Page 17 of Brighton Rescue (Pride and Prejudice Variation #23)
Colonel Forster ran his left hand down his face and sighed deeply, wondering how such a pleasant day could turn sour so quickly.
He had woken up at his usual hour, only to be surprised and delighted to discover that his young wife had crept into his bed during the night.
After a pleasant time together, he and Harriet emerged from their bedchamber and were just breaking their fast when a maid announced the arrival of Mr. Darcy of Pemberley and his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam of the Regulars, along with Lieutenant George Wickham and a Mr. Smythe.
That was peculiar enough, but when the two gentlemen and one commoner entered his office a few minutes later, they were hauling with them George Wickham, who was sporting a black eye and a swollen chin.
The resulting conversation was horrifying in the extreme, and so incredible as to be ridiculous.
“Really, Gentlemen,” Forster said feebly, “I ... must confess that this entire affair seems quite absurd. Miss Bennet generally sleeps late, and as far as I know, she is still abed in her room.”
“By all means, send a maid to see if young Miss Lydia is within the house,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said sarcastically. “Naturally, my cousin and I are in the habit of making up lies about our fellow men, for amusement, perhaps. ”
Forster flushed angrily at this and glanced at Wickham, whose battered face showed both defiance and fear.
“I am aware, Colonel Fitzwilliam, that Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham have a difficult history and that your cousin has treated the lieutenant rather harshly. You will forgive me if I require some proof of what seems a most outlandish tale.”
“No doubt you refer to the so-called stolen church living?” Fitzwilliam riposted drily. “It may be of interest to you that Darcy paid Wickham three thousand pounds to give up all rights to the living, or perhaps you were aware of this?”
Forster turned an astounded stare on Wickham, who lowered his eyes. “I confess I did not know that detail,” Forster admitted, “and it alters Wickham’s story about Mr. Darcy significantly. Nonetheless, there is ... well, clearly the sensible step is to check on the whereabouts of Miss Bennet.”
“By all means, please determine to your satisfaction that Miss Lydia is not within the house,” Darcy suggested patiently, glancing warningly at his cousin.
A few minutes later, after the entire house had been searched from top to bottom, Forster, now alarmed, turned a glowering glare on his lieutenant. “Now Wickham, what is the meaning of all this? Is it true that you abducted Miss Lydia Bennet? ”
Wickham, who had been thinking rapidly, shook his head quickly. “No, sir, I did not. It is true that I am in love with Miss Lydia, and we were running away to Scotland together, but I would never force a woman...”
He was interrupted by Forster, whose eyes were now wide in shock and horror. “You attempted to run off with my guest, the daughter of a gentleman, and a girl of only sixteen years age? Are you mad, man? How dare you?”
“He dares because he is a vile miscreant,” Darcy insisted.
“I assure you, Colonel, that he encouraged Miss Lydia to creep out this morning in order to meet him at the Promenade Grove, whereupon he tricked her into entering a carriage. If we had not been warned of his plan, he would be halfway to London by now, and Miss Lydia and her entire family ruined.”
Forster took a furious step toward his former lieutenant, who cringed under the man’s fierce glare. The militia commander breathed heavily for a full minute and then turned to his fellow colonel.
“Sir, I apologize for my earlier statement. Where is Miss Lydia? Is she safe?”
“She is staying with her sister and relations at the home of Lady Amelia Hartford,” Fitzwilliam explained, relaxed now that the man was willing to believe the truth. “Wickham struck her hard on the face, but she is otherwise unharmed. ”
Forster glared at Wickham in disgust. “He struck her?”
“Yes,” Darcy contended icily. “Miss Lydia proved an unwilling victim and cried out to the coachman to stop, whereupon the villain slammed his fist into her face.”
Forster grew pale with fury and, after cogitating for a minute, bit out, “That is entirely outrageous, gentlemen, and I am prepared to advocate for a very severe punishment.”
“That is entirely unfair,” Wickham exclaimed angrily. “Miss Bennet agreed to leave with me, and today she was merely being coy. I was consumed by love and passion and yes, I agreed to elope with her, but I did not abduct her!”
“I believe that all of this should be thrashed out in a more formal setting,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said as Darcy, obviously enraged, clenched his fists.
“We do request the investigation be treated as a military matter as the Bennets might suffer if any details concerning Miss Lydia’s abduction escaped into Brighton society. ”
“It shall be done,” Forster promised grimly. “I know I am very much at fault for permitting such a thing to happen to my guest, and intend to prosecute this matter to the fullest extent in my power.”
“Thank you, sir,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said, his tone genial now that he had what he wanted .
As for Fitzwilliam Darcy, he stared at George Wickham with a mixture of sorrow and determination. It was a tragedy that a man of such ability, looks, and charm would die before his thirtieth birthday, but his attempt to kidnap Lydia Bennet showed that the man was truly beyond reclamation.
/
The south facing sitting room was one of Elizabeth’s favorite at Hartford House.
The windows, currently opened to allow the breeze to circulate, faced out to the ocean, and when Elizabeth listened carefully, she could hear the sound of the waves advancing up, and then receding from, the pebbly beach.
The room itself was decorated with butterfly images, reflecting Lady Amelia’s passion for the winged beauties.
Generally, Elizabeth found herself at peace in this room, but not today, not when her foolish sister had been saved from peril and ruin only a few hours previously.
“How is Lydia, Aunt Gardiner?” Elizabeth asked, looking up as her aunt stepped in to join Mr. Gardiner, Elizabeth, Lady Amelia, and Mr. Hartford.
Madeline Gardiner nodded reassuringly and announced to them all, “She is asleep, and I left Lady Amelia’s maid watching over her. She will be well, though she is profoundly shaken by the events of the day.”
“She should be,” Elizabeth declared with some frustration. “If it were not for the intervention of everyone here, Lydia would be ruined, though I suspect my sister has no understanding of how much danger she was in today.”
Mrs. Gardiner accepted a cup of tea from Lady Amelia with a smile of gratitude and sat down across from her favorite niece.
“In truth, I have not seen Lydia so distressed since she was a child of five and her favorite dog died. It is one thing to make assignations with handsome officers; it is quite another to be abducted and attacked by the man she believed she loved. No, my dear, as terrible as this morning’s experience was, it seems to have penetrated Lydia’s foolish confidence that she is the mistress of her own fate. ”
“I profoundly hope that you are correct, Aunt. Lydia…”
She trailed off as the door opened again to reveal Lady Amelia’s butler. This was not in itself any great surprise, but the presence of two familiar faces behind him caused her to leap to her feet in amazement.
“Father? Jane! What are you doing here?” she exclaimed .
“Mr. Bennet, Miss Bennet,” the butler said, his expressionless tone in sharp contrast to Elizabeth’s emotional cry. Elizabeth flushed a little and cast a discomfited look at her hostess, who moved forward fluidly and smiled on the newcomers.
“Mr. Bennet, Miss Bennet, I am Lady Amelia Hartford. Welcome to my home.”
“Thank you,” the Bennet patriarch returned conventionally. He looked ruffled and a trifle unkempt after hours on the road, but he managed a courteous bow and Jane curtsied.
“I am certain you wish to speak to Miss Elizabeth and the Gardiners,” Lady Amelia continued graciously, “but please allow me to introduce my second son, Mr. Gabriel Hartford.”
Gabriel, who was staring in awe at Jane, managed a shaky bow. His mother touched his arm gently and guided him out of the room, giving Mr. Bennet the privacy he sought.
/
“Father, why are you and Jane here?” Elizabeth asked again, though more calmly.
She was thankful that the tea tray had arrived only a few minutes before; her father and sister looked worn, and hot tea would no doubt be a pleasant treat.
She quickly poured two cups and prepared them for Jane and her father.
Mr. Bennet accepted his tea with a nod of thanks and said, “I am here, my dear Lizzy, to determine whether I am a fool, or you are. Kitty received a letter from Lydia which informed us that you, your aunt, and your uncle were in Brighton. Jane then shared the letter you sent to her, Elizabeth. Given that Lydia did speak of an elopement, I decided I must come to Brighton as quickly as possible, though in truth, I still ... but enough of that. We halted first at the Forster residence, but the colonel and Lydia were not at home, and Mrs. Forster was ill and unable to receive visitors. Now we are here, and I must request a straight answer: how is Lydia, and how goes your mission to save her from running off with the dastardly Wickham?”
Mr. Gardiner, who had kept his face studiously neutral through this recitation, gestured to his brother by marriage and niece and said, “Please do sit down, both of you.”
Bennet did, grumbling softly, and Jane, who was worn and pale from a long journey, took her place next to Elizabeth and reached out a hand to clasp her sister’s in her own .
“Lydia is safe,” Gardiner explained once the newcomers had seated themselves, “but she has had a trying, nearly disastrous day. She crept out of the Forster residence early this morning for a secret rendezvous with Wickham at the Promenade Grove, whereupon the lieutenant attempted to abduct her and carry her off in a hired carriage. Fortunately, Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam had arranged to keep close tabs on Wickham, and we were able to rescue her before any permanent harm was done.”
Jane turned absolutely white at these words and swayed in place, causing Elizabeth to shift closer to her and place a comforting arm around her elder sister. As for Mr. Bennet, he was gazing at Gardiner as if the man had suddenly sprouted a second head.
“You are serious?” he finally croaked. “Wickham attempted to take Lydia by force?”
“We are,” Mrs. Gardiner said with steel in her voice. “Lydia was an unwilling participant, and Wickham struck her on the face when she continued to protest, but she, and by extension your daughters, are not ruined, for which we must all be grateful.”
“He hit her?” Jane gasped in horror.
“He did, and Lydia’s face will be badly bruised,” Elizabeth declared, pulling Jane closer still.
“Wickham is indeed a complete villain, but my aunt and uncle are right that Lydia is safe now, and the lieutenant himself will be dealt with firmly by Colonel Forster, with assistance from Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam.”
Her father was wearing an expression she had truly never seen before; he was pale as a ghost, and looked entirely distraught. She leaned forward in concern and addressed him gently, “Father, do not be so dismayed! Lydia is no longer in harm’s way!”
He shook his head slowly, his head hanging in regret and dismay.
“And if you had listened to me, if you had not intervened, she would have been lost forever, and her sisters ruined. While I rejoice in the salvation of our family, I can only be horrified by my own idiocy in this matter, Lizzy. I am so very sorry.”