Unforgiving Temper (56 page)

“Wickham!” Grissholm called out loudly. “I
know you are in there. Open up or answer to the landlord when I
break down the door.”

There was a high-pitched squeak and then a
rapid shuffle of footsteps toward the door. “All right! All right!
No need for violence.”

The door swung open and Grissholm and Darcy
entered the room.

Darcy sniffed distastefully at the small,
cramped quarters that smelled of old food and dirty linens. Lydia
Bennet pulled at her rumpled gown and lifted her chin defiantly as
she moved next to Wickham who was nervously eyeing the blocked path
to the open doorway.

“Lord Grissholm – and Darcy!” Wickham
began with a forced joviality. “What a pleasant surprise! It has
taken a little longer to settle my affairs than I had anticipated,
and I was about to call at Peyton House this very afternoon; but
now, I see you have saved me the trip.”

“Yes, how fortunate for you,” Grissholm
murmured dangerously. “You will come with us.”

“There is a matter of business to address
that would be better discussed in private,” Darcy added, throwing a
meaningful glance in Lydia's direction.

“You cannot intimidate George,
Mr. Darcy,” declared Lydia.

“Lydia,” Wickham warned quietly.

“Well, he cannot. You are far too brave.”

“Enough, Lydia! I will take care of this
matter in my own way.”

“Yes, you will,” Grissholm agreed, “but it
would be better without the girl present.”

“Oh, no! I want to hear as well.”

“Later!” Wickham snapped. “Stay here until I
return.”

“But George, I do not want to stay here
alone,” she whimpered softly and Darcy suddenly felt sorry for the
foolish girl.

“Shall I take you to my carriage?” he
offered. “Harrison can sit with you while we talk with
Wickham.”

“No! I am not going anywhere unless George
goes with me.”

Wickham smiled reassuringly to her as he
guided her to the only chair in the room. “Just sit here until I
get back. It will not be long – right, gentlemen?”

“That depends upon you,” Grissholm observed
darkly as the three men left the room.

Solemnly descending the stairway, they made
their way to a small table that had been set for them in the corner
of the tavern, and Wickham was ushered to the corner chair where
Grissholm and Darcy flanked him on either side.

Darcy did not waste any time.

“We are here to see that you fulfill your
promises to Miss Lydia.”

“Promises? What are you talking about?”

“To marry her.”

Wickham scoffed. “I made no such promise. She
came with me on a lark and stays with me of her own free will. You
saw that yourself.”

“I saw a young girl who thinks herself in
love and is fully expecting marriage.”

“Not with me! I have no intention of making
her an offer. If she thinks otherwise, that is unfortunate for her.
I have other plans for my future.”

“They have just changed. You will marry Lydia
Bennet!” Darcy breathed menacingly.

“Impossible! She is penniless! I am one step
ahead of my creditors now. What do you think we would live on?”

Darcy looked to Grissholm who only grunted
softly before giving a cursory nod.

“Your debts will be paid, and the wedding
costs as well. Send a list of your creditors to Peyton House.”

Wickham peered at the two men, a gleam of
anticipation lighting his eyes. “Even so, I would not have the
means to keep a wife. As you might have guessed, my commission in
the militia has been forfeited.”

“I will bear the cost for a new commission,
but it shall be of my own choosing,” Darcy answered in a manner
that asserted there would be no compromise.

“It is all very tempting, Darcy; but I am
afraid I shall have to decline your offer.”

Darcy would have liked to get his hands on
Wickham, but the dull pain in his side reminded him that he would
have to wait a little longer to satisfy that particular desire. He
settled back into his chair with perfect comprehension. “Very well,
what else?”

“As I see it, you are desperate to have me
marry the girl and save the family's reputation. By doing so, I
would forfeit any hope of making an advantageous marriage.”

“As if you would,” Grissholm sneered. “You
had better take what has been offered and be grateful.”

“Nevertheless,” replied Wickham casually, “I
cannot possibly take a wife without a settlement.”

“How much?” Darcy asked, not taking his eyes
from Wickham.

“Ten thousand.”

“One thousand.”

“Eight.”

“Two.”

“Six.”

“Two,” Darcy repeated firmly.

“Do you honestly expect us to live on two
thousand pounds?”

“Economize. People do it all the time.”

“Make it four and you have my word.”

“It is two thousand or nothing, and I would
not trust your word for anything.”

Darcy watched as Wickham considered the offer
and knew he would accept. Wickham had to accept or risk being found
by any number of disgruntled creditors and others who would be far
less agreeable than he and Grissholm.

“Very well, two thousand. I suppose all in
all, I could have done a lot worse. When will I get it?”

“After the marriage contract has been signed.
Until then, the girl must go to her uncle's house.”

“That may prove to be a little difficult. You
saw how devoted she is to me.”

“Say what you must, but get her readied and
down to the carriage in quarter of an hour.” Darcy raised his cane
menacingly as Wickham rose to leave. “Do not think to outfox us,
Wickham, for you will be watched night and day. This wedding is one
appointment you shall not miss.”

* * * *

Darcy leaned wearily against the cushions as
Harrison urged the horses away from the church. It was done. George
Wickham and Lydia Bennet were married. He looked across to his
cousin and allowed himself a little smile.

“Thank you, Richard. I could not have done it
all in so little time without you.”

“I am always happy to help, cousin. I
certainly hope Miss Bennet appreciates the sacrifices you have
made on her behalf.”

Darcy stiffened. “She does not know anything
of my involvement and I would not have her enlightened. I ask that
you respect my wishes in this.”

A concerned frown crossed Richard's brow.
“Very well, I shall not say a word; but why would you go to all
this trouble only to have her ignorant of your involvement?”

“She has gone back to Hertfordshire; and if
she has any feelings for me, they must be genuine – not out of
gratitude for what I have done.”

“What fools are made from love,” Richard
murmured to himself. “I fear you are making a mistake with the
lady.”

“A lot has happened these past six months to
unsettle her mind, not the least of which is her father's illness.
Once she has had time to sort everything out, I will determine how
much she should know. If she feels only appreciation for my part in
restoring her to her family, then she need not know any more.”

“As I said, I think you do her a great
injustice, but it is for you to decide. What will you do in the
meantime?”

Darcy sighed. “There are a couple of details
to attend and then this whole affair can be put behind me for
awhile. The first one is a meeting with Grissholm, as soon as I
have dropped you off.”

“You are a better man than I. I cannot bear
to share the same room with him. That he behaved as he did and
suffers no consequence is more than I can stand.”

“I do it for Elizabeth. She still claims that
she cannot remember very much, which is a great blessing in itself
if it is true, and she wants it forgotten by everyone else as soon
as possible. There is one last matter to settle concerning Wickham
and then I will be done with him as well.”

The carriage halted at the steps of Tipton
Manor, and Colonel Fitzwilliam stepped out of the door now held
open by one of his father's footmen. “Will you come in and say
hello to Mother? She has been asking about you, you know.”

“Yes, I know. Lady Matlock is a very
attentive aunt,” Darcy grinned good-naturedly. “Tell her I will
bring Georgiana on Sunday.”

With a final nod to the footman, the door was
closed and Darcy sat back to watch the passing view as Harrison
expertly navigated the busy London streets directly to Peyton
House. Upon reaching Robert Grissholm's address, Darcy shrugged off
the lingering irritation of having to deal with the man and
presented himself at the door.

Within minutes, he was once again sitting
across from the viscount, engaged in a heated exchange.

“We had agreed you would do nothing until we
discussed it!” Darcy cried angrily.

Ignoring the outcry with strained patience,
Grissholm's reply was dismissive, “Now or three months from now,
what does it matter?”

“It matters a great deal! They were married
only this morning and if nothing else, his new wife deserves some
consideration. You could not wait?”

“No, I could not. You are lucky I waited
until after the wedding. George Wickham is going to pay dearly for
depriving me of ten years of happiness, and the sooner the
better.”

“Given your ignoble behavior, I suppose I
should not be surprised that you did not keep your word.”

“Under the present circumstances, I will
ignore that insult, Darcy; but be aware that in the future you will
answer for any loose words.”

“Once we are finished with Wickham, there
will be no occasion for words between us, you may be sure.”

“At least we agree on that,” replied
Grissholm, returning to the reason for Darcy's outrage. “He has
chosen pistols for the duel. My reputation with a sword was a
little too much for him, I believe.”

“Perhaps he fancies himself a crack shot. He
has been in training these past months, you know.”

“Ha! Do you really think those outdated
muskets the regiment uses are any comparison to a pair of fine
dueling pistols? The new Mrs. Wickham should order her bombazine
frock right away. He has no chance.”

Darcy followed the liveried footman up the
grand staircase of Jamison Bonham's country manor, his expression
as cold as his thoughts. He still was annoyed with Grissholm for
arranging Wickham's demise on the very heels of the wedding, and
even more so that he had been required to make the half-day journey
to settle the final details of the “hunting accident” that had
claimed Wickham's life. Grissholm's note had held a hint of urgency
– anxious to be rid of the whole affair, no doubt – and Darcy was
glad at least that after this day he need never think of Wickham or
Grissholm again.

Pausing in the hallway long enough for the
footman to announce his arrival, Darcy was surprised when he
stepped not into a sitting room, but a bedchamber; and his
astonishment was even greater when he saw Miss Monroe and Bonham
lingering at the bedside of a pale and obviously very ill
Grissholm.

Catherine turned in her chair without
releasing her hold on Grissholm's hand. “Mr. Darcy! What
brings you to Hartsfield Manor? If you have come to join in the
hunting, you are too late!” Her voice broke with her last words and
she turned back to hide the fresh tears that sprang to her
eyes.

“No, I did not come to…that is to say, I, um
–” The fact was, Darcy was not entirely certain why he had come,
now that he saw Grissholm's grave state.

“I asked him to come, my dear,” came
Grissholm's raspy reply. “If you would allow, I must speak to Darcy
in private; you too, Bonham.”

Both of them frowned in response. “Do you
think it wise?” Bonham murmured quietly, but not enough that Darcy
did not hear. “Given your condition, perhaps I should stay.”

“I am not so far gone that I cannot direct my
own affairs. Be so good as to escort Miss Monroe downstairs. She
could use some fresh air after being cooped up in here all
day.”

Reluctantly, Catherine allowed herself to be
led from the room, hesitating long enough in the doorway for
Grissholm to give her a parting smile of encouragement. When the
door was shut behind them, the smile faded from his face and
Grissholm turned his gaze on Darcy.

“Wickham's gone to Newcastle.”

“What?!” Darcy exploded. “There was no
question as to the outcome. What the devil happened?”

“Evidently you were destined to win the duel
after all, even if a bit vicariously. It seems that last strike you
managed to deliver had lingering effects. When I fired at Wickham,
there was a weakness in my arm that caused the shot to go wide.
Wickham was a better shot than I had anticipated, and his bullet
went clean through the middle of me.”

“Was there no chance, no way to finish him
off? You know as well as I that the man deserves to die.”

“I was in no shape for another exchange of
fire, Darcy. There was nothing I could do to stop him from
leaving.”

Darcy's head tipped back in frustration at
Wickham's unending luck. Would the blackguard never feel the
consequences of his contemptible behavior? “I knew I should have
been the one to do it.”

“If I remember right, you are bound by a
certain promise, but that is neither here nor there now. The point
is, he walked away unscathed and I am gut shot and dying.”
Grissholm took a moment to catch his breath and then carefully
measured Darcy, seeming to reaffirm some thought to himself before
continuing. “I have asked you here for two reasons. Firstly, I want
you to witness my marriage to Catherine. My family can be difficult
at times and having someone of your position as witness would go a
long way in deterring any objections they might have. Secondly, I
ask you to manage the affairs of her and her sister after I am
gone. They will need someone who will not take advantage of their
situation.”