Chapter 17

Upon arriving at home, Elizabeth burst into the study accompanied by Colonel Fitzwilliam. Colonel Forster was already there explaining to her father about Wickham's escape from the gaol.

"What do you mean, Colonel?" her father asked. "How does that man's escape affect my family?"

Without waiting for an introduction, Colonel Fitzwilliam jumped into to explain. "He was arrested in your home, sir, and was in the process of assaulting your daughter. Wickham is aware of Darcy's intentions toward her. The officer guarding him heard him mention several times his intention to get revenge on Darcy as well as Miss Elizabeth. I am afraid that he has become unhinged at the thought of finally receiving the punishment due to him. He would not hesitate to ruin another of your daughters if he thought it would prevent Darcy's marriage to Miss Elizabeth. Darcy is determined to marry Miss Elizabeth regardless, but…"

"You mean this whole mess is due to Mr. Darcy? That disagreeable man and his intentions towards my daughter are the reason my family is being threatened. As if I needed another reason to keep him away from my family …" he ranted. "And you, you speak of him familiarly. Are you a friend of his? How do you know that cad?"

Both men ignored Elizabeth's quick indrawn breath at this.

"Darcy is my cousin and is the furthest thing imaginable from a cad," Colonel Fitzwilliam said hotly in defence of his cousin. "He is an honourable man who loves your daughter very much. He is ready to face the wrath of my parents and our aunt and take on the entire ton if need be to marry your daughter. He will not allow any possible ruin of any of your daughters to deter him; the only thing that will turn him away is Miss Elizabeth sending him away. And she is nearly as stubborn as he."

"Pah!" her father challenged. "All rich young men are the same, taking what they can and avoiding being entangled as long as possible. Mr. Darcy only claims he wants to marry my daughter until she gives in to him. If he remains in the area, it will be him who is a danger to my daughters, not this militia lieutenant. He has escaped from a military gaol and would be a fool to remain in the area. I sincerely doubt my daughters have anything to fear from him."

Colonel Forster had watched the conversation between the two men uneasily and finally spoke for the first time, apparently forgetting about Elizabeth's presence in the room. "Mr. Bennet, Colonel Fitzwilliam is correct in his assessment of this situation. I cannot speak to Mr. Darcy's character, as I have only met him a few times, but I can say that the lieutenant's character leaves much to be desired. He has seduced several girls in town apparently, and was priming others, one as young as fourteen, to take their virtue as well. There are presently three girls, daughters of tradesmen in the area, who each claim he promised to marry them but insisted they keep it a secret until he could earn a promotion. According to all three, he told them he would earn a captaincy after the militia departed for Brighton. Once he had that, he claimed he would be able to support a wife and would come back for them. All claim he had only stolen a kiss or two so far; however, he told the others he would take what he wanted from them. According to his friends, he intends to marry a wealthy woman and would not settle for such paltry dowries as those girls offered. I am certain you have heard about his engagement to Mary King, which was broken when her uncle took her away from the area."

Her father shook his head obstinately. "I will permit you to leave your men nearby in case he does attempt something, but as I said, only a fool would remain where he is expected. I will say nothing to my daughters; they would not bother to listen anyway," he replied tersely. "Now go so that I might return to my books. Colonel Fitzwilliam, I am not certain how you met my daughter Elizabeth, but since you are a cousin of Darcy's, I expect you not to speak to her and not attempt to pass any messages from your cousin. He will soon lose interest and depart this area if he cannot see or speak to her."

Colonel Fitzwilliam laughed. "You, sir, are a fool. Believe that if you wish, but I can guarantee you, once Miss Elizabeth reaches her majority, my cousin will return, and the two will wed. I suggest you decide if that day will be the last time you see your daughter because if she marries against your wishes, she will no doubt not desire to return. Given your cavalier attitude toward her safety and that of her sisters, I cannot fault her."

With that, Fitzwilliam led Elizabeth from the study, followed by Colonel Forster. She looked back to see her father standing in surprise at having been called a fool in his own home, but he made no protest and she allowed herself to be led out.

Since encounteringWickham abusing a tenant's daughter when they were fifteen, Darcy had held himself to a rigid sense of morality. He had not engaged in the pastimes common to many at Cambridge, and his quiet and studious nature had earned him the nickname "The Monk." Both Fitzwilliam and Darcy believed Wickham started that as a way to mock him for his stance and to eventually force him to do something to prove the nickname incorrect. Had he accomplished the latter, both men were certain Wickham would have used the information to blackmail him or to give him something to accuse him of to the elder Mr. Darcy.

As it was, Darcy had been well respected and received all manner of awards at school. Some continued to tease him about his lack of experience in this area, even now, though Darcy withstood it all with his stoicism. It had become such a habit to avoid the vices that Wickham had perfected that Darcy could not imagine doing otherwise.

Until Elizabeth.

Elizabeth tempted him beyond reason, and the kisses they had exchanged surely were designed to drive him to the very brink of madness. The thought of abstaining until their wedding day was a constant source of tribulation, as every kiss threatened to set him ablaze. Her father's refusal and the intensity of his desire prompted contemplation of an immediate escape to the Scottish border with Elizabeth, both as a means of shielding her from the danger presented by Wickham and to appease the nearly overwhelming longing that overcame him in her presence.

However, at the moment, he was settled into the library at Netherfield, a glass of Bingley's whiskey in his hand and a book in his lap as he manfully struggled to control his imaginings. His cousin found him in this position, and Darcy was thankful the book was doing its job. However, his cousin's words put a damper on his longing as quickly as they raised his ire.

"Bennet is a damned fool," he began nearly as soon as he entered the room.

"Tell me something I do not know," Darcy sallied. "I have been sitting here contemplating absconding with Elizabeth to go to Scotland. I think Bingley will marry her elder sister, but I am not certain he will stay if Wickham does manage to ruin one of the other girls. I do not know how much to say to him, as I do not want any of this getting back to his sisters."

"Bennet thinks you are a cad and that Wickham would be a fool to remain nearby," Fitzwilliam replied. "He does not understand the lengths Wickham will go to get his revenge on you, and the Bennet girls presently appear the best way to do it. How did you manage your tasks after leaving your fair maiden?"

"Phillips is sending an express to her Uncle Gardiner informing him of our concerns about the girls. Phillips does not believe Bennet will be able to be worked on, and until he is proven wrong, he will stubbornly persist as he is. However, it could be too late at that point, and one of the girls could be ruined, if not seriously harmed. I expect four or five men to arrive before noon tomorrow to protect them. Did Bennet at least agree to the militia guarding his home?"

"He did," Fitzwilliam replied, and Darcy sighed in relief.

"At least he allowed that concession to his daughters' safety, even if he will not act to protect them," Darcy replied. "I hope to be able to speak to Elizabeth soon or will write her a note telling her of what we have arranged. As soon as possible, I will have a man waiting at the kitchen door each morning to escort Elizabeth to Oakham Mount so we can speak in greater privacy."