Goodly Creatures: A Pride and Prejudice Deviation (48 page)

The two young women looked approvingly at the new recruit. Lydia felt he only wanted regimentals to make him completely charming. He had a fine countenance, a good figure, and a very pleasing address. In addition, he was tall and exhibited a happy readiness for conversation.

His smile seemed to indicate an unassuming pleasantness when he said, “Miss Lucas, Miss Bennet, I am honoured to make your acquaintance. Do you visit the camp often?”

“Mr Wickham, my sister is the wife of your colonel. My friend and I visit her several times a week.”

“Miss Bennet, I understand you are one of five beautiful sisters. Do they often visit the camp?”

“My sister Elizabeth does quite often. She is a close friend of Mrs Forster, and she is godmother to one of her children.” Lydia noticed a very slight smile of satisfaction at the information about her sister. Over the past few years, she had become adept at discerning those new acquaintances that appeared eager to learn more about Lizzy. She was not sure whether his smile indicated such a hunger for knowledge about the mysterious heiress, or whether he was just anxious to meet another Bennet beauty.

Captain Carter asked, “Miss Lydia, pray tell us about the ball at Netherfield. When is it?”

Lydia’s face lit up with excitement, and her words came tumbling out. “My sister, Jane, sent a note to me just before I left. She and Mr Bingley decided on November 26, last evening. They were both concerned I would be offended that they decided the date without me. You see, Mr Bingley had promised me I could have that honour as soon as my sister Jane was well. He made that promise when I went with my mother to visit my sister who has been staying at Netherfield recuperating from a cold. However, as it turns out, he needs to leave for London on the 27
^th,
, and Mr Darcy needs to leave for Pemberley that same day, so he and my sister chose the 26th.” Lydia finally drew a breath and looked at Maria, and they both giggled. Lydia continued with her explanation, “They were quite sweet, and worried that I would feel hurt that I did not get to choose the date. I just hope it is magnificent. This will be my first fancy ball, and I am quite beside myself with excitement. Mr Bingley’s sister will make the arrangements. She is very elegant, and I am certain the other members of the party, Mr and Mrs Hurst and Mr Darcy will lend their expertise of balls in London to make this a most delightful affair. I hope we have ices.”

Lydia was too involved in telling her glorious news to notice that Mr Wickham had stiffened at the mention of Mr Darcy. He said quite nonchalantly, “Mr Darcy of Pemberley is staying in this neighbourhood?”

“Oh yes, he has been here almost a month. I first thought him very proud and disagreeable, but I observed him recently at Netherfield, and he seemed more at ease. He also appeared just a little taken with my sister Elizabeth.” Lydia giggled again at the thought. “You remember, Captain Carter, he had insulted her, sight unseen, at the assembly, and now he does not seem to be able to take his eyes off her.”

Maria wanted her part in talking to this handsome recruit, so she said, “Mr Darcy is cousin to one of my Brother Forster’s best friends. Colonel Fitzwilliam is nothing like his cousin. He is quite humorous and most lively. Do you know Mr Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam, Mr Wickham?”

Lydia observed a momentary look of concern ont the new recruit’s face at the mention of Colonel Fitzwilliam.

Wickham’s face was back to his pleasant demeanour when he replied, “Yes I grew up with Mr Darcy at Pemberley. I have known Colonel Fitzwilliam since we were boys and have remained a very close friend of his brother, the Viscount Wolfbridge.”

Lydia, who appeared silly to many new acquaintances, was actually quite astute at judging characters. She had listened carefully over the years to her older sisters. Several times during their seemingly inane conversation, Mr Wickham turned the conversation back to Elizabeth. She believed she had uncovered a fortune hunter, and could not wait to tell her sister.

In parting, Lydia told Mr Wickham that some of the officers were to dine with her Aunt and Uncle Philips the next day. She smiled disarmingly and told him she would have her uncle call on him to extend an invitation. “My aunt will have a nice comfortable game of lottery tickets, and a bit of hot supper afterwards.”

Lydia Bennet embraced Jane and Elizabeth when she returned from visiting Charlotte. Longbourn had been unpleasant without them. Mrs Bennet was much more “nervous” without Jane about. Her oldest sister knew best how to calm her mother. Her sister, Mrs Philips, had also caught a cold, and Mrs Bennet had been denied her daily dose of Meryton gossip while her sister had been under the weather.

Mary and Mr Bennet had shut themselves up in his study every day, and every morning, Kitty insisted she had to go to the brickworks to paint tiles.

Lydia had been left alone with her mother for much of her sisters’ absence. Each day her mother had prattled on about how she was sure Jane was close to an understanding with Mr Bingley. Her mother could not conceal her pleasure at the prospect of increased status in the neighbourhood once an engagement transpired. The youngest Bennet daughter hoped her mother was right, and Mr Bingley was falling in love with Jane.

That morning, Lydia had been free to go to the militia camp with Maria because finally her aunt Philips was much improved. Mrs Bennet was anxious for her sister to visit so she could tell her of Jane’s expectations. Lydia had felt the need to flee the house despite her sisters’ imminent return home. Lizzy would forgive her not being at Longbourn upon their arrival—as soon as she told her about her new acquaintance. Her sister would laugh when she learned he knew Mr Darcy, his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam and the Colonel’s brother the Viscount… La de dah!

34 BY THE PRICKING OF HER THUMBS

Elizabeth had always found the officers of the militia in general a very creditable, gentlemanlike set, and the best of them were present at her aunt and uncle’s house the next evening. Her first impression of Mr Wickham was that he appeared far beyond them all in person, countenance, air, and walk.

Every female’s eyes sought him out when he first arrived, but Elizabeth was the woman by whom he seated himself. She was both bemused and wary of the agreeable manner in which he immediately fell into conversation with her. His subjects were nothing profound, but his approach to the probability of a cold winter was reminiscent of the skill Lord Wolfbridge had displayed for similar mundane topics. The comparison caused her apprehension to grow, but her determination to find out what he was about increased as well. After a while, she felt it prudent to not be seen as too eager to monopolize his attention and left to spend time with Charlotte and Colonel Forster.

When the company divided itself for games, he was received with studied delight between Elizabeth and Lydia at a table not engaged in any particular diversion. Lizzy and Lydia had devised a plan for just such a possibility. The youngest Bennet daughter would engross him first, for she was already known by him to be a most determined talker. With this ploy, Elizabeth would appear nonchalant to the man who claimed to be a friend of the inhabitant of her nightmares. Lydia would then leave, declaring a fondness for lottery tickets, and move to the next table.

Her youngest sister did not know everything of Lizzy’s need to understand Mr Wickham’s motives. She only knew her sister agreed with her that he could be a fortune hunter, but she wondered if there was something more. When Lydia had been describing her meeting with the militia’s newest recruits, Elizabeth’s sudden paleness at Lord Wolfbridge’s name had piqued her curiosity.

After Lydia’s departure, Lizzy prepared to hear Mr Wickham. She began the conversation knowing she dare not be the first to mention Mr Darcy or his cousins for fear of exposing her mission. Luckily, her curiosity was soon relieved. Mr Wickham began the subject himself. He inquired how far Netherfield was from Meryton; and after receiving her answer, asked with some hesitancy how long Mr Darcy had been staying there.

“Just over three weeks,” said Elizabeth; and then, unwilling to let the subject drop, added, “He is a man of very large property in Derbyshire, I understand.”

“Yes,” replied Wickham, “his estate there is a noble one… a clear ten thousand per annum. You could not have met with a person more capable of giving you certain information about that man than myself, for I have been connected with his family from my infancy. My father was the steward for the estate.”

Wickham’s eyes revealed a hint of his own mission. “Are you much acquainted with Mr Darcy?”

Elizabeth decided to play to what she perceived was his prejudice. “As much as I ever wish to be. I have spent four days in the same house with him, and I found him often disagreeable.”

“I have no right to give my opinion,” said Wickham, “as to his being agreeable or otherwise. It is impossible for me to be impartial based on how long and how well I have known him. I believe your opinion of him would in general astonish most of his acquaintances.”

Elizabeth feared she had gone too far. She did not think it appropriate that she extend an unfavourable opinion of Mr Darcy, but she desperately needed to know what this man knew. She said with a look of feigned mortification, “Upon my word, I have offended you. I did not realize you remained close to the gentleman.”

“Do not be sorry,” said Wickham with a most endearing smile on his face. “I have a similar opinion of the man to yours, but with him, I suspect we are a minority. The world is blinded by his fortune and consequence, or frightened by his high and imposing manners.”

His words left Elizabeth more comfortable in continuing her deceit. “I should take him, even on my slight acquaintance, to be an unsociable man.”

Wickham nodded his head in agreement. “I wonder, whether he is likely to be in this country much longer.”

“I do not know for certain, but I heard nothing of his going away when I was at Netherfield.” Elizabeth chuckled inwardly at the precise truth of her statement. She had not heard of his plans to leave the day after the ball, until Jane told her after they returned to Longbourn. Mr Darcy, who despised disguise in women, would probably be appalled at her tactics. “I hope your plans in favour of the militia will not be affected by his being in the neighbourhood.”

“Oh! No… it is not for me to be driven away by Mr Darcy. We are not on friendly terms, and it always gives me pain to meet him, but I have no reason for avoiding him. When I am around him, I often harbour a desire to proclaim to all the world… a sense of very great ill-usage. His father, the late Mr Darcy, was one of the best men that ever breathed, and his cousin, the Viscount Wolfbridge, is to this day, the truest friend I have. I can never be in company with this Mr Darcy without a thousand tender recollections of our youth. However, his behaviour to me lately has been scandalous, but I believe I could forgive him anything and everything, except his disappointing my hopes and disgracing the memory of his father.”

Elizabeth forced herself not to react to the mention of the man who had so brutally changed the course of her life. She listened for what her companion would say next with her heart pounding in her chest. Her frustration grew when next Mr Wickham began to speak on more general topics. He expressed pleasure with all that he had seen since arriving in the neighbourhood. “It was the prospect of constant good society which was my chief inducement to enter this militia regiment. I knew it to be a most respectable, agreeable corps, and my friend Denny tempted me by his account of their present quarters, and the excellent company to be found in Meryton.”

His last statement increased her apprehension. Had he been directed to Meryton by the Viscount? Was this a plot by Wickham and Lord Wolfbridge to expose her and force her to relinquish her ‘ill-gotten’ gains?

“Society, I own, is necessary to me. My spirits will not bear solitude. I must have employment and society. A military life is not what I was intended for, but circumstances have now made it my best choice. The church ought to have been my profession. I should at this time have been in possession of a most valuable living, had it pleased the gentleman we were speaking of just now.”

Elizabeth relaxed a bit. It seemed he was more fixed on discrediting Mr Darcy than soliciting information about her. She said with fake horror on her face, “Indeed!”

“Yes, the late Mr Darcy bequeathed me the next presentation of the best living in his gift. He was my godfather, and excessively attached to me. I cannot do justice to his kindness. He meant to provide for me amply, and thought he had done so. However, when the living fell vacant, Mr Darcy gave it to someone else.”

“Good heavens!” cried Elizabeth. She was genuinely surprised at Mr Wickham’s revelation. “How could that be? Why did you not seek legal redress?” Once over her initial surprise, she concluded that Mr Darcy certainly knew best. No one who considered Lord Wolfbridge to be his ‘truest’ friend, should be a clergyman.

Mr Wickham continued with his tale of woe. “There was just such an informality in the terms of the bequest as to give me no hope from the law. A man of honour could not have doubted the intention, but Mr Darcy chose to assert that I had forfeited all claim to it by my conduct. But I cannot accuse myself of having done anything that should have caused me to lose it. I may perhaps have sometimes spoken my opinion of him too freely. I recall nothing worse. The truth is, we are very different sort of men, and he hates me.”