nanciellen: I agree, they are at their best when they are at their worst. I love the way you worded that by the way :)
Lynned13: As you wish :)
I know I've just uploaded four chapters quite quickly, but trust me, this is (unfortunately) not my normal speed. I'm not sure when I'll write the next chapter.
Chapter 10
The gathering at Netherfield was packed. It seemed that everyone worth knowing in Hertfordshire had been invited, as well as many others. Bingley had initially planned a small, semi-intimate, gathering, but it had spiralled out of control. His sisters had invited many people – sometimes without consulting him – and Bingley was at a loss as to why they would such a thing considering that they did not fancy Hertfordshire society. Caroline had been particularly adamant about inviting the officers, which was astonishing considering how much she ridiculed the youngest Miss Bennets for fancying their company. Of course, Mr. Wickham had been excluded from the invitation.
Colonel Fitzwilliam was charming, talking to all those around him, and delighting in the society. Elizabeth was stunned by the contrast between him and his cousin. Elizabeth, Charlotte Lucas, and Sir William Lucas were being regaled by a highly entertaining story that Colonel Fitzwilliam was telling them. Elizabeth was enthused with the colonel's travels and experiences, and she admired his well-informed mind and storytelling skills. At first, she was too enthralled to notice someone watching her, but then she turned around briefly and caught Mr. Darcy staring at her. He quickly averted his eyes and went back to his conversation – a very one-sided conversation – with Miss Bingley. Miss Bingley was detailing one of the books she had read in the hope of pleasing Mr. Darcy, who had once commented that accomplished ladies improved their minds by extensive reading.
"Mr. Darcy is looking at you again, Lizzy," Charlotte whispered in Elizabeth's year discreetly.
"I cannot imagine why," Elizabeth replied just as quietly.
"Capital, capital," Sir William was loudly commenting the colonel's story.
Colonel Fitzwilliam noticed the exchange between the young ladies and after Sir William had left to get himself a drink, could not help but tease them.
"Well, it seems only the good Sir William found my story interesting. What were you two ladies conspiring about?" He grinned broadly.
They both protested that his story had been very entertaining.
"Well then, which was the welcome distraction?" The colonel had a teasing glint in his eyes, and Elizabeth was roused to teasing herself.
"Your cousin appears to be looking this way with a lot of disapproval. You know him better than us – what do you think offends him?"
The colonel looked over and smiled, "Oh, he is looking this way alright, but I am not sure he disapproves of my storytelling. I'd rather wager he's exceedingly tired of Miss Bingley's speech and is looking for an escape."
Elizabeth and Charlotte laughed.
"Let us hope we are not his escape," Elizabeth ventured playfully.
"Why not?" the Colonel was surprised at Elizabeth's albeit joking reluctance to have his cousin join their merry party.
Elizabeth blushed slightly, she had not meant to antagonise the colonel by disparaging his cousin, and replied insincerely, "Oh, I am merely hoping that Miss Bingley will not resent us for losing her audience."
The colonel chuckled, "I daresay it is not such a big loss, Darcy does not appear to make for a very attentive audience."
And sure enough, a little while later, Darcy excused himself from Miss Bingley and joined them. He did not speak much, but observed his cousin and Elizabeth a great deal. Hereafter Sir William Lucas returned with drinks, and Elizabeth and Charlotte excused themselves, pretexting that they needed to find Kitty and Maria. None noticed that Miss Bingley had left the room. And few noticed that moments later, Wickham was partaking in the gathering, nearly anonymous in the crowd.
Elizabeth almost ran into Wickham in her haste to get away from Mr. Darcy. She had felt his eyes following her movements and felt slightly insecure which piqued her to no end. Sure, he had made it plenty clear that he disapproved of her, but did he need to be so blatant in his condescension? Even Miss Bingley did not spend so much time and effort criticizing Lydia. Could Mr. Darcy not entertain himself by appraising and judging someone else? She was aware of the irony for she considered herself a good judge of character and delighted in anything ridiculous. But she was usually more reserved and polite about it – Sir William Lucas and Mr. Collins were totally unaware of what Elizabeth really thought of them.
"Mr. Wickham! I was not aware you had been invited," Elizabeth was too shocked to be polite. She even thought she faintly remembered Mr. Bingley telling Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Darcy that Wickham had not been invited.
Wickham smiled and replied, "How could I stay away knowing you would be here?"
His charm did not appear to work in the least, both Elizabeth and Charlotte were staring at him with something akin to disgust. He needed to take drastic action, especially because he could see a thunderous-looking Darcy striding towards them, closely followed by Colonel Fitzwilliam.
He raised his voice, "Are we not betrothed after all?"
And he leaned in, embracing a stunned Elizabeth in his arms and lowering his head, but not quickly enough for he was violently pulled back by his collar and Elizabeth stumbled out of his grasp.
"What are you doing?" roared Darcy, holding a visibly shaken Wickham, who was starting to wonder if the compensation was worth the beating it seemed he was about to receive.
"We are engaged!" snapped Wickham, shrugging off Darcy with a violent motion of his arm. He made to grasp for Elizabeth's arm, but Darcy stepped in front of her, blocking him.
"You would not be stopping anything we haven't done before," jeered Wickham with a nasty grin.
Darcy slowly turned his head to talk to Elizabeth, but kept his eyes trained on Wickham.
"Miss Bennet, are you engaged to his man?" Not a man, a scoundrel, he thought.
"I am not," she replied in a shaky voice, "Nor have I ever embraced or kissed him."
Darcy nodded his understanding, "He is trying to defame you through his lies."
The crowd, who had been watching the scene unfold with a lot of interest, gasped at this. However, what was to follow was scarcely less shocking. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam each grasped one arm of Wickham's and dragged him outside, closely followed by a slightly anxious-looking Bingley.
"There's nothing to see here," Miss Bingley said in a cold voice, and people slowly turned back to their conversations.
Elizabeth was still reeling from shock, and Charlotte, quickly joined by Jane, helped her to a seat.
Soon, Mrs. Bennet was fussing over her.
"Oh my the awful things that man said! I cannot believe we ever let him into our home! Oh dear, what will people think? You were very affectionate with him in the past."
"I am well, thank you for your concern, Mama."
"Lizzy, perhaps you ought to marry the man to quieten any rumours."
But Mr. Bennet had come up to them and angrily replied that Elizabeth would do no such thing. Mrs. Bennet was quickly reassured when she realised that Mr. Darcy's authority when he declared Wickham a liar had convinced the scene's audience that Elizabeth had not behaved inappropriately.
"This could have happened to any lady in this room," Sir William Lucas declared firmly, and Elizabeth felt a rush of gratitude.
She glanced towards the doors, wondering what had happened to the four men. When the room occasionally quietened, they heard noises and loud voices that were not reassuring. Bingley was the first to return. Jane heaved a sigh of relief when she saw him. He walked towards and inquired after Elizabeth's wellbeing. Elizabeth reassured him that she was fine. Charlotte could not help but ask, "Mr. Bingley, what is happening outside?"
Mr. Bingley shifted uncomfortably on this feet, "I just wanted to know how Mr. Wickham had entered Netherfield uninvited. He was not being very talkative so... they are trying to get him to cooperate. As the host, I feel it is a gross negligence on my part that Wickham managed to come in."
Bingley apologised profusely and Elizabeth reassured him that it was not his fault in the least.
"I think Colonel Forster will personally see to it that Mr. Wickham is never accepted in the regiment again. This man is a disgrace to the profession," Bingley was strangely animated, "I have never seen Darcy so angry." He glanced towards the doors, where a group of curious people were trying to catch a glimpse, "I fear that by now things have turned even more hostile..." He did not want to worry the ladies unnecessarily, but it was clear to everyone that the tone outside could not be conciliatory.
Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Darcy eventually re-emerged. There was no sign of Wickham.
Mr. Darcy made his way over to them.
"Miss Bennet, I hope you are alright," he said, his eyes gentle and full of concern.
"I am, Sir. I thank you for your interference."
"Not at all. If only I had spoken sooner on this man's character..."
"You did warn us and he managed to sneak in uninvited," replied Elizabeth, who felt nothing but relief and gratitude.
"How did he get in, did you manage to find out, Darcy?" asked Bingley.
"I am not sure exactly, but perhaps we should discuss this matter later," replied Darcy, who had no wish to incriminate anyone in such a public setting, "Wickham's word is not to be trusted after all."
Elizabeth looked down to Darcy's hand and noticed that small blue prints were appearing on his knuckles. She couldn't help a slight gasp and Darcy, following her trail of sight, quickly moved his arms in an attempt to get his long sleeves to cover the marks.
It dawned on Elizabeth that Darcy had proven to be her most avid defender. That night, she found it difficult to fall asleep. Mr. Darcy's guilty feelings of his tardive exposure of Wickham were not enough to justify this display of violence. She began to doubt whether Mr. Darcy was looking at her to find fault and criticize. Perhaps Charlotte had been right when she had suggested that Mr. Darcy harboured feelings for her. Elizabeth would never have believed it a few hours ago, but it now seemed like the only possible explanation.