As he was walking past Captain Carter, he overheard a part of a conversation where Carter was telling Lieutenant Denny about four daughters, all beauties, who had more than forty thousand each for a dowry.
His attention was firmly engaged, forty thousand was much better than the thirty thousand he had tried to claim as his own before that prig Darcy had spoiled his plans. Wickham needed to know all he could about these heiresses.
He had let that insipid sister of his nemesis, Georgiana Darcy, slip through his fingers, but here was his chance to make an easy and far greater fortune. This time he would not fail, and there was no Darcy here to spoil his plans. Nor was there a Fitzwilliam to put the fear of God into him.
He heard the name Bennet of Longbourn, and that was enough for him. Unfortunately for Wickham, drooling at the thought of acquiring such a fortune, he left before he was able to hear about the restrictions the girl’s father had put in place to protect them against one such as him. He decided he would make some, in his opinion, subtle enquiries about these Bennets.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Bennet was in his study with Darcy as they had just reviewed the marriage settlement that Darcy’s solicitor had personally delivered an hour previously. It was as Darcy said it would be, Elizabeth’s fortune would remain at her discretion, and he had settled a further one hundred thousand pounds on her with very generous pin money of five thousand per annum.
Each son, up to four, would inherit an estate, and the daughters would currently have fifty thousand for their dowries, with the expectation that these would increase as their holdings were well managed by the parents. Bennet asked for Lizzy to be called to join them since both men wanted her approval before signing. They knew her well enough to be sure she would not like things being decided for her without her input.
After she joined the men and sat down and read the document, she looked at William and voiced her protest. “William, this is far too much! I have my own fortune; I do not need all of this money,” She stated emphatically.
“Your quarterly allowance and portion of the interest that your father releases to you is used for charity. He informed me you assist two causes alternately, the soldiers who come home wounded and need things like crutches or even a leg, and anonymous grants for scientific studies.
“Please do not stop either, and I will match your donation so we may do twice the good. I will leave you to determine which are the top three grants you would like to bestow, but would like to be there with you as you decide. I cannot wait to see how you pick.” He winked at her, and Bennet laughed.
“With our Richard at war, I could not but help those returning who may have helped save his life, even unwittingly,” Elizabeth said. “As to the grants; I just pick whatever sounds most important and deserving. You cannot expect a poor country nobody to understand the sciences,” she teased both men.
“You are also free to use your fortune for whatever pleases you, my love. As Mrs. Darcy, I could not do less, so please do not ask it of me.” He kissed her hand and held it, pretending not to notice Bennet’s arched brow.
“In that case William, my fortune will be used for any sons we have beyond four, or to enhance the dowries of our daughters.” Lizzy looked at both of the men in her life and smiled when they nodded, so she too nodded her agreement to the settlement.
Four copies were signed. One was given to Darcy’s solicitor to keep on file in his law office, one would go to Philips, Bennet’s local solicitor, one would be kept in Bennet’s safe, and the last would be kept in the safe at Darcy house.
Just as Darcy’s solicitor left, Hill knocked on the study door and informed Bennet that two messengers had arrived from two of the merchants in Meryton with urgent information for the Master. Bennet bade Hill show them in.
What Wickham had not been aware of was Bennet rewarded anyone who informed him when there were inquiries made about his family by a stranger and especially about their dowries.
The two boys each handed him a note. They were almost identical, and Bennet immediately passed them onto Darcy whose smiling face changed to a countenance that looked like a dark storm. His whole body tensed as he read the name of who was seeking information about the Bennet daughters, and bile rose in the back of his throat when he saw it was the last man he ever wanted to be around again.
Bennet rewarded each lad with half a crown and told them to have their employers quietly make it known no credit should be extended to any of the militia officers. He added the request to spread it through the community the man in question was not to be allowed near any of their daughters or servants, and should be watched at all times when he was around the village.
To one of the boys he gave a short note for Colonel Forster, requesting his and his wife’s presence for dinner that night. He told Hill to reward any more messengers with a half crown each, as he expected more, and to thank them.
“I cannot believe that dissolute wastrel is here of all towns in the kingdom,” Darcy growled, feeling tension build with every passing second.
“If you think about it calmly, Son, this may be most fortuitous,” Bennet offered to calm Darcy, much like Richard and his Uncle would do.
“How so?” Darcy asked, bewildered.
“We have the advantage. We know he is here, but he does not know we are aware of his presence. In addition, I am sure he has no clue the Fitzwilliams are in the area, from what I have been told he is terrified of Richard.
“We have warned the merchants so they can protect themselves and their families. If you will help me write notes to all of the families in the area, we will warn them of his propensities. We can then plan to give him enough rope to hang himself, similar to how we handled Caroline Bingley. If by some miracle he is reformed and does not act as we expect he will, then we will leave him be.
“Given everything you and your family have imparted about him, I expect as soon as he hears about the girl’s dowries, he will be blind and deaf to all else and will put his own head in a noose of his own making.” Bennet waited, relieved to see Darcy start to comprehend both his words and that he was not alone in this as he had always been in the past.
“I am sure you are correct; he will come up with many a scheme to try to get money without having to work for it. It has always been thus,” Darcy agreed.
The two men sat in companionable silence and wrote notes to all of the families living on estates and in houses in the area that were not in the town itself. When completed, Bennet asked Hill to send five grooms out to deliver the missives and then requested everyone in the house assemble in the yellow drawing room.
By the time the gentlemen entered everyone was assembled, and Darcy went to sit next to Lizzy, needing her closeness to burn off the residual anger he felt at the libertine. He took her hand; grateful she offered it freely as Bennet addressed the group.
“As the head of a prominent family in the area that cares greatly about his family,” he nodded at Fanny who smiled at him in a way that proved he was as loved as they were, “I have a standing request to be informed if any unknown people are making inquiries about me or any of my family, especially the girls and their fortunes.
“I have received and read two messages just this morning, and Hill informed me that three more lads bearing almost identical messages have since arrived.” Bennet took a breath while the group looked at him expectantly. “A new recruit, an ensign, is asking about the Bennets, my daughters and their reported dowries, in particular, and his name is George Wickham.” He paused.
