Caroline shrugged. “Then compromise her.”
“Darcy already compromised her!”
She rolled her eyes. “Then do so again!”
Wickham frowned as if doing a complicated mathematics problem. “Can a woman be compromised twice?”
She hated relying on such an idiot. “Of course, she can! Just compromise her…more thoroughly. Even you can do that.”
Wickham looked a little sick. “Y-Yes. But Darcy will not like it.”
“It will be too late for Mr. Darcy to do anything by that point,” Caroline said. “He will lose interest.”
“This is quite a bit more effort on my part,” Wickham said, scanning the area for observers. “You did promise me more money.”
Caroline gritted her teeth. “I promised you more money when you accomplished our objective, which you have singularly failed to do.”
Wickham crossed his arms and settled back into the bench. “I am risking getting punched by Darcy or arrested—or both—while you lounge in luxury giving orders.”
Caroline sighed. She had been prepared for this objection but had hoped to obtain his assistance without additional payment. She reached into her reticule and extracted a small pouch of coins. “For your pains”—she dropped them into Wickham’s outstretched hand—“but I shall give you no more until Elizabeth Bennet is gone from Mr. Darcy’s life. Then he will surely propose to me.”
Wickham opened the pouch and stared greedily at the coins. “Consider it done.”
Chapter Eleven
The morning after her father arrived, Elizabeth was surprised by another visit from Mr. Darcy. Considering how abominably he had been abused by her father, Elizabeth had rather expected he would stay at home and avoid the entire Bennet clan. But he was sober and even-tempered and greeted her father cordially. He then extended an invitation for the entire Gardiner family as well as Elizabeth and her father to join him and his sister in a box for a performance at Astley’s Amphitheatre.
He could not have chosen a better invitation. Although the Gardiners had attended Astley’s before, they were happy to have an activity which included their children and eager to see the Amphitheatre’s special performance for the Christmas season. Elizabeth’s father, who disliked London, had grumbled that he might as well go while he was in town, but she could see that he was curious about the famous show.
Elizabeth had never attended a show at Astley’s and was looking forward to it with eager anticipation as they all climbed into Mr. Darcy’s carriage. Unfortunately, he was not aboard as the space was crowded enough with four adults and numerous young Gardiners sitting on everyone’s laps. The barouche was well-sprung and quite comfortable without being ostentatious. Her father noted all the details; Elizabeth could see that he was impressed despite himself.
Mr. Darcy was waiting to hand her out of the carriage when it rolled to a stop in front of the theatre. “Miss Bennet.” Touching his hand was like touching a burning ember. She was shocked at the electricity that traveled up her arm and spread throughout her body from a simple contact between their fingers. The slight widening of Mr. Darcy’s eyes suggested that he was as affected as she was. If only she could step closer to him and explore what was happening between them. If she could understand what occurred behind that stern demeanor. Was he feeling the same way she was?
In truth, she did not believe anyone in her life had ever regarded her quite the way he did. His dark eyes beheld her with a warmth she would not have believed was within his capabilities. But there was also a hint of apprehension in his expression, as if all his hopes and dreams rested upon her shoulders. It gave her a heady sense of power over such a formidable, self-contained man. Yet her nerves also buzzed with anxiety as his expectations weighed her down. What if she decided she did not wish to be married to him?
Her father cleared his throat, and Elizabeth realized she had been clasping Mr. Darcy’s hand longer than was proper. Coloring, she took a step back from him. He tore his eyes from hers and greeted the Gardiners and her father.
“Please allow me to introduce my sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy, and my cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam.” Only then did Elizabeth notice two people standing behind Mr. Darcy. Miss Darcy was as pretty as Elizabeth remembered, but she was plainly shy in so much company and would not look directly at anyone in the party. The colonel was a plain man with an open, unassuming countenance. He greeted everyone with easy, friendly manners even as he regarded Elizabeth with undisguised curiosity.
Before leading the way through the crowds, Mr. Darcy offered Elizabeth his arm while his cousin took Miss Darcy’s. She felt quite important on the arm of such an elegantly dressed man and at the front of such a procession. Heads turned their way, and women whispered behind their fans as they proceeded through the crowds. What would it be like to have this experience everywhere she went? Elizabeth could not quite imagine it.
Their box was large, elegantly appointed, and quite close to the stage. Mr. Darcy seated Elizabeth at the front and took the seat beside hers. Behind them, her father cleared his throat as if to object to the arrangement, but Mr. Darcy fixed him with a steady gaze and he subsided. The others settled into chairs arranged throughout the rest of the box, although everyone would get a good view of the performance.
Some of the younger Gardiners crowded up to the edge of the box, peering down at the stage and the throngs of people in amazement. Elizabeth was surprised when Miss Darcy knelt down next to young Harry and little Cassandra, chatting with them about what they would see. Soon she was surrounded by the entire crowd of Gardiner children. Apparently, Miss Darcy’s shyness did not extend to children.
The Amphitheatre itself was different from any theatre Elizab
eth had ever seen. There was the customary proscenium stage, but in front of it, a large ring, sprinkled with sawdust, had been laid on the floor. Since Astley’s was primarily a riding exhibition, Elizabeth guessed the ring was where the horses would run. Ingenious ramps led between the ring and the stage.
She did not know whether the nervous flutters in her stomach resulted more from the anticipation of seeing the famous show or mingled excitement and anxiety over Mr. Darcy’s proximity. Every time she glanced in his direction, she found his dark eyes upon her, sending excited thrills down her spine.
Then the performance began, immediately exceeding all of Elizabeth’s expectations. Horses and riders thundered across the stage, down the ramps, around the ring, and onto the stage again, moving so swiftly that their colorful costumes were a blur. It was a dazzling exhibition.
During the acts that followed, Elizabeth could not decide which was more thrilling: the rope twirler or the juggler or the man who rode two horses at once. Then there was a rider who rode three horses at once!
She could not stop applauding the trick riders who jumped on and off horseback with ease, grabbing swords from the floor without even breaking stride. Next there was a man who juggled while on horseback. The horses were bedecked with garlands of greenery and red velvet ribbons. A group of mummers performed a short Christmas play. Elizabeth felt fortunate she could see the performance at Christmastide.
In between these acts, the clowns kept the crowd laughing. Elizabeth particularly liked the male clown who chased after a female clown with a piece of mistletoe, trying to steal a kiss. Even her father was chuckling.