Chapter 14—Well, Well, Mr. Wickham's in Meryton
Four days later, a much recovered Jane Bennet joined her sisters for a walk into Meryton to look for shoe roses to complement their gowns for the upcoming Netherfield Ball. It was still two weeks away but if the right colors were not to be had in Meryton, they would need time to send to Town for the right colors. Their Aunt Gardiner had already written that she would be happy send roses to Longbourn if there were any to be had.
The militia had arrived and red coats were everywhere in the streets and shops, dazzling young ladies and causing resentment to the more conventionally attired young men. The combination of the red accented by black and gold, shiny boots, and extravagant military hats blinded the ladies and caused disgust among the men of Meryton. Into this picture the lovely Bennet sisters arrived like a bouquet of flowers offered to brighten the day of the soldiers avoiding parade and drills.
On the main street of Meryton, Mrs. Bennet's younger sister lived in a house next door to her solicitor husband's law offices. Mrs. Phillips was childless but being more practical than her sister, accepted her lot well. Instead, she and her husband loved their five nieces all the more. Upon noticing them passing her door step, she threw open her window and called to them to join her for tea, for, she had told them, her prettyish bay window offered the perfect spot to view the parade of all who were walking the streets outside. Lydia and Kitty resisted slightly, but Jane and Lizzy pulled them along with Mary herding them behind. They really had no choice in the matter.
"Girls, I am so happy to see you," Mrs Philips beamed and kissed each one on the cheek, receiving her own hugs and kisses in return. "Isn't it wonderful? Our society will be greatly enhanced by all these lovely young men. I hope they play cards as I mean to have a few of them over as soon as may be. Mr. Phillips has called on Colonel Forster and will set a time for him and a few of his finest officers to join us. Do say you will all come and complete the party." Mrs. Phipps took a breath and looked expectantly at her nieces.
Jane answered her, "If Papa agrees when you extend the invitation, of course we will come, Aunt Phillips."
It was only two days later when the expected invitation arrived for a card party from their Aunt Phillips and the sisters were given permission to go. They arrived to a room colored bright scarlet but soon discerned their friends Charlotte and Maria Lucas, who were speaking to a colonel of the militia.
With a wide smile, Charlotte introduced them, "Colonel Forster, please allow me to introduce the young ladies my father likes to call the jewels of the county: Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, Miss Mary, Miss Catherine, and Miss Lydia. My dear friends, this is Colonel Forster." Five curtseys were answered with a bow and clicked heels.
Gallantly, Colonel Forster replied, "Five more lovely ladies in addition to yourself and Miss Maria? I am overwhelmed by pulchritude!"
"Ah, sir, you do us too much honor." Lizzy replied. "Sir William is well-known for his kind opinions. He looks on us as daughters and treats us the same, so his opinion is suspect." She finished with a smile.
Three of his officers approached and waited for introductions. "May I be allowed to introduce some of my officers?" At Jane's permission as the eldest sister, Colonel Forster introduced Lieutenants Chamberlayn, Denny, and Wickham. The Colonel moved on but his officers stayed behind to further the acquaintance.
One of them, Lt. Wickham, Lizzy thought, looked them all up and down, making the three eldest sisters uncomfortable but he responded to the Kitty's questioning.
"La, sir, are all the officers so handsome as you three? Do you all dance? I dearly love a gentleman who can dance. Did you notice that my ribbons match your uniforms? Will the militia give a ball?" Kitty stopped breathlessly.
"I think it would be wonderful of Colonel Forster gave a ball!" Lydia cried, "I think I will tell him that it would be ever so wonderful to have a ballroom full of his dashing redcoats. I would dance with everyone!" Lydia scooted away in pursuit of the Colonel and soon could be seen excitedly chattering to the man, no one doubting the subject.
Lt. Wickham spoke to Lizzy, who still was not certain she cared for the look in his eyes, "We are all quite happy to be in your town for winter quarters. I look forward to getting to know all of you." He focused this last remark on Lizzy for some reason.
Mary, however, was the one who spoke up. "Sir, your accent seems very familiar. May I ask where you are from?"
"I hail from Derbyshire. I grew up at an estate outside of Lambton. I might still be there if I had received the living I ought to have had. But, alas, it was not to be." He sighed, somewhat dramatically the sisters thought, as did his companions, it seemed, for the sisters caught an eye roll and a small, poorly hidden smirk, at the tale.
Ignoring his hint to ask about his lost living, Mary persisted, "It is your accent then. You may know some gentlemen staying at out neighbor's estate, Mr. Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Viscount Rasdale. They are guests in our neighborhood."
Lt. Wickham, started, and then recovered. "Darcy and Fitzwilliam are here with Hightower? Where are they staying?" He looked around the room a little frantically.
Lizzy decided to reply. "They are houseguests of Mr. Bingley who has let Netherfield Park, a large estate in this county. Indeed, it borders our own estate. They are frequent guests at the events in and around Meryton. You know them, sir?" Lizzy informed him. It was obvious that he knew them very well and did not seem pleased to hear the trio was nearby. Lizzy vowed to inform Mr. Darcy at their next meeting of the lieutenant's arrival with the militia. She wondered to herself what was disturbing the man and looking at her sisters, saw they were likely thinking the same thing.
"I grew up on Darcy's estate, Pemberley. My father was his father's steward and also my godfather." Wickham paused for dramatic effect in his oft told tale, but Miss Bennet interjected, "Then you must be aware of how good he is. Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley rescued my sister from certain danger and have earned the gratitude and approbation of all in our area. Indeed, even Viscount Rasdale performed a service to our family. We are grateful they have joined us in our neighborhood. Our family would not be the same if they had not."
Wickham's eyes widened and he began to rapidly assimilate what this could mean for him, while Denny asked for details.
"If it does not distress you too much to relate it, what happened?" Denny was enjoying this turn of events. Wickham's whining about being wronged and denied his just desserts had paled almost immediately. It did not take much to see that a man of his age, older than the others of the same rank, had not spent his time very wisely when he had a Cambridge education in his background. He certainly had not made use of it before now, and purchasing a commission in the militia was not the best use. The officers were educated men who knew that a will could not be disregarded in the manner Wickham suggested. That he was hiding a good bit of the story that was not to his advantage was obvious to his fellow officers.
Lizzy decided to give an edited tale. "I was accosted by a vicious dog and Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley managed to keep it from biting me. It was frightening."
"Lizzy, it was rabid" Mary corrected, "and because it happened not so long ago, we should ask our father to warn the Colonel."
Lizzy agreed. "Of course, Mary, they are new to the area and do not know why no one travels unarmed, or unescorted in our case. The danger is not in the past."
Lt. Chamberlayn added, "We had a rabid animal on my father's estate a few years ago. It did much damage. I will tell the Colonel and, if you would be so kind, ask your father to expect his call? I am the adjutant and will be certain this is on the colonel's schedule." With that, Lt. Chamberlayn bowed quickly and strode off. He was soon seen in conference with his commander.
Card tables were set up but much to their disappointment, Lydia and Kitty did not get to dance. The colonel eventually gathered his officers and made their goodbyes. The gathering was considered quite boring after all the dash and glitter of new acquaintances left and the party soon ended.
Kitty and Lydia entered the carriage chattering about this officer and that one while their sisters were quiet, each in their own thoughts.
Mary was comparing the officers to Viscount Rasdale and all of them came up wanting. Then she chastised herself for having those thoughts at all. The viscount had called every other day, accompanying one or the other residents of Netherfield. She enjoyed her knight, but did not think he was coming for her company. Her sisters were much livelier after all.
Jane merely thought it a pleasant evening at her Aunt Phillips as always and diverted herself with hoping Mr. Bingley would call again tomorrow.
Lizzy was troubled. Something about Lt. Wickham did not strike her as true but she could not decide what it was. He seemed annoyed to hear that Mr. Darcy was well thought of in Meryton. That was it. But why? If he grew up on the estate he should know what kind of man Mr. Darcy was. And why did the other two officers seem to almost deride Lt. Wickham's tale, at least the beginning of it? The more she thought about it, the more convinced there was something to know and she would approach Mr. Darcy at the first opportunity for the information. Satisfied, she quickly disembarked the carriage when it arrived home. The rest of the evening was as usual, that is noisy where Lydia and Kitty were, and slightly irritating where her mother was questing for information about the officers her girls had met.
Before bedtime, Lizzy approached her father's study door and knocked. At his call, she entered. "Papa, we met the colonel of the regiment and Mary suggested we have him talk to you about the rabid dog. None of them know and should be warned to go about armed, at least for a little while." Lizzy told her father. "He is to call on you soon."
"You are right, my dear, he does need to be aware. But you should also make certain your mother knows why he is calling or she will be having him marry one of her daughters before he is quite through the door!" Mr. Bennet laughed at his own joke. "I truly hope this warning we must issue over and over fades soon. So far we have heard of no other rabid animals and precautions may become unnecessary soon." Mr. Bennet looked over at his child. "I imagine that will make you happy, my dear."
Lizzy smiled, "That it would, Papa. Good night. Don't stay up to late."
He waved her out of the room, "I shall be right behind you. With one of her chicks so recently sick, your mother is monitoring my every breath in case I caught the cold from Jane. I am fine, and she will believe it soon."
The next day, during visiting hours, Colonel Fitzwilliam was with the other three from Netherfield when he noticed Colonel Forster riding up to Longbourn's door. Dismounting with the others, he waited and gave a hearty hello to the man he knew so well. "Martin! I see you are in the militia now, how did that happen?"
"I managed to get bullet to the leg that still bothers me. I can sit ahorse only so long and it is not long enough for battle. I train these men and most will move on to the regulars in the spring, just in time to give Boney a bullet in his own limb, I hope!" laughed the Colonel. "I am here to ask about a rabid dog in the area? Do you know anything about it?"
Fitzwilliam pointed his crop to Darcy. "My cousin shot it but there is some question as to whether the area is completely free of the infection. Mr. Bennet will fill you in." Fitzwilliam followed up by introducing his companions to Forster before they all went to the door and awaited entry.
After Colonel Forster was shown into Mr. Bennet's study, the four gentlemen were making their bows to the ladies in the drawing room. In addition to the Bennet ladies, Charlotte Lucas was in the room visiting her friend. After greetings it seemed a natural division of the parties occurred. Mr. Bingley gravitated to a chair near the sofa where Miss Bennet attended her mother while she stitched something, he knew not what. Mr. Darcy found himself making for Miss Elizabeth and her friend Miss Lucas. They were discussing a play Miss Lucas had seen on a recent trip into Town with her father and brother, John. Their discussion was animated and he easily fell into it. He had seen it recently with his Fitzwilliam family just before he arrived in Meryton. Viscount Rasdale bowed formally to Miss Mary and asked if she would favor the company with some music. She nodded and upon application, was joined by Elizabeth and Miss Lucas. Mr. Darcy followed, regretting the discussion was over for now. Colonel Forster, having exited the study, joined the party and began to speak with Charlotte, freeing Lizzy of her company and creating the opportunity she sought to engage Mr. Darcy.
Darcy watched as Jack asked to turn pages for Miss Mary who assented. It seemed he was making some inroads with her and Darcy was happy for his friend. Miss Elizabeth moved to sit beside him and quietly noted, "My sister seems happy with his attentions, Mr. Darcy. Is the Viscount still interested in Mary?"
"He has said nothing to me, nor would I expect him to. That he is continuing to get to know her, and, of course, allow her to become comfortable with him, is telling enough. She does seem comfortable with him." Darcy observed.
"Yes, I believe she is. There is something else I would ask you, sir, about a person who has arrived in Meryton with the Militia. He indicated he knew you." Lizzy ventured.
"Oh? Who is it?"
"Let me say first, Mr. Darcy, that for some reason this man makes me uncomfortable. It is not what he says, he is all that is polite, but it is how he looks at me. And when introduced he began a story about how he had been wronged somehow but his two friends seemed to react to the beginning of his tale with skepticism, as though they had heard it before and did not put much stock in it. When he heard that you and your companions were in the neighborhood, he almost seemed frantic, as though you would leap on him from behind." Lizzy related the introduction to Wickham in a way she hoped would convey her concerns were about the man and not about Mr. Darcy.
Darcy began to have suspicions and called to his cousin to join them just as Lydia and Kitty entered the room and began to pester Mary to play tunes to dance as there were so many partners available. Their noise covered the conversation the three were having
Colonel Fitzwilliam was incredulous. "Wickham is here? I shall find him and run him through!"
"Stand down, cousin. I will not have you hung or fleeing the country because of that blackguard. You may be happy to know he is a member of the local militia now under Forster's command, which may give you a greater ability to watch him." Darcy soothed.
Lizzy's head turned from one man to the other as she tried to take in their conversation. "I was right to be wary of the man, I see. Will you not tell me what he did? It must be terrible if you want to kill him for it, Colonel." Lizzy queried.
Darcy answered her instead. "Miss Elizabeth, may we defer this conversation when we are in a less public place, a walk in your gardens tomorrow, perhaps? I would not like to be overheard."
"Why not now, sirs?" Lizzy was confused as to why she had to wait until tomorrow for elucidation on this man's character.
"Because, Miss Elizabeth, as soon as Colonel Forster leaves, we will follow him. In the meantime, Richard and I will be speaking with your father. Wickham is capable of spreading havoc in your town and I think a warning will go far in protecting the merchants and families from suffering." Darcy answered her, quietly as Mrs. Bennet had drawn closer after seeing the anger on the colonel's face.
"Is all well, Lizzy? The colonel looks upset." She inquired a little nervously. The colonel had yet to remove his hand from the hilt of his sword.
Richard made a quick bow in her direction. "It was just a tease, Mrs. Bennet, and I had to remind my cousin that an army man has many ways of retaliating. We have always been somewhat rough in our manner with each other; we feel ourselves to be brothers. My apologies, madam, we should have behaved better."
"Oh, colonel, boys will be boys, I am sure! With a house full of young ladies, I had forgotten what brothers are like! Lizzy probably brought it out in you with all of her teasing. She is not at all missish, that girl!" exclaimed Mrs. Bennet.
Lizzy compressed her lips for a quick moment, hiding a smile which an observer would not be certain came from mortification or amusement. She decided on amusement. Her mother was excited when she started speaking in exclamations; one could almost see the punctuation to each sentence. "I promise not to tease the gentlemen too, too much, Mamma. The will be safe from me."
At that moment, she thought she could hear a murmured "No, Miss Elizabeth, I am definitely not safe from you," from Mr. Darcy. She looked at him quizzically, seeking to know if she was right. The look in his eyes was different, somehow, almost tender? What did he mean? His eyes caught hers for a moment before the colonel asked her to excuse him and his cousin to speak to Mr. Bennet. What was happening?
Lizzy looked for someone to talk to but was disappointed. Charlotte was engaged in animated discourse with Colonel Forster who seemed enchanted. Lizzy smiled widely. Finally, a gentleman was seeing how lovely her friend was when she was engaged with someone, not just seeing the reported spinster of seven and twenty, but the bright and happy woman she was. Maybe there was hope for Charlotte to have true happiness. Lizzy hated the idea of losing her dear friend but it would be bearable if Charlotte would have a future unlooked for but long desired. She turned to see Mary dancing, wait, dancing? She and the viscount were on the improvised dance floor performing a merry reel while Kitty tried to pick out a simple tune. Mr. Bingley and Jane were near the pianoforte looking at the music and seemed entirely wrapped up in their own conversation. She shook her head. What a great difference in their society, in their family, had been made by simple act of a gentleman leasing an estate and bringing some guests to visit him!
Lizzy rose to relieve Kitty and provide better dance music. Kitty and Lydia stood up with each other and the four couples enjoyed encouraging each other to dance faster and faster until Jane was quite breathless and begged at last to replace Lizzy at the keys. As she rose, Mr. Darcy was in front of her.
"Miss Elizabeth, may I have this dance?" Darcy extended his hand as Richard asked Kitty and Charles asked Lydia. Charlotte stood up with Colonel Forster, a smile never leaving her lips; he only looked enchanted. Darcy was able to dance with her twice before all four took their leave as they had another engagement in the neighborhood. Colonel Forster offered to escort a beaming Charlotte home, leaving the room empty of male dance partners at the last.
Much later, Lizzy was in her bed trying to puzzle out what had changed. She chose not to speak of it to anyone, not even Jane. But something between her and Mr. Darcy was different and she wanted to find out just what.
In his bedchamber, Fitzwilliam Darcy stared into the mirror as he dried his hands and face. The wall he wanted to use to bash his head on upon his first day at Netherfield had been a lesser punishment than staying at Netherfield Park. Now, he no longer felt trapped, even though Miss Bingley had certainly not given up her pursuit. He no longer even considered her machinations. Coming to Netherfield with Charles had brought him the greatest gift he had ever received from a friend; it had brought him possibilities that had not existed before. Now all he had to do was convince Miss Elizabeth that there existed new possibilities for her, too. Dropping the towel, Darcy saw something that had been absent for a very long time. Hope.