(A/N) Hey Yall! So it wasn't extremely quick but it was quicker than 6 months lol So the angst is about to start buckle up and let's hope those 6 months of brainstorming pays off. The plot continues to be fluid but it is solidifying bit by bit. Happy Reading!
Previously:
Paul Crowley may have been poor as a church mouse but he had never been accused of being stupid. One thing he knew, going against Mr. Darcy was indeed stupid. That thought is what led him to Pemberley's front door in his Sunday best two days after he met with Wickham. He had never been to the great house and he was even more nervous now that he had reached the front door. He knocked three solid times and waited. When the door opened the butler immediately recognized him. "Mr. Reynolds. I need to speak with Mr. Darcy, sir. It is about Wickham and the future Mrs. Darcy."
Mr. Reynolds did not waste anytime ushering the man into the house and into Mr. Darcy's study.
Chap 37- Burn
Darcy was sitting in his room pouting because he was still not allowed outside of his room until three in the afternoon. All of the women in his life were adamant that he would follow the doctor's orders down to the last minute. Therefore he was surprised when his butler rushed into his room with a serious look on his face. "Mr. Reynolds is everything alright?" He said quickly as he stood from his chair.
"Sir, Paul Crowley from the village is here to see you he says it is regarding Wickham."
"Fetch the Colonel and Javier and bring them to me immediately."
Darcy walked into his study to find a burly man who was at least two inches taller than he was. Darcy had always had an imposing figure so he was not accustomed to feeling small in comparison to another.
"Sir, I came as soon as I could." Mr. Crowley said.
"Thank you for coming at all." Darcy responded. He did not need an explanation to know that this man had come all this way to help him. Darcy waved Mr. Crowley towards the seats in front of his desk. As he sat behind it he heard a knock on his door. "Enter" He called in a strong voice. To his surprise a third person entered his study. He and Mr. Crowley stood immediately.
"Elizabeth, you should not be here."
"I disagree, I should be with you in times of suffering. This is exactly where I should be." Elizabeth said ready for a fight.
Darcy walked to her and said in a low voice. "Elizabeth, I will share everything with you but I must ask that you wait outside." Darcy said in a firm but gentle voice. He did not want her to hear this. He did not know what wicked deeds Wickham was up to and did not want to upset Elizabeth.
"Is this the kind of marriage that you want for us?" Elizabeth asked seriously
"That is not fair." Darcy said angrily
"How is that not fair?"
"You are twisting the situation. You are trying to guilt me into letting you stay. You are trying to force my hand."
"No, I am showing you now what type of wife I will be. You knew before you proposed to me that I would never be meek. I will never be fine sitting aside and getting information second hand. You said you wanted us to share everything. Excuse me if I am wrong but this situation appears to be included in everything."
"Elizabeth!" Mr. Darcy said angrily and feeling exasperated with his fiancée. He paced angrily in a quick circle, running a frustrated hand through his hair. This woman will be the death of me. "Fine, but the second I feel that this is too much you will leave and await me in the library."
"Agreed. I do not want to distress you but I also do not want to be excluded from important matters in our lives. I can handle this, just trust me."
Darcy looked to the sky for fortitude and sighed. Resigned to the situation he simply said "Come" as he held her hand and walked towards his desk. Darcy retook his seat as Elizabeth stood to his right.
Colonel Fitzwilliam had to cough to hide his laugh as he held out his hand towards Javier to receive his five pounds. When Mr. Reynolds had come to fetch them outside Elizabeth overheard the conversation and insisted upon accompanying them. Javier tried to dissuade her from coming while Richard just accepted it. As they walked toward the house Javier stated "we cannot let her go to this meeting."
"Miss Elizabeth will be in this meeting no matter what you I or Darcy as to say about it."
"Surely he will not allow her to stay."
"I do not believe she will leave him much of an option."
"I cannot believe it."
"Would you like a wager? Five pounds that she stays."
The men shook on it and hurried caught up to her as she quickly walked towards the house.
Darcy saw the exchange of money but decided to wait to question his cousin until after the meeting.
"Please explain why you have come to Pemberley Mr. Crowley." Darcy said to get the meeting started.
"Well sir, it's Wickham, that rotten scoundrel! He is coming round again trying to stir up trouble. He wants to cause trouble before your wedding to the Miss." Mr. Crowley said as he nodded respectfully towards Elizabeth.
"Do you know where he is?" The colonel asked quickly
"No, sir, I don't. He came to see me at the tavern and left directly after. I didn't think to follow him." When Mr. Crowley saw the disappointment in the colonels face he rushed to assure him "I did get him to tell me his plan though."
At this Darcy leaned forward and bid the man to reveal everything.
"When the bast-. Sorry Miss. When Wickham came to see me he wanted to solicit my help in his plan. I used to help him pull cons when we were boys but those days are long behind me. I told him no, but he was persistent. I finally told him that I would think about it but he had to tell me what he had planned before I would agree. He means to hurt you Mr. Darcy and ruin your Miss in the process."
"Hurt me?" Darcy said with shock. He felt Elizabeth's hand on his shoulder and reached up to hold it. "Wickham is a scoundrel but he has never been violent."
"Mr. Darcy, I don't mean to be rude sir but I have to be frank. Wickham hates you something awful. He always has." Mr. Crowley said with a solemn look on his face as he shook his head side to side. "He talked about you nonstop when we were boys. He will hurt you if he gets the chance sir. Make no mistake."
"Darcy, we must take this seriously." Javier said.
"What does he have planned for my fiancée, Mr Crowley?" Darcy asked. No longer concerned for his safety but worried about the danger to Elizabeth. Darcy could handle anything Wickham threw his way but he would protect Elizabeth with his life.
"I believe he means to kidnap her and ask for ransom. He believes that you will pay a higher price, as it is so close to your wedding."
"He is right" The colonel said from the rear of the study where he was pacing in front of the fireplace. "What was your role in this to be, Mr. Crowley?" The colonel asked the man. He did not fully trust him. If Wickham approached him, he did it for a good reason.
"I was to help hurt Mr. Darcy. Wickham knows that he could not beat you himself, but believes that I could. You have been a good master to everyone at Pemberley and you support many businesses in town. I could never do that to you sir."
"I thank you." Darcy said sardonically
"What did he promise you? Was it not enough to buy your silence?" The colonel asked
"He promised me a third of the ransom. He was going to ask for 60,000 pounds."
"You gave up 20,000 pounds?" The colonel asked skeptically.
"I gave up the rope. If I would have touched a gentleman like Mr. Darcy, I would hang for sure. Dead men cannot spend money. If I was not caught, there would be nowhere I could settle down and have a life with a wife and kids, which is all I want. That don't make sense for me." Mr. Crowley responded angrily, upset that the colonel was acting so accusatory.
"All you want is to settle down with a wife and children? Why haven't you already?" Elizabeth asked quietly.
"I work as the barkeep in my father's tavern. My brother will get the business and I will remain the barkeep. I do not have the funds to support a wife."
"Do you have any others skills?" Darcy asked
"Sir?"
"Would you like to be a tenant here at Pemberley. I have a plot of land that will be vacant soon. You have done me a great service and I am inclined to repay you in kind. You have potentially saved my life and protected my future wife. As far as I am concerned your character is sound. Do you think you will make a capable farmer?"
"I honestly don't know sir." He said while wringing his hat in his hands "I would like to try, if you are willing to take a chance on me. I am willing to work hard and learn what I need. I know the basics but I imagine more goes into farming a whole field than a small garden."
"I will have a footman set you up with my steward." Darcy said as he stood to shake his hand.
"One last question." Darcy stated when they were at the door.
"I don't know when he was planning to put his plan into action, sir." Mr. Crowley stated as he turned towards Darcy in the doorway. "But he will be returning to the tavern tomorrow around noon to receive his response from me."
"Then we will be there as well." Javier said seriously
"And I will slice him from arse to mouth."
"Richard!"
"My apologies Miss Elizabeth." He said sheepishly.
"I am becoming accustomed to it colonel." She said with a smirk
As Darcy walked Paul Crowley to the nearest footman he heard his Javier say "I have always wanted to repay Wickham for what he did to my horse".
Elizabeth asked Javier for the story.
"Wickham came to visit Spain with Darcy's family when we were all in our late teens. He took my stallion out for a ride without my permission. Everyone knew that I was one of the few people who could ride him. My horse threw him multiple times but he continued trying to ride him. My horse broke a leg and had to be put down."
"Wickham has much to pay for but we must figure out what we are to do. Elizabeth, you have heard everything now, I must insist that you await me in the library." Darcy stated as he walked back into his study.
"No."
"You promised." Darcy stated with a frown.
"Wrong. You stated that if things became too much for me I would have to wait for you in the library. I have handled everything splendidly, if I do say so myself." I am not my mother I do not have fits of nerves.
"Now, we are to begin planning what we shall do. You do not need to be involved in this."
"Planning is the most important part." Elizabeth said as she interrupted him. "I am in danger, as are you. I deserve to know what is to be done. If someone is going to speak for my safety I demand that I be included. And you sir are not my husband yet so my parents should be included in this meeting if I am not. Shall I go fetch my mother for you?"
Darcy and Elizabeth stared at each other in an intense battle of wills. Darcy blinked first. "We will plan and you will follow this plan even if you are not in agreement. You will follow this plan down to the finest detail. If you do not follow this plan you will answer to me. Do you understand me?"
Elizabeth only smiled at his serious attitude. "Perfectly." If I didn't know his highhandedness was borne out of worry he would get an earful. Elizabeth sat on the sofa across from the colonel and Javier. Darcy sat on the sofa next to her looking weary. Lord, why didn't you send me a woman who was easier to handle.
"I do not want the entire house knowing what is going on. There will be panic. I will tell Mr. Reynolds to alert the footmen to be vigilant and that should be enough." The colonel stated.
"Do you think we should wait until tomorrow? If we catch him at the tavern alerting the staff will be unnecessary." Darcy countered
"True, but would you rather Wickham change his mind and decide to strike early. He knows this house almost as well as you do. He could get in and out without anyone being the wiser." Javier said in Spanish.
"True but I do not want any talk before the wedding." Darcy responded in kind.
"There may not be a wedding if you do not take the necessary precautions. You must throw aside your pride. I understand you are private but there are times when it is necessary to rely on others. You cannot do or control everything cousin. Pemberley is a large estate. There are many places to hide. You are not all-seeing."
"I hate it when they do this." Colonel Fitzwilliam said to Elizabeth.
"Does it happen often?" She asked.
"Yes. I would recommend learning Spanish very soon or you will be left out as I often am." The colonel said with an annoyed glance toward his cousin.
"English please." Elizabeth said kindly towards Javier.
"We need to alert the house so that the servants can be vigilant." Javier stated.
"I agree but what are we going to do about Mr. Wickham in the future? He will be at the tavern tomorrow according to Mr. Crowley. We will need to set some type of trap to catch him. Is it possible to send him to prison when he has not done anything." Elizabeth asked.
"I have bought enough of his debt to send him to debtors prison for the rest of his life." Darcy said seriously
"Well that is simple, we can do that." Elizabeth stated as if the matter was settled.
"Sending him to debtors prison is an important decision. I am not sure we need to take such extreme measures."
"Extreme?" Elizabeth said incredulously. She could not believe that he would say such a thing. "He was going to hurt you and kidnap me. I do not even want to imagine what he would do while he had me and you believe that sending him where he rightfully belongs is extreme."
"I did not think you so uncharitable." Darcy said as a reply
"I did not perceive you as so gullible!" she countered.
"I am not gullible."
"You are! You are if you believe this scheme to be his last. You are in fact the very essence of gullible! You are, if you believe that tomorrow will be the day that he sees the error of his ways. Whatever debt you feel you owe him has been paid three times over. You have done more than any man including your father would expect of you. Why can you not see this?"
"She is right Darcy. You have done more than necessary. I can make sure that he is shipped to New Wales within the week but you have to be the one to call in his debt." Richard said seriously
"You cannot sit aside and let others be hurt when you can stop it, primo." Javier added
Darcy sighed. He did not want to do it. He never wanted to give up on a friend even one as horrid as Wickham. His inherent faith in humanity could not view another human as irredeemable.
Elizabeth could see the struggle in the eyes of her fiancé but she could not respect it. She struggled not to yell at his hesitation. She knew that he was loyal and kind. He is like Jane in many ways. In this instance though, she could not accept this loyalty. Rather than let her temper get the best of her Elizabeth simply decided to remove herself from the room.
Darcy came out of his reverie as he saw his love stand up and walk away from him. "Lizzy" He called as she left but she did not turn to look at him. Wickham is ruining my life without even trying.
Wickham watched from across the street as Paul Crowley walked back to the tavern in his best clothes. He went to Pemberley to tell Darcy! If Wickham thought he could win a fight against him he would have attacked the Crowley right on the spot but he was not foolish.
Wickham walked away from the tavern and returned to log cabin in the woods where he was hiding. He knew the grounds of Pemberley just as well if not better than Darcy himself. He knew this cottage was rarely used because it was so far from the main house. The land was too rugged for farming and all of the trees made it impossible to get to by carriage.
As he entered, he kicked the door shut and let out a loud curse. Damn him! He always ruins my plans. Darcy has always had everything and is too selfish to give anything to anyone else; but I will get what is mine. I will take it if necessary. With a determined mind set, Wickham left the cottage once more and headed towards the south side of the estate, he had work to do.
Lydia was fit to be tied. She had been trying to gain the attention of Mr. Darcy's Spanish cousin but everyone was fighting against her. Mary had convinced their father that their lessons should continue even though they were away from home. She had just spent two hours in the library playing chess and discussing King Lear with her father. Now she had to go practice an instrument for an hour.
The day previous she saw the Marques by the lake and was making her way over to him when his sister Elena came up beside her and struck up a conversation. "Hello! You are Miss Lydia I believe?"
"Yes. I am Lizzy's youngest sister."
"I see. I feel as if I have not been able to get to know anyone there are so many people around."
"Yes there are quite a number of people. You have a large family as well. Are you close with your brothers?" This is perfect I will get to know his interest through his sister so I can impress him. La this will be easier than I thought.
"Oh yes! I am the youngest and they all spoil me exceedingly."
"Does Lord Delgado spoil you the most as he is the eldest."
"He and I are the closest. He was always the one who stood up for me and let me follow him around. I know it must have been annoying but he allowed it anyway."
"He will be very kind to his wife."
"Oh yes. He will make a wonderful husband. Our family is thrilled with his choice."
"His choice!" Lydia nearly exclaimed from the shock. "But I was not aware of a betrothal." Lydia whined.
"It is not official yet but it is nearly so. We have not made an announcement."
Lydia was not pleased with the news. He is not engaged yet, so there is still time.
Elena was worried. She thought telling the young girl that her brother would soon be engaged would dissuade her but it had the opposite effect. She is certainly determined. I will have to tell Diego, Kitty and Mary.
Lydia led Elena towards Javier. "Good afternoon my Lord, I hope you are enjoying yourself."
"I am Miss Mary, thank you for asking." He responded with a smirk
Lydia was so affronted by being mistaken as her dowdiest sister she could not respond because her jaw felt like it had dropped to the grass at her feet. "You are mistaken my lord. I am Lydia. Mary is over there being boring reading a book. I am much more fun."
"I admire women who take an active role in their education by reading." He stated with a frown. Javier knew what this girl was about just as he knew her correct name. He had been hunted by much more accomplished women and he was not about to be caught by a child who was so egocentric she could not see the world around her.
"Well I play chess with my father every week."
"Yes!" He said as he laughed heartily "Your father has told me that you were required to do so. He told me many stories about the names you have given the chess pieces. I wish you much success trying to best your father. Please excuse me." He said and quickly walked away. He walked toward Mary and sat next to her on her blanket. The shocked look on her face forced him to hide a laugh behind a cough. He turned to look at the face of her sister and was pleased to see the fury on her face. He looked over at his sister and saw her trying to cover her laughter. His siblings had warned him about Lydia Bennet the day before but he had already suspected. She had the look of a person who wanted to be noticed and was willing to do anything to achieve that goal. This is not over.
Wickham had finally arrived at his destination. He looked at the setting sun and knew the time was right. He began gathering the supplies he needed from the woods. He stacked up as much wood as he could within his time limit and started a fire. He stayed to watch the fire grow to a full inferno. He watched the dense dark smoke rise into the air as the dowager house began to catch the flame. He turned toward the main house and knew that the smoke would be visible soon. He grabbed the horse he stole and road toward his destiny. Pemberley.
(A/N) Hey so I had to give you a little cliff hanger. What do you think is gonna happen next. I love reviews and I try to incorporate some of the good ideas I get!
Also I'm not exactly sure what the current what-if is so let's all just go with it.