Chapter 12
“I checked Wickham and of course he was dead; no one could survive being trampled so thoroughly by Phoenix. By God’s grace, I was able to walk to nearby Longbourn with Phoenix and found help there,” Darcy finished.
He and Colonel Fitzwilliam had retreated to a small sitting room on the southwest corner of Netherfield while Mrs. Annesley and Miss Darcy refreshed themselves in their rooms.
His cousin, who had been listening carefully to this recital, said politely, “Yes, I suppose that will do well enough for the inquest.”
Darcy twitched in surprise but managed to keep his voice calm. “Whatever do you mean, Richard?”
The colonel sighed and shook his head reprovingly.
“Darcy, I flatter myself that I am one of your closest friends, and have known you most of my life. You chose your words very carefully when describing your initial interaction with Wickham; if I were a gambling man, I would bet that there was another person involved, and that person a woman.”
Darcy pinched the bridge of his nose and asked, “Is it so obvious?”
“Only to those who know you well, I assure you,” his cousin responded soothingly. “Am I right? A woman was present?”
“Yes.”
“And what, Wickham attacked her?”
Darcy dropped his hand and stared at the colonel in shock. “How … how could you possibly…?”
“Guess that?” Fitzwilliam finished. “If the rumors are to be believed, it is not the first time Wickham has assaulted a woman. This woman is most fortunate that you were near enough to lend her aid.”
“Rumors? I have long known Wickham to be a licentious rake, but I had never heard that he was violent!”
Richard shook his head dismally. “You remember Jenny Reynolds, who served as kitchen maid at Pemberley many years ago?”
“Our dear housekeeper’s niece? Of course I do.”
“She named Wickham as the father of her bastard twins, but I heard whispers that she was not a willing participant in their intimate encounter.”
Darcy felt his face drain of blood and he collapsed back against the chair, fighting the nausea that threatened to overwhelm him.
It took him a full minute to say, “No, no, that cannot be true! If Wickham attacked the girl, why was I not told?”
Fitzwilliam looked at him with concern and said, “I am not entirely confident of all the facts, Darcy; it is more a rumor than certainty, though I trust my source. In any case, all this happened while your father still lived, and you know my uncle Darcy refused to hear a word against his precious godson.”
“And after my father died?”
Richard rose to his feet and walked over to a small table on which resided a bottle of brandy and two exquisite crystal glasses.
He poured liquid into each glass, handed one to his cousin, and said, “When your father died, you were forced to take on the responsibility of all of Pemberley, which required a massive amount of work since your father had allowed the estate to deteriorate during his last, long illness. As for Wickham – well, what would you have done for Jenny Reynolds that you had not already done? She and her children are being supported by the Darcy estate. If she accused Wickham of rape, it would have been her word against his, and while you might well believe her side of things, it would have been, practically speaking, impossible to bring charges. Besides, the poor girl had been through enough without having the ugly business brought up again. If I had been in England, I might well have gone after Wickham myself, but my military duties have kept me busy these last years, and Wickham had long done his best to avoid me.”
“I know,” Darcy said, lifting his glass and drinking the liquor slowly. His face recovered some of its color, and he leaned forward to say, “Truly, Richard, I am glad the man is dead. Does that make me cruel?”
“If it does, I am also cruel. But I do not believe we are wrong to be grateful that George Wickham will no longer persecute and assault the young women of his acquaintance. Now the girl you rescued; I hope she was not, erm…”
Darcy stared at him blankly before understanding dawned. “No, no, she was quite unharmed! I heard her scream and was there within a minute.”
“That is good. All the same, you have a tightrope to walk. On the one hand, you will hardly lie under oath. On the other, to admit to the true nature of your quarrel with Wickham will ruin the reputation of the young woman. It would be bad enough if this got out in London, but in the country, a servant girl would almost certainly lose her place if it was discovered she had been attacked by a man.”
“I am well aware,” Darcy agreed, relieved that his cousin assumed the woman in question was a commoner. “I can only hope that Colonel Forster will not be permitted to demand answers to any impossible questions.”
“Tell me about Colonel Forster.”
The master of Pemberley shrugged helplessly. “He is in his late thirties and seems pleasant enough, though he is not particularly intelligent. Like so many others, he took an immediate liking to Wickham and believed the scoundrel’s complaints that I stole the Kympton living from him.”
“He is stationed in Meryton?”
“Yes.”
Richard Fitzwilliam grinned and said, “I will pay a visit on the colonel, Darcy, and convince him that Wickham was not the principled hero that he seemed to be.”
“You will be careful in your speech? It would not do for Forster to consider the possibility that Wickham attacked a female.”
“Of course not. Do not worry, Darcy. Unlike you, I can be both diplomatic and genial when interacting with others, even when those others are annoying me.”
This provoked a reluctant chuckle from Darcy just as the sitting room door opened to reveal Bingley’s butler.
“Mr. Darcy?” the man said respectfully.
“Yes, Bates?”
“Sir, Mr. Bennet and Miss Elizabeth have arrived and inquired whether you were home.”
Darcy hesitated and then turned to look at Colonel Fitzwilliam, who was staring at him curiously.
“Please bring them here, Bates,” Darcy ordered before turning to his cousin. “Mr. Bennet is master of Longbourn, and Miss Elizabeth is his second daughter.”
“Is she pretty?” Richard asked roguishly.
Darcy shot his cousin a reproving look as he and the colonel rose to their feet as their visitors entered.
“Mr. Darcy,” Mr. Bennet said, casting an uneasy look at the colonel. “How is your arm today?”
“It pains me but there is no sign of infection, for which I am most grateful. Please, may I introduce you to my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, of His Majesty’s Regulars?
Richard, Mr. Bennet and Miss Elizabeth of Longbourn; Mr. Bennet is kindly looking after Phoenix and provided much needed care after Wickham stabbed me. ”
The gentlemen bowed and the lady curtsied, and Elizabeth turned her attention on the master of Pemberley to say, “Please, Mr. Darcy, will you not seat yourself? I am quite certain you should not be standing long.”
“Thank you, Miss Elizabeth. Let us all sit down.”
The foursome arranged themselves in comfortable chairs near the cheerfully crackling fire while Colonel Fitzwilliam regarded Miss Elizabeth with covert interest. She was a pretty young lady with chestnut curls and remarkably fine eyes, but it was the tone of her voice which caught his attention.
Her suggestion that Darcy needed to sit down was said with obvious concern, but no coquetry, nor was her expression flirtatious.
She seemed to genuinely be worried about his friend without putting herself forward in any way, which was as surprising as it was admirable.
Mr. Bennet was speaking now, and Richard refocused his attention in time to hear the man say, “Mr. Darcy, I assume your cousin has long been aware of Mr. Wickham’s proclivities?”
Colonel Fitzwilliam snorted and said, “I saw the signs of Wickham’s conniving, manipulative nature when he was but a boy of twelve. I am not at all surprised that he came to a violent end, though I regret that Darcy suffered in the process.”
“I am most grieved that your cousin was harmed on Longbourn land but am thankful it was no worse,” Bennet said.
“Now, I am certain you wish to enjoy the company of your cousin alone, Mr. Darcy, so will give you my report. Elizabeth and I visited Mrs. Gregory, who is both dressmaker and draper in Meryton, and she reported that Wickham had already put more than two pounds on his account with her. I paid his account on your behalf and asked her to tell other local merchants and tavern keepers that I would pay additional accounts as needed. Mr. Philips, my brother by marriage and the local coroner, has also been apprised of Wickham’s degenerate character. ”
Darcy nodded and said, “I am most grateful. Do you know what time the inquest will be held?”
“It will be at noon precisely on Monday, sir.”
“Excellent. Thank you again for your assistance.”
“It was our pleasure. Now come, Elizabeth, I believe we must depart for home.”
His daughter stood up and curtsied charmingly to both young men while saying, “Colonel Fitzwilliam, it was pleasant to meet you. Mr. Darcy, perhaps you can give Mr. Bingley our regards?”
“Well, as to that Miss Elizabeth, I believe Bingley is at Longbourn this morning.”
Father and daughter exchanged glances, and Elizabeth’s eyes crinkled in delight. “Perhaps we will be back in time to see him, then. Thank you.”
The twosome turned toward the door when Darcy, impelled by an urge he did not entirely understand, spoke up and said, “Miss Elizabeth? My sister Georgiana accompanied Colonel Fitzwilliam to Netherfield. She is resting now, but on another occasion, would you allow me to introduce you to her?”
He saw Richard jerk in surprise in his peripheral vision, but he kept his gaze on Elizabeth Bennet who, while obviously startled, smiled warmly. “I would be delighted to meet Miss Darcy. Thank you.”
***
“Mr. Bennet, Mr. Bennet! Thank the Lord you are finally here! Mr. Bingley has been waiting and waiting for you. Where have you been?”
Her husband opened his mouth to protest her strident voice, then closed it as Jane entered the foyer, her eyes lit up like stars, her handsome face flushed becomingly.
Beside her stood Mr. Bingley, whose own eyes were fixed on Jane, his expression that of a lovelorn puppy.
Bennet chuckled and handed his hat and gloves to the butler before saying, “It seems you and I had better have an immediate discussion in the library, young man.”
Bingley grinned in response. “Thank you, sir.”
***
Elizabeth, in spite of her underlying anxiety over the upcoming inquest, could only feel joy at the sight of her beloved sister’s animated, beautiful face.
Mr. Bingley had asked for, and received, Mr. Bennet’s blessing on his proposal of marriage, and had left for Netherfield, though reluctantly.
The news that Miss Darcy and Mrs. Annesley had arrived propelled him home, but he had promised to return early the next morning.
Elizabeth could only be thankful that her sister’s suitor had come to the point so rapidly, as Jane would have worried about Miss Darcy being in residence if Bingley had not declared his love for her and her alone.
Mrs. Bennet, whose enthusiasm did not permit her to sit, was walking up and down the floor of the drawing room mumbling about the upcoming wedding breakfast. She suddenly broke off her musings to stare at her eldest daughter, and cry out, “Oh Jane! I knew you could not be so beautiful for nothing. Five thousand pounds a year! I shall go quite distracted!”
“Oh Jane, you must ask Mr. Bingley to hold a ball at Netherfield!” Lydia exclaimed, with Kitty echoing her enthusiastically, and Mary asked, “Might I have access to the library at Netherfield?”
Jane smiled at this and lifted her hands in playful protest. “My dears, I am quite certain Mr.... Charles, will be delighted to host a ball, and of course you may use the library, though Elizabeth tells me it is not a particularly fine one.”
Elizabeth, who had indeed spent time in the library at Netherfield, said cheerfully, “It is not as extensive as Father’s, but there may be a few volumes of interest, Mary.”
Mrs. Bennet had little interest in libraries and changed the subject to the wedding by saying, “My dear Jane, you must be married by license. And oh, I wonder if we can find oranges this time of year for the wedding breakfast?”