What to do with Lt. Wickham became a matter of some vexation for Col. Foster and his officers. Enough stolen goods were found on his person that he could be easily tried and hung for it.

As soon as he was better and the surgeon assured them he would not die from it, he was flogged, both for his own deeds and an extra few lashes for the flogging private Martin endured when he was unfairly accused of stealing.

He was then again allowed to heal to some extent and sent to an army encampment. Some colonel or other in the regulars will do as he saw fit with the wretched former lieutenant Wickham.

-`o´-

"Darcy, bring out the French brandy, I have very good news," Col. Fitzwilliam threw open the door to his cousin's study while speaking at the top of his voice.

"Hm"

"Is this a way to greet your favourite cousin? Especially when I have such good news, so good and wonderful that you will never guess!"

"Out with it, I am in no mood for your antics."

"Oh, very well. Pour first."

Mr. Darcy did, but only for his cousin, and then waited.

"I have Wickham."

"What? What do you mean?"

"I do. He's a smidgen worse for wear, I daresay."

"Speak plainly, Fitzwilliam!"

"He joined a militia regiment."

"Yes, I know," Mr. Darcy replied, "he was quartered in Meryton. I met him there not two weeks ago."

"And you said nothing? I would have loved to visit."

"You said you have him now?"

"Yes, I do. The army does, to be precise."

Mr. Darcy just frowned.

"He was caught stealing from his fellows. No, no, I'm telling it badly. He was caught trying to run away without paying his debts of honour and of course to the merchants. The people of that town must have been very astute indeed, to catch up to his schemes so quickly. Or did you, perchance, warn them?"

"You know I would never do that! I would never risk exposing Georgiana!"

"Balderdash! There are many ways to go about it and almost none involve Georgiana at all."

Mr. Darcy just shrugged; he and his cousin never saw eye to eye on the matter of Wickham.

"It matters not. They were quite sharp, went to Foster to ask that the bills be settled, and then the rest of the officers discovered how much he owes them at cards. He tried to run away during the night, they caught him and in the scuffle they found some stolen items on his person. They beat him almost to death."

"What? What will you do?"

"Do? What is there to do? A certain Captain Carter opined he might have fallen on the stairs during the night, but he could not say exactly how it happened. The rest could not say more either and Wickham won't say anything at all."

"He won't? Why not?"

"He cannot very well talk, cousin. His nose is broken, his cheekbones are broken, he can barely take in some soup. As soon as he was not in danger of dying from it they flogged him for the theft and then sent him here. He's done, Darcy. The surgeon assures me he has some chance to not die, although with that hideously mangled face he might well wish for it. I spoke to him myself, it is the regulars in Spain or the gallows, you see. He chose the regulars."

-`o´-

"I appreciate that you have her father's blessing, Mr. Denny, and I know my sister is impatient to see her daughters married, but I will not push my niece to accept you. She is only ten and five, you see, a child in many respects. I would be a poor guardian to her if I allowed a marriage to happen now. She still has a lot to learn."

"Only fifteen? I thought she must be at least seventeen, sir, or I would never have presumed… but she was out and I thought..."

"Yes, yes, my sister had all her girls out at five and ten. It was not seen as a problem, what with the limited society they enjoy in Meryton."

"I would like to speak with Miss Lydia, if I may. I would make my offer to her and she can accept it or refuse it. I give you my word, Mr. Gardiner, she will be treated with respect at all times."

"I suppose I cannot refuse you," said Mr. Gardiner with a short laugh to show he had no qualms about the two young people talking alone for a few minutes. "The door will remain open."

"Of course, sir."

Lydia was then brought in by her aunt, who took a moment to remind her niece that while she was not obliged to agree even to a courtship with Lt. Denny, once she had done so things were bound to become more serious. There will be no flirting with other men and learning the necessary skills to be a wife will be a matter of some urgency.

Mrs. Gardiner was a little disheartened that Lydia did not appear to hear even a word out of ten, but then it was not to be supposed that Lydia could become a serious young woman in a matter of days.

What Lydia needed was to be out of the sphere of influence of her parents and also to have an example of the behaviour expected of her.

"Good day, Mrs. Gardiner, Miss Lydia," Lt. Denny stood and bowed on their entrance.

"Mr. Denny," Lydia said and courtesied.

"I am very glad to see you again, Mr. Denny," Mrs. Gardiner smiled warmly at their guest. "I will be just outside on a chair."

"Ma'am," he bowed to her again and watched as she situated herself in a room across the hall.

"Miss Lydia, may I say that I am very glad to see you in good health," Lt. Denny started, more than a little nervous.

She said nothing in reply and the difference between the carefree and cheerful girl he knew in Meryton and what he was seeing now struck him all the more. She was so young! How was she to even know her mind, he thought to himself. What was done was done: he had asked for her hand and he better get on with it.

"Miss Lydia, I understand you are still very young and you probably do not think of marriage just yet. Mr. Gardiner made it clear that you will not be allowed to marry at this tender age." He saw her bristle, a little of her former spark returning to her eyes.

"Did my father agree?"

"Yes, he did."

"Oh."

He waited, but that was all she was willing to say.

"I should say that I went to your father to get his permission for a courtship. I wish to have your permission as well. It is my intention to convince you we would suit and would do well together in marriage."

"I will not cook!"

"What?"

"I will not cook."

"No, of course not."

"My aunt said we won't have money for a cook and a servant."

"Ah, no, not for the moment. Miss Lydia, for the moment I cannot even afford lodgings with a kitchen attached. If we were to marry tomorrow you would still not cook, as I have only the one room I sleep in," he said and smiled a little. He was relieved when she laughed.

"Why don't you find a richer woman?"

"For one, I like you best from all the women I have met. I have never before desired a woman for my wife. For another," he floundered a little, not knowing how to explain his family's situation.

"Yes?"

"My family is in trade."

"Like my uncle Gardiner?"

"Yes, except that my father is not as successful as your uncle. He deals in scents."

"Oh, how wonderful!"

Mr. Denny winced, but Lydia's reaction was at least positive.

"Yes, well, my father thought his only son would take over the business. It will not happen. I am cursed with a weakness that has me break out in hives when I'm too long near my father's bottles."

"Oh, no," Lydia was genuinely distressed that such a thing could happen. She loved perfumes.

"My father and I do not have a good relationship, you see. He took one of my cousins to train him to take over the business and, understandably, he is very disappointed in me."

"That's silly! It's not like you can help it!"

"True. Be that as it may, it is only fair to explain to you that my father will not help us set up our household. I understand from your uncle Gardiner that you have little in the way of dowry yourself, so we will not be married these three or four years. I have promises for a post here in London with the War ministry and hope that in three or four years to have an income of about four hundred per year. Then we could be married. We will have a cook and a maid, of course."

"You could be married sooner if you found a woman with a dowry."

"I want no other, Miss Lydia and I want my children to be better off than myself. I believe they would benefit from having a gentlewoman as their mother."

-`o´-

"I do not understand why my dear Lydia cannot be married from her home, with all her family in attendance!"

"Lydia will not marry yet, mama," Elizabeth tried again.

"I do not see why! Your father has to make him marry her!"

It has been a week since Col. Foster and Lt. Denny visited Longbourn and ever since the whole house descended into chaos. To add to that just yesterday a stack of letters have arrived from Gracechurch street. Mr. Gardiner wrote to Mr. Bennet, but he did not share the substance of it with his family. All he would say was that they were all in good health. Mrs. Gardiner sent a short note of congratulations to Mrs. Bennet and a longer letter to Elizabeth. Lydia claimed to be too busy to write, so she added a few lines to her aunt's note to Mrs. Bennet.

Jane's long, thoughtful and, in places, angry letter was the only one worth having, Elizabeth thought. It painted a bleak picture, but Jane being Jane still had hopes for the future.

"Mr. Denny," commenced one of the passages, "was everything a gentleman ought to be. He is prepared to abide by any rule our father and our uncle lay down. He would marry Lydia even now, Lizzy, although he is doing her the courtesy of courting her properly. However, his wish to do everything properly notwithstanding, he simply does not have the income to support a wife.

The plans for education we had when we first arrived are now on hold as far as Lydia is concerned. My aunt is training her in the kitchen as well as trying to teach her how to run a household on as little money as possible.

One thing she said during our journey to Gracechurch Street is still very much in my mind: our father is not poor, because he has Longbourn, our mother has her settlement; it is we the girls who are poor. We truly have nothing, Lizzy, and I am trying to absorb as much of my aunt's teachings as I can, because this will be my life going forward; French and piano will not put food on my children's table."

The rest of the letter described Jane's enjoyment of almost daily outings to the Tower Bridge and how she took to teaching the girls their letters and sums. Their aunt still hovered around and would not hear of Jane dedicating all of her time to the children, but evidently she approved. It was all for the best, Jane thought, as aunt Gardiner's time would be better employed trying to teach Lydia as she was likely to be the first to marry. That and Jane hated the kitchen, the smells and especially the heat!

"Lydia should come home!" Mrs. Bennet's shrill exclamation jolted Elizabeth from her abstraction.

"Lydia will not marry very soon, mama. You must see that," she said with quite a little more force than usual. Kitty stared at her with wide eyes and even Mary looked up from her book.

"Why, Miss Lizzy, just because you've rejected Mr. Collins and handed Longbourn to those artful Lucases! Lydia will marry, mark my words!"

"She will," Elizabeth agreed, "just not now. None of us has any dowry and if she marries now Lydia will have to cook and clean herself! I beg you to let her be!"

"Cook herself?"

"Mr. Denny will have a post in London, but his income will still be very small. It will take a few years until he advances enough to support a wife and children, let alone better lodgings and maybe a servant. And Lydia brings nothing."

"Why, to hear you talking of your sister having to cook! You ungrateful, spiteful child, you should have married Mr. Collins!"

"How could this have helped Lydia?"

"Well then, she would always have a home at Longbourn!"

"That is true, but only if my husband would have allowed it. She would still be required to cook and clean when she married, though. Mama, please understand: we, the girls, have nothing, except our share from your settlement and that is only after your demise. Who would marry us for the promise of a thousand pounds in forty years from now on?"

"I will speak to your father! He must make them marry! Your uncle must help!"

Elizabeth shrugged and let her mother go harague their father. There was simply nothing to be done. She couldn't imagine her parents trying to lessen their expenses to support their children.

-`o´-

The next few days brought little change either in London or Meryton. Lt. Denny's removal to the city was not yet complete, he would probably have to wait until March.

Mrs. Bennet fretted that he would forget dear Lydia, so she pushed Kitty to keep him company when he visited, which made everyone uncomfortable. In a stroke of genius, Lt. Denny attached himself to Mary and took to discussing the Scriptures. It puzzled Mrs. Bennet exceedingly, but she would not dare speak against the wishes of a future son-in-law.

For herself Elizabeth had taken to spending a lot more time with Mrs. Hill. Under the guise of learning more thoroughly how Longbourn was run, although Mrs. Hill was not fooled even for one moment, Elizabeth studied the household accounts every day for hours.

It only took her a little over a week to understand they could easily save four or five hundred a year, money that could be put aside for dowries. She had no knowledge of agriculture or husbandry, so asking to see what the tenants did or did not do would have been useless, but she also had no doubt that Longbourn's income could be increased, if only her father would give himself the trouble.

She wanted to do something, anything, but she knew not what. Another time she would have tried to speak to her father, but he was even more withdrawn than usual and sometimes looked at all of them resentfully over the dinner table.

That last bit was due to Mrs. Bennet's insistence that her husband and possibly her brother find a solution to Lydia's plight.

She continued to blame Elizabeth for spurning Mr. Collins, but she did understand that it would not have helped Lydia's marriage or Jane's for that matter, should she find herself a husband of lesser worth than Mr. Bingley.

Of Mr. Bingley they talked but little now, her mother not lamenting his loss above once a day. One morning Elizabeth was even surprised by a sudden question from her. Was it possible that Mr. Bingley rejected Jane because she was dowerless?

Elizabeth would have dearly loved to answer in the affirmative and nudge her mother towards maybe saving a little for their portions, but in such cases as these full honesty was always preferable, even if it did not further one's schemes for the future.

"The truth is, mama, we do not know what Mr. Bingley thought of Jane. He has never declared himself, his sentiments were a matter of speculation and conjecture on our part. A dowry would help us not only get husbands, but it would secure our future should we not be as fortunate as to marry."

Mrs. Bennet made no reply, but was quiet for the rest of the morning. At some point she was gone to see to some matters and from then on the atmosphere at Longbourn took a decided turn for the worse.

Elizabeth was barred from her father's study for good and in some days Mr. Bennet called for a tray to be brought to him instead of joining his family for dinner.

The only person who made no effort to accommodate Mr. Bennet's moods was Mrs. Bennet.

-`o´-

Author note:

Thank you all for the reviews, they are wonderful, they give me ideas and keep me motivated!

Wickham couldn't get away with as little as a few punches, right? Naughty men were flogged back in those days, although I'm a bit unclear if actual officers were flogged as well. Let's say the army considers everybody the same :)

Guest Lisa: Wickham's journey of discoveries isn't done yet ;) He still has to prove himself in Spain. In any case, he might have sparked this alternate retelling, but his role is done. He'll go to Spain never to be heard of again.

Guest who asked if Wickham will be hanged: No. The army needed soldiers to fight / die in Spain.

Guest Colleen S: Oh, yes, no money for Wickham!

Guest: Thank you, it is always nice to have encouragement!