Darcy had been riding to Pemberley when he got as far as the turn that led up to his house. He reined in his horse, Caesar, and turned around to look at Elizabeth. It had taken that long for him to process what she had said about Wickham. That man had reared his ugly head in his affairs, again.
He had thought he was rid of the man after stopping the elopement of Georgiana with the scoundrel. The elopement, he blamed entirely on Wickham influencing the emotions of a younger girl. But then the man turned up in Meryton, a small village at the other end of England from Derbyshire. And now, the reprobate had run off with Elizabeth's youngest sister, and then immediately abandoned her.
Will he ever be free of that wastrel? Mr. Darcy groaned as he turned Caesar around and nudged him back the way they had just came. No, it did not seem likely he would be free of the man because as soon as he located him, Mr. Darcy would force Wickham to marry Lydia, thereby restoring her family's reputation. Not for any sense of altruism for Lydia, who was one of the reasons he had been set against ever marrying Elizabeth, the others were her parents. No, he was thinking only of his betrothed.
Which was why he was riding back to Lambton for in his haste to hunt down the wretch, he had forgotten there was someone well acquainted with Wickham still living on the outskirts of the village. And there was only one reason the man would have returned, and that was for money or revenge. Even better, according to Wickham he was sure, if the two were combined.
Which begged the question, how had word of his engagement to Elizabeth Bennet reached Wickham? He hoped that was not the cause of Wickham's appearance in Lambton, but why else had the man traveled back to Derbyshire? Mr. Darcy nudged his horse faster. He needed to find the man before Wickham renewed his acquaintance with Elizabeth.
Having reached Lambton, Mr. Darcy guided his horse to the far edge of the village where Wickham's mother still lived in a small house. When the late Mr. Wickham had been alive, the house had been in ill repair as the man had done nothing but drink while employed as the late Mr. Darcy's steward. After the elder Wickham passed, with George Wickham a favorite of the late Mr. Darcy, Fitzwilliam's father paid for repairs on the Wickham home, and provided food and comforts. After his father passed, Mr. Darcy saw no reason not to continue the practice for it was not Mrs. Wickham's fault her husband was a drunkard and her son a worthless scoundrel.
Therefore the woman was well disposed to greet Mr. Darcy when he jumped off Caesar and knocked on the door. After some time, just as he raised his hand to knock again, the door opened revealing a hump backed crone.
"Good day, madam. Would you happen to know the location of your son's current whereabouts?"
She squinted, then her face brightened. "Mr. Darcy! How kind of you to visit. It has been some time since I seen you last. Come in, come in, mighty fine tea I have and some biscuits too. I swept just yesterday—"
"Thank you, but I must decline. I am here on urgent business." Some guilt settled upon him for the falsehood he would tell, but he knew there was no faster method to ascertain the son's whereabouts. "My solicitor has recently found a misplaced account at the bank meant for your son. There is a deadline before which the account must be turned over to its owner or it will be lost."
"Blunt you say? That is fortunate indeed! Yes, my son would greatly love to hear that an account for him was found. Set up by your father I 'spect, such a good man your father. He loved my Georgie like a son. It was all Georgie would talk about Mr. Darcy this, Mr. Darcy that —"
Mr. Darcy shifted his stance, eager to be on his way. "Yes, Mrs. Wickham. Have you heard from your son?"
"My Georgie is coming home! I have not seen him in such a long time. He wrote me you see, for a place to stay while he visited friends in the area. Come home to his mum, he will. Such a good boy, many people fond of him as they should be."
Mr. Darcy could not believe his luck. He would not have to travel to London to find the man, and would also be able to stay near Elizabeth and continue to court her. "When is he expected? I will have a solicitor on hand to witness the signing over of the account."
"Oh, not long I think. You know how the Post is, the roads change with the weather."
Caesar whinnied and threw his head up, sensing his master's impatience. "You are waiting on word from him as to when he will be arriving?"
The old woman cackled showing her rotten yellow teeth. "Oh no, he is arriving today! On the Post he is. He should be in town already I expect. Taking a time to make his way home to his mum as he always does. I 'spect he is at the pub where Molly is a maid. He still has a fondness for her, his first love."
He twitched at the surprising news, startling his horse who stepped back and snorted. "Thank you very much, Mrs. Wickham. Good day."
Mr. Darcy jumped back on his horse, turned him towards the village proper, and nudged him into a fast trot. It was not possible for Caesar to move any faster due to the usual circulation on the streets. But the urgency that had consumed him had dampened with the knowledge that Wickham was in this very village and soon to be found…at the pub at Lambton Inn, the very same inn where Elizabeth was currently residing.
He pushed Caesar to a canter, but it seemed every villager in the entire county was conducting business in Lambton that afternoon. And everyone called out to him, or bowed requiring him to nod and touch his beaver hat, making what should have been a short trip prodigiously vexing at its length.
Finally, they turned the corner. Mr. Darcy pulled Caesar to a stop in front of the white Tudor building, and jumped down tossing the reins to a stable lad. He walked into the Inn, spying a serving girl and a maid. Which one was Wickham's love? Before he had a chance to approach one, the Inn's proprietor accosted him.
"Mr. Darcy, how thankful I am for you to grace my fine establishment with your presence." The rotund man wiped his hands on a towel then quickly tucked it away.
"Yes, I am hoping to find an acquaintance of mine, Mr. Wickham. I believe he was expected today on the Post coach. I heard he would stop here and I have news for him."
The short man nodded. "Oh, Wickham, yes, yes he did come to see Molly but I believe he departed just as quick."
Mr. Darcy flattened his lips, the scoundrel was as slippery as an eel. He thanked the innkeeper for his knowledge then turned to walk back to the entrance, when he stopped and signaled the young maid that had been earnestly watching the discussion.
She quickly approached, her blonde braids swinging at her haste. "Yes, sir?"
"Have the Gardiners and and Miss Bennet departed for Hertfordshire, yet?"
"No, I have not heard they were departing today."
Mr. Darcy frowned at the news, which was quite unusual for people departing in haste that day. At the least, there should have been orders received for their carriage to be readied and pulled around. "Please tell Miss Bennet that Mr. Darcy is here to call upon her."
The girl curtsied and swiftly departed up the staircase while Mr. Darcy entered the private sitting room. He hoped she and the Gardiners had not departed for Hertfordshire already. Damn Wickham for fouling everything, including his own courting of Elizabeth.
The door opened behind him, Mr. Darcy turned to greet Elizabeth but instead it was her uncle, alone.
"Good day, Mr. Darcy. My niece is, er, upstairs." The man fidgeted with the edge of his waistcoat.
Mr. Darcy narrowed his eyes. Something was afoot. "Has she taken ill?"
Or had Wickham already found her and was currently holding her at ransom? His heart sped up. He clenched his fists.
Mr. Gardiner cleared his throat. "It would be best if I show you. Please, follow me."
With dread Mr. Darcy frowned as he followed the man up the stairs to the small rooms for let. Although he knew Mr. Gardiner was a gentleman and would not bring him up to Elizabeth's room; however he could not fathom any scenario that could not be explained but instead needed to be witnessed. Still, when Mr. Gardiner opened the door to the room, Mr. Darcy was not expecting the scene that was waiting for him. Wickham was tied to a wooden chair, with a shawl across his mouth, looking dazed and confused.
Never had he been so shocked, not even when his blasted sheep had catapulted Elizabeth into the pond. Mr. Darcy recovered after closing his mouth and glanced about the room. In the corner, he spotted Elizabeth with her aunt. She looked abashed, yet she was also fighting amusement as she returned his gaze.
Mr. Darcy walked into the room. "I believe an explanation is in order." He turned to Mr. Gardiner. "How did you manage to subdue him so quickly? I just learned he was expected on the Post today."
The tale was relayed by Mr. Gardiner and if it had been anyone else, Mr. Darcy would have firmly believed the man was telling an outlandish fib. Yet, he knew none in the room, save the scoundrel tied up on the chair, would never think to tell a falsehood.
"You are to be commended for your quick thinking. An enticement such as that is not one Wickham would turn down."
Mr. Gardiner waved a hand towards his niece. "I must give credit where it is due. It was not my idea, but Elizabeth's."
An arched eyebrow over a pair of fine eyes greeted his astonished expression. He did not know whether to be proud of her quick wits, or to castigate her for putting herself in harm's way. Wickham was known to be a dangerous man when cornered. Since Mr. Darcy was not yet married to the woman of his dreams, he chose safest course of action, which was to say nothing.
Instead he turned toward the scoundrel sitting in the center of the room who during this entire time had been making muffled noises and trying to pull his arms free.
I've been told many times that my life is so crazy I need to write a book. Last week my Camry started pouring water out of the sunglass holder on the ceiling when it rains! I do not have a sunroof. I also do not have a hole on the roof. So I've been spending a large amount of time trying to find another car. And having the cars sold an hour before I get there. Sigh. Eventually I'll find a Toyota Camry XLE. The used car market is crazy!
Health-wise I'm still here. Started the 5mg dose of mounjaro today. I'm expecting severe constipation and nausea again. I'm hoping to get the next chapter out sooner than a week though!
Saw a tiktok of a poor young woman rushed to the ER and diagnosed with heart failure out of the blue like I was! Except hers is far worse. She needs a heart transplant! I'm assuming hers is due to covid too. How awful. It is just insane.