AN: For those who questioned my recent change of rating. I did that just in case. I had waffled between T and M even when I first posted and the further I go the more I felt it was just squeaking over that line. At no point do I graphically depict sexual assault, but it is referenced in some of the later chapters although NOT towards any of our leading female characters. I hit a spot in the chapter I am writing at the moment where I just decided I had to bump the rating. Perhaps I am a little too sensitive since I have certainly read and seen far worse things in books and movies aimed at teens, but I just felt like I needed to do it. I didn't mean to ratchet up anyone's anxiety over it. I have changed it back to T since I discovered I cannot even see the story in the menu at the M rating. Sorry for any confusion.

Chapter Fourteen – Interview with the Young Devil

Darcy was glad when Pemberley finally came into view. He had spent the days of his journey considering the response he needed to make to both George and Will.

As George was not his son, Darcy felt he needed to speak with Wickham first. Having timed his journey so he would arrive at mid-day, Darcy hoped to have his interviews with George and his father before having any conversation with Will. He assumed and hoped to find his son still at the estate. If Will had already left it would be more difficult, but Darcy would find him and make amends. He knew the apology he needed to make to Will would mean more if he had already taken steps to correct his earlier errors of judgment.

"Welcome home, Mr. Darcy," Mrs. Reynolds greeted him as he entered the house. "We were not expecting you back from London so soon, sir."

"I had business here I could not delay. I apologize for giving you no warning."

"Oh, it is of no matter, sir, for you have arrived safely."

"My son came on ahead, did he not? Is he still here?" Darcy asked trying to sound nonchalant.

"I believe he is in the schoolroom visiting with Miss Georgiana at the moment. Shall I send someone to find him?"

"Oh, no, please do not disturb him. I will speak with him later. I have a few tasks I must complete first. I would like a pitcher of hot water brought to my dressing room so I may wash off the road dust and then I intend to go out again. I believe I will take dinner on a tray in my sitting room this evening. Please make it something simple."

"Yes, sir," the housekeeper agreed. "The hot water will arrive shortly." She bustled off to make arrangements while Darcy headed up to his rooms.

0o0o0

"I am very sorry I had to bring you this news, Wickham. I take full responsibility for how I mishandled the situation and allowed it to deteriorate in this manner. So many people, including you, warned me I was paying too much favor to George. I simply chose not to listen." Darcy hung his head.

"You meant well, Mr. Darcy. You are not the only one at fault here. While George bears the greatest share of the blame, I should have been more cognizant of my son's behavior, particularly in the last few years after his mother died. Your generosity in seeing him through school gave me the feeling I could step back and pay less attention to his actions as I knew his needs were being met."

"Apparently what he perceived as his needs far exceed anything either of us would have considered appropriate," Darcy said with some asperity.

"Again, George is to blame for that, not you, Mr. Darcy," Wickham said firmly. "You have showed him nothing but kindness. In return he has taken shameful advantage of you. It must stop."

"We are agreed on that, at least. I think it would be best if we confront him together. If we do so separately he may not pay as much attention or he could manage to charm one or the other of us into being less severe. If we are both present he cannot play one of us off against the other."

"That would be wise. He does have a way of sidestepping problems or changing the direction of a conversation."

"He also needs to know he is your son, not mine, and he must face some consequences for his years of tormenting Will and lying to us."

"To start, sir, I believe you should cut off the allowance you have provided for him."

"Cut him off completely?" Darcy asked in surprise.

"Yes, Mr. Darcy. He is my son and if he cannot support himself it should be up to me to help him along now. You have given him an education that can provide him with a good start if he is only willing to do the necessary work. It is more than enough. Any debt you felt you owed me has been paid a hundredfold. It appears you need to mend your relationship with your own son and the will not happen while you continue to support mine. I also need to be the one to discipline him and will start by insisting he begin to make restitution for all he has wasted."

Darcy took a deep breath then nodded slightly as he said, "Yes, I see your point. I feel I have failed them both, but I must make Will my priority now. And you are correct that it is your place to be his father, not mine."

"Indeed, sir. I am most astounded they thought you were George's father, but even more so that neither they nor anyone else ever spoke of the matter in our hearing."

"It was spoken of as absolute fact in Cambridge and Ashby confirmed he and my nephews have been certain of it for years as well. I cannot tell you how disconcerting it was to have complete strangers casually refer to one of the boys as the bastard half-brother."

"I find your description of George's behavior at Cambridge far more disconcerting. I have always been a little disturbed and suspicious over the way George never seemed to be at fault for anything while Master Fitzwilliam took the blame for all that went wrong. Yet you always appeared convinced of the facts and without solid evidence there was little I could say about it. Or, at least, that is what I told myself. But now to learn my son has lied and cheated and is a regular customer at multiple brothels and gaming houses while covering his shame by using Master Fitzwilliam's name? The idea disgusts me!"

"I find such behavior abhorrent as well. We must make certain he knows it is not acceptable. Do you know where George is this afternoon?"

"He rode out early this morning saying he had an errand to do, although he did not say where. I do not think he frequents Lambton or Kympton..." he trailed off and looked at Darcy.

"Do you think he has accrued debts in other places, but chooses not to do so close to home where we might discover the fact?" Darcy asked uneasily.

"That is exactly what I was thinking. In fact, it makes me wonder what kind of debts he has in the area. At least he cannot use your son's identity in any of the local villages." Both men sighed in frustration.

"Does he usually return in the evenings?" Darcy asked.

"Sometimes. He said he planned to do so when he left today."

"Do you mind if I wait? I hope to speak with George before having any discussion with Will."

"Not at all, Mr. Darcy. Perhaps we could go over the situation at the Poyner farm while you wait."

0o0

George entered the room, smiling as was his habit. "Mr. Darcy, what brings you here this evening? No trouble with the estate, I hope."

The two men in front of him remained solemn despite his charming smile. George began to feel a little uneasy. Normally Mr. Darcy, at least, always gave him a welcoming smile when George entered his company. Today the expression both men wore could only be called grim.

"I am here to speak with you, George," Darcy told him.

George offered his most charming smile at that, but the targets of his charm failed to respond as expected. In as genial a tone as he could manage, George asked, "How may I assist you, sir?"

The men returned to their seats and Wickham motioned for his son to take a seat as well. George slid into the remaining chair with a look of polite attentiveness.

Darcy examined the young man in front of him and for the first time he noticed the calculating look in George's eyes when he smiled. The easy way he dropped into his seat showed his confidence and Darcy could almost see him working out ways to manipulate whatever situation arose. Darcy knew Will would be tense and concerned in a similar situation, but George apparently had no worries he would ever be censured.

Wickham looked to his employer to begin the discussion. Darcy cleared his throat uncomfortably. With a slight cough he finally started, "While I was in London I had a very unpleasant discussion with Lord Ashby and my business partners, during the course of which I was informed of several matters previously unknown to me. One of these is that you, and apparently a great many other people, believe you are my illegitimate son who has been placed with Mr. Wickham to maintain respectability." Darcy briefly saw a slight bit of shock register on George's face before it was replaced with a genial smile.

"That is the general belief, sir," he said smoothly.

"No matter how widespread or generally held the belief may be, it is absolutely false," Darcy stated with quiet firmness.

George assumed a look Darcy now recognized as false innocence. He also realized he had seen that expression many times before.

"Surely you do not believe I started such an indecent rumor?" George asked.

"I do not believe you were the first to speculate on the subject," Darcy said, watching as George's expression showed what was probably genuine relief. As Darcy continued the relief turned to disquiet. "I do believe you spread the rumor, treated it as a confirmed fact and used it to your personal advantage."

"Mr. Darcy, how can you think such a thing?" George asked in an injured tone.

"I admit it is difficult," Darcy said. "For many years I have considered you a paragon of virtue, an illusion you have deliberately fostered. However, I have learned many things in the last few days which show how false an impression that is."

George leaned forward in his chair with his hands clasped almost as if in prayer. "Oh, sir, I know Lord Ashby does not like me for some reason, but please do not allow his lies to turn you against me."

"Lord Ashby told me no lies, George. He informed me of some facts and then encouraged me to go verify the truth of them myself. I believe you are aware of a certain letter I received a few weeks ago asking me to pay off several merchants for debts incurred in Will's name." Darcy stood stiffly, willing himself to remain strong and show it in his stance.

"I have no knowledge of your personal correspondence with Master Fitzwilliam, sir. As you know, he prefers to avoid spending time in my company." Again his expression took on the look of injured innocence, but Darcy could see a degree of worry in his eyes before George looked away to hide it.

"I believe he was wise to avoid you," he answered, which prompted George to look up again in surprise. "At any rate, while this letter appeared to be from my son, subsequent investigation proved to me it was written by you."

George began to protest but Darcy motioned him to be silent. "I went to Cambridge a few days ago and visited the so-called merchants listed in the letter. On Lord Ashby's recommendation, I did not ask about the debts directly. I took with me the miniatures of you and Will and simply asked if the people with whom I spoke recognized the individuals in the portraits."

Darcy could see the worry in George's eyes now before the young man's gaze flicked downward. "I see by your expression you have guessed what they told me. None of them recognized Will. Not one. Yet all of them recognized your portrait as a very regular customer by the name of Fitzwilliam Darcy. The proprietors of brothels, gaming halls and taverns all identified you."

"Sir, they must have guessed you were Fitzwilliam's father and identified me so as not to insult you."

"All of them?" Darcy could not keep the skepticism and sarcasm out of his voice. "Without benefit of an introduction or explanation of why I wished to know if they recognized the individuals in the two portraits? That seems a bit far-fetched to me, George."

"But, sir, what would I be doing in such places? They are hardly fit for a proper young gentleman." Again George smiled charmingly, dropping his hands back to the arms of the chair and resuming his look of confidence.

"I expect you were doing what all the other patrons of the establishments were doing – behaving shamefully. And I agree they are not fit places for any proper gentleman. I greatly disliked having to even enter them while gathering information."

"I do not see why you needed to suffer the indignity of going there in person, sir. Surely you could have simply paid Master Fitzwilliam's debts by post." Again George flashed his most charming smile.

Darcy shook his head sadly, realizing he had fallen for similar misdirection before. "I expect you are well aware I did pay those debts by post. My visit was to gain information, which means I am now convinced those debts were yours as was the letter, although both were done in Will's name. I also visited both Will's lodgings and your own. Would you like to know what your landlady said about you? Or can you guess?"

"I did not like to complain, sir. You were so generous as to pay for my lodgings, but she is a very unreasonable and bitter woman," George said quickly, looking down again to hide any betraying unease in his eyes.

"I see you have guessed what she said. For the record, she did not strike me as either unreasonable or bitter. In fact, she was most appreciative of my choice to pay your rent directly to her each quarter as others were not always as successful obtaining payments for their services to you. Why that should be the case when you had a generous allowance plus the frequent gifts of money I sent can only be answered by you, although I can guess from the debts you blackmailed Will into paying for you and the complaints your landlady had over the respectability of some of your visitors."

Darcy expected to see some form of shame or remorse on the young man's face. Instead what he saw was certainly a false look of surprise and hurt, although there was a touch of anger hidden beneath it. Had he not heard all the stories told to him at Cambridge, Darcy might have doubted his evidence and believed the performance he heard next.

"Mr. Darcy, I am surprised you would listen to the unsubstantiated charges made against me by people who were simply jealous of the good fortune you have bestowed on me. You know me better than that, sir. All my life you have believed in me and, of course, I would not behave in a way to let you down."

"Oh, George," Darcy said, shaking his head and looking on the young man sadly, "I did believe you. I have believed you time and again when I should have questioned. It has taken me far too long to see through your lies and false expressions of gratitude. Have done with this charade, George. I will not be swayed by your charm again. I have discussed this with your father. As of now I am cutting off your allowance. I will no longer support you. If you cannot support yourself with the education you have received, you must look to your father, your true and only father, for assistance. I will not allow your lies to part me from my own son any longer."

This time the shock on George's face was real. He did not seem able to take in what he had just heard. "You are discarding me? Just like that?" he asked in a tiny voice.

"I must do what is right, George. I am hoping you will learn to do the same. I will not tolerate any additional offenses against me or my son. Be warned, if you forge any more letters or request more credit in my name or Will's I will have you taken up by the magistrate and punished accordingly. I care for you, George, but I must do what is right now that I know how I have been taken in."

"I cannot believe you would abandon me now. Oh, sir!" George looked as if he might cry, but Darcy clearly saw anger, not sadness in his eyes before he looked away. "Excuse me," George said as he quickly stood and ran from the room.

"You notice he never admitted a thing," Wickham said. "I hope he will take the lesson and behave now, but I think it wise to keep an eye on him. I will have my own say with him later and lay down some new rules for living in this house."

"I agree, Wickham. I hope and pray he will eventually take responsibility for his actions, but it may not happen immediately. Do you think I should have a few of my men following him for a time?"

"I hardly know. If they can do it without being seen then that might be a wise choice as well."

"I will make arrangements tomorrow morning. I am sorry this happened, Wickham. Just know that I value your work and all that you have done for me, no matter what George has done."

"I appreciate the reassurance, sir. If anything comes up I will be in touch."

"In that case, I will be off. I need to have another difficult interview this evening. I hope Will can find it in his heart to forgive me for all the times I have chosen George's lies over his truth."

"Good luck, sir. I think you may need it."