Chapter Eleven
Wickham watched Georgiana turn in his direction, and he ducked behind a tower of baskets, cursing that he had only brought his regimentals with him.
A red coat did not offer any disguise. Once he had seen Georgiana yesterday, Wickham had convinced Denny to stay one more night in Meryton, claiming it behooved them to see what the market had to offer.
Since the regiment paid for their lodgings, Denny had no good reason to object.
Darcy or Georgiana must not see me too soon. If Darcy sees me here, he will surely take his sister away. I must think of the best method to surprise my errant bride-to-be with my presence in Meryton. I would like to see her alone, before she gets a new companion.
Wickham carefully slipped away, back to their lodgings at the George Inn.
Upon entering the taproom, which smelled of wood smoke, spilled ale, and the various substances sticking to the bottom of the patrons’ boots, his friend, Lieutenant Chamberlayne, stood from where he sat at a table in the middle of the crowded room.
An impressively tall and able younger son, Chamberlayne smiled a greeting.
“I am surprised to see you here,” Wickham claimed, taking off his hat and clasping his offered hand.
“I have brought your traps. They are already in your room. I brought Denny’s, too,” Chamberlayne said, and then waved him to a chair at his table. “Fear not, my batman packed them.”
Wickham pulled out the ladder-back chair and sat, placing his hat on his lap since he could not rely on taproom tables being clean.
Though Chamberlayne had the money for a batman to keep his clothing clean, Wickham did not.
He paid a stipend to share Denny’s batman’s services, who had, of course, accompanied them to Meryton.
Wickham did not want to make extra work for him or else he might need to pay him more.
“That is a relief. But why did you bring our traps? We were returning to camp this afternoon.”
“The colonel’s orders. He wants us to find quarters for all the officers now that the decision to use Meryton as our winter base has been made.
” Chamberlayne held up two fingers to the barmaid.
Two pints of porter soon arrived at the table.
She set them, dripping, on the table. She wiped the table free of porter and left.
“I know a likely set of rooms,” Wickham said. “There are six houses we looked over as options for the colonel, but rejected them on his behalf. However, they will do for us. Four or more bedchambers to each, a parlor, and a dining room.”
“Space for our batmen?”
Wickham nodded. He took a long draw of his ale.
“We will need some additional apartments for the staff officers,” Chamberlayne, who acted as an adjunct to the quartermaster, reminded him. “The date for the arrival of the regiment is October 30th.”
Wickham almost choked on his ale. He set the tanker down and stared at his friend. “I thought the date was closer to the middle of November.”
Chamberlayne shrugged and ruffled his own closely-cropped curly blond hair. “The colonel wants to take advantage of the dryer weather.”
“I suppose getting set up before the rains that are sure to come soon only makes sense,” Wickham said aloud. Inside, however, he cursed the rush. “After we finish off this heavy wet, we had best seek out the property agents and get started.”
“Right you are,” Chamberlayne said, lifting his tanker in salute. “To our efforts.”
“Here, here,” Wickham replied, taking another swallow. “By-the-by, have you seen Denny yet?”
“No.”
“He must still be at the market.”
*
Lizzy and Mary left the chemist, the lanolin jar wrapped in paper and tucked into a net shopping bag.
“I have my purchase, let us go to the book dealer to look for your periodicals,” Lizzy said to Mary, taking her arm.
“The market is busy today,” Mary observed as they struck out in the direction of the book dealer’s stall. He always set up in a space next to the guild hall, at the edge of Market Square. “Shoppers must be taking advantage of the dry weather.”
“I believe you have the right of it,” Lizzy remarked. She nodded to their left. “Look. Kitty and Lydia have found a young officer. Let us intercept them.”
“To remind them they are visible to all and sundry?” Mary asked dryly. “I am not certain that will make them behave better.”
“No, but reminding their quarry of it might make him remember to behave like a gentleman,” Lizzy replied tartly.
The closer they came to their sisters and the redcoat, the easier it was for Lizzy to recognize how young the tall, blond young man seemed. She doubted he had more than seven-and-ten years.
“Lydia,” Lizzy said, stopping in front of her giggling sister, who held onto the arm of the militia lieutenant. “Kitty. Kindly introduce me to your new friend.”
Kitty produced a wary grin. “This is Lieutenant Denny, Lizzy. Denny, this is my sister, Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”
Lieutenant Denny removed his hat—though not without some difficulty since her sisters held onto both his arms—and bowed.
“Miss Elizabeth,” he said, grinning.
“Lieutenant Denny,” Lizzy returned, nodding. “May I present my sister, Miss Mary Bennet?”
“Miss Mary,” he said, bowing again.
Mary nodded.
“May I ask which regiment you belong to?” Lizzy asked. The lieutenant told her as he replaced his black, bicorn hat. “Is the rumor true, sir? Will your regiment be overwintering nearby?”
“Not nearby!” Lydia squealed, hopping up and down, still clasping the officer’s arm. “Here. In Meryton! Is that not amazing news?”
“Indeed,” Lizzy said. In spite of the market din, she heard Mary sigh beside her. “Kitty, Lydia, have you thought to introduce Mr. Denny to our aunt? She will give you refreshments, I am sure.”
“We were on our way there when you stopped us,” Kitty told her.
“Then do not let me keep you,” Lizzy said, smiling and nodding her dismissal. “I hope to see you again, Mr. Denny.”
“Thank you, Miss Elizabeth,” the officer said, sketching a brief bow before her sisters dragged him away.
“We will have no harmony in our home this winter,” Mary prophesized.
“Do you wish for harmony?” Lizzy asked, proceeding with her toward the book dealer.
Mary considered for a moment. Finally, she said, “I do not wish for our time to be dull, but I also do not long for our household to be in alt for months and months.”
“Agreed,” Lizzy said. They wove their way around the crowds, speaking occasionally to acquaintances, until eventually they reached their destination.
“Good day, Mr. Halloway,” Mary said to the stall keeper.
“Miss Mary, Miss Elizabeth,” the large, robust man of their father’s age said, lifting his cap.
“I ‘oped I would see y’today. Are y’lookin’ fer a book?
Or a periodical?” He indicated a fanned-out display of different publications, held in place by a red brick.
“I’ve the latest sportin’ magazine, as y’can see.
And the Courier and Evenin’ Gazette, if y’wants political and foreign news. ”
“May I have a copy of both?” Mary asked, holding out some coins.
“‘Course y’can.” He took the money, gave her change, and rolled the papers up and bound them in clean newsprint.
Once Mary had her purchases, he focused on Lizzy.
“Now, Miss Elizabeth, I’ve the newest release of the British Scientific and Geographical Standard.
It has some lovely articles in it on exotic animals, like. ”
Lizzy’s eyes widened. “Goodness, Mr. Halloway. I did not expect to get a copy today. Thank you, I will take one.”
“Right y’are, miss,” he said, taking her money and wrapping her purchase.
“Mr. Halloway,” Lizzy said, accepting the rolled periodical, “have you heard of anyone who is missing their guinea pig?”
He pinched his full lower lip for a moment, considering her question, and then shook his head. “Not I, miss.”
“Have you seen one before?” He nodded, and she continued. “If you hear of someone missing a guinea pig, will you send me word at Longbourn House?” Lizzy asked, and passed him a sixpence.
He swiftly pocketed the coin and tugged on his hat brim. “Happily, miss.”
“Thank you.” Lizzy beamed at him. “And, if you happen to be down at the pub, could you chat about it with some of your friends?”
“I could do that, right enough,” Mr. Halloway said, chuckling.
“You are too kind,” Lizzy murmured. “Perhaps we will see you again next Saturday.”
“I look forward to it, I do.”
“Good day,” Mary said, holding onto her roll of reading material as though someone might snatch it out of her grasp.
They turned and walked away. “You know, Mary, your patients might enjoy listening to articles about unusual animals. You are welcome to make use of my magazine.”
“Thank you. Heavens, is that another officer?” Mary asked, frowning and pointing with her chin. “They are multiplying.”
Lizzy spied a flash of red and laughed. “They tend to do that. If the soldiers get out of hand, we will request Colonel Fitzwilliam to order them to behave.”
Mary’s scowl lessened, and she even chuckled. “I like that idea.”
*
Several hours after noon, Darcy’s hands tightened on the gig reins and said, “Whoa, there. Stand.”
His horse drew to a stop in front of Longbourn House. After applying the brake and tying off the reins, he leapt from his seat and hurried around the carriage to help his sister down. Standing on the walkway in front of the house, she smoothed her skirts and checked that her hair remained tidy.
“Here,” he said, handing her the basket of gifts.
“Thank you. Will you wait to give Lizzy the gift for her cook, or will you give it to her now?”
“Now, I think,” Darcy said, reaching back onto the seat for the plain wooden box.
He heard the front door open, and they turned toward it. At the same time, a groom hurried around from the side of the house and went to his horse’s head. Darcy nodded his thanks and held out his arm for his sister. She took it, and they climbed the few steps to the porch.
“Good afternoon, Hill,” Darcy said to the middle-aged butler.
“Good afternoon, sir, miss. Kindly enter.”