Page 49 of Hidden Desires

“Had I not returned early from a business trip to London, they would have eloped. Wickham stood to gain control of her dowry, thirty thousand pounds, and I am convinced he meant to abandon her soon after, leaving Georgiana penniless.”

“It was a lucky coincidence that you returned when you did.”

“Perhaps,” Darcy said. “Though I find little satisfaction in it now. At the time, I congratulated myself for having thwarted his plans, and believed Georgiana’s distress stemmed from his deception alone.

I tried more than once to speak with her, but she would not confide in me.

What I assumed was shame, I now see was only part of her silence.

“It was her confession that convinced me to return without delay and warn you of the danger if Wickham is not stopped for good this time.” He looked away. “Had I found him that day, I am not certain I would have acted with restraint.”

“What you have told me is troubling.” Bennet rose from his seat. He went to the door, unfastened the bolt, and stepped into the hall. Beckoning to a servant, he gave a brief instruction, then returned to his desk.

“Please continue,” he said, leaning forward and resting his arms on the surface.

“Georgiana’s refusal to speak with me about Wickham’s betrayal was not out of shame, but because of what he said before leaving.

“He came to her in a rage, no doubt furious that his plans had failed. Before fleeing, the coward threatened both her and me should she dare to expose what he had done. Fear of the consequences kept her silent.”

He paused, then took up his glass and drank.

“Wickham has always resented that it was my father, not his, who owned Pemberley, the estate where we were both raised. I believe his supposed affection for her was, in his mind, an act of revenge, justified by his obsession with seeing me punished for the accident of my birth.”

“While you have my sympathy,” Bennet said, “Mary’s dowry is small, nothing that would tempt a man such as you describe. She has always been the quietest of my daughters, never one to draw attention to herself, as Lydia is wont to do.

“She spends her days absorbed in scripture, which she quotes to her sisters whenever she feels they are in danger of sinning. I cannot recall her showing any interest in the sort of men her youngest sister pursues whenever she goes to town.

“Although she asked Elizabeth to help improve her appearance, I cannot see how such a small change would warrant Mr. Wickham’s attention. Even so, I have sent the maid to fetch her so we may get to the bottom of this distasteful business.”

Darcy gave a bitter laugh. “If Wickham has set his sights on Miss Mary, he will let nothing stand in his way.

Do not grow complacent, for he can be a formidable foe.

His ability to charm even the most cautious young lady is his most potent weapon, and he uses it without compunction.

I returned to warn you, so you might protect your daughter from his deceit before it is too late.

“Should Wickham convince Miss Mary to run off with him, he will use her and cast her aside once his desires are spent. Any promise of matrimony will vanish, and your daughter will bear the consequences.”

A knock at the door cut the discussion short. Mr. Bennet gave permission to enter, and the door opened to admit Elizabeth, who stepped inside holding a letter.

“Forgive me, Lizzy,” Bennet said with a glance toward Darcy, “but we are waiting for Mary, and you are intruding on a private conversation.”

“That is why I’m here,” she said, nodding in Darcy’s direction.

“The maid asked me where she might find Mary, as you had instructed her to come to the library. I thought she was in her room, but the maid said otherwise. We searched the house and the nearby grounds, but found no sign of her. I returned to her room, hoping she had come back, and found this on her bureau. It is addressed to me.”

She offered the folded letter to her father, her name written in neat, flowing script on the outside.

“It is addressed to you,” Bennet said, waving it off. “Please read it aloud, if the contents concern Miss Darcy or today’s events.”

Elizabeth unfolded the page and scanned its contents. Darcy watched her expression tighten.

“She is gone!” she cried, turning to her father. “That foolish girl has run away to be married!”

“Read it to us, Lizzy, please,” Bennet said, sinking back into his chair and placing his head in his hands. “We might as well hear it all.”

Elizabeth cleared her throat and began to read, her voice struggling with each word.

“My dearest Elizabeth,

“Please forgive my leaving this message for you, but I believe it best not to delay my departure.

“As you know, Mr. George Wickham is stationed with the regiment in Meryton. We met that afternoon you were with me, though I doubt you guessed how much that brief conversation would affect me.

“In Mr. Wickham, I found someone who noticed me.

Not with sincerity, perhaps, but with enough persistence to make me wonder if I have been too harsh in judging those who seek affection where they can find it.

He spoke to me as if my thoughts mattered, and though I suspect it was more habit than conviction, I could not help but feel the comfort of being seen.

“I do not believe in his love. I am not so foolish as to think he means all he says. Yet I have chosen to accept what he offers, knowing it will cost me more than I can measure.

“You and I both understand my place in the world. I am not beautiful, nor do I draw the gaze of strangers. He seems willing to overlook that, or at least finds it worth the effort to pretend he does. Perhaps that pretense is all I deserve.

“He told me of Miss Darcy and Mr. Darcy’s supposed injustices, and I listened. I make no judgment there. When he saw Miss Darcy in town today, he became anxious. He believes Mr. Darcy may pursue him and asked me to leave with him tonight so we might marry without delay.

“I am sorry to leave this way. I know it is a coward’s choice. But I have neither the courage to remain nor the faith to believe I deserve better. Please tell Papa that I love him and that I regret the hurt this will bring. It is not my wish.

“I do not blame Mr. Wickham for what I have chosen, nor am I a na?ve girl taken in by pretty words. I go into this with open eyes, and if the burden proves too great, it is mine to bear alone.

“I pray that, with time, the disappointment you feel will soften, and that we may one day come together again as a family.

“With love,

Mary”

* * *

Silence settled over the room like a heavy blanket, pressing down with a weight none of them could escape. Darcy watched tears slide down Elizabeth’s face as she looked to her father, who sat with slumped shoulders, shaking his head in quiet denial.

“The contents are much the same as the letter Georgiana left for me,” he said. “Though the style differs, the purpose is unmistakable. If not for a stroke of luck, he would have succeeded.”

Bennet groaned. “I am sorry, but I do not understand what could have drawn him to Mary. I love her, but I am under no illusion regarding her beauty. From the sound of this letter, neither is she.”

“She has not been the same since she altered her appearance,” Elizabeth said. “Remember, Papa, she has been going to Meryton as often as Lydia. She has also shown an interest in the officers. Forgive me. The signs were before me, and I chose to overlook them.”

“But what of her dowry? She knows full well there is little to give her. If that is what Wickham is after, he is going to be disappointed.”

“With nothing to gain or lose, he will take what he wants and discard her without a second thought,” Darcy said.

“It is time I did something.” Bennet rose and came around the desk. “Perhaps someone saw her leave or knows which way she went. I intend to go after them and can only hope I have not wasted the chance to put an end to this madness.”

“It is never too late to try.” Darcy sprang to his feet. “I am going with you. If luck is with us, we may yet be in time to stop him.”

“Thank you,” Bennet said, striding from the library to the cloakroom, where he selected a coat suitable for an evening ride. At the front door, he called out, “Hill! Go to my room and bring the case that sits in the bureau beside the wardrobe.”

“I sent him for a set of pistols,” he explained as Hill returned, carrying the case. “I have never had cause to use them, but they may prove useful tonight.”

“I understand,” Darcy said, resting a hand on his arm. “But I must claim the right of first satisfaction. I waited a long time to see him answer for the harm he caused my sister and swore I would see justice done, by my own hand if possible.”

“We shall see,” Bennet replied as the carriage drew up before the manor. “It is ready, so let us be off.”

“Say nothing to Mrs. Bennet,” he instructed Hill, who nodded. “I will speak with her upon our return.”

“Wait, Father,” Elizabeth called. “Let me come with you. Mary will need someone to comfort and support her, other than those who wish to see Mr. Wickham dead. I can offer her that comfort.”

“I am not sure this is wise,” Darcy said, drawing a frown from her. “The journey will be unpleasant and hurried. If we find him, there may be violence, and I have no wish to expose you to what I intend for Mr. Wickham. It may be better for you to remain here until we return.”

“Elizabeth is right,” Bennet said, to which Elizabeth turned to Darcy and smiled, baring her teeth in an almost feral grin.

“She is a young woman of uncommon compassion, something I believe Mary will need before the night is through.”

“You may come, but be quick, or we shall leave without you,” he said.

Elizabeth hurried inside and returned with a cloak and a blanket to guard against the night air.