“My debts are insignificant, so I will have most of my wages left afterward,” Wickham prevaricated.
Forster slammed his fist on his desk. “Wickham, do you take me for a simpleton? You owe more than two hundred and fifty pounds, and I would wager that will pale in insignificance to your debts of honour.”
Before Wickham could try escaping, Colonel Forster summoned his adjutant and some soldiers.
“First, damned Darcy cheats me out of my inheritance, and then he does this to me,” Wickham spat when he saw he was unable to escape. “If he had paid me what he owed me, then I would not have to gain credit.”
“What has Mr Darcy to do with this?” Sir William enquired. “The last I saw or heard from him was at the ball at Netherfield Park in November of last year. As the magistrate, former mayor, and a former merchant, I suggested my fellow citizens check what they are owed before the regiment moves on to Brighton. I had no idea one man could have the amount or the number of debts you do, Lieutenant Wickham.”
Hearing that this had nothing to do with Darcy and that he had not been the reason for checking the debts, mollified Wickham to a certain extent. That still left the problem of his debts being known and having no way to pay them. Damn those Kings! “As I said had Darcy not…”
“Mr Wickham, how many years ago were you denied this inheritance you speak of?” Sir William interrogated.
“Seven or eight years,” Wickham admitted.
“I am afraid I may be too simple, but I do not understand how that pertains to your debts of today?” Sir William queried. “How would you have paid them before you departed Meryton for Brighton? Do you know that unpaid debts like the ones you owe, if unpaid, can beggar tradesmen and ruin them? Surely a man ofintegritywould not be willing to cause such harm?”
“The regiment will pay, butformerlieutenant Wickham will be held in debtor’s prison until he can repay the regiment,” Colonel Forster decided. “Captain Carter, ascertain the debts of honour this man owes.”
As he had been securely tied up, Wickham had no way to escape.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Bennet scratched his head. A bank draft in the amount of one hundred and nine pounds from Mr Darcy on behalf of Mr Bingley had arrived for him.
He never expected to see a return of the money whichJane and Lizzy had urged him to pay out. This was because he was convinced that Bingley had crossed Jane in love and would never be heard from again.
The question was why did he not send the draft himself. How was it that the arrogant Mr Darcy, who had slighted Lizzy, did so? According to Lizzy, Mr Darcy had nothing but disdain for all things Bennet. This did not make sense, and Bennet hated puzzles he could not solve.
However, he was well pleased to have his money back. He had taken the funds from those he had set aside for books and port. Now, he would no longer have to deny himself.
Chapter 15
Within two days of Wickham being taken into custody, three girls, one fifteen, and two fourteen years of age, had been found to have been tricked into surrendering their virtue to the scoundrel. One was the smithy’s daughter, and as that man was braying for blood, Wickham was fortunate he was in the militia’s gaol cell. The other fathers were no less angry, but they were not as big and strong as Paulson, the smithy.
Hattie Phillips had brought word of Mr Wickham’s arrest for his inability to pay his debts to her sister. Fanny had not shared the information with her husband or three daughters who remained at home with them.
On the first Wednesday of April, while the five Bennets at Longbourn were completing the morning meal, Hattie Phillips burst into the dining parlour, out of breath from practically running to the Bennet estate. “Sister, Brother, girls. What news I have! Such an evil man. It was not bad enough that he planned to beggar the tradesmen in Meryton, but he has meddled with at least three girls.” Hattie fell into one of the chairs, her energy having been expended on her walk and then losing her breath as she told her news.
“Aunt Hattie, of whom do you speak?” Lydia demanded brashly.
“Did I not say his name? Why, it is none other than Mr Wickham who we all praised to the skies. He is a devil sent to ruin us all,” Hattie responded.
“You are wrong! George… Mr Wickham is a good, handsome, honest lieutenant in the militia. Now that the freckled Mary King is gone, he has been saved for his one true love,” Lydia insisted.
Up to this point, Bennet had looked on with his usual anticipation of being amused by vulgarity and silliness. He remembered the times Jane and Lizzy had begged him to check his wife but, more importantly, his youngest two daughters. They had claimed that Lydia, especially, would ruin them all. He had laughed at them, but now, he was not so sure they had not been correct. “Lydia, you will sit and be quiet!” Bennet ordered.
Fanny was about to defend her favourite when she saw the glint in her husband’s eye, which told her he would be unreasonable in this. She held her peace.
“Now, Sister, please tell us all,” Bennet requested.
“On Monday, Sir William checked the number of debts outstanding and owing to the shopkeepers because the regiment is to move in less than a fortnight. Many officers…” Hattie revealed that only one officer’s debts were excessive and how much they were. Before she could continue, her youngest niece interpolated.
“If that hateful Mr Darcy had not cheated George out of his…” Lydia stopped when she realised she had called the handsome officer, George.
“We will discuss your familiarity with that man soon enough. Sister, please proceed,” Bennet stated.
“Colonel Forster cashiered him from the regiment and had him locked up,” Hattie continued. “He is fortunate that he is under arrest because Mr Paulson would kill him if he could. Messrs Simkins and Johnson would assist him. It is not talk for young maidens, but you need to know how evil this man is.”
