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Any fellow who was any sort of friend of Wickham was to be watched carefully. Darcy knew how easily a gentleman of reasonable character and with a love for a bit of frivolity could get pulled along by Wickham’s good humor and charming tongue.

It would not be the first time he had seen such a thing happen. Wickham drew others to him as easily as the manure pile outside Pemberley’s stables drew flies, and his fragrant stench only appeared when one got close enough to see him without his charming mask in place.

How Darcy wished his father would have been able to see Wickham as he truly was. But he had not. Pemberley’s coffers were too precious to Wickham for him to let his facade crack for even a moment in the presence of Darcy’s father.

If the man had been more intelligent than he was – and he was not without capabilities, especially when it came to scheming – Wickham would not have let Darcy see behind the mask either.

For it was the candidness of Wickham in Darcy’s presence that had revealed to him all he needed to know to be happy to give the man money instead of a living.

That knowledge of the man’s deplorable, yet hidden, character had also been the fortitude he needed to refuse him anything further when he returned and tried to claim that which he had previously refused.

Georgiana had gotten a peek at Wickham’s true nature when Darcy had arrived in Ramsgate and interfered with the cad’s plans to secure Georgiana’s dowry over an anvil in Gretna Green.

“Are you truly well?” he asked again as they began to move toward the group of dancers with Elizabeth in it.

“I am.” She slid her hand down his arm to his hand. “Please try to think about Miss Elizabeth and not me. I am and will be well. I have friends to help me, you know.”

“And I am happy for it.” Sending for her to join him at Netherfield had been an excellent decision. The younger Bennet sisters seemed very solicitous of her well-being.

“And if needed,” Georgiana said lightly, “I am sure I could call on a particular parson to champion my cause.”

When Darcy looked at her in surprise, her lips were pressed together firmly while amusement sparkled in her eyes. He chuckled at her obvious teasing. “I would rather that you find someone else to call on if needed.”

Then, he turned to the gentleman next to him. “Denny, is it?”

“It is.”

“Darcy,” Darcy said by way of introduction. Not that he had not met the man before.

“Yes, yes, I remember.”

“How long have you and Wickham been friends?” Darcy asked.

“Not as long as you have been his acquaintance.”

“No, I would expect not. His father was my father’s steward and friend, and Wickham was my father’s godson.”

The man next to him blinked as if he had not expected Darcy to admit to the relationship. Darcy motioned to his sister. “This is my sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy. She is not yet out, so if you would, please keep any conversation between you during the dance to things of a mundane nature.”

Again, the man blinked as if startled. “Of course.”

Darcy straightened his jacket. “I assume whatever Wickham said to her was a bit too familiar.” He smiled at Denny. “And please do take care of your partner for me. I would hate to see any ill befall her, as she is quite special to me.”

Elizabeth’s head dipped and her cheeks took on a pleasant rosy hue.

“Of course,” Denny repeated. Then, he bowed to Georgiana and offered a very proper greeting. “I have heard stories,” he whispered to Darcy.

“I have no doubt that you have,” Darcy replied. “Whether those stories can be trusted is the real question.”

“Yes… well…” the man stammered as the music started. “What I have heard and what I have observed tonight leave me in a quandary about that, for they are very differing accounts.”

Darcy took his sister’s hand as they turned to go down the line. “As my cousin, the colonel, always says, the enemy may not always appear to be who you think he is.”

“Our cousin is very wise, is he not?” Georgiana said.

“It is a lesson hard learned,” he replied.

“For us all,” his sister agreed. “I will be well, dear brother. Please do not drag any other gentlemen from the room during this dance.”

“I will not, unless it becomes necessary.”

She parted from him to continue the dance but not without a whispered thank you.

How was it that his little sister was becoming such a confident lady?

Her heart had been trampled, and yet, she stood tall with her chin lifted in a setting where the man who had done the trampling was present.

He had seen her take note of Wickham and Richard returning to the ballroom.

It was impressive, and it did his heart a world of good to see her spirit returning to what it had been before.

Her companion had something to do with that, and likely Richard’s mother had also had a hand in it.

She was surrounded by ladies of worth, and soon, perhaps as soon as tomorrow, if things went as expected, she would be well on her way to having a sister to add to her intimate circle of ladies to guide her.

As he turned as required by the dance, Darcy’s eyes fell on Wickham. The man was watching him and, though he smiled as he spoke to those around him, his observation of Darcy was not done with any sort of admiration. Indeed, it was done much like Darcy had been doing during the previous set.

Darcy would have to search out his cousin as soon as this set was done to discover what trouble could be expected. He blew out a breath. The end of this ball and tomorrow could not come soon enough.