Chapter 15

O n Saturday morning Fanny asked Mr Collins to join her in the drawing room after they had broken their fasts. Bennet looked on disinterestedly as he made his way back to his study and his book.

"Mr Collins, you can be at no loss to understand the reason of my requesting you join me here. Your own heart, your own conscience, must tell you why I desire to speak to you," Fanny began.

"Indeed, you are mistaken, Mrs Bennet. I have not been at all able to account for the honour of your requesting to see me now," Collins averred.

"Let us not trifle one with the other. One of your aims in coming hither was to take a wife from among my daughters, was it not?" Fanny asserted.

"In that you are correct, I intend to honour Cousin Jane with my…"

Fanny held up her hand. "Jane is not an option for you, Mr Collins." There was no missing the outraged look on the man's face. "She has been unofficially courted for some time, and I expect an offer to be made for her any day now."

Although he was disappointed the beauty of the family was out of his reach—Collins was aware Lady Catherine would not approve if he attempted to interfere in another's courtship—at least there were still four very comely girls left, so he would naturally look to the next in line, Miss Elizabeth, who in her own way was also a beauty. "In that case, I will begin to court Cousin Elizabeth."

"You may attempt that if you so choose," Fanny responded cooly. " If she accepts you, what would you do when you bring a lady to your parsonage who Lady Catherine will not approve of?"

"W-why w-would m-my b-beneficent p-patroness d-disapprove?" Collins stammered.

"Did you not regale us with stories of how your patroness makes many suggestions about how to run your home, and assists you with your sermons?" Fanny reminded the dullard.

"Aye, I did, what of it?"

"Elizabeth is highly educated, in fact, she has been educated much as a son would be." Fanny noted the look of horror on the man's face. "As such, she will not follow your patroness's suggestions, and if she thinks Lady Catherine is wrong about something, she will not hesitate to tell her."

"No, no! Cousin Elizabeth will never do. I could never bring such a woman before my great and wise patroness," Collins decided.

"Then I suggest that you get to know Mary," Fanny stated. She well knew this was not the time to speak of Mary as the plainest of her daughters, besides, since Mary's hair had been styled, her spectacles had been left in her chamber, and she changed the colour of the dresses she wore, she looked quite pretty. "Mary too is educated, but in the accomplishments one would expect from a lady. She practices the pianoforte with diligence, studies the Bible, and you share an interest in the writings of Reverand Fordyce." Fanny was not aware her middle daughter no longer read the sermons she had mentioned,

‘ Cousin Mary is pretty enough to tempt me, and from what Mrs Bennet has said she will be acceptable to Lady Catherine, ' Collins cogitated. Aloud he said, "I thank you for setting me on the correct path as far as your daughters are concerned. I shall take your advice to heart and honour Cousin Mary with my proposals."

"One last word of advice," Fanny stated as Mr Collins was about to stand. He sat back down. "Get to know her first, and allow her to know you. Court her, woo her, and then make your offer. I must tell you if Mary refuses you, her father will support her, just as he will if she decides to accept your hand." Fanny of course hoped Mary would accept the man so she would not have to vacate her house when her husband went to his final reward. She had promised not to berate Mary if she refused the man. As hard as it would be, if that came to pass, she would attempt to stand by her word.

Collins stood, bowed to Mrs Bennet and scurried out of the drawing room to find Miss Mary. He heard the pianoforte and followed the sound of the notes.

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

"We want to walk into Meryton to see the officers," Lydia demanded.

Jane and Elizabeth looked at one another. They had the same thought that they could not allow the two youngest Bennets to make their family ridiculous. "Lizzy and I will join you," Jane announced.

Just then Mary entered the drawing room with Mr Collins in tow. "Mary, we are all walking to Meryton, would you like to join us?" Elizabeth invited. She was both happy and somewhat confused that it seemed her talk with Mama had born fruit. Cousin Collins was clearly interested in Mary and had not importuned either herself or Jane in the least. She began to wonder how much better things would be if she and Mama worked towards the same goals rather than being at loggerheads. Her train of thought was interrupted by Mary's reply.

"Yes, thank you Lizzy, I will walk with you. I would like to see if any new sheet music has arrived at the book store," Mary accepted.

"And I will escort my fair cousins," Collins stated. The fact no one had asked him to walk with them did not seem to enter into his consciousness.

"That is a good idea, Mr Collins," Fanny agreed.

So it was, after everyone donned warm outerwear, including winter gloves, six walkers set off for the one mile ramble into Meryton. As he had since his conversation with Mrs Bennet, Collins remained close to Cousin Mary.

No sooner had they reached the main street in Meryton did Lydia call out in a loud, rather uncouth voice, " Denny !" Without waiting for their sisters' say so, the two youngest Bennets ran across the street and stopped before the lieutenant and the other officer with him. He was unknown to the sisters, but how handsome he was. He looked very good in his regimentals. "Denny will you not introduce us to this officer?" Lydia requested as Kitty nodded her agreement.

Before Mr Denny could perform the office, the three eldest Bennets and Mr Collins arrived.

"Lady Catherine would never approve of such uncouth, unladylike behaviour," Collins asserted. "She is greatly attentive to all those things. Now come away Cousins Catherine and Lydia."

"La, Mr Collins you are not our father…" Lydia tried to state rudely.

"Lydia! Control your tongue. Mr Collins has the right of it. A lady of gentle birth does not run in the street yelling like an Irish banshee," Elizabeth chastised. She looked to the two grinning officers; one, with a most pleasing countenance, she had not met. "Mr Denny, please introduce your friend."

"Misses Bennet, it is my pleasure to present Lieutenant George Wickham of Derbyshire to you. Wickham, Miss Jane Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, Miss Mary, Miss Kitty, and Miss Lydia," Denny introduced. "I beg your pardon but I know not who the gentleman is."

"Cousin Collins, Lieutenants Denny and Wickham, Lieutenants, our cousin, Mr William Collins of the parish of Hunsford in Kent." Jane did the honours.

"Hunsford. Does that mean when you mentioned Lady Catherine you referred to Lady Catherine de Bourgh," Wickham drawled. "I visited Rosings Park a lifetime past, many years ago." Wickham affected a mournful look.

"You had the honour of meeting my noble patroness," Collins enthused.

Before the Lieutenant could reply, he noted two riders approaching them. His blood went cold. What the hell was Darcy doing here. All colour drained from his face when he remembered Darcy's promise of retribution if they met again.

For his part, as soon as he saw the miscreant standing near the Bennet sisters, an officer he had previously met, and some unknown man, he almost kicked Zeus into a gallop to run the man over and rid the world of him for once and for all. He stopped himself. If Wickham thought there would be retribution, he would run and become someone else's problem. Darcy simply wheeled his horse and began to turn back the way they had come when he saw Bingley dismount. His decision not to have Gigi join him seemed that much wiser given the profligate wastrel was present.

Seeing Darcy was leaving, Wickham's colour returned to his face and he gave Darcy an insouciant, derisive salute to his enemy's retreating back. It was then he noticed the one named Miss Elizabeth had observed all which passed between him and Darcy. At his first opportunity he would have to spin a tale to explain what she had seen. As soon as the lady looked away, Wickham waggled his eyebrows at Denny while ever so slightly cocking his head towards Miss Lydia. Denny gave an almost imperceptible nod .

"Miss Bennet," Bingley bowed over his angel's hand. "Ladies," he greeted the other four sisters. Jane made the introduction to their cousin.

"It is very good to see you have returned to us," Jane said with meaning. Bingley did not miss the emphasis. "I trust your business was completed satisfactorily and your goods were sent off as planned?"

"Yes, indeed, all that needed to be was accomplished before we departed London," Bingley replied letting Miss Bennet know Caroline had been accepted and escorted to her new home. "It is gratifying to see you looking so well. Darcy and I were on our way to Longbourn to verify you are hale and healthy once again."

"It seems Mr Darcy has decided to return to Netherfield Park," Elizabeth pointed out as she inclined her head towards the retreating back of the insufferable man. ‘ Mr Bingley must have forced him to lower himself to call on Longbourn ,' she thought. ‘ Now he rides away because he is too proud to join us like Mr Bingley did. I wonder what is between the pleasant Mr Wickham and the arrogant Mr Darcy? ' She knew she could not ask the officer who exuded honesty in all of his looks. All she could hope was the wronged man—she was convinced the Lieutenant was in the right—would enlighten her.

Wickham was watching Miss Elizabeth's reaction to his nemesis. ‘ She hates him! This will make my task of blackening his name so much easier, ' he told himself silently.

Bingley said his reluctant farewell to Miss Bennet and the rest of her sisters, remounted his horse, and rode off after his friend. Before anyone could speak, the Bennet sisters were hailed by their aunt, Hattie Phillips, their mother's older, and childless sister. It was the work of moments to introduce her to Mr Collins and the handsome Lieutenant.

"It is fortuitous I saw you, Nieces," Hattie crowed. "I was on my way to Longbourn to issue an invitation to my card party this evening. You will inform your parents will you not?"

"Denny and Mr Wickham you must come," Lydia enthused while the three eldest Bennets prepared to chastise her for her forwardness.

"We could not, Miss Lydia," Wickham stated. It was a chance to impress the ladies with his manners. "We have not been invited by the young lady who is the mistress of the house."

Hattie Phillips blushed and preened at the compliment. "Colonel Forster will attend, as will some of his officers, so you two are invited as well."

"We thank you for your most generous invitation to two humble lieutenants," Wickham bowed over the lady's hand and bestowed a brief kiss on her glove. Hattie Phillips twittered and blushed like a school girl.

"Away with you now," Hattie managed. She turned to her nieces, "Your uncle and I will see you this evening, and your cousin is welcome as well."

"May Denny and I escort you home?" Wickham volunteered gallantly.

Before Lydia could accept, Elizabeth spoke. "We appreciate your offer to protect us from the dangers between here and Longbourn, but we still need to call at some stores."

Wickham and Denny bowed to the ladies and took off walking towards the militia encampment. As soon as they were out of earshot of the Bennets and their bumbling cousin, Denny spoke. "Five pounds I will relieve Miss Lydia of her virtue before you are able to do so."

"Ha! You have no chance my friend. Let us say ten pounds that I will claim the maidenhoods of both Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia before you," Wickham boasted. When he first saw Darcy, Wickham had thought it was time to run, but as the coward removed himself without a word, Wickham was confident his enemy would not want to risk having his precious sister's almost elopement made known. As such, he was sure he had the upper hand. Now all he had to do was to find a way to monetise his position. Surely Darcy would pay to keep him silent? That was one option, but Wickham knew he needed to be careful so Fitzwilliam was not summoned. That was a man who caused Wickham to quake in his boots.

"Accepted." Denny extended his hand and the two men shook.

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

"Darce, why did you race away without a word?" Bingley enquired as the two men walked back from the stables.

"You have heard me mention a blaggard named Wickham, who has leeched off my family for many years, have you not?" Darcy averred. Bingley nodded that he remembered the name. "One of the officers was none other than the libertine, profligate, seducer. As I know you will keep my confidence, there is much to tell you, which I will do, but I first need to send a courier to London to deliver a letter I am about to write."

"When you are ready, let me know. It goes without saying I will never repeat to another what you tell me without your expressed permission," Bingley vowed.

Taking the stairs two and three at a time, Darcy went to his first floor guest suite, which since Miss Bingley's removal he no longer needed to lock. He sat at the escritoire in his sitting room and began to write:

7 November 1812

Netherfield Park

Richard:

That bastard Wickham is here in Meryton! Not only that, and far better, he is a lieutenant in a regiment of the Derbyshire Militia.

My first instinct was to attack the bloody bugger where he stood, but if I had, he would have run and then we would have lost him again. As soon as you can arrange leave, come to Meryton. I know Bingley will welcome you and any others you bring to Netherfield Park. Before you depart from London though, go to Darcy House and retrieve the copies of the profligate's markers and the letter he signed relinquishing the living. As you know, the originals of the debt receipts are with my solicitor.

I suggest you bring those two sergeants you told me about. I think they will be of great use in this. Let me know when you will be able to take leave from the Dragoons, and how many men will accompany you.

Yours,

William

Once Darcy dried and sanded the missive, he folded and sealed it. He had Carstens take it to his courier who was waiting in the drive, his horse at the ready, with instructions to deliver it only into Colonel Fitzwilliam's hands .

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

Darcy and Bingley retired to the latter's study where Darcy related the whole of his history with Wickham. It included the attempt to elope with his sister.

Miss Darcy was someone Bingley viewed as a little sister so when Darcy was done with his recitation, all Bingley wanted to do was grab his foil, uncork it, ride like the wind into Meryton, and run Wickham through. He would not, under normal circumstances, commit murder, but he was aware dispatching that bastard would have given him immeasurable pleasure.

"You look as angry as I feel. We need a little patience until Richard arrives, then we will know how to act," Darcy reassured his friend.