“Will Georgiana face any repercussions from the law?”
“No, I do not believe so. The law shall not even be involved unless he expires. For now, it is regarded as a break-in, and he was injured in self-defense. We can only hope and pray that Wickham survives. Not the least reason is that I should hate for Georgiana to carry the burden of his death upon her conscience for the rest of her life.”
“No indeed. Let us pray he survives.” She turned the subject. “Will the matter keep you away all day?”
“No, I believe not. Richard and Anne shall join us for a late luncheon. I have already informed Cook.”
He kissed Elizabeth, and then he was gone.
Elizabeth was awake now, yet she thought it best not to leave Georgiana alone in the hiding place. She whiled away the time searching through the drawers of a large dresser and discovered several miniatures there: Fitzwilliam, Georgiana as a child of about five, a tall, elegant blond, perhaps Lady Anne, and his father, Graham Darcy. She was studying them and several others when Georgiana spoke.
“Elizabeth?”
She turned. “Good morning, Georgiana. It is after eight. Are you hungry?”
The girl sat up. “Yes. I am famished. I had eaten only part of my dinner when George Wickham entered my parlor.” She raised a hand to her throat.
Elizabeth’s expression softened. “Your neck is bruised.”
“Yes. He intended to throttle me until I became insensible, and then he meant to carry me away with him.”
The two women remained within the hidden room while Georgiana recounted the assault she had suffered. As she spoke, she trembled and wept. Elizabeth moved to her side and held her. She herself felt deep anger toward the man who had brought so much misery upon both the Bennets and the Darcys. The lives of two young girls had been forever altered by the depravity of one evil man.
Surprisingly, the girl recovered enough spirits to ask about Lord Dunwich. Elizabeth gave her an abbreviated account suitable foryounger ears. Georgiana was gratified to learn that Fitzwilliam had used his fists against Lord Dunwich and that the gentleman would most likely be going abroad.
“Lizzy, perhaps his time abroad shall improve him, and he will return older, wiser, and a better man.”
Elizabeth said, “Perhaps it will.” Then she added, “The same may be hoped for Mr. Wickham. He may learn to work and to take responsibility for himself on that continent. He has always known that the head of the Darcy family would rescue him from whatever difficulties he brought upon himself. In a new country, he may learn to labor with his own hands and provide for his own needs.”
Georgiana said, “Yes, perhaps. You should have seen his eyes when he spoke of commanding my forty-thousand-pound dowry.” She turned to search Elizabeth’s face. “Lizzy, is Mr. Wickham going to die?”
“It is too early to say, dearest. Fitzwilliam shall let us know. He and Richard went to St. Bartholomew’s this morning. We shall hear of his condition soon enough.”
“I hope he does not die. I do not know whether I could bear the knowledge that I killed a man.”
Elizabeth embraced the young girl. “He is a strong young man, dear. I believe it will take far more than this to kill him. He is in hospital receiving the best care. Fitzwilliam has already learned of a government transport ship sailing for Australia in May. If he is looking into arrangements for Mr. Wickham’s transportation, then matters cannot be quite so grave. Let us wait and see what transpires.”
Elizabeth shivered. “Come, Georgiana. Let us go upstairs and dress. Your cousins shall soon arrive for luncheon.”
When they inquired, Mrs. Nichols informed them that Mr. Darcy had ordered everything moved to another chamber the previous evening. She conducted the two ladies to Georgiana’s new room and explained that Mr. Darcy had selected it himself. Mrs. Nichols assured them that Jenny would soon bring up Georgiana’s bath water and that Gibbs would carry up Elizabeth’s directly.
After the housekeeper withdrew, Georgiana closed the door and said, “Help me find the secret stair. Fitzwilliam says there is more than one hidden stair in this house, and I am certain he has selected this new chamber with that in mind.” She squeezed Elizabeth’s hand. “He is such a thoughtful brother.”
The two women searched the room but could not discover the concealed entrance. Georgiana’s expression was earnest as she said, “I feel especially safe in this room, Lizzy. If you and I cannot find the secret stair despite knowing one exists, then I need not fear for my safety.”
At the hospital, a nurse escorted the two gentlemen to Wickham’s bedside. Darcy took one look at the man’s pale face and turned to Richard.
“Is he alive?”
Richard bent down and touched their old friend’s wrist. “I can feel his pulse, though it is very weak.”
“He lost a great quantity of blood. Dr. Barnes says he is dangerously weakened, but we shall know within the next few days whether he survives the hemorrhage.”
When the nurse left the bedside, Darcy turned to Richard. “It is difficult to remember that George was one of my closest friends throughout my boyhood.”
Richard grunted. “Yes. Phillip and I were fond of him as well. He was an amiable boy, and we always looked forward to spending the summers at Pemberley with the two of you. He felt more like a cousin than the steward’s son.”
“Yes, it was the same for me. He became a different man once his eye turned toward women. When he impregnated the upper chamber maid, everything changed. What was her name?”
