Chapter 35

After several days cooped up in the house, too afraid to stir from it after the news they had heard of Wickham's presence, Lydia was the first of the Bennet sisters to have had enough.

"I have an idea," Lydia confided to Kitty and Elizabeth. "I have spoken of it to Uncle Gardiner. I thought that if we went outside and walked the paths just inside the woods, we might induce Mr. Wickham to approach us. The sooner he is caught, the sooner we will be able to go back to something like a normal life."

"Explain your idea, Lydia. William mentioned some of it to me yesterday. He is getting frustrated as well and is beginning to wonder if the idea of enticing Wickham to come out of hiding is more reasonable than he previously considered," Elizabeth said, intrigued. She, too, had been longing for her usual freedom to walk the grounds.

"We are allowed to walk out of doors so long as we are accompanied. Yesterday, I used some scraps of cloth and sewed two larger-than-usual reticules. They fit two bricks easily. If Wickham did approach us, we would swing it at his head."

"I will not be used as bait to lure a deserter and murderer out of hiding," Kitty cried. "And William would not allow such a thing, should you be the one to go with Lydia."

"He might. We discussed it again last night and while he does not like the idea, he also will not prohibit me from doing what I think is best," Elizabeth said, shrugging. It had not been that simple; the two had argued furiously the night before when Elizabeth had proposed the idea of her placing herself in danger. She reminded him that she would be carrying bricks in her reticule and the men hired for the purpose of protecting them would be nearby. It was nearly two in the morning before he had grudgingly agreed to go along with her plan, though he insisted that he be allowed to be nearby and to assist in Wickham's capture.

Elizabeth and Lydia schemed further, preparing for contingencies, while Kitty huffed her unhappiness. Then, Elizabeth and Lydia sought out Darcy, and their plans were finalised. Darcy looked astonished at how devious his wife and sister could be. More than once, they heard him mutter something about a head full of bricks, but they chose to ignore his statements and continued with their plans.

Early the next morning, all was in readiness. Armed men were hidden among the paths, and riders were saddled and ready to ride far and fast if it became necessary. The magistrate was warned, and the local doctor was waiting at Pemberley just in case he proved necessary.

Darcy was pacing incessantly as all the pieces were moved into place. Elizabeth could tell how distressed and worried he was. He paused in his pacing to embrace her. "I confess, the only reason I am willing to let you put herself in harm's way is because of a dream. Anyone else would tell me I was mad, dearest, but even before you told me of your plan, I dreamed of you and Lydia standing over Mr. Wickham holding a bag of bricks. I know that our dreams have tended to be prophetic or to provide a warning. I pray this one is prophetic."

"Perhaps you will be unsurprised that I had a similar dream, my love," Elizabeth confessed, caressing his face. "I am uncertain if I ever told you of one of my earliest dreams, one that also made me question Mr. Wickham's sincerity while in Meryton. I do not know where we were, but I was crying as I read a letter from my sister Jane, telling me that Lydia had eloped with Wickham. Only they had not gone to Gretna, and instead they were hiding in London. Then I saw you bribing him to marry my sister to preserve my reputation. Of course, you did not say specifically it was my reputation you were preserving, but somehow, I knew that was your purpose. It is odd, is it not, how these dreams have almost shown us an alternate path? One our lives could have taken had we not allowed ourselves to alter our first impressions of the other?"

They smiled at each other, marvelling at how their dreams had led them to this moment. Their embrace lasted for several moments until the sudden entrance of Lydia startled them, prompting the couple to jump apart.

"Everything is in place, except the primary actors," Lydia said, not noticing the embraced couple as she tied her bonnet. Elizabeth squeezed him tightly before moving away, and Darcy led them to the entry where he assisted her with her spencer and bonnet before kissing her lovingly. She watched him leave through a servants' entrance, already attired in the rough garments of a gardener.

After waiting for several minutes for him to get into place, Elizabeth and Lydia left the house heading for one of the paths William had told them about. Despite the tension roiling in her body, Elizabeth spoke light-heartedly with Lydia as they hopped from topic to topic in an attempt to distract themselves.

Though it was not unexpected, Elizabeth was still surprised when Wickham appeared in front of them. As planned, she and her sister stepped apart, confusing Wickham, and this momentary inattention allowed Elizabeth to raise her reticule and swing it forcefully, connecting with the side of Wickham's head. Much to her surprise, he collapsed immediately, landing at her feet, just as her husband had described in his dream.

For a moment, no one moved. That their plan had worked so perfectly seemed to stun everyone for a moment, but it was short-lived. Very soon after, Wickham, still unconscious, had his hands bound. The men guarding him were waiting for the carriage to arrive that would convey him to the magistrate in Lambton, and from there, to London where he would be court-martialled.

Elizabeth found herself caught up in Darcy's arms, wrapped protectively around her while this transpired. Lydia stood next to them, and Elizabeth grasped Lydia's hand. They were still standing this way when Wickham blinked awake, the motion of being tossed into the wagon apparently waking him from his stupor.

"Bloody hell!" he exclaimed and then became aware that his feet and arms were tied. "What the devil has happened to me?" He blinked several more times, clearing his vision, and saw his nemesis standing in front of him with his wife in his arms and Lydia next to her.

"What the blazes did you do to me?" he demanded. "Lydia, you said you wanted to marry me in Meryton. You allowed me your favours. How could you allow me to be treated this way? Which one of you hit me? Was it you, my dear Lydia, or was it that bitch sister of yours, Elizabeth?"

As though he suddenly became aware that Darcy was standing there, he turned his head, wincing as he did so. "I will tell everyone what a whore your sister is, and how I laid with her in Ramsgate. She will be ruined in society. Actually, I will tell everyone that the family you married into is full of strumpets and tarts. Lydia would have been easy to seduce; she flirted with every member of the militia. If you had remained away just a little bit longer, I would have had her in my bed. It would have been simple to ruin her, and probably her sister Kitty as well. Elizabeth would have willingly come to me when I first arrived, though something made her wary of me after the ball. Did you say something to her then? I swear, Darcy, you are such a bloody prig, always ruining my fun."

Darcy stepped forward, his anger evident to everyone there. "I would stop talking now, Wickham," he growled through gritted teeth, "unless you wish to be gagged in addition to tied. Given that you are to be tried for desertion, nothing else you say about any of these women will matter. So long as you arrive alive, Colonel Forster does not care what condition you arrive in. Keep in mind, it is quite easy to fall when bound in a closed carriage. You will not escape punishment this time."

"Lydia, you will not allow them to treat me this way, will you? I love you and want to marry you, and only approached you to ask if you would accompany me to Gretna Green. We can be married within the week."

Lydia took a step forward. Instead of speaking, she swung her reticule against the side of Wickham's face and jaw, knocking him out for a second time. She moved to hit him again, but was stopped by one of the guards.

"That's enough for now, miss. We will take care of him. Once he wakes, he will find himself gagged, though from the looks of things, you might have caught his jaw. If that's broken, he'll find it difficult to talk for some time, which might be best for everyone," the guard said kindly.

Lydia looked up at him in surprise. "If my swing did not break it, perhaps you could finish the job. He is rather worthless, is he not? I am ashamed that I ever allowed myself to admire him, even a little."

"You are young yet, Lyddie," Darcy said gently, and Elizabeth's heart jumped at her husband's gentle tone and his use of the familiar nickname for her sister. "Fortunately, this is your first experience with such a rogue, and while it can be hoped it is the last, he will have taught you to be at least a little less trusting moving forward."