“Colonel,” replied Mr. Bennet, accepting his hand. “It seems you know something about our errand this morning.”
The colonel offered a chuckle, though it held no mirth. “It was impossible to remain ignorant, even if I wished it.”
Gesturing to the chairs in front of his desk, the colonel turned and took another from beside the wall. When they were all seated, he did not hesitate to speak.
“When my men returned from Mr. Philips’s house yesterday, they brought troubling news regarding one of my officers.” The colonel shrugged. “Wickham is not the most diligent man in my command, and he has often used excuses of business to leave the regiment—his ill-fated expedition to Liverpool after Miss King was an example of this. But I had never considered him immoral or dishonest. Ambition is not a crime, though I suspected from the first that his pursuit of Miss King was motivated by her inheritance.
“I had determined to understand to what extent the rumors were true, then Mr. Philips visited me this morning. The men had not been especially open about everything that happened there—to own the truth, I don’t think most witnessed the confrontation and only had Miss Elizabeth’s comments on which to base their opinions. When I had your brother’s account, the investigation became imperative.”
“And what did you find?” asked Mr. Bennet.
“Exactly what Miss Elizabeth suggested we would find,” said the colonel with a sigh. “I shall not reveal the number—I still have men out speaking to the merchants—but Wickham has amassed sufficient debt to render any hope of paying it vain. Last night, several of the men confronted him about gaming debts. Wickham attempted to talk his way out of it, but men holding debt notes are far less susceptible to charm than infatuated young ladies.”
“Have you discovered any other activities?” asked Elizabeth.
The colonel understood at once what she was asking. “Some, but not as much as I feared. It seems his pursuit of Miss King has the unexpected benefit of preventing the worst of his seductions. A few ladies of the town have come forward, but though he made himself agreeable, nothing irreparable has happened.”
“That is a relief,” said Mr. Bennet. “There are men in town who would not wait to exact vengeance should they discover Wickham had dishonored their daughters.”
“Or their wives,” said the colonel, disgust curling his lip. “I even found evidence my wife did not escape his attentions. Harriet is a little flighty, but she’s intelligent enough to have rebuffed him.”
Mr. Bennet’s eyes widened. “I am astonished you are speaking of it so rationally.”
The colonel shrugged. “It was only some minor flirtation that I learned of this morning. I trust my wife, Mr. Bennet—Harriet may appear silly, but she is devoted to me.”
Though he nodded, Mr. Bennet declined to pursue the subject any further. It was for the best—Elizabeth had no great opinion of Harriet Forster, but she also knew no harm of the woman. Whatever had happened between her and Mr. Wickham, it was best to allow the colonel to handle it.
“Miss Elizabeth,” said the colonel, turning to her, “I understand why you acted as you did—Wickham was held in high regard in the town and in the regiment, which must be a testament to his ability to induce others to believe in him. Yet I wish you had come to me and let me handle it.”
“In retrospect,” replied Elizabeth, feeling a little abashed, “that would have been the better course.”
“Yes, it would have,” agreed the colonel. “I could have taken action if you had approached me. It is my duty to ensure the men under my command honor the uniform they wear, but in this, I have not been diligent enough. It has taught me a lesson, I assure you, and one I will not forget.”
“Then you have Wickham in custody?” asked Mr. Bennet.
The colonel’s grimace spoke volumes. “No, I do not. I had several men watching him, but he evaded them this morning. He did not steal a horse, so he could not have gotten far unless hebribed some tenant to hide him in a wagon. I have men scouring Meryton and the surrounding countryside, but we have not yet found him.”
Mr. Bennet considered this. “He may still be skulking around the town trying to discover a way to escape.”
“That is possible,” agreed the colonel. “Though I do not suppose there is any danger to the town—” the colonel turned to look at Elizabeth. “—except for you, Miss Elizabeth. Wickham is still quite angry with you. Still, it may be best to warn the local gentlemen.”
“That would be prudent,” agreed Mr. Bennet. “If he is hiding on one of the estates, the landowners can instruct their tenants to watch for him.”
“The more eyes we have, the better,” said the colonel. “I shall see to it when we conclude our business.”
“Then I will leave it in your capable hands,” said Mr. Bennet.
“We will find Wickham,” replied the colonel with a curt nod. “If he slips away, he will have the army looking for him. Desertion in a time of war is a serious offense—Wickham would be better to accept debtors’ prison than risk hanging.”
“I cannot disagree, Colonel,” said Mr. Bennet. “Now, I have one more matter to discuss.”
“Please continue,” said Colonel Forster, appearing curious.
“Last night at Philips’s party, Wickham made some mention of an invitation for my daughter to join your wife in Brighton for the summer.”
“Yes, I had heard of it,” confirmed the colonel, a slow smile spreading over his face. “Harriet has spoken of her desire to keep her friend’s company.”
“Though I am grateful for your wife’s thoughtful attention to my daughter, I think it is best that Lydia doesnotgo to Brighton this summer. Please speak to your wife and convince her toreconsider, for I cannot imagine the tumult my daughter will cause in my house if I must refuse consent.”