Chapter 8

T hursday, the day after the meeting at Longbourn, the soldiers and officers of the Derbyshire Militia regiment marched into Meryton. Many of the town's young ladies were watching intently, with some of them trying not to swoon at the sight of the handsome officers in their scarlet coats.

One particular Lieutenant was preening at all of the attention—which he felt was his due—as he rode ahead of his men.

As much as he hated having to work for his money, George Wickham could not repine the two months he had been in the militia so far. The primary reason was he needed to disappear. He had lost much money at a gambling hell belonging to the Spaniard , a man who never forgave a debt. The last place the man and his men would think to look for him was in the militia.

Like the young ladies had been in the previous town where they had been encamped, Wickham was certain his uniform would make the process of seduction that much quicker here as well. There was some good looking ‘fruit' he would pick as he scanned the young women standing and watching as he and his fellow officers entered the town. He smiled a wide welcoming smile at the Colonel's wife who was standing next to an older lady as he passed her. As long as the simpleton of a colonel never found out Wickham was cuckolding him, all would be well.

An added bonus to his joining the regiment were the ignorant merchants who were apt to dole out credit na?vely to a man in uniform without knowing them. He believed they thought the officers were all honourable and would honour their debts. One thing Wickham hated more than working was paying for his needs. It was the reason he would never allow the Spaniard and his men to catch up to him. As to the shopkeepers, he neither cared nor thought about the effects his not paying the merchants would have. It was not his problem who he beggared as long as he received what he wanted.

Just before he turned into the encampment Wickham saw three very comely young ladies exit one of the stores he was passing. Unlike most in the town, they did not seem to care about him or the rest of the regiment. They gave a brief look to see what the noise was about and then went back to their conversation and never looked again. They were older than he preferred, but Wickham was sure it would not be long before he would be bedding one, or all, of them.

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

The only good thing about the regiment marching into town was that if Lydia Forster tried to attract their attention from across the street where she and her mother stood watching the arrival of the soldiers, the Bennet sisters would not hear her—or they would act as if that were true.

Mrs. Philips had sent an invitation to the Bennets inviting them to a card party she was holding on the morrow. Like she always did, Cilla had sent a polite note of refusal back.

Even Jane, who was after all Hattie Philips's niece, did not spend more time with the town gossip than she had to. With Lydia in residence, Jane and the rest of the Bennets avoided the Philips' residence. When Philips or Elias needed to see Bennet regarding a legal matter, they came to Longbourn. The two Philips men did not spend an inordinate amount of time with Hattie and Lydia.

The sisters met their mother at the bakery and confectionery store where she was sipping tea with Lady Lucas, Mrs. Goulding, and Mrs. Long. Cilla smiled at her daughters who took a separate table near where their mother and her friends were seated after ordering.

"Sarah, do you remember the last time the militia was here, when Lydia eloped with then Lieutenant Forster," Priscilla enquired, seemingly incongruously.

"How could I forget that!" Lady Lucas exclaimed. "Some of those seemingly good officers left unpaid debts when William still owned the general store. Why do you ask?"

"What if there are some among this group who do the same, or worse, leave much larger debts which will beggar some of the tradespeople in Meryton? Where will we find the goods we need if some shopkeepers are forced to shutter their doors?"

Even though Lady Lucas was not the most intelligent of women, it did not take her long to understand what her friend was intimating. "I need to speak to William so he can warn the merchants not to provide credit to the officers," she resolved.

"That will be a good course of action," Priscilla agreed while the other two ladies nodded their approval.

Lady Lucas gulped down the last few drops of her tea, and was off as fast as she could, to walk the little more than a quarter mile to Lucas Lodge. Not too many minutes after her departure, the rest of the ladies said their farewells and left the shop.

Cilla led her daughters to the smaller Bennet carriage waiting to convey them home. She waited until they were underway before she looked at her girls sternly. "From now on with so many unknown men in town, a footman or a male we trust is to accompany you when you walk out, whether to Meryton or even," she looked at Lizzy, "when you want to take a solitary ride or ramble on the paths around Longbourn."

"Yes Mama," all three daughters chorused.

"I would expect nothing less, you are all good girls," Priscilla told her daughters warmly.

"Mama, we will not allow the shop owners to be ruined, will we? Just like you and Papa did not seven years past," Mary enquired.

"If it becomes necessary, we will help to a certain extent. I would hope after last time the memories of the town's merchants are not like those of gadflies," Priscilla averred.

"In case they are, you have made sure Lady Lucas will send Sir William to remind them," Elizabeth observed.

"Yes, you have the right of it, Lizzy." Priscilla paused. "The reason we would only assist to a certain extent is that especially after last time, those who blindly extend credit to unknowns need to accept responsibility for their own actions. Hence, if it occurred again, Papa and I would make sure they could keep their doors open, but no more than that."

The Bennet sisters nodded. They hoped it would not come to that.

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

Thankfully, Sir William's warnings were superfluous as the owners of shops in Meryton had not forgotten what had occurred the last time a regiment had billeted in the town. They were pretty certain lightning would not strike the same spot twice by the Bennets making them whole again a second time.

What Sir William imparted was helpful to any who had not had a business in the town when the last regiment had left. Another thing the townspeople were careful with were their daughters. Two ruined girls had been left behind the previous time and one of them had died in childbirth from the unwanted consequence of surrendering her virtue.

Luckily for the now Colonel Forster, he had not been one of the officers to leave debts or ruined girls behind him. Yes, he had eloped with Lydia Philips, but they had married. Thanks to his transferring from the Devonshire Militia, which was the offending regiment, to his current one some years back, he had been welcomed back to the town by the residents.

Knowing how easily his daughter could manipulate his wife, and his daughter's propensities to spend indiscriminately, Philips had put the word out that no purchases could be made on any account in his or his son's names without their expressed permission beforehand.

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

When Wickham first strutted around the town, he was feeling very good about himself. He entered the tailor and requested the proprietor open a credit account for him. Even his best smile and a heavy dose of his charm did nothing to change the negative answer to a positive one.

"Why am I, a Lieutenant in His Majesty's army, denied credit?" Wickham demanded peevishly.

"Because Lieutenant, we only provide credit to well established residents of the town and surrounding area," the tailor replied evenly. "If you were such, someone with a proven record of paying your debts, I would happily grant you credit."

Without another word, Wickham turned on his heel and stalked out of the tailor's shop. Thinking some boots would be a good way to placate himself, and sure that his being denied credit was an aberration, he plastered a smile on his face and entered the cobbler's store. A few minutes later, now in a foul mood, Wickham left the cobbler having failed to acquire any credit.

He attempted to work on four other owners of shops before he finally accepted he was not going to receive a penny of credit. In high dudgeon he made for the tap room at the Red Lion Inn. He was certain the landlord would allow him and his fellow officers to eat and drink on account. He ordered a pint of ale to drown his sorrows, but the barkeep would not hand it over until Wickham used some of his dwindling coin. When he enquired about opening an account, he was given the same answer he had received everywhere else in this damned town.

He remembered that his clandestine lover had told him she used to live in Meryton. Wickham downed his ale and sought out Lydia Forster. He saw her speaking to an older lady who he assumed was her mother. He caught her eye and cocked his head towards an alleyway which led between two buildings. She gave him a tight nod, and Wickham made his way between the buildings until he could not be seen from the street. He did not have to wait long.

He pulled Mrs. Forster into his arms and kissed her deeply. "What a pity you were married before I met you," Wickham prevaricated. He only lay with her because it thrilled him that he was cuckolding his colonel.

"How I wish that too, Wicky," Lydia managed once she was able to speak again.

"Did you know they deny us poor soldiers credit in this backwater town where you used to live?" Wickham told her with a put on look of sadness. "How am I to purchase what I need until I am paid again?"

"I have a half a crown Jackson gave me, you may have that," Lydia stated as she proffered the coin to her lover. He took it and pocketed it. She was rewarded with some more kisses as his hand roamed over her bosom.

"That will help my dear, pretty Lydia, but there are things I need to buy so I am able to present you with some gifts you well deserve, and I am not sure how to accomplish that," Wickham said forlornly. "Also, my boots need replacing and I am not able to do everything which is urgent, even with your more than generous assistance."

Lydia remembered her father had accounts at every shop in Meryton. "If I inform the merchants you are permitted to purchase using my father's accounts, you will pay everything as soon as you are paid, will you not?"

"Of course, my turtledove, the day I receive my wages, I will clear all the debts I have incurred. Your father will never be the wiser," Wickham dissembled. How wonderful to have an empty-headed chit he could manipulate however he needed. This was even better. The debts would not even be in his own name. "Let us begin at the tailor's."

With a smug look, Wickham entered the tailor's shop and waited for Lydia Forster to join him. Not too many minutes after he arrived, Lydia entered the shop.

"Mr. Philbert, my father has told me that I may authorise you to allow Lieutenant Wickham to use his account if and when he needs to do so," Lydia lied. She smiled at the man she had known since she was a little girl, but he did not smile back.

"Mrs. Forster, if your father tells me that himself, I will be happy to acquiesce, however, I have strict instructions you may not use his or your brother's accounts without their telling me in person." The tailor looked at the blushing woman who had been caught in an untruth.

Although he kept a calm exterior, Wickham was seething. He could not understand how he was being denied that which he wanted. "Allow me to apologise Mr. Philbert, Mrs. Forster must have misunderstood her dear father," he stated through gritted teeth. He bowed to the tailor and fought to school his features as he exited the shop.

Wickham pulled Lydia Forster out of view of the main street. "Wickie, release me, you are hurting my arm."

"Be quiet you stupid chit!" Wickham hissed. "Unless you want me to tell your husband I had my way with you, you will find me some money, and I mean banknotes, not coins!"

Lydia was petrified and in her fearful state she was not able to consider that if her erstwhile lover made that disclosure to her husband, he would be in as much jeopardy as herself. "I w-will bring you w-what I am able to find," Lydia told Wickham as tears began to fall down her cheeks.

"If you want me to keep your secret, you will find me blunt whenever I need it," Wickham growled. Only then did he release her arm and stalk off.

Lydia Forster collapsed into a snivelling heap on the ground. She had just learnt a very valuable lesson; people were not always as they seemed.

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

Before Lydia reached the rooms her husband had rented for them, word of what had occurred at the tailor's had reached Mr. Philips and his son. "Father, why would my sister attempt to allow this Lieutenant Wickham to purchase things on your account?" Elias enquired.

"I suspect I know the answer, as much as I pray I am incorrect," Philips sighed. "The question now is do we inform Forster?"

"We must Father," Elias averred with surety. "Although, mayhap we should speak to Lydia first. This man could be blackmailing her. We have to be certain we will not harm her. I do not like how my sister behaves, but I still love her because she is my sister, my twin."

"It will be as you suggest, Son," Philips agreed. "Come let us go home and see your mother."

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

To calm himself Wickham decided he needed to bed one of the delectable roses he had seen in the town. He did not see the three beauties from when the regiment had arrived in Meryton, but at this moment, he would not be picky.

Whenever he attempted to approach a girl, she would look away shyly and head in the opposite direction. Forcing a girl was a line even Wickham would not cross. His charm and the stories he wove, especially his line about it is fine to anticipate our vows as we are soon to marry ensured there were always a steady stream of na?ve girls to warm his bed.

What was it about this town? First no credit, not even through that doxy Lydia, and now the girls were running from him as if he was a carrier of the plague. In the end his self-worth was not irreparably crushed. He used the half-crown to purchase some grog and the serving wench who brought it.