Page 44 of Master of Himself

Charles could scarcely believe his good fortune. He wouldn’t have to ride to Longbourn to see Jane, after all. She had come to town with her sisters and was conversing with Mr Denny and two other men. “There she is, by the millinery shop. Greet her for me, will you, Darcy?”

“Have a care with my name, if you please,” Darcy said in a harsh whisper.

Charles cursed himself for slipping. The sight of his angel had to be his excuse.

They approached the millinery and greeted the ladies. “Good morning, Miss Bennet. We were just on our way to Longbourn to inquire after your health,” Darcy said.

Appearing lovelier than ever, Miss Bennet smiled and curtsied. “Thank you, Mr Bingley. I’m perfectly well.”

Charles feasted his eyes on her. With her rosy glow and gleaming eyes, she did indeed look exceedingly fine. Knowing Darcy would also wish to acknowledge Miss Elizabeth, he bade her good morning, and she bobbed a curtsy.

Charles touched his hat to acknowledge Mr Denny, and was about to inquire after the remaining sisters’ health and that of their parents, but in the next instant, Darcy abruptly turned Shadow about, and raced past the shops down Meryton Road.

Dear Lord, what now? How could Darcy act this way after he had vowed to amend his behaviour in public? Given no other choice, Charles took leave of the ladies and set out after Darcy.

At length, he and Bart caught up to Darcy, and he reminded himself not to say his name, lest they were overheard. “Friend, friend. What has happened?”

Darcy slowed to a trot. “The man with Denny is the despicable cur who followed my sister to Ramsgate. My mortal enemy, George Wickham. Did you see how close he was standing to Miss Elizabeth?” he said with a contemptuous snarl.

In all honesty, Charles had used the opportunity to admire the sheer perfection of Miss Bennet’s glowing countenance and had hardly noticed the man. Obviously, he’d been caught disregarding his surroundings again and had chosen instead to concentrate his sole attention on a beautiful woman.

Perhaps his friend was right after all. Instead of being sensible and worldly-wise like Darcy, he had resorted to his usual impulses. If he didn’t exercise more control over himself, he could easily be exposed as a fraud, which would be the worst of all possible outcomes.

***

Determined to put as much distance between himself and Wickham, Darcy loosened his grip on Shadow’s reins and allowed him to race onwards. As the horse thundered over the road, rage consumed him. The absolute gall of that man showing his face in polite society when he had nearly destroyed a young girl’s happiness. Had Wickham spared a single thought for Georgiana since he’d left Ramsgate last August?

Naturally, Elizabeth was unaware of Wickham’s scandalous past, the wagering, the womanising, the dishonesty, and defaulting on his debts. Did he now suppose he could secure her affections or tempt her into an improper liaison? As long as Darcy drew breath, that would never happen.

He'd been so incensed by the sight of the blackguard, he had even considered reaching down and hauling Elizabeth up to his saddle and spiriting her away.

Instead, he’d managed to take control of his senses and ride off. Perhaps he had acted rashly in leaving so abruptly, but how could he have remained in Wickham’s presence and not thrashed him within an inch of his life?

There’s no telling what he might have done or how far he would have ridden if Charles hadn’t come after him, but upon seeing Bart straining to reach him, he had reined in his mount.

At least he could glean one benefit from this new development; with Wickham here in Meryton, Georgiana was safe from him. Later today, he would write to Colonel Fitzwilliam to advise him of Wickham’s location. After catching his breath, he revealed his history with Wickham to Charles, starting with his descent into idleness and dissipation at university.

“My father intended the church living at Kympton for him, but Wickham requested the value of the living instead. Knowing a man of his calibre was unfit for the clergy, I agreed and paid him three thousand pounds, plus another thousand from a bequest. I thought that would be the last I would hear of him; however, when the living became vacant, he applied to me for the preferment, according to my father’s final wishes. Since he had signed an agreement relinquishing all future claim to the living, I, of course, refused. What’s more, since I had also discharged his local debts of honour of nearly another thousand, I believed my obligation to him had been fully satisfied.”

“Indeed, you did just as you ought,” Charles said.

“But he imposed on me again in Ramsgate. If not for the hooded man’s warning, Wickham would have carried Georgiana off to Gretna.” The memory of her despair still haunted him.

“Good God. He was the man?” Charles glanced over his shoulder at the village behind them. “And now he’s come to Hertfordshire to seek his fortune.”

A terrible thought occurred to Darcy. “Your sister must not fall prey to his false charm.”

“You may be sure that I will protect her,” Bingley said in a resolute voice, but in the next instant, his shoulders dropped. “However, I fear I must rely on you to warn Caroline on my behalf.”

Darcy groaned, cursing his bad luck. Had he not already suffered sufficient degradation? Not only had he been forced to play the role of Charles Bingley, but now he must also be Caroline’s advisor. The woman who had been relentless in her pursuit of him this past month and had put herself forward at every opportunity.

He rid himself of that line of thought. Despite Caroline’s forward conduct, even she deserved to be protected from the clutches of an unscrupulous fortune hunter, as Georgiana had nearly succumbed. “I’ll see to it immediately.”

Darcy paced in Charles’s study as he waited for Caroline and Louisa to join him. He and Charles had decided that as Caroline’s chaperone, Louisa must also be advised of Wickham’s presence in the neighbourhood. Although he dreaded this meeting, he recalled Georgiana’s heartache after the Ramsgate affair, and how easily it could have been prevented if only he had advised her of Wickham’s true character.

The ladies finally stormed into the room. “What on earth can you mean, Charles, summoning us to your study, as though we are schoolgirls?” Caroline said in high dudgeon.

Recalling the importance of this errand, Darcy kept his temper in check. “I have information that I must relay to you in the strictest confidence. May I rely on you both to keep a secret?