Why would anyone wish to watch Fitzwilliam? What did they hope to accomplish by the action? Did they wish to frighten him or were their intentions more sinister? Her head spun as her heart beat in a furious cadence that made her body throb.
Aunt Gardiner placed an arm around Elizabeth’s shoulders. “I hope this is a misunderstanding and you are mistaken, sir.”
Fitzwilliam’s warm palms enveloped her icy fingers. “I shall not fail someone I love again. Regardless of what arises now or in the future, I shall protect you, Elizabeth. You believe me, do you not?”
She searched his fixed gaze, which never wavered. He was tense but composed and radiated strength. How could she not depend upon his assurance of her safety? If only she could be as sure of his own well-being.
“I trust you, Fitzwilliam.”
Chapter 22
December 22nd 1811 continued…
Elizabeth’s hand still held a slight tremble when they entered the drawing room, so Darcy maintained his firm hold upon it despite the presence of the others. Georgiana no longer sat before the pianoforte, but with Mrs. Annesley near the fire. How would she cope with the possibility of danger? Would it be more prudent to conceal this situation from her as well?
Before he could decide one way or the other, his sister looked up, glanced between him and Elizabeth, and frowned. “What has happened?”
Their entire party turned to face him and a weight settled upon his chest. He could no longer avoid the confession, but needed to tell all.
“Darce?”
His eyes darted to Richard. “I require your help.”
His cousin’s brow furrowed, and he propped his hand upon the sabre at his side. “You will always have any aid you require, but I am afraid I need you to be more specific in this instance.”
His betrothed squeezed his hand. “Perhaps we should sit and discuss the matter. You indicated you have information to share with us, and once we are all acquainted with the situation, we can decide the best course of action.”
“Sounds a deuce of a plan.” Richard sat in the chair closest to him and stared at Darcy with his eyebrows raised. “Well, should I assume you are to tell them what we discussed this morning?”
“Yes, I cannot delay the matter any longer.” Darcy pinched the bridge of his nose. “Georgiana, I—”
She drew herself up as tall as she could in her seated position. “I will not go take a nap or read in the library, Brother.” Her eyes never wavered from his as she spoke. “I am determined. You will not change my mind.”
He stood, mouth open. He never had a chance to utter a word before she spoke. Even now, she sat rigid. Did she think he would try to remove her bodily from the room? She wanted to control her own life, so no, he would not argue. Not this time. His silence in regards to Wickham had cost her in ways she might never recover. He could not take a chance of repeating his mistake.
After he escorted Elizabeth to a place on the sofa, Darcy moved to the table set with brandy, sherry, and port. “I fear I require a fortifying drink. Would anyone care to join me?”
“You do not need to ask me twice,” called Richard. Mr. Gardiner requested a brandy, which Darcy delivered with his cousin’s. He brought the ladies all glasses of sherry and took his place beside Elizabeth.
“I believe it best to start at the beginning as it might help to have the opinions of others. The day after the Fitzwilliam’s ball, Richard arranged for me to meet with one of the footmen who worked that evening. He overheard a mother and a daughter discuss their disappointment at the announcement of my betrothal—”
“Hah! It was more than a trifling disappointment. They were conspiring.”
He levelled a glare in Richard’s direction. “Would you prefer to tell the story?”
Richard took a gulp of his brandy and shook his head. “No, you are doing well. A masterful job, I would say.”
Georgiana gave an abrupt giggle at Richard’s antics before she covered her mouth with her hand. “Forgive me.”
“As I was saying, these ladies expressed their displeasure and spoke of planning to end my betrothal and to ensnare me with the daughter.”
Elizabeth gasped. “Have they no shame?”
Mrs. Gardiner set her glass upon the table. “Apparently not, my dear. It is not unheard of for a man betrothed to one lady to be forced into matrimony with another. I would not say it is a common occurrence, but it has happened.”
“The footman could not provide the identity of the ladies in question. I have heard such matters spoken of before, which, as Mrs. Gardiner said, have been on rare occasions, so I dismissed the young man’s information.”
He looked to Georgiana. “Are you certain you wish to hear the entirety? I warn you the next may cause you a great deal of upset.”
Her hand sought Mrs. Annesley’s, which the lady took without reservation. “I shall not be kept in the dark. Continue your story.”
With a nod, he gulped at the knot in his throat. “Yesterday, I received a letter from George Wickham.”
His sister blanched but remained composed as he told them of Wickham and the Darcy family while omitting the entire affair at Ramsgate. He had to make them see Wickham’s vices as well as his propensity towards leaving debts and ruined young ladies in his wake.
“The letter congratulated me on my recent betrothal. He mentioned making Miss Elizabeth’s acquaintance in Meryton as well as a few descriptions of her I shall not repeat.” Darcy put his forearms on his knees and rubbed his hands against one another. “When I first noticed Wickham in Meryton, I spoke with Mr. Bennet, warning him of Wickham’s nature, and we took measures to protect the ladies and tradesmen of the area while I contacted Richard to have Wickham reassigned. In his letter, Wickham accuses me of having him removed from the militia in Meryton and moved to another regiment.”
Richard gave a low growl and re-situated himself in his chair. “Once I received Darce’s letter, I contacted a few friends and had Wickham transferred to the Regulars and a more dangerous assignment where he would be sent to the continent in the next few months. Wickham has always been white-livered. He reported to his new commanding officer, learned of his consequences, and deserted.”
The bushy eyebrows of Mr. Gardiner lifted. “Did he think his chances better with conscription or transportation?”
“I doubt Wickham had a sensible thought in his head,” quipped Richard.
Darcy stood and stepped to the fire, placing his elbow upon the mantel. “Wickham has vowed revenge.”
“He is always bent on vengeance for naught but being the steward’s son rather than that of George Darcy’s.” Richard took the last gulp of his brandy and rose to refill his glass.
“Is that truly his complaint?” Elizabeth’s eyes studied his.
“We played together as boys, but as we grew, he became a different person when we were not in the company of my father. Wickham was mean spirited and resentful. I found myself in trouble several times through Wickham’s schemes.”
Elizabeth set her sherry on the table before her and clasped her hands. “But what could he have hoped to gain?”
A disdainful laugh came from Richard. “He desired my uncle’s notice. After his father’s death, Wickham was handed an education and the possibility to be more than his own father, yet he scorned the notion of working for his reward. He desired it handed to him on a silver salver. My uncle left Wickham a thousand pounds and a living—not that Wickham should be the spiritual leader of any congregation—yet, Wickham considered the living beneath him and requested compensation in lieu of the position.”
“Did you agree?” asked Mrs. Gardiner.
Darcy dipped his chin. “I did. I wanted Wickham away from Pemberley. The money seemed a good way to rid myself of him, and he claimed a wish to study the law. I hoped rather than believed him to be sincere.
“His initial demand to compensate him for the living was an outrageous sum. I refused to give him a shilling more than three thousand pounds, which
he eventually accepted.”
“Four thousand pounds between your father’s gift and the funds you provided were not a pittance.” Mr. Gardiner leaned against the arm of his chair and extended his legs. “A prudent man could live a lifetime on such a sum. Careful investments could have provided a substantial return as well.”
Richard scoffed. “If there is one thing Wickham is not, it is prudent. He squandered the lot in three years and returned to Darcy to demand the living.”
Mrs. Gardiner put her hand to her chest. “To waste such a sum! He was also quite bold to insist upon what he had refused a mere few years prior. I hope you denied his request.”
“I did, and he became angered. His temper was so unyielding I required two of my footmen to remove him from the house.”
“If he was as furious as you say, he has enacted some form of retribution before now.” Mr. Gardiner’s eyes narrowed as he looked between Darcy and Richard, who both stared into their drinks.
“He satisfied his spite through me.” Georgiana’s small voice in the silence overpowered the room in as efficient a manner as a deafening blast.
Richard’s head jerked in her direction. “Georgiana, no!”
She stood and stepped to Darcy, placing a hand upon his arm, but looking at Richard. “Thus far, you have done all you could to protect me and my reputation. If telling the Gardiners about Ramsgate will protect Lizzy, they should be told.” Her eyes were wide, but open and honest. She had no qualms about informing Elizabeth’s aunt and uncle.
But how could he allow such knowledge to be revealed? Would the Gardiners treat his beloved sister differently as a result of Wickham’s actions? Her words showed her courage, yet the more people aware of that time, the more chance of it being revealed to society. Every person they told was a risk.
“Fitzwilliam?” Elizabeth stood beside Georgiana, holding her hand. “They can be trusted.”
“I do not…” His voice cracked, so he swallowed. “I do not know how…”
Richard held up his hands. “I cannot.”
Georgiana squared her shoulders, took in a shaky inhale, and placed her free hand on her stomach. “Last summer, my brother and Richard, who are both my guardians, removed me from school and formed an establishment for me at Ramsgate.
“I was excited to spend the summer at the seaside, and Fitzwilliam travelled with me to see me settled, remaining a fortnight before he departed for London and later Pemberley. A week after my brother’s departure, Mr. Wickham appeared one morning during my walk along the sea wall. He was charming and pleasant company. I did not think he would continue to meet me while I took my exercise, yet he did. I saw no harm in it. After all, we were never without Mrs. Younge.”
Georgiana’s voice was soft, yet she remained composed. She had found it so difficult to relate those memories in the past, how would she manage?
“My companion, Mrs. Younge, spoke well of Mr. Wickham on many occasions. She considered him a gentleman, amiable and handsome, but it was not until she mentioned him as a suitor that I became alarmed. To me, he was a carefree elder brother. I had fond memories of him from when I was a child. I had no wish to call him husband.
“I wrote my brother and informed him of Mr. Wickham’s presence and Mrs. Younge’s comments, which were becoming more frequent, and requested he hurry to Ramsgate. I had no one else to contact. I did not know Richard had returned from the continent.
“As Mrs. Younge’s entreaties that I accept Mr. Wickham became more frequent, I grew more distrustful of her. I longed to flee Ramsgate but could not depart without a companion. I considered taking my maid, Lucy, and departing on the post. Lucy, once apprised of the situation and my concerns, was willing to undertake the scheme, so we plotted our course, taking great care not to alert Mrs. Younge or Mr. Wickham to our plans.
“The night before we were to make our escape, Mrs. Younge insisted I give Mr. Wickham a private audience. Lucy was not within the house. She had gone to verify the time of the post coach we wished to use for passage, so I was forced into meeting him… alone.”
She shifted upon her feet as the Gardiners stared; their drinks forgotten in their hands. Mr. Gardiner’s brows were drawn down in the middle. Mrs. Gardiner’s eyes were shiny and appeared damp. They had to suspect where Georgiana’s story was leading, as they remained silent as the grave.
Elizabeth rubbed Georgiana’s back and whispered in her ear, but his sister shook her head in response.
“Upon Mrs. Younge’s quitting the room, Mr. Wickham professed himself violently in love with me and proposed marriage. He made an eloquent speech that two people who loved one another with as much passion as we did should not be made to wait for interminable weeks to make our vows, and insisted we should make haste to Gretna Green.
“I thanked him for the compliment of his offer, but declined. I explained I did not love him as a wife loves a husband but as a sister to a brother. We both deserved better from matrimony than what I could offer him.
“He insisted I would grow to love him, but I would not relent.” She clasped her hands before her and gave a strange strangled sob. “He became furious. He grasped my gown by the shoulder and ripped to—”
Mrs. Gardiner jumped from her seat and wrapped Georgiana in a motherly embrace. “We need hear no more, dearest. Should you require unburdening yourself, I suspect you have those who you would prefer to reveal such personal recollections. If you want to continue, we shall listen and keep your confidence, but please do not feel you must.”
While Mrs. Gardiner soothed his sister, Mr. Gardiner’s jaw clenched and a slight crunch sounded, as his teeth must have ground upon themselves. “This man still walks the earth. I do not believe I would have your forbearance were I in a similar situation.”
“Please excuse us,” interrupted Elizabeth. “We are going to accompany Georgiana to her chambers.” Mrs. Annesley appeared with the rest of the ladies, who hastened from the room.
Once the door was closed behind them, Richard took the seat across from Mr. Gardiner. “I wanted to run the bastard through, but Darce feared Georgiana’s attack would be discovered. Wickham always returns like a bad penny, so I thought I would find my moment when he least expected it and without any link to Georgiana. His joining the militia was a gift I had not expected. I confess I prayed he would find his death upon the continent without sullying my hands in the process.”
Darcy rubbed his face. “Richard, I—”
“No!” Richard pointed his brandy towards Darcy. “He deserves it. If he is gone from this earth, perhaps Georgiana can finally have a decent night’s rest, and you won’t have to look over your shoulder.”
“I am not a bloodthirsty man, but I agree with the colonel.” Mr. Gardiner sighed and shrugged his shoulders. “You have given this Wickham every opportunity. I doubt he will ever disappear if he thinks he can best you in some way or extort money in some fashion. Should he hurt my wife, my daughter, or even one of my nieces, I would not show the mercy you have bestowed.”
He was weary of Wickham! At present, however, another could, through him, cause harm to Elizabeth. But what if the threat was, in fact, Wickham? How was he to know whom the real danger was?
He sat in a chair near Mr. Gardiner. “We have another problem. It could be related to Wickham or the women from the ball. I am unsure.”
Mr. Gardiner sat forward. “What has happened?”
“I believe I am being watched.”
Mr. Gardiner’s head gave a slight jerk back. “What has given you such an idea?”
“My driver, Kirby, took note of a man on horseback when I retrieved Elizabeth for tea at Clarell House. Since that afternoon, he and my postilions have seen the same man during my travels around London as well as when I call on Gracechurch Street. Though I cannot see him well enough to verify it is the self-same man, an individual watches my house from different locations around Grosvenor Square.”
“Today, Elizabeth noticed a man watching this house from an upstairs wind
ow. She recognised him as having passed the carriage on two previous occasions.”
Richard stood and motioned for Mr. Gardiner to follow him. Once they were before the window in Darcy’s study, he stood against the draperies, narrowed his eyes, and scanned the street. A minute later, he walked around the desk rather than in front of the glass, and searched the opposite end of the square.
“There he is.”
Mr. Gardiner joined Richard and squinted. “My eyesight is not adequate to distinguish his features, but I believe you.”
“He was behind a tree on the opposite end earlier.” Darcy moved behind Richard and glanced over his shoulder. “That is him.”
Richard again strode around the desk, but made for the servant’s hallway.
“Where are you going?”
“I know you forbade it this morning, but I am going to determine what he is about.”
Mr. Gardiner grabbed his cousin’s coat as he passed. “If you alert him, and he has been hired by someone, might the employer replace him?”
“But what if we can discover the employer?”
“We might do that with the investigator I wish to hire.” After stepping away from the window, Darcy leaned against his desk. “I should have an answer to my letter to the Bow Street Runners on the morrow. In the meantime, I have sent for some of the larger sons of tenants for additional protection.
With a weary demeanour, Mr. Gardiner sat in a chair by the fire. “As he has followed you to Gracechurch Street, I feel we should move to the new house sooner than I had planned. I will take no chances with my family.”
“I cannot blame you.” Darcy joined Mr. Gardiner by taking a place on the sofa. “What of Elizabeth? You would not return her to Longbourn, would you?”
“Her mother would never forgive me. She wrote Marianne, insistent we were to help Lizzy purchase the finest trousseau her father’s funds could purchase—even if she only came to you with one gown. Do not worry. We intend to give her a piece or two for Christmas as well as a wedding gift.”
Particular Intentions Page 23
