“You are perhaps the George Wickham whose father was steward of a large estate in Derbyshire?” Elizabeth asked calmly.
He was not sure how the lady would know that, but she had not mentioned the name Darcy so Wickham judged it was safe to answer her truthfully. “Why yes, my father was steward to Mr. Darcy of Pem…”
Whatever Wickham was about to say was lost in the crack of a slap to his face as his head jerked back. Instinctively he lifted his hand to respond.
In a flash, the large man he had thought slow was in front of him and planted his enormous fist in Wickham’s gut, doubling him over. With all the air knocked out of him he fell to the ground. At the same time, Mrs. Jenkinson stood between Elizabeth and Kitty.
As he saw the officer go down, Richard vaulted off his horse followed closely by Bingley. “Richard,” Mary fairly squealed with excitement.
Before he could react, a colonel and some of his officers arrived on the scene. It was then Richard identified the man Lizzy had slapped. “What is the meaning of this, why has one of my officers been accosted?” Colonel Forster demanded.
Wickham was getting some air back in his lungs and managed to sit up. He was about to feel better about things when he saw who was standing in front of him. None otherthan Richard Fitzwilliam!
“Has the militia sunk so low they take a debaucher, a defiler of young girls, and leaver of debts into their ranks,” Richard drawled. “An officer no less, I thought an officer needed a gentleman’s education.”
“You cannot believe anything this man says, Colonel. His lies are likely the reason this young lady accosted me. You remember I told you of the family who cheated me out of my inheritance.” Wickham could only hope he would be believed and then he would escape.
“Nothing Richard said caused me to slap you!” Elizabeth insisted.
“Then why did you, Miss?” The Colonel enquired.
“I am Miss Bennet, the eldest unmarried Bennet sister,” Elizabeth responded. “This man is a liar and a fraudster. My reaction was because he tried to have his paramour lie to gain the position of companion to a young lady of my acquaintance in order to seduce her and lay claim to her dowry.”
“Come now Colonel, surely you see this poor young lady has had her head filled with lies…” Wickham began when Richard interjected.
“I am Richard Fitzwilliam, second son of the Earl and Countess of Matlock who are guardians to the young lady alluded to,” he stated. “My father holds the signed confession of Wickham’s paramour wherein she admitted to the whole scheme, including how her characters were forgeries written by this excuse of a man. Also detailed in her confession, was his plan to take my father’s ward to Gretna Green so he could gain her dowry. We hold debt receipts of his for well over a thousand pounds. I will wager if you send some men back to where you were previously encamped, you will soon discover he has left debts and despoiled young girls behind him. Do you think you and your men will ever be welcomed back again where you were?”
By now Wickham had begun to sweat and he had lost his look of confidence.
“What of his claim of being denied an inheritance after he completed his studies at Cambridge?” Colonel Forster enquired. Based on the looks from Wickham, he had a feeling he and his other officers had had the wool pulled over their eyes by a practiced deceiver.
“First of all, Wickie here never completed his studies, he had hardly begun them atEtonwhen my late Uncle Darcy withdrew his patronage because of the blackguard’s perfidy. Yes, we have proof,” Richard related.
As Fitzwilliam spoke, Wickham looked for an avenue of escape. He was about to try and run when he felt himself being held in place by rather large hands on either shoulder. He looked and he was being restrained by the big man who had hit him as well as another equally large man who had materialised out of nowhere.
Richard gave a brief rundown of the truth behind the phantom inheritance.
“We were all taken in by this dastard,” the Colonel shook his head.
“He has borrowed money from many of us based on his expectation of what he is owed, and that does not count his heavy debts of honour,” Denny revealed ashamedly. How had he allowed this man to work on him in that fashion.
“Colonel, if you will lock this man in the town gaol or your brig if you have one, until my father arrives, it would be appreciated,” Richard requested. “He must answer for trying to defraud a peer of the realm. You might also search his belongings; chances are your men will be able to claim some of their possessions of which I am sure he has relieved them.”
Wickham knew he was sunk. The defeated man was transferred to some of the officers who marched him back towards their encampment to lock him away until the Earlarrived.
The Colonel dispatched some men to Oxford to discover what debts Wickham had left in his wake. “Thank you for your bravery, Miss Bennet. Your action will lead to a snake in our midst being excised,” Colonel Forster stated gratefully.
Elizabeth did not think she did so very much, however she inclined her head to the officer in appreciation for his words.
“Now that Lizzy has saved the day, how is it you are here Richard,” Mary enquired.
“If you would prefer I could return to Cloverdell…” Richard teased.
“Silly man,” Mary slapped her fiancé on his arm playfully.
“That is more than enough excitement for one day,” Mrs. Jenkinson suggested, “should we make for Longbourn?” The three Miss Bennets nodded their agreement.
“You do not object if Bingley and I join you for the walk back, do you Lizzy?” Richard questioned.
