“I believe in love, even if I have never felt it, nor have I ever met a woman I felt enough for to rhapsodise, as you have been doing about your intended. Despite its brevity, I can see the connection between you and feel envious that I have yet to find a woman who inspires such devotion.”
Elizabeth blushed brightly as this conversation took place around her. “I should return to Longbourn. If Colonel Forster has already arrived, the house will be in an uproar, and Jane will need my help to calm everyone. If you come, Colonel Fitzwilliam, I apologise in advance for my family. I am certain you will not see them at their best this morning.”
“I think most families would struggle if they learned a villain in their midst sought to do them harm. I will attempt to speak to your younger sisters to impress upon them the danger Wickham poses. Perhaps they will listen since I am wearing my uniform.” The colonel winked at Elizabeth as he said this, recalling the favour Darcy had asked of him about speaking to Elizabeth’s youngest sisters.
Elizabeth sighed deeply. “I hope so, Colonel. Nothing Jane or I have said to them has sunk in, but perhaps hearing it from you will work. William, I suppose you will remain close by for now, though my walking to meet you will not be wise until Mr. Wickham has been located.”
“You are correct, my love,” Darcy said, capturing Elizabeth in his embrace. She blushed, apparently embarrassed by the colonel witnessing this display, but did not pull away. “Be safe, my darling, and I will find a way to see you. Do not go anywhere alone. Forster should leave a guard, but regardless, I will supplement whatever he leaves. It may take a day or two to arrange matters to my satisfaction, and once that is done, perhaps we can return to our meetings.”
“You will not be safe alone either, William,” Elizabeth protested. “You must be cautious.”
“I will, dearest. My saddlebags contain two pistols that are easily accessible as I ride, but I will take care not to be alone, either. Wickham has never been able to beat me in a fair fight, but he is also disinclined to play fair when he can help it. I have, however, learned a few tricks that I doubt he is aware of that should level the playing field a bit more.”
“Oh, do be careful, William,” she cried again, but he stopped her protest with a kiss. Fitzwilliam chuckled quietly before he turned his back on the couple and gave them a few moments of privacy.
Finally, he coughed. “Yes, well, Darcy, I need to get Miss Bennet home, and you need to go to Netherfield to tell Bingley about the change of plans and have the carriage unloaded. I dare say you have several letters to write, and you also intended to pay a call on Miss Bennet’s uncle,” Fitzwilliam said once he had the couple’s attention.
Darcy scowled at the reminder but, after another brief kiss, released Elizabeth. “I love you, my dearest. Be safe and know that we will ensure Wickham does not harm you or your family. And remember, no matter what happens, I will marry you. Never doubt that, Elizabeth.”
She smiled tenderly at him through her tears. “I love you too, William, and I will be waiting for you on October seventh, no matter what happens in the meantime.”
With those words, the three separated, with Colonel Fitzwilliam escorting Elizabeth to Longbourn and Darcy heading to Meryton to visit Mr. Phillips. Then, he would return to Netherfield, where he had several letters to write.
Chapter Seventeen
Upon arriving at home, Elizabeth burst into the study accompanied by Colonel Fitzwilliam. Colonel Forster was already there explaining to her father about Wickham’s escape from the gaol.
“What do you mean, Colonel?” her father asked. “How does that man’s escape affectmyfamily?”
Without waiting for an introduction, Colonel Fitzwilliam jumped into to explain. “He was arrested in your home, sir, and was in the process of assaulting your daughter. Wickham is aware of Darcy’s intentions toward her. The officer guarding him heard him mention several times his intention to get revenge on Darcy as well as Miss Elizabeth. I am afraid that he has become unhinged at the thought of finally receiving the punishment due to him. He would not hesitate to ruin another of your daughters if he thought it would prevent Darcy’s marriage to Miss Elizabeth. Darcy is determined to marry Miss Elizabeth regardless, but…”
“You mean this whole mess is due to Mr. Darcy? The reason my daughters and family are threatened is due to that disagreeableman and his intentions toward my daughters. As if I needed another reason to keep him away from my family …” he ranted. “And you, you speak of him familiarly. Are you a friend of his? How do you know that cad?”
Both men ignored Elizabeth’s quick indrawn breath at this.
“Darcy is my cousin and is the furthest thing imaginable from a cad,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said hotly in defence of his cousin. He is an honourable man who loves your daughter very much. He is ready to face the wrath of my parents and our aunt and take on the entire ton if need be to marry your daughter. He will not allow any possible ruin of any of your daughters to deter him; the only thing that will turn him away is Miss Elizabeth sending him away. And she is nearly as stubborn as he.”
“Pah!” her father challenged. “All rich young men are the same, taking what they can and avoiding being entangled as long as possible. Mr. Darcy only claims he wants to marry my daughter until she gives in to him. If he remains in the area, it will be him who is a danger to my daughters, not this militia lieutenant. He has escaped from a military gaol and would be a fool to remain in the area. I sincerely doubt my daughters have anything to fear from him.”
Colonel Forster had watched the conversation between the two men uneasily and finally spoke for the first time, apparently forgetting about Elizabeth’s presence in the room. “Mr. Bennet, Colonel Fitzwilliam is correct in his assessment of this situation. I cannot speak to Mr. Darcy’s character, as I have only met him a few times, but I can say that the lieutenant’s character leaves much to be desired. He has seduced several girls in town apparently, and was priming others, one as young as fourteen, to take their virtue as well. There are presently three girls, daughters of tradesmen in the area, who each claim he promisedto marry them but insisted they keep it a secret until he could earn a promotion. According to all three, he told them he would earn a captaincy after the militia departed for Brighton. Once he had that, he claimed he would be able to support a wife and would come back for them. All claim he had only stolen a kiss or two so far; however, he told the others he would take what he wanted from them. According to his friends, he intends to marry a wealthy woman and would not settle for such paltry dowries as those girls offered. I am certain you have heard about his engagement to Mary King, which was broken when her uncle took her away from the area.”
Her father shook his head obstinately. “I will permit you to leave your men nearby in case he does attempt something, but as I said, only a fool would remain where he is expected. I will say nothing to my daughters; they would not bother to listen anyway,” he replied tersely. “Now go so that I might return to my books. Colonel Fitzwilliam, I am not certain how you met my daughter Elizabeth, but since you are a cousin of Darcy’s, I expect you not to speak to her and not attempt to pass any messages from your cousin. He will soon lose interest and depart this area if he cannot see or speak to her.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam laughed. “You, sir, are a fool. Believe that if you wish, but I can guarantee you, once Miss Elizabeth reaches her majority, my cousin will return, and the two will wed. I suggest you decide if that day will be the last time you see your daughter because if she marries against your wishes, she will no doubt not desire to return. Given your cavalier attitude toward her safety and that of her sisters, I cannot fault her.”
With that, Fitzwilliam led Elizabeth from the study, followed by Colonel Forster. She looked back to see her father standing insurprise at having been called a fool in his own home, but he made no protest and she allowed herself to be led out.
Since encounteringWickham abusing a tenant’s daughter when they were fifteen, Darcy had held himself to a rigid sense of morality. He had not engaged in the pastimes common to many at Cambridge, and his quiet and studious nature had earned him the nickname “The Monk.” Both Fitzwilliam and Darcy believed Wickham started that as a way to mock him for his stance and to eventually force him to do something to prove the nickname incorrect. Had he accomplished the latter, both men were certain Wickham would have used the information to blackmail him or to give him something to accuse him of to the elder Mr. Darcy.
As it was, Darcy had been well respected and received all manner of awards at school. Some continued to tease him about his lack of experience in this area, even now, though Darcy withstood it all with his stoicism. It had become such a habit to avoid the vices that Wickham had perfected that Darcy could not imagine doing otherwise.
Until Elizabeth.
Elizabeth tempted him beyond reason, and the kisses they had exchanged surely were designed to drive him to the very brink of madness. The thought of abstaining until their wedding day was a constant source of tribulation, as every kiss threatened to set him ablaze. Her father’s refusal and the intensity of his desire prompted contemplation of an immediate escape to the Scottishborder with Elizabeth, both as a means of shielding her from the danger presented by Wickham and to appease the nearly overwhelming longing that overcame him in her presence.
However, at the moment, he was settled into the library at Netherfield, a glass of Bingley’s whiskey in his hand and a book in his lap as he manfully struggled to control his imaginings. His cousin found him in this position, and Darcy was thankful the book was doing its job. However, his cousin’s words put a damper on his longing as quickly as they raised his ire.
“Bennet is a damned fool,” he began nearly as soon as he entered the room.
