Chapter 38 Thorny
Richard guided Darcy out a side door into the garden.
Once outside, he explained, "If Miss Elizabeth wishes to walk beyond sight of her house, she must have a companion.
The same is true for Miss Lucas, whose family lives on the estate that borders this one.
They meet at a bridge that connects the two properties and can be seen from both houses by someone looking from the upper floors. "
He pointed to a line of trees while continuing to walk at a good clip. "When they can, the two walk together down paths that border the river hidden in those trees."
"You have come to Meryton specifically to see Miss Lucas. She is your special lady," Darcy guessed, although it already seemed an obvious conclusion.
Richard nodded but said nothing more as he quickly wove his way through the formal garden towards an enclosed space that had been left more wild and natural, with clumps of bluebells scattered among bushes and small trees, a dry stone fountain and the ruins of a small roman-style folly.
Smiling as much from amusement at his cousin as in anticipation of seeing Miss Elizabeth again, Darcy followed.
Suddenly, Richard broke into a run. Almost at the same instant, Darcy heard shouting from the direction they were headed.
The two followed a well-worn path through an opening in the far side of the stone wall bounding the enclosed area.
Dodging around a monstrously overgrown rosebush that had extremely long and intertwined canes liberally covered with spiky thorns, they were finally able to see the source of the voices.
The ladies they sought were on the edge of a lane that traveled from an unseen point on the Longbourn estate across a stone bridge ahead of them and on to the Lucas estate.
A man in uniform, who Darcy immediately recognized as Wickham, had his left arm firmly wrapped around Miss Elizabeth's neck, preventing her escape despite her struggles.
From their relative positions, he must have come at her from behind and intended to drag her away.
Wickham held a pistol in his right hand and had been using it to threaten a woman Darcy assumed was Miss Lucas.
Despite the danger, Miss Lucas jumped at Wickham, trying to pull his arm away from her friend's neck.
Before Richard and Darcy were close enough to intervene, Wickham clouted her with the pistol, knocking her away and to the ground.
Darcy put on a burst of speed, passing Richard, and barreled into Wickham from the side.
The impact surprised the man enough that he released Miss Elizabeth, and all three landed on the ground.
Darcy righted himself quickly, relieved to see that Miss Elizabeth had fallen clear of the two men.
She was gasping for breath but appeared otherwise uninjured.
Richard had rushed to Miss Lucas, leaving Darcy to deal with Wickham.
"Darcy!" the uniformed man shouted as he tried to regain his feet.
"What are you doing here, and why must you always interfere?
" Then he looked at Miss Elizabeth and smirked nastily.
"Oh, you finally figured out the identity of your precious Miss Rose.
Blast you! Just ten more minutes and I would have gotten her away, delivered her to Collins and claimed a huge reward from Lady Catherine for discovering Miss Rose's identity myself. "
Making it to his knees, Wickham tried to bring the pistol around to threaten Darcy but misjudged the situation and the determination of the man he had challenged.
Darcy, who had already gotten to his feet, kicked the pistol away, knocking Wickham back to the ground in the process.
Catching sight of the rosebush that had clearly gone wild and untended for what might have been decades, Darcy had an idea.
"So, you wanted to tangle with a rose?" he asked Wickham, snarling it out like a challenge. "I think it is time you learned that roses have thorns."
Richard instantly caught on to his cousin's intent.
After giving Miss Lucas, who was now sitting, a gentle pat on the shoulder, he helped Darcy grab Wickham and pick him up.
Between them, they carried the struggling man to the edge of the thorny tangle.
With a mighty swing, they tossed him up, out and into the center of the green and brown mass of tangled canes.
"Good luck getting any reward out of that!" Darcy shouted after Wickham as they made the throw. The only sound in response was the crack of the old dead canes amidst all the new growth and Wickham's cries as he dropped down through the layers of canes to be entrapped near the base of the bush.
"That should hold him while we tend to the ladies and get some help to dispose of him permanently," Richard said, going over to pick up the pistol, which he tucked safely into his belt.
While the men had thrown out the rubbish, Miss Lucas had reached Miss Elizabeth. The ladies were steadying each other as they tried to stand.
Returning to them, Richard said, "Miss Lucas, this gentleman is my cousin, Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire. Miss Elizabeth, I believe you two have already met."
"I appreciate your timely arrival, sir," Miss Lucas said, offering him a slight nod.
She grimaced as the movement made her somewhat dizzy.
"Colonel Fitzwilliam, why is that whenever you arrive at Longbourn while Lizzy and I are out walking, something happens that requires you to perform a rescue?
" she asked with a hint of teasing in her voice.
"I am just lucky, I guess," he said with a fond smile and stepped forward to offer his hand to help her rise, "although I cannot say the same about you and Miss Elizabeth."
Stepping next to the ladies as well, Darcy offered both his hands to Miss Elizabeth.
She was still coughing slightly, and he could see a red mark across her throat from the pressure of Wickham's arm.
She took his hands, looking down with what he thought was embarrassment, and he helped her to stand.
Once she was upright, Darcy let go of her right hand and gently moved her left hand to wrap around his right arm so she had support and could steady herself by leaning against him.
Behind them they could still hear Wickham struggling to get free of the rosebush and crying out as the thorns tore at him.
Richard asked, "Do you ladies feel you can walk if Darcy helps support you? If you can, I would like him to escort you both to Longbourn while I keep an eye on that scoundrel there."
"Yes," Miss Elizabeth said hoarsely, still not looking Darcy in the eye.
"If we go slowly," Miss Lucas added. Richard gently brought her to stand right next to Darcy so she could take hold of his free arm.
"Take your time getting them back to the house," Richard told his cousin.
"Their comfort is paramount. I have the pistol if Wickham makes it out of there in any shape to cause trouble.
Once you get back to the house, have Mr. Bennet send some men around with a cart so we can transport him off to allow the militia commander to deal with this thorny problem.
" Richard chuckled slightly at his own comment.
"See if you can find out where Collins is hiding," Darcy suggested.
"Leave that to me," Richard said, offering his cousin an evil grin that deepened as he looked over at the struggling man in the rosebush. With a nod, Darcy began to escort the ladies around the rosebush and back to the house.
They took the walk in silence. Darcy remained quiet to avoid disturbing the ladies or making Miss Elizabeth any more uncomfortable.
He could tell Miss Lucas was concentrating on keeping her balance as she slowly moved forward.
Miss Elizabeth continued to avoid meeting his eye.
As her coughing subsided and her breathing eased, he felt her grip on his arm loosen, but she did not entirely let go.
They headed for the same side door from which Darcy and Richard had emerged not long before.
Someone inside must have seen them coming. Mrs. Hill opened the door before they reached it, concern clear in her expression. "Miss Lizzy? Miss Lucas? Mr. Darcy, what has happened, and where is Colonel Fitzwilliam?" she asked, her words coming out in a rush.
"The Colonel is guarding the man who attacked the two ladies near the bridge. He asks for a few strong men and a cart to meet him there and help transport the man into the village," Darcy replied. "I can help the ladies the rest of the way inside if you can pass on his request."
"They are at the stone bridge on the lane between our estates," Miss Lucas clarified. Miss Elizabeth nodded, but still said nothing. Darcy felt her grip on his arm tighten slightly, then slack off again.
Mrs. Hill looked searchingly at the three before her and then nodded.
"The music room is closest," she said. "They can sit comfortably in there.
I will pass on the Colonel's request, send a man to alert Sir William and then notify Mr. Bennet to join you there.
" She turned away, leaving the door wide open behind her so they could enter easily.
Darcy had just helped Miss Elizabeth and Miss Lucas settle comfortably onto a settee against one wall in the music room when Bennet came in.
"Was it Wickham?" he asked Darcy as he walked quickly to his daughter's side.
"Yes," said Darcy, picking up a chair and bringing it over for the older man.
"Wickham?" Miss Lucas asked. "No, it was Lieutenant Brickham who attacked Lizzy."
Bennet settled gratefully into the chair, looking at Miss Elizabeth with concern as he reached to take her hands in his. Darcy explained to the ladies.
"You know him as Lieutenant Brickham, but he is actually George Wickham.
I have known him all my life, since his father was my father's steward and he is my father's godson.
More importantly, he is in the employ of my aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
Mr. Bennet, Wickham injured Miss Elizabeth's throat, so she is having difficulty speaking, and he hit Miss Lucas with his pistol. "
Patting his daughter's hands gently, Bennet nodded and replied, "I have had Mrs. Hill send for the apothecary in addition to all the other requests she is fulfilling.
Richard will have his cart and men as quickly as they can get it hitched up and out there, and Sir William will be notified to join us here.
Charlotte, are you able to tell me what happened? "
Miss Lucas started to nod but thought better of it.
She leaned her head back against the wall behind the settee to steady herself.
"Lizzy and I had walked both sides of the river trail, crossing from my side at the wooden bridge.
We reached the lane on your side of the stone bridge and were just about to part ways when Lieutenant Brickham, or Wickham, I suppose, jumped out from behind one of the trees.
We were too surprised to react quickly, and before we knew it, he had caught Lizzy round the neck with his arm and attempted to drag her away.
I tried to help free her, but he knocked me aside.
I think that was when Richard, I mean Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Mr. Darcy arrived.
Everything was a bit blurry just then." She looked to Darcy for assistance.
"I knocked Wickham away from Miss Elizabeth," he said, "and knocked him down again when he tried to use his pistol.
He was very angry and admitted his intent had been to carry Miss Elizabeth away, turn her over to Collins and collect a reward from Aunt Catherine.
After relieving him of his pistol, Richard and I threw him into the overgrown rosebush by the wall.
Richard stayed to prevent him getting away, but I doubt Wickham has gotten out of that thorny prison yet. "
Miss Elizabeth nodded and Miss Lucas said, "It was no less than he deserved."
"I agree," said Bennet grimly, "although it is still less than he will get when Sir William and I have words with his commanding officer. No one attacks our girls and gets away with it. I will drive with Sir William into the village once the apothecary has arrived and assessed your condition."
"No, Papa," Miss Elizabeth said hoarsely.
"Yes, my dear," Bennet replied firmly. "Although I have every faith in Richard's ability to impress Colonel Forster with the seriousness of the situation, this is one of those times when I must see the problem through in person.
I would ride to London, if necessary, to ensure justice was served in this instance.
The well-being of both you girls is too precious for me to do any less. "
Darcy thought Miss Elizabeth might protest again, but she gave her father a searching look before closing her eyes and leaning back against the settee again.
"Thank you for your timely aid, Mr. Darcy," Bennet said. "It seems that, despite the delays you suffered on the journey here, you were still just in time to do what was needed."
Miss Elizabeth opened her eyes again and, for the first time, looked directly at Darcy. "Thank you," she mouthed. Darcy bowed in response.
Mrs. Hill appeared in the doorway. "I have a room prepared for Miss Lucas," she said. "And some hot water is in your room so you can wash up, Mr. Darcy."
Darcy looked down at himself and realized he had gotten his hands dirty and received a scattering of leaves and other debris on his clothes during the scuffle with Wickham.
He wondered how dirty his face had gotten.
He felt a little embarrassed at Miss Elizabeth seeing him in such a state.
He glanced her way to find her still looking directly at him.
When their eyes met, she smiled shyly at him, obviously recognizing his consternation. He immediately felt better.
"Thank you, Mrs. Hill," he said. "Shall I help the ladies to their rooms so they can await the arrival of the apothecary?"
"I think Lizzy can stay down here with me until then," Bennet said.
"We will go to my study. It is probably most proper if Mrs. Hill assists Miss Lucas, although it might be good if you follow closely behind them on the stairs, just in case.
When you are ready to come back down, please join us in the study. "
Darcy nodded before offering a hand to help Miss Lucas stand.
She accepted his help and cautiously rose from the seat.
After escorting her to Mrs. Hill, he turned back and bowed once more to Miss Elizabeth and her father.
"Until later, then," he said. As he followed Mrs. Hill and Miss Lucas out of the room, he realized that the first reunion with Miss Elizabeth was successfully past, but the awkwardness would remain until they had a chance to talk together in something resembling privacy.
He wondered how long it would be before that happened.