“Because if you do not, I will tell one and all that I compromised Miss Darcy…” Wickham’s voice faded and he felt abject terror as Fitzwilliam pulled his sabre from the scabbard. With his other hand he withdrew a key from one of his regimental jacket’s pockets. Wickham turned a deathly shade of white as Fitzwilliam approached the cell door and began to insert the key in the lock. He felt himself involuntarily relieve himself in his pants.
“What was that you were saying Wicky? Did William here,” the Colonel cocked his head to his infuriated cousin, “not tell you what your fate would be if you ever breathed a word to a living soul about what you attempted with my cousin?”
“I-it w-w-was a-a j-j-joke. I-I h-have n-n-never s-said a-a w-w-word t-t-to a-anyone,” Wickham stammered.
“You mean except for the soon-to-be ex-Lieutenant Denny over there,” Colonel Fitzwilliam cocked his head to the cell where an equally scared Denny was to be found. “To your credit, you did admonish him never to repeat it to another, or I would unlock the door and finish you. You always think you are clever when you are not. This will be the final time you bedevil any other non-suspecting community who are charmed by the syrup in your forked tongue.”
Wickham fell back onto the wooden cot. He could not fathom how Fitzwilliam knew, almost word for word, what he had said to Denny the other day, when as far as he knew, Darcy and his damned family were all in London.
“I suppose you are asking yourself how we know what you said?” Darcy taunted his enemy. “For instance how do we know you intended to ruin Miss Lydia after feeding her one of your lies about being in love with her and asking her to marry you? Or your anger at Miss Elizabeth because she would not spread your pack of lies as you had expected her to do?”
Wickham was reeling. How could this be, was it wizardry? He was certain no one was near Denny and him when they were in the cabin! It was impossible!
“You were in the Bennets’ cabin at the base of the hill the locals call Oakham Mount to ready the place for your coming seduction or rape. You opened the door and windows wide,” Lord Hilldale revealed. “Did you know it is a popular place for locals to visit? I am told there is a pleasant area on thesummitto sit. That day was windless and your voices carried clearly to some citizens of the area who had made their way up the hill before you and your cohort arrived.”
“From up there, not only could the person or people hear every word you two said, but they had a clear view of the cabin as well,” the Colonel added.
“Who?” Wickham croaked out.
“The who is not your concern.” Darcy interjected. Just in case the miscreant escaped, which he was certain would not occur, he did not want the three ladies, especially one of them, to be targets of the cur. “Your friend over there, if he testifies against you, will be cashiered out of the army for conduct unbecoming an officer, but will not face a trial or time in prison.” Darcy and his cousins looked at Denny who nodded his agreement emphatically. “You will be tried for trespassing and theft. Luckily for you it is not a hangingoffence.” Wickham perked up seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. “However after your stint in Newgate, you will go directly to one of the debtors’ prisons. You did not think I have forgotten about all of your markers I have purchased, did you? It was already above two thousand pounds before we add the amounts from Westingham and Meryton. You will die in prison.”
“B-but y-you w-will dishonour the memory of your father…” Wickham attempted to manipulate.
“As I was reminded, after that attempt you made to elope with my sister, my late honoured father would have run you through without a second thought,” Darcy rebuked. “As soon as you tried to use my sister to gain a fortune and avenge yourself on me, for your self-induced problems, any possibility of mercy from any of us was wiped away.”
“You have two choices: one for now and one for when you have served your sentence at Newgate,” Colonel Fitzwilliam offered. Seeing Wickham’s questioning look he proceeded. “You can fight a duel against me in the morning on the morrow, which before you get any ideas would be a fair duel, or after Newgate, you will be transported to Van Dieman’s Land. Before you get happy, you will have to serve fourteen years, but it is better than being imprisoned for your debts for the rest of your life. If you choose that option, there will be a caveat. If you ever darken the shores of England again, you will be arrested and sent to debtors’ prison.”
Wickham knew he was out of options. He would never fight Fitzwilliam, especially when he would not be able to cheat. In a fair duel, he would be dead. That left him with the rest of his life in a dark hole like Marshalsea, or fourteen years and then freedom in New Holland. Neither of those options were good, but the latter one was preferable.
“I choose to be transported,” Wickham averred morosely.
“After you serve whatever sentence the court of assizes in Hertford imposes on you,” Lord Hilldale reminded the wastrel. All Wickham could do was nod.
The Colonel stood before the cell in which Denny was being held. “You should choose your friends with more discrimination. The same applies to you as to that bastard. Repeat a word to anyone, ever, and then you will be seeing me again, and I will be the last thing you see in the mortal world. Do you understand?”
“Aye, Colonel I do,” Denny vowed.
“Once you bear witness against him, you will be free to go,” Lord Hilldale reminded Denny.
No sooner had the Fitzwilliams and Darcy left than Wickham sat there silently, in his own waste, lamenting his terrible luck that his bragging to Denny had been heard.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As had been discussed at Netherfield Park the previous day, the residents—minus the Major, Captain, and two sergeants, who had departed for London earlier that morning—arrived at Longbourn at an acceptable hour for callers.
Although Lord Hilldale was a viscount, rather than be nervous to meet a noble, Mary was in anticipation of meeting him after her sisters told her that he was also a clergyman. In addition, they informed her that he had indicated his desire to debate theology with her. When Jane and Lizzy had related the Viscount’s opinions regarding Fordyce’s sermons, Mary was happy she had come to the same conclusions some years previously.
Since Fanny had put them back in, the two youngest Bennets had begun to dress in the fashion of a young lady not yet out in society. Lydia’s gown, which had been rather revealing in the area of her bosom, had had fabric and lace added turning it into an appropriate dress for one of her age.
Charlotte had arrived just before the party fromNetherfield Park. She was seated on a settee with Jane and Eliza when the eight from that estate were shown into the drawing room.
Darcy was nervous his shy sister would be overwhelmed by the youngest Bennets, as he was not aware of the changes which had occurred since Wickham had been exposed. He did not worry about Becca as she was far more outgoing than Gigi. Hence, when the introductions were made, he was pleasantly surprised by the demure behaviour of Misses Kitty and Lydia. Even more shocking was the calm demeanour of the Bennet matron. Not one attempt to match any of her daughters with the arriving men was made.
Bennet, who had come to see who the arrivals were, was as shocked as anyone at the way his wife was behaving. More than that, he felt disappointment she had not exposed herself when the Viscount, Colonel, and Lady Rebecca were introduced. It was then he noticed his two youngest were sitting like demure young ladies, no giggling or vulgar effusions. What could account for what he was seeing?
Most troubling of all, since his two eldest daughters had come to see him with that fiction about Messrs Denny and Wickham, his Lizzy had not come to spend time with him in his study. Even worse, when he had tried to make sport of his wife and silly daughters at mealtime, not only had she not participated, she had looked affronted where in the past she had joined him. Could it be his dismissal of her concerns had caused her to become missish?
As much as Lord Hilldale wanted to see just how deep Miss Mary’s knowledge of the Bible was and the Colonel desired to learn more about Miss Lucas, the men knew they needed to speak to Mr Bennet first.
