Page 67

“I thought the men were mainly confined to their camp?”

“It was not a private soldier but one of the officers.”

As they left to return to Netherfield Elizabeth had only to turn to Robert and without a word he set off to discover any additional information, most pertinently the individual concerned. It was late at night before he returned. Claire went to Elizabeth’s chamber.

“Robert has just returned Miss Elizabeth. It was Wickham. Katie confessed to one of her friends. It did not take long for word to get back to her father.”

“Is he going to do something?”

“He wants to, but if anything happens to Wickham he knows suspicion will fall on him immediately. He will not risk being hanged.”

Elizabeth slept little thinking that her sister could be in the same situation as young Katie Green. Later the next day Robert came with a very unusual request.

“Miss Elizabeth, may I have a bottle of ‘blood brandy’ please. The smallest and cheapest bottle.”

Whatever Elizabeth had been expecting it was not that.

“Of course you may. For what purpose?”

“I would prefer for you not to know.”

After a long pause Elizabeth nodded her head.

“Please be safe.”

That evening Mr. Wickham disappeared while returning to the camp. He was never heard from again. That very day Elizabeth shamelessly started to feed snippets of gossip to her aunt about Wickham’s behaviour. Within days the rumour around Meryton, thanks to Mrs. Philips and Mrs. Jessop, was that Wickham had deserted on account of being stuck as a Lieutenant. His inability to be promoted to Captain was believed and accepted as the reason for his absconding. The truth was very different.

“Mr. Green has a young son, Katie’s brother Stephen, who is 12. He is a big lad though, from helping his father. Mr. Green played his part to perfection. He announced he had won the bottle of ‘blood brandy’ and opened the bottle to all his friends at the Inn. Wickham was there but left in a huff when he was not offered any of the brandy. Mr. Green was there all night along with half a dozen witnesses. Meanwhile Stephen had their cart loaded with two wheels that would normally be sent by carter. Stephen tried to run Wickham down as he approached him, forcing Wickham to jump out of the way. Conveniently close to my cosh. One minute later the two of us were on the road to London with Wickham tied up and gagged, hidden by a tarpaulin under the two wheels and the associated hubs and spare spokes.

“Four hours later we stopped at the back door of the Sailor’s Delight and dropped him off. The madam sent a note to the Impressment Squad, that there was an easy picking passed out in her establishment and an hour later Mr. Wickham woke up as a landsman on one of His Majesty’s Ships. The ship left on the morning tide. We had to wait to deliver the wheels but we were back in Meryton by 2.00.”

Elizabeth smile was full of joy and relief.

“Claire, as I am not allowed you may hug your husband for both of us.”

Elizabeth spent little money herself, she had nothing to spend it on that would not excite immediate comment, so that evening Robert received a bonus equal to six month’s pay. Mr. Wickham had been dealt with, but there had still been significant risk. Mr. Bennet never understood why he got such a good deal from Mr. Green after that.

Mr. Wickham’s departure dealt with one problem, and although risky it was easier than the one that remained in Hertfordshire. Lydia could not be dealt with in the same way. She needed better parenting than constantly being referred to as either ‘one of the silliest girls in the kingdom’ or ‘lively’. Without support and reinforcement from her parents there was nothing Elizabeth could do to improve Lydia, or Kitty. How long would it be before someone similar to Wickham had her in his gaze.

--

Elizabeth’s first Christmas at Longbourn in five years was not a joyous occasion. To an outside observer, all the trappings were the same but there was something missing, the aforementioned joy. If not for Mary then Elizabeth would have been lonely in a house full of people. Lydia and Kitty were bemoaning the disappearance of Wickham. His suspected desertion had the whole camp under tighter discipline and neither young woman had been able to flirt with officers in more than a week. Mrs. Bennet still found time each day to berate Elizabeth while commiserating with her two youngest. Mr. Bennet was a hermit in his own house, seen only at meals and austere and remote from his wife and all his children. Elizabeth was no longer his favourite, he favoured none of his children now. Her mocking of Mr. Collins with the story of Henry II and Thomas Becket had disturbed him more than she realised. To have one of his daughters openly mocking, it could easily be argued she was threatening, a clergyman in his house had been very disconcerting. Mr. Bennet was all witty word play and subtle, often hidden, meanings; Elizabeth had once emulated him, using his methods to gain favour with her father, but now was a verbal broadside in comparison. To add to the tension in the house, Jane had received a letter from Miss Bingley confirming that the Netherfield Park was closed and that the Bingleys would not be returning. As an unmarried woman Jane Bennet could not receive letters from an unmarried gentleman, so Miss Bingley was a needed intermediary. Her words to Jane on paper were significantly different to those of her brother when he spoke to her. Regardless of the content of the letter, which Jane did not share with Elizabeth, Jane blamed Elizabeth for the Bingleys leaving. The passing weeks had diminished the words of Miss Bingley and sharpened Elizabeth’s own retorts. Elizabeth hid in her room much of the day, Claire her companion.

“I know it is not fair Miss Elizabeth but your sister is worried about her future. Her closest friend is getting married at the end of January, to the heir of this estate no less. Miss Bennet can see herself in the same situation as Miss Lucas in five years. Mr. Bingley has an oversized importance to her future, to her very happiness.”

“I know that this is going to sound very whiny, I accept that censure, but my family is extremely selective of the actions and events it remembers. I nursed Jane for three days straight, cooled her brow, changed her clothes when they were soaked in sweat, I hardly slept for three days and it is all but forgotten. Never mind the issue I discovered several days later that it was Mrs. Bennet’s idea for Jane to ride on Buttercup in the first place, all so that she could be trapped overnight at Netherfield Park. Jane went along with the idea, got chilled and again, all conveniently swept under the carpet. But bad Lizzie was rude to her Gorgonic hostess and suddenly it is all her fault.”

Elizabeth went to kick her dressing table in frustration but remembered her recently bruised foot in time to stop herself. She inelegantly slumped down on her chair. She looked at Claire who was clearly struggling to maintain a straight face.

“Oh let it out. I know I was being whiny.”

There was no sound but Claire did smile broadly.

“Has Miss Bennet shared any of the letter with Miss Mary?”

“No, at least I do not think so. Mary has made no mention of the letter.”

Claire looked at Elizabeth. Something needed to be done.