Chapter 11 #2
“Nothing can remedy such a wrong, and no compensation can mend a father’s aggrieved heart, Colonel.
I was a fool to allow these worthless men near my family.
You may choose their punishment. What worries me is that such abominable rumours have likely been spread about Meryton and are hurting my family, especially my daughter Elizabeth. ”
“If that is true, I assure you it will be immediately corrected!” the colonel said. “I shall make sure of it! This conversation will not end tonight.”
“Damn right it will not!” the admiral shouted. “The consequences must be equal to the damage to the name of a remarkable young woman. If Miss Elizabeth was my daughter, you would all be dead by now!”
“Since my name has been polluted too, I also demand satisfaction,” Darcy interjected. “To begin with, I request that you keep Wickham imprisoned at your barracks until I decide what to do with him. He owes me a significant amount of money, which I want to be paid by the end of this week.”
“What? You cannot do that, Darcy! By the end of the week? How can you do this to me? We discussed this last summer when we had another disagreement, remember?” Wickham replied, fear obvious in his insinuating tone, which Darcy understood.
It was nothing but a hidden threat to reveal the planned elopement and to hurt Georgiana too.
He struggled to keep his composure, staring at Wickham until the man lowered his eyes. Then, calmly, he addressed the admiral.
“I should follow your advice and kill Wickham. After all, it would be presumptuous of me to contradict an admiral.”
Nothing else was added until the door opened, and Caroline Bingley appeared.
“Charles, what on earth are you doing here? Mr Darcy? Admiral? Why are you all here? Supper is being served, and everyone is asking about you! Charles, this is not the way to host a ball!”
“We beg your forgiveness, Miss Bingley. I take full blame,” Colonel Forster replied. “Unfortunately, my men and I must return to barracks immediately, and we shall not be able to enjoy the meal. I shall return to retrieve my wife later. Come, let us leave.”
The three men followed their colonel; Miss Bingley rolled her eyes with obvious frustration and disapproval, demanding her brother return to their guests immediately. Bingley obeyed after a brief hesitation, and soon enough, the three men found themselves alone again, as they had been an hour ago.
The room was the same, yet it felt utterly different, and Darcy barely dared to look at Mr Bennet.
Guilt replaced his previous ire, and he was as furious with Wickham as he was with himself.
He began to understand his imprudence, from escorting Elizabeth home with the puppies to dancing with her — only with her — and exposing her to speculation, as absurd as it was.
Mr Bennet was rightfully grieved, but how would Elizabeth feel when she found out?
How would she respond? How would he ever look at her again?
How would he be able to right the wrong he had caused, although unwillingly?
“I would rather go home too,” Mr Bennet whispered. “I feel rather unwell. I certainly do not wish to return to the party.”
“Would you not be better to rest a little? Perhaps sleep a little? Please consider having some herbal tea…you may rest in my room,” Darcy said.
“No, thank you. If you could only ask for my carriage. Do not say anything to my family, please, only that I was tired and went home. I shall send the carriage back for them.”
“As you wish…but if you are unwell, it would not be wise to be home alone.”
“I shall not be alone. The servants will be there. Hill has some herbal remedies too. She will make me some tea.”
“Perhaps Mr Jones should be fetched?” Darcy insisted as Mr Bennet was looking worse by the minute. He knew he had no right to impose on the man; Mr Bennet was almost a stranger to him, but he was genuinely worried, and the fear for Mr Bennet’s safety induced his actions.
“No…please do not make more of all this than is necessary, Mr Darcy. I need nothing more than to be home alone, in my bed.”
“Very well, sir. Forgive my insistence. But I shall escort you home in my carriage, just to be sure you have arrived safely. Then I shall return immediately.”
“You should accept Darcy’s offer, sir,” the admiral interjected. “Please do so. In the meantime, I shall go and speak to your family, to calm them.”
“Very well, Mr Darcy, call your carriage. And Admiral, please do not worry my daughters. Allow them to enjoy this night. It might be the last before a dark period of tormenting times.”
“Mr Bennet, we shall speak more about this tomorrow. Until then, please rest and try to calm yourself. Darcy and I shall call on you tomorrow,” the admiral said.
“You will be welcomed, but the situation will not change.”
“No, but we shall see it in a better light. My anger was justified, and I would have readily shot those idiots. But in truth, no real tragedy occurred, thank God. Drunken fools always say ridiculous things, but nobody in their right mind would believe them. To suggest that Darcy might have an illicit relationship with Miss Elizabeth is as absurd as saying I am Napoleon.”
“Indeed, sir, I hope you do not—” Darcy attempted to say, but Mr Bennet silenced him with a gesture of his hand.
“Of course I do not give an instant of consideration to that nonsense. Not just because I trust my daughter Elizabeth with my life, but because she and Mr Darcy only began speaking civilly to each other a few days ago. I would no more suspect she was engaged in an illicit relationship with Mr Darcy than with my cousin,” Mr Bennet tried to jest.
Not long after, Darcy’s carriage took two silent, embarrassed men to Longbourn and returned one to the party.