~~H~~

Aftermath

Back in the Colonel's room Edit was taking control of the situation.

'Colonel, you can relax. The wounded have been taken care of. All is well now,' Edith said calmly and with as much authority as she could muster.

Between the earlier command by the sergeant and Edith's statement which penetrated his consciousness as well as the cessation of screaming, Fitzwilliam gradually came back to his senses. The wild look receded from his eyes as he took in his surroundings.

Once he became aware of his surroundings, reaction set in. He started to shiver. Fortunately, Corporal Bennings was ready and brought the Colonel's banyan which he helped him to don, after which the batman stirred up the embers in the fire and added a couple of small logs. The well dried wood did not take long to catch fire, after which Bennings added a bigger log to keep the fire going.

While Bennings assisted the Colonel, Edith looked around and spotted the decanter and glasses. She poured a generous measure, which she took to Fitzwilliam. 'This will help,' she said as he gratefully took the glass and took a large mouthful.

'I am sorry that you were disturbed, Mrs Farrington. Can you tell me what happened? I have no memory other than that I had another one of my nightmares.' He frowned. 'Although I seem to remember that by my standards it was rather mild.'

Edith smiled as she said, 'I think you had better sit down before I tell you.'

That statement made Fitzwilliam more aware of his state of dress, or more precisely, undress. He stepped into the slippers by the side of his bed and tugged self-consciously at the banyan to ensure it stayed closed and completely covered him as he sat down. He was also embarrassed that Mrs Farrington was again seeing him at his worst, although she did not seem to be at all disconcerted.

As a matter of fact, Edith was doing her best to ignore her reaction caused by seeing Richard in his nightshirt which only covered him to his knees and was open at the neck. She firmly kept her eyes on his face.

Edith took the other chair and nodded her thanks at Bennings for his wordless efficiency before he quit the room. Due to the dim light, she did not see the dampness in the Corporal's eyes as he heaved a sigh of relief.

She turned to Fitzwilliam. 'It seems that Miss Bingley had design on you and let herself into your room. I would guess that she touched you while you had your nightmare and you reacted by lashing out at her. She screamed and you shouted. I was on my way to my room when I heard the commotion and was in time to find Miss Bingley on the floor, holding her face and still screaming. Based on the glimpse I had of her face, she might end up with a black eye for her efforts.'

The sorry tale had a salutary effect on Fitzwilliam. It distracted him from the aftereffects of the nightmare, and it gave him amusement, uncharitable though it might be. 'It seems that no one thought to inform Miss Bingley that Darcy and I switched rooms. I am certain that my cousin was her intended victim.'

A moment later he turned serious again. 'Although I am sorry that I lashed out at Miss Bingley. I abhor any man who hits a woman.' He grimaced as he thought that this incident had confirmed his unsuitability for marriage since he could not control his actions. 'I hope you will believe me when I say that I would never do so when I have my wits about me.'

Edith automatically replied, 'of course,' before she realised that she truly believed that the Colonel would never deliberately harm a woman. Miss Bingley had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time and had done the wrong thing.

Richard looked at Edith as a thought occurred to him. 'Are you not concerned about your reputation… being alone in my chambers?'

'Not at all. For one, all the staff are loyal to me. Secondly, the Bennets would not wish to speculate on anything which could affect the reputation of the sisters. And finally, I did not sneak into your room in my nightclothes. I barged in at a run and fully dressed with the redoubtable Blake in tow.'

He cocked his head. 'Do I remember correctly when I think he told me to stand down?'

'You are quite correct.

'That was a stroke of luck.' He smiled somewhat sheepishly. 'Sergeants have a nasty habit of being right. Any sensible officer will listen to their… ah… suggestions. Where is he now?'

'He has taken Miss Bingley back to her rooms.'

'Actually, I took her to her brother,' Blake said with a grin from the still open door. 'I am glad that you seem to be feeling better, Colonel.'

'Thanks, sergeant. For everything.'

'No problem. I shall leave you to it. I will be waiting in the hallway if you need me,' Blake answered and closed the door.

'Colonel, you had a trying time. If you would like to be alone to recover, I will leave,' Edith offered.

Fitzwilliam hesitated. It was not right to expect Mrs Farrington to do more than she had already done to help, but…

He sighed. 'If you are tired, I would not wish to detain you, but it will be some time before I can go back to sleep…' he trailed off.

'Assuming that I am not tired, would you like company?'

'If I sit by myself, I will brood.' He gave a small deprecating chuckle. 'At times I can be just as bad as Darcy. He too broods a lot.'

'Perhaps that is a family trait?'

'Not in my family it is not. You should meet my older brother. I doubt that he has ever brooded even once in his life. In that respect he is very much like Bingley.'

Neither raised the subject about Edith leaving again, instead the two chatted about the eccentric members of their families for the best part of an hour, when Fitzwilliam started to yawn. He closed his mouth in surprise. 'I do not believe that I have ever recovered this quickly from a nightmare,' he commented with a wondering smile.

'In that case, I shall leave you to get your rest,' Edith said as she stood.

Fitzwilliam also got to his feet and took her hand. 'Thank you,' he said as he bowed and kissed her hand. Even in his banyan he looked every inch the officer.

Edith ignored the tingle which spread up her arm. 'You are welcome,' she replied with a smile and a final, 'good night,' as she exited the room.

Once she had gone, Richard went back to bed and for the rest of the night his dreams were much more pleasant although no less disturbing.

~~H~~

In another part of the house a different kind of conversation was taking place.

When Blake carried the squirming Miss Bingley to the family wing, he thought it best to dump the problem onto her brother. When he reached the master suite, he removed his hand from Caroline's mouth and used it to pound on the door.

In short order the door opened and a sleepy and tousled looking Bingley, who was still tying the sash of his banyan, asked, 'what is going on here?'

Blake did not mince words. 'Your sister snuck into the Colonel's room and woke him up. He could not recognise her in the dark and objected to the presence of an uninvited intruder. She screamed the house down, waking everyone in the guest wing. Since she was causing too much of a disturbance, the mistress ordered me to remove her.'

Bingley briefly closed his eyes with a resigned look and said, 'you had better bring her in while I light some candles.'

As soon as there was enough light to see, Bingley advised Blake, 'you can let her go now. I will take care of her.'

Blake complied and with a 'thank you, sir,' he quit the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.

Bingley rounded on his sister. 'Caroline what do you have to say for yourself and your outrageous behaviour.'

'Charles, Mr Darcy asked me to come to his room.'

'I know that you are lying, Caroline. If Darcy had asked you to come to his room, he would have told you that he had switched rooms with his cousin.'

'He must have forgotten in his excitement.'

Bingley tilted his head to the side and looked at Caroline with disgust. 'How stupid do you think I am? Do you truly think that I could believe that Darcy would invite you to his room tonight of all nights when the whole Bennet family is staying in the same wing… Including the lady whom he is courting?'

'He realised he made a mistake and was trying to show Eliza that his interest lay elsewhere,' protested Caroline.

'If Darcy had lost interest in Miss Elizabeth, he would simply tell her. There is no need for him to act dishonourably.'

'But…'

'You are lucky that the only people who know of your stupidity are the Bennets, who will not want to bring shame on their family by exposing you.' Bingley gave Caroline a speculative look. 'Of course, the shame could be alleviated if I were to make you marry Colonel Fitzwilliam.'

'No, Charles. You cannot do that. That man is merely the penniless second son of an Earl,' Caroline exclaimed in horror. 'He does not have any fortune with which to support me.'

Bingley sighed and shook his head. 'Do not worry. I will not force a marriage between you.' When Caroline looked relieved, he added, 'but that is for his benefit, not yours. I like Fitzwilliam.'

'Are you saying that you do not like me? Your own sister?' Caroline's horror deepened and she at last started to worry..

'Quite frankly, I would dearly love to disown you and forget that we ever were related. You disgust me.'

'But did you not always say that you wished Mr Darcy were your brother? I was doing this for you.'

'You make me laugh. You were doing this purely for your own selfish reasons. If all goes well, Darcy will be my brother… when he marries Miss Elizabeth. That is, if he can convince her of his sincerity.'

Caroline snorted in a most unladylike manner. 'There is no way any Bennet would refuse a proposal by a wealthy man. If Darcy had proposed instead of offering a courtship, Eliza would have jumped at the chance to be Mrs Darcy.'

'You are woefully uninformed. Darcy did propose and it was Miss Elizabeth who asked for a courtship instead, since she and her sisters will only marry for love and respect.' Bingley raised an eyebrow as his mouth turned down. 'Unlike you, who only wishes to marry for wealth and position.'

Miss Bingley gaped like a stranded fish. 'Eliza rejected Mr Darcy?' she whispered in wide-eyed disbelief.

'Hopefully this will not be a permanent situation if Darcy can prove his respect for her.' Bingley took a deep breath as he changed the subject. 'I am afraid that you have become too much of an embarrassment and liability to the family. In the morning I will make arrangements for your new abode.'

'But…'

'No, Caroline. You have burnt your last bridge. I will no longer tolerate your behaviour. You are a beautiful and intelligent woman. Find yourself a husband from your own sphere… and I do not mean the first circles but trade.'

He escorted Caroline to the door of his room, where a footman was waiting in the hallway, thanks to Blake. 'Please escort my sister to her rooms and ensure that she remains inside.'

Miss Bingley followed the footman with slumped shoulders. This evening had not gone at all the way she had so carefully planned. How had everything gone so very wrong, she wondered.

~~H~~

Once the hubbub in the hallway had died down, Darcy cautiously opened his door.

The only person in sight was the footman whom he had seen with Mrs Farrington, loitering outside Richard's room.

Since he deemed it safe to check on his cousin, he made his way to Richard's room only to be stopped by the footman. 'I am sorry, sir, but it would be best not to disturb the Colonel.'

'I only wanted to ensure that he is well after suffering what must have been a nightmare…' Darcy dropped his customary mask to grin. 'Having your sleep disturbed by Miss Bingley would overset anyone.'

'I am sure that the Colonel will be fine. He is in good hands.'

Something in Blake's tone caused Darcy to come to an interesting deduction. 'I suppose that your lady will be able to calm my cousin,' he said with a knowing smile.

The former sergeant took exception to the smile and bristled. 'My mistress is a lady of impeccable morals and behaviour, unlike the women you obviously know,' he said with a glance towards the family wing.

Darcy was taken aback by the fierce defence of the lady. 'My apologies. I had not meant to imply anything other than that my cousin considers the lady as a good and trustworthy friend. But since he is in, as you said, good hands, I shall not disturb him. Good night.'

Darcy smiled as he made his way back to his room. While he believed that Mrs Farrington was simply providing emotional comfort to Richard, the fact that his cousin allowed the lady so far into his confidence, convinced Darcy that the Colonel was falling in love with the charming lady.

~~H~~

~~H~~

The Colonel and the Heiress (working title) by Sydney Salier, Copyright © 2022