Page 26 of The Gossip War
Unfortunately, Miss Long ate it up like sweet meats, and I had to wonder what the man’s objective was. Jane and Lizzy wondered aloud when we returned to Longbourn what his goal was and were truly shocked when I outlined his probable motive. My daughters might be naïve maidens, but I was not.
He was a man out for what he could get, and I hoped William would dispatch him with alacrity.
Meryton, Friday 4 PM, Darcy
I was reluctant to meet Wickham after I received his note, and doubly reluctant to bring Elizabeth as he suggested, but needs must.
I grew up with George Wickham. He could charm the birds from the trees, was slippery as a snake, and lied like a fox. He was trouble, and I told Elizabeth in no uncertain terms that she should not come within a yard of him, let alone speak.
That went about as well as you might expect!
She had seen him at the Philips supper, an event I did not expect, or I would have been there. Nothing happened except him sharing his usual sad tale to one more lady I would have to disabuse of his lies before he did some real damage.
I asked Elizabeth about the evening.
“Did Wickham single you out?”
“He would have had to find me first. I thought he might recognise me as your intended and stayed well clear of him. I know that parlour far better.”
“And?”
“Stop worrying, William. Had anything untoward happened to my sisters I would have told you, though with the recent changes in my mother, I would more likely tell you where to find his body.”
I laughed at that, and after the discomfort of having been… ah… instructed in what and where Elizabeth would and would not go or do, I was happy to be over the first lover’s tiff of our engagement. I doubted it would be the last.
“William, we must listen to what he has to say. He still has more ability to harm Georgiana than the Bingleys, and having both in the same village is…”
“…problematic,” I added hopefully.
“Extremely. I now regret we did not just send them packing Sunday.”
“Right or wrong, we did our best and must manage things are they are.”
She sighed, looked around to ensure we were unobserved, then gave me the chastest kiss in history on the cheek, but it was still enough to make my heart race.
~~~~~
Per Mr Bennet’s suggestion, we met in the one place he could not try to start gossip or malign Elizabeth’s reputation: dead-centre Meryton town square, in full public view. If we stood around in a small circle, we could ensure nobody was close enough to eavesdrop, and there was a horse trough nearby that might be useful if I decided to drown him.
“Darcy. Miss Elizabeth.”
That answered the question of whether he paid attention to the introductions, though learning her name and relationship to me would not require any great feats of gossiping.
“Wickham.”
He looked nervous, and I suspect he had (correctly) surmised my patience was at an end. What he could not know is which punishment I had in mind, and for which crime. I had plenty to choose from. I suspected he would have already run, had there not been a deserter’s rope awaiting such action.
He licked what looked like dry lips, which was uncharacteristic for him. He was the coolest man under pressure I knew, a fact that no doubt accounted for his continuing ability to breath after a decade in the slums of London. He lived a hard-bitten life where few thrived for long.
“I do not suppose you will accept that I have finally reformed.”
Elizabeth replied with hard edge. “Does reform include seducing young maidens with made up tales of a denied living?”
He startled, which led me to believe it had taken him a couple of days to put our relationship together. I suppose he did not make the connection when Elizabeth met him because one look at my face probably convinced him I was about to run him over with my horse (not a bad idea).
“I suppose that does not cast me in a very good light.”
“No, it does not,” I snapped, already tired of his insolence.
