At length, Elizabeth sighed and rose from her chair, knowing she must join the company before their visitors departed. It would be rude if she avoided them the rest of the evening. That was when she noticed the furtive step of someone in the hall.
Curious, Elizabeth moved to the side as the figure glided past, noting its height, taller than one of her sisters though not as tall as Mr. Darcy or Colonel Fitzwilliam. In his hand, he held something—for Elizabeth could see from his clothing and the cut of his hair that it was a man—and as he stepped to the door of the sitting-room, he turned enough for her to see the pistol cocked, reflecting the light in the room beyond. Then he stepped within.
“Well done, Anne. Well done, indeed.”
“Wickham!” came the angered voice of Mr. Darcy.
“Yes, Darcy, it is I,” was the amused response of the libertine. “Sorry, old chap, but I could not help but hear the argument. It will be of some relief to you to learn that you need not marry Miss de Bourgh; I shall step into the breach and act in your stead.”
Elizabeth crept forward, careful to keep her footsteps soft as the confrontation continued.
“You are a most amusing fellow, Wickham,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam. “If you think we will allow you to take Anne awayand then take control of Rosings, you are far more foolish than I thought.”
“Perhaps you are correct.” Elizabeth could just see the lift of Mr. Wickham’s shoulders around the door frame. “Then it would be best if you simply paid me off and allowed me to disappear from your lives. That would be preferable at this point.”
“Again, your delusion astounds me. Why do you suppose we would do such a thing?”
“Because you will die if you try my patience,” said Mr. Wickham. “Or perhaps Anne will die since I will take her away with me. Come, Anne, our chariot awaits. You should refrain from following us, Fitzwilliam, for I have nothing left to lose and tenuous control over myself. Should you startle me, there is no telling what I will do.”
Furious at this man’s effrontery, Elizabeth did not hesitate. On a shelf near the door stood an old vase that had been in the family for as long as she could remember. In one smooth motion, Elizabeth grasped the heavy thing in her hands and, swinging with all her might, brought it down on the back of Mr. Wickham’s head.
The vase was sturdy enough that it made a satisfying cracking sound as it impacted, yet delicate enough that it shattered into hundreds of shards. It was also solid enough that Mr. Wickham grunted and dropped as if poleaxed, the pistol hitting the floor and skittering away from his outstretched hand. For the briefest of moments, no one in the room moved, so shocked were they by the sudden event.
Then Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam moved quickly, followed by Mr. Bingley, the latter retrieving the weapon while the former descended on the intruder to ensure he was subdued. They might not have bothered, for Mr. Wickham was insensible, lying on the floor without even a twitch. Mr. Darcy turned to Mr. Bennet, who was already moving.
“I shall send for some rope immediately, Mr. Darcy. I have no notion how he eluded my men and entered the house, but he shall not escape again.”
Mr. Darcy nodded and turned to Elizabeth, the light of approval and, dare she suppose, love, shining in his eyes. Before he could voice his feelings, however, another interrupted him.
“Miss Elizabeth Bennet!” cried the voice of Lady Catherine. “How dare you put the entire company in so much danger! Do you not know the pistol might have discharged when it hit the floor?”
“Yet Elizabeth has once again saved me from abduction,” said Anne. She rose and crossed the floor, flinging herself into Elizabeth’s embrace. “It appears you are my guardian angel, my friend. I do not know what I would do without you.”
“I had not considered what might happen when he fell,” said Elizabeth, now feeling weak with the possible consequences of her actions.
“Think nothing of it, Miss Elizabeth,” said Mr. Darcy, his voice exuding approval. “You held a position that allowed you to act, and you did so without hesitation. There is no reason to consider whatmighthave happened.”
“Darcy is correct, Miss Elizabeth,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam. “I have seen enough in battle to know that there is little one can do but act with the best intentions and hope that nothing unfortunate ensues.”
Elizabeth nodded, and Anne took her hand, guiding her to the sofa where she pulled Elizabeth down next to her. Shaking as she was from the event, Elizabeth did not protest, even as it took her closer to Lady Catherine than she preferred. The lady, however, did not appear disposed to continue her harangue. Instead, she was a little shamefaced.
“I... apologize, Miss Elizabeth,” said the lady, her hesitation confirming she rarely felt she needed to offer her regrets. “Myconcern for my daughter led to my earlier words.”
“Think nothing of it,” said Elizabeth. “In hindsight, I recognize what might have happened.”
A stable hand entered the room at that moment, accompanied by his fellow, and between them, they soon had Mr. Wickham trussed up like a goose destined for Christmas dinner. Then they pulled him to his feet between them, where Mr. Wickham swayed and groaned, only just now regaining something of his senses.
“Tie him in a stall and do not let him out of your sight,” commanded Mr. Bennet. “Let us not allow him to escape again, for the man is as slippery as a garden snake.”
“A snake he is, Mr. Bennet,” said a stable hand, fixing Wickham with a dark look. “He won’t escape us, sir.”
With a nod, Mr. Bennet allowed them to drag the still groggy Mr. Wickham from the room while turning to Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam. “It seems, gentlemen, it would be best to turn him over to the custody of the local constable at once. I shall send John, my footman, to summon him.”
“Good,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam. “I feel a great desire to ensure Wickham pays for his deeds.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam turned to Mr. Darcy and quirked an eyebrow. “Perhaps it would be best to expedite this matter to its conclusion. Given his offenses against the family, my father would doubtless use his influence to see Wickham on the next ship bound for Botany Bay.”
“That would be for the best,” said Mr. Darcy. “Let us forever end his schemes.”
