Forcing her eyes away from the man’s face, Elizabeth examined Lydia to ensure nothing was twisted or broken.
“She’s fine,” she declared with relief, then turned her attention to the man who had saved her sister. “Thank you, sir. Truly.”
The officer smiled. He was strikingly handsome, with golden-brown hair and bright hazel eyes that crinkled pleasantly when he smiled. “It was fortunate I was close by.”
“Fortunate indeed,” Elizabeth said with feeling. “Who are you?”
“I hope you will forgive the impertinence in introducing myself,” he said with a dazzling grin. “In cases such as these, I am certain propriety can be waived. My name is Lieutenant Wickham, newly attached to the Hertfordshire regiment.”
Elizabeth introduced herself and her sisters, watching with quiet amusement as her two younger sisters blushed furiously.
“I have only just arrived in Meryton,” Wickham said with an easy smile. “The country air is quite a change after the last few weeks.”
“Were you in London?” Elizabeth asked, her curiosity piqued.
He nodded. “For a time. It is… not what it was.”
“Nor is Meryton,” Elizabeth said, looking around. “There are never this many people—soldiers or otherwise.”
Wickham gave a small, crooked smile. “Yes, well—when London empties, places like this tend to swell. With so many seeking housing and food, the regiments are receiving a surge of enlistments.”
“I think it is wonderful—so many officers in one place!” Lydia enthused.
At that, Wickham chuckled, though his voice held a note of caution. “Yes, well. Uniforms may look the same, but not all men wear them the same way, especially when there is no time to properly inspect qualifications or letters of reference.”
Elizabeth glanced sideways at Lydia, who was now openly staring at another young soldier leaning against a post. “I imagine the red coat can be… misleading.”
He met her eyes, and for the briefest moment, the charm dropped—just enough for her to glimpse a flicker of something more guarded. “Precisely.”
Before the conversation could go further, the sound of approaching hooves clattering over the cobblestones drew their attention. She turned to see Darcy and Bingley
Bingley reined in his horse first, beaming down at the small group. “Miss Elizabeth! Miss Kitty—Miss Lydia! What a surprise to find you in Meryton this morning. We were just on our way to Longbourn to inquire after Miss Bennet.”
Elizabeth smiled up at him. “Good morning, Mr. Bingley. We have accompanied our parents to visit with our aunt and uncle Philips. Jane and Mary are at home.”
“And how is Miss Bennet?” he asked eagerly.
“Sleeping, sir,” Kitty chimed in helpfully. “Mary is watching her.”
“Ah, I am glad to hear she’s resting.”
Darcy came to a halt beside his friend, his expression unreadable beneath the brim of his hat. Elizabeth’s eyes flicked to his face, noting the slight pinch around his eyes, the pale hue to his skin, and the telltale tension in his jaw. He was pressing his lips tightly together—too tightly. Her heart stirred with concern, but she said nothing. She knew that look now. He was fighting off a cough and did not want it remarked upon.
At that moment, Wickham stepped forward, the sun catching on the gleam of his uniform buttons.
“Darcy,” he said warmly. “Well, this is a surprise.”
Darcy’s eyes flicked to him, but his expression did not change. He gave the faintest inclination of his head, his lips still tightly sealed, and then, without a word, turned his horse and began to ride away at a steady pace.
The silence that followed was palpable.
Wickham blinked. His easy smile faltered, replaced by a flash of something more complex— surprise, perhaps, and somethingsuspiciously like hurt. He masked it a moment later with a chuckle and a shrug. “Well. That’s Darcy, I suppose. Some things never change.”
“I do apologize,” Bingley said, looking back at his departing friend. “I hope to see you all later.”
In an instant, they were gone, leaving Wickham and the three Bennet girls standing in the road.
“La, what was wrong with Mr. Darcy?” exclaimed Lydia. “That was quite rude of him to cut you like that, Mr. Wickham.”
