Unforgiving Temper (55 page)

A soft, delicate melody flowed from the piano
forte, filling the drawing room at Peyton House. With a shy nod to
her sister, Rebecca navigated through a difficult passage as
Catherine turned the page and remained protectively by her sister's
side. Their surprising reunion had been a joyous, tear-filled
event. From across the room, however, Robert Grissholm stifled a
frown.

His brief explanation of the disagreement
with Darcy had been vague and elusive. He had rightly guessed
Catherine's anticipation of being reunited with her little sister
would distract her from seeking more concrete answers; but he knew
it was only a matter of time and she would soon want more – more
than he could give without risking her censure. The truth of why he
had fought Darcy would surely drive her from him.

The muscles in his chest tightened with a
dreadful sense of foreboding as he considered the fragile happiness
he had enjoyed since Catherine's precipitous arrival two short days
ago. She was the living embodiment of his memories in every way.
Her grace, her charm, the brilliant sapphire eyes that danced with
tender affection whenever she looked at him. He sighed deeply.
After thinking her dead for ten years, he could not bear to lose
her again.

His thoughts churned with every
justification, every defense he could imagine, desperately looking
for a way to moderate the account of his behavior toward Elizabeth
Bennet, but he knew there was none. He had allowed himself to
believe any means justified the end in his quest for revenge
against Darcy. And now that he knew the offense was utterly
baseless, it could very well cost him Catherine's affection. He
would give anything to turn back time and throw Wickham's letter
into the fire where it belonged. If he had only heeded his
instincts that fateful day, then he would not be entangled in this
nightmare.

Wickham! Grissholm's jaw tightened with an
inflexible loathing for the man. Whether he miraculously managed to
retain Catherine's affections or not, there would be an accounting.
When he found the man, Wickham would be caught in a snare of his
own making.

The arrival of a footman bearing a silver
tray interrupted the viscount's troubled thoughts. Taking up an
elegantly engraved calling card, Grissholm's brow rose in surprise,
then furrowed suspiciously. What did
he
want?

With instructions to the footman and a brief
apology to the ladies, he made his way to his study. Pausing for
only a moment, he opened the door and entered.

“Darcy.”

Rising slowly from his chair, Darcy leaned
heavily on a silver-tipped walking stick and coolly offered the
briefest of bows.

“Grissholm.”

“To what do I owe the pleasure of this
visit?” asked the viscount with an equally chilly politeness.

“I imagine your pleasure is no more than
mine. It is only the keenest of demands that forces me to call upon
you. I must find George Wickham as soon as possible and you are the
swiftest way I know of getting to him.”

Grissholm could not hide his surprise.
“Wickham, you say? And what makes you think I would know where he
is?”

“You are in league with him.”

“Quite the contrary. I severed my dubious
connection with him weeks ago when our business was at an end.”

“Then I should like any information you have
that might lead me to him.”

“My, my, you
are
anxious to find him.
What has he done now?”

“He has run off with Lydia Bennet.”

“Ha!” barked Grissholm derisively. “What
could he possibly hope to gain with that bit of baggage?”

“Her family believes them to be on their way
to Gretna Green; however, they have only been traced to London and
not beyond. I think we both know it is not marriage he is after;
but I intend to see he does exactly that. They must marry as soon
as possible.”

“What Wickham does with the girl is none of
my concern.”

“Perhaps not, but it is of very great concern
to the Bennet family, and Miss Elizabeth Bennet in particular.
You set that dog loose on her family with your complicity, and now
you shall do everything in your power to muzzle him! If you refuse,
I am certain Miss Monroe would find the details of your association
with Wickham fascinating.”

Grissholm weighed Darcy's words. “Very well,
I shall help you, but only because I have a debt of my own to
settle with him.”

“It does not matter to me what your reasons
are. Finding Wickham as soon as possible is my only concern!”

“I will tell you what I know and what my own
search has yielded, under one condition.”

Darcy's eyes narrowed suspiciously and he
waited for Grissholm to finish.

“When we find him, he is mine.”

“No!” Darcy cried, barely keeping his temper
in check. “When we find him, he will marry Lydia Bennet. And once
her reputation is intact, I shall be the one to take care of him.
As you have already said, it is none of your concern.”

“Wrong. I said what he does with the girl is
not my concern. Wickham, however, became my concern the moment I
found out he drove Catherine from London, and me. You want revenge
upon Wickham for separating you from Miss Bennet for a few
months
? Try
ten years
and then tell me how you feel!
When Wickham forced her to flee, he stole all our plans of a life
together – the best years of our youth, our best hope for a family
of our own! The harm done me and Catherine is greater than any he
has done to you. You must allow me this, Darcy. It is just, and
will give me the chance to redeem myself and vindicate my behavior
to both ladies whose lives he has nearly destroyed.”

“I cannot!” Darcy repeated forcefully. “You
have no idea the harm he has done. He may have done you a great
injustice, but this present scheme is only the latest in a long
line of offenses he has inflicted upon my family. For years he has
haunted my steps, and when he is found, it is I who shall put an
end to it once and for all!”

“And how do you think you will do that? You
are in no condition to fight him!” Grissholm shot back. “There must
be only one outcome. If you truly want to achieve your purpose, it
must be me!”

“After what Miss Bennet has suffered, do
you really think I would step aside? You of all people know how
determined I am to defend her! Honor demands that Wickham must pay,
and any risk to be taken, will be done by me! I am the one –”
Darcy's impassioned argument came to a precipitous halt with all
the suddenness of a hunter's horse that had just failed a jump. He
gasped with realization, his eyes narrowing sharply as a look of
surprise and chagrin spread across his face. “That little vixen!”
he growled. “She knew exactly what she was doing.”

Grissholm was visibly perplexed. “What do you
mean, Darcy?”

“Do not trouble yourself,” came Darcy's
brusque reply. “Merely a matter I intend to discuss with
Miss Bennet at the earliest possible opportunity. At any rate,
it seems I must bow to your prior claim, and acknowledge that
Wickham is yours – after the marriage takes place. However, I
insist that you return to Miss Bennet her sister's imprudent
letters.”

“I would do so gladly, except that I no
longer have them. Please tell Miss Bennet that the letters
have been burned. It was done the day I returned from our duel. I
did not expect to see her or you again and there was no point in
keeping them.”

“Especially with Miss Monroe about,” Darcy
added wryly. “Miss Bennet will be relieved to know they will
cause no more harm to her family.”

“I am curious, Darcy, why the sudden change
of mind about taking care of Wickham? Having second thoughts?”

Darcy bridled at the inference. “It has
nothing to do with second thoughts! It seems I have been tricked
into giving my word on the subject. Had that not been the case, we
would still be arguing the point.”

Grissholm's mouth twitched.
“Miss Bennet, I am guessing. She does have a way of getting
what she wants. I shudder to think how she will run your household
once you are married! You may as well sign Pemberley over to her
right now, and save yourself the trouble.”

“What she does or does not do is no business
of yours!”

“Easy, man! I meant nothing by it,” Grissholm
smirked. “In any case, bringing Wickham to account for his misdeeds
is the material point here, and with your hands obviously bound by
apron strings, I must be the one to get it done.”

“Shall we get back to the purpose of my
visit?” Darcy replied tightly, working to keep his expression from
giving Grissholm any satisfaction. “Where is George Wickham to be
found?”

Grissholm's expression turned serious as he
considered the limited success he had encountered in his own search
for the elusive lieutenant.

“I sent him an express the day I brought Miss
Monroe to Peyton House asking him to meet me on a matter of
business. I had hoped to catch him off guard, and thought I had
succeeded when he replied he would come to London directly; but
then he disappeared. Your coming today is the first clue I have had
of him.”

“Evidently your summons was enough to make
him suspicious.”

“Don't be ridiculous! I only asked the man to
meet with me.”

“You do not know George Wickham as I do. I
have had years to acquaint myself with his maneuverings and his way
of thinking. The fact that you sent an express told him something
was afoot and that was all he needed.”

“If he is on the run, then why take the
girl?”

“Why indeed,” Darcy muttered. “First
Miss Bennet, and now her sister. It is as if he is determined
to bring the family to ruin for his own amusement.”

Not his alone
, Grissholm thought with
sudden understanding. Lady Catherine de Bourgh's letter of
recommendation for Elizabeth Bennet was no coincidence. Wickham had
secured the assistance of Darcy's own relation in his scheme. How
could that be? Perhaps the lady had her own reasons for disparaging
the Bennet family, but he was not going to be the one to enlighten
Darcy and risk her displeasure. Darcy was on his own against his
formidable aunt.

“Whatever Wickham's reasons, it will not
matter when I am finished with him.”

“He has to be found first,” Darcy reminded
him. “I have already applied what persuasions I could to Ann
Younge. If she had any information, she would have given him up for
the sum I offered. Still, I am almost certain he is here in London.
Have you any idea where he might be hiding?”

“I know one or two inns where he has lodged
in the past. We can start there.” Grissholm quickly wrote on a
sheet of paper and handed it to Darcy. “Give me half an hour to
make some arrangements and I will meet you here.”

Darcy took the directions with a nod. “Half
an hour and no more. I cannot afford to waste any more time.”

With Darcy's departure, Grissholm returned to
the drawing room, catching his breath yet again at the sight of
Catherine. She had glanced up, smiling from her place next to
Rebecca when he entered, and now she moved toward him with curious
concern showing plainly in her eyes.

“Something troubles you,” she murmured
softly.

He smiled tightly. She knew him well. She
always had, even from the very beginning of their acquaintance.
“No, my dear. Just a little business I have to attend. You need not
worry. However, I am afraid it does require my absence the next few
days. Will you forgive me? When I am finished, you shall have my
undivided attention. In the meantime, you should give last night's
conversation some thought and start considering a date for the
wedding.”

“This would not have anything to do with
Mr. Darcy, would it?” she peered at him, catching him by
surprise for he had been careful that she not see Darcy come or
go.

“Why would you say that?”

“Only because I get the feeling that your
business with him is not finished. You have said very little on
that subject since my arrival. There is obviously much more than
you have told me thus far.”

“Yes, well,” he hedged lightly, “that is
something for which I would beg your indulgence.” The affectionate
expectation in her eyes wrenched his heart. How could he lose her
now? “Do you trust me?”

“Implicitly!” she smiled brightly. “But why
are you being so mysterious?”

“Please trust me for now, and I promise that
when we are married and settled, I shall tell you anything you wish
to know.”

For a brief moment, he thought the wrinkle in
her brow foreshadowed her refusal, and then it smoothed into an
expression of absolute trust and acceptance. “Very well. I shall
wait, if you wish; but be warned, when the time comes, I shall task
you heavily with every last detail!”

Grissholm returned her smile as he
possessively gathered her hands into his and kissed them. “By then,
I think it will not matter so much and you may ask to your heart's
content.”

* * * *

Darcy followed closely behind Grissholm as
they made their way up the dilapidated staircase of the Three Sails
Inn, being careful to avoid the rotting planks. Wickham had not
been found at the inns Grissholm had indicated, but a careful
canvassing of the adjacent neighborhoods had finally yielded
success.

“I hope your sources are reliable. Much can
change in two days,” Grissholm said quietly without turning
around.

“At least mine were successful,” Darcy
retorted softly before answering aloud. “It will be the third
doorway on the left. If he is true to form, he will still be in. He
does not go out until after eleven o'clock. My concern is for the
girl. She has not been seen with him since their arrival.”

“Well, we shall soon find out.”

Stopping in front of the low-hung door,
Grissholm rapped loudly, the sound of the heavy walking stick
reverberating down the deserted hallway. A muffled scuffling
sounded from inside, and then there was quiet. Another rap was met
with more silence.