Duels of Every Sort Read online

  When John turned to join me where I stood with Denny, Denny went to join Wickham. I asked, “What did you say to him?”

  “Oh, I just let him know I was not ignorant of his reputation or past actions and that he should not trifle with me,” John replied. His eyes glinted with hard amusement.

  I was about to challenge Wickham to a match, when he and Denny returned with Carter and Saunderson. Denny said, “Mr. Darcy, I have told Wickham here that he must have a go with you. He is the quickest blade in the regiment. And, Mr. Bennet, if you would oblige me, I should like to learn that last series you employed so effectively. Carter and Saunderson agree.” Really, Wickham’s mates made things so simple for us. I did not even have to challenge him.

  John and I indicated our willingness. In order to give Wickham a proper rest after his last match before engaging me, John underwent to show the other three officers the attack pattern he had used to defeat Wickham. They all learned the movements, but I could see that only Denny had the skill and speed required to use it with any effectiveness.

  When they were finished, Wickham and I stood across from each other without a word. I held his gaze with a cold glare. I could see a flicker of apprehension in his otherwise cocky demeanor. We saluted each other, crossed swords and began. I gave him just enough time and leeway to allow me to gauge his skill and style, offering only partial effort.

  Then I attacked. Without remorse, or disguise, I poured all of the anger I had felt since June into a full-fledged assault, using all my skill and my most complicated combinations. It was far too much for Wickham. Oh he was a better swordsman than most, and if we ever crossed blades again, he would be better prepared to meet me, but he could not keep up. A flick of my wrist sent his foil spinning across the grass, and I held my own under his chin, my eyes boring into his. I saw genuine fear.

  Most of the officers had gathered to watch the exchange and a number were clapping or exclaiming loudly about the combinations I had used. The general din gave me the cover I needed for a private word with my old friend. I lowered my sword and approached him under the pretense of shaking hands with him. He reluctantly returned the gesture. While gripping his hand with rather more force than strictly necessary, I warned, “Stay away from the Bennets and the Bingleys, Wickham. If I find you have approached any of them, then this meeting will be but a prelude to our next. You are only alive because I was convinced me not to kill you in June. Come near anyone from either Longbourn or Netherfield, and no one will be successful in persuading me to let you be again.”

  Wickham stared back at me, trying to disengage his hand from mine. With a final squeeze, I stepped back and retrieved his foil. I handed it to him, we saluted one another, and I turned my back on him. By doing so, I was nearly daring him to try something, but there was little he could do with so many witnesses and only a practice foil in his possession.

  After answering a few of the officers’ questions about my skills and the masters with which I had studied, John and I retrieved our coats and thanked Colonel Forster for his invitation and the excellent exercise his officers had provided us. We then took our leave.

  Once atop our mounts and out of sight of the practice field, I reigned in Strider and stopped. John pulled up next to me, and I grinned at him. “That was an excellent idea, John. It felt wonderful to beat that scoundrel so decidedly, and in front of his companions, too. I saw the fear in his eyes as he stared down my blade.”

  John placed a brotherly hand on my shoulder. “Yes, it was good fun, wasn’t it? The look of absolute shock on Wickham’s face when you stopped toying with him and then disarmed him was priceless.” His eyes sparkled, much like Elizabeth’s, with glee. “Shall he heed our warning, do you think?”

  “He had better, or I won’t simply disarm him next time,” was my level reply. “In any case, I sent an express to Colonel Fitzwilliam yesterday. I hope for a response from him in a few days time and then hopefully Wickham will be gone from my life forever.”

  John nodded. I took a few deep breaths to compose my emotions. The anger I had felt whilst facing Wickham melting away under the bright sunshine of the morning. “Well, shall we put the ugly business of the morning behind us and venture on to Longbourn? I imagine Bingley is there already.”

  “Yes, I imagine there is someone else at Longbourn with whom you could spend your time as well. After all, you cannot expect me to entertain you the entire day. I am a very busy man you know.”

  I laughed at him, and he joined in with me. “Indeed, John. I suppose I can find some other distraction whilst you attend to your business.” Feeling much better than I had when I awoke that morning, I spurred Strider toward Longbourn in anticipation of spending a lovely day with Elizabeth.

  Chapter Seven

  Bingley and I became daily visitors at Longbourn, much to Miss Bingley’s annoyance. She had hardly spoken ten words to me since learning of my attachment to Elizabeth and scarcely more to her brother. Though some of this may have been due to the minimal amount of time we were spending at Netherfield. We dined at Longbourn for at least one meal nearly every day. Elizabeth and I walked about the countryside and read together and talked about anything and everything. I told her about Pemberley and Georgiana and my parents. She talked about growing up in the controlled chaos that was Longbourn and the fire four years ago. I had never felt so comfortable with anyone as I did with her. Talking to her was so easy and natural, as if I had been doing it my whole life.

  I learned a little more about why her mother and younger sister were so different from the rest. After Elizabeth was born, there were two babes who had not survived birth. The loss of the babes had affected Mrs. Bennet deeply. Elizabeth told me that she had always been a bit silly, but that since Miss Lydia’s birth she had been different. She coddled Miss Lydia and gave her anything she wanted. The older siblings tried to check the younger’s wild behavior, but while their mother continued to spoil her, there was little progress that could be made.

  The fire had only exacerbated the issue. It had devastated a large portion of Longbourn’s farmland and destroyed the homes of two tenant farmers. Longbourn had struggled a good bit financially trying to recover, which had necessitated the dismissal of several servants including the governess that had taught Miss Bennet and Elizabeth. Mrs. Bennet had not insisted that Miss Lydia continue her studies on her own.

  Mr. Bennet was too busy recovering the estate’s prosperity to pay much attention to his wife or his youngest child. So, they were allowed to go on as they were. They had been indulged for so long now that there was little hope of alteration.

  As a consequence of this story, I learned a little better to tolerate Mrs. Bennet’s and Miss Lydia’s antics, for Elizabeth’s sake at least. I also became better acquainted with Mr. Bennet and greatly enjoyed his company and his wit. Miss Bennet’s character, too, became more clear. I saw that she was a great deal like Georgiana in her shyness and did not openly display her feelings, though she did feel deeply. Bingley, I felt, would be very fortunate to make Miss Bennet his wife. They were well suited in many ways.

  After a fortnight of these daily sojourns, the Netherfield ball was upon us. Most unlike me, I was actually looking forward to it. Looking forward to a ball! I had now known Elizabeth for more than two months, but had only been allowed to dance with her once on our very first meeting. She could not avoid engaging with me in the savage occupation now. I had already secured her hand for the first dance and the supper dance. As for the rest of the evening—well, I simply intended to spend as much of it as possible with Elizabeth, John, Mr. Bennet, or Bingley and forget how uncomfortable such large gatherings made me.

  I did not go down to the ballroom that evening until the Bennets carriage pulled up. I stood at an upstairs window watching the numerous guests arrive. Bingley had invited what appeared to me to be half of Hertfordshire. At least, there were far more people than I liked. Finally, I saw Elizabeth descend from a carriage. She turned to wait for Miss Bennet to join her,
then linked arms with her sister and started toward the front stairs. As she reached the bottom step, she looked up and saw me. She smiled a dazzling smiled and waved at me. Even at this distance I could see her eyes sparkle in delight. I raised my hand in return and moved away from the window to join her downstairs.

  I entered the ballroom from the rear and searched for Elizabeth. She had just entered after being greeted by Bingley and his sisters in the reception line. She was dressed in an ivory evening gown that accentuated her figure with matching ribbons and baby’s breath flowers entwined in her hair. A small golden pendant adorned her graceful neck. Her cheeks were lightly flushed with her excitement. She was in every way lovely.

  She was looking about the room as I approached her. When her eyes found me, she smiled again and moved toward me. “Were you looking for someone, Miss Elizabeth?” I asked when she was standing in front of me.

  Her eyebrow arched. “Looking for someone, Mr. Darcy? Oh, no. I was just admiring the decorations. Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst have done a wonderful job.”

  I grinned at her. I loved her teasing and was learning to tease her as well. Taking her hand and raising it to my lips, I whispered, “It is lovely to see you tonight, Elizabeth. You are always beautiful, but tonight you are absolutely stunning.”

  A blush overspread her cheeks, and she dropped her gaze to her slippers, whispering, “Thank you.” I reluctantly released her hand and offered her my arm as we moved farther into the ballroom. Most of the guests had arrived and were mingling with each other. Elizabeth scanned the room and said, “Oh, look! There is Charlotte.”

  I lead her to where she indicated, and we greeted Miss Lucas. I had not had very much interaction with the young lady. I had met her a few times and conversed with her, but I had been too distracted by Elizabeth to really pay attention to her. I listened as she and Elizabeth chatted. Soon, John, Bingley, and Miss Bennet joined us.

  As the girls talked, I studied the three friends. Miss Bingley’s comment regarding Miss Lucas being plain came back to me. As I really looked at her for the first time, I realized that she was not, in fact, plain. She was quite pretty in her own way. Tonight her light brown hair was twisted into an elegant knot, and the blue of her dress matched her eyes. Her features were not striking, but they were pleasant. She was intelligent and good-humored and carried herself with great dignity.

  I felt a little sorry for her, really. I knew from Elizabeth that she was nearly seven and twenty and wondered that she was not married. Perhaps she had not had many opportunities to meet eligible young men. Or perhaps it was that she spent most of her time at gatherings such as these in the company of Miss Bennet and Elizabeth. Miss Lucas was not plain, but she had nothing like the classic beauty of Miss Bennet or the brilliant sparkle of Elizabeth. Beside the two sisters, she did not appear to her best advantage, though the affection between the three was clear.

  The music for the first dance began. Bingley and Miss Bennet led the way to open the ball, with John and Miss Lucas and Elizabeth and me close behind. We stood across from one another and bowed. I could not help grinning widely at her. I was sure I was making as much of a spectacle of myself as Bingley ever had during one of his love affairs. Elizabeth smiled back at me as we began to move down the dance. “Do you realized,” I asked, “that this is only the second time we have danced together, but the fourth time I have asked you?”

  Her grin widened. “Yes,” was all she said.

  “You know you are the only woman who has ever refused to dance with me.” She laughed at this, but did not respond as the pattern of the dance moved her away from me. I joined hands with Miss Bennet briefly and then Miss Lucas before Elizabeth was brought back to me.

  “I rather thought I was doing you a favor,” she said with an impertinent gleam to her eye. “After all, you had said that you dislike the activity.”

  “I did dislike it,” I replied. “But, then I had the honor of dancing with you and have found that it quite depends upon one’s partner.” Her cheeks reddened, and she said nothing. “In fact, I would dance every dance with you tonight if I could. But, I fear that would not be acceptable to many of Charles’ guests.”

  “No, I don’t suppose it would, though I could not have any objection beyond that I have already promised to dance with Mr. Bingley and a few other gentlemen. They might have something to say on the matter.” I realized that I did not have any recourse to stop her, but the thought of her dancing with other men was irksome, particularly when she was looking as well as she did in her evening finery. I knew I could not have her all to myself, but I wanted it all the same.

  We continued down the dance in companionable silence for a while. When we came to the end and were waiting for the dance to recommence, Sir William Lucas happened upon us in much the same way as he had at the Meryton Assembly. “Miss Eliza, Mr. Darcy, allow me to say that I have very much enjoyed seeing the two of you dance again. You both have such grace and skill in the art. Let me also say that Lady Lucas and I were very glad to hear, Miss Eliza, about you and your sister being courted by such fine gentlemen as Mr. Darcy, here, and Mr. Bingley. I hope to have this pleasure repeated when certain desirable events take place. What congratulations will then flow in! But let me not detain you any longer, Mr. Darcy, from your most bewitching partner, whose bright eyes are also upbraiding me.”

  When he moved off, I smiled at Elizabeth, whose cheeks were bright, and we both turned our gazes to Bingley and Miss Bennet, who had eyes only for each other as they danced. The music cued us to move again, and we started back down the floor. Elizabeth sent me an impish grin, “Sir William’s interruption has made me forget what we were talking of.”

  I laughed at her repetition of my own words from Meryton. “I do not think we were speaking at all. Sir William could not have interrupted any two people in the room who had less to say for themselves.” Elizabeth laughed, too. We continued to tease each other until the dance came to an end. When the second dance began, I reluctantly traded Elizabeth’s hand to Bingley in exchange for Miss Bennet’s. I followed that dance with one with Miss Lucas and then with Mrs. Hurst. Miss Bingley was not inclined to dance that evening and had spent most of it thus far glaring alternately at Elizabeth or Miss Bennet. However, as she had not been overtly rude to either, I was inclined to let her alone.

  I was standing by watching Elizabeth dance with an office with whom I was not acquainted, when I noticed Miss Lydia. I had earlier been too distracted by her sister to care, but I now saw that she was flirting obnoxiously with a group of officers, Denny, Carter, and Saunderson amongst them. I then saw Mrs. Bennet holding court with a group of the local gentlewomen, loudly exclaiming about her daughter being the future Mistress of Netherfield. I rolled my eyes and reminded myself to be tolerant. They were Elizabeth’s family, and she loved them despite the spectacle they continually made of themselves.

  I had just turned my attention back to Elizabeth when John approached. “Might I have a word, Darcy?”

  “Of course, shall we adjourn to somewhere more private?”

  “Yes.” I followed him through the French doors onto the terrace that adjoined the ballroom. When we were far enough from the noise of the ballroom that we could not be heard, John turned to me and said, “It is about Wickham.”

  I turned back to look into the ballroom alarmed. “That wretched excuse for a man is not here, is he?”

  “No, no. He is not that stupid. However, he has been causing trouble in his usual manner. Lydia went to tea at our aunt Phillips in Meryton yesterday. Apparently, a number of the officers had been invited as well, including Wickham. He fed her some story about you refusing him a living in the church on your estate that your father had bequeathed to him in his will. Lydia, silly as she is, came bounding home to warn us all against the infamous Mr. Darcy and his cruelty to poor Mr. Wickham.”

  “Of all the absurd—” I ran my hands through my hair. If Wickham were not removed from Meryton soon, he would not be leaving in one piec
e. “What did you do? Did you make sure your sister knows to stay away from him?”

  “Yes, I have made it clear to Lydia that she is to have nothing further to do with the man, and he will no longer be welcome at the Phillips’ home. But that is not good enough, Will. Have not you heard from your cousin yet?”

  “Yes, I received a short note from Colonel Fitzwilliam saying he was working on removing Wickham from Hertfordshire about a week ago, but I have heard nothing more.”

  “Will, I should like your permission to reveal all that I know about Wickham to my father. Only he can truly check Lydia, and, to be honest, I am afraid that Wickham will try to use her to get to you as your interest in my family is common knowledge in the area.”

  I looked out over the moonlit garden below us and considered John’s words. I had promised Elizabeth that I would tell her the truth about Wickham, and Mr. Bennet should probably be told as well. I would not put it past Wickham to use the Bennets in order to revenge himself on me. He had tried my sister already. The family of my intended would not be an unlikely target, and Miss Lydia was foolish enough to fall under his power.

  I twisted my signet ring around my finger. It would be very painful to reveal Georgiana’s part to Elizabeth, but she had the right to know everything about the girl I intended to make her sister. At last, I turned back to John. “Yes, you are right, John. But I shall tell your father and Elizabeth. They should both know the whole history of that man. Short of clapping the blackguard in irons and shipping him to Australia, there is no way to guarantee that he will stay away even after Fitzwilliam has him transferred. Not now that he knows of my interest in your sister.”