Page 28 of The Gossip War
“What are you asking for?” I snarled, being tired of his tricks.
“I will give you something of supreme importance to you, and I will give my word to act like a gentleman in future, in exchange for enough funds to buy a small estate. There are ways you could ensure my compliance, but you have not because of the damage I could do.”
I snarled, “If you play the card I suspect you are—”
“No-no-no-no-no,” he said in a panic, as if desperate to keep me from even thinking about any threat to Georgiana. “I would never play that card!”
Once again, Elizabeth worked out his meaning before I did and answered with her customary bluntness.
“I suppose you are disinclined to an early rest in a pauper’s grave.”
“You understand me completely, Mrs… er… Miss Elizabeth.”
“You hold a different whip hand?”
“I do.”
While I would have liked to discuss it with Elizabeth privately, I just glanced, and she nodded. It seemed smart to see what his card was.
“How about a compromise. I assume you trust my honour?” I asked.
“I understand it is the only reason I am still breathing,” he said, making it the first honest words I had heard from his lips in years.
“Are you willing to trust Elizabeth to be a fair judge?”
He looked back and forth, and asked, “Did you?”
“I did and I do. She saved my life at a time when she despised me with good cause.”
Wickham chuckled. He had always been able to find humour in any situation. It was one of the things my father liked about him.
“Sounds like a love match. My hat is off to you. Never thought you had it in you, Darcy.”
I thought about telling him to keep his opinions to himself and may well have, but Elizabeth put her hand on my arm, which calmed me.
“I will accept her as a fair judge,” he said, as if he had any choice.
“Let us do this,” I suggested. “Show your cards. If you are not lying or trying to harm me and mine, I will allow you to walk away from this town and will refrain from hunting you down or allowing my cousin to do so. I will even pay off your commission, so you do not get hanged for desertion, which I assume you prefer to avoid.”
“Generous of you,” he replied insouciantly.
“If what you tell me is truly worthwhile, I will give you a suitable reward.”
“Suppose I tell you I am giving up a certain sum to give you this little gem. Will you commit to matching it, if we both know it is a sum you can afford.”
I was getting worried but nodded. It seemed fair enough. We shook hands for the first time since Cambridge.
“I suppose you had some sort of spat with that redheaded devil at Netherfield. There is no public scuttlebutt I could findin only a couple of days, though the timing of your engagement seems rather… unlikely… for a man of your character.”
I did not like the sound of that, since an alliance between Wickham and the Bingleys had been my worst nightmare for days.
“It was, but I do not choose to share details.”
“I would be disappointed if you did, old fellow,” he laughed, which reminded me of better times.
He seemed ready to play his hand and see what the pot held.
“That woman… Miss Bingley… offered me five thousand pounds to ruin your intended… thoroughly… with or without her consent, but ideally without.”
