Page 48

Bingley grinned, the shadow that had lain across his features now gone. “I am. I cannot be otherwise. I know my own mind in this, Darcy, and I believe I know something of Miss Bennet’s as well.”

“Then we shall visit,” Darcy promised. “When the militia is gone.”

∞∞∞

Colonel Forster looked down at the debt notes the two gentlemen had laid down before him, totalling nearly eighteen pounds. “I cannot believe it,” he murmured, more to himself than to them.

“You must,” said Mr. Lucas, “and we demand that Mr. Wickham be made to pay back his debts to our town.”

“And these are just the debts that can be quantified in pounds,” said Sir William. “I have heard that at least two maids have been sullied by him. I do not know if there shall be other consequences of his dalliances, but he cannot be let loose in Meryton any longer.”

“Certainly not,” said Colonel Forster. “I did not mean to imply disbelief in your account, sirs. Only disbelief that one such as Wickham could be counted among my men.”

Both men nodded in understanding. Colonel Forster then rose from his seat and went to the door, calling Captain Pratt into the room. He related to the captain orders to fetch Mr. Wickham, but to remain seemingly unbothered about the matter, not alerting the man either to the visitors within or the reason for his summons. Captain Pratt, a man of even manner and some discretion, departed to perform the errand, and the three gentlemen sat in silence, awkwardly looking about the room and attempting to seem at ease.

Wickham, when at length he entered the colonel’s study, was in his usual high spirits, and if he suspected that the nature of his summons was anything out of the ordinary, he concealed it with admirable composure. Not until he rose from his bow and comprehended who the guests of the colonel were did he begin to suspect that anything might be amiss. Even so, after paying his respects to the colonel, he greeted the other men with good humour and asked after their families.

“My family is all in good health and humour, Mr. Wickham. I thank you for asking,” said Sir William. His words were all that was polite, and perhaps from another man such a reply would not have alarmed him, but in the few times that Sir William and Wickham had met, the latter had never known the former to speak so few sentences in reply to any question.

“These gentlemen have called on a very important errand, Mr. Wickham,” said the colonel. “It concerns you and your apparent habit of spending beyond your means.”

Wickham managed to keep his countenance even. “It is true that I have been obliged to request credit from certain tradesmen, but always with the intention of settling at quarter-day, as is customary. It is, I believe, a practice not uncommon among officers.”

“Indeed, and even I have some credit with the tailor, but it is nowhere near the sixteen pounds that you owe.” The colonel acted as if there were a perfectly logical explanation that he was just waiting for Wickham to give.

Wickham did not disappoint. “Sir! I do not owe the tailor sixteen pounds!”

“To the tailor, you do not,” replied his senior officer, “but when your debts from all the shops are combined, it does reach that amount.”

“Sir!” cried Wickham, his countenance suffused with wounded astonishment. “That cannot be! I admit to perhaps five pounds of debt, but sixteen? It must be an invention. I must suppose there has been a mistake, or else that someone is determined to do me an injury by creating accounts in my name.”

“Who would ever wish to do such a thing?” asked Mr. Lucas with incredulity. “Surely if it were your fellow officer, it would be found out when they are seen to be called by another name or when they wished to open an account of their own.”

“Unless they had enough funds of their own and only wished to darken my name. Then they could pay the townsfolk to make up the figures.”

“You cannot be serious with such excuses,” said Colonel Forster. “These gentlemen and a few others, in order to save the shops from ruin, have purchased your debts and mean to see you pay for them. With this consideration, as well as to serve as a consequence for your other indiscretions in the county, you will be sent to debtor’s prison, where you will work off your debts.”

“Sir!” Wickham cried, his voice full of desperation. “You must understand! Many of the men in the camp owe me debts, which they have assured me that they will pay to me on quarter-day. You must permit me to prove to you that I am a man of honour. I will pay this sum, despite it not being all of my doing.”

“I will have Pratt and Carter inquire as to other officers’ debts to you,” said Colonel Forster evenly. “If that be the case, you should not worry yourself. You shall spend tonight in the lock-up, and if they discover you are telling the truth, you shall be none the worse for such an experience.”

Wickham made to protest once more, but before he could speak, his arms were seized by the two officers that had earlier delivered him into the office. He spat insults at them and all the occupants of the room as he was carried away. His voice slowly faded as he was taken out, although they were quite certain it was not because he had ceased his vitriol against his fellow officers.

The silence that followed did not last long before the two visiting gentlemen began to rise to take their leave; yet the colonel bade them remain seated. “One further matter,” said he. “I have observed that Miss Lucas wears a cap. Is it her intention to remain unmarried, or would she yet consider a suitable match?”

Sir William’s serious expression softened as he considered the respectable gentleman before him. Colonel Forster was only slightly younger than he, but he seemed a good sort of man. He was also a man of great responsibility, so it was only logical that he would wish for a wife of sense. Thus, he answered, “My daughter is most certainly open to matrimony, colonel; though it is in her nature to be cautious, she would, I am sure, consider any gentleman of steady character.”

“Thank you, Sir William. Then I may hope, perhaps, to become better acquainted with her, should circumstances allow it,” he answered, his tone more diffident than his station required.

Sir William, pleased that such an eligible prospect for his eldest daughter had presented himself, agreed that the colonel would always be welcome at Lucas Lodge. They took their leave of him, thanking him for his assistance with Mr. Wickham and hoping that he might join them to dine very soon.

Chapter 25

When at last Bingley caught sight of the small orchard that always signalled to him that he was less than a mile from Netherfield, he sighed in relief. It had not been an easy day. Caroline had showed up twice to his home, once with the Hursts and once alone. She was determined to persuade him to remain in town, even providing him with a list of eligible young ladies that she believed were superior to Miss Bennet. With her interruptions and many small tasks that had to be completed before he could set off, he did not depart his townhouse until early afternoon. Adding in a stop when one of the horses decided to begin acting as if he had a stone in his hoof, even though he had no such injury, it was now past dusk and he was ready to be at home.

At home. How strange it was that he now thought of Netherfield as his home, when he had resided there such a short time. Yet, he knew it was not anything particular about the house that made him think of it in such a manner.

He sighed and leaned back against the squab. Moments later, the motion of the carriage changed as they pulled off the main road onto Netherfield’s drive. The carriage began to slow as they drew nearer to the house. Bingley gathered his coat and hat, which had become uncomfortable during the journey, donning them as the carriage came to a stop.