Page 52 of Attempted Compromises
Iwillbe his wife— make no mistake about that!
∞∞∞
George Wickham scowled as he waited in the early afternoon sun at the edge of Netherfield Park for Caroline Bingley to come to meet him. Flipping open the ornate pocket watch he’d won at dice the night before, he groaned. He would need to leave soon in order to return before dinner.
Stupid woman is ten minutes late. Does shewantus to get caught?
He’d left a note with a young maid at Netherfield to put on Caroline’s pillow, informing her of the time for their rendezvous. The girl had agreed with a giggle, and he’d sent her on her way with a wink and pat on the bottom.
I’ll have to come around more often if all the maids at this house look like that.
After waiting another five minutes, Wickham had almost given up. With a sigh of resignation, he turned away and began to the mile walk back towards the barracks.
“Wait!”
The hushed cry and patter of footsteps behind him caused him to tense, then relax as he recognized the voice as belonging to the mistress of the estate.
“About time,” he snarled at her, turning around to face her.
Taken aback at his harsh tone, Caroline stopped short, her eyes wide. Forcing himself to paste a pleasant expression on his face, he said in a softer tone, “My apologies, madam. I was merely concerned someone might see us. I allowed my worry to get the better of me.”
She straightened her gloves with a sniff. “It took some time to escape my sister’s endless chatter about the ball.”
“Ah, yes— the ball. I know my fellow officers are quite eager to attend. I imagine you are as well? Surely my old friend would have asked you for the first set by now.”
Her face darkened in anger, and he nearly laughed aloud. The entire town was buzzing with the gossip that the Bennet girls had caught the most eligible bachelors in town; Mrs. Bennet had been crowing all morning to her visitors how her three eldest daughters already had partners for the first set.
“He has been… distracted by that wretched Bennet girl,” she said, pursing her lips. “I know he loves me, but I do worry he will fall prey to her little games to secure him.”
Ha! I bet he does, Wickham thought sarcastically. Aloud, he bowed slightly and said, “It is the lot of all rich men, I’m afraid, to be intrigued by those who are… beneath them. But rest assured, such infatuations rarely last.”
Her lip curled in disdain. “If he dances with her first at the ball, all of my chances with him are gone. He means too much to me to allow him to throw away our future together.”
Looking at him from under her batting eyelashes, she cooed, “He is your friend, is he not? Please say you will help me.”
“How can I help you? He despises me, remember?” He infused his words with faux regret, adopting the wounded air of a misunderstood soul.Two can play this game, he thought with derision.
Caroline hesitated, then leaned in conspiratorially. “I think we need to… arrange a situation that will force his hand. I need your assistance to compromise him.”
Wickham blinked, momentarily stunned.Did she just suggest what I think she did?
Caroline bit her lip, her nerves evident as she awaited his response.
“How… exactly do you plan to accomplish that?” he asked carefully.
Her voice grew more confident as she explained. “I will serve a special tea tomorrow evening after dinner for everyone. I have a unique blend from London—it’s truly unremarkable tea, but with the addition of this vial”— she shook a small bottle in front of him— “and a few herbs to mask the bitterness, it will taste exotic. I’ll add just enough of the drug to ensure that everyone falls asleep within a quarter of an hour. Once they are unconscious, I will signal you from the window before drinking some myself. You will come in and… arrange matters.”
“Arrange matters?” Wickham echoed cautiously, raising a skeptical eyebrow.
“Yes, this is where I cannot do it myself.” Caroline’s spoke briskly as she outlined the rest of her plan. “You will quickly move Mr. Darcy and myself to his chambers, remove our clothing—” here she blushed before continuing resolutely— “then lay me down next to him, ensuring that we appear… compromised. When he wakes, it will be evident to everyone that he has no choice but to propose.”
Wickham’s mind raced. “And what of the servants? Surely, they’ll notice something amiss.”
“I will give them the afternoon off, except for a single maid to serve the tea,” Caroline replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. “If questioned, I will simply blame the tea’s supplier.”
He chuckled darkly. “And you believe Darcy will simply accept such a story? He could hush up the entire matter, especially with no witnesses.”
Caroline frowned, her brow furrowing in thought, then she grinned triumphantly. “I will invite the two eldest Bennet girls to join the tea. I’ll tell them I need their help with the ball’s arrangements. They’ll be there to witness everything, and I will take great pleasure in seeing Elizabeth Bennet’s face when she realizes she has lost.”
