“Well, at least Wickham is no longer present to ply you with his civilities.” Mr. Darcy fell silent for a moment, his glances at her suggesting he was trying to determine what to say. “While I would not injure you by suggesting you cannot see through men of Wickham’s ilk, there is no more chance of him charming you.”
“There is not,” agreed Elizabeth, though she wondered at his meaning. “If Mr. Wickham had paid me any attention at all in the past month I might have felt more relief at his unmasking. As it is, I have no particular injuries to resent, though I am not pleased when another misleads me.’
Mr. Darcy turned to her, a frown creasing his brow. “I beg your pardon, Miss Elizabeth. Do you suggest that Wickham hasnotpaid you and the other ladies of the neighborhood particular attentions? If not, that is quite unlike his usual behavior.”
“I cannot speak for the other ladies, but I saw little of Mr. Wickham after Sir William’s party a few days before Christmas.” Elizabeth shook her head in exasperation. “That, however, is another piece of evidence to support your claims of him, for at that party, he made the acquaintance of Miss Mary King, who had just inherited a fortune of ten thousand pounds.”
A slow nod comprised the gentleman’s response. “Yes, I have heard something of that. Yet Wickham would not hesitate to pursue one woman for her money while still ingratiating himself with others.”
“In this instance, he did nothing of the sort,” replied Elizabeth, wondering why he was trying to link Mr. Wickham to her. “His focus was on Miss King, such that I saw him but a few times.”
“Then he didnottry to charm you,” stated Mr. Darcy as if to ensure he understood.
“Perhaps he did early in our acquaintance,” replied Elizabeth. “The last month of his residence here I saw little of him, though that day in Longbourn’s sitting-room his behavior was not dissimilar to what you are describing.”
“That is well then,” said Mr. Darcy.
The gentleman lapsed into silence, his distant gaze suggesting deep thought. It was an insight into him, added to what she already knew and what the gentleman had confirmed himself that very day. To an observer, Mr. Darcy’s quietude might indicate aloofness, but Elizabeth was certain that he was only consumed by his thoughts. Elizabeth did not know if that improved him in her estimation, but at least she understood him better.
AS USUAL, DARCY HADno concept of his sudden inward focus—he was cursed with a temperament that often leant itself to excessive focus. Had he any notion that Miss Elizabeth was cross with him, he might have pulled back from his thoughts, but though she said little, she gave no impression of offense, allowing him the liberty of his contemplation.
What Darcy could not make out was whether those thoughts were unpleasant. A notion had occurred to him, one that did not please him, though he understood several implications and certain benefits that had come about should his sudden notion prove true. Fitzwilliam Darcy was not a man who allowed matters to pass without comment, and in this instance, it was not in his nature to remain silent. Thus, when they returned to Netherfield, he sought occasion to raise his concerns. In this, Mrs. Hurst did not prove difficult—unless Darcy missed his guess, she had been waiting for him to speak.
“Yes, Mr. Darcy?” asked she when Darcy requested a moment of her time. “How may I assist?”
Now that she stood before him, Darcy was at a loss for how to bring up the subject. In the end, he decided there was nothing to be done but to come out and state what he wished.
“I am curious, Mrs. Hurst. When we spoke of Wickham after my arrival to Netherfield, you made some comments that led me to believe that he was paying an inordinate measure of attention to Miss Elizabeth, yet she told me today that he was much engaged with pursuing Miss King.”
The woman appeared not the slightest bit bothered. “If you recall, Mr. Darcy, I said nothing of the sort. All I said was that Mr. Wickham was a danger to the local ladies, and that hehadpaid significant attention to the Bennet ladies in the past.”
Darcy considered this. “Yet you turned my attention to those ladies.”
“Mr. Darcy,” said she, nothing of hesitation in her tone, “I did not turn your attention anywhere as you suggest. I repeated what I had heard, not only from Miss Elizabeth, but from the youngest Miss Bennets.
“Tell me,” added she, “was Mr. Wickham’s removal for the best or did you use him ill?”
Darcy could not hold back his disdain. “Wickham deserved what he received and more long before I held him to account.”
“Then what is the difficulty?”
For several moments, Darcy considered this, wondering if she was not correct. Then another thought came to him.
“When I spoke to Wickham,” said Darcy, reflecting on the event, “Wickham made some mention of pursuing Miss Elizabeth.”
“Then you have your proof,” said she.
With a shake of his head, Darcy shifted in his seat, turning slightly away from Mrs. Hurst. “At the time, I took it as proof,but now I am not so certain. Wickham is a womanizer, but now I wonder if it was nothing more than his desire to tweak my nose.”
“As he was a danger to the young ladies in the neighborhood,” said Mrs. Hurst, “I cannot but think he would have acted at some time or another. If he intended ridicule, it was a grave miscalculation.”
“It was,” agreed Darcy. “That was the moment that I determined to act against him.”
“Then I will restate my position: I did nothing more than repeat what I had heard from others.” Mrs. Hurst smiled. “Iwillown that I hoped you would act against him. The moment I heard Wickham’s name on Miss Lydia’s tongue, I was concerned—you said little of him, but Gerald knew enough to tell me that Mr. Wickham was not a man to be trusted. But I did not direct you to Miss Elizabeth. Given your behavior before, I did not know there was any connection between you.”
Darcy regarded her closely. “You had no knowledge of my interest in her? As I recall, Miss Bingley spoke at length about Miss Elizabeth when we were here in November.”
The woman offered a smile, one Darcy mistrusted at once. “Caroline considers every woman a potential rival when it pertains to you, Mr. Darcy. She did not confide any suspicions to me.”
