A/N - Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful break over the holidays and wanted to thank everyone who read and enjoyed my Christmas story - Mr Darcy's Christmas Carol. It was wonderful reading all your comments!
This story picks up where Suitably Wed left off, in a continuation to that series. It's still very much in progress so a few things may change before publication - like the title...I am not at all creative where titles are concerned. Still, the book features a visit to Scotland by several of our key players, so as a working title at least it is more than sufficient ;)
Anyway, enough chatter from me. A new story for the new year, and there is scandal afoot. Enjoy!
"I had to write to them, George."
Anne de Bourgh's voice had taken on a plaintive note which could not be drowned out by the thunder of horses' hooves or the rumble of the carriage wheels that carried them on their journey northwards.
"I understand that," Wickham said, his patience rapidly disappearing and giving his voice a strained edge that his companion was only too aware of. Her face fell, and he instantly redoubled his efforts in placating her. The last thing he needed was for his bride to rethink the entire scheme and abandon him partway through their journey. Then all of this might be for nought.
"Dear Anne," he tried again, angling for a smile. He reached for her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers, and squeezed, gently. At length, she looked at him, and her pale features relaxed into something approaching contentment. "You care too much what others think, particularly your family. It is a commendable attitude, and it pains me greatly that we must have any deceit in pursuing our future together. I only wish you might have waited before writing of our intent. What if Darcy sends ahead of us? What if he follows?" He grimaced, in an affectation of humour. "I have no wish to face him in a duel."
The idea of such a spectacle caused what little colour Anne had to drain from her cheeks.
"A duel? You do not think -"
"I do not think even Darcy so hot-tempered as to challenge me," George said, soothingly. The notion had occurred to him, fleetingly, but been dismissed without any real concern. If Darcy had not called him out over the Georgiana affair, why would he choose to do so now? Anne was older than Georgiana, a young woman in her own right, and a relationship removed from Darcy that he might have any claim over her interests. Oh, he would be angry, Wickham did not doubt that. In fact, he rather relished imagining his old friend's reaction when he had discovered Anne's note. How shocked he would be, how irritated. How personally he would take it, as if George Wickham possessed no greater impulse in life than to cause problems for Fitzwilliam Darcy to undertake to solve.
Wickham's amusement soured. It was mere coincidence that Anne de Bourgh was Darcy's cousin - although he had certainly used that connection to his advantage when first meeting and wooing said young lady. It was her dowry he was interested in, and the inheritance she stood to gain when Lady Catherine departed this earth. It would not be very long, if Anne's laments were accurate. Her mother had been brought a little low by the news of Darcy's sudden, impetuous marriage: she would be brought lower still when news of this particular scandal reached her ears. Wickham did not wish ill on the lady, indeed, he had never even met her, but he certainly would not mourn her passing if it meant her wealth would pass to her daughter and then, through marriage, to him.
"I merely fear him mounting an obstacle to our union." Wickham sighed. "Do you not think we have already faced enough delay and disruption to our plans? What need have we of more?"
Anne frowned.
"Perhaps I ought not to have left a note, in that case. Only, George, I did not want them to worry."
Wickham's smile stretched thin. Hearing that you have absconded to Scotland with one George Wickham is rather more likely to cause rather than prevent worry, my love. If he were not still rather anxious of their success, he would have laughed at Anne's unwitting actions, fancying fancied Darcy would be considerably less concerned at having no news of Anne's whereabouts, than to have his worst fears confirmed. Still, 'tis done and cannot be helped now. We at least secured a head start. And he has no notion of our final destination. He applauded his quick-thinking in not telling Anne any more than the barest outline of their plan. It had been because he had little more formed in his own mind, although he certainly did not intend to illuminate his companion to that fact. It had worked for the best, for the very most she might have confessed in that wretched note was that she and Wickham were bound for Scotland and thence to wed over the anvil, or whatever romantic spin she had put on things. He did not doubt her note full of rejoicing at their great love, and imploring her cousin not to judge her too harshly for so scandalous an action. But she could not have given Darcy any more information, which would work in their favour. Even if, by some miracle, he reached Scotland close on their heels, he would not begin to know where to start searching for them. They would wed just as soon as they crossed the border, and then what was done could not be undone, no matter how much money Fitzwilliam Darcy offered him. Wickham's smile grew. He ought to have had such a notion with Georgiana. He had tarried too long with her without securing a marriage, and thus it was perfectly within Darcy's powers to bring the entire thing screeching to a halt. He felt a pin-prick of guilt. Georgiana was a sweet thing, and he hoped she was not suffering too much at the sudden end to their relationship. He had liked her, and he had liked the fact that she idolised him so. Anne, too, looked on him almost as adoringly as Georgiana had, although her mind was altogether sharper than Darcy's sister's. She had asked a question or two already that had taken Wickham a few fancy manoeuvres to avoid answering. He must be careful and stop that behaviour before it became habit. He certainly did not wish for a wife who could think: or who would attempt to out-think him.
"I am sure you did just what was best," he said, pulling Anne closer to him against the motion of the carriage. She leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed, contentment reigning once more. "I think it best we write nothing more until we are wed. I want to reassure your cousin that my intent is honourable towards you, even if our methods are a little unorthodox."
"Unorthodox?" Anne laughed. "Try shocking. Scandalous." She shuddered. "I dread to think what would be said in my absence, if this were known abroad."
"Abroad? Do you have a reputation on the continent that must be protected as well?"
Anne elbowed him in the side, and he winced, covering it with a laugh.
"I meant in Kent." She bit her lip. "I only hope William does not hasten to tell Mama of all that has happened."
"I hardly think that his most likely course of action," George said. "Does not your aunt bear some grudge against him just at present? Why, then, would she give credence to any word that comes out of his mouth?"
Anne's features fell, and George wondered if he had overstepped.
"I merely mean -" he began, hurriedly, to correct his error, but Anne waved away his explanation.
"You are right." She smiled, sadly. "I suppose I could not have picked a more providential time to act so rashly. William is as unlikely to rush to tell Mama as he is unlikely to be believed if he tried. We are safe, for now, from her wrath."
"You speak as if she will hate the news."
"She will not rejoice in it!" Anne shook her head, vehemently. "No it will take a careful approach in order to be tolerated by her upon our return, let alone welcomed."
"But she will relent," George pressed, seeing the spectre of their inheritance teeter as if on a precipice. "Surely she will wish only to know that you are happy and safe. You are her only daughter, after all."
"Yes." Anne's voice was quiet, and not at all convincing.
Well, Wickham thought, I am not going through all of this to risk the very inheritance I wish to secure being snatched away before my eyes. If I must charm mother as well as daughter, I am sure I can manage it. He made a note to learn all he could of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, so that he might use it in mounting his charm offensive against her upon their meeting. He had full confidence in his abilities, for he had not yet met a single woman capable of resisting his charms. He frowned. There had been Elizabeth Bennet. She, certainly, had not been so quick to fall for him as he had calculated. Or rather, she would have been, had there not been the interference of Darcy and his wretched cousin. Colonel Fitzwilliam had ruined whatever chance he had of staying in Meryton. If anyone was to blame for him throwing all of his energies into the de Bourgh plan, it was Richard Fitzwilliam. Wickham's frown relaxed into a sly smile. How delighted Colonel Fitzwilliam would be if he knew what pursuits his dismissal from the regiment had led him to!