Wickham
Chapter 10
Darcy decided to remain at La Bisbal until such a time when Fitzwilliam could be moved, greatly worried by his cousin’s health. He was genuinely concerned by his cousin’s welfare and was determined to ensure his safe return home, but in addition to that, although he did not want to admit it even to himself, he was more than a little intrigued by the force of nature that was Miss Elizabeth Bennet, or Senhorita Bella as most of the camp seemed to be calling her.
“Senhorita Bella?” he raised his eyebrows quizzically when he first heard the name.
“They translated my name to Isabella then they shortened it to Bella. It is just like the English Lizzy, I imagine” Elizabeth shrugged laughing.
“They seem to respect you very much.”
“You sound surprised” she giggled.
“I am only surprised at the depth of the respect and affection they show you.”
“Although I am nothing out of the ordinary, why would deep respect of me surprise you?” Elizabeth challenged. “I respect them and they respect me. They are all good lads, even the French ones. They only fight because they are being forced to do so. Many of them have not even reached their twentieth birthday. In reality most of them are nothing more than scared children in soldiers’ clothes” she sighed sadly. “All of this war is a great farce. Innocent men and children drawn into the power games of a few ambitious tyrants.”
“Would you rather have Bony march through the streets of London?” he challenged.
“Of course not! This is not what I meant. I would rather have all of us live in harmony as peaceful neighbours” she retorted.
“I cannot disagree with that, Miss Elizabeth” Darcy gave her a lopsided smile. “But I fear that peace is not in our very near future.”
“I know” she sighed again as her eyes welled up. “Many more good men will have to die before this madness ends.”
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was watching the pretty little nurse with barely disguised lust. She was a delightful morsel. Her lithe but oh so curvy body gave him the most torrid dreams and her fiery temper foreshadowed a very passionate woman. He was glad that Darcy had not noticed him two days ago when he barged into the hospital tent and was promptly marched out by the formidable little fireball.
His foot was healing well. He had been very careful not to hit any bone when he fired his flint at it so that he would not be able to join the battle. In hindsight, it had been a rather unnecessary measure as the battle had been easily won. The only officer seriously wounded on their side was that stupid Fitzwilliam who had to throw himself in front of a bullet meant for a peasant. If at least he would have died! But no, he had to be now the hero receiving all the attention of the delectable Miss Elizabeth!
was decided to seduce the chit. After all she was only a nurse, not someone of any standing or importance in society. Nobody will protect her, not least of all because they were all thousands of miles away from England and she was here all alone, surrounded only by soldiers.
He moaned pitifully the next time she was nearby. “Darcy… Please do not… please think of your father’s wish” he panted.
“Lt. , are you in pain?” Elizabeth sat by his cot and laid a cool, wet cloth on his forehead.
“Georgie…” got hold of her hand and brought it to his lips. “Let’s go dearest. Your brother would be… ah… my foot is hurting, but we should go as soon as I can stand… Georgie my love…”
Elizabeth felt sorry for the man who was obviously in great pain and missing his beloved. She smoothed the hair off his forehead and applied a new cool compress to soothe his ramblings. She recalled that Dr. Murphy doubted the circumstance of how the man received his wound but she really believed that he wounded himself by mistake, nervous before the battle, especially as he apparently had a sweetheart back home.
The fact that he seemed to speak of Mr. and Miss Darcy intrigued her. It was too much of a coincidence of names. She was surprised that Mr. Darcy did not know that Lt. was here, if the man was engaged to his sister. But maybe he just forgot about it in his worry over Col. Fitzwilliam.
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Darcy was fascinated to watch Elizabeth moving around the camp and the hospital tent. As he did not know about her rescue operation at Talavera which established her into the hearts of all the soldiers as a lady of great compassion and courage, the respect that she so effortlessly commanded still baffled him. Not one lady of his acquaintance, not even his dear aunt and Fitzwilliam’s mother, the Countess of Matlock had the devotion of her staff and tenants to the extent that this little slip of a girl who could not be older than twenty, commanded the devotion and the respect of the soldiers.
He observed the kind care she bestowed on the wounded and he was impressed of how she managed to bring a smile on the faces of the most depressed of the men, the ones who lost limbs or the ones who were facing the fate of being prisoners of war once they were ready to leave the hospital tent. She was chatting with the Portuguese, Spanish and French soldiers in their mother’s tongues as if it were her own. Although obviously not as familiar with that language, she was even able to carry on a basic conversation with the German soldiers. The kindness and the patience that she was showing to the wounded men impressed him.
He found that he was as eagerly looking forward to the dinners in the officers’ tent like he never before looked forward to any dinner party of the High Society, which he attended more out of duty than anything else. The conversation was always interesting and stimulating, nothing of the usual gossips that filled the salons of the ton. He was amused to watch Mrs. Porter, Mrs. Murphy and Miss Elizabeth having no compunctions in expressing their opinions on the war and its possible outcomes, and encouraged the other, shyer nurses to speak up too. He also noticed that the officers and the doctors were listening to the ladies’ opinions with earnest consideration as indeed, they were pertinent and well thought out, especially those expressed by Mrs. Murphy and Miss Elizabeth.
Usually, after dinner Miss Elizabeth and Mrs. Murphy encouraged literary debates to divert them all a bit from the worries of the war and to create the illusion of a fashionable dinner party in town. Darcy found himself often drawn into a heated debate with the feisty Miss Elizabeth who did not hesitate to take the losing side of an argument, if it meant promoting lively conversation.
Soon, Darcy’s dreams were filled with Miss Elizabeth’s sparkling dark eyes and her mischievous smile. She was nothing like the sedate ladies of the ton who were smothering him with their flattery and simpering, parroting his every opinion no matter how outrageous only to curry his favour. He smirked as he recalled how he often amused himself stating the most outlandish things just to see the more devious of them scramble to agree with him.
But he kept telling himself that alas, Miss Elizabeth was not for him. Albeit she was the daughter of a gentleman, her family was too obscure and completely unknown to the ton. Furthermore, from what he had gleaned from some of her stories, she had some relations in trade. She would never be accepted by the First Circles and she would suffer among the ton who would attempt to tear her apart should he marry her. He was supposed to make a stellar marriage. His family, his friends and all of the High Society expected it, and to be completely honest, he himself expected it too. After all, this is what he was taught ever since he could remember. Had he found a lady of good fortune and impeccable connections with half of Miss Elizabeth’s charm and kindness he would be married by now, but so far he had not, least of all in his Cousin Anne whom his Aunt Catherine insisted that he must marry, claiming that it was his mother’s dearest wish. Fortunately, he knew better than to give credit to his aunt’s claims.
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“I am sure that Mr. Bingley will return to Netherfield any day now” Mrs. Bennet uttered the sentence which was her way of greeting her family for months now, ever since the Netherfield party had so abruptly quit Hertfordshire.
“If he does, it would be a miracle and I wager that it would only happen when Mr. Bingley is safely married to a lady who is not one of your daughters, or at the very least engaged to one” Mr. Bennet observed dryly, not even lifting his eyes from his paper.
“He used my Jane extremely ill!” Mrs. Bennet sniffed.
“No Mama. I have nothing to accuse him of” Jane said firmly. ”He had been in the neighbourhood for less than a week. You cannot accuse him of raising anyone’s expectations.”
“But he danced with you twice…”
“Two dances do not a marriage proposal make” Jane calmly sipped her tea. “He might have remained at Netherfield longer and things might have moved forward, were he not frightened off by the level of speculation, most of all your speculation Mama, that plotted out his future without any input from him. I cannot blame him, as I would have surely done the same, were I in his place. In fact I am grateful that I was not put in a similar situation like Lizzy was forced into when Mr. Collins visited. There is at least this to be thankful for when Mama frightens away anyone who might become interested in us” Jane smiled at her father who looked up at her with surprise.
“Frighten away?! Ungrateful child!” Mrs. Bennet shrieked. “I am only trying my best to get you suitors so that you will not be destitute when your father dies and that odious Mr. Collins throws us all out to rot in the hedgerows.”
“Well, obviously your best is not good enough Madam” Mr. Bennet smirked. “And Collins proved to be a much more sensible man than I first gave him credit for.”
“He did not marry any of our daughters” Mrs. Bennet hissed.
“Hence his sensibility. Would you have him marry Lydia?”
“Nonsense! He should have married Lizzy. That obstinate girl, refusing to do her duty by me and …”
“Ah, yes. The ‘obstinate’ girl who prefers facing the perils of getting killed in a war rather than living with us. This should give you pause Mrs. Bennet but, I am not as optimistic as to believe that you will ever be able to grasp just how crass we all are. You, I, even…”
“Even her sisters” Mary quietly finished his sentence for him.
“No dearest. I have nothing to accuse you or Jane of” Mr. Bennet said with moist eyes.
“Lizzy is a hero, whatever you say Mama” Mary defiantly looked her mother straight into the eyes. “I am only sorry that I cannot join her as unfortunately, the sight of blood makes me lightheaded...” she said ruefully.
“Oh, my poor nerves…” Mrs. Bennet wailed, deeply vexed that all her family seemed bent to see fault with her instead of appreciating her valiant efforts to secure their future.
“If your nerves bother you my dear, I suggest that you remove yourself to your room immediately and tend to them there ” Mr. Bennet pinned her with an utterly unsympathetic look. “The rest of us wish to break our fast without having to listen to them.”
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“Lt. ” Elizabeth set the supper tray by the wounded soldier’s cot. “I trust you are feeling better today? Is the pain still bothering you?”
“It is a bit better, thank you” smiled at her with his most wistful smile, trying to convey that he was in great pain but tried valiantly to hide it.
“I am glad to hear it” Elizabeth smiled back, not picking up on his unspoken plea for sympathy. She hesitated for a moment, but then decided to address the issue that was intriguing her. “I am sorry but I could not help overhear your words while… you were not quite yourself. Are you acquainted with Mr. and Miss Darcy of Pemberley?”
’s countenance darkened, as if in anguish. “Indeed I am” he said rather curtly.
“I don’t know if you are aware sir, but Mr. Darcy is here in La Bisbal right now. Do you wish me to make him aware of your presence and have him visit with you?”
“No!” ’s vehement response made Elizabeth sit back and straighten her back. “I am sorry” added in a much softer tone. “I did not mean to yell at you. You see, Mr. Darcy and I cannot see eye to eye.”
“But if his sister is your… fiancée?” Elizabeth said hesitantly, as his words while he was raving had implied that much.
“Oh, Georgie is the sweetest of girls and she loves me as much as I love her. Her brother however is eaten up with pride and jealousy and he would not hear of his precious, high born sister marrying poor little me.”
“Jealousy sir?”
“I grew up at Pemberley as the son of the late Mr. Darcy’s steward. Old Mr. Darcy loved me and cared for me like a son, a fact that his son could not accept, as he always must be first in everyone’s good opinion. Darcy greatly resented the fact that his father enjoyed my company over his own. When we went away to school together, as my godfather, Mr. Darcy insisted on giving me a gentleman’s education, Darcy did all in his power to ensure that I was thoroughly humbled and humiliated, making sure that everybody knew of my ‘lowly’ origins. Needless to say, I have been shunned by most of our fellow students who, just like Darcy, were scions of old and noble families.”
Elizabeth made a sound of disgust. “I have not thought him as bad as that, but I do admit that his behaviour when he first arrived here is quite in line with this character. However, this should not discourage you. You have achieved a good education and that should open many doors for you” she said consolingly.
“I was intended for the church” he smiled wistfully. “My godfather had a living in his bequest that he wished me to have. However, after he died, when the living became vacant Darcy refused point blank to give it to me.”
Elizabeth gasped in horror. “That is abominable!” she exclaimed. “Have you sought legal recourse?”
“It would have been of no use. The bequest was not formalized in Mr. Darcy’s will, it was only his recommendation to his son who chose to ignore it. So here you see me, a poor soldier who must make his way through the war, not knowing whether I will live to see the next day.”
“Mr. Darcy, the son I mean, ought to be publicly disgraced” Elizabeth seethed with righteous indignation.
“And I am sure one day he will be, but not by me. I loved my godfather deeply and I respect his memory too much to bring disgrace upon the Darcy name.”
“I commend you for your kindness and your forbearance” Elizabeth smiled at him kindly. “And Miss Darcy?”
“Georgie is still very young, much younger than her brother. We played together when she was a little girl and my godfather was still alive. When she got older, I fell in love with her and I dare say, she feels the same for me. But it is all hopeless. Darcy will never agree for us to wed. In his eyes I am but a servant’s son, not by far exalted enough to marry Miss Darcy of Pemberley.”
Elizabeth nodded in understanding. She knew how society worked. “I am sorry to hear this, Lt. . Please try to eat and get some rest. I am sure that things will work out in the end” she squeezed his hand compassionately and rose, as she needed to see to the other patients.
watched her go with a satisfied smirk. He just established himself in her eyes as the most romantic character. It will not be long before she will feel compelled to ‘comfort’ him.