Guiding & Protecting by Deborah Ann Kauer

Author:Deborah Ann Kauer [Kauer, Deborah Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-04-25T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve: True Colors Revealed

With the militia in the area and the addition of the Netherfield party, society in the area saw fit to organize more parties. George Wickham, much to Elizabeth’s chagrin, had indeed joined the militia and became one of the officers invited to the local gatherings. His welcome, however, was not as pleasing and open as he had hoped.

One such event occurred at a party hosted by the Harrington family. Their daughters, Harriet and Penelope, where close friends to Lydia and Kitty and similar in age.

Mrs. Harrington, being warned of Mr. Wickham’s true character, had originally thought to ban the man from attending the party, but her husband pointed out by issuing an invitation to all the officers she could not prohibit admission to just one of them. This was true for anyone else issuing invitations to the officers, so all the mothers in the area took special precautions to keep their daughters from being alone in the man’s company and were ever watchful when he approached any of them. Mr. Wickham was finding the society in Hertfordshire very unwelcoming, and he blamed it all on Elizabeth Bennet.

Unbeknownst to Elizabeth, George Wickham had arranged his introduction to the militia in Hertfordshire carefully. He knew Elizabeth Bennet's family lived in the area after carefully questioning her aunt and uncle's neighbors in both Ramsgate and London. It had taken him months to locate the woman, but now he was close. He knew his revenge was near at hand. He knew she was responsible for his loss of Georgiana's hefty dowry, and he carefully planned his revenge. From overheard conversations of his brother officers, he believed he would achieve revenge on both his adversaries. Over the weeks he had been in the area, he, also, had noticed the attention Darcy paid to the lady. He knew once he was finished with her family, Darcy would never look at the woman again. Oh, Darcy would still love Miss Elizabeth, but he would never marry a woman who had been ruined, and with Miss Lydia's flirty demeanor, he would be able to have both women and bring even more ruin upon the Bennet family.

At the Harrington's, Elizabeth had watched as Mr. Wickham approached her youngest sister. Being on the cautious side, Elizabeth positioned herself in such a place to allow her to overhear his conversation while remaining unseen by him or Lydia.

"Miss Lydia."

Elizabeth noted the smile Mr. Wickham flashed at her sister, and the smug look on his face. He had given her the same look when he had tried to flatter and flirt with her at Ramsgate.

"You look beautiful as ever.”

“La, Mr. Wickham. You flatter me,” Lydia gushed. Elizabeth hoped her sister remembered the warning shared with all her sisters.

“How is your sister Miss Elizabeth this fine evening?”

Elizabeth knew Lydia saw her moving closer as Mr. Wickham had approached, but Lydia did not mention her presence to the gentleman.

“You might ask her yourself.”

“I doubt your sister would welcome my company.”

“And why would you believe such a thing?” Lydia’s encouraging smile was one Elizabeth had seen often.

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