Thanks to everybody who left a review :) I promise, I read them all and am happy about each and every one.

Thank you for the guest who pointed out Col. Fitzwilliam's hypocrisy. I tend to forget about that.

I'm afraid, there will be a a few days until the next chapter is posted since from now on, I only have rough drafts prepared. I'll do my best to finish the next one quickly.

Regarding today's chapter: I do not like Wickham. He is the most flat, uninteresting character there is. I find it very difficult to imagine him with any depth and applaud any author who can (challenge! :D). I would have preferred to ignore him altogether but I guess he does have an important function in P ... So, here we are.

I revamped this chapter and changed quite a bit. I noticed it did not reflect my reasoning for Mrs Bennet's actions sufficiently and also, my doubts about Lizzy's passivity would not rest. I hope it is improved and you like it.

Lizzy watched Lydia and Kitty for a while and came to the conclusion that, while their behaviour was certainly more fitting for girls still in the schoolroom, she would appreciate every morsel of sense those two developed, no matter how appropriate.

Mr Collins was in an exceptionally bad mood the next day and, at breakfast, had insisted on being the one to choose their reading material tonight. Accordingly, the Bennet girls had all been very happy to accept their aunt's invitation to a card party instead when they forayed into Meryton later that day.

Lizzy in particular was looking forward to it, if only to be spared Mr Collins' attention. The chance of meeting that dashing Mr Wickham again, whom they had encountered in Meryton today, was the cherry on top. Also, she had made a bet with her younger sisters on who could first discern prove about whether the dashing man would turn out to be hero or villain.

So when they started to prepare themselves for the outing, Lizzy took extra care with her appearance. Who could better get a man to talk about himself than a pretty woman? And if he would admire her just a little more as a result, she would not complain.

Mrs Bennet noticed Lizzy's efforts and regarded her curiously. Who had caught her daughter's fancy? Mrs Bennet had not met Mr Wickham herself, but who else could it be? Excitedly, she decided to observe her daughter carefully tonight. Maybe there was hope for Lizzy yet.

While Lizzy did not forget her quest, when Mr Wickham immediately chose to sit with her that evening she could not help but feel flattered. He had such an unassuming, almost casual manner of complimenting her, as though he no did not even actively mean to do so! Lizzy found herself charmed.

Lydia and Kitty, who were sitting at the card table right next to her, noticed her blush and started giggling. Lizzy kept herself from rolling her eyes in annoyance with great difficulty. She certainly hoped her little sisters would play badly and lose all their pin money, since they apparently had decided to spy on her instead of concentrating on the game.

Mr Wickham did not seem to mind, however. He raised an eyebrow, glanced st her sisters and back to Lizzy, and gave her a charming grin. At that, her annoyance was quickly forgotten again. She decided that for tonight, she would simply enjoy his conversation.

A little later that night, when Mr Wickham told his tragic story about a childhood friend's betrayal and mistreatment, Lizzy found herself drawn in further. She sympathised and exclaimed in all the right places. How Mr Wickham could maintain such good cheer and not let his circumstances bring him down was certainly admirable. Lizzy felt the dashing young man had all the appearance of honesty and goodness and she felt for him. In that moment, he certainly seemed more of a tragic hero than a villain.

Then, however, Mr. Wickham let a name drop. „I could never expose my former friend, if only for the love I still hold for my godfather, god bless him. Old Mr Darcy always treated me almost as a second son."

At that, Lizzy gasped and sat up with startlement, her wine almost spilling. „Mr Darcy!?" she exclaimed. Abstractly, she registered that in the background, her mother was echoing her and must have been listening in on her conversation. However, at this moment, she could not spare her a thought as recognition set in just whom Mr Wickham must have been talking about.

The gentleman looked up at Lizzy with surprise and a hint of alarm written across his face. „You know him?" he exclaimed. „He is not in the area, is he?"

Suddenly, he seemed strangely agitated. Then, however, Mr Wickham took a deep breath, collecting himself visibly. Still a little skittish, but more calmly, he said „I should not have spoken that name, I am very sorry. I was not aware he was known in this area and should certainly have been more careful. I would hate to make things uncomfortable for the kind people here."

With a self-depreciating little laugh, he asked "Can you tell me if I should avoid any particular social events or invitations where Mr Darcy might be present, Miss Elizabeth?"

Mr Wickham looked at Lizzy imploringly. She was staring at him, shocked and undecided about how to respond. With dread rising in her stomach, a sudden bout of self-reflection settled in. If Mr Darcy had not sent his kind regards following that incident, when he would have had all the reason in the world to think ill of them - why, she would most certainly not have questioned this tale of woe set out before her! Indeed, she would have used it to feel vindicated in her dislike of him!

Lizzy slowly edged away from Mr Wickham, her eyes never leaving his face. Suddenly he did not seem quite so charming anymore. Just as she had brought some distance between them and wanted to get up, Mr Wickham reached out and lay his hand on her arm. Lizzy stilled.

"Miss Elizabeth?", the young man asked. His questioning smile suddenly seemed too practised to Lizzy, almost oily. She shook his hand off and rose shakily. "Please excuse me, Mr Wickham. I suddenly do not feel so well. I shall get one of my sisters and get some fresh air."

A concerned expression on his face, Mr Wickham also rose and caught her elbow. "Allow me to escort you, Miss Elizabeth! You do seem very pale all of sudden."

Mrs Bennet had found herself a seat between her daughter and the nearest card table so that she could both watch the game and keep an eye on Lizzy. Mr Wickham certainly was a very engaging storyteller and Mrs Bennet enjoyed looking at him. He brought up quite the memories of her own youth when she would be the one holding his attention and enjoying his flirtation. It was quite the shame that he had been cheated out of his inheritance like that. A man like Mr Wickham would have made even a clergyman's frock attractive.

Then however, he mentioned Mr Darcy and the matron was ripped out of her nostalgia.

It took a while for Mrs Bennet to connect the villain in Mr Wickham's tale with Mr Darcy.

When realisation finally settled in, her nerves acted up terribly! That Mr Darcy should have acted in such a despicable manner! She was incensed.

Up until then, if you had asked her, she could not have told what she thought of Mr Darcy. Now that she found somebody making such allegations against him, however, she suddenly found her mind quite clear. Mr Darcy was certainly not the villain. Thus, Mr Wickham had to be the one filling that role.

Mrs Bennet was not prone to questioning herself. Rather, she was a creature of intuition and impulse. Thus, when she saw Lizzy trying to distance herself from the villain - her clever girl! - and said villain grabbing her elbow, Mrs Bennet acted by instinct. She jumped up from her seat and Mr Wickham suddenly and unexpectedly found Mrs Bennet's wine dripping from his jacket.

A sudden hush fell over the room as everyone turned to catch the spectacle.

Mrs Bennet stood before her quarry, her empty wine glass grasped tightly in one hand and with her other hand reaching between Mr Wickham and her daughter, attempting to push her behind herself. „Unhand my daughter at once, Sir! Shame on you!" she exclaimed.

Lizzy and Mr Wickham both stared at Mrs Bennet in stunned silence. Rallying quickly though, Lizzy shook her elbow free from Mr Wickham's grasp and hastened to distance herself from him.

Wickham raised both hands placatingly, but it was Mrs Bennet who broke the silence. „Mr Darcy may not have many friends around here, but I cannot believe him to behave as you described!" Mrs Bennet huffed, full of indignation, her colour high and her hair frazzling. „He was most considerate and kind to us lately and he certainly did not try to impose upon my daughter, when his presence was unwelcome! I cannot imagine him behaving so dishonourably. You, Sir, are a slanderer!"

As Mrs Bennet stared down Mr Wickham, slowly, excited whispers arose, breaking through the hush in the room. When Mr Wickham made no attempt to move, Mrs Bennet finally turned to Mr Philipps, who had risen from one of the card tables. „Brother, would you please escort Mr. Wickham out? I do not want him anywhere near my girls!"

While Mr Philipp led the dumfounded and unresistant Mr Wickham to the door, Lydia's crowing rose above the room's excited murmur. „I told you he would be a villain, Kitty! But who would have thought that Lizzy would take Isabella's part! La, what a laugh!"

Lizzy, still pale and shaken, suddenly found herself mortified.

Back home, Lizzy and Jane lay in bed and neither could sleep yet. „Oh Jane!", Lizzy exclaimed. „I feel like such a fool to fall for Mr Wickham's pretty words like this! I am no better than Lydia and Kitty! Nay, worse! They showed more sense than I did tonight!"

„Shush!" Jane turned to her sister and took her hand gently. „He was everything that was charming! Why would you suspect him?"

„Oh, where to start! In retrospect, his story had more holes than old Mrs Simmon's cheese!" Lizzy turned her face into the pillow and continued with a slightly muffled voice. „I am so ashamed! Only last week, I am sure I would have been happy to believe all those horrible things about Mr Darcy - I was so determined to dislike him! I, who pride myself on my judgment of character! I may think little of Mr Darcy's manners, but I should clearly have thought even less of Mr Wickham's character, with his empty flatteries and overdone self-pity."

Jane squeezed Lizzy's hand comfortingly. „But it did turn out alright in the end, did it not? She pulled the pillow from her little sisters grasp and added "And we will all learn something from it, I gather. So do't be too hard on yourself, little sister."

Lizzy would not be consoled so easily though. She sat up and turned to Jane. „Just imagine what damage this could have done to Mr Darcy's reputation! And I would have helped it along by having badmouthed him before far and wide. Oh!And Wickham would certainly have done damage to our community one way or another. I am so glad Mama reacted as she did!" Lizzy paused. „We are exceedingly lucky that she forgave Mr Darcy his early slights so easily. Please remind me of this when I next complain about her vicissitude."

At that, Jane suddenly grinned and gripped Lizzy's hand harder. Lizzy perked up with alarm, torn away from her maudlin thoughts.

„Now, about that, Lizzy dear…" Jane raised her free hand and wiggled her fingers. „What happened with you, Mama and Mr Dary? Mr Bingley and I put some of it together, but we are certain the best part of the story is still missing. You had best tell me now or I won't have mercy!"

At that, Lizzy cried out laughingly and tried to free herself, while Jane descended upon her, tickling her mercilessly.