“What is this business and why must you speak with my father? I hoped we would not keep secrets from each other.”
“Please trust me, Miss Bennet, this letter requires your father’s perusal. If after reading it he wishes you to be aware of the contents, then I shall tell you. For the present, I will not betray his confidence.”
“I have a bad feeling about all of this, Mr. Darcy. Will you be in London long?”
“No, I do not believe so, but then again, I cannot be certain, so I will plan to be away at least one night and perhaps two.”
“You are walking too fast for me to keep up with you, sir.”
“And you are correct. My stride is much greater than your own. I am just blessed that you are a great walker. Is this a better pace?”
“It is for a few minutes but you can walk faster after that and I will try to keep up with you. Will this letter make my father mad?”
“We shall soon know the answer, but I imagine he will be troubled by reading it.”
Elizabeth was concerned, for though she knew not what the letter contained, Darcy said it was not good news. Now she thought of what this news might mean. Would Jane and Bingley still marry, and what of her and Mr. Darcy?
They entered the house lightly so as not to waken the others. She could see the candle lit in her father’s library. “Come in Lizzy,” he responded to her knock.
“Papa, Mr. Darcy needs to speak with you regarding a post he just received. Shall I send him in?”
“Yes, Lizzy, please send him in.”
Elizabeth ushered him into the library and then retreated to the sitting room as the men spoke.
“Mr. Bennet, I just received this express minutes ago. Though it is for me, you need to be aware of it as there are decisions to be made that involve you.”
Mr. Bennet had no idea what the gentleman meant but offered Mr. Darcy a seat and then began to read the letter.
21 December 1812
Mr. Darcy,
I have just returned from Ireland with Mr. Wickham. I understand this is not what you expected to read, but he told me that Miss Lydia Bennet did not survive when the ship sank during a sudden and violent storm. He said that they were not married but that if you would be willing to pay him some monies to keep him quiet on that subject, that he would agree and forever would be silent on the matter.
Per your earlier instructions, I contacted your cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam and he presently has Mr. Wickham secured at Darcy House under the watchful eyes of two large footmen.
I ask that you return to London post haste as the colonel has booked passage for Wickham aboard a ship sailing to Australia. I am afraid he has been heavy handed in trying to convince Wickham that this trip to Australia was in his best interest, but you need to return. The ship leaves the morrow at three from the 12th street pier near Cheapside.
Hurry Darcy, a decision is needed before the ship leaves.
T. J. Fellows
Mr. Bennet ran his fingers through the little hair that remained on his head and then went for his sideburns. Thank you for informing me, Mr. Darcy. The man’s hand trembled as he handed the letter to Darcy and he could not hide the hurt in his eyes.
“If it is your intent to travel to town, then I should like to come with you and speak to that reprobate.”
“Yes, Mr. Bennet, but first I shall return to Netherfield and get my coach. You will then ride with me but I suggest you prepare for two nights of lodging before we can return to Longbourn.”
“What does Lizzy know of the letter, Mr. Darcy?”
“She knows nothing. I said you should make the decision on who else might read it.”
“My answer is that none read the letter, Mr. Darcy. This is a delicate issue to deal with. You and I will discuss it as we ride to town. I see you and Lizzy walked so I shall have a servant run you over to Netherfield and I will be awaiting your return.”
Minutes later Darcy turned to Elizabeth and told her that her father and him would soon be leaving for town. Mr. Bennet next asked her to tell the others he was on business to see about some news he had just received. Elizabeth saw that both men were worried and grabbed Darcy’s arm before he left. “Please return, Mr. Darcy,” she said while trying to keep her tears in check. “I do not know how I would get on if you wished to never return.”
His reply was a smile and a gentle hug before leaving. “I should never leave you like that. Once I made that mistake, but I have learnt from it.” He felt the softness of her hand as she gently squeezed his arm before he left. Now she watched as he climbed onto the carriage to return to Netherfield to prepare for the trip to town.
In less than an hour, Darcy returned with the coach and Mr. Bennet joined him inside. Except forElizabeth, the others knew nothing of why he and Darcy had left for town. Elizabeth was left to break the news to Mrs. Bennet and her sisters and to those at Netherfield, but now she wondered if it would be better for Georgiana and Mr. Bingley to come to Longbourn and visit. They would have to put off plans for visiting Netherfield until the men returned from town.
In the coach neither man spoke for the first few minutes but Mr. Bennet next pulled out some scones from a small basket he carried with him. Earlier he had provided coffee to Mr. Darcy before they left and the two men now broke their fast.
“Thank you,sir,” Darcy said. “I needed something, though we shall have more to eat once we arrive at Darcy House.”
“I am beginning to see why you despise that man. So now Wickham intends to extort you? What else has he done?”
“He once attempted to elope with my sister. It was summer a year ago and she was but fifteen.” Darcy told the man everything about Wickham and Mr. Bennet fell silent as he reflected on all that Darcy had gone through.
After a few minutes, Mr. Bennet spoke. “I am grieved, Mr. Darcy. My two eldest are quite close to you and your friend, but this news may do great harm to the Bennet family’s future happiness. Our family will likely be ruined and with it, your friend might want to reconsider his courtship with my Jane.”
“Mr. Bennet, I do not believe he will be persuaded to do that. He is in love with Miss Bennet and he intends to propose.”
“And what about Lizzy? I know you both have feelings for one another. Is she to have her heart broken as well?”
“Let me answer your question, Mr. Bennet, by asking you to approve my courting your Lizzy. She agreed to it when we talked yesterday. We are going to town to deal with Mr. Wickham and try and prevent his maligning your family. Even if he would someday do that, as long as Mr. Bingley and I stand by your daughters, we can get over this.”
“Do you know what you are doing, sir? You will be disgraced by your friends and family and those in your circle.”
“No, there you are wrong. My best friends are Mr. Bingley and my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam. My family is small and my Aunt and Uncle Matlock have met and approve of your daughters. There is another thing, for I love your daughter and have for some time now. I know I behaved rudely last year when I came to stay with Mr. Bingley, but I have tried to correct that mistake.”
“But what is to be done about Wickham, and why did you hire a private detective?”
“We shall discuss with my cousin what to do with the man. He might recommend bringing him up for a court martial for leaving the militia without authority. Then again, England is at war with not only Napoleon but now with America. In the extreme, Wickham might hang, but I do not wish that to be my sister’s last thoughts of the man. Am I correct to presume you might be inclined to feel the same?”
“Yes, I do feel the same. Any military trial or even sending him to debtors prison would expose my family to disgrace. I prefer to send him to Australia, or if he still looks to extort you, then leave me with him a few minutes and I shall resolve the problem.”
“That would never work, sir, for my cousin and myself have been waiting to deal with him before any others.”
“And why sir, did you hire the detective?”
<
br /> “I did so to determine if Wickham was on that ship. I put nothing past the man and he and his wife perhaps never were aboard the ship. As you can see from the letter, he will do anything for money. He has a habit of showing up at the wrong time looking to extort money.”
“Well, I can see that you know the man better than I do.”
“Mr. Bennet, after I learnt of the story in the paper, I thought it was a mistake and was convinced that Elizabeth did not run off with the man. The thought of returning to Longbourn to discover the truth was not appealing. One day in town I saw what I believed to be Miss Elizabeth riding with an older woman. That was when I decided to ride to Longbourn to see if Miss Elizabeth was alive. It bothered me to learn that I had just missed meeting her and the Gardiners at Pemberley. If I had only seen Miss Elizabeth at Pemberley, I may have been able to catch the couple before they boarded the ship.”
“You cannot blame yourself for everything, Mr. Darcy. After you told Lizzy of Mr. Wickham’s failure to pay his debts, I contacted some of the merchants. I must say your position as a gentleman was much enhanced after the merchants received this information.”
The motion of the coach soon had both men falling asleep and Darcy had a vivid dream that he had taken his Elizabeth to his bed after their marriage. She was scared and he was unsure if he could control himself as she tenderly gave herself to him. Soon he heard a noise from behind the curtains as George Wickham and Lydia showed themselves and laughed at them. He next heard Lydia ask if it was his first time and heard Wickham reply that it was not Elizabeth’s first time. Next he chased Wickham out of his room as Lydia laughed at the spectacle of the near naked Darcy chasing the man who was clearly a figment of his imagination.
Such a dream had startled him for it had started off so promising. He awoke in a panic and although his dream was short, he would not nod off again on the coach.
Mr. Bennet now noticed the coach entering the better sections of town and finally the coach entered the circular drive of Darcy House. The two men returned inside as Darcy introduced Mr. Bennet to the others.
“Mr. Fellows,” Darcy said, “how did you find him?”
“It was not too difficult, Darcy. We knew he had an uncle who lived in Dublin. I figured if he did survive he would have gone to him and that is where I found him. He had been drinking and gambling to get by but his stay there had already been too long and he was told to leave and never return. That was when I told him that as far as the army was concerned, he was dead. Once I said that I could see his face alight with an idea and next he told me that you would pay to keep him quiet about his never marrying Miss Lydia.”
“But how did you win his confidence?”
“I went to some of the gambling holes near where his uncle lived and saw him and made his acquaintance. It was a small world Darcy when I told of how you had cheated me in a property deal and I said I hated you. Anyway, after I told him such things, he acted as if we were fast friends. From there we wasted little time in returning to London. I hope you will forgive me for disparaging you.”
“You are forgiven, sir, and good job.”
“Thank you, Mr. Darcy.”
“What did Wickham say about how his wife died?”
Mr. Fellows responded to Mr. Bennet’s question. “He tried to brush over it but he proudly said he had ruined her and that they had never married. That was when he asked to be paid for his silence, and I promised him that no charges would be laid at his feet by the militia and that he would be welcomed back as a hero and that he would be paid to keep his silence.”
“So you lied, Mr. Fellows?”
“Some might say that I lied, Mr. Bennet. He would be looked upon by many as a hero for surviving the sinking. Regarding my saying that he would be paid, I meant he would be paid back. I do not consider my words as a lie, but I would have done anything to bring the scoundrel back to England. After that, Colonel Fitzwilliam had a private talk with Wickham.”
“Would you like to see George Wickham?”
“Yes, Colonel Fitzwilliam, both of us would,” responded Mr. Bennet. With that reply, Darcy’s cousin led the others to a safe room, as Darcy called it. The room was at the back of the house on the lower level and had a single door with lock bars and no windows. The walls were made of brick and contained peep holes to observe those inside and the room was isolated from the servants comings and goings.
Mr. Darcy had the footman open the door. There in front of them was Wickham, siting in the corner on the floor shackled at his feet and wrist and with a chain from his feet to a collar around his neck. He looked to be in a bad way and Darcy asked him what had happened.
“That cousin of yours beat me whilst I was in irons.”
“I do not believe you, Wickham. My cousin’s reputation will stand the test. No, Wickham, I believe you inflicted these injuries on yourself.”
“Wickham, Mr. Bennet wishes to know what happened to his daughter.”
“I do not care what the man wants. Lydia Bennet was a fool of a girl and would be alive today if I had my way. It was her idea to go to Ireland and I signed the papers that said we were married. Anyway, I found a piece of the ship floating in the sea after the ship broke up and held onto it until it came ashore the next morning. I read where there were no other survivors.”
“So you have a choice, Wickham, said Darcy, beginning to enjoy this talk. I can charge you with not paying your debts and you can spend the rest of your days and nights in debtors prison, or your second choice is to hang, for you left the militia in time of war with no intention of returning. There is another option, and that is to go to Australia.”
“But your man here promised me there would be no charges brought, and that I would be welcomed back almost as a hero and would be paid. He is a liar if he denies he said these things.”
“No, he did not lie to you, Wickham, for you are being paid. You are being paid back but it appears that you paid yourself first. Only a mad man would beat on himself. You look terrible. I do not understand you, Wickham. As you can see, we have welcomed you back as a very special guest, but you continue to complain. I cannot understand how you could have been so deceived when you have done this to others all your miserable life. Colonel Fitzwilliam suggests that you be sent to Australia. There is a ship leaving today at three.”
“And what is your choice, Darcy. Is it not worth it to just pay me to keep me silent?”
“My first choice is to take you into the country and draw and quarter you and feed your body parts to the animals in the woods. In fact, that is my decision. Fitzwilliam, I will make arrangements now. We can go to the old Hanover property. That is secluded enough.”
As Darcy stood up and marched out the door Wickham protested loudly and showed tears of fear as he suddenly pleaded. “No, Darcy, let me go to Australia. I shall never return, I beg of you.”
“Then tell me what other things you have done and I may consider doing that. If I hear one lie I will allow you to fight the horses.”
Wickham began to confess to his life’s history giving names and dates of people he had swindled or stolen from and of young women he had abused. Mr. Fellows carefully documented each account as Wickham even confessed his involvement in a murder in London three years ago. He had much more to tell but none wanted to hear anymore.
“Will I be wearing these irons on the ship? I can barely clean myself.”
“I imagine so, Wickham, but the sailors will throw salt water on you. They are known for treating men like you different from common criminals. I expect they may throw you into the middle of the ocean still shackled after the ship’s captain reads all that you just confessed to. And Wickham, the water is quite cold during the winter.”
That afternoon the men took Wickham to the pier and loaded him aboard the ship that would take him to Australia and watched as he was taken away. Later they stayed long enough to see the ship push off from the dock to begin the long journey.
Darcy and Mr. Bennet were hungry as they
returned to Darcy House and had an early dinner with Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Fellows. Later the men went to Darcy’s study and drank some brandy before Mr. Fellows left.
“Mr. Darcy, here is to you and your friends for taking care of my big problem. You gave Mr. Wickham the scare of his life. Will they keep him in chains for the entire trip?”
“I honestly do not know one way or the other, but I needed to punish the man. He may find the trip across more pleasant if he has this fear.”
Darcy noticed that Mr. Bennet eyed his library and three books in particular and noted which they were. “This is as fine a collection of books as I have seen, Mr. Darcy. My Lizzy tells me your library at Pemberley is even larger. Is this so?”
“It is large sir. Perhaps you would like to journey there on holiday with your family. My sister and I would be honored and Miss Elizabeth could explore all the many trails about the place.”
“Thank you for such an offer, sir. We do not know what the future holds for any of us. Let me thank you again for your hospitality and for your support. I wondered why you would have paid a detective to discover if anyone survived the shipwreck and I am grateful that in doing so you were able to foil Wickham’s dastardly plot.”
“You are welcomed, sir, but I wish I could have done more.”
“You have brought happiness to my family once again, Mr. Darcy and I wish to thank you on behalf of all my family.”
****
The next day Colonel Fitzwilliam returned with Darcy and Mr. Bennet to Longbourn. Each of the men agreed to remain silent on the letter that Mr. Fellows had sent and the two footmen had already been pledged to secrecy. Before he left Darcy House, Darcy burned the letter. The Bennets would never learn of Wickham’s surviving the ship sinking and being sent to Australia.
Kitty was the first to see the coach arrive at Longbourn and her father thought he had seen Elizabeth walking in the distance before they arrived. He looked for her in the house and was told she had left earlier for a walk but she returned later and questioned him about his trip but he smiled and said all was well. Mr. Bennet next told her that Darcy had asked permission to court her and that he had agreed to the courtship. He next asked her to say nothing until he announced it on Christmas Eve after the evening services.
Darcy on the Edge Page 7
