"Lizzy, Lizzy!" Lydia said as she tried to jostle her older sister awake.
Elizabeth registered Lydia's voice coming to her as though in a fog. She opened her eyes, believing she had just woken from a terrible nightmare. Her mouth was dry, and Elizabeth's voice croaked as she tried to respond to Lydia jubilantly spinning around the room.
Propping herself up on her elbows, Elizabeth blinked profusely. Perhaps it hadn't been a nightmare, as Lydia looked exactly the same as she had when they were sea bathing.
"You slept until the afternoon!" Lydia giggled, then stopped as she rocked back and forth on her heels.
Elizabeth groaned and flopped backward in the bed, draping her forearm across her face to cover her eyes. "How can you be so cheerful? Do you not comprehend the amount of trouble you have caused?" Elizabeth asked.
She sensed Lydia charging towards the bed, and Elizabeth opened her eyes once more to see Lydia staring over her, very cross.
"I suddenly regret even waking you up. But I thought you might wish to dress and come with us. So much has happened, Lizzy! Mr. Wickham and I are to be married, and he is a hero!" she said.
Both sisters heard Lydia's name called from below, and Lydia squealed with delight.
"See? He's here. And we're all going to the Old Ship Inn. So put on your best, or rather your second best. You must save your best frock for my wedding," Lydia commanded.
To Elizabeth's surprise, her sister pecked her forehead and then flounced out of the room.
Rolling over, Elizabeth screamed as loud as she possibly could directly into the pillow. This was utter madness. And a good part of her mind wished for nothing more than to stay in bed until it was time to board the carriage back to Longbourn.
Unfortunately, Elizabeth's sense of duty would never allow her to behave in such a selfish manner. Thus, three hours later, she stood back in the assembly rooms of the Old Ship Inn, where a mixture of cards and dancing was the order of the evening.
Lydia danced gaily with Mr. Wickham, and everyone from Mrs. Warrender to Mrs. Forster celebrated the young lady's good luck.
Elizabeth sourly stood halfway between the dancing and the card tables, unwilling to participate in either activity. Mrs. Warrender approached her, and stated how jealous Miss Elizabeth appeared over the news of her sister's triumph.
"I must say, Miss Bennet, I am rather surprised Mr. Wickham came to the point before Mr. Darcy. I was quite certain that he was going to make an offer for your hand," Mrs. Warrender said. "But buck up, my dear. Perhaps your sister's good fortune will push Mr. Darcy in the same direction," she said, as Elizabeth refused to smile at Mrs. Warrender's attempts to cheer her up.
A feeling of dread came over Elizabeth as the woman's words only served to make her worry about the arrival of Mr. Darcy and his cousin. Inwardly, she prayed that the two men held other plans for the evening. But no sooner did her thoughts move in that direction, than she spied both of them coming into the assembly room.
After locking eyes with Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth swiftly turned away and tried to think of somewhere to hide. All of England could believe Mr. Wickham to be some kind of hero and Elizabeth knew Mr. Darcy could never reconcile himself to calling the man his brother-in-law.
Working so diligently to keep herself on the opposing side of the room of Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth failed to notice that he and his cousin had indeed split up. And so, as Mr. Darcy spoke to Colonel Forster on one side of the room, Elizabeth turned around and found herself staring directly into the kind eyes of Colonel Fitzwilliam.
"Miss Elizabeth, would you do me the honor of being my dance partner?" the gallant Colonel asked.
"I would prefer it if you did not ask," Elizabeth said.
Keeping his features light, Colonel Fitzwilliam acted as though nothing were amiss. "I can well imagine, but seeing as I already have requested, and I believe you and I should speak, let us take a turn anyway despite your reluctance."
Elizabeth focused on her breathing so as not to burst into tears. Thankfully, as they stood for the set, she did not see Mr. Wickham and her sister participating. There was no chance she would have to take Mr. Wickham's hand for an exchange.
Elizabeth glanced around the room to find their location, but Colonel Fitzwilliam interrupted her query with a question. Keeping up with her dance steps and conversation was more than Elizabeth could handle in her current emotional state.
"It is strange, Miss Elizabeth, that Colonel Forster's unit was the one to find Captain Shawcroft's ill-gotten gains. Do you know my men and I searched Russell House from top to bottom?" he asked.
Elizabeth shrugged. She concerned herself little about how Mr. Wickham suddenly became a hero in everyone's eyes. But Mrs. Forster explained to her that the previous day after she had taken to her bed, her husband and Captain Carter interrogated Mr. Wickham extensively.
Wickham convinced them both that he only agreed to Shawcroft's scheme so that he could later aid in his capture. He pointed out how he had not hidden his involvement, even to Denny. To prove his loyalty, Wickham explained that he knew the location of the villain's ledger books, and more importantly, the funds he was using to finance his operation.
"I believe it's as the saying goes, Colonel. Money speaks louder than words," she explained.
"Yes, but why hadn't Mr. Wickham come forward after Captain Shawcroft deserted? What made him delay?" he asked, and Elizabeth had to agree that she shared Colonel Fitzwilliam's suspicions. The entire ordeal was too neat and tidy for her.
The dance ended and Colonel Fitzwilliam leaned close to Elizabeth.
"I fear," he whispered, "though I cannot prove it, Mr. Wickham is not a safe man. I believe he used violent means to learn the location of Shawcroft's poison purse."
Elizabeth laughed, earning a look of dismay from Mr. Darcy's cousin. But she made certain he understood she was putting on a show.
"What a clever observation, Colonel Fitzwilliam! I shall be sure to share your wit with my friends."
Deciding that the evening was all too much for her senses, Elizabeth searched for her sister Lydia so that she could make her regrets. With the wedding by special license planned before Mrs. Fitzherbert's ball, there was nothing Elizabeth could do to adjust her sister's fate. Truthfully, Lydia was responsible for the choices she had made. Sabotaging her wedding with Mr. Wickham would do nothing to change her behavior, and directly jeopardize the reputations of the remaining Bennet sisters.
Unable to find her sister, Elizabeth had forgotten about her game of staying away from Mr. Darcy. The man soon stood by her side, and instead of asking her to dance as his cousin had, he asked if he could be of service.
"I am looking for my sister," Elizabeth said, as the laughter and merrymaking increased in volume around her. Nearly everyone swapped stories and tidbits of gossip about the whole scandal. The rumor of theft from the Prince Regent, combined with the newest gossip of recovery of a treasure so grand, prompted many to speculate how it might be used after the Prince Regent's household was repaid its due.
Cautiously, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth walked around the assembly room and finding no sign of Lydia, Elizabeth began to fret.
"We will find your sister," Mr. Darcy said, and he signaled for his cousin to join them.
Frantic, Elizabeth closed her eyes and tried to think about where her sister could've gone.
"Do any of you see Mr. Wickham?" she asked the two men.
Each cousin looked in an opposite direction, and finding Wickham missing too, Colonel Fitzwilliam caught on to Elizabeth's thinking first. He began to bark orders.
"Take Miss Elizabeth and find Colonel Forster. Tell him I said he must meet me at his home!" Colonel Fitzwilliam said, placing his hand protectively on the sword he kept at his waist.
Pushing and shoving against the crowds, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth found Colonel Forster with Lieutenant Denny, deep in his cups.
"Miss Elizabeth! Mr. Darcy! Will we have the honor of a double wedding?" he asked.
Ordinarily, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth would have felt offense at the insinuation, but there was no time for idle chatter. Elizabeth began pleading with the man that something was amiss.
"I fear that my sister and Mr. Wickham have made a run for it," she said.
Colonel Forster laughed. He patted Elizabeth patronizingly on the shoulder. "My dear, you have allowed your imagination to run away with you. Mr. Wickham and Miss Lydia are to be married, rejoice!"
"You do not understand, Colonel. Mr. Wickham is not to be trusted. He will try to steal the very loot you seized today," Elizabeth tried to explain, but the Colonel assured her that her fears were unfounded. Captain Carter was on duty, standing guard over the substantial sum until it could be handed over to the proper representatives of the King in the morning.
Mr. Darcy finally interjected. "If we are wrong, Sir, then so is my esteemed cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam. He has already left for your household, and I suggest we join him without further delay. If we are wrong, then no harm shall have occurred. But if we are correct in our suspicions, and there's precious little time before the scoundrel gets away," Mr. Darcy explained.
Colonel Forster paled as Mr. Darcy laid out the logical dilemma in clear terms. Elizabeth felt grateful for Mr. Darcy's assistance, as her emotions made reasoning with the man difficult. Quite frankly, she had found Colonel Forster practically useless as not just a man, but as a military leader. Surely, the kingdom's militia deserved better.
Deciding against disrupting the larger assembly, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth walked with Colonel Forster and his right-hand man, Lieutenant Denny.
Mr. Denny confirmed that Mr. Wickham had left some time ago, though he had not told his friend where he was going. The new intelligence spurred Colonel Forster to walk more quickly, and within a block of his home, it was quite clear a disturbance had occurred.
The door stood ajar, and Lieutenant Denny and Colonel Fitzwilliam told Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth to stand back as they entered the household together. Elizabeth pressed herself to Mr. Darcy's side and the man instinctively wrapped his arm around her, protectively.
In the hall, the butler of the house lay unconscious, while the door to Colonel Forster's office stood wide open. Captain Carter lay in a pool of his own blood. Lydia Bennet huddled in a corner, sobbing uncontrollably. With a pistol and sword trained on his person, Lieutenant George Wickham stood with his back against the wall, captured by none other than his nemesis, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam.
"You bloody well took long enough!" Colonel Fitzwilliam said as both men drew their weapons and Richard could finally allow his arms to relax.
A shot rang out and Lydia screamed, prompting Elizabeth to duck out from under Mr. Darcy's embrace and rush into the house. He was right behind her, trying to make her stop. But her strong sprint and headstart were no match for him over the short distance.
She nearly tripped over the poor butler, and almost vomited at the sight of Captain Carter laying at a grotesque angle. Taking a swift glance around the room, Elizabeth rushed to her sister's side, completely ignoring the slumped Mr. Wickham in the far corner.
"They killed him! They killed him! They killed my dear Wickham!" Lydia shouted, tearing at her hair and rocking back and forth.
Elizabeth petted and hugged her sister, trying to make her calm. But Lydia was in hysterics.
"Get her out of here!" Colonel Forster roared, as he put his pistol away.
Elizabeth felt herself pulled away from Lydia by two strong arms, and she didn't need to look behind her to know it was Mr. Darcy's touch. In front of her, Mr. Denny came to Lydia's side, scooping up the young woman and whispering into her ear.
"All will be well, Miss Lydia, all will be well. You have my word," the man said.
Elizabeth allowed Mr. Darcy to lead her to the parlor and he gave instructions to the maid. Numb, she believed he had wished her a good evening, and she watched as he returned to the Colonel's office.
Mr. Denny carried Lydia to their room and gently laid her on the bed that Elizabeth identified as hers. Like a small child, Lydia kept her eyes closed as she sobbed and Mr. Denny asked if there was anything else he could do before excusing himself downstairs for more orders.
Refusing to get undressed, Elizabeth removed her dancing slippers that were utterly ruined from walking home and they appeared to have blood on them from poor Captain Carter.
"Are you unharmed?" Elizabeth thought to ask the maid as she tended Lydia first.
"Yes, Ma'am, we was ordered to the back, see. Mr. Fisher was the brave one, confronting Mr. Wickham after Miss Lydia came."
Elizabeth wondered if her sister had seen Captain Carter murdered, but it sounded as though she had not. Instead, Lydia had noticed that Mr. Wickham left the assembly rooms, just as he had the first time they attended, and she was not going to let him leave her behind.
Finally able to comprehend some of the events of the night, Elizabeth tried to avoid the maid's later offer of another dose of laudanum.
"No, not tonight. I wish to have my wits about me in the morning," she said.
"Please, Miss, I promised Mr. Darcy I would see after you," she explained, and allowing her tears to fall freely, Elizabeth accepted the cup of tea.
Even after the absolute worst disaster and scandal, she could count on one thing: Mr. Darcy loved her as much as she loved him.