Chapter 24 ~ Idle Assertions

"Wickham is that you? Been an age – well met - remembered that you had been from the North! And what do you suppose brought me so far? Nothing less than a wager, Sam Fletcher, do you recall, ill-favoured bloke, good sport – no matter – he said my gig was fair worn out and wouldn't make it to Leicestershire and I said I could take as far as York without losing a nail - I made made it all the way to Durham - just to prove my point - but the horse they gave me in North Riding was- Say are your for London by chance? If there's room in your gig - "

"I am sorry to disappoint you but we are travelling North."

"That so? Well, I am sure to meet someone heading to London, Don't fancy riding so great a distance."

His recent recollections did not dispose our friend to wish for more of Thorpe's company and he said only:

"I wish you godspeed."

As Thorpe was discussing his troubles Darcy was reviewing all the reasons he had to doubt his assessment of Wickham's character. Elizabeth's previous opinion and her father's held little weight when compared to his own experience with the man. George Wickham's gentlemanly conduct, Davis' approval of the man, Lydia's fierce defense of him, did not remove his antipathy. They did, however, allow for a flyspeck of doubt that he had properly judged the other man. Wickham may have changed – that could not explain the recent attempts to blacken his character to Elizabeth. He had a flyspeak of doubt that Wickham was entirely to blame, no more, but it was enough for him to make another attempt. This time he would settle the business of providing an income for his wife's sister without hostility it was to be hoped. With that noble goal in mind he entered the public room. As he descended the steps he heard a familar voice over the dinn of the hodgepodge assembled therein.

"You never would get into such scrape - exactly like old Moreland – dull fellow. Never known two people so serious as you and Moreland – always at the books - and stingy, he would not undertake to gamble more than a shilling or two. You are just the same I reckon and when I won ten guineas from your friend Darny or Darby or something like, rich as croesus – I treated you both to breakfast-"

What Darcy heard astonished him. Here was the very same man who had told him about Wickham's dissolute behaviour when he searched him out to take him to his father's sick bed. The man was now contradicting some of what he had said to discredit Wickham. Determined to hear the truth Darcy adopted his London persona, and stepped forward.

"Thorpe? Good to see you! Our friend Wickham has not been eluding you to avoid paying his debts again has he?"

Darcy sat casually across from Wickham and gestured for Thorpe to join them, which he did with alacrity.

"Wickham? Lord no – sober as a judge, good sort of fellow. Could never tear him away from his books even to taste my ale – here he sits with pint. You wouldn't drink their swill, I imagine. Port is it or Brandy? – Nowbif you just had mine you might save a penny and wouldn't need your bottle a day– famous good stuff so everyone says!"

Looking guiltily at Mr. Wickham Darcy said dryly, "Everyone seems to have a good deal to say about everything these days, I wonder how much truth there is in it."

"I'll give you five pounds if you find one better in Oxforshire! By jove-"

"Calm yourself, sir. I was speaking in generalities."

"Fine, good, say either of you men want to buy a team of horses? I've a friend has a handsome team to unload – if they were mine I wouldn't part with them for less than four hundred pound-"

"My word! they must be excellent horses but I have no use for any, just now." His eyes, lit with amusement met Wickham's and lifting his brow he sent a warning before turning again to their foolish companion. "You must drink to our health Mr. Thorpe! What do you think we are doing on the North road? We met the most charming sisters and have run away with them!"

"Eloping? No, I couldn't believe it. A honeymoon, I wager! Darcy you have always had ladies – I would not be surprised that you would do such a thing – but why? And Wickham impossible!"

"Thorpe, what do you know about me and ladies! I cannot recall that we ever socialised."

"No no we were in different sets, but you know the fellows talk –"

Wickham took a drink to disguise his emotion. A wince of contrition for ever crediting a word from the man warred with hilarity. It was evident that Darcy had also been deceived by the drivel that spilled freely from a man so heedless of the consequences of his idle chatter. All the years of malice melted away and kinship was kindled. They had both been made the fools of a fool.

"I remember how we met! Freeman introduced you to me at Tattersalls and Bingley is who you are thinking of. He has always been a great favourite with ladies. He spent some time with your family-"

"He did, yes now he's a fellow! Vile tempered man! Shocked my mama when he – It set everybody in a bustle! Bella refused his card after that."

"Oh? I remember it differently, but no matter! I am relieved to hear that Wickham is no longer falling into debt. It was quite a problem some years ago – ten guineas in one night!

There was something about the guineas that suggested to Thorpe that he ought not continue the conversation lest he remember what was best forgotten. With no better means of escape he stretched his arms wide and gave a terrible yawn.

"Well, fellows it was such lark to – After all these years – Up all night, I should go get some rest - a fellow must have some rest you know." With that he wisely went away.

Neither of his companions encouraged him to stay.

The two men he had so thoughtlessly deceived watched him disappear up the stairs in dumbfounded silence. When their eyes next met their incredulous expressions soon transformed into disgust and mere moments later their lips quirked with mirth. The truth quite naturally followed and afterwards, quite wickedly, a scheme intended simply for diversion was plotted. Perhaps the 'swill' provided by The Swan was responsible for two principled gentlemen wishing to pull a harmless prank. A prank so harmless in fact that it would serve its victim's purposes as much as it would their own. It was George who first proposed it.

"Did you remember to send the gig back to Mr. Brown or is it still in York?"

"Dash it all! – My apologies - No it slipped my mind entirely. Let me send a note at once."

"I have another idea, John Thorpe requires a gig to return to London. We could let him return it."

"Do you not think it would be safer in the hands of one of my men?"

"Very likely it would. I have another reason to prefer Thorpe, and I will undertake to replace their gig should it come to harm, do not you think Bennet would like to meet that fellow? We have each caused him some distress, you by marrying his favourite daughter and I by carrying away his youngest. It would not undo the harm we have done but it may well put us in his good graces."

"Just as I had come to think you as high-minded as my wife once insisted you were you expose your true knavery." He smiled savouring the moment, pleased to be assured that George Wickham was neither a profligate nor a paragon. "You know the man better than I and I suppose you have more reason to try to please him just now. Introducing a prattling gascon to my notice is not the sort of gesture that would endear you to me –but I am not at all opposed to the plan."

"Excellent!"

A letter to Mr. Bennet was soon composed by Mr. Wickham and another note for Mr. Thorpe was composed by Mr. Darcy. If the gentlemen could have known all the repercussions that would follow from this 'good deed' they may have been less smug. Having been so recently humbled you would think they would not fall so easily into self-satisfied vanity but even our meek curate preened himself on this innocent bit of mischief. In harmony at last the two men always destined to become brothers took themselves off to bed.

*~.*.~*

Here are two paragraphs I removed when I did the rewrite. If you wish to read them and feel that the information must be added back or if it is not needed, I would be grateful for the feedback.

John Thorpe you must know was a rattle, a man for whom truth and accuracy held little value and he said whatever came into his head that may serve his immediate purposes. Wanting admiration and envy he boasted to his friends about spending time with the wealthy and well connected Darcy, embellishing his tales from his own very active imagination. After losing his first bet he spent the rest of the night trying unsuccessfully to win it back. Without the funds to purchase breakfast or to pay his part for the room they shared, he was desperate to save face. Darcy had enough money that a few guineas would make no difference to him. His loss was exaggerated, the blame placed on Wickham and those golden guineas were in his hand. He spent a few bob on his friends to ease his conscience.

It was too much information to absorb all at once but he thought of it a great deal as he was scolded and shunned all the way to Pemberley. Once he arrived he discovered that his good father had died and he was not in time to say goodbye. Darcy and his cousin continued to treat him with utter contempt, making assumptions about his actions and refusing to listen to his disavowells. Just the way he had been treated since they met again. Clearing his good name mattered very little at that point. But to be lectured and criticised for his moral behaviour by such a man was galling. To be fair - and really he should attempt to be - he had only gossip to justify his ill opinion of Darcy. Darcy, on the other hand, had at least a fair appearance of vice on both occasions. He was once discovered in the company of people involved in licentious conduct and more recently with Lydia.