Page 105 of A Matter of Murder
“A family home, and the income associated with it,” Lady Catherine said. “As for the methods, he misrepresented his intentions.”
Lizzie couldn’t help it—her legal mind was already analyzing this scenario. “How large of a home, and how much land? Is there an entail? And what do you mean, he misrepresented his intentions? If there was fraud...”
Lady Catherine stared at Lizzie, and she smiled the moment that the details fell into place. Lady Catherine had referred to a case that could secure her own future. A case that no man would touch, that Tomlinson said shouldn’t be touched.
“Are you referring to your husband?” Lizzie asked. “And is the property in question—”
“My family property, passed down to me,” Lady Catherine said. “And that weasel stole it from me. I want it back.”
Lizzie shook her head. “I’m sorry, I can’t help—there are laws—”
“Unjust laws, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Of course,” Lizzie said. “But I’m just a solicitor. I can’t change laws. You’d have to go through Parliament, and—”
Movement behind Lady Catherine caught Lizzie’s eye, and hope leapt in her chest for a moment. It must have shown on her face, for Lady Catherine turned slightly. A figure appeared in the grotto doorway, backlit by the brilliant sunlight. Lizzie blinked, unable to make out who the newcomer was, until...
“Are you ready, madam?” The voice was female, although the figure was dressed in trousers and a men’s jacket. “The horses are nearby.”
The sunlight glinted off the newcomer’s red hair. “Agnes,” Lizzie breathed.
“Miss Bennet,” she said crisply.
“But... how...”
“You aren’t the only talented young lady I’ve collected,” Lady Catherine said. “Agnes is quite the housebreaker. I saved her from the noose, and now she is committed to our cause.”
“You were the one who took Guy, and the east wing—the accidents...” Lizzie realized she was making little sense, but it was all falling into place. Agnes had passed herself off as from the area, but she wasn’t from Meryton. She had presented herself as friendly to Lizzie, gotten Guy to trust her, and had said that she didn’t believe in the curse... “But you tried to kill me!”
Lady Catherine tutted. “Agnes, I told you I wanted her unharmed.”
“I wasn’t trying to kill herspecifically,” Agnes said. “I tried to do as you said—make it so unsafe that she’d have no choice but go to Pemberley.”
“I could have been killed by that chandelier! You nearly killed Caroline Bingley!”
“Oh, I just wanted a closer look—after Sally insisted that no one polish it but her, I got curious.”
“You’re the one who stole the diamonds,” Lizzie said.
Agnes gave a small bow and Lady Catherine said, “And they will fund our case for a good number of years. Now, enough talk. It’s time to go. Agnes, you stay here and ensure the Darcys behave—no running off and warning anyone to be on the lookout. If you don’t hear from me in five days’ time, kill them and join us.”
“No!” Lizzie cried. “You can’t—”
Lady Catherine smacked Lizzie across the face with the pistol, the cold metal splitting the skin of her cheekbone. Lizzie felt burning pain and the trickle of blood on her cheek as she saw stars. Behind her, Georgiana let out a small yelp.
“You don’t get to negotiate,” Lady Catherine hissed. “I gave you many chances to join me without getting hurt, but you squandered them all. Now is the time for you to do as I say, or Agnes will kill everyone you love.”
“I’m very good at poisons,” Agnes said, blinking at her in an innocent fashion. “And at slipping into a house undetected at night. Honoria Bingley never even knew I was there.”
Horror settled over Lizzie as she raised her hand to her face, wincing at the pain. “You killed Honoria Bingley?”
“Of course I had her killed,” Lady Catherine said with a sigh. “I couldn’t risk showing my face in London—I needed to find a way to drive you out of the city. I learned about Honoria and her fortune while I was working with Hurst.”
George Hurst, Lady Catherine’s first victim... that Lizzie knew of. Technically, Collins had killed Hurst, but it had been at Lady Catherine’s behest.
“I had hoped that you’d find your way to Pemberley naturally in the last year, given how close you are with that one, but I suppose his father doesn’t approve of you. He ought to thank me for this favor I’m doing him.”
And with that, she yanked Lizzie’s arm, dragging her toward the door. Lizzie’s instinct was to go limp and drag her feet, but Lady Catherine simply let go of her, allowing Lizzie to tumbleto the ground. She looked up at the sound of the pistol being cocked.