Page 65 of Eavesdroppers Never Hear
Simon said, “That reward should go to Jenny, sir. She beat me to the mark this time.”
“No need to be stingy. You are both owed a debt and will be handsomely rewarded. That said, an explanation might stop the colonel from chewing his collar in agitation.”
Simon seemed disinclined to speak, and Jenny even less so; but he nudged her, and they both held up leather slings.
“Miss Lizzy taught us to read. When we got to David and Goliath, she read half and made us work out the rest. We loved the story so much we practiced with slings until we were deadeyes. Now we carry them everywhere we go. It comes in handy from time to time with ruffians.”
Darcy laughed lightly, while the colonel bellowed with laughter, stepped over to the pair and slapped Simon on the back. “Well done, you, well done! Darcy, you should take them to Derbyshire with you.”
“If they will go, they could take the Wainwright cabin.”
Simon and Jenny nodded enthusiastically, and Darcy said, “Come speak to me tomorrow.”
They smiled vigorously, assuming a Mr Darcy would pay better and more reliably than a new-money fellow like Mr Bingley.”
Jenny looked nervously at Wickham. “Is he dead?”
Fitzwilliam gave a wicked chuckle. “No… not yet at least. Of course, he attacked a woman with a knife, wearing the King’suniform, under observation by an officer and a gentleman of high standing. His fate is sealed.”
“Will he be hanged?” Lydia asked with a level of enthusiasm Elizabeth was not certain she approved of.
“Most likely. He will be court marshalled of course. They will either hang him or draft him into a penal battalion for use as cannon fodder on the continent. You will certainly never see him again.”
“Good riddance,” she said emphatically.
Fitzwilliam looked askance at Darcy, who still held Elizabeth tightly clenched in his arms. “Are you engaged? I am indifferent to the propriety myself, but we may have little time before someone comes to investigate Miss Lydia’s scream.”
Elizabeth laughed. “They will come from Hatfield, I fear.”
Darcy reluctantly replied, “We are not engaged.” Then he leaned down closer to Elizabeth and added, “Do not rush yourself. If and when we become engaged, it will be at a time and place of your choosing.”
“Has he already asked?” Jenny inquired, then ducked her head in embarrassment.
“Do not duck your head, Jenny. It is a fair question,” Elizabeth said gently, then stood still for a few seconds.
She finally looked around carefully at her friends. “William asked a week ago Sunday,” which resulted in gasps of surprise from everyone since everyone knew that was the very day of his apology in the church.
Elizabeth looked around again and thought carefully. “He allowed me the privilege of holding my answer so I could select the time and place. The time isnow!The place ishere!We are engaged,” she said with a smile that practically lit up the garden.
Everyone exploded in boisterous happiness with Fitzwilliam slapping Darcy on the back and giving Elizabeth a quick cousinly hug, and another for Lydia just for good measure.
Just in time, Colonel Forster exited the garden with a couple of men to investigate the (now long-ago) scream. When he saw one of his officers lying on the ground, he demanded an explanation but relented when Fitzwilliam gave him the regular officer’s stare. Fitzwilliam essentially issued orders to Forster, and the colonel was sanguine enough about arresting Wickham with a vague promise of an explanation on the morrow.
Elizabeth was still ensconced in Darcy’s arms, and she said emphatically, “The rest of you… go away. William and I are engaged. Lydia, it isimperativeyou rememberyou and the colonel were out in the garden as chaperones.That is our story, and you will stick to it.”
“Certainly, Lizzy,” she said, sounding slightly affronted.
Elizabeth relented slightly. “You understand Mama and your friends can never know what happened here until you are safely married. Your reputation is still at risk.”
“I am not a total nickninny,” she retorted, but with less fire than usual.
Elizabeth laughed. “Once again… Go away!”
In surprisingly short order, Wickham was dragged away with a laugh and the colonel escorted Lydia to a spot just short of the ballroom to await the couple.
Elizabeth reluctantly wiggled out of Darcy’s arms, only to turn around at once and merge back into them. She thought that after such an ordeal they should have a great deal to say. She reflected they would eventually; but for that night, she simply wrapped her arms around his head and dared him to kiss her.
He accepted the challenge, and their first kiss was nothing short of incandescent. She felt it all the way from the tips of her hair to her toenails. She had thoughtnothingcould beat the intensity of the terror she felt with a knife at her throat, but the pleasure of that kiss far exceeded even that lofty goal. It was, by far, the best moment of her life. They continued exploring lipsand tongues with a feeling of contentment that could never be described.
