Perilous Siege

by C. P. Odom

  Elizabeth’s first sight of him confirmed her favorable impression from the previous day. The officers of the regiment were, in general, a creditable and gentlemanly group, and the best of them were at the present party. But Mr. Wickham easily outshone them all in his person, his countenance, and even his walk. Every feminine eye was cast in his direction, and Elizabeth felt the compliment of being the lady by whom he chose to sit.

  The easy and agreeable manner in which he began their conversation—though the subject was only a trivial one related to it being wet weather—was a perfect example of an amiable conversationalist and was much to her liking. She was easily able to add her own comments, and his manner of listening to her when she spoke flattered her vanity.

  It is his eyes, she thought, the way he looks into mine when I am talking that I find so appealing. It informs me my words are of interest. He is, in short, everything Mr. Darcy is not.

  They were forced to interrupt their conversation when the card tables were set up. Elizabeth was indifferent to whist and was happy enough to see Mr. Collins sit down to the game, hiding her smile when the foolish clergyman openly admitted he knew nothing of it. She was more pleased when Mr. Wickham sat beside her at the lottery tickets table, though she was unhappy at Lydia taking the place on the other side of him. Her sister was a most determined talker, and Elizabeth at first feared her sister might engross Mr. Wickham with her conversation.

  As it happened, Lydia became the one engrossed as she got more and more involved in the game, leaving Elizabeth and Mr. Wickham at leisure to talk since both of them gave the game only a passing thought.

  But the conversation now veered in a direction other than Elizabeth wished. She desired to continue the light, easy topics they had enjoyed before sitting down to cards. Wickham, however, raised a different topic.

  “How far, I wonder, is Netherfield Park from Meryton,” he asked unexpectedly.

  “It is about two miles, I believe,” answered Elizabeth casually. “My home of Longbourn is about a mile from Meryton but in the other direction.”

  She noticed Wickham hesitating slightly before he said, “I understand Mr. Darcy has been staying at Netherfield. Do you know how long he has been there?”

  “About a month,” Elizabeth replied, her brow furrowed. Considering her history with Fitzwilliam Darcy, she had no wish to discuss the man. He disturbed her quietude when she even thought of him, so she was rigid in her determination to avoid discussing the man entirely.

  “His family has a noble estate in Derbyshire, which Mr. Darcy inherited. I am quite familiar with his family for I have been connected with them in a particular manner since my infancy.”

  Elizabeth made no response to this statement, and Wickham’s surprise at her lack of interest was easy to discern from his expression. However, his face quickly cleared, and at length he said, “Are you much acquainted with Mr. Darcy?”

  “Somewhat,” Elizabeth said with a dismissive shrug. “Though I have danced with him, I cannot say I know much of his character.”

  Wickham paused a moment then moved the subject to music and the theater in London, which Elizabeth found significantly more interesting. Since he had just come from town, she was eager to know what he could relate from personal knowledge.

  “All I know is what my father and I read in The Times,” she said, “and we often think more goes unwritten than appears in the pages.”

  “Given that the editors pay by the word and are known to be rather parsimonious, it is to be expected that they want to keep payments as low as possible,” Wickham said with a warm laugh much more in keeping with his previous manner.

  As the conversation continued, Elizabeth derived much amusement and pleasure from Wickham, and she soon considered him one of the most pleasant and amiable young men she knew.

  ***

  George Wickham had wished to discuss the Darcy family and his own grievances against the present head when he sat down with Elizabeth Bennet. To find some way of revenging himself on his one-time boyhood companion was a constant desire. He considered he had been badly used by the Darcy family, especially Fitzwilliam Darcy.

  I should have had that living! he thought viciously. I needed it!

  It never crossed his mind that the events he spoke of so freely and convincingly had many falsehoods and deceits. By this time, he had related his ill-treatment so many times that he had actually come to believe the story he told was true.

  Perhaps I can find interested listeners among those families who malign Darcy’s name, but Miss Elizabeth Bennet is a right delicious chit and no mistake there! A bit of tupping with her would suit me quite nicely indeed!

  But the prudent side of him raised a warning. Considering the position of her family in the community, any illicit doings with her or any of her sisters might not only be difficult but also dangerous to my position with the regiment. I need a place here in Hertfordshire. The collectors were close on my heels in town when I came upon Lieutenant Denny and managed to vanish. I must take care.

  The whist party broke up soon afterwards, and the players gathered round the lottery ticket table. Mr. Collins took his station near his cousin Mary but within a distance to converse with Mrs. Philips easily. When asked about his success at whist, Mr. Collins confessed he had lost every point. But when Mrs. Philips began to express her concern, he was quick to reassure her.

  “The money is a mere trifle, madam,” he said. “I know very well that when a person sits down at a card-table, they must take their chances. Happily, my circumstances are such that a five-shilling loss poses no difficulty, thanks to the generosity of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. I beg you not to make yourself uneasy on my account.”

  Wickham’s attention was caught by this comment, and he said to Elizabeth in a low voice, “Mr. Collins was introduced as your cousin. It leads me to wonder whether your relations are very intimately acquainted with the family of de Bourgh.”

  “Lady Catherine de Bourgh has very lately given him a living. I hardly know how Mr. Collins was first introduced to her notice, but he certainly has not known her long.” She appeared quite willing to give this information about her foolish cousin.

  “You know, of course, that Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Lady Anne Darcy, the present Mr. Darcy’s mother, were sisters. Consequently, Lady Catherine is aunt to Mr. Darcy.”

  “I knew nothing of Lady Catherine’s connections until this moment,” Elizabeth said flatly.

  Wickham’s usual sense of perception failed him with her as he completely missed her aversion to the subject and continued on. “Her daughter, Miss de Bourgh, will have a very large fortune when her mother dies, and she is betrothed to Mr. Darcy. Their marriage will unite the two estates.”

  Elizabeth made no immediate response to this, but when Wickham opened his mouth to go on, she said, “I fear I have a sudden headache, Mr. Wickham. I think I shall ask my aunt if I might return to Longbourn and send the carriage back for my sisters.”

  Wickham realized the statement was merely a social practice, and since he had seen no indication she found his company tiresome, he came to realize she had no desire to speak of anything related to the present master of Pemberley.

  Believing Miss Elizabeth more vexed with Darcy than he first believed, Wickham urged her to move her seat beside the window where she might get a breath of fresh air. Elizabeth was not opposed, so she took his proffered arm and left the table for the indicated chair. They continued talking together with mutual satisfaction on other topics until supper put an end to cards, which gave the other ladies a chance at Wickham’s attentions.

  ***

  Conversation was nearly impossible in the noise of Mrs. Philips’s supper party, but Wickham’s manners recommended him to everybody. Whatever he said was said well, and whatever he did, he did gracefully. Elizabeth went away with the highest regard for him
, and she would have asked Jane her opinion, except she was not able to mention his name in the carriage since neither Lydia nor Mr. Collins was once silent. Lydia talked incessantly of lottery tickets, of her wins and losses while Mr. Collins continued to protest that he did not in the least regret his losses at whist.

  Elizabeth rolled her eyes at Jane as their foolish cousin continued by enumerating all the dishes at supper and repeatedly apologizing for crowding his cousins. He had far more to say than he could manage before the carriage stopped at Longbourn.

  Chapter 16

  The sun’s gone dim, and

  The moon’s turned black;

  For I loved him, and

  He didn’t love back.

  — Dorothy Parker, American poet,

  writer, critic, and satirist

  Tuesday, November 26, 1811

  Netherfield, Hertfordshire

  Finally, the day of the long-expected ball at Netherfield arrived, and it could not have come too soon for the younger Miss Bennets. Forced to remain at Longbourn due to the incessant rains, they were kept from their usual distraction of walking to Meryton in search of officers or scandal. Neither Lydia nor Kitty could tolerate such enforced inactivity with any grace whatever, and their spirits had been in a pitiable state since Bingley and his sisters delivered the invitations.

  Elizabeth alone had not looked forward to the occasion. Her sleep had been troubled repeatedly by dreams of a tall visitor to her bedroom. He had not been identifiable since his face was a vague blur, as was much of his body as he disrobed and climbed into her bed. But she had no doubt that her forbidden desires had manufactured dreams of Darcy.

  As the day of the ball approached, she dreaded the thought of Darcy again asking her to dance. She had toyed with the idea of a refusal even though it would end any hope of dancing with another, for a refusal of one meant a refusal of all, and she held out hope of at least a pair of dances with Mr. Wickham. She remembered his manners and air with pleasure though the rains had precluded any opportunity for renewing their acquaintance.

  Even Mary had come to the opinion there might be occasion for diversion at the ball, especially after Mr. Collins solicited the first set and announced his intention of remaining by her side the entire evening.

  “I think it no sacrifice to join in evening engagements occasionally,” she said pontifically. “Society has claims on us all, and I deem that intervals of recreation and amusement are desirable for everybody.”

  Elizabeth’s observations of her mother and Mr. Collins had provided the first hint of an agreement regarding the making of amends for the entailment of her father’s estate. Whether such an agreement had been formal or not, she could not know. But she guessed it had been both informal and unspoken, given what she knew of both personages.

  Oh, I do hope you are ready for what is going to befall you, Mary, she had thought, her opinion divided between worry for her sister and hope that it might give Mary an opportunity she otherwise would have missed. Mr. Collins as husband and Lady Catherine as his patroness! I hope you find some comfort in being the mistress of Hunsford Parsonage and of helping form a quadrille table in the absence of more eligible visitors.

  ***

  The Bennet party was greeted by Mr. Bingley and his sisters in the entry of Netherfield Park. Jane in particular was received with considerable animation by all three while the Bingley sisters paid as little attention to the rest of the family as possible.

  When she entered the drawing room, Elizabeth looked for Mr. Wickham among the cluster of red coats. Instead, her eyes discerned the tall figure of Mr. Darcy moving toward her, and a sudden anxiety clutched at her heart. She had dressed with more than her usual care tonight, but it had been for the purpose of meeting Mr. Wickham.

  Her fears were confirmed as Mr. Darcy asked, with considerable politeness, whether he might solicit the honor of the dances just before supper. Despite her misgivings, which were marked at the moment by a chorus of jangled nerves demanding her attention, Elizabeth had no choice but to accept.

  He will escort me to supper after those dances, she thought apprehensively. If he had asked for any others, I would only have to endure two meaningless dances and a little conversation. Instead, I may be afflicted with him for an hour or more!

  As soon as Darcy gave her a bow and passed on, Wickham emerged from the crowd of officers and approached her most cordially, his face already showing his marvelous smile.

  “I hope you are not already engaged for the first two dances, Miss Elizabeth,” he asked. “If not, dare I hope for the honor of your hand for that set?”

  Elizabeth, highly gratified by this invitation, was quick to assure him she was not engaged and accepted with pleasure. She was also delighted when Wickham stayed to converse though the pair was interrupted by another officer asking for a dance.

  ***

  McDunn watched this with interest though he intended to observe the festivities from a balcony with Georgiana and Mrs. Sturdivant. Darcy had been unwilling to allow his sister down on the floor because of her youth, but he had no aversion to her viewing the event.

  At the moment, McDunn had Bingley in tow since he had specifically asked for an introduction to Mr. Bennet. He had met all the other members of the family and wanted to see whether Austen’s description of the man held true.

  Mrs. Bennet stood with her husband as Bingley came up to them. “Mr. Bennet, allow me to present my friend, Major McDunn. Major, Mr. Bennet.”

  Bingley excused himself and departed quickly for his duties as host continued to engage him, and McDunn turned to the elder Bennet.

  “I asked Mr. Bingley for the introduction, sir. I’ve already made the acquaintance of the rest of your family, but I’d not before been introduced to you.”

  Mr. Bennet gazed at the tall, dark man reflectively. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Major. I am always pleased to meet a friend of Mr. Bingley.”

  “I’m more Mr. Darcy’s friend than his though we have formed a friendship over the last month as Bingley’s guests. Darcy and I have business affairs in common.”

  “Ah, the telegraph. An amazing device, sir. Simply amazing. What will come next, I wonder?”

  “Oh, we have a few ideas, Darcy and I,” McDunn said with a smile.

  “I hesitate to ask, but I have to wonder about your accent. I cannot place it.”

  “American, sir. South Carolina to be exact.”

  “So you are not in the army. I wondered about that since you are not in a red coat.”

  “‘Major’ is a courtesy title, Mr. Bennet. I am no longer a serving officer though I was a major in the American Marine Corps.”

  “Ah. Well, I hope you enjoy yourself tonight.”

  “I’m highly interested in your English festivities though I did attend a dance in Meryton shortly after I arrived. But I’m only an observer. As I told your wife when we first met, I don’t dance.”

  Turning to Mrs. Bennet, he said slyly, “And I still don’t, madam.”

  McDunn gave both Bennets a bow and departed, thinking as he went away, I do so enjoy teasing the animals even though it’s not particularly smart.

  In his wake, he left Mrs. Bennet sputtering in rage.

  “What an uncouth, ungentlemanly man!” she said hotly. “I cannot believe a true gentleman such as Mr. Bingley would invite him to his ball or have him as a guest at his fine estate! And I cannot see why a gentleman like Mr. Darcy would tolerate his presence at all, much less call him friend!”

  Meanwhile, McDunn had climbed to the balcony where Georgiana and her companion sat watching events. Georgiana was quite excited even though Mrs. Sturdivant already had a book open.

  “This is the first time William has ever allowed me to view one of his social events,” Georgiana said enthusiastically. “It is so fortunate Netherfield has such excell
ent balconies. I can see Miss Elizabeth and her sister, of course. But who is everyone else? Do you know them, Major?”

  “I’ll do my best, Miss Darcy, but as a mere colonial, the ins and outs of your complex social system often leave me at a loss. Still—”

  “You are nothing of the sort. Now, tell me everything!”

  “Well, I’ll try. First, the two young girls you see darting about among the officers are the youngest two Bennet sisters, Lydia and Catherine, whom they call Kitty. And the young lady over there by the black-coated clergyman is the middle sister…”

  ***

  One surprising difference in the events of the evening caught McDunn’s attention immediately when Collins danced the first set with Mary rather than Elizabeth. He had wondered why the man was standing by the middle Bennet sister as he pointed out everyone he knew to Georgiana.

  It seems he won’t be soliciting Elizabeth’s hand tomorrow, he thought. I wonder why? I remember he fixed on Elizabeth because her mother said Jane was soon to be engaged. I’ll bet she did the same for Elizabeth because Darcy asked her twice to dance, once at the assembly and once at Lucas Lodge. Another deviation!

  His curiosity aroused, McDunn kept an eye on Mrs. Bennet as she watched Collins dance with Mary. He had to suppress a chuckle as he watched the couple stumble through their steps on the dance floor. The sight also provided amusement for Georgiana as he heard her trying unsuccessfully to muffle her giggles.

  When he glanced back at Mrs. Bennet, he saw that her expression of triumph had settled into an expression of deep satisfaction. Clearly, she knew Collins had settled on who would be the mistress of Hunsford Parsonage, thus putting to rest her worries about a secure situation for herself and her daughters.

  Different and highly interesting. I know she saw Darcy ask Elizabeth to dance—and for the third time! She must be rubbing her hands in glee as all her carefully laid plans seem to be going along just swimmingly.