Chapter Twenty:

It had been a pleasant four years for Captain Wickham since he had left Derbyshire, sat in his quarters at the Meryton militia camp he looked around it has served him well but in a few short weeks would no longer be his home. George Wickham had become a changed man since he entered the Meryton militia, it had never been a long-term plan but it all changed when he met his beloved, Maria. With her encouragement, he would forever be a new man the man she aspired him to be.

George Wickham, once he had met Maria, was ashamed of the man he was before, he was regretful at how he had treated women like they were replaceable and not worth considering their feeling. He was reluctant to remember the number of times he had used the promise of marriage to get a girl to sleep with her before he abandoned them. He worried that he had ruined many lives and vowed if he came across any of the girls again he would do his best to show them kindness.

The love of a good woman and the fact she had refused to be seduced by him, she had led him on a merry chase till finally to his astonishment he realized, he couldn't live without her. So that very day George Wickham decided to become a better man, he became a good lieutenant, who did his duty well, who drank responsibly and always paid his gambling debts and debts of honor he had grown through the ranks and become the respectable Captain Wickham.

Maria was the daughter of an unknown country knight, Sir William Lucas, she had changed his life. Maria made him want to be a better man and provide for her and their future family, it was the first time in his life he had truly loved anyone so when she turned twenty a few months earlier he proposed and they were due to be married.

He had just received an express from kent he knew that seal all too well it belongs to the formidable Lady Catherine De Bourgh. The lady had been very displeased when he had lost his place at Pemberly and had conceded that he was no longer of any use to her and was in no need of his services. It had been a long time since he had heard from the lady and knew it couldn't be good news, he also knew from Maria that Mr. Bennet was in Kent at that moment visiting his third daughter who had married Lady Catherine parson. Maria had been excited to see if Mr. Bennet would bring back his two eldest daughters who had been traveling in the Americas for the past four years especially as they were close friends to her beloved sister, charlotte as one was know a countess and it was always good for social standing to be a long term friend of a countess. Wickham had been told the two eldest Bennet girls extremely beautiful especially the older sister Jane.

Captain Wickham was due to meet his beloved and her mother to review a house in Mereryton the couple planned to take, so they had a place to live after their wedding. Wickham was running late so the letter would have to wait, he hastily stuffed it in his breast pocket. They would be wed in a month and it couldn't come quickly enough for Wickham he knew he would have to deal with whatever Lady Catherine wanted before then.

Wickham and Maria had agreed to take the house two weeks after they married, they would have a short wedding trip to Brighton before returning back to Mereryton so Wickham would be able to return to his regimental duties. With all the plans for the wedding and their domestic bliss sorted the couple returned to Lucas Lodge, where a dinner, that evening would take place in their honor, while sitting in the garden drinking lemonade Wickham remembers her express from earlier and decided to read it. he broke the seal and read the following;

Hundsford - July 1816

Dear Mr. Wickham

In light of our old acquaintance, and the task you once did on my behalf, I have a further task I need you to complete concerning the same gentleman this task is most urgent that can not be put off. I demand you give it your full attention.

I will come right out with it I need you to seduce a woman to keep her away from said person. We both conspired against before. I know I won't need to name names. I know you to be a man of little money so I will offer you a grand sum of five hundred pounds to seduced women from the little village you now call home.

The woman in question is called Elizabeth Bennet from Longbourne.

Once I received word this has been achieved I will send you a bank draft I expect her to publicly expose you can then abandon the chit afterward if you have no need for her, just make sure she is damaged enough to not be an object of desire to the gentleman.

Do not write back till the task has been completed.

Ect,

Catherine. De Bourgh Of Rosing Park

kent.

George Wickham couldn't believe what he had read he was shocked by the women's arrogance and unfeeling she showed to other women. Why did she care anyway Darcy had married her daughter which had been her long-term wish from what he had heard. Sadly sweet Anne had passed away. Why would lady Catherine need to ensure Elizabeth Bennet was ruined? Surely if Darcy was interested in Elizabeth Bennet it had nothing to do with the lady then he remembered the letters he had stolen on behalf of Lady Catherine and wondered if Elizabeth Bennet had been a love interest to Darcy before she had left England and maybe this was an old score for the lady to settle.

The silence was broken by Maria who asked "My Love, you are quiet this afternoon, are you well?"

Wickham knew he had to show her the letter and he had to tell her the whole truth, of his past he had been putting it off in fear that he would lose her but he had to be honest with her and come clean about his past.

"Maria, I am well... I have received an unsettling express letter I wish to share with you but before I do I think I need to be honest with you about my past," said Wickham

Before Maria could respond Wickham begone his tale of his past, stating all the wrong he had done, including the women, the letters he had stolen, and few other minor things, he also stated he understood if Maria wanted to be released from their engagement but wanted her to know how much she meant to him and how much she had changed him frot he better, he also requested she read the express and to give her opinion on the matter and how it would be best dealt with.

Maria Lucas was shocked by the tale of her love and the express she held in her hands, she knew him to be a kind man who had grown and changed, she would know from how he planned to reposed to this express whether or not she would become Mrs. Wickham.

"So tell me, George, what do you plan to do?" asked Maria

"I won't seduce her, Maria, but I can't ignore Lady Catherine, she will just find someone else who is willing to take her money it is not safe for Miss Bennet" he replied

"Well, what can you do to help Miss Bennet George? and who is the man she refers to is it, Mr. Darcy?" Maria Asked

"Yes, she can only mean Mr. Darcy, it was his personal letter I stole and sold to her" he shamefully admitted.

"George isn't it obvious, what you need to do?" spoke Maria

"Yes, I will need to write to Darcy right away! I'll send it to his London home and they will forward it to where he is!" he said as he jumped up.

"Yes, you need to tell him about the letter and beg for his forgiveness only then will you truly be free of that sin George"

o0o

Meryton - July 1816

Darcy,

I write to you, as I received an urgent express moments ago from you aunt Lady Catherine with a request I am not willing to oblige her with.

I have enclosed said letter as I know you will want to see the proof of her request and to advise you, that if you are in the company of Miss Elizabeth Bennet she appears to be in some danger from your aunt I will also send an express to the Earl of Ashbrook who I am advised is the head of the family which Miss Bennet resided with.

I also wish to disclose that while I was in your employment as the under steward to my father, I was approached by your aunt, Lady Catherine she offered to pay me for taking your personal mail and sending it directly on to her she offered me one pound per letter and I regret to tell you I accepted and stole your letters, at the time I was a different man a bitter man who felt I deserved more then I held at the time. All I can offer now are my sincere apologies for my acts against you. In total I took ten letters from your home which I passed to your aunt before I was no longer in your employment, I also must confess that I also along with other members of your household were paid for information on the coming and going of Pemberley again also I can offer again are my apologies for betraying you.

As much as it may be hard for you to believe I am now a changed man with the love of a good woman I am due to marry with a respectable living I will not do anything to risk my beloved Maria or my future income to support our family once we are wed.

I, therefore, send this letter express in hope that you can be aware of your aunt's action and take the action you feel is necessary I do hope that one day you may forgive me, old friend.

With Regards

Captain George Wickham.