Chapter 26 #2
“I had hoped to speak with you about Georgiana’s dowry, actually,” he said.
Mr Wickham motioned for her to follow him down the hall, but she remained stock-still.
He frowned, clasping his hands behind his back.
“As you know, Georgiana and I will be leaving for London shortly. I would never dream of imposing, but you, of all the family, have a sense of honour and compassion upon which I can safely depend. Surely you must see the injustice that Georgiana and I have suffered? It is not right that Mr Darcy refuses to release her funds to their rightful owner.”
Elizabeth drew her lips into a thin line.
For the first time, the true ugliness of Mr Wickham’s plans became clear.
Likely he had never cared about Georgiana at all.
He had only wanted to get his hands on her fortune.
And when thwarted in his first attempt, he had gone to work another way — by attempting to suborn her into joining his cause.
To gain access to Georgiana’s full dowry, he would have had her persuade Mr Darcy against all judgement, to make him weigh his affection for her against his wish to protect his sister.
And if he had yielded, what followed could only have been disastrous.
He furrowed his brow in concern at her silence. “Are you sure there is nothing amiss? Shall I call for your maid? Truly, you seem very distressed.”
“I am distressed,” Elizabeth admitted, narrowing her eyes at him.
His audacity in demanding Georgiana’s fortune while he was already married to another woman was nothing less than despicable.
“I cannot speak to Mr Darcy on your behalf regarding the dowry, Mr Wickham. Indeed, I cannot say I will ever be convinced to speak on your behalf on any matter.”
Mr Wickham frowned. “Why ever not?”
Too disgusted to use caution, she showed him the letter, then snatched it away before he could take it. “It seems that Georgiana is not the only Mrs Wickham in existence.”
Though Elizabeth turned and hurried away, already feeling that she had been rash, it was too late.
Wickham stayed right on her heels. When they reached the library doors, he pulled her inside, then snatched the letter from her hands.
“Where did you get this?” he hissed. Before her eyes, he tossed the letter into the hearth, where it smouldered for only a moment before bursting into flames.
“Does it matter?” Elizabeth asked him coldly. “Nothing could matter compared to the fact that you were already married at the time of the ‘elopement’ to Scotland. Your marriage to Georgiana is invalid. How could you think to do it?”
Wickham shook his head sorrowfully. “I confess I have been foolish. But my first wife was not what she ought to be — I was too over-run by my feelings for Georgiana —”
“No,” Elizabeth told him, disgusted. “I cannot believe that, Mr Wickham. If you loved Georgiana at all, you could not have done something that would so badly endanger her.”
His face twisted in anger before smoothing out again to resume the charming mask that Mr Wickham was so adept at presenting to the world.
He stepped closer to her, taking hold of her arm at the elbow.
“Name your price. I shall pay whatever is necessary for your silence. When I have Georgiana’s dowry, I will have the money to do it. ”
Even after all she had learned, this audacity still had the power to disgust Elizabeth anew. She jerked her arm free, taking a step back from him. “I cannot be bought,” she spat. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”
His eyes narrowed, and he lifted his chin.
“I would not be so flippant if I were you. Darcy has not liked the few innocent little attentions I have paid you thus far. He is a jealous fellow, did you know it? He would be most displeased if he thought you had offered me anything. A kiss, say…or something more.”
Elizabeth shook her head in contempt. “He will not believe you.”
“Do not be so sure,” he said, his voice caressingly smooth.
“We are, after all, quite alone.” He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him.
“I could contrive a compromising situation very easily if the need arose.” His eyes swept down her face, then moved lower over her person, making her skin crawl.
“Unhand me, sir,” she said through clenched teeth.
His threats sent shivers up her spine. Elizabeth swallowed hard and tried to remain calm.
She had to keep her wits about her if she was going to get herself out of this mess.
Why, oh why had she been so foolish as to confront him?
If she had simply smiled and put Wickham off, she could have handed the letter directly to Will.
“No one would believe you, least of all Mr Darcy. He trusts me, and I trust him.” She lifted her chin defiantly, refusing to be cowed.
“Very well,” he said, moving a few paces away from her. She let out a breath of relief. If she could inch her way over to the window, she might be able to make her escape via the terrace. Elizabeth started to move ever so slowly toward her only means of escape.
Perhaps she was too slow, or perhaps Mr Wickham saw her intention.
He turned then, grabbing her arm. “It seems there is only one option left available to me,” he said.
His tone was low and menacing. She tried to pull her arm free this time, but his grip was too tight.
She winced in pain, his fingers digging into the tender flesh of her arm.
“I will have to make sure you do not talk.”
At such a threat, Elizabeth knew she must yell for help — too late.
Wickham forestalled her, covering her mouth before she could scream.
She let out a muffled gasp, pain lacing through her jaw and cheeks as his hand pressed even tighter still.
“Come quietly. I should not like this to be any more unpleasant than it already is,” he said, his lips brushing against her ear. She turned her head away in disgust.
Elizabeth struggled as he dragged her away, toward the terrace door, but to no avail. Wickham was too strong for her. There would be no hope of escape unless someone happened upon them in time.
“Come along, Elizabeth. I am sorry that I have to hurt you, but I cannot allow you to tell anyone about my prior marriage.” He dragged her out into the bitter January day, the biting wind sending gooseflesh crawling over her extremities in an instant.
“I am sorry it has come to this, but you will simply have to disappear until I can remove Georgiana from Pemberley.”