by Linda Wells
Georgiana gave him a tremulous smile. “Yes, Brother.”
He kissed her cheek then turned to Hurst. “Will you ride back with Georgiana? I will take Elizabeth.” Hurst smiled and offered Georgiana his arm, and Darcy returned to Elizabeth where he bent and scooped her up in his arms.
“What did you say to her?”
He smiled slightly. “I told her we would talk but that in the meantime I needed her to help me keep you still.” Elizabeth laughed softly and rested her head on his shoulder as he walked back to the horses. He lifted her onto the saddle and swung up behind her. The others had mounted and begun to thread their way back through the trees.
Darcy watched his sister clinging to Hurst, tears silently running down her face. “Why Lizzy? Why would she wish to end her life? That is what she claimed in the note.”
“That is what she wrote, and I ran after her so quickly because I believed her. When I found her, she spoke of having brought so much misery to you and her family, and thinking we would be better off without her. She thought you should have sent her away, but I think that if she truly did wish to die, she would not have spoken to me so easily. She seemed immediately relieved when she saw that it was me standing by her side.”
Darcy closed his eyes in frustration over hearing of his sister’s foolish reasoning. “We both have spoken to her about working together to find her a promising future.”
Elizabeth stroked his face. “You can not imagine how horrible it was to be attacked as we were. Her recovery was so tenuous; it would not take much to send her back over the abyss of self-loathing.”
He nodded with resignation. “She has always run off when she is distressed, and if I did not find her, eventually she would return on her own. But this time …”
“Wickham’s presence was the last thing any of us could have expected. I believe that we would have met you on the way back to the house if he had not been there. You know her well, William. She is in a great deal of pain, but she did not truly wish to harm herself. She did try to fight him until she saw the knife, I was happy to see that.”
“I am grateful that you were there, and able to hold on until we arrived. God knows what would have happened otherwise.” He gently kissed her head.
“I am not sure how much longer …” She shook her head. “We will need to talk to her, and I imagine, watch her carefully. After what she witnessed today, she will undoubtedly feel even more guilt.”
Darcy saw her determination to remain strong and ran his hand lovingly through her hair. “How can I ever thank you for what you have done today?”
She relaxed against him, feeling so safe with his touch. “I do not want your gratitude, William. It is you and the others who should be thanked for rescuing us.” They rode in silence for some time then Elizabeth’s head popped up. “Should you go after the colonel? I am well; I can wait for your return.”
Darcy kissed her forehead, and smiled at her belated concern for Richard. “Do you truly wish me to leave you, my love?”
“No.” She admitted and clung tightly to his waist.
“Good, because I would not go. Richard is a seasoned soldier. Whatever his intentions, I am sure they will be successful. He will turn up in his own time.” Darcy drew back and gently kissed her bruised lips. “I feel strangely liberated; I no longer care about Wickham. He has perpetrated more harm upon my family …”
Elizabeth touched his cheek. “I know, he told me some of what you experienced at his hands. I found it incredible.”
Darcy searched her eyes. “You kept him talking to buy time.” She nodded and looked down. He gently caressed her jaw and lifted her face to his. “You are so brave, Lizzy. I am so proud of you. I heard you defend me.”
She held his gaze. “I was merely stating the truth.”
“I love you.” Darcy’s lips tenderly touched hers. “Does that hurt?”
She shook her head. “Only if you stop.”
Chapter 26
“Damn you, Fitzwilliam!” Wickham cried
Richard raised his brow and turned from where he was tethering his horse. He regarded the bleeding man. “Would you have preferred to have been run through? I considered lopping off your arm, but then I did not wish to hear of you pretending to be a war hero, as you have pretended to be a gentleman all these years. It seems a quick stab to the shoulder was all that was required. You obviously have not learned how to handle a blade during your time in the army. I imagine that you have disgraced your uniform just as freely as you disgraced the fine clothes my uncle purchased you.” Richard settled against a tree and folded his arms.
“Will you not give me any aid? I can barely see let alone tend this wound.” Wickham pressed his hand to the tear in his uniform.
Richard stepped forward and offered his handkerchief. “Will this suffice?” The cloth fluttered down to the ground and Richard smirked and stepped back. “No? Well, I am sure that the militia has a surgeon available, he will see you soon. I am certain that Darcy will notify them of our location.”
“What, do you want me hanged as well? What is your game, Fitzwilliam, why did you spare me?”
Richard smiled. “You think that I would spare you?” Wickham’s vision was becoming murky, and his voice was taking on a decided sluggish tone. The loss of blood was slowly beginning to take its toll. Richard crouched down to his eye level. “I want to know why. You failed with Georgiana; you lost the dowry, why did you spread the stories about Darcy around the town?”
“Have you no concept of revenge?” Wickham spat. “I like seeing Darcy miserable. I have enjoyed causing it for years.” He coughed and shook his head. “I had been waiting for my chance, then I heard that he was engaged to marry … and not to that miserable cousin of yours, and it made me angry … I would have left him alone if he were to marry that sickly example of a woman.” He groaned and his head rolled.
Richard slapped him. “Soldiers never express pain!”
Wickham’s eyes opened. “I watched him; I would ride out to see his daily appointment with her. He was in love.” Wickham sneered. “I could not allow that. I decided that would be my revenge, to drive them apart, make her parents end … the …” His voice trailed off. Richard slapped him again and he blinked.
“Why did you follow Georgiana? Why did you try to take Elizabeth?”
Laughing, Wickham met his stare. “Surely Fitzwilliam, you would not pass on such an opportunity?”
Richard glared at him in disgust. “Your quarrel was with Darcy, not with two defenceless women.”
“Georgiana is defenceless, but Elizabeth … that woman has a fire any man would enjoy taming.”
Richard stepped forward and struck him hard on his jaw. “You do not speak of her like that!”
Wickham swore and spat out some teeth. “What is it Fitzwilliam, do you love her, too?” Wickham spat out some more blood and sneered at him. “My, my, Darcy has quite the competition, does he not? First a foolish local gentleman and now his own cousin.”
“Do not try to taunt me with your ill-conceived theories, Wickham.” Richard resumed his position leaning against the tree.
“Then why would you come after me? Should this not be Darcy’s fight? Oh yes, he is too much of a coward to take me on.”
Richard’s brow rose. “I seem to recall the man leapt upon you while you were accosting Elizabeth and beating you soundly.”
Wickham spat again and groaned as he held his shoulder. “He did not finish the job.”
Richard smiled. “You did not oblige him by staying put.” He shook his head. “No, Darcy does not need to be a murderer. He does not need to carry that on his shoulders. I have killed a great number of men, what is one more?”
The bleeding man’s eyes took on a look of fear. “You do mean to kill me.”
Richard laughed quietly. “You always were a fool Wickham. Do you not realize that I already have? It is just a matter of waiting now.” He glanced over to the shoulder wound and Wickham followed his gaze, then look
ed back at him with wide eyes.
“Why?”
“Do you really have to ask? You are vermin Wickham. You spent your youth and your adult life torturing a boy, now a man, who would have rewarded you far more than you ever dreamed to have had your friendship. You took away his father, and threw away the favour my uncle bestowed upon you. You could have had a very comfortable and pain-free life if you had accepted his generosity as the gift it was, but instead you coveted Darcy’s home, his fortune, and now the woman who has at last given him a life. You disgust me. You have had everything handed to you and you still want more. I may have been born a second son, but I never held my brother’s fortune in contempt. I accepted my lot and chose my destiny. I have seen death and suffering and misery. I know hunger and deprivation. I know what it is to live in filth and freeze, and see my comrades lose their limbs and die in agony. I have done this willingly to defend my country and because I am proud of my heritage. You have never done anything in consideration for anyone but yourself. You are the worst of vermin, because you dress in your gentleman’s costume and draw in your marks. You convinced a lonely little girl that you loved her, and now drove her to nearly take her life. I will give you no more mercy than will the maggots that will soon be infesting your gaping, lifeless mouth.”
Wickham’s face fully reflected the terror that he now finally realized. This was no longer a game. The cold eyes of the man before him confirmed it. “Please, Fitzwilliam, help me…” He closed his eyes and moaned.
Richard stood still and watched him. “It is time to make your confessions, Wickham, what have you to say before you go to hell?”
“I … had help.”
He gasped for breath and Richard reached forward and shook him. “WHO??” Wickham made no answer and passed out, never to open his eyes again. Richard watched as the last of his life’s blood flowed down from his wound and soaked into his uniform. A last gasping breath and he was gone.
Richard stepped away and retrieved his fallen handkerchief, wiped off the blood that stained his hands and threw it back onto Wickham’s body. He studied the position of the wound, and made note of how long Wickham breathed after receiving it, information to be used for another day. He felt not one trace of remorse. His only regret was not learning who Wickham’s accomplice was.
THE FOUR HORSES moved at a steady pace. Hurst led the party, and Georgiana was silent, holding onto his coat draped around her shoulders, and listening to the man’s soft reassuring voice while tears ceaselessly ran down her face. Darcy had opened up his greatcoat, and Elizabeth was nestled inside, her eyes closed, enveloped in his warmth. Darcy was focused completely on her, whispering, and rubbing his cheek on her head. She whispered back and clung tightly to him. Bingley, riding beside them, reached over and unnoticed, took the reins from his grasp. He moved up ahead and took charge of leading Darcy’s mount. John spurred his horse forward to match Bingley’s pace, leaving Darcy alone and behind them, allowing them a little privacy. Bingley looked over to John and saw him glancing back. “What brought you to Longbourn, Lucas?”
Startled from his thoughts, John’s head swung around. “I … I was in Meryton and heard what happened to Miss Darcy and Miss Elizabeth. When I saw you all riding through … I thought I could help.”
Bingley stared at him in disbelief. “You thought you could help? Where were you when they were under attack? Why did you not step in then? I thought that you professed fondness for Miss Elizabeth, surely you would have wished to leap to her defence?”
John startled. “I was not present at the time, I arrived after the fact.” He looked pained then glanced back at Darcy in time to see him tenderly kiss, then caress Elizabeth’s face. “I … I suppose that I was foolish enough to believe the rumours I had heard. I had intended to come speak with Mr. Bennet about them this afternoon. I thought that he would end the engagement to Darcy.” He ended softly and looked down.
“So after hearing that the woman you hoped to win lived through a hell of torment your thoughts were centred on the hope that she would reject the man who had won her?” Disgust was clearly expressed. “I wonder how long you have known of these rumours and how much you helped with their dissemination.” Bingley watched him without understanding.
John looked at him quickly then away again. “No, not at all, after seeing Darcy and the rest of you riding through town, I … I realized too late that the rumours were fabrications, clearly Mr. Darcy is not the man that he was painted to be.” He could not bring himself to confess to his gullibility.
Darcy leaned and kissed Elizabeth’s bruised lips, and he felt her warm response. “Lizzy?” He said softly and kissed her again.
She opened her eyes to his. Her hand released its grip on his waist and lifted to cup his bruised jaw. “Are you in pain, my Will?”
Darcy smiled slightly at her worry. “It is nothing.” His lips turned to caress her palm. “How are you?”
She searched his face. “I am only now beginning to realize what happened. It all unfolded so quickly. I know what we almost lost.” Tears filled her eyes and Darcy cupped her face in his hands.
“Do not think on that, it will do you no good, if I think of all I almost lost today, I …” He bent and kissed her deeply, their eyes met again and they nestled together, her head tucked under his chin.
Elizabeth, in an effort to stop reliving the events in the woods, began thinking over how the whole situation could have been prevented. “I should have kept Georgiana at Longbourn today. After yesterday, I should have been more prepared. I was surprised when you did not react at all to the news.”
A look of confusion passed over Darcy’s face and his brow pulled together. He bent to see her. “What news? What happened yesterday?”
“It was all in the note I sent …” She examined his expression. “You did not receive it!” Her eyes closed. Once again an error of understanding came between them due to a lost letter.
Darcy touched her and she looked at him. “Lizzy?”
“I sent you a note, delivered by one of our servants. When we were in Meryton yesterday, we noticed people whispering and pointing at us and the carriage, Jane and I decided that it was just gossips talking of our engagement.” Darcy nodded, but knew there was more. “When we returned home, my mother took me to her chambers and told me why my aunt was so upset … you remember her coming in as we were leaving?”
“Yes, your mother stayed at home which you seemed to think was unusual.”
Elizabeth nodded then moaned, putting her hand to her head, she had a mind-numbing headache. Darcy kissed her forehead and cradled her to him. “My mother told me that there were rumours in town about Georgiana’s ruin … and of how you mistreat her.” Darcy’s eyes changed from their steel blue to black in a second. “They spoke of how she was with child from her lover who you killed and that you beat her to …” She could not say it, and he had a fair idea of what she meant.
“Good Lord.” He breathed.
“I wrote all of this to you and asked if we should forgo the walk into town, when your note this morning made no mention of it, I thought that you were not concerned … what a fool I was! Of course you would have said something. Do I not know you well enough by now?” She chastised herself, shaking her head and ignoring the pain from her intense headache. “This is entirely my fault! I should never have gone into Meryton, but Georgiana was so excited, I was so happy to see her smiling and … well, acting like a young girl instead of a … oh William, I am so sorry!” She began to cry again and he held her tightly, wondering what could have happened.
“Lizzy, this is not your fault. You asked for my opinion and when my note said nothing of the subject you thought that all was well. You had a male companion, an obviously useless one, and all of your sisters. You were as safe as could be, and truly, you were walking into a town full of people you have known all of your life. You could not have expected such a vicious turn from those you always considered to be friends. This is not your fault.” He kissed
her forehead, and looked up. “Bingley!”
Bingley stopped his horse and waited for Darcy’s mount to amble up. “Elizabeth tells me that a very important note was sent to Netherfield yesterday, warning me of this gossip spreading. I did not receive it. Do you know of anything coming in?”
He shook his head, thinking. “No, the post was on my desk as usual, and anything that comes for you would go directly to Roberts if you are not at home.” He could see the fury in Darcy’s eyes. “Would this note have prevented what occurred today?”
“Today, yes, eventually, I could not say. I wish I knew … well, it is obvious that Wickham was behind it all.” He turned to John, who had stopped when Bingley did. “Wickham told you the lie about my father’s bequest, did he not?”
John’s stomach dropped. So that too was a lie. Darcy had told him to be sure of his facts before spreading rumours. “Yes, he told me at the officer’s dinner.”
Darcy’s eyes were searching his face. “So, he was there. I did not see him.”
John drew a breath. “He departed suddenly when we were talking; he said he had duties to perform … courtesy of you. He seemed surprised by your attendance.” He hung his head. “And I was a willing listener for his lies.”
Darcy said nothing, only clutching Elizabeth closer to him. He could only imagine just how eagerly Lucus would have listened to Wickham, and wondered if he was guilty of their spread through town. He looked back down at Elizabeth who had closed her eyes again, but the tears were still shining on her cheeks. He noticed that the reins were not in his grasp and tugging them, Bingley let go. Darcy kicked his horse and they continued to the edge of the woods and entered the meadow. Nearly a half-mile away, Longbourn could be seen. Hurst and Georgiana had not stopped and were already ahead of them.
