Chapter 20

With shaking hands Darcy poured himself a glass of brandy and slumped down behind his desk. As soon as Wickham had left, a sense of shame had overcome him and emotionally exhausted he let his head sink into his hands. This had been supposed to be a comfortable, enjoyable evening and somehow it had turned into a complete disaster. How was he ever to make amends with Miss Elizabeth under circumstances such as these? Had she been any lesser woman, like Miss Bingley for example, she would have made a scene a long while ago, but alas, she was not and he was grateful for it. The thought of his guest made him sit up straight again and downing his glass he quickly got up from his chair and stepped out into the hall, half expecting to see her there about to leave. However, she was nowhere to be seen. But his cousin was very decidedly so, as he stood there, leaning against the bannister of the stairs obviously waiting for him to appear from his study.

The Colonel's face was clouded over, almost thunderous, and he knew what would follow - a right scolding. And if he was honest with himself, quite rightly so. How could he have let it come this far anyway? Then again, looking at things in hindsight was always at a clearer perspective than when one was in the middle of it and even now, some things were frighteningly cloudy.

"So, you let him blackmail you!"

It was not a question, but a statement so Darcy did not bother to reply.

"That, my friend, is idiotic!" the Colonel carried on, his words hanging heavy in the air.

"Yes, I know," was his pathetically crestfallen reply, accompanied with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Then why do you let him?" Colonel Fitzwilliam now thundered and as if a soldier himself, subconsciously Darcy straightened his back and stood salute, but only to hang his head in shame once again almost immediately.

"What else was I supposed to do without ruining my sister? And with her all the rest of my family, including your..." he had wanted to say 'your children', but swallowed the words, for, given what his cousin had told him two days prior, they somehow felt wrong. Instead, he finished flatly: "... your brother's children."

"Oh come now, do you really believe anyone would pay him much heed?" Fitzwilliam still scolded on. "Consider what you have in hand against him, Darcy! Two can play that game. And even should he drop word about Georgiana's situation, once his true character is revealed, who would be there to still believe him? And what does he mean with he 'purchased his commission'? He has no land of his own and no fortune. Odd!"

He stared at the Colonel aghast. No, it had not occurred to him, that while Wickham had power over him and Georgiana, so had he over, Wickham. But of course! What he needed was someone who would find out as many despicable things about the man, as was possible, starting with those people Wickham was indebted to. And now, that the Colonel had brought it up, yes, it was odd that he would say that he purchased his commission. Commissions in the militia were drawn, not purchased and in order to be an officer there, with no pay, mind, this meant that on top of that, he would need to have an income of his own. Well, perhaps it was worth to find out. There was only one minor problem, however... - How to go about things discreetly? It would not exactly help their cause if Wickham got wind of what they were on about. But he, at last, had a starting point, or even two, on how to get his family out of this dilemma, and hopefully even unscathed.

But first he had to deal with Mrs Younge, he had promised it to Elizabeth and he would keep his word, he would not put it past the devious woman to turn on her young and boisterous charges come the chance - and while on his way to Hertfordshire, he would have all the time required to think over what Fitzwilliam had just said and what to do exactly and how. At this point, this turn in the road, it would not do to act without thinking, and the one place where he had always been able to think things over best, given he was on his own, had been his carriage.

Stating his plans for the following day to his cousin, the man nodded thoughtfully, clapped him on the shoulder and with a smile said: "That is the Darcy I know and not this pathetic little coward from earlier tonight. What is Miss Bennet supposed to think?"

Elizabeth! - Oh dear, engrossed in his thoughts, he had almost forgotten she was still in the house, or rather he had not forgotten that she was there, but that she surely must desire to return to Gracechurch Street. His heart sank upon thinking what an impression he must have made on her. And there he had once thought her family to be prone to thoughtless ridiculousness deserving of censure.

With an open smile, Colonel Fitzwilliam carried on, almost cheerfully: "So, I think I will make my way back home as well. It is getting late and while you are off to Hertfordshire, I will go down to Kent and speak to Anne. It is a matter of course, that sooner or later we will have to bring Georgiana to a safe place where she can have the baby, but I would not act too rashly, for that will have the people speculate as well. Considering Anne's health, I think it is safe to say, that no-one will be much surprised if we retreat for a couple of months. Especially not if word gets around that she is expecting, and with that, what would be more natural for my wife than to take her cousin with her as a companion? It is really quite lucky that we have been abroad, is it not? For otherwise people might be surprised at the news. It has always astonished me, how quickly word gets around on a person's state of health. You are lucky that Dr Hamilton is such a reliable fellow, for though I went about town with my mother, not a single soul approached us about Georgiana."

Shaking his head in almost disbelief Darcy muttered: "How come you have planned all this within such a short amount of time, while I have not made any headway in months and instead dug myself in deeper by the day?"

"I was not in the midst of it, cousin. I think I may safely boast, that I was the new perspective you desperately needed. And you know what else you need, Darcy?"

Again he shook his head.

"A wife. And I think I know just the right one for you..."