A fortnight later, Elizabeth sat in her salon sipping tea. She relished the quiet as her days after the ball had been filled with parading before Lady Matlock's friends. The woman seemed to resent her less but Elizabeth could not be certain.
Putting thoughts of the Matlocks aside, she happily turned the pages of a book which had arrived that morning from a bookseller whose shop was full of books she wished to own.
The smell of leather that permeated his shop returned to her as she closed the book and lifted it to her nose. It was a habit that often caused her father to tease her.
Mr. Darcy had taken her to the shop the day after the ball. Elizabeth thought this act to be one of penance for his behavior with Mr. Wickham. When they had wandered the aisles, she pointed out many of her favorite titles. She would not agree to purchase even one, though she wished she might have them all.
Mr. Darcy must have committed her list to memory, for every book she had exclaimed over was packed with care and placed inside the large crate. There was a note included that revealed her friend had been unable to stop himself from doing such a kind deed.
She recalled Mr. Harley's countenance as she pulled each book from the box and hugged it to her breast in glee. His thoughtful suggestion of where her new books should live had pleased her.
"Would you rather these books be placed in your sitting room upstairs, Mrs. Fitzwilliam? It is such a cozy room for reading and I have noticed your preference for its chairs over those in the library."
His words had strengthened her feelings for the kind butIer. Because of Mr. Harley, her place at Fitzwilliam House had seemed a natural thing.
Mr. Harley appeared as if called by her thoughts and Elizabeth smiled and stood when she saw the man he led into the room.
"Major Wickham, how nice of you to come today! My sisters are out with Miss Darcy at the moment. I know they will be sorry to have missed you."
Elizabeth held out both hands as he approached. Major Wickham took them and squeezed gently.
As they sat and Elizabeth poured another cup of tea, she sensed regret in his eyes. She had not seen him since the night of the ball and wondered whether Mr. Darcy's warning had kept him away.
"I cannot stay long, but I wanted to come and tell you that I must leave London for a time, but I will return soon. A soldier's life is unpredictable." Major Wickham placed his teacup on the table and smiled at Elizabeth with not a little affection.
"Indeed it is, my friend. Please say you will come again when you have returned to town. I worried that Mr. Darcy's words the night of the ball had persuaded you to avoid Fitzwilliam House." Elizabeth saw no reason to hide her thoughts on the matter.
Major Wickham shrugged his shoulders. "Darcy will never change his opinion of me. I expect my rise in the ranks displeases him, but I will never forsake our friendship.”
"It gives me great peace to know it. My time in London has not been easy. I fear Richard's family would rather I did not exist."
Wickham frowned, his forehead creasing in dismay."I would like to say I am surprised, but the Fitzwilliams and Darcys are quite proud. That they have given you this townhome shocks me still. It was not so many years ago Mr. Darcy denied me the living his father meant me to have."
Elizabeth could not speak for several moments. Mr. Darcy had stood against the Matlocks and secured her future.
"Why would he do such a thing? He is a wealthy man with many holdings. Why defy his father's wishes?”
Major Wickham stood abruptly and gave a bow. "Forgive, me, I really must go. But I believe he was incensed that his father did not hate me as he did.”
Elizabeth stood and walked her friend to the front door. “Must you go so soon? My sisters would love to see you again.”
Mr. Wickham smiled at this information. “I would love to see them again as well but I must not stay, my dear. I shouldn’t have come for I have not the time to spare but I did not want you to think I was afraid to come.”
Elizabeth frowned. "I would not like to lose your friendship, nor that of Mr. Darcy and his sister. They have been most kind in spite of the Matlock's anger with me.”
Major Wickham winked at Elizabeth before quitting Fitzwilliam House. "I promise never to make you choose between us, Elizabeth. In the future, I will only come to visit when I know the Darcys are not about."
Elizabeth did not wish for there to be an issue between Mr. Darcy and Major Wickham. "He will come to accept that we are friends eventually. I will not compromise my own feelings to soothe his."
Major Wickham surprised her when he lifted her hand and moved to place a kiss up on it.
Elizabeth pulled away from him, her eyes searching his. When he was but a lieutenant in Meryton, before Richard arrived in Hertfordshire, he had flirted shamelessly with her and her sisters.
There had been a few weeks when he favored only her with his compliments. Elizabeth thought he might be a good match. But he had turned his attentions to Miss King, their neighbor, and not long after Richard arrived and began their friendship.
"I am sorry, Elizabeth. Seeing you again has brought back so many happy memories of our first meeting. I hope I have not made you uncomfortable."
Elizabeth smiled at the handsome soldier. "You have not, sir. I wish to remain friends and only friends. Is it too much to ask?"
Major Wickham glanced about the entryway, a ready smile playing on his lips. "You may ask of me what you will and it shall never be a burden."
He left her then and Elizabeth stood in the door waving until his horse was out of sight. Winter had truly descended on London and she stepped quickly inside.
The voice of her son rang down the stairs to her and she took them by twos to reach his side. "Mama, will you read to us by the fire?"
She knelt and placed her arms about her son and his cousin Rose. "Yes, my love. Let us go up to my sitting room for Mr. Darcy has sent us many books today."
Following the children as they capered upstairs, Elizabeth smiled at the life she now led. Her son's future was secure, she was surrounded by friends and family, and the secret of young Richard's existence remained secret.
Mr. Darcy had smoothed the way with the Matlocks and thoughtfully sent her books. She found herself able to forgive his rancor with Major Wickham.
Elizabeth did not like to think badly of the major, he was all a gentleman ought to be, but his fickle romantic nature had always given her pause. The attempted kiss in the entryway bothered her. Even her Aunt Madeline had remarked upon his forward way with women in the past.