Chapter 5 If Mr. Darcy Dared

“I am not certain it was Mr. Darcy,” Phillips began tentatively, “Colonel Forster shared at tea this afternoon that Lieutenant Wickham volunteered for guard duty. It was most unusual, because he has spoken so much of wishing to go that his request to stay at the garrison was the last request Colonel Forrester expected to receive,” As the Philipses and Mr. Bennet chuckled, Uncle Phillips explored a possible cause.

“Perhaps the poor chap lost the privilege of going to the ball with a bad set of cards!” The adults in the carriage laughed harder as Elizabeth vehemently shook her head.

“It was Mr. Darcy! Mr. Wickham told me how Mr. Darcy had cheated him out of his inheritance and cut him off even though Mr. Wickham grew up beside Mr. Darcy at Pemberley.” Elizabeth felt a return of the sour feeling in her stomach as Mary gave her a sharp elbow on her left side. All laughter ceased and Mr. Bennet cleared his throat.

“How extraordinary. If Mr. Darcy is such a villain as you claim, why did you accept his request for the first set?” Mr. Bennet asked.

Again, Elizabeth shrugged. She had no explanation for the confusing and chaotic decisions she had made in the last fortnight. Her every instinct had warned her away from Mr. Darcy yet her sister requested she afforded him kindness. And like Mr. Wickham, it seemed to Elizabeth that she too would endure the cruelty of Mr. Darcy with no explanation as to his motive for harm.

“While my wife and your sisters have enjoyed the charms of Mr. Wickham, I’m inclined to believe that in a dispute between two gentlemen there are likely two sides to the story. Has Mr. Darcy confirmed he denied Mr. Wickham his inheritance?” Uncle Phillips, a barrister, played the advocate of fairness he used to settle minor disputes among clients.

Elizabeth bit her lower lip and gently shook her head.

“Well, now, I must say that I’m very much looking forward to this evening!” Mr. Bennet laughed. “We will have to discover who is the true villain? What a mystery! Is it Mr. Darcy?” he asked, to no one in particular. Mr. Bennet leaned forward to place his face in the way of Elizabeth’s view as she stared at the bottom of the carriage. “Or is it the wayward lieutenant who found a last-minute excuse to hide away from society?” Seeing his daughter’s eyes widen, Mr. Bennet assumed his point was made. As he sat back in his seat properly, he drummed his fingers along his chin as he hummed in amusement.

“You believe Mr. Wickham’s absence makes his story suspicious?” Mary asked, relieving Elizabeth as she wished to ask something similar, but could not form the words.

Mr. Bennet and Uncle Phillips exchanged glances before looking at the girls. It was Uncle Phillips who cleared his throat to answer.

“It is unusual for one gentleman to spread such vivid tales about another and yet avoid confrontation. I hesitate to say Mr. Wickham has behaved like an old hen, but apart from his word, what evidence do we have to the contrary?”

“I have an idea! You are to dance with him, Lizzy, you can find out from Mr. Darcy where the truth lies. Casually bring up Lieutenant Wickham and note his response. Perhaps we shall know by the evening’s end which man stands correct,” Aunt Phillips shimmied her shoulders in triumph at her grand plan as Elizabeth sunk lower in her seat.

It was too dark outside to see their progress towards Netherfield Park. Elizabeth did not wish to agree to any interrogation of Mr. Darcy. In fact, she wished to avoid dancing with him altogether. Pretending to twist her ankle as she stepped out of the carriage would also spare her dancing with her cousin! Without enough time to think through her plan more carefully, the carriage came to startling halt and her father leaned closer to whisper to her:

“I do not know what trouble you have tangled yourself in my dearest, but I am confident that you shall see your way out. Whether Mr. Darcy is the villain or not, there is no one at this ball who shall harm you.”

Elizabeth sighed and nodded to acknowledge she understood her father. She didn’t reply as there was no time when the carriage doors were opened.

After the great fuss of leaving the carriages, Elizabeth did not stumble or otherwise fall in a way to pretend an injury. But she did make a direct path to link arms with her sister, Jane. Together they looked up at the grand home before them lit by footmen holding torches. The white plastered columns eerily glowed in a silvery hue to frame an Italian inspired portico when the clouds above them parted, revealing a full moon. The girls huddled together and squealed softly as the anticipation rattled both of their nerves.

The receiving line into Netherfield stretched through the main front doors and down the steps on both sides as it appeared Mr. Bingley had invited not just the militia, but every family in the nearest ten miles with a respectable name. Jane and Elizabeth stood together as they awaited their turn to formally greet their host and hostess with Jane remarking on the kind nature of Mr. Bingley to hold such a fete for their neighborhood.

“I did spy one group of officers, but I do not see the man you find so amiable, Mr. Wickham.” Jane stood nary an inch taller than her sister, but her nervous energy outmatched Lizzy’s by a long stretch the closer they came to the doors.

“I do not expect Mr. Wickham to appear this evening,” Elizabeth said, flatly. Like an apparition, their reflections greeted them in the Venetian windows as the east side of the house remained dark. From outside they could judge that only the rooms leading to the western wing were lit, culminating in a domed octagon.

“You do not suppose his rift with Mr. Darcy kept him away?” Jane asked. She knew her sister believed Mr. Wickham’s tales of woe as Elizabeth had listened to them first hand. Jane, however, liked to find the good in everyone and so she suspected the truth likely lie somewhere in the middle between Mr. Bingley’s exaltations of his closest friend and Mr. Wickham’s accusations.

Elizabeth shrugged as she and Jane took a few more steps outside of the ancient home and could now view the lighted hall before them.