Falling for Mr. Darcy (36 page)

Wickham snarled at Darcy, his humiliation fueling his long-held rage. He lunged at Darcy with his fist pulled back to strike. Fortunately, Darcy was expecting some form of aggressive behavior and was not unprepared. He deftly reached for Wickham’s fist and pulled it behind his back. Wickham yelped in pain.

Darcy held onto Wickham’s arm and leaned in to whisper menacingly, “Wickham, you have always said you deserved more from my family. On this subject, I think you will find, we agree.” He pulled Wickham’s arm up higher on his back, causing the man to cry out again. “That, Wickham, is what you deserve for hurting Georgiana.” He jerked his arm up again, this time breaking his wrist in the process as Wickham screamed. “That is what you deserve for hurting Elizabeth.”

Wickham managed to sputter with feigned bravery, “What are you going to do, Darcy, gentleman that you are? Are you going to take your fists to me? That will not save their reputations, for I can still speak.”

Darcy leaned closer and spoke slowly and so calmly that a chill ran down Wickham’s spine. “I do not believe you will have the chance where you are going.”

All of the blood ran from Wickham’s face when, at that moment, Colonel Fitzwilliam emerged from the surrounding area with several members of his regiment. The men surrounded Darcy and Wickham.

Richard pronounced, “Lieutenant George Edward Wickham, Esq., as a member of His Majesty’s Royal Armed Forces, and under the parliamentary Incitement to Mutiny Act of 1797, I hereby place you under arrest for the willful abandonment of employment and duty to your regiment in violation of your legal obligation.”

Wickham sputtered in disbelief.

Darcy again pulled his arm, giving him another shot of pain. “I will speak slowly so you understand. Desertion, Wickham. You left the militia without permission when you came to London.”

Richard smiled briefly at Wickham’s horror-stricken face and then resumed his formal address. “As such, Lt. Wickham, you are hereby required, under civil law, to be tried in Martial Court.”

Darcy spoke in a low tone directly into Wickham’s ear. “Desertion is a felony, Wickham, and the sentence is death.”

Wickham’s eyes went wide, and his mouth opened as if to speak, but no words came out. Richard covered his mouth in amused disbelief when the light from a lantern held by one of his men caught the evidence that Wickham had soiled his breeches.

Richard indicated to his men to take the miscreant away. “Darcy, you can let him go now.” When his cousin did not release Wickham, he stepped forward to intervene. “Darcy, let us take him from here.”

Darcy finally pushed Wickham into the waiting hands of two officers and stepped back as they placed restraints on his arms. A wave of relief mixed with exhaustion washed over him. He took another few steps back until he bumped into the statue and leaned against it. He could not believe it was over. Nearly fifteen years of suffering the cruelties and slanderous evil at the tongue of Wickham, and it was over.

After Colonel Fitzwilliam ensured Wickham was securely in custody on a carriage between two of his officers, he returned to Darcy. Placing a hand on his cousin’s shoulder, he leaned in and said, “It is finished, Darcy.”

Darcy turned to look at his cousin as his lips turned up slowly into a smile. “Indeed, it is, Cousin!”

Richard patted him on the back. “I will meet you at your home as soon as I see Wickham safely secured at Newgate to await his trial. Then we shall have a drink. What do you say, Cousin?”

Darcy nodded his head. “I will wait up for you.”

* * *

The next morning, Darcy watched his groom secure Elizabeth’s trunks onto the carriage as he waited with Georgiana in the Gardiners’ parlor for her to come down the stairs. He tapped his fingers against his leg in worried anticipation. He had informed Georgiana that morning of the events of the previous day — from Elizabeth’s attack to Wickham’s arrest. He had wished to spare her the pain of knowing there was ever a threat from Wickham, but once he realized she would certainly notice and question Elizabeth’s injuries, he knew he had to reveal it all.

He was surprised at the calm way that she listened to his news. He was worried at first that her serenity was hiding a more distressing reaction, but when her only real concern was for Elizabeth’s well-being, he knew she had not been set back by Wickham’s attempt. He was grateful and pleased to see her strength.

Georgiana’s greeting to Elizabeth caused him to turn from the window and look at them.

“Miss Bennet! How are you feeling today?” Georgiana’s voice was infused with concern, and her eyes showed all the understanding she felt.

Elizabeth pursed her lips and captured her friend’s hand in hers. “I am well, thank you.” She wrapped Georgiana’s arm around her own. “If you do not mind, I would like you to call me Elizabeth. After all that has happened, ‘Miss Bennet’ sounds too formal, do you not think?”

“I would like that very much, Elizabeth, and please call me Georgiana.”

Darcy’s lips turned upwards in a small smile, and he walked over to his two favorite ladies. He bowed to Elizabeth and tried to maintain his smile when he noticed her bruises were a deeper color now that they had set in.

“Good morning, Miss Bennet.” He swallowed.

Elizabeth smiled to herself as she curtsied. As always, her heart started beating faster as soon as she heard his voice. “Good morning, sir.”

Their eyes locked in a long gaze until Elizabeth’s aunt and uncle came into the room. Elizabeth gave each of her cousins a warm goodbye and hugged her aunt and uncle. Shortly afterwards, Darcy, Georgiana and Elizabeth exited the house.

Darcy handed Elizabeth and Georgiana into the carriage and sat opposite them as their journey began. Immediately, Elizabeth and his sister began talking quietly to each other. Darcy sensed their need for a private moment after all that had happened, so he turned to look out the carriage window.

He happily amused himself with a new mental picture of Elizabeth as mother to his children after having seen the affectionate way she interacted with her young cousins. His slight smile and contented look soon garnered the attention of the ladies, who whispered and giggled to each other about it.

Darcy became aware of their amusement and inspection not long after it began, but pretended ignorance as he settled into the soft cushions and closed his eyes. Rest did not come, however, as the enchanting sound of Elizabeth’s laugh reached his ears repeatedly. Her lavender scent permeated the small carriage space and tickled his senses. He fought the urge to open his eyes to look at her and drink in her beauty, but he felt his ability to survive the journey with equanimity would be in jeopardy if he did.

An hour into their trip, the voices of his sister and Elizabeth ceased altogether. When the carriage became quiet for several minutes, Darcy wondered whether the girls had fallen asleep and decided to investigate. He carefully opened one eye to scan the carriage. Georgiana was asleep, but as he adjusted his view to include Elizabeth, he caught her looking at him with a smirk on her face.

He immediately closed his eye and pressed his lips together to keep from smiling. Her soft giggle was his undoing, and he opened his eyes to look at her.

“You did not fool me, Mr. Darcy. I knew you were not asleep.”

His eyebrows rose at her statement. “Indeed? And how did you know that, Miss Bennet!”

She laughed softly and looked quickly to see that Georgiana was not disturbed before turning a delicious smile on Darcy. She looked down at her skirts and smoothed them as she shrugged confidently. “I have never known anyone who spent their time
sleeping
while constantly trying not to smile.” She looked up at him with that impertinent grin he loved.

Darcy tried to hold his face in the stern mask at which he was so adept but could not maintain it for long. He smiled at her and shook his head. They sat silently looking at each other for a while as Georgiana slept. His eyes roamed over her bruises, and he frowned before forcing himself to look out the window.

Elizabeth watched as his hands clenched into fists. “Will you tell me what happened last night?”

Darcy looked over to her and thought for a moment. He nodded and began recounting what he had told Georgiana that morning about Wickham’s arrest. As with Georgiana, he left out the vile insults Wickham had spat at him about both ladies.

“So that is it? He has been arrested; now what will happen to him?”

“His desertion is punishable by death when they find him guilty.”

“How do you know he will be convicted?” He could hear panic begin to rise in her voice. “What if they let him go?”

He gave her a comforting smile. “He will be convicted. Colonel Fitzwilliam has documents from Colonel Forster detailing numerous acts of insubordination prior to his desertion, and of course, he did leave his regiment. Besides the fact that he left without leave to do so, I have proof that he did not intend to reenlist or return to his regiment.”

“What proof do you have?”

“He wrote me several threatening letters.” Darcy swallowed and clenched his jaw again.

“I am sorry.” Elizabeth was quiet for a minute, leaving them to their thoughts. “So, it is over.” She spoke more to herself than to him, but he responded with a sigh.

“It is finally over.”

A few minutes later, they felt the carriage begin to slow as it neared the coaching inn where they would stop for a short rest and some refreshment. When they reached the inn, Darcy gently woke Georgiana, and the three of them left the carriage to stretch their legs and have a cup of tea while the horses were changed.

As they approached the carriage to resume their journey, Georgiana requested, “William, could you get my valise? I should like to read a book that is packed in it.”

He assisted the ladies into the carriage as he replied, “Of course, dear, I will ask the groom to retrieve it, and I’ll bring it to you.”

After handing her the bag, he stepped up to enter the carriage. As his head ducked inside, he noticed Georgiana had placed her bag on the seat next to her and opposite Elizabeth. Realizing that the only place left for him was next to Elizabeth, he shot a disapproving look at his sister, who gave him an innocent look in return. He saw that Elizabeth was oblivious to the situation and only interested in the book she was reading.

He hesitated briefly and, after giving his sister another scowl at her blatant machination, stepped into the carriage and placed himself in the seat next to Elizabeth. Her head shot up when she noticed him, and she blushed.

Darcy tried again silently to censure his sister and reached for Georgiana’s bag to switch places with it. As the carriage jolted forward and jarred him back into the seat, he gave up the effort. He turned an apologetic face to Elizabeth, who smiled demurely before returning her attention to her book. Georgiana smiled widely at him before lowering her head to her own book with a look of satisfaction.

Darcy held his hands tightly in his lap and looked out the window. With Elizabeth so near, her perfume was all the more disastrous to his composure, as was the occasional brush of her arm or leg against his when the carriage wheels rolled along a rut in the road.

Elizabeth was not managing to keep her composure any better. Every time Mr. Darcy’s leg or arm brushed against her, it left her skin feeling as if it were on fire. She would just gain command of her senses and try to resume reading her book, when the carriage would jerk again and their limbs would collide. Her only consolation was the fact that she could see that he was just as affected. She saw him trying to remain impassive, but whenever they brushed against each other, he would nibble his bottom lip and clutch his hands together tightly, making his knuckles turn white.

Eventually, the quiet sway of the carriage, combined with the previous night’s tumultuous sleep, caused her eyelids to become heavy, and despite the sensations coursing through her when they touched, she was lulled into a restful slumber.

Darcy was relieved when he noticed Elizabeth had fallen asleep, as it gave him the opportunity to relax his tight jaw and let out a deep breath. When she was awake, it had taken all his control not to pull her into his arms and kiss her. Instead, he had to force himself to hide the effect her proximity was having on him. Now that she was asleep, he could relax a little without her seeing the state he was in.

His momentary relief vanished when a bump in the road caused the carriage to jerk and Elizabeth to slide nearer to him, her head falling to rest on his shoulder. His eyes went wide as he glanced at her sleeping face. He looked across the carriage to his sister for help and then shook his head in exasperation as she smiled happily at him and resumed reading her book.

It was exquisite torture to be so close to Elizabeth, feeling her soft breath as she inhaled and exhaled. Her hair piled high on her head was tickling his face, and her lavender scent was even more intoxicating. He turned his head towards her and closed his eyes as he allowed himself the indulgence of one deep breath. He was reminded, suddenly, of their horse ride after her fall. He smiled at the memory for a minute.

Georgiana giggled softly from across the carriage, and he looked to her at the sound. She whispered, “You are welcome, William.”

He frowned at her briefly for good measure before breaking into a brilliant smile and winking at her. He settled in next to Elizabeth and determined to enjoy the dream as long as he was allowed. Eventually, he became aware that Georgiana had dozed off, which allowed him unabashedly to admire Elizabeth’s beautiful, sleeping face without the amused smiles of his sister. To see her sleep was an image he had dreamed of and hoped never to forget. He spent a long time memorizing every curve of her soft face and delicately splayed eyelashes. Her features were relaxed in such a contented manner that he decided she had never looked more beautiful.