“I can well believe that, Miss Elizabeth.”
“I certainly hope so. I do not want you to think that I want anything to do with the man, not after what you told me he did to poor Miss Darcy!” She was growing angry now, and the shaking of her hands dwindled as it gave her strength. “Though I tried to extricate myself from him, my coldness did not seem to repulse him. I went into the milliner’s shop as I had intended, but he followed me there.” She shook her head. “I am ashamed and disgusted to say that I believe he tried to flirt with me. And then he said something very odd.”
“And what was that?” Darcy asked. With an effort, he kept his voice calm and even. Though if Mr Wickham had been before him at that moment, even the knowledge that violence was brutish and ungentlemanly could not have kept him from striking the man.
“He said he was sorry that I had been forced to dance the first dance with Mr Collins the night of the Netherfield ball. I went over it again and again in my mind. There is little chance that anyone would have mentioned that detail. Gossip has been entirely consumed with the compromise between you and I. In comparison to such a thing, who would mention or even remember that I had opened the night dancing with my cousin? The only way he would have known such a thing is if he himself were in attendance at the ball.”
Darcy took several moments to let this news sink in. It must have seemed like ages to Elizabeth, but she kept her peace. “I see. It presents a mystery, does it not?” he asked. He did not recall ever seeing Mr Wickham that night. Indeed, it had been a reliefnotto see him, since a blanket invitation had been sent to the whole of the militia stationed near Meryton. It was certainly possible that he could have snuck into the party and remained out of sight. Darcy could very well have missed him, especially if he had slipped into the ball after he and the Bingleys had joined their guests in the ballroom. But why?
“It is possible that he was there, after all. But it begs the question, why would he hide away when he would have been such a sought-after partner for the ladies?” Darcy mused. “He has ingratiated himself with several of Meryton’s leading families, I believe.”
“That is true. However, that is not what came to mind first, Mr Darcy. I wonder: could it have been Mr Wickham who laid the trap for us in the library? What other reason would there be for him to conceal that he had come to the Netherfield ball?” She shook her head again as if she, too, were trying to make sense of it all. “I know it sounds far-fetched, but I can think of no other explanation for Mr Wickham’s actions.”
Darcy nodded, murmuring in agreement as he thought on it more. “I can see where you would think that. It is easy to believe he would try to plan something so underhanded and cruel. However, I cannot seem to think of a motive.” Darcy stopped and took Elizabeth’s hands in his. Behind them, Miss Bennet stopped walking to maintain the distance between them, allowing them what little privacy they might have. “I cannot see why he would want you to become engaged to me. From what I have seen, he seemed quite taken with you. Surely it would be more likely that he would have wished to marry you himself.”
“That, I can readily explain. I have no dowry worth speaking of, Mr Darcy, which I am sure my father has already told you. Surely Mr Wickham could not afford to marry a woman with a mere thousand pounds. And yet it is stranger still that he might wish to make you marry me. Why? He certainly would not do it to ensure our happiness, and there seems to be no financial gain in the equation for him.” Elizabeth looked away, turned, and glanced in Miss Bennet’s direction. She gave her sister a smile and a nod, and Darcy could feel some of the tension leech out of Elizabeth as she returned her sister’s smile. He again tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and they continued down the lane. “All I know is that he seems bent on convincing me to break off our engagement. Perhaps he wants to use that to his advantage somehow?”
Darcy hummed thoughtfully under his breath. “I cannot see how it would help Mr Wickham if you were to break off the engagement.”
“Mr Wickham may be the only one who knows that. Perhaps we should go to my father and see if there might be a way that we can catch Mr Wickham out. We will need proof if we are to clear our names, and the man in question is the only one who might be able to supply us with that.” Elizabeth walked on. The spring had returned to her step, and he was glad of it.
Darcy heartily agreed. “Yes, we will speak with him as soon as we get to Longbourn. I am sure we can come up with a plan to find out the truth once and for all.”
Chapter 21
Upon being told of her encounter with Mr Wickham, Mr Bennet remained silent for a long moment. Elizabeth held her breath, torn between anticipation and fear that her father might not think Mr Wickham’s comments as significant as she did.
At last, Mr Bennet spoke. “I cannot but agree, Lizzy. It is odd indeed that Mr Wickham would have known of such a detail, had he not been there himself. And you, Mr Darcy? You know the man better than any of us. What think you, sir?”
Mr Darcy shook his head. “I hardly know what to say, Mr Bennet. Miss Elizabeth’s view of the comment is likely correct. I cannot think that anyone would comment on her dancing with Mr Collins to Wickham — not when they might comment on our mishap instead. And yet I cannot seem to fix on a motive for Wickham. He hates me, that much is true. But even in his hatred, I have never known him to do anything that would not benefit himself. How could he benefit from my marrying Miss Elizabeth?”
“True, true,” Mr Bennet murmured, stroking his chin. “Indeed,myfamily stands to gain most from the marriage. You are a very generous man, Mr Darcy, not to look upon us with suspicion.” With that, he sent Mr Darcy a wickedly sharp glance that made Elizabeth greatly fear her father had not been as ignorant of their suspicions as she had hoped.
Mr Darcy coughed in embarrassment. “Sir, I will not attempt to deceive you. I did once entertain such thoughts, but I am confident now that the responsibility lies elsewhere.”
Her father raised an eyebrow. “Oh,areyou, Mr Darcy?” he said, leaning forward. “If I may be so bold, I beg you to elucidate on how we were eliminated from your suspicions. A man must know his prospective son-in-law, after all.”
“Father, you ask too much of Mr Darcy —” Elizabeth began, flushing with embarrassment, when Mr Darcy laid a hand on hers.
“No, I shall answer,” he murmured. “Miss Elizabeth, I cannot begrudge your father for wishing to test me a little.” Turning to Mr Bennet, Mr Darcy spoke evenly and without hesitation. “I had no suspicion of yourself, sir. The plot, if a plot there was, held too much risk for Miss Elizabeth. After all, you could not have been certain that I would offer for her. Estimable as she is, you could not have forced me to marry her if I declined. Mrs Bennet, however — forgive me. I do not wish to speak offensively of your wife. But if you will allow me to remark on it, Mrs Bennet has not made a secret of her desperate wish for her daughters to marry as soon as possible, and I have observed that her temper is not always even, nor her understanding advanced. At one time, I felt it possible that she might have taken even so great a risk to obtain an advantageous marriage for her daughter.”
“I will forgive you for your accurate description of my wife, Mr Darcy, if you will tell me why you ceased to suspect her.”
Mr Darcy looked to Elizabeth. When she gave him a small nod of permission, he explained. “I went to London to ensure that Mrs Bennet would be entirely confident that the plan had succeeded, if a plan there was. Your daughter then questioned her. Thankfully, Miss Elizabeth became entirely confident of your wife’s innocence.”
“You relieve my mind greatly,” Mr Bennet said in sarcastic accents that did not entirely disguise his very real relief. “But one problem remains, sir.”
“Yes, Mr Bennet?” Mr Darcy inquired.
“That is Elizabeth herself. How did you determine my daughter was not complicit in her own compromise?”
Elizabeth looked at her father, appalled that he would even speak such a suspicion, but Mr Darcy was already answering.
“I never considered it, sir. Miss Elizabeth would not do such a thing. From the beginning of our acquaintance, I have been as convinced of her respect for propriety and honour as of her bright spirit and lively wit. She is the very soul of honesty.”
In that moment, Elizabeth could not have spoken if her life had depended on it. She had never heard so clear a declaration of great esteem, of appreciation, of the true friendship between two minds and hearts.
In that moment, she knew she loved Mr Darcy, body and soul.
