“As I said, you will find that no member of the militia will be extended further credit. In fact, all debts are being called in,” Wilkinson replied firmly.
At first, Wickham panicked, thinking that Darcy had said something to spoil his fun, but then he remembered that the prig had left in November and had not been seen in the area again. He knew Darcy well enough to be sure he would not lower himself to warn the town, and certainly not now, more than three months later. Next, he went over the tailor’s words again. He had saidallmilitia members, not just himself, so, as inconvenient as it was, it was not aimed solely at him.
Seeing that none of his entreaties met with success, Wickham stalked out of Mr Wilkinson’s store and went to the milliner next door. There he met with no more success than he had at the previous shop. He attemptedto regain credit at two more establishments. He eventually gave up when he was denied credit at the Red Lion Inn. Not only that, but, even if he paid for it now, they would not sell him any grog until he had cleared his current debt.
After stalking out of the inn’s taproom, Wickham made for his quarters. He was not sure what to do. It would not do for all the merchants to clamour for him to pay his debts, because if they discovered how much he owed when the amounts were added up, it would not be good for him.
It seemed it was time to leave this town and find greener pastures.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Welcome Jane and Eliza,” Lady Lucas stated. “Sir William and the gentlemen are in his study.”
Sir William bade them to enter when Jane knocked on the door. “That miscreant has run up more than two hundred pounds of debts in the months that he has been here,” the knight reported. “When I asked why so much credit was extended, they told me that they believed his story about some money he was cheated out of by Mr Darcy, which he was to receive before the militia decamped Meryton. I quietly informed them that it was a lie and that a gentleman would purchase any unpaid debts so they would not be beggared by the libertine.”
“Were you ladies able to discover more about Wicky’s seductions in your town?” Fitzwilliam enquired.
Jane and Elizabeth revealed what they had uncovered. “It seems that he used the same lie with each of them. At their ages, they were greatly charmed that a man as handsome as that seducer would pay them attention. Being young and guileless, his lies fell on fertile ground,” Jane related.
“Had I spoken when I was here, these girls would havebeen saved.” Darcy shook his head.
“Mr Darcy, I am afraid that at that time, you may have been ignored. Your slight of me at the assembly had been spread among our neighbours, while at the same time, the tale of woe Mr Wickham told began to be known,” Elizabeth responded. “With all due respect, those of us who had been beguiled by the profligate, including myself, would have spoken against you, as your story would have been seen as just being another attempt to blast Mr Wickham’s prospects.”
“All of this is the cost of my former arrogance and pride,” Darcy owned.
Jane paused and looked at Lizzy, who, understanding what Jane intended to reveal, nodded. Now was not a time for secrets. “Unfortunately, based on what we were told, I am afraid one, or even both, of our youngest sisters has fallen victim to his lies.” Jane looked stricken.
“This is indeed grave,” Darcy stated. His face took on a look which could only be described as disgust. His disgust was for Wickham and even himself, but not any of his victims, and certainly not the Bennet sisters before him. He was also considering how close Gigi had come to ruin at the bastard’s hands, and that too was his fault. All because he had not checked Mrs Younge’s characters, rather relying on his own faulty judgement instead.
Seeing the look, Elizabeth was sure she knew what it meant. ‘We had just begun to know one another without our prejudices. If this is true, and Lydia has been ruined, I will never see him again. He would never allow one soiled by his enemy around Gigi. I could have come to like this version of him very well. At least, Mr Darcy has not tried to escape now while we are speaking.’ Just like she had been sure about being right before, Elizabeth was certain she had not misread the situation now.
“I pray your suspicion is notproved to be well-founded,” Sir William stated. “Gentlemen, I think it is time to visit Colonel Forster.”
Fitzwilliam and Darcy nodded their agreement. While his cousin farewelled the ladies for now, Darcy was too preoccupied with his thoughts to do more than bow. As such, he missed the sad look on Miss Elizabeth’s face.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
After he had resolved that he needed to leave Meryton and the militia, Wickham decided that it would be prudent to have some more coin in his pocket before making his escape. He could not ask any of his brother officers for loans. Between his debts of honour and the loans he had received, that avenue was closed off to him.
There was one place he knew he could find some ready coin. That trusting fool Denny had let Wickham see where he hid his purse in his quarters. There was a hole behind the headboard of the bed.
Luck was on his side; Denny was on duty, so he would not be in his room. Unfortunately, it was in a different boarding house than the one where Wickham was billeted. He sauntered towards the house where Denny was boarding, trying to look as innocent as he was able.
Rather than go directly to where Denny was residing, Wickham walked about, looking in the windows of various shops before he darted down the alley which led to the abode where Denny’s room was.
He had hoped he would not be seen, but on entering the house, he bumped into Mrs Brown, the landlady, who was preparing to go out.
“Mr Wickham, is it not? Mr Denny is not in his room,” Mrs Brown stated.
“Please excuse my clumsiness.” Wickham took her hand and bowed over it. His action had the desired effect he hoped for; the lady tittered like a schoolgirl. “I am well aware that my good friend is on duty. It was Lieutenant Denny who sent me here to retrieve something he forgot. Do not allow me to delay you, Mrs Brown.”
“Did he give his key to you?” Mrs Brown enquired.
He had not planned for this snag in his quest to gain more coin. Wickham had been hoping that Denny did not lock his door. “Even though I am still in pain from when I was beset upon by those brigands, I will walk back to the encampment and ask Denny for his key; he must have forgotten to give it to me.” He put on his bestkicked puppylook.
“I know you two are friends, so it will not hurt if I allow you to use a spare key,” Mrs Brown offered.
“I would not want to put you out…” Wickham looked down.
