Chapter 14

A s difficult as it had been for him to be seen in public thanks to the growing anger reflected in the looks of the parishioners, Bennet attended church on the final Sunday of October. He did not sit with his four daughters who were seated in the family pew; he took the seat on the aisle right behind them. His wife had not exited her chambers as of yet, so she had been absent.

Bennet ignored the looks and cuts he received from his neighbours. He was there to pray, and he would not behave like his wife and make it about himself.

Elizabeth and her three younger sisters had felt solace from Mr Pierce's sermon which spoke about God's Kingdom and life everlasting at His side. Elizabeth could swear she felt Janey's presence next to her in the pew. That went further than anything else, since her sister's passing, to let her know Janey was at peace, and would always be watching over her sisters who were left in the mortal world. Accepting that did not change her determination to speak to her parents. It would not be on the sabbath though, but rather on the morrow.

Bingley, Darcy, and the Hursts, the former two had returned from London on Friday afternoon past, attended the Longbourn Village church instead of St Alfred's in Meryton where those from Netherfield Park normally worshipped.

Elizabeth had noticed when the Netherfield Park party arrived in the church. She appreciated their attendance, and she had no resentment against Mrs Hurst. Mr Bingley had explained his older sister had attempted to mitigate her younger, more forceful, sister's actions that night, but she had been ignored and overridden. Recalling how Kitty in the past had been led by Lydia assisted in Elizabeth's understanding of the former dynamic between the Bingley sisters.

Darcy sat with Bingley and the Hursts a few rows behind the Bennets, but on the opposite side of the aisle. When Miss Bennet had noticed them, Darcy had inclined his head in greeting, a moment before she had turned to face the altar once again. Even in her mourning clothes, she looked extremely handsome. As much as Darcy wished it would have been his right to comfort her in all ways, it was not, and only time would tell if he would ever be granted that privilege.

At the end of the service, Bennet stood and made his way out of the church without delay. Not waiting to greet anyone after the service as had been his wont in the past, he walked the less than a half mile to the manor house.

To show their respect for the Bennet sisters, none of the other congregants entered the aisle until Mr Pierce passed them as he escorted the mourning sisters out of the church. Unlike their father, the sisters remained outside to receive condolences from their friends, neighbours, and tenants.

"Miss Bennet, Miss Mary, Miss Catherine, and Miss Lydia, please, again accept my deepest sympathies for the loss of your sister," Darcy wished as he bowed before the sisters.

"On behalf of my sisters and myself, I thank you, Mr Darcy," Elizabeth responded. She made sure not to look the devastatingly handsome man in the eye so she would not blush, while at the same time fighting her urge to reach into her pocket. Mr Darcy was followed by Mr Bingley and the Hursts, all of whom expressed their sincere condolences. Elizabeth did not miss the look of relief on Mrs Hurst's countenance when her wishes were accepted without acrimony, and unlike what happened with her younger sister, no one slapped her.

"Miss Bennet, would you agree to speak to me off to the side?" Mrs Hurst cocked her head to where she meant.

"Certainly, Mrs Hurst," Elizabeth averred. She looked to her younger sisters. "Will you be well while I have a conversation with Mrs Hurst just over there?" All three nodded.

The two ladies walked a few yards away from the rest of those who were greeting the three other Bennet sisters. "I thank you for your indulgence, Miss Bennet," Mrs Hurst began. "Please allow me to express my unreserved apologies for not being more forceful with my sister. I should have countermanded her order and had your late sister taken upstairs immediately, and the same with requiring her to attend us downstairs after her bath. Until I saw what my sister gave the late Miss Bennet to wear, I had not imagined Caroline so very cruel. For whatever my not being able to contradict the part my younger sister played in your sister's demise, I beg your forgiveness."

"You have met my two youngest sisters, have you not?" Elizabeth enquired seemingly incongruently. With a confused look on her face Mrs Hurst nodded. "Catherine, Kitty as we call her, is two years Lydia's senior, but until recently, she was the follower and Lydia the leader. That is to say I understand how it was between you and Miss Bingley. I absolve you of any culpability in Jane's death. Your sister may have made things worse, but it was not her who sent my sister out on horseback." Elizabeth paused. "I thank you for your apology. Had your younger sister apologised instead of spewing her vile words in Meryton, my reaction to her would have been vastly different."

"Caroline deserved what you meted out to her, and so much more. I thank you for your forbearance," Mrs Hurst replied and gave a curtsy before rejoining her party who were waiting next to the Bingley coach. The four entered the conveyance and were soon on their way back to the leased estate.

It was some time before all of those who wanted to greet the Bennet sisters had done so. It left them standing with Mr and Mrs Pierce. On Sundays, the couple would normally join the Bennets for the after-church meal. "Perhaps today we will take our meal at the parsonage…" Mrs Pierce began to say until Elizabeth held up her hand.

"Your presence with us at Longbourn will be greatly appreciated," Elizabeth stated. "We," she inclined her head to her nodding sisters, "very much hope you will join us as you always do."

"In that case, of course we will," Mrs Pierce responded as her husband nodded.

With all the other parishioners on the way to their homes, the six began the short walk to the manor house.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

It was vexing to Wickham that Miss Bingley did not attend the church in Meryton as he had intended to begin to charm the woman. But rather than sit next to her, he had to endure the boring service surrounded by his fellow officers. Colonel Forster sat close by so he could not exit before the end as he had wanted. Sitting in the church reminded Wickham about how angry he had been, when all he had been left by old Mr Darcy was a mere one thousand pounds and a recommendation to be granted one of the livings in Pemberley's advowson.

Him deliver sermons? Never! He was not cut out to earn his money—his present circumstances excepted. His idea it was his due to live as a gentleman of leisure had been part of his motivation to attempt to elope with little Georgiana Darcy. That and the pain having him as a brother-in-law would have caused his enemy. His desire for money he did not need to earn was what drove him now.

Wickham conveniently forgot how he had frittered away the funds which he had been in possession of when he left Derbyshire after the old man's death. That he could have invested the money and lived well while it grew was neither here nor there, as was the fact he had thrown the money away in under three years on grog, gambling, and courtesans. How could it be his fault he never had enough luck at the tables?

No sooner was the service over than Wickham was on his way to the Red Lion Inn. He was aware a meal would be served soon after the church service was complete, and as the target for his matrimonial aims ate her meals in the common dining parlour, he was sure she would be present.

There she sat in one of her garish outfits. Wickham plastered his most charming smile on his face as he approached her table. "Miss Bingley, I presume?" he bowed low in front of her table. "There could only be one dressed so fashionably as you are."

Miss Bingley was about to send the admittedly handsome officer on his way, but as no one had been pleasant towards her since Charles had banished her from his estate, it flattered her that at last someone recognised her innate sense of style.

"You have me at a disadvantage. You know my name, but I know not who you are," Miss Bingley returned.

"Lieutenant George Wickham at your service, Madam," Wickham responded with all the charm, albeit insincere, he could muster. "I believe you are familiar with my half-brother, Fitzwilliam Darcy?"

Her eyebrows shot up. "I was not aware Mr Darcy had any other siblings besides his sister," Miss Bingley stated. "How is it that we have not met before?"

"Quite simply because our father favoured me. My brother is jealous of me and is very angry that when I complete my two years in the army, I will be the master of Pemberley." Wickham was sure the only attraction Darcy had was his ownership of the estate, house in Town, and a healthy bank account. He saw how her eyes had shot open, and she was attending him with her undivided attention. Thankfully talk of his inheritance had distracted the woman, so she was yet to ask any pertinent questions about how he was a half-brother, etc.

"How is it that you will inherit Pemberley?" Miss Bingley cooed.

He had her! Wickham knew she had swallowed his tale like a greedy fish swallows the bait not suspecting it is on a hook. He affected a sad look. "You could help decide things." He let that hang in the air. Then he continued before she could respond. "I heard you are engaged to my brother, but where has he been? I was attracted to you before I heard that, and when I did, I could not understand why a woman of class and beauty, such as yourself, was not being attended by her fiancé." Wickham sighed theatrically. "That is so much like my brother, he was never able to appreciate a fine gentlewoman such as yourself. He would much rather use them and then cast them aside when he gets what he desires."

As she cared not who she married as long as Pemberley and the Darcy fortune were part of the package, Miss Bingley decided to discover how this half-brother was to gain all she desired before she came up with a plan to make sure she would be his wife. After all, Mr Darcy, who his brother had just implied was a rake, had treated her abominably. Anything she could do to help the man suffer, would be done.

"How is it you are half-brothers but you are not named Darcy?" Miss Bingley queried.

Luckily it was a question to which Wickham had a ready answer. "My father was deeply in love with my mother before he married the late Lady Anne. His family refused him permission to make a love match as my late mother was not titled. They had anticipated their vows, and I was born six months after Father was forced to marry Lady Anne. I was named for my late mother's family name after Lady Anne refused to allow her husband to recognise me as his son and heir. She threatened to have her father ruin the Darcy name if he accepted me as his legitimate son.

"My blessed mother," Wickham forced a tear from his eye, "married a man who was the steward of Pemberley, and he took me on as his own son and allowed me to keep the name my parents had decided in their love. At first my half-brother and I were the best of friends. At some point, his mother poisoned him against me. She must have told him we were related, because from that point on he played crueller and crueller pranks on me, turned his cousins, the Fitzwilliam brothers against me, and always tried to blame me for his deeds. Thankfully our father never believed him.

"He even turned my half-sister Georgiana against me. So much so that when I was in Ramsgate this summer and inadvertently found her there, she rejected my hand of friendship and had her companion sacked for allowing me to speak to her. She is as proud and cruel as her brother.

"My mother took ill when I was sixteen. When it became known that she was not long for this world, my father swore I would receive my due. As far as the world was concerned, Father was my godfather. He paid for me to have a gentleman's education in order that I would be prepared for my future inheritance. I was supposed to inherit Rivington in Surrey, an estate which clears more than eight thousand per annum, but as my father suspected he would, my brother cheated me out of what was rightfully mine."

Miss Bingley saw only honesty in the handsome countenance of the man before her. "I have tried to extend my hand in friendship to Miss Darcy, it has been rejected over and over again, so she deserves to be disgraced along with her brother." Miss Bingley paused, "Is that why you are reduced to almost penury and forced to join the militia?" Wickham nodded sadly. "If he did that, then how are you to become the rightful heir and reclaim your due?"

"My brother does not know that there is an added and secret clause to my father's will which will come into effect at midnight on the final day of this year, in barely two months from now," Wickham revealed cryptically. He sat back and watched as the woman tried to decipher what he meant."

"What is this clause, and how am I able to assist you in gaining what is yours by right?"

Although it was hard to school his features, Wickham did so. She was completely in his thrall now and would do whatever he suggested. He could see the look of avarice in her eyes, one he recognised from his own eyes many times when he looked in the mirror. She had suspended logic, if she had ever had any, and would believe anything he said to her. "There are two parts to the clause which will replace my brother with myself as the master of Pemberley. First, my brother would not have corrected his actions and restored my rightful inheritance, and…"

"And?" Miss Bingley leaned forward, almost salivating. As she did she displayed her inadequate, almost non-existent, assets for the man opposite her.

She was blind to anything else, so she missed the look of revulsion which flashed across Wickham's face. He told himself he had to bed her at least once so the marriage, which he was sure she would agree to, could not be annulled. "I must be married to a lady of quality, one with a dowry of fifteen thousand pounds, or more, at least two months before the deadline. If I am not married in the next day or two, all I receive is five thousand pounds while my brother is left with his ill-gotten gains."

"What if you find a woman willing to marry you as soon as may be?" Miss Bingley purred as she batted her eye lashes at the handsome man.

"It would be wonderful, but as a man of honour, I cannot marry my brother's fiancée while she is yet engaged to him." Wickham put on the saddest of looks he could manage, conveying a breaking heart to the woman opposite. He could see she was lapping it up just like a cat did when it was given cream.

"We had an understanding, but never formally. I suspected he only wanted to dally with me, so I had not permitted him to speak to my brother or make a public announcement," Miss Bingley simpered. "As you can see, I am quite unattached?"

"That is the best of news," Wickham responded as he allowed his face to lighten up with pleasure. It was not all put on. He could smell the money which would soon be his. "My only concern was that until the end of the year, we only have my paltry wages to live on. How am I to ask that you live without the luxuries you are entitled to until the new year?"

Caroline Bingley was even more impressed. Never had the man asked about her dowry, and all he worried for was her own comfort. "I have a dowry of twenty thousand pounds, so we will have more than enough to live on until we take up residence at Darcy House. How I have looked forward to redecorating it. Your brother's mother was not a decorator of any ability."

"Yes, I know, it was one of Father's many complaints. We will be able to honour him when you introduce your class and style to all of our properties." Wickham paused showing her a put on unsure look. "Miss Bingley, may we speak in the privacy of your chambers? I need to ask a particular question and prefer not to do so in public."

"Allow me a few minutes to go to my suite, it is number four on the first floor. We do not want to begin with scandal by being seen leaving this dining parlour together." Wickham nodded.

Miss Bingley wiped her mouth daintily with her serviette, she stood, and head held high like a queen, swept out of the room .

Wickham waited five minutes and then made it seem like he was headed for the taproom. When no one was paying him heed, he turned and made his way up the stairs. He found the door with the number four on it and knocked once. His prey opened the door and admitted him without delay. He pushed the door closed and made sure to lock it. He led Miss Bingley into the room, which he noted was a single chamber, and not a suite. What cared he as long as he gained her dowry plus the added amounts he would demand from her brother and Darcy, which the prig would pay to keep his humiliation away from society.

He sunk onto one knee. "Miss Bingley, Caroline, you are everything I ever wanted in a wife and have fallen in love with you. Will you marry me on the morrow?"

"Oh yes, George! I will marry you. Once we have Pemberley, you will take your rightful name will you not?" Miss Bingley gushed. "That way, the Ton will honour us as is our due." Wickham nodded it would be so.

Pulling Miss Bingley to himself once he stood, Wickham crushed his lips to her thin, hard ones. It was one of the worst kisses he had ever experienced, but it was a means to an end, so he made it seem like it was the best ever. He kissed the bony woman a few times.

Never having been kissed before, Miss Bingley was breathless. "You said we are to marry on the morrow. Do you have a license?" she enquired.

"I do have a common license. The rector will write in your name on the morrow as long as you attest it is by your own free will we are marrying, and that you are of age to consent without a guardian."

"I am three and twenty (she was a year older) so I need no permission from anyone."

"My darling girl, that is perfect." Wickham paused for effect. "I wonder if you would be willing to anticipate our vows this night like my beloved parents did? It will make them a vivid part of our love story." He wanted to make sure even if the brother arrived at the church before they were married, there would be no question that it was necessary.

As it was only one day, and it would mean the soon-to-be master of Pemberley could not back out of his proposal to her, Miss Bingley agreed. The act caused both of them pain.

They separately thought it was well worth it as it would ensure they got their due.