Darcy's Passions by Regina Jeffers

Author:Regina Jeffers
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Ulysses Press
Published: 2010-05-06T16:00:00+00:00

On the third day of their meetings, Darcy found Wickham made a more presentable appearance; he abandoned his previous unkempt look, and he spent time with his ablutions. The tavern keeper brought over the brandy without being asked, and Darcy dutifully paid him. So far, Wickham was too easily persuaded, and Darcy knew him well enough to know when he took an accounting of his debts,Wickham would not sell out so quickly; therefore, when Wickham began a renegotiation of the previous terms, this did not surprise Darcy.

“I have been thinking, Darcy, about what you said yesterday about your father and mine. They were good friends, were they not?” He reached for the brandy again. It seemed to give him something to do with his hands for Darcy noted although Wickham’s voice and countenance portrayed him to be calm, the trembling of his hands betrayed his lie. Darcy simply shot Wickham a complementary look of calm.“We were great friends, too, Darcy, in our youth.”

“What is your point, Mr. Wickham?” Darcy asked, knowing where the conversation led.

“I was thinking about the living your father’s promise intended on my having,” Wickham began. “Do you think it might ever be available to me?”

“I can never say never,” Darcy began, hoping to keep Wickham’s plans alive without promising him anything definite,“but I cannot see that as a possibility in the near future. It would be several years off at best. Your immediate future would be best spent as we discussed yesterday. The colonel helped me locate an available commission in the North if you are willing to accept it. It appears to be a perfect match for your temperament; you need only to resign your current position as an officer in the——shire. The paperwork for such a transfer can be complete in less than a week according to the colonel.”

Wickham mulled over Darcy’s words; Darcy saw glimpses of the desperation Wickham experienced displayed in his manner. “Mr. Bennet,”Wickham still pressed for more,“will give Lydia her share of her mother’s inheritance, but that may not be enough for us. I am afraid my intended has expensive tastes; I do not think I can afford her.”

“Of what are you thinking?” Darcy asked although he knew what to expect.

“If I chose to leave Lydia and found someone else, I could probably use my charms to find a more lucrative match. I was thinking an extra ten thousand pounds might make me more amiable to the Bennet offer.”

“Mr. Bennet, as you well know, cannot afford such a demand, and although I am one of his friends, I cannot assume so many of his debts. Between Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet’s brothers, reasonable demands will be met, but ten thousand pounds is not a reasonable idea. They would be more willing to turn you over to the constable and use their money to hush up the issues of Miss Lydia’s spoiled reputation. They could easily purchase her an appropriate match for a lot less. I would not press for so much if I were you; the

Bennet offer is the best one on the table for you at this time.

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