A captain came out from the bastion around the guns, and he cheerfully greeted Mr. Bennet, and shook his hand. He then very seriously shook little George’s hand, before walking over to Elizabeth and Darcy.
Mr. Bennet introduced them to the officer, and Captain Pike bowed to them both. “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Darcy, a pleasure. I knew Mr. Wickham, and he was not a good fellow. Excellent talker, but he was not the sort of man who paid his debts. I’ve never liked men who can pretend to be a true friend, but who will never help a friend, no matter how much they have been helped. He couldn’t handle his liquor either. You acted as a proper gentleman, sir.”
Darcy inclined his head in return.
There was nothing else to do.
He saw it again. The clearing. The way Wickham collapsed. The feel in his hand as he pulled the trigger.
Mr. Bennet cheerfully asked, “Are you coming into the fort? There are some fine 42-pounders to see.”
“Mr. Darcy is too fatigued.” Elizabeth did not give Darcy a chance to answer. Darcy liked the tone of ownership with which she spoke about his wellbeing, and he found that he did not bridle at being told what would be best for him, because he trusted Elizabeth to have a good sense of what was best, and because she sincerely cared for him. “I shall stay here also—Emily, I can see that you wish to stay with us.”
“Mama.”
Elizabeth took the girl who first climbed onto her lap, but who then climbed from there into Mr. Darcy’s lap. She then hopped down and walked over to look at the stones amongst the grass on the side of the walk.
The others entered the fortifications, led by George who vibrated and started running, only to be called back to a standstill by a shout from both Mr. Bennet and Captain Pike.
“Did you know,” Elizabeth said when they had all disappeared, “I read once that the majority of duels are fought between officers—they must make challenges and accept them, as they are expected to keep a reputation for courage and indifference to personal safety. Thus we lose a not inconsiderable number of our best warriors to such encounters.”
Darcy nodded. He was thinking about shooting Mr. Wickham.
Elizabeth frowned. “I meant to distract you from your memories and said the first thing that came to mind, but what I said will not do for such a purpose.”
“He must have difficulty with monies,” Darcy said, “that officer. Did you notice the worn state of his coat? Shiny spots around the elbows—carefully kept up, but still old. And the boots, with too much polish to hide how they’ve been scuffed. The belt as well. I noticed this because what he said about being happy I’d dueled and killed Wickham reminded me of this notion that the institution of dueling is a good one, because it is what allows those gentlemen without money to maintain their status; for even a person with great wealth and consequence, such as myself, cannot insult a lesser gentleman with impunity.”
Emily returned to the bench, and she showed Darcy the excellent stone that she had collected. She climbed into his lap again and put her head on his shoulder and yawned.
“It is near time for her to take a nap?” Darcy asked.
“Yes.”
He sighed, “If I stand to help put her to sleep, I can only carry her on my shoulder for a minute or two.”
“She is still happy to be with you. You do not need to be able to carry her to become a favorite. It is sweet to see.”
“I am so happy. So very happy. It is odd; it is not right. I should not be happy.”
Elizabeth took his hand.
This time Emily did not need to be carried to fall asleep. She looked out at the sea with a glassy-eyed stare, then pressed her face against Darcy’s coat, curled up, and went limp.
The girl looked so much like Elizabeth, yet there was much of Wickham in her. It really would be true, that he would be doing a good thing. If he cared for her, if he raised this child in a way that she would be as happy and well as she could, that would do a little to offset the crime he’d committed.
Elizabeth looked at him in a soft and deeply affectionate way.
And then the fort fired off a twenty-one gun salute to recognize the frigate entering the harbor.
Emily started awake and started sobbing immediately.
Elizabeth groaned and picked her up from Darcy’s lap, and she sangRobin Adairthrough three times, andHush-a-by Babyfour times before Elizabeth gave up and put the alert and cheerful girl down to run about again.
“Oh, well,” Elizabeth laughed as Emily ran off, and Elizabeth sat back down close enough to Darcy that their hips pressed against each other. “I have quickly become used to the ways of wealth. If I were to be the only person able to deal with her tantrum when she becomes too desperately tired to sleep in three hours, I would consider this a disaster.”
“I still insist, though I acknowledge your superior knowledge of children,” Darcy said, “that being too tired to sleep cannot describe the reality of the situation.”
“You have seen how upset she becomes when she refused to nap during the day. Being so upset keeps her from sleeping.”
