might soon develop.
I cannot bear it , thought Mr Darcy in pain.
‘Mr Wickham has told us how you helped him to a commission. It was generous of you,’ said Elizabeth.
Her words fell like balm into his wounded spirit, and he treasured them. Her soft tone of voice and her bright eyes were ample reward for the trouble he had taken.
But they could not compensate him for the knowledge that he had provided George Wickham with the means to marry her. Such a hideous possibility had never occurred to him and he felt himself to be in the grip of another nightmare.
‘I have been made very welcome here,’ said Mr Wickham. ‘I am planning to stay in the neighbourhood.’
Even though Mr Darcy had feared it, he could not help saying, ‘No. This cannot be.’
Mrs Collins looked at him strangely but it was too late for him to recall the words. He realised he must not let the depths of his feelings show. So he pretended that he was shocked on Lady Catherine’s behalf and said, ‘Lady Catherine will not be pleased if she cannot make up a table for whist.’
‘We must not disappoint Lady Catherine,’ said Elizabeth humorously. ‘Mr Collins, I beg you will attend her ladyship. Mrs Collins can chaperon me and we will entertain Mr Wickham.’
And so, to Mr Darcy’s devastation, it was arranged.
Mr Wickham said, ‘I will show Mr Darcy out.’
He sounded politeness itself, and only the most cynical person would have suspected another motive for his actions. He swaggered after Mr Darcy as the two men left the room and went into the hall.
‘What do you think you are doing?’ demanded Mr Darcy, as soon as they were out of hearing of the rest of the party.
‘Marrying the woman I want,’ said Mr Wickham. ‘It will not take long for me to win her hand, and it is you I have to thank for making it all possible.’
‘Is that your only reason for pursuing her?’ demanded Mr Darcy.
‘What other reason could I have? You surely do not think I would do it just to spite you, since you want Elizabeth for yourself?’ asked Wickham mockingly.
His tone of voice made it clear that that was indeed what he was doing.
Mr Darcy was sorely tempted to knock him down, but Wickham only laughed.
‘The best of it is, you cannot do anything about it!’ said George Wickham with a hearty laugh. ‘You cannot take the commission from me without making yourself contemptible in Elizabeth’s eyes and so you will have to stand by and watch me as I make her fall in love with me. I have waited a long time for my revenge on you, Darcy, but now I have it and it tastes sweet indeed.’
Mr Darcy ground his teeth but he knew Wickham was right.
There was nothing he could do . . . except hope that Elizabeth would see through Wickham and not marry him after all.
He walked rapidly back to Rosings and changed for dinner, then he went into the library, where he found Colonel Fitzwilliam browsing the bookshelves.
It still wanted ten minutes before the dinner gong rang.
‘Cousin, I have had a shock,’ said Mr Darcy. ‘Wickham is here and he is making love to Miss Elizabeth Bennet.’
‘What! How? We must put a stop to it,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam.
But Mr Darcy had by now recovered some of his composure.
‘Yes, we must. We will do so tomorrow,’ said Mr Darcy. Adding, enigmatically, ‘If tomorrow ever comes.’
At last Mr Darcy was alone. The evening had been dull but finally it had come to an end and now he was in his bedroom once again.
He went over to the china cupids on the mantelpiece.
‘Please do not fail me, little Cupids,’ he said to the little cherubs who hugged each other in delight.
Was it his imagination, or did he see one of the Cupids turn its head? The movement was so slight he could not be sure.
But in the morning he would know.
Chapter Six
What is the date? thought Mr Darcy, springing out of bed.
He went over to the newspaper which was ready for him on the dressing table and laughed aloud. February 13 th !
I cannot bear it , thought Mr Darcy in pain.
‘Mr Wickham has told us how you helped him to a commission. It was generous of you,’ said Elizabeth.
Her words fell like balm into his wounded spirit, and he treasured them. Her soft tone of voice and her bright eyes were ample reward for the trouble he had taken.
But they could not compensate him for the knowledge that he had provided George Wickham with the means to marry her. Such a hideous possibility had never occurred to him and he felt himself to be in the grip of another nightmare.
‘I have been made very welcome here,’ said Mr Wickham. ‘I am planning to stay in the neighbourhood.’
Even though Mr Darcy had feared it, he could not help saying, ‘No. This cannot be.’
Mrs Collins looked at him strangely but it was too late for him to recall the words. He realised he must not let the depths of his feelings show. So he pretended that he was shocked on Lady Catherine’s behalf and said, ‘Lady Catherine will not be pleased if she cannot make up a table for whist.’
‘We must not disappoint Lady Catherine,’ said Elizabeth humorously. ‘Mr Collins, I beg you will attend her ladyship. Mrs Collins can chaperon me and we will entertain Mr Wickham.’
And so, to Mr Darcy’s devastation, it was arranged.
Mr Wickham said, ‘I will show Mr Darcy out.’
He sounded politeness itself, and only the most cynical person would have suspected another motive for his actions. He swaggered after Mr Darcy as the two men left the room and went into the hall.
‘What do you think you are doing?’ demanded Mr Darcy, as soon as they were out of hearing of the rest of the party.
‘Marrying the woman I want,’ said Mr Wickham. ‘It will not take long for me to win her hand, and it is you I have to thank for making it all possible.’
‘Is that your only reason for pursuing her?’ demanded Mr Darcy.
‘What other reason could I have? You surely do not think I would do it just to spite you, since you want Elizabeth for yourself?’ asked Wickham mockingly.
His tone of voice made it clear that that was indeed what he was doing.
Mr Darcy was sorely tempted to knock him down, but Wickham only laughed.
‘The best of it is, you cannot do anything about it!’ said George Wickham with a hearty laugh. ‘You cannot take the commission from me without making yourself contemptible in Elizabeth’s eyes and so you will have to stand by and watch me as I make her fall in love with me. I have waited a long time for my revenge on you, Darcy, but now I have it and it tastes sweet indeed.’
Mr Darcy ground his teeth but he knew Wickham was right.
There was nothing he could do . . . except hope that Elizabeth would see through Wickham and not marry him after all.
He walked rapidly back to Rosings and changed for dinner, then he went into the library, where he found Colonel Fitzwilliam browsing the bookshelves.
It still wanted ten minutes before the dinner gong rang.
‘Cousin, I have had a shock,’ said Mr Darcy. ‘Wickham is here and he is making love to Miss Elizabeth Bennet.’
‘What! How? We must put a stop to it,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam.
But Mr Darcy had by now recovered some of his composure.
‘Yes, we must. We will do so tomorrow,’ said Mr Darcy. Adding, enigmatically, ‘If tomorrow ever comes.’
At last Mr Darcy was alone. The evening had been dull but finally it had come to an end and now he was in his bedroom once again.
He went over to the china cupids on the mantelpiece.
‘Please do not fail me, little Cupids,’ he said to the little cherubs who hugged each other in delight.
Was it his imagination, or did he see one of the Cupids turn its head? The movement was so slight he could not be sure.
But in the morning he would know.
Chapter Six
What is the date? thought Mr Darcy, springing out of bed.
He went over to the newspaper which was ready for him on the dressing table and laughed aloud. February 13 th !
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