabeth. My refusal to dance was caused by my own state of mind, which was not appropriate for entertainment. I was there at Bingley’s insistence, and it was a mistake.”
“I understand, sir. Now, I understand. But I shall not deny I was upset for a while. Therefore, I suggest forgetting that evening entirely.”
“That is very generous of you, Miss Elizabeth. However, I have asked you to dance twice since then. Once at Lucas Lodge, and once at Netherfield.”
Elizabeth needed a moment to think before she finally answered.
“Surely you are joking, sir! You certainly did not truly mean to dance on either of those occasions.”
“I would have danced if you had accepted me. The ball would have been a better opportunity, but the chance is ruined now. So, I must wait for the next one.”
“The next one? I was under the impression you would leave after the ball.”
“That was my plan a week ago. But everything has changed. New circumstances require new plans.”
“Oh…”
“I hope you are not displeased by the prospect of me staying in Hertfordshire longer. I would rather alter my plans than upset you.”
She was unsure whether he spoke in earnest or was joking.
There was a glimpse of a smile in his eyes, his gaze still fixed upon her.
She had never before wondered how she felt about Mr Darcy’s departure and the fact she would likely never see him again.
At that moment, however, she felt a sudden, warm joy knowing he intended to stay longer and that he had asked her opinion in regard to his plans.
“I am certainly neither displeased nor upset, Mr Darcy,” she eventually answered, then left the chamber, her heart racing as never before.
∞∞∞
The conversation with Mr Darcy tangled Elizabeth’s mind even more. The revelations about Mr Wickham’s loathsome character and his attempts to murder the son of his godfather and to harm the young daughter of his benefactor were abominable.
She could now better understand the reason behind Mr Darcy’s responses to so many situations where she had judged him harshly. The two Darcys seemed to be bound by affection and care for each other — which was admirable and excused some of Mr Darcy’s arrogant manners towards strangers.