“Forster, you had a new recruit purchase an Ensign’s rank who arrived recently did you not? One from the London recruiting drive?” he asked in as even a tone as he could muster without Mary close by.
“I had several from Town that joined,” Forster nodded, “is there one, in particular, you want to discuss or all of them?”
“Yes,” Darcy cleared his throat in an attempt to temper his own frustration as he looked at the glowing tip of his cigar; “George Wickham,” he spat out, proving even a name can be distasteful on the tongue.
“Yes, he is one of my new recruits,” agreed Forster, his voice betraying he was questioning the intent of dinner as a whole, suspecting he was about to hear a lot more about this particular recruit.
The calmest of those in the family, Bennet glanced at Reggie and was given a nod of approval none of the others would gainsay, and so he imparted the facts without the anger they could see plainly might erupt from either of Georgiana’s guardians.
“Wickham was just this morning brought to my notice because he was making what the ensign considersdiscreetenquiries about my daughters, and more particularly their dowries. The residents of Meryton are most loyal to me and my family, not only because my estates generate the bulk of their livelihoods, but because my daughters are known and loved in the town and beyond,” Bennet started with the catalyst of why they were gathered.
“After just meeting them at Lucas Lodge where I got to watch them perform and mingle with those in attendance, I have no doubt they all inspire such,” Forster nodded in agreement.
“The enquiries in and of themselves would have put me on alert, but would not have necessitated this discussion, however, other misdeeds he has committed does.” Bennet nodded at the look of concern, allowing those present to lay out the deeds they witnessed and messes he had left behind and they had cleaned up, not the least of which was children who now had no father and mothers with nowhere to turn after being taken advantage of and left behind.
Forster’s look of concern changed to disbelief then melded to absolute disgust that deepened when Bennet and his family and friends laid out Wickham’s long history of ruining maidens, seducing wives, debts with merchants, debts of honour from gambling, and his additional maligning of others characters, and assigning them the blame for his actions.
“It is mostly Darcy he blames for all of his supposed misfortunes, immoral, and sometimes illegal choices he alone is responsible for,” Richard scowled, warning Darcy with a look to not make excuses for Wickham this time.
“What Richard says is true. And he is right to be frustrated with me. I have at last come to see the responsibility of Wickham and his actions is not mine to bear.” He nodded his thanks to Bennet, a tight smile proffered to his uncle and cousins when they looked at him like he had grown two additional heads.
“It never was your responsibility, Son,” Bennet agreed. “But your character and moral compass prove you are exactly the kind of man I am proud to soon have as my son-in-law. I think it a good idea for you to add the facts about the living so when Colonel Forster hears the practised lie, he does not presume it is truth,” Bennet suggested.
“Thank you, Father. You bring up a good point.” Darcy nodded once and took a breath to settle his thoughts, not noticing Bennet’s wink directed at Richard whose astounded expression matched exactly that of his father and brother, hiding his smirk in a drink when Richard had to hide his laugh in a cough.
“The truth is my late father left the living at Kympton to Wickham once he had passed a seminary and took orders. Wickham refused this living saying he had no intent to take orders, requesting and receiving instead the value of it totalling three thousand pounds where upon he resigned all claim to the living in writing. In addition, he received a thousand pounds as bequeathed from my father, all of it combined Wickham wasted in a very short amount of time. I know this because less than a year later the dastard came back to Pemberley and tried to claim the living he had less than twelve months previously roundly refused in writing.”
“You must be joking!” Forster exclaimed, frowning as he looked from Darcy to his friend and then scanned the faces of the rest of the men in the room. “I mean I can see that you are not, but this is worse than anything I could have imagined,” he declared.
“And that is not all.” Bennet intervened, again locking eyes with Darcy for a second before turning to Richard. “I believe we can keep the exact name of the young girl secret, but I think the facts excepting that will give Forster the reason why there is so much animosity exists in the room.
“A girl we all consider part of our family and is closely related to some person or persons in this room was very nearly taken advantage of. He attempted to manipulate a genteel young lady of tender age to elope with him for her sizable dowry,” Bennet relayed.
Lord Matlock chuckled at his friend’s masterful handling of the situation while not revealing Georgie’s name. He nodded at his oldest friend, vowing to himself he would send three bottles of this very brandy to him when he got to town.
“I will have this debaucher, this lying scoundrel who dared think he could wear a uniform flogged and in stocks as soon as I return to the camp,” Forster seethed, “I do not accept men with such character or no honour in my militia unit! They are asked questions about their persons and deeds, and are only received into my unit after they affirm in writing that they are in fact men of honour.”
“Please.” Bennet held up a hand. “That is not what we want, at least not just yet. We have a plan, as all good military men should. As I am sure you have surmised, the last word that could ever be associated with George Wickham is honour.” Colonel Fitzwilliam smirked a wink at his good friend, this was the part he was truly looking forward to. It was a long overdue comeuppance that would rival even Caroline Bingley’s.
“I hold close to four thousand pounds worth of vowels he has signed for debts I have covered which he left in many places without conscience or worry about the impact on the honest tradesmen he was in essence intending to steal from,” Darcy reported. “I sent for them today as they are held by my solicitor, and the messenger should arrive with them in hand tomorrow or the next day at the latest.”
“In the meantime,” the Earl interjected, “we hope you will let him be, but make sure he is well watched at all times. He has a predilection for young, tender-aged girls. In addition, we have warned the estate owners and non-Meryton residents of the area to protect their daughters and wives.
“We have taken the steps to warn the shopkeepers in town and asked them to covertly inform the residents of Meryton to protect the womenfolk. Also we pointed out the tradesmen should not offer credit to any of your officers.” At Forster’s affronted look, the Earl nodded and held up a hand to prove he was not yet done. “We do not want him to run. If he sees he is being treated differently than the rest of his brother officers, he will suspect something. You, as commander of the Derbyshire Militia, are excepted from this so you will be able to procure what you need. If any of your officers have need to buy on credit, they can get their needs met through you as an intermediary until this bane is packed off for a lifelong visit to Marshalsea.” He nodded when the Colonel settled, assessing the plan as a whole.
Understanding the need not to raise Wickham’s suspicion placated Forster, agreeing the measures were only intended to curb Wickham, hoping to contain the one very bad apple, and not meant as a slight against his honourable officers. At Richard’s quirked brow, he nodded he had been too hasty in his initial affrontery and agreed it was a good plan.
“Knowing the wastrel as we do, we are sure he will not be able to resist causing some sort of mischief, and that along with his debts I am about to call in will put him in gaol for the rest of his miserable life,” Darcy stated firmly.
Once the men had agreed on their course of action, they joined the ladies in the blue drawing room, hearing the sound of a very accomplished pianoforte playing and the voice of an angel that swelled in song emanating from within. They entered to the picture of Kitty and Georgie playing a delightful duet, while Lizzy accompanied them with her incredible voice.
Upon their entry and the expectant looks from the assembled ladies and the twins, Bennet confirmed Forster was in agreement and Wickham would not be allowed to cause his usual mischief before he received his long overdue, well-deserved comeuppance.
Everything that could be done, was either already being done or would be to protect the merchants and all of the residents of the area from the profligate, dissolute scoundrel.
Chapter 12
The following morning, Wickham set out with a plan to procure some items of comfort. He was denied credit at the first three merchant’s shops he tried, even after applying his considerable charm. They would not relent, informing him the town had a policy to deny credit to any who were not permanent residents of the area.
