“Heroic act,” she finished, casting her eyes downward before raising them to meet his. “It appears that I am not as capable as I believed,” she said with a hint of mischief in her voice.
“We all slip on occasion. Not just on stones.” He nodded kindly and held out his arm for her to take, certain he imagined the gentle squeeze from her fingers.
After a silence had elapsed and they were back in sight of their companions, Miss Elizabeth looked up at him and asked, “Mr. Darcy, please do not find me impertinent, but my youngest sister has found a great favorite in one of the officers. A Mr. Wickham?” He tensed at the name. “If I may be so bold to comment, I noticed you had a rather curious exchange with him at the assembly. Might you offer any intelligence as to the character of the man?”
His fists clenched at the very thought of his former friend and he could feel his blood boil. He walked onward for quite some time before appearing to gain his composure.
“If I might ask a question first, Miss Elizabeth? Has Mr. Wickham indicated to your sister that his interest is of some longevity?”
Miss Elizabeth lowered her chin and studied the stones on the path. “Sir, I presume you can imagine that my sister has a tendency to allow her own whims to color the world around her. She is but fifteen years old. She, therefore, is under the impression Mr. Wickham is planning on asking for her hand. My elder sister and I have made no such observation in the brief encounters we have had with him yesterday and earlier this morning.”
Darcy sighed.Will I never be rid of him?“George Wickham was the son of my late father’s steward. His father, the elder Mr. Wickham, was a man of good character— honest and forthright in all his business dealings. Upon his death, my own excellent father felt he owed a debt of gratitude to the memory of Wickham’s father’s service to our family and took the younger Wickham under his guidance.”
“So, you grew up together?”
“Yes, practically like brothers.” He leaned down to pick up a stone and toss it in the creek running by the path. “We were best friends.” His eyes became distant and seemed lost in reverie. “We were inseparable until Father sent us to Cambridge. It was there I learned the true character of the man.”
Miss Elizabeth waited for him to continue but he did not. “And might I ask what you discovered?”
He shook his head, picked up another stone and tossed it further than the last. “Miss Elizabeth, suffice to say, I would advise you to keep your sister far from my former playmate. He is not to be trusted in the company of young ladies. Too many have found ruination at the hands of George Wickham.”
Chapter 6
“Sir William, what a lovely party. I am so pleased to have been invited.”
Charles Bingley looked from Sir William and Lady Lucas with his characteristic smile, while glancing over their shoulders at Miss Jane Bennet. Her blonde curls cascaded from a braided crown atop her head and her blue eyes danced at the conversation with her sister Elizabeth and Miss Charlotte Lucas.
“You have captured the perfection of a country gathering amidst your walls as no other.”
“Yes, yes. Capital, capital,” burbled the older man with more self-satisfaction than thanks. “At Lucas Lodge, we are delighted to present to you all good breeding and manners.” He held out his arm and indicated the full expanse of the room. “Before you, sir, the finest families of our county.”
“It is obvious, sir.”
“Quite so, quite so.”
“Pray excuse me. I believe I see Miss Bennet.” With that, Bingley bowed to his hosts and made his way across the room.
“Superior society,” snickered Caroline to her sister. “If he believes this is superior society, he has not seen the outside of his own home!”
“Caroline, hush, someone will hear you,” Luisa Hurst said with a choked laugh.
“And if they do, I cannot imagine they would understand a word I said with their lack of education and refinement.”
Both women clucked at the lack of culture surrounding them when a deep voice intruded upon their private joke. “I assure you, ladies, that not all of us have as little education as you believe. And if we did, the manner with which your message was conveyed would be enough to shine an understanding upon how you feel about the company.”
Startled, both women looked up to find Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Darcy. Caroline sputtered an apology while Luisa covered her mouth with her hand.
“Mr. Hamilton. I am sure you misunderstood my meaning.”
“No, madam, I think Mr. Darcy and I understood you perfectly.” He nodded his head and both turned to stride across the room to take some refreshments.
“Oh, Luisa. What if that ruins my chances with Mr. Darcy?”
“Dear Caroline. I do not think your chances with him were ever very good. How can you forget he is to marry Miss de Bourgh? Do set your sights elsewhere.” With no little guile, her older sister said, “If you want this, your third season, to be your last, you must put Mr. Darcy out of mind.” Luisa seated herself on a nearby couch, frustrated with her sister but indifferent to mixing with Meryton’s finest.
“Oh,” Caroline whispered to herself. “I have always known I would never be the mistress of Pemberley. But I do not aspire to that position. I only wish to be the mistress of one person in particular.” At that moment, Mr. Darcy glanced in her direction. She smiled at him through lowered lashes, while he frowned and stiffly nodded as he had done several minutes before.This will work out the way I want it to in the end.
* * *
