Chapter 13

W ith Netherfield finally silent and everybody else asleep, Elizabeth allowed herself more time for reflection.

Since her mother had taken the bed Elizabeth had previously occupied, Mr Bingley had assigned her another room, and the solitude suited her very well.

Recollecting the events of the last few days, Elizabeth realised that she might be the only one in possession of all the details. She knew what Mr Darcy, her father, and Dr Bates had discussed in regard to the accident and the shooting. In addition, Mr Darcy had related to her Mr Wickham’s attempt to deceive Miss Darcy at Ramsgate, and Miss Darcy had revealed her dismay when she had spotted Mrs Forster, whom she had apparently met in that same seaside town.

The unexpected connection made Elizabeth feel uneasy, even though she was uncertain of its significance. What were the odds that Mr Wickham and Mrs Forster had been in Ramsgate at the same time, particularly when he had been plotting against Miss Darcy?

Mr Darcy had not said exactly what the scoundrel’s intention had been — he had only said the man attempted to take advantage of her. But what could he have meant by that? If Mr Wickham’s aim had been monetary gain, he could only have achieved it in two ways: either by stealing something valuable from the girl — but how much money and how many valuable things could she have taken with her for a short stay in Ramsgate? — or, more likely, by trying to force a marriage upon her, perhaps an elopement since Mr Darcy would never give his consent. The last was the most logical and painful circumstance, which, as she had been told, had failed because of Miss Darcy’s wisdom and strength of character.

Either way, Mr Wickham’s actions were detestable and revealed his dreadful character.

As she reviewed her own behaviour towards Mr Wickham, Elizabeth became angrier with herself. If she was clever enough for such complex reasoning, how could she have been such a simpleton to trust a man merely because of her prejudice towards others?

There were so many more unanswered questions, and so many details that were still unclear, and these kept her awake for another hour. One peculiar concern troubled her exceedingly: with the presence of Miss Darcy and now Colonel Fitzwilliam in the neighbourhood, and following her mother’s outburst, Mr Wickham must know his deceptions could not be successful any longer, and with the danger of being exposed to everyone, he must feel trapped. What would a man used to deception and betrayal do when he was cornered? Apparently, he had already attempted to hurt Mr Darcy, and that was before the confrontation with her mother, before Miss Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam’s arrival. Would he now try something even more heinous?

With such tormenting thoughts, Elizabeth finally fell asleep, worried about what the next day would bring.

∞∞∞

Darcy was almost asleep when Colonel Fitzwilliam arrived with Mr Bennet, completely taking him by surprise.

When Georgiana had left London, neither the colonel nor their Matlock relatives had been at home. Furthermore, Darcy had written to Lord Matlock and to the colonel, mentioning the accident and the Bennets’ help. He had explicitly stated he was in no danger, that he was residing at Longbourn while he healed, and that Dr Bates was there, supervising him until his complete recovery.

Despite his reassuring letters, he should have known his cousin would come. But that he had arrived on the night of the ball had surely caused more disturbance to his hosts than it otherwise would have done. Darcy had been amused by Mr Bennet’s readiness to return home at the first opportunity, abandoning the dance. So, there they were, in the middle of the night — he, his cousin, the doctor, and Elizabeth’s father, enjoying an animated conversation.

“When I arrived in Meryton and asked for directions, I was told everybody was at a ball at Netherfield,” the colonel explained. “That is why I went there. Mr Bennet was kind enough to escort me here. I should have waited till morning. I hope I am not disturbing you. How are you feeling?”

“I am well, thank you. Of course you are not disturbing me, but you should not have taken the trouble of coming all this way.”

“Surely you are joking! Would you not have come to see me if I was hurt? By the by, Mr Bennet told me Georgiana is here, at Longbourn?”

“Yes. She is staying till tomorrow. I shall explain everything — the situation is complicated. I have ruined the peace and comfort of the entire Bennet family.”

“Nonsense,” Mr Bennet interjected. “Colonel Fitzwilliam, I assume you are tired, hungry, and thirsty. I shall ask for some food to be brought and will pour you a brandy. My man will ensure your coachman is fed too.”

“Thank you, Mr Bennet. I admit I am almost as hungry as I am thirsty.”

“Excellent. I confess I am hungry too — I left the ball before supper, which was actually a blessing after all that bustle.”

“Mr Bennet, how did Mrs Bennet feel at the ball? She seemed unwell when she left, and I gave her some medicine for her headache. I hope it helped,” the doctor said.

“Mrs Bennet appeared to be in a good disposition. Better than I have seen her in a long while. She was exceedingly animated, even unrestrained — a little too much so.”

“Was she? Hmm… For most people, the medicine causes relaxation, but there are a few for whom the effect is quite the opposite.”

“I suspect Mrs Bennet was among those few. By the by, Mr Darcy, in case you were wondering, Mr Wickham made an appearance after the second set. I assume he is now regretting his imprudence, as he happened to find Mrs Bennet in a particularly poor disposition.”

Darcy frowned, puzzled by such a statement, which seemed to amuse Mr Bennet.

“Wickham? Do you mean George Wickham?” the colonel burst out.

“Yes, George Wickham himself. We have a lot to discuss, Cousin.”

“Since I am pleased with Mr Darcy’s present state, I shall leave you now,” Dr Bates said. “I have already eaten dinner, and I am quite tired, so I shall retire for the night.”

“And I shall order some food for us,” Mr Bennet said, withdrawing and allowing the two cousins some much-needed privacy.

“Wickham is here. He joined the militia regiment stationed in Meryton a week or so ago,” Darcy explained as soon as the door had closed. “You can imagine I was just as shocked to see him here as you are to hear of it.”

“Surely you are joking! Wickham joining the militia? How? Who paid for his commission? Have you talked to his colonel?”

“Cousin, calm down. I shall give you all the details.”

“This is unbelievable! Can we not get rid of this degenerate once and for all? I need to refill my glass!”

“Yes, you do that. And pour me one too as I have much more to tell you.”

A little while and a glass full of brandy later, Darcy finally provided his cousin with all the details. The colonel was shocked, furiously angry, and in need of another drink.

“So you suspect Wickham shot you?”

“Yes. Fortunately, he is as incompetent with a gun as he is with everything else. First, he wounded my horse, then me. Both superficial scratches.”

“So you know for certain it was him?”

“I am. He even spoke to me, and I am sure he would have either shot me again or left me to die in the cold had he not been interrupted. Mrs Bennet and her daughters truly saved my life, though they do not know it. I owe them more than simply words of gratitude.”

“So what should we do now? Such a criminal act cannot go unpunished.”

“It will not, but I need more evidence. I also need to be cautious in regard to Georgiana. But first I need to return to Netherfield and leave the Bennets in peace. Nobody in the family has rested properly in the last week because of me.”

“Mr Bennet seems not to mind. He was very considerate and helpful.”

“I know. He is also a clever man. He is aware of what happened, and I have shared my suspicions with him.”

“So is he the only one in the family who knows? Not Mrs Bennet?”

“Not Mrs Bennet, but he is not the only one. Miss Elizabeth Bennet — his second daughter — knows too.”

“Miss Elizabeth? The lady who ran for help? Why share such a story with a young woman?”

“Miss Elizabeth is an admirable person. Quite clever and sharp. Due to certain circumstances, she is now in possession of all the information. I also told her that Wickham attempted to deceive and hurt Georgiana, without offering details.”

“I am speechless. This Miss Elizabeth must be truly remarkable since you granted her so much trust. I hope you will not regret it.”

“I am sure I shall not. The irony is that the Bennets were among the first in Meryton to befriend Wickham. I am curious what happened at the ball — Mr Bennet mentioned something about Mrs Bennet and Wickham.”

They chatted for a little longer until they were interrupted by Mr Bennet’s return. He was followed by Tom carrying a tray of food.

“I hope I am not disturbing you, gentlemen?”

“Not at all, sir,” Darcy said. “We were waiting for you. Besides, we are in your home, so we are in your debt, and you could never disturb us.”

“Just please do not thank me again, Mr Darcy. You have already done so too many times.”

The tray was placed on the table; Tom left, and Mr Bennet and the colonel filled their plates.

“Mr Bennet, we were wondering what happened between Wickham and Mrs Bennet at the ball. You mentioned something?” Darcy enquired.

“Ah, yes. That was a spectacle not to be missed. As I said, Mr Wickham arrived after the second set. My silly youngest daughter spoke to him, and he denied it was him the ladies saw when your accident occurred. Mrs Bennet took it as a personal offence and went straight to confront him amidst a group of officers, as well as Colonel Forster and his wife.”

Darcy stared at the gentleman in disbelief.

“Truly?”

“Yes, but it got worse — or better. Mr Wickham vehemently denied he had been present, so in the end, Mrs Bennet concluded that it must have been another officer in Colonel Forster’s regiment who had done such a heinous thing, and she demanded he seek the truth. She might have mentioned that she and Lizzy were braver than the militia officers — which I am sure delighted all the men.”

“That, I would not have expected,” Darcy admitted. “Especially since I know Mrs Bennet considered Wickham a friend…”

“Sir, I look forward to meeting Mrs Bennet,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said.

“In truth, my wife surprised me too, which is not easy after five-and-twenty years of marriage. Mr Darcy, you should know that Wickham has already suggested you have accused him undeservedly.”

“Of course he has. He always does.”

“Wickham must be properly punished, as he should have been years ago. At the very least he must spend a few months in debtors’ prison, which will not be enough, by far,” the colonel uttered. “Since you are still keeping to your bed, I shall see to him.”

“Being kept to my bed does not stop me from carrying out my duties. But I am glad you are here, Cousin.”

“You should be warned, though,” Mr Bennet interjected. “As a colonel, as the son of an earl, and as the nephew of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, you will have to bear the admiration of my wife, my youngest daughters, and my cousin Mr Collins, who is Lady Catherine’s parson. You can ask Mr Darcy for advice to overcome that particular obstacle.”

The colonel was dumbfounded; Darcy laughed, and from there, the conversation continued whilst they ate and drank until the brandy defeated the gentlemen, and each of them was forced to rest.

At some point, the sound of a carriage announced Mr Collins’s return from the ball; fortunately, he went directly to his room.

∞∞∞

Daylight breaking through the half-open curtains woke Darcy. Strangely, he felt rested and succeeded in moving without much pain. Stevens helped him to sit up, supported by pillows.

Dr Bates examined him carefully, and finally, the report that Darcy had longed for was given.

“We can safely move you to Netherfield today, Mr Darcy. Your improvement is clear. I am quite sure the danger has passed.”

“This is the best news, indeed. It is time for the Bennet family to regain full use of their home. I hope you will stay a few more days at Netherfield, Dr Bates. That is, if your duties do not require your presence in town.”

“I shall stay two more days to be certain of your recovery. I must say, Mr Darcy, that I am as relieved as you are. In truth, I feared the worst considering your head injury. However, your ribs are still sore and need rest and protection. Not much effort, no standing for too long, no long walks, and absolutely no riding for at least a month. This is not something to trifle with, sir!”

“I am aware of that, and I hope I have proved to be an obedient patient. Shall I be able to travel by carriage?”

“With the exception of the short trip to Netherfield, not for another two weeks and no long journeys. To London, perhaps. To Pemberley, not before the spring.”

“I promise to adjust my plans accordingly,” Darcy concluded.

He felt relieved, but there were other conflicted feelings within him. Although the situation was still complicated, and he must employ care in dealing with Wickham, Darcy thought mostly of Elizabeth, wondering how his departure would affect his relationship with her.

Yes, as improbable as it had seemed a fortnight ago, he did have a relationship with Elizabeth — one based on trust, understanding, and remorse. She had come to regret trusting Wickham, while he was burdened by remorse for his behaviour from the day he had arrived in Hertfordshire to the day of his accident.

So much had changed in such a short time that all his previous reflections, struggles, and decisions — especially those related to Elizabeth — seemed irrelevant and flawed. The danger he had found himself in and his gratitude to those who had rescued him had opened his eyes to the truth of his feelings and desires — and to how to fulfil them.

Prior to the accident, he had been resigned to the conclusion that Elizabeth’s situation forbade him from considering her as the future Mrs Darcy. All the reasons he had gathered to support that belief had proved to be shallow, inconsequential, and even silly. He had confided in her and trusted her with Georgiana’s safety. It was more than he would have done with any other woman — any other person, except the colonel. She was not just admirable but also reliable. And, of course, a woman so enchanting, so alluring that only thinking of her stirred all his senses.

Darcy had been long certain of his admiration and growing love for Elizabeth. Yes, love it must be — a word he had never used before, nor considered in regard to any other woman. And now, he was sure she would gracefully honour the Darcy name. The only uncertainty that remained was in regard to her feelings and her desires. That was still a subject he needed to explore with her, and the task would not be easy. He had earned her friendship, and his greatest fear was losing what he already had by attempting to gain much more.

As thrilled as he was to move to Netherfield, he was even more eager to see Elizabeth again, perhaps talk to her a little. Since he was still forced to spend most of his time in bed, at Netherfield, the chances of seeing her and talking to her would be few, and he already missed their little conversations.