Chapter 16
A couple of hours of walking along the most popular area of the Brighton promenade—and some good luck—was enough for Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam to meet Wickham.
He was in the company of two officers and, at seeing his old acquaintances, he showed only slight distress.
“Darcy, Colonel, what a surprise,” Wickham said.
“Not really,” Darcy replied. “I confess we were hoping to encounter you and have a private conversation.”
“A private conversation?”
“We shall detain you but a moment. I am sure your friends will not mind waiting,” the colonel added.
“Of course not, sir,” said one of the two officers, and they stepped away.
“What is this about? I am very busy,” Wickham uttered.
“Your companions will wait, I am sure,” Darcy said in clipped tones.
The three men stood to the side of the path. “What could you possibly wish to accomplish by approaching me here?” Wickham enquired.
“We are concerned with your well-being, Wickham. We were wondering how you have been and what you are doing in Brighton. And I am even more curious than Darcy since I have not seen you in a long while.”
“My well-being is not your concern. I was surprised to hear you were in Brighton,” Wickham replied.
“And even more so to learn about Darcy being on such friendly terms with the Bennet family. The last I heard it was the opposite. But that is not completely unexpected. After all, Miss Bennet and Miss Darcy both had a high opinion of me.”
Both Darcy and the colonel’s anger flared at such audacity. Wickham looked around, nodding to some acquaintance, grinning broadly.
“Wickham, you have either lost your mind in this heat or you are too trusting of the fact that we are surrounded by people,” Darcy said in a low voice. “Do not trifle with my patience. You must remember that my temper often betrays me.”
“I do not understand your meaning, Darcy. I am simply spending my summer in Brighton, and my actions are nobody’s concern. You still hold a grudge against me and would do anything to ruin me.”
“Wickham, I shall waste not another moment on you. I am here to warn you. If I see you anywhere near my sister or the Bennets, I shall not hesitate to take appropriate measures,” Darcy concluded.
“What measures could you possibly take against me, Darcy? Your pride and arrogance are annoying and ridiculous. You have no power over me.”
Darcy stepped close enough to Wickham that their breath mixed. “I have all the power I need to do whatever pleases me concerning you, Wickham. You have old debts of penance to pay me, and I shall not hesitate to collect.”
Wickham took a step back and spoke hesitantly. “What are you insinuating, Darcy? That you forbid me to speak to anyone from the Bennet family if I happen upon them? You cannot do that!”
“You may do as you please, Wickham. But you cannot depend on my leniency any longer.”
“Have no concern. I have no desire to be near you either. May I be excused now? This conversation is pointless,” Wickham uttered. He then bowed slightly, hurrying to his companions.
Trailing slowly behind him, Darcy and the colonel watched Wickham depart.
“He is trouble,” the colonel stated. “He has become more impertinent since I last saw him. And he takes delight in vexing you. I would gladly wipe that smirk from his face.”
“I will take care of the situation.”
“So, what shall we do now?”
“I need to return home. I have some papers to read.”
“Papers to read? In Brighton? On a sunny day? Come now, Darcy, even you must see that is preposterous! Will you at least join me tonight at Lady Templeton’s party?
” Darcy threw him a glare and the colonel shrugged.
“I would assume ‘no’. People often ask about you, so I shall have to find another excuse for your absence.”
“I appreciate your effort,” Darcy jested, and the colonel sighed.
Once alone in his library, Darcy thought more about Wickham. Indeed, the man seemed impertinent and over-confident. His replies were intended to vex Darcy, and he had succeeded. A more thorough examination of Wickham’s business was required.
Quickly, Darcy wrote two notes. The first he handed to his valet with specific orders. The other he tucked in his pocket, then he went in search of his sister, following the sounds of the pianoforte.
Absorbed in her music, she did not notice her brother’s entrance. When she did, she stopped and met him with a smile.
“How are you, dearest? And Anne?”
“Anne has retired to rest for the afternoon. What of you, Brother?”
“I spoke to Wickham. I hope he will not bother us during our stay in Brighton.”
“Good.”
“My dear, would you do me a favour? Would you write to Miss Bennet and add this note to the letter? I promised her last night that I would talk to Wickham, and I wish to inform her that I have accomplished the task.”
Georgiana looked slightly surprised. “Elizabeth must be either with Jane or with her parents. She will return to the cottage tomorrow. Could you not call and inform her in person?”
He hesitated, fighting his own temptation. “No, I do not wish to intrude. It would be best if you could write to her so that she might receive this information sooner.”
“Anne and I will have tea with Elizabeth and Jane later this afternoon. I shall give it to her then. Will you not join us?”
“I am sorry, but I cannot. I have received an invitation to Lady Templeton’s party tonight, and Richard has insisted that I join him. It seems I shall go, after all.”
Darcy retired to his chamber, burdened by deceiving his sister, yearning to see Elizabeth, and acknowledging his weakness that kept him away from her.
His desire to call on her was painfully intense. Instead, he would do better to join his cousin at a party he would loathe.
But he had the comfort of knowing Elizabeth would open the note he had written and hold in her hands the paper he had touched. Poor consolation for his dreams of ever holding her.
∞∞∞
Elizabeth wrote to Lady Kendal to let her know all was well and that she would return the following day. In truth, Elizabeth was tempted to remain with her family, amidst the animation of the town, for a little longer. But her sense of duty and concern for Philip’s health drew her back.
The scene she had witnessed of the men on the promenade occupied Elizabeth’s thoughts for the next few hours, raising many questions in her mind.
She had expected Darcy to keep his word and speak to Wickham—as he promised the previous evening—and now she was curious to know the outcome of that discussion.
However, what thrilled her the most was Darcy’s diligence in fulfilling his promise to her so readily.
In the afternoon, she and Jane would have tea with Georgiana and Anne. She secretly hoped that Darcy would come to visit Bingley. If so, she could see him and exchange a few more words with him before she returned to the cottage.
However, when the time came he was not there, and she was sorely disappointed. Furthermore, Georgiana informed them that her brother and cousin were at a party, held by a lady whose name Elizabeth remembered.
She felt sad, lonely, and upset. Between seeing her and enjoying a party, he had preferred the latter. She had been silly to presume otherwise and guilty for wishing it. After all, she was engaged to be married, and so was he.
“Elizabeth?” Georgiana approached her and Elizabeth startled.
“Yes? Forgive me. I was wool-gathering.”
“My brother asked me to give you this note.” Georgiana smiled.
Elizabeth looked puzzled, then glanced at Anne, taking the paper with hesitant fingers.
“He said it is about a task he promised to accomplish.”
“I see… Thank you.”
“You are welcome. Elizabeth?”
“Yes?”
“George Wickham is not an honourable man. You should be cautious when he is near Lydia and Kitty.”
Elizabeth’s astonishment grew.
“I know, but thank you for warning me. I did speak to my father. He does not believe Wickham to be an immediate danger but agrees that his company is not beneficial for my young and not-so-wise sisters,” Elizabeth said lightly.
“Good. If you wish to reply, I will gladly pass on your response to my brother.”
Elizabeth gazed at her friend. “Reply? Oh, I did not consider it. But thank you for being so thoughtful. I shall read it and see.”
For a few minutes, Elizabeth listened to her companions’ chatter, understanding nothing of it. She excused herself, holding the letter tightly. There were only a few lines in a hand she already knew by heart.
Miss Bennet,
I take the liberty of sending you this note to inform you that I did speak to W, as I intended.
I gathered little information from him but enough to confirm my concern.
I shall continue my enquiries until I find reports to clarify the purpose of his presence in Brighton.
Please warn your father to stay guarded regarding your youngest sisters.
I will keep you abreast of any further information I discover.
FD
The content was as dispassionate as it was brief, but it touched Elizabeth deeply. Behind the simple words, she believed he cared and wished to protect her.
She looked around, disconcerted by her emotions, and hurried to the desk in the library. She took out a piece of paper and a pen and wrote:
Mr Darcy,
Your consideration in informing me is much appreciated. I pray that this matter does not give you too much trouble. Please let me know how it progresses.
E. Bennet
Reading her response, she shivered. There was nothing improper in it, but she sensed she had let him know that she wished to retain the fragile bond between them.
She hesitated another moment, then sealed it and returned to the rest of the party.
When she handed it to Georgiana she felt anxious, feeling she was doing something wrong.
If she had delayed only one more moment, Elizabeth would have changed her mind about the response, but the girl took it readily, and it was done.