Darcy left on horseback at first light. It was bitterly cold, less than a week out from Christmas, and he was in dark spirits. The gloomy exterior matched his mood perfectly.
Georgiana had taken the carriage with Mrs Younge, which meant they would be travelling at a slower pace than he. Still, they were a solid 24 hours ahead of Darcy, meaning that even if he rode through the night he wouldn't reach Gretna Green before the elopement took place. His only hope was to intercept the couple on their return journey.
He rode north furiously, stopping only to rest his horse. As the sun went down, he stopped at the next town, knowing it was not safe to travel after dark along unknown roads. After washing the grime from his face, and having a simple light meal, Darcy fell asleep the moment his head touched his pillow.
As he had done the night before, he dreamt of Elizabeth. In his dream it was Christmas morning, and he and Elizabeth must have been married, for they sat together exchanging gifts. Darcy had given Elizabeth some sheet music of his favourite composers so she could learn to play what music he liked best. Elizabeth had accepted the gift, but looked sad. Elizabeth had then given him a hand-embroidered handkerchief. Darcy glanced down at the cloth and its tiny uneven stitches spelling his initials and threw it aside. "I cannot be seen with this!" He'd said. "Look at the uneven letters!"
"But I made it for you!" Cried Elizabeth. "I tried my best and hoped that would be enough. Why is my best not good enough for you?"
Darcy woke up drenched in sweat.
As soon as dawn broke, Darcy was riding North again. By his calculations, Wickham and Georgiana should be arriving at Gretna Green that day in order to be married. Darcy would not arrive in Scotland until nightfall, assuming all went smoothly. As much as he abhorred thinking of it, he hoped they would spend their wedding night in Gretna Green. He planned to seek them out the following day.
On and on Darcy rode, through the biting icy wind. Thankfully the skies were clear- a snow drift would make travel near impossible. This was the only positive thought Darcy could muster. The sun dipped down and the air grew even more cold and damp. Finally, as Darcy could no longer feel his fingers and toes, he reached the outskirts of Gretna Green. He saw the blacksmiths building, which he had heard was location for most of the weddings, and rapped on the door.
A man opened the door after some shuffling about, clearly surprised to have his supper interrupted. Upon not recognising the gentleman but recognising the fine cut of his clothing he stated "I don't do work after dark m'lord. If you're needing a shoeing you'll have to wait til morning." Then with a twinkle in his eye "same goes for weddings, if that be why you're in this part of the country."
"Good sir, I simply require information. Did you conduct a wedding today? With a young girl, about 15 years old, fair hair; the groom around my age, quite a handsome fellow?"
"Aye, married them this afternoon. The groom was a most impatient one too. Did all the talking, wanted it over fast."
Darcy closed his eyes.
"You looking for them?" The man eyed Darcy suspiciously.
"Merely to offer my congratulations. I was meant to stand up with the lad but didn't receive word until yesterday." Darcy replied smoothly.
The man looked thoughtfully at Darcy then replied. "You'll find them over at Grenloch inn. Not two miles up the road, nearest inn to here. All our newlyweds go there for the night before passing on. Your fellow seemed in a rush to be moving on though, curious that he invited you along when he's not staying past the morning. I hope you can find him tomorrow before he departs. Surely you won't disturb the fellow on his wedding night!" The blacksmith chuckled as he pocketed the coin Darcy held out for him and shut the door.
Darcy was close. Two miles on and he dismounted his horse at the inn. The innkeeper confirmed the newlyweds were present, and for a hefty sum, agreed to detain them in the morning until Darcy had met with them. Satisfied with his days progress, Darcy took a room at the inn for himself and was soon fast asleep. This time he was too exhausted to dream.
Darcy woke and looked out his window. It was still dark, but Darcy could make out silhouettes against the grey sky. Dawn would be soon. Darcy dressed hastily and looked once more out the window. The sky was a light grey now, and Darcy could see flurries of snow falling to the ground. There was already a layer of snow over the landscape, which both concerned and pleased Darcy. Wickham wouldn't be going anywhere with the roads in this condition, but it meant that he would not either. Darcy considered the fact that unless the weather turned soon he would likely be spending Christmas at an Inn in Gretna Green. His mood was even more somber with this thought.
Darcy made his way downstairs, where the innkeeper informed him that the couple had not yet come down. Darcy nodded in thanks, and settled in the parlour with a cup of coffee and a full view of the front door.
The snow began to fall more steadily and Darcy could see the wind whipping through the bare tree branches. He was extremely thankful that he had arrived at his destination on the day he had.
A commotion tore his gaze from the window into the entryway. Wickham was arguing with the innkeeper over the fact his travel arrangements had been postponed due to the weather.
"This is unacceptable! I did not intend to spend any longer than one night in this infernal place!"
"Neither did I, Wickham, but you've forced both our hands on this matter." Came Darcy's deep voice. Wickham whirled around in astonishment.
"Darcy!" An evil smile spread across his face. "You're a day late, man. My WIFE will be ever so glad to see you."
Darcy drew his lips into a thin line.
"May we talk somewhere more discreet, Wickham?"
"So, Mr Wickham is your name, is it?" Interjected the innkeeper with narrowed eyes. "I suppose 'Mr Fitzwilliam' had planned to leave here early morning without settling his account, hmm? My, no wonder you were upset about being marooned here."
Wickham blanched at being caught out in such a lie.
Darcy's eyes glittered with anger. "I will settle on both accounts." He said in a tight voice, not taking his eyes off Wickham. "As Mr Darcy of Pemberley estate in Derbyshire I give you my honour."
"Very good sir," muttered the innkeeper. "But I don't see that he deserves it, the scoundrel."
Darcy silently agreed with the man.
"Upstairs to my sitting room, Wickham. Now." Darcy barked.
Wickham eyed him defiantly but followed him up the stairs.
"No offering drinks to old friends?" Exclaimed Wickham as he took a seat in Darcy's rooms. "I say, your rooms are quite spacious. Ours is barely a bed. Then again as newlyweds, what more do we need?!" Wickham's chuckle was cut short by Darcy's voice thundering at him.
"Enough!" He roared. "Have you no decency at all? You took an innocent girl away from her family and friends and ruined her reputation, all for your own material gain! And now you can laugh about it? Tell me, how does my sister fare?" Darcy could hardly recognise the man I front of him.
Wickham sneered at Darcy. "She is fine. I am hardly to blame, Darcy. I think you'll find that Georgiana was a most willing participant. Practically begging to become my wife. All it took was some flattering words and a few well timed kisses." He laughed a hollow laugh. "If only I'd known this sooner! Could have saved myself a lot of trouble."
Darcy was confused.
"It's much easier eloping with a girl who consents, Darcy. Surely you can see that. I learnt the hard way with that Bennet girl."
"Miss Elizabeth Bennet?"
"It took a lot of effort to get her into the carriage, and then when she realised where we were going- oh the crying and snivelling. Pathetic really. She wasn't worth the trouble- especially not with that paltry dowry. I was almost glad when her brother put an end to it. Look where it got me now!" Wickham settled back in his chair, a satisfied grin on his face.
Darcy's mind was reeling with this information. Elizabeth had not agreed to an elopement! She had been abducted! By the same scoundrel who was now by law his brother.
Darcy found it hard to level his voice. "You are lower than even I imagined of you, Wickham. How could you dismiss her like that, after what you did to her?"
Wickham waved a hand in annoyance.
"You did not ride all this way to discuss the Bennet girl, Darcy. Now tell me- how are arrangements progressing in relation to Georgiana's dowry? I have quite a few debts to settle with that money, plus I still owe Mrs Younge her share." Wickham laughed "It's quite fortunate for me that you are so lax in who you employ-"
Wickham said no more as Darcy's fist smashed into his nose.
Wickham screamed and hissed "I could have you for assault!"
"Not before I have you strung up for unpaid debts, attempted abduction and forgery, Mr Fitzwilliam."
Wickham cringed.
"You dared to use my mothers maiden name to ruin her only daughter. You will never spend a penny of Georgiana's fortune" said Darcy, getting close to Wickham's face. "Listen closely man. Georgiana's dowry will be dispersed at my discretion. There will be a monthly allowance paid to you and my sister and any children born to her, providing you treat her as a loving husband should. If I find that so much as a penny of this money has gone on supporting your degenerate ways, rest assured that I will not think twice about having you arrested for the charges I just mentioned. You will maintain a happy marriage with my sister, and it is only on these conditions that I will permit you to visit Pemberley and support your family. Do I make myself clear?"
Wickham sneered through his bloodied face. "And what if I do not agree to these terms? I did not marry her for a monthly income, I was counting on a fortune. I have debts to pay and investments to make."
Darcy shrugged "consider this a bad investment if you must. But surely you must see that in maintaining a facade of a happy marriage, you are getting a steady income?"
Wickham let out a bitter laugh. "You still see me as a simpleton, don't you Darce? If I walk away now, I can simply find another heiress to charm. But you? You have lost your good name forever, and Georgiana has lost her virtue. Who is going to want her now? Who will want to align themselves with the disgraced Darcy family now?"
Wickham smiled as realisation dawned on Darcy. This went far beyond mercenary means. Georgiana's dowry was just a bonus for Wickham. The primary motive was ruining the Darcy name.
"I will have you arrested." Darcy said weakly.
"No you won't" came the cocky reply. "Not without also exposing your own and the Bennets concerns. Why else do you think I got away with the Bennet girl? Hardly anyone is aware of what happened there, and I will travel to a new part of the country and try my luck again."
"You cannot marry again- you are legally wed to Georgiana."
"Scottish marriage laws are not as strict as English, Darcy. I do not need a permit to marry. Besides, nobody will care to check on my history, they'll just want to buy my silence.
It infuriated Darcy that Wickham had an answer for everything.
"Give me Georgiana's dowry as I originally asked, or I will not hesitate to abandon her here."
"Never! You would abandon her anyway as soon as the final payment was made, and she'd likely have a child by then. The only way I'll pay the dowry is in continued instalments with you as Georgiana's devoted husband."
Wickham snorted "that is not possible! Have you met your sister? Most boring creature I've ever met. Nobody could ever be devoted to such an insipid girl."
"Get out of my room." Darcy's voice trembled with rage "get out of my sight or I swear to God I will kill you"
Wickham scrambled out of his seat, though he made an effort to remain composed. "I take it we do not have an agreement then?" He sneered, and ducked through the door as Darcy lunged for him.
"Consider this good bye, Fitzwilliam Darcy!"
Darcy took at least fifteen minutes to compose himself and steady his shaky breathing. He put his hand on the doorknob and readied himself to face Georgiana.
A maid directed him to her room and he knocked quietly. She timidly opened the door a crack, then pushed it wide. "Fitzwilliam!" She cried and flung herself into his arms sobbing. "I am so glad to see you! Oh I am so very sorry to have deceived you. I thought it would be a lovely surprise at first, to return married, but then I began to realise that you would be dreadfully cross that I'd been dishonest. I wished to turn around, but George wouldn't. He said and did the most horrible things, Fitzwilliam!"
Darcy held his sister close "shh, dear one, you are safe now. Let us go inside where we have more privacy?"
Georgiana led Darcy into her room, and Darcy cringed. The room was much simpler than his own, and the atmosphere was dank. Georgiana tried to tidy things up a little, to which Darcy refused.
"Are you hurt, Georgie?" Darcy could barely get the words out.
"Yes" whispered his sister. "But my heart hurts more. I thought he loved me! I thought I was special to him." Her voice trailed off and Darcy reached for her hand.
"After the first time, he said it wasn't worth the thIrtysh thousand pounds. He left me in the room and went out to 'find something better' in his words. I wanted to run back to Hertfordshire where you were, but Mrs Younge was guarding the door. She said I had to go through with the wedding, now that I was despoiled. At that point, I knew I'd made a grave mistake, and how I wished you'd arrive and rescue me!"
Georgiana burst into tears, and Darcy felt his heart break completely wide open.
"Sssh, everything will be alright. I am here now." He soothed.
"But I am his wife!" Wailed Georgiana. "I am bound to him for life, and once he has my dowry he will have no use for me! I am forever bound to a man that despises me! Not even you can save me from that fate!"
"He will never get your dowry, Georgiana."
Georgiana looked at him in horror.
"You have disinherited me because I eloped? Oh please brother, you cannot! I already have to endure such a man, don't make me do it in squalor because of a foolish mistake!"
Georgiana was hysterical.
"Georgie, listen to me. I control how your dowry is dispersed, and I gave George the option of having a portion of it for the remainder of his life, as an allowance, provided he remain true to you and any children you shall have."
Georgiana looked up.
"He refused, saying he'd rather abandon you than have to live with an allowance as your husband."
"He-he's planning to abandon me?"
"I'm afraid he's already done so." Said Darcy gently. "Was he not here just now?"
"Very briefly. He needed to clean his face after an accident, and he said he'd found us a way to leave here, and return to Hertfordshire. He knew I wanted to spend Christmas there with you. I'm meant to be gathering my things now."
Georgiana looked worried, then confused. "He knew you were here, yet he told me to get my things ready so we could leave here to be with you? He is waiting for me downstairs..."
"No, dearest- he's not."
Realisation dawned on Georgiana. "He's gone without me. He's ruined me and deserted me." Darcy nodded painfully.
"I'm afraid he's long been planning this. Money was only a secondary motive. His main objective was to ruin us. For now you are no longer a maiden, and the Darcy name has been thrown into scandal- making me a far less desirable prospect. His revenge on us is complete."
Georgiana wept "oh brother, what have I done? I have ruined myself, and you too! Oh, I am so terribly sorry!"
"Hush," said Darcy looking into the fire in deep contemplation. He gave her a dejected smile. "You know how I detested being chased by mamas for their daughters. I should be thanking you!"
Georgiana gave a weak smile, but Darcy knew her heart did not feel it.