Fitzwilliam started at her words. “You are right, my dear,” he whispered back. Louder, he spoke for all to hear. “George, I believe you should discuss with Mother what we were just speaking of, and Richard, we may need twice as many men as I suggested earlier.”
“Whatever are you speaking of, Fitzwilliam?” Lady Anne asked.
“Why?” George inquired.
Elizabeth spoke. “We should all return to the study. There is more to consider here. But Lady Anne needs to know what we know.”
Everyone returned to the study, and Fitzwilliam shut the door behind him. Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam sat beside each other and silently held hands while George grudgingly explained Wickham’s threat and subsequent actions.
Lady Anne was surprised at the actions of her husband’s godson. She had never cared for the boy and knew Fitzwilliam had refused to room with him at university after that first year, but not the reasons. To discover that George Wickham was a profligate and a scoundrel came as little surprise, but knowing her son had followed his example for a time came as a shock. “George!” she reprimanded her son. “You knew better than to behave in that manner.”
“I was never as bad as Wickham and am now attempting to improve. I was never as bad as some of my companions—other first sons—and Father’s passing meant I could not participate as often as I would have liked. It forced me to behave more responsibly than I might have without the weight of Pemberley on me. I have wished for Fitz’s luck in being a second son many times,” George replied.
“Still, I know your father and I taught you to be a better man than this, although, perhaps not, since Wickham also ended up as he did. Fitzwilliam always knew he would have to make his own way. While he inherited an estate upon marriage, he spent several years learning a career. Instead of wasting the funds he inherited from his father, he invested them.” She turned to smile at her son and daughter-in-law. “His investments have turned out very well for him since they also helped him to obtain a wife,” she teased.
Elizabeth blushed. “I am very thankful that my uncle was able to introduce me to Fitzwilliam,” she replied. “His investments withmy uncle worked out well for all of us, I think.” She laid her head on his shoulder, and he smiled down fondly at her.
George and Richard groaned. “Enough, you two,” Richard complained. “You are miserably happy, we know, and you make us all miserable when you put those besotted looks on your faces.”
Fitzwilliam laughed. “Miserably happy?” he questioned. “I am not certain I have ever heard those two words used in such close proximity. I am happy, yes, and will even admit to being besotted. But miserable—not at all.” He smiled affectionately at his wife again, evoking yet another groan from the gentlemen.
“Enough,” George said again. “Mother, Richard will help us hire a few men to accompany us to Hertfordshire. Elizabeth has agreed”—he looked to his brother to confirm this—“to curtail her tendency to walk alone, and I ask that if you and Georgiana leave the house for any reason, you take at least two of these men with you. Richard will hire at least six, although eight or even ten would be preferable. That would allow for two protectors for each lady, and their presence should be enough to deter Wickham from attempting anything. Do you know where the miniature of Wickham is? At one point, it was in Father’s study along with his miniatures of me and Fitzwilliam. I do not believe he ever had one of Georgiana, at least not here in London.”
“It may be in his former chambers,” Lady Anne replied. “I begin to believe it is time I clean out your father’s chambers—he has been gone for more than two years, and it is time you took your rightful place both here and at Pemberley.”
“That is unnecessary, Mother,” George protested. “Perhaps when I decided to marry, but even then, I am not certain I would want to force you to give up the rooms you shared with Father.While it may be good for you to go through Father’s things, do not do so because you believe I need the master suite.”
Lady Anne merely nodded, determined to continue this conversation later, perhaps after they returned to Pemberley. She had been clinging to her husband’s memory, but it was time for her to move forward. However, right now, they had more important things to concern them as they travelled to Netherfield and then on to Pemberley.
“If things are not settled with Wickham when we depart from Hertfordshire, do you intend to retain these men to protect us?” she asked.
The men all looked at each other. “Yes,” Fitzwilliam answered. “At least, I will. I know, Elizabeth, that you would not like to have your movement restricted, but I do hope you know that protecting you is the most important thing to me. If, for some reason, we do not resolve the situation with Wickham before we leave for Oakridge, we will need to continue to employ two or three of these men to continue to protect you.” Elizabeth nodded her agreement.
George also nodded. “I will do the same. We are all travelling together to Oakridge, as neither Mother nor I have seen your estate yet, but when we return to Pemberley, I will want several men to accompany us. Wickham is familiar with our estate, and I want to ensure Mother and Georgiana are safe from whatever Wickham might attempt.”
Lady Anne agreed with her sons. “My brother may have the means to assist in locating someone to address the issue of Wickham’s impressment. It would be prudent for you to speak with him this evening, Richard,” she suggested. “The earl never held Wickham in high esteem and disapproved of my husband’spartiality towards him. I, too, had reservations, but my ability to express them was limited, given my husband’s deep respect for the elder Mr. Wickham. However, since Wickham poses a threat to our family, we must take every possible measure to ensure he cannot harm any of us, including safeguarding Elizabeth’s family in Hertfordshire.”
Lady Anne invited their guests to join them for dinner, though all declined. Elizabeth considered agreeing but did not want to put her housekeeper and cook out as they planned to eat at home that night. Richard would contact George and Fitzwilliam the next day once he found men for them to hire and would follow the rest of the Darcy family to Hertfordshire a day or two after they departed.
It feltodd to Elizabeth to arrive at Netherfield, so close to Longbourn, without the intention of visiting or staying at her childhood home. When they disembarked from their carriage, they were greeted by Mr. Livesay and two of his friends. Viscount Travis, whom Elizabeth had met before her marriage, was to stand up with the groom while the other came to get away from London for a few days. Several members of Mr. Livesay’s family, his mother and his married sister, would arrive in the days leading up to the wedding.
While in the area, there were places Elizabeth longed to revisit, and she hoped to convince her husband to accompany her to a few. She had not been in Hertfordshire for months, and even then, Hertfordshire had barely felt like home after hergrandmother died. She would like to visit the dower house where she lived once more and, of course, to visit Oakham Mount.
That incline was the highest point near her home, and she loved to walk there in the mornings to watch the sun rise over the countryside. There were far better places to watch the sunrise in Dovedale, and she had explored a few with her husband in the short weeks they had stayed at Oakridge. Learning to ride made these expeditions easier, though she still hoped to spend at least one morning at Oakham Mount to say a final goodbye to her childhood.
Fitzwilliam knew of her desire and intended to make it happen. However, he worried doing so would make it easy for Wickham to find them and made plans to ensure the men they hired would accompany them. Elizabeth agreed to ride rather than walk, and they were to make the journey the first morning at Netherfield.
Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam arose early and, attired in comfortable clothing, made their way to the stables where their horses had already been readied. The previous night, they had arranged for a picnic breakfast to be packed into saddlebags secured behind the saddle on Fitzwilliam’s horse. Horses for their guards had also been prepared, complete with water and a flask of coffee.
The guards maintained a discreet distance behind the couple, though Elizabeth could not help but be keenly aware of their presence. She regretted that such precautions were necessary, as she hoped for a more private introduction to these cherished places. Nevertheless, she consoled herself with the thought that she could still savour these moments one last time and appreciated her husband’s efforts to make them happen.
Finally arriving at the base of the mount, Elizabeth brought her horse to a stop. “We should dismount here, my love,” she told him.
He did as she suggested and moved to help her down. His hands lingered on her waist as they were somewhat hidden from the guards where they stood. Leaning down, he kissed first her lips, then her nose. “If not for the guards, I would enjoy loving you here,” he whispered. “Perhaps once we arrive home, we will be able to find some isolated locations for the purpose.”
Fitzwilliam was delighted when she blushed brightly at his words. “Come, dearest, you are not still bashful with me, are you now?”
“Outside, Will?” she asked. ‘Are you certain you would wish it?”
