Wickham peered more closely, just long enough to ascertain that Georgiana was, indeed, present and without any further male escort. He swung his feet off the bed, slapping the round rump under the covers as he did so. The girl gave a squeak, and then a fair curly head popped up from beneath the blanket.
“I’m going out,” he announced. “Call up for tea, and make sure to tip well.” He dumped a pile of coins on the bedside table. Darcy’s money was ensuring that he could live in secrecy and in style, hidden right under the man’s nose.
Onceintown,theparties broke up even further. Bingley, with a sly smile, drew Jane into a local watch and jeweller’s establishment. Jane blushed, but it was not as though their visit would give rise to any further rumours about the couple than already ran rampant.
Kitty and Lydia had already descended upon the milliner’s shop, and they were joined later by Georgiana and Mary. Georgiana, lightly teasing Mary, promised herself that she would see the plainest of the Bennet girls decked out most becomingly by the end of her stay. She suspected that Mary’s unwillingness was largely a show, and with gentle prodding, she coaxed the other girl to accompany her.
Elizabeth shrugged with a grin and offered to lead Anne to the book seller’s, which was a favourite establishment of hers. Anne agreed with enthusiasm. The pair rapidly became lost among the shelves, admiring the new arrivals and affectionately touching old favourites. Anne’s face shone. She had scarcely been permitted the liberty of making her own selections. The Rosings library was as well-stocked as its dowager mistress deemed fitting, and it was always a struggle to obtain anything new. Darcy’s birthday and Christmas gifts had always been her primary sources of interesting material, and Lady Catherine had been far from objecting to any gifts from that quarter.
Elizabeth picked up one new leather-bound novel, turning it over with curious eyes. The title piqued her interest, but the place for the author’s name simply read “By A Lady.” She fingered the pages, skimming a couple of the paragraphs and chuckling at the author’s dry wit. It reminded her very much of her father. She enjoyed novels on occasion but wondered briefly if her serious-minded betrothed would object to her continued pursuit of that guilty pleasure.
Anne came up behind her. “Oh, I have that one! Darcy gave it to me for Christmas last year. Mother said it was shameful. I think you would like it, Elizabeth,” she grinned bashfully.
Well, so much for worry over Darcy’s disapproval! Anne took the book from Elizabeth’s hands with a shy smile while the latter cocked a curious brow.
Drawing out her reticule, Anne walked that book, as well as a second by the same “Lady,” up to the counter. “An engagement gift,” she informed her future cousin. Laughing lightly, Elizabeth thanked her.
Arm in arm, the pair eventually moved on out of the booksellers. A glance in the windows of both the milliner and the dressmaker confirmed that the remainder of their party might well have already made their way home. Anne’s surprise was mild until Elizabeth informed her that Kitty and Lydia never, ever parted from either shop in under half an hour.
“Were we really so long?” Anne laughed. “I do believe I was enjoying myself too much!”
They sauntered casually through the small town, passing each little row of shops, then set out for Longbourn once more. Their quiet afternoon together had served to allow them a chance to become better acquainted than weeks in a formal drawing room might have. Elizabeth gestured to the building they approached, arching a watchful brow at the other young woman. “That is the residence of my aunt and uncle Philips. His legal offices are on the lower level.”
Anne visibly gulped, blinked twice, and paled slightly. Darcy approved of Miss Bennet, and she would do the same, but a lifetime under her mother’s rule had left its mark. It would take some while to overcome her ingrained disdain of Elizabeth’s low connections, but she determined to give it her every effort. “That… that must be very agreeable to have family so near,” she managed diplomatically.
Elizabeth flashed the beguiling smile which had no doubt so enthralled Darcy. “Indeed.”
Elizabeth turned her face away for a moment to glance far down the street where Kitty and Lydia were just emerging from a second, smaller dress shop down the way. They had already attracted the notice of two officers. She shook her head in some embarrassment and began to turn back to Anne when the other’s arm was jerked roughly away from her.
Chapter 33
Elizabethreeledback,staggeredslightly by the shoulder of a man as he brushed between them and pushed Anne backward against the very building Elizabeth had just pointed out to her. Anne spun about to escape, but the man’s arm detained her.
“Georgiana!” Elizabeth easily recognized George Wickham’s silky tones. “I looked for you in London, but you were not where you said you—gnnggghhh!” His words strangled back into his throat when Elizabeth made a snatch at the back of his collar, dragging him away from Anne.
Wickham turned with a grimace and swiped Elizabeth off of him as though she had been no more than a fly, but it diverted his attention long enough for Anne to collect herself. Employing a move she had seen often threatened by her mother, she swung her reticule—loaded with coins—to box him in the ear. Wickham yelped in surprise but was not greatly discouraged.
Ducking a second blow, he wrapped his hands around Anne’s waist and pressed her up against the Philips’ residence. Before Elizabeth could reach for him again, he had locked the other woman in a passionate kiss, right before the entire town. Anne’s hands helplessly flew up in a warding gesture, her small fists falling like pattering rain on Wickham’s shoulders. Elizabeth gathered her wits and her weapons. Her heavy new books swung at the back of his lungs from their convenient canvas satchel took the zeal out of him.
Wickham made a choking sound and spun to face her, one hand still roughly clenching Anne’s arm and the other reaching to seize Elizabeth’s striking hand. “Why, it is the future Mrs Darcy! Good day, Miss Bennet. What kind of way is this to greet your future brother?”
Anne twisted away sharply and spun to glare Wickham down with all the scalding iciness of the de Bourgh heritage. “Whoexactlydo you think I am?” she demanded, her head thrown back furiously.
Wickham glanced nonchalantly away from Elizabeth to make a reply but swirled in a double-take and fixed his incredulous gaze on Anne. “Anne!” Wickham’s face paled, and Elizabeth took advantage of his distraction to yank her hand free.
Anne had not spent seven and twenty years under her mother’s tutelage for nothing. She marched imperiously closer. “That isMissAnne de Bourghto you, Mr Wickham! What excuse have you for this attack on my person?”
“Forgive me, I thought you were…” he gulped and broke off. He could have sworn it was Georgiana! Anne de Bourgh, the near-dead pawn of the officious Lady Catherine, walking and laughing merrily in this insignificant town with none other than her avowed rival for Darcy’s hand? He took a step back.
Elizabeth glanced about as her peripheral vision caught movement. Her stomach pitted. Everyone on the street had seen Wickham’s assault on Anne, and naturally, quite a few curious onlookers began to gather and whisper behind their gloves. She made a swift decision.
“You thought she was what, Mr Wickham? One of your loose women? One of your paid companions?” Elizabeth fisted her hand on her hip and leaned threateningly toward him. “Howdareyou insult a lady in this way?”
Wickham was stepping back from them now, slowly, with his hands lifting in an unconscious gesture of supplication. Elizabeth was not finished. She stalked after him, now waving her finger.
“I know how you treat ladies, Mr Wickham! I know you are in debt—probably to half of the good people of this town! I know how you ought to have been a successful attorney by now, but you are a reckless gamester with no principles and cannot even make a respectable militia officer! I know how you try to manipulate and harm others through deceit and extortion! You oil your way into others’ good graces and slander good, decent people like the Darcys because of your insatiable jealousy! You could have had every opportunity, Mr Wickham, but you squandered your chances in ruin and dissipation!”
Wickham had continued backing away from the wrathful Elizabeth, his eyes wide. Heavens, but she was magnificent when riled! Her colour was heightened, her eyes flashed, and her bearing reflected majestic sovereignty and righteous passion. Darcy had better be careful! His steps dragged reluctantly. She had astounded him in her willingness to loudly and publicly castigate him rather than flee in modesty as he had expected of a lady. What glorious sort of woman would unabashedly stand up to a man on a public thoroughfare? A pity that this masterpiece, too, should, in the end, belong to Darcy.
