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“All I know is that she never complains, and she and I talk often.”
Hoping he had gained her confidence, Wickham said, “Would you be willing to provide me with the opportunity to speak to her?”
“What is your name?”
“Fitzwilliam Darcy.”
“Well, Mr. Darcy, you are in luck. Fanny and I eat luncheon together almost every day. In a few minutes I will close the bakery and join her at the table beneath the tall tree—the one nearest the building. If you just happen to join us, she will have the choice of speaking to you or not.”
Wickham displayed another charming smile, donned his hat and tapped it. “I shall gladly take that chance. Hopefully, she will stay and hear me out.”
Having said that, as he went out the bakery door, Tillie sighed. “What I would give for a cousin that handsome to visit me.”
Chapter 15
London
The Charity House
Tillie was all anticipation when she finally sat down at the table across from Lydia, whom she knew as Fanny. Looking about the lawn, she noted that the gentleman who wished to speak to her friend was presently standing next to a large tree whose lower limbs kept him from being easily seen. Wickham was directly behind Lydia, and when Tillie caught his eye, he nodded and began to walk in their direction.
Lydia, oblivious to what was happening, was placing the sandwiches she had prepared for their luncheon on a cloth she had laid out for that purpose. “The chicken is cold, though the bread is still warm. I hope you like it.”
Knowing what was to come, Tillie fought to keep from smiling broadly. “I am certain I will. By the way, I met someone today who wishes to speak to you.”
Instantly alert, Lydia sat up straighter, fixing her eyes on Tillie. “Lady Clara expressly said that we are not to speak to others about anyone who lives here. Why would you talk to someone about me?”
A bit offended, Tillie replied, “Only because I thought you would be happy to have been found by your cousin.”
“What cousin?”
“Fitzwilliam Darcy.”
Just as Lydia was trying to figure out why Mr. Darcy would say he was her cousin, George Wickham stepped into view at the end of the table. Doffing his hat, he bowed. “It is good to see you looking so well, Mrs. Wickham.”
From the look on her friend’s face, Tillie knew she had done the wrong thing, and her anxiety only grew when Lydia declared, “You have not bothered to see me since you left me here nearly a year ago, George. What nefarious scheme has made you come here now?”
At that pronouncement, Tillie leaped to her feet and ran towards the building, hoping to find Lady Clara quickly and undo the damage she had enabled. Wickham knew he had only a few minutes to make his case; therefore, he threw the newspaper he was holding onto the table and pointed to an article he had circled.
“Did you know that Lady Morgan is engaged to marry Mr. Darcy?”
Lydia looked shocked as she read the announcement of Darcy’s engagement to her sister. “How can Jane marry Mr. Darcy when she is already married?”
Hoping to gain her trust, he said, “As I suspected, not one of your family has told you that Lord Morgan was killed months ago in a robbery in Derbyshire.”
“I-I did not …” A dumbfounded Lydia could not continue.
“I am here because I was hired by a gentleman to find Miss Elizabeth. He is serious about his intention to leave her with no relations and no employment so that he may force her to marry him. I suspect he is the one who had Lord Morgan killed in the robbery, such is his obsession.” As Lydia remained silent, he added, “I hope you will accompany me in my search for Miss Elizabeth, for she will be more apt to listen to me with you there. I plan to warn her against this man, as I believe he will stop at nothing to have her.”
Lydia eyed him warily. “Why do you care? You have no thought for the feelings of others. Money is your only motivation.”
Wickham smiled as he brought his hand up to cover to his heart. “You wound me. I know you think I abandoned you, but having no money for your care, I had to leave you under Lady Clara’s watch. That was the only way to be certain you would get the help you needed.”
Lydia looked as though she was considering his argument, so he continued. “I plan to find Miss Elizabeth and tell her everything. Then I will inform his lordship that I will return her to him for a certain amount of money. Of course, I do not plan on following through with that, but he shall not find out until you and I, and Lizzy if she wishes, have left England with the ransom.”
“Who is the man?”
Wickham laughed. “I am not so careless as to tell you. He would think nothing of killing me should he find out what I am planning.”
