Chapter 10
“If I have to, of course I will do it. But I still would like to advise you against it, as some members of our party may not be as pleased as you imagine them to be.” She looked pointedly towards Darcy.
“If you mean Darcy,” retorted Bingley, “he can go to bed early if he wishes.”
Lady Anne laughed, “That is the spirit, Mr Bingley. Do not let anyone hinder you when you have decided to pursue a cause.” She smiled at him and looked innocently at Miss Bingley, “and should you need assistance, Miss Bingley, I am here as well; and you have my full support.”
Darcy, feeling chagrined to have been assumed indifferent to the diversions planned, said firmly, “I never said I do not like balls, I simply do not appreciate when an onslaught of eligible young ladies is paraded before me for my viewing, as if I am buying horseflesh.”
“You ought to be used to it by now. How many years have you been attending balls and soirées in town?” Bingley laughed.
“Even a hundred years of it will make no difference to me, I will never be easy in large crowds.”
“What you need is a wife, Mr Darcy,” Miss Bingley smiled and batted her eyelids in a way that she obviously thought enticing.
Darcy turned his back to the lady and rolled his eyes, going to the window. His mother was the only one who saw it and she struggled not to laugh out loud.
“Well,” Bingley said, “it is confirmed then; the ball will be hosted here at Netherfield on the 26th. Does anybody object? Speak now or forever hold your peace.” Then he added laughing, “not that it will make any difference whether you object or not.”
The two weeks before the ball were busy for Miss Bingley, for she determined that making a good show of organising the event to the height of elegance, despite the inelegance of the people who would attend it, was of the uttermost importance.
Mr Darcy and Lady Anne must see how she would be an asset as the mistress at both Pemberley and Darcy House.
She felt discouraged at times; especially when she remembered that not only she must win Mr Darcy’s affections, but also those of his demanding mother, who, it must be admitted, was a force to be reckoned with.
If only the lady had died as well, Miss Bingley pondered, a few years prior when she was broken-hearted after the death of her husband.
Caroline did not even bat an eyelid at such wicked musings.
***
Longbourn was a hive of activity but it was entirely focused on dresses, hair styles and shoe roses.
Mrs Bennet visited the milliners daily, more than any other mother in the neighbourhood looking for new ribbons, hair decorations, Belgian lace, silk flowers and decorative buttons for her daughters.
She was aware of Mr Bingley’s growing interest in Jane and she must showcase her daughter’s beauty to the best of her ability, to encourage the young man in more than just admiration.
During one of her visits to the shop with her daughters, the officers approached them in a neighbourly manner. Among them was Mr Wickham.
They all bowed and curtsied as expected and the officers offered to escort the ladies to the shops.
Mr Wickham chose to offer his arm to Elizabeth and she hesitated a moment but realised that to refuse and dismiss him would invite more scandal than to accept it. Then to her surprise he not only entered the premises with her but also guided her to a more secluded part of the shop.
“Miss Elizabeth, I am a connoisseur of what looks good on a lady, I can help you choose the most becoming ribbons for your colouring?”
“Why would you care if I looked good or not Mr Wickham? It is of no consequence to you.” She smiled trying not to sound too harsh.
He leaned towards her and whispered, “I know of your circumstances, Miss Elizabeth. I can help.”
“What do you mean sir? What circumstances are you referring to?”
“I know that your estate is entailed and there are five daughters with no dowry to speak of.”
Elizabeth frowned, “How do you know these things?”
Mr Wickham smiled predatorily, “Never mind how I came to learn about them; it is sufficient that you know that I can help you, and help your family to earn enough money to set you up for life.”
Elizabeth scoffed, “I do believe in miracles, Mr Wickham, but not from the hands of the Devil.”
“I know what Mr Darcy likes,” he blurted out. “I happen to know a lady who used to be a great favourite of his. You happen to be very much like her, only prettier.”
Elizabeth gasped, “Mr Wickham I do not know why you have chosen to approach me with such an insulting scheme. I suggest you find another lady on whom to bestow your skills in ribbons. I am certainly not interested.”
She tried to walk past him but he grabbed her arm.
“Miss Elizabeth, you and I can bring the arrogant Darcys down a peg or two; it will be good for them. While we can make enough money for both your family and myself to live contentedly for the rest of our lives.”
She tried to yank her arm free, “Mr Wickham, you have already been given enough money to live contentedly. If you are not content, sir, it is through no fault of the Darcys'.”
He tightened his grip on her arm and hissed “Do not cross me, madam, for you do not know what I am capable of.”
She met his glare with confidence, “Sir; it was a grave mistake to approach me with such business proposition. Lady Anne and Miss Darcy are great favourites of mine and my family.” She stared him down, “I believe you have just sealed your fate. Lady Anne will hear about this forthwith.”
“You would not dare.” He gritted his teeth in anger.
“You think not?” She smirked then turned to the other side of the shop, “Mama,” she called loudly, “this gentleman is trying to bring harm to the Netherfield party.”
“What?” Mrs Bennet replied stridently. “Who are you sir, and what mischief are you planning to inflict upon our good neighbours?”
Mrs Tucker, the storekeeper, gasped and called upon her husband to escort the officer from the premises,
“Please do not darken the door of our establishment again,” Mr Tucker said, “Mr Bingley and his household are favourite customers wherever they go in this town. The same cannot be said about you officers, who strut around as if you were actually saving England from Napoleon.” The diminutive shop keeper looked fearsome, even more so due to his small stature, so that even Mr Wickham, as tall as he was, shrunk from the man.
Mrs Tucker and Mrs Bennet took upon themselves to spread the word that the Militia officers were not as dignified as the neighbourhood was first lead to believe.
Credit started to be denied to them and soon they started to take their training more seriously and spend less time trying to ingratiate themselves to the local gentry; which could only be seen as an advantage for England and His Majesty’s army.
That afternoon Mrs Bennet and her two eldest daughters called at Netherfield and Elizabeth soon asked if she could have a word with Lady Anne in private.
Once they were ensconced in Mr Bingley’s study Elizabeth started her tale,
“Lady Anne, this morning Mr Wickham approached me at the milliners and asked me to help him bring you, Darcys, down.”
“Did he?” Lady Anne asked unsurprised, “he is so predictable. But I did not think he would approach you? I thought he would come after Georgiana, for he did leer at her.”
“He said he approached me because he knew of our estate’s situation and that our circumstances made us desperate.
However, he has misjudged us most severely.
” Elizabeth said shaking her head, “He also said that he knew Mr Darcy’s taste in women.
Apparently he knows of a young lady who used to be Mr Darcy’s favourite and somehow I resemble her. ”
Lady Anne shook her head sadly, “Yes, he does indeed know my son; he did not lie.” Lady Anne steepled her fingers beneath her chin and remained silent for a few minutes. Then she remembered that Elizabeth was still in the room,
“Please recall what I said the other day, Miss Elizabeth, Mr Wickham has a black heart and he hurt a young lady simply to injure William. What is more he did a most thorough job.”
Elizabeth nodded and felt her friend’s sadness. “We shall not let him attempt to injure you again;” she said determinedly, “Mr Tucker escorted him from his shop, while my mother, together with the other ladies from Meryton, has already started to curb the Militia’s influence in our little town.”
Lady Anne walked to the bell pull, “I hope you do not mind if we invite William to this conversation. Action is now required. We have been put upon by Mr Wickham long enough.”
A footman came and the lady asked him to go and get her son. The young man left to do her bidding and soon Mr Darcy entered the room.
He looked at them curiously, “Mother, did you send for me?”
“Yes, I did son. Please take a seat.”
They all took seats while Lady Anne explained what had happened that morning.
After she finished she said, “It is time for action, son. He has grown bolder, probably because he is desperate. Georgiana will become a target, I am sure of it. We must not let him attempt anything, but rather instead let us act; we need to strike first.”
Darcy stood to pace the little room. “You are right, Mother, we know he has no scruples; by approaching Miss Elizabeth he has shown us his hand. But he does not hold strong cards at the moment, yet if he can get to Georgiana and work on her, he will be unstoppable.”
His mother shook her head determinedly, “that will never happen. From this moment on, Georgiana does not leave our sight.”
“Thank you, Miss Bennet,” Mr Darcy said feelingly, “you have proven a valuable and faithful friend.”
She blushed, “not at all, sir, what are friends for after all?”
Lady Anne suggested they all return to the drawing room and finish the visit with the Bennet ladies.
Once the Bennets left, Lady Anne and her son retired to her private sitting room.
“I shall send for all Wickham's debts for which we have receipts,” said Darcy, “and we should determine how many he has acquired here in Meryton.”
“Yes, but that may take some time, meanwhile remaining here in Hertfordshire is not advisable.”
“What do you suggest we do?” He sat and took her hand in his.
“I suggest we remove ourselves from the neighbourhood as soon as possible.”
Darcy sighed, “I promised Bingley our stay would last for as long as he needed.”
“We can still help him, but Georgiana’s safety is a priority. I suggest we stay for the ball, because he is counting on us, but leave immediately after it.”
He nodded in agreement, “it shall be done.”
Darcy, actually, had thought about leaving before, by himself if he had to. Leaving Hertfordshire was a good idea as he was getting rather too interested in Miss Elizabeth and that would not do, not at all.
He removed himself to Bingley’s study to write a letter to tell his man of business to get ready for action against Mr Wickham. He then sent a letter to Mrs Raynolds, Pemberley’s trusted housekeeper to collect the relevant documents and send them to his townhouse in London.
The letters left by express rider.
The wheels were now in motion to deal once and for all with the bane of their lives.