“Why, the honour of victory, of being right about my failures. Is that not sufficient?”
“No, but it is likely all I can hope for. Very well, Wickham.”
“Does this mean,” Wickham asked with a hopeful expression, “that I passed your little test, Darcy? You will support me against the army’s charges?”
“It is Fitzwilliam you must convince. I will support whatever he deems fitting.”
Wickham sagged. “Then I am a dead man.”
Chapter sixty-eight
Itwasfourmorehours, and the sun had begun to rise before Fitzwilliam returned to the house. He dragged himself through the door, wearily shrugging off his coat and staring in haggard wonder at Georgiana, who still bustled about the house with the brisk efficiency of a battlefield commander.
“Richard!” she ran to him like the girl she still was. “What news of Mr Gardiner?”
“He will mend, my sweet. Where is Darcy?”
“He is in the library, with Elizabeth. They only just came back down from Lydia’s room.”
“And how is Mrs Wickham faring?”
Georgiana laughed. “Apart from being somewhat intoxicated still, she is tart as ever when she wakes. She asked me to have the dressmaker come measure her for a gown to wear to her sister’s wedding.”
Fitzwilliam gave a fatigued chortle. “Provided she can fight off infection, she may recover well. See that the surgeon attends her regularly. Have the man move into the next room, if you must. Excuse me, Georgie, but I must speak to Darcy.”
He found Darcy collapsed at one end of the sofa. Miss Bennet was curled beside him with her head on his shoulder, and her little slippered feet tucked up on the cushion. Both appeared to be soundly asleep, but at the creak of his foot upon the floorboards, Darcy awoke with a jerk.
“I say, Darcy,” he grunted, “I do hope Mr Bennet is a generous sort.”
Darcy stretched his neck and turned it to admire the woman nestled at his side. “On the contrary, I was hoping that he would rush us to the altar. If you were to have a word with Mrs Bennet, I would count it a very great service.”
“I do not dare. She still has two other daughters.”
Darcy began easing himself from under Elizabeth’s body. She mumbled something in her sleep, and Richard was certain that her eyes opened just a fraction when Darcy spoke her name, but she allowed him to settle her against a pillow. Darcy rose and walked quietly to him, motioning with his head toward the study.
“What is the surgeon’s evaluation?” he demanded quickly.
“It is as I thought. The knife did not penetrate deeply. It has been a few hours, and he can find no signs of internal bleeding, so it appears your future uncle had a lucky escape. It is fortunate that Vasconcelos was in a hurry, for the bump to the head seemed to have incapacitated the gentleman enough that he thought him dead. Gardiner is rousing now and he has taken some broth, so I think he will recover well.”
Darcy released a tense sigh. “That is well… very well, indeed. How are Mrs Gardiner and Mrs Vasconcelos?”
“Mrs Gardiner will have that bruise to her face for a month, at the least, but it does not appear that anything was broken. Amália… forgive me, Darce, I simply cannot call her by her proper name. I offered to escort her here, and she felt her presence had been enough burden to the Gardiners, but Mrs Gardiner would not hear of it. When I left, Amália was taking her turn watching Mr Gardiner while Mrs Gardiner tried to sleep.”
“And the body, I presume, was collected?”
“Yes,” Richard frowned, “but not by Manuel Vasconcelos. It was men from the ship; in fact, I understand that its departure was delayed for that purpose, but they could not tell me where their master was to be found. We ought to have gagged him and dropped him with the regiment. I hate that he escaped.”
“Escaped, perhaps, but not victoriously. He has lost a great deal tonight. Perhaps we should stop by that apartment once more to see if he left the larger part of those papers in his haste. They might reveal where else he had been, and perhaps yield some evidence of his corroboration with the viscount.”
“Perhaps. When do we speak to my father?”
Darcy sighed. “As soon as we can be made presentable, I am afraid. Wickham will attend us.”
Richard tilted his head and gazed speculatively at his cousin. “You have gone and done it, I see.”
“Done what, may I ask?”
“Trusted Wickham again. I see it, you have bought his lies for a fine price, and he shall string you along once more.”
