Page 74 of An Accidental Meeting
Mr. Darcy frowned, and Elizabeth recalled that she had already freed Lydia before he had appeared. “I shall speak with the magistrate," he said grimly, "and should probably dress before I do.” He glanced down at his banyan.
“What was in the bag, Darcy?” Mr. Bingley asked.
Mr. Darcy opened it. His pained grunt worried Elizabeth. “These are coins I had stored in my safe.”
“How could he . . .?” Uncle Gardiner allowed the question to fade away.
“Unlike Mr. Hurst,” Mr. Darcy said stoically, “Wickham knows where the safe is located. My father never suspected his godson of ill intent. Somehow he must have obtained a key."
“He must have known what was inside,” Mr. Bingley said.
That was not possible. No one knew, other than Mr. Darcy, the Gardiners, and Elizabeth herself, what had been in that safe. Mr. Wickham had known where the safe was and had just been lucky. She realized, to her shame, that Mr. Wickham had always been fortunate before, gliding through life on good looksand slick lies. When he discovered what was in the safe, he had probably believed the fortune was his due.
Mr. Darcy was silent, and Elizabeth's distress sharpened. But she recalled his words of love to her earlier in the day and forced herself to calm. Her judgement had not been so wrong—Mr. Darcyhadbeen searching for a way to renew his addresses. She would not allow herself to judge him poorly now. Instead, she would trust him and her own judgement again, at least this far: Mr. Darcy wasnotsuspecting her or her relations of spilling his secret. He was simply thinking through all the other ways in which Mr. Wickham could have learned of the fortune.
“The servants I turned out,” he said at last, and Elizabeth released a relieved breath. “They did not know about the coins, but they were aware of the frame, and they were none too pleased with me.”
“I beg your pardon?” Mr. Bingley asked.
“Nothing,” Mr. Darcy replied. “Only something I shall have to address. Do you require ice for your hand, Bingley?”
“I am afraid so,” Mr. Bingley said. “I struck his chin. I ought to have gone for something softer.”
“The nose has no bones,” Uncle Gardiner said cheerfully. “In case you can benefit from that knowledge in the future.”
Mr. Bingley barked out an abbreviated laugh. “I shall remember that.” He returned to his room as Mr. Darcy rang the bell for a maid.
Elizabeth whispered, “I do not understand what Mr. Wickham was thinking. Had he left Lydia alone he might have slipped away. Is he truly so deluded?” She paused as she thought it through. “Do you think his plan from the start was to rob your safe?”
Mr. Darcy shook his head. “Wickham's plans usually work, I am sorry to say. Not because he is clever, but because he ischarming. They work so often, in fact, that on the rare occasions they do not, he panics."
"But he had the coins. What need had he for Lydia?"
"Did he attempt to take your sister?" he asked, and Elizabeth remembered he had appeared after she had tackled Lydia.
She nodded and his expression hardened.
"Greed is the only answer. Wickham is unlikely to admit anything, but he may be in debt more deeply than usual. I suspect he learned that you were all here with me and believed that somehow he could line his pockets if he acted on that knowledge. Otherwise, he would have left your sister in London without any way of returning home or a single thought for her safety." He shook his head. "Any scheme he had was hastily composed on the carriage ride here, I can almost guarantee it.”
“But then, how . . .?”
“Word was already out about the frame,” Darcy said. “I did not want to worry any of you with that, but I did have to send a few servants away for disturbing the other portraits searching for more gold. They are from Lambton, and are no doubt complaining about me there. Wickham is especially good at finding disgruntled people and charming them for information.”
“This is all speculation,” Uncle Gardiner said, breaking into he conversation. Elizabeth had nearly forgotten anyone else was there. “I should like to know how Mr. Wickham even entered the house.”
Elizabeth glanced around the hall. The footmen and Mr. Wickham were gone, and it was safe to speak, but she kept her voice low anyway. “Lydia let Mr. Wickham in through her window. She was sure he had arrived to whisk her off to Gretna Green, but instead he said some rather heartless things to her and then dared to take her with him in the hopes that my uncle would pay to have her back.” She glanced at Uncle Gardiner. “I am pleased her eyes have been opened, but . . .”
“It was a painful lesson, but one she had to learn,” Uncle Gardiner said. His words were spoken calmly, but Elizabeth knew her uncle well enough to know he was angry. “I am grateful you were here to separate her from Mr. Wickham, Lizzy."
Mr. Darcy's mouth fell open a bit and his eyes found hers. Elizabeth lifted her shoulders.
"I suspect Margaret will stay with Lydia the rest of the night," Uncle Gardiner said without seeming to notice the silent exchange. "I shall dress and join you and Mr. Bingley to speak to the magistrate, Darcy.”
“Thank you.”
Uncle Gardiner did not leave them, however. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest and tapped one bare foot on the floor.
“Elizabeth,” Mr. Darcy said tenderly, “go back to your room and rest. We will speak in the morning.”
