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Welcome back to

A Swan In Hiding

Yes I know it's been a really long time between updates and I am truly sorry for that, all I can say is that life got a little crazy the past few months. compounding the time factor I lost a very dear friend of many years a few weeks ago and had to put writing aside for a short time.

As promised this chapter is dedicated to Serpent91 who granted this story its 305th review

I as you already guessed own nothing; it all belongs to its rightful owner

This Chapter had not been Beta'd please consider this your warning

Now with the formalities concluded I bring you

Chapter 25 A Noble Heart (Part 2)

Skydancinghobbit

The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense."

As if waiting for a single drop of rain, among the patter Mary fell silent, Richard had slowly dipped into his bowl of broth, stirring it seemed rather absent mindedly as his imagination was thrown back to that wet rainy day not so long ago when at last. The hunters had found their prey. Mary disregarded the irritating sound, all her attention and her every nerve focused on his words as, at last he began

"For days we had ridden, searched every road house, lodging place and pausing only to rest and eat when finally we found them, soaked to the skin in the back room of the Fox and Gander Inn where they had taken refuge from the storm...recently blown in"

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Flash back

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Thundering hooves, the occasional snort from his lathered mouth and a supressed curse from his companions, these were the sounds that would resonate in his ears for weeks to come. What a sight they made, The officer of the king and two good men in equal parts keen upon the trail of their prey.

Hope remainded though each privately dreading the scene that awaited their eyes. Wickham was growing increasingly distressed for time. At each stop they seemed to grow closer to his heels, closing the gap it seemed by the hour by hour. They three noble hunters, he the rogue fox who had stolen a prized hen.

Young in the ways of the world Bingley had grown to fear the worst, having with great reluctance been brought into their confidence on account of his young ward and Darcy's most beloved sister at the outset revealing the facts of the unsavory connection and speculations of what might have been had he arrived but a day later did little to improve his spirits. Appalled yet eager for the supposed glory of a rescue Charles had begun this quest with zeal befitting a knight of the old code, much to the amusement of his companions. It was however the signs of maddens they found at every turn that had sapped their collective good humor. First there was the ever persistent debt, the ever present jilted landlord to be found or tavern keep with a score to settle was all common knowledge for one who knew his ways. Then as the winnings of his card hands dwindled so it appeared did the class of establishment the man frequented.

Accustomed as he was to an officer's barracks or the cold comfort of a cot Richard was brought nearly to curse as they departed the last refuge of the reprobate. A hovel by the most generous stretch the poor wretches living within its badly insulated walls where little better than beggars. Adorned in nothing but rags existing on table scrapes of their neighbors to survive. Richard however strongly suspected their main source of sustenance to be the rubbish heap mere yards from their stoop and the though turned his stomach. Hours, mere hours only had they last been here. It seemed the young lady had absolutely refused to remain in their company and had demanded the comforts of a hot bath and sheets befitting her status of a gentlemen's daughter before she would rest.

Moved by the state of these poor souls Darcy had secured them lodgings with a local boarding house as thanks for the information. The rain that had begun to pelt against the walls mid-way through their inquires seemed to find every crack and gap in the place causing the temperature to plummet. The wife and her small children departed without preamble while the husband could only stammer his gratitude before they departed.

Drenched to the very skin the party strode on, tracking the every vanishing footsteps in the road among the trails of endless carriages, a coach and a handcart. The fool man it seemed had all but dragged the young lady along heedless of the ever deepening mud under their feet toward another larger village a mile from their present location. A danger to both man and beast on the best of days the mire caused unnessicary delay as all three men dismounted to lead their distressed mounts least they throw a shoe or worst break a leg.. Over the howling of the wind and sheet of persistent rain Richard barked.

"There is the Inn..."

So it proved, at long last they had cornered the rogue and his lady in this modest structure. Little words passed between them as they passed they mounts to the waiting hands of a groom, Bingley having a sudden inspiration taking a moment to have a few words with the young lad and a coin or two passed hands as he returned with a toothy smile to the gentlemen who waited in the shelter of the kitchen door.

"Aye gents he's in there, ranting a blue streak I can tell ye"

It was the final proof, with weapons drawn and little preamble they acted. Richard leading the party with a steely glint in his eyes as with one resounding thud the flimsy door gave way to his boot. A sudden cry of alarm greeted their ears as the light streaming in behind blinded the pair. Darcy for his part had never seen a more ghastly picture of madness then the face of the man he had grown up with. Shadowed with fatigue and reeking of drink even from where they stood the man was barely recognizable as George Wickham. Clothing torn, rumpled and muddied and hair so disheveled it was more in company with a beast then a man.

"Ddarcy?"

Slurred the voice was high whiny and sent all the hairs along Richard's neck on their ends and he carefully avoided eye contact focusing instead on the young lady sitting curled on a mangy cot little better than a paupers. Far from being glad to see them she sneered. Seeming to take little heed of the fact her companion was at that moment polishing a revolver with hands so unsteady as to raise the most dire questions of the wellbeing of either.

"Ha, so these are the hounds that have made life so, difficult for me! I Thank you gentlemen but you needn't fear my Wickham will be well soon enough, my poor lamb I shall look after you"

There was a gleam in her eye that didn't speak well of her mind. Bingley gently cleared his throat not daring to alert the others of the wild thought that had just occurred to him.

"Miss Bennet, I have come to ask you for the honor of an hour of your company while these two gentlemen look after him...A cup of tea would not I think do you any harm in this weather"

She seemed to consider the benefit of the offer and slowly nodded. Pasting on a smile that instantly brought her mother to mind, or at least to those unfortunate enough to have met her. Sickly and so sweet it made the back teeth hurt. Heedless of her appearance or what she was leaving behind she approached him offering a hand which he had no choice to accept though the glove was in tatters of its original form.

"Why that sounds lovely! Just think I shall be the envy of all my sisters when they hear of this"

They departed the sound of her chattering died away and with a glance the door was firmly bolted behind them. Richard turning his attention to Wickham, the man stood slumped against the wall as if all vital forces had left him, fingers running absently running across the barrel of his pistol. Glancing up slowly he muttered, almost like a schoolboy after being reprimanded.

"You know...illness does not suit me"

Darcy inhaled sharply, the pieces falling into line at last, his coloring vacant eyes and small sores around the edge of his mouth. Pox! A shudder of horror ran down his spine at the revelation. Pity and revolution vying for dominance within him as his gazed upon the companion of his youth. His voice when he found it was low almost gentle.

"Oh George, how long have you known?"

The question took minutes to sink through the delirium of drink and illness of his mind and rather blearily Wickham turned away reaching blindly for a bottle which he raised in a mock salute to his companions draining the contents before speaking the slurr becoming prominate.

"Slow acting, eassy to hide at firsst"

A knowing glance passed between the men and the soft footsteps of the returning pair was all the time needed for a last desprate act. What happened next was a blur, turning Darcy heard the shot just the door behind them opened and Charles low muttered moan of horror broke the leaded silence as all turned to look. Lydia's scream forever etched into Richard's mind. Wickham was dead, his body laying prone and broken at his feet. Darcy who looked down with shocked horror wispered.

"God...have mercy on his soul."

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End FB

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Mary sat in horrified silence in the lean to, the patter of rain mimicing the tears that fell unheeded into her lap as she reached across the table to touch his hand unable to withhold this silent show of affection and admiration for his bravery as he ceased speaking to swallow a sudden rush of emotion that the recounting of the tale had brought forth and he dropped her gaze. A tremble across his shoulders told the depth of his feelings.

"Oh Richard! how much you must have gone through"

They sat in silence for a time as he gathered the threads of his composure. At last he began again.

"Whatever might have passed between Wickham and your sister before we arrived I know not but...Mary know this, whatever she said to you, however it might have been venture or hinted...I did not end his life"

So ends Chapter 25- dodges the thrown flowers-

So what say you paient readers, was it a fitting end for Wickham?

This chapter has not been Beta'd so any and all errors or typo's you might see are entirely my fault. Kindly please IM and gently point them out and I shall gladly correct them.

Whomever grants this story it's 315th review shall have Chapter 26 dedicated to them

Stay tuned accordingly dear reader for

Chapter 26. A Shopping Trip

Skydancinghobbit