Wickham had tried to garner credit from three shops plus the Red Lion Inn where he intended to drink in the tap house, but so far, regardless of how much of his vaunted charm he had employed, he had been refused. When Colonel Forster had informed his officers the local merchants did not issue credit to anyone who was not well known to them, Wickham had been confident he would be able to bypass that particular impediment. Much to his chagrin, none of the stratagems he had employed had won him an account to gain what he wanted on credit.
What was he to do, he had less than five pounds to his name so unless he convinced some of hisfriendsto buy his grog for him, he would soon be without.
The same officers were getting more and more insistent Wickham pay his debts to them. He of course, had no intention of doing so. Perhaps he would have to think about leaving the militia sooner rather than later.
Leaving presented two problems. Unless his resignation was accepted, he would be counted a deserter, which in time of war meant death if one was caught. The problem was he had signed a contract to remain an officer for one year complete. The second, more pressing problem was his lack of funds, and so far, his luck had not turned with the cards so all he had gained were more debts.
Thankfully he had heard some cryptic talk around the town about one of the Bennet sisters having inherited an estate and possibly much more than that. If he could find out which one it was, and compromise her, all his financial woes would be a thing of the past.
Based on the gossip supplied by a serving wench who had allowed him to tup her, the Bennets had begun to frequentthe town again as they had completed their deep mourning. The same girl had mentioned the older one was married some two years ago to some noble, and another was engaged, to whom she knew not. If the one who was betrothed was the sister who had inherited the estate, her being spoken for would not affect his plans.
He would be on the lookout for these supposedly comely Bennet sisters and he was sure it would not take him long to discover which one was the heiress. Wickham could smell wealth like a pointer could detect the prey its master was hunting. His secondary plan, which he had already begun to put into practice, was toborrowthe purses and valuables of as many of his fellow officers as possible before he ran in case he needed to make his escape.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Should we walk into Meryton?” Elizabeth proposed to Mary and Kitty. “It has been some time since we have visited the stores in the town.”
“I have no objections,” Mary agreed. “It is not too cold today and I do not expect Richard for some days yet, so there is no need for me to await his call at home.”
“Could we not use one of the carriages?” Kitty, who did not like the cold, asked.
“It will be a brisk walk, as long as Papa agrees,” Elizabeth responded. “However, if you are dead set against walking, we may use a conveyance.”
Knowing how much Lizzy and Mary enjoyed walking, Kitty agreed to walk as well. Elizabeth made for the study to seek their father’s permission for the outing.
“Even though who the heiress is has not been discovered, there are whispers in Meryton about one of you gaining an estate,” Bennet responded after Elizabeth made the request for her and her sisters to hie for the market town. “We know not of the characters of the militia men, so as long as youhave Mrs. Jenkinson as well as Biggs, Johns, and at least two other men escort you, you have my consent for your walk.”
“Thank you, Papa,” Elizabeth enthused as she kissed her father’s cheek.
Soon a party of nine was making the one mile walk into Meryton. Before they entered the town, Biggs stopped them. He explained he would remain close to the three misses with Mrs. Jenki, as long as they stayed together while Johns and the other three men would appear to not be a part of their party but would be close by in case they were needed.
Thus, when they made the turn onto the main road which ran through the town, Johns was walking ahead of them on the other side of the street with one of the other guards close to him. One man walked ahead of the sisters on the same side of the street while Biggs was where one would expect an escort to be. The fifth man was a little farther back.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Just when Wickham thought the Bennet sisters were a myth, three of the most beautiful young ladies he had ever seen began walking up the other side of the street from where he was. Two were blonde, one tall and willowy, the other shorter like the dark haired one. He guessed they were the Bennets as they were dressed in the colours of one who was in half mourning. They were followed by an enormous oaf of a footman. Wickham was sure the huge dullard was mentally and physically slow.
Wickham’s mouth fell open when he really looked at the one with the raven coloured curls which protruded from under her bonnet. She had bewitching emerald-green eyes and was the most gorgeous woman of any age he had ever beheld. If only that one was the heiress. What he would not give to bed one as comely as her. He decided even if she was not the one with the estate, he would have her anyway.
As they walked, none of the three Bennet sisters missedthe way one officer was leering at them. Elizabeth shifted her vision to where Johns was on the same side of the street as the drooling man. Johns gave an almost imperceptible nod telling his mistress he saw the man and was watching him carefully.
From behind the three sisters, the officer staring at them had caught Biggs’s attention as well. He issued a non-verbal command to the man who was on the same side of the street as Miss Lizzy and her sisters.
His man sped up and once he was well past the leering lieutenant, crossed over and took up position a few yards behind the officer.
Not seeing the man behind him mirror his action, Wickham crossed the street. He decided he wouldaccidentlybump into one of the young ladies, preferably the dark haired one, which would allow him to introduce himself as heapologisedprofusely.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Bingley and Richard reached the main street of Meryton and turned their horses so they could continue on until they reached the turnoff towards Longbourn. Richard had not mentioned the possibility of arriving sooner than he had planned in his last letter to Mary. He wanted to surprise his fiancée and see the look of pleasure on her beautiful face when she saw him.
As the sun was shining in his eyes, he lifted his hand to shade them. Although they were twenty to thirty yards away, he could swear Lizzy, Mary, and Kitty were up ahead.
It was then Richard noticed an officer walking towards them. At the last instant he saw the officer change his direction and bump into one of the sisters, but which one he could not tell from there. He kicked Invictus into a canter and Bingley followed suit with his stallion.
Before Biggs or one of the other guards could reach the man, he had bumped into Miss Lizzy, however, it was notenough to cause her to fall. He and the other men were about to step in when they all saw Miss Lizzy shake her head. That stayed Mrs. Jenkinson as well who was about to come stand next to her charge.
“Please excuse me, Madam,” Wickham bowed as he removed his hat with a flourish. “I was blinded by the beauty before me and did not pay attention. If I may be so bold, I am Lieutenant George Wickham at your service and would like to make amends…”
