Chapter 20: What Have We Here
George Wickham did not expect his move to work, he remembered Richard doing it to him years ago in one of their scuffles, it was painful and had allowed Richard and William to run away from him. He had been warned by Madame, that if he got caught, he was on his own and if he even thought about snitching, he would be taken care of. The thing is that Wickham knew he would sacrifice all and any to save his own skin, so making an escape was the only way to protect himself from what would be a very painful time of his life on all fronts.
As he made his way over the patio, tried the door – blast that old bat, it was locked, he sprung over to the next one, the door was not locked and as luck would have it no-one was home. Under any other circumstances he would have stayed, it looked like the people were away from home for a while, a light layer of dust across the furniture and floor; but it was a lovely apartment, expensively decorated, obviously money to spare. But that blasted Richard was not going to let him just get away He would have to come back later, when he had sent them looking for him elsewhere.
He saw keys hanging next to the front door, grabbed a bunch and started trying each on in the door, again luck was on his side, it only took five keys to get the right one, he slipped that bunch into his pocket and made his way out of the building, disappearing into the crowds in the road.
Arriving an hour later at one of designated safe houses, he phoned Madame, it was not a call he was looking forward to but it had to be done, She would have his head if she heard it from anyone else.
"Why are you phoning me from this number? "She snapped as she answered the phone.
"I got caught….by William and Richard." He was worried how She would react to that, She was obsessed with William Darcy.
"Well that was stupid of you, I told you to keep Anne distracted, not captive." His heart sunk when he heard that, she already knew.
About that…I want to speak to you; I would like to marry your daughter Anne…"
Her insane laughter cut him short, she cackled like a possessed witch.
"You marry my Anne? Have you been sampling the other merchandise as well? Anne will marry William Darcy, this has been planned since they were babies, its only a matter of time before all my plans come to fruition."
He was silent, the old lady was really insane, he had heard the rumours but the way she ran things was flawless, well until William Darcy started to get involved. He was still trying to find out how he was linked to Lydia Bennett. AND She obviously knew that he had taken liberties with some of the girls. How could he not, some of them were downright gorgeous and ready for the sampling.
Once She had calmed down and told him on no uncertain terms that he was never going to marry her daughter; they discussed what to do; the lost of the register was a pity but they could carry on, they might have to move their base of operations until things calmed down.
He knew if She knew about his abduction of Georgiana, he would be six feet under, so as far as She knew of the twelve or so girls he had 'brought 'to the operation only Emma and Lydia were lost, the rest had been successfully moved to their new owners. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but it was so lucrative and what were a few girls anyways? They could end up having far better lives if they used their natural assets with their new owners, these were rich men who could spoil them. He had to admit there were one or two that scared him, especially the one they had lined up for Emma, she might have had a lucky escape. Madam had arranged another girl for that nasty piece of work and managed to get him to calm down at not getting what he paid for.
He did wonder at the size of the operation She was running; the drugs and the girls alone ran into at least double-digit millions. He did was not involved in the drug side; She did not trust him with the merchandise; She was probably right about that.
He was to remain at the safe house for now, if he went out it was for business purposes only and by the name of Charles Bingley. It seems that She had a passionate dislike for Charles Bingley and was trying to systematically destroy his reputation, Her exact words were, "if you just go about your normal life as Charles Bingley you will naturally destroy whatever good name he had". He did not know why She detested the man so much, but She paid him handsomely to use the Bingley name as much as he could, so he was not going to ask any questions he had no feelings about Bingley either way, it was just a job.
He thought he had hit the jackpot with Mary Bennett, oh she was nice enough but her looks only appealed to a small audience, but those sisters of hers, who were each more delightful than the last. Jane, not his cup of tea, too perfect, but exquisitely perfect; and she would fetch such a good price; that little firecracker Elizabeth, she was his favourite, not as beautiful as Jane but intelligent and pretty, and lively. Then there was Kitty, the ballerina, a figure to die for, he wished he could get a taste of that, and finally Lydia, it took a bit of persuading, but she was the easiest one to con, to get to fall in love with him, he tried it with Kitty but she was not as gullible as her little sister. He did have to work a bit with Lydia but not too hard, once she was in love with him, she was putty in his hands. He still remembered the look on her face when she woke up handcuffed, in that pink fluffy negligee thinking they were still playing, posing for the pictures until she did not like the poses, he was suggesting at which point he slapped her, across the head, not the face, cannot mark the merchandise. He had hoped to get her and her sister together but when Madame rocked up with the second girl, Emma, they did not have enough people to watch more girls.
He had realised the quick money that could be made selling girls, lord knows there were enough pretty girls to go around. He did not intend to try and sell Georgiana at first, he just wanted to show Darcy that he could and would steal his precious things, and Georgiana was Darcy most precious thing. But when one of his friends said that he could sell her for a massive sum of money; and hooked him up with some people. That would have been a wonderful deal, had Darcy and Richard not swooped in and stolen his prize.
It was then that he found out about the massive trafficking ring that needed a middleman, and he was just the man, not only could he charm the socks off woman, but he had a longstanding knowing of the lady in charge. Using the term lady very loosely.
Wickham hated staying indoors, unless it was because he wanted, this hiding out and not being able to go to a casino or pub or nightclub; not being able to pick up a woman or two or indulge in some of his other vices. He was itching to get back out, he got paid commission on top of his basic per girl he brought. The basic covered playing Charles Bingley and fetching and carrying for Madame.
This townhouse was a bit out of the centre of town, it was basically furnished, there was no alcohol or drugs or women in this house. The TV just picked up the basic channels, the most boring viewing one could imagine. He wandered to the window, staring out desperate for something to amuse himself. There were two girls standing on the other side of the road, the one was too fat for his liking, gross being. But the other one, she was just his type, slender female type.
He smiled as he walked out the door to the gate.
"Good morning ladies!" he called across the road, "Why are two of the most beautiful women in town right out side my house, if not to have coffee with me?" He knew that most women could not help themselves but respond to him and his charm, and he was really turning it up a notch. The fat girl would leave as soon as she realised he was actually interested in her friend which would be soon.
Both women turned to look at him, laughed and started to walk away.
WHAT? That never, well almost never happened to George Wickham. He was just about to go out the gate to go after them when a car pulled up next to them, the two women squealed loudly, obviously they knew who ever it was that stopped, he watch with great disappointment as they got in the car and drove away.
He was so busy watching the disappearing car, he did not notice the large luxury car pulling up from the other direction.
"What are you doing Mr Wickham?" her voice was not loud, but it filled him with dread. "Get back inside that house before you totally jeopardize our entire operation. "
"Yes Madam, I thought those girls were in danger, getting in that…." He trailed off under her glare, she was the one woman totally impervious to George Wickham's infamous charm.