Page 12 of A Matter of Murder

But it wasn’t long before her insides had turned to ice at the words written inside.

She’d taken the note to her father and Darcy directly, of course. She might have been eager to solve the case, but she wasn’t foolhardy. And she’d watched their faces sour with fear as they read the note.

My dear Miss Bennet,

I really thought better of you. Do you recall the first time we spoke, formally, in my carriage? You told me that you wish to be useful. I so admire usefulness in young ladies, especially ones such as yourself. You have talent and determination. Which is why I am so very disappointed that you chose not to keep our meeting.

I grow weary of being coy. You have proven yourself a keen solicitor, and I have a need for legal services. At one time I thought I might persuade you to see the wisdom of entering my employ, but your stubbornness has ensured that we must resort to unpleasantries. Allow me to be forthright: If you do not take my case, I will find Mr. Darcy first. He works such long hours at Pemberley,and as of late chooses to walk home rather than ride in his fine carriage—your influence, I presume? And if that does not convince you, then I’ll come for your father next. Does he always walk home with his nose in a newspaper?

And lest you think I’ll stop there, there are your younger sisters to consider—Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. Four is an awful lot of daughters to have still at home, I’m sure your mother would agree. How might she feel to have one or two fewer girls on the marriage mart? Why, if she were left with just you and no one else in the world, she’d have to depend on you to care for her in her old age—if losing her family wouldn’t send her to an early grave.

Shall we try this again? You know the time and place already. I’ll be waiting, three days hence.

—Lady Catherine de Bourgh

Lizzie had watched her father get to the end of the letter, hands shaking as he read. She hadn’t had the heart to tell him,I told you so. But she was still surprised when he looked up and said, “We must leave.”

“What do you mean, leave?”

But he had already moved to his desk and started riffling through his writing box. “That woman has been watching us. She knows our movements and our habits, and it’s no longer safe. I will write to Jane and Bingley, and if that fails, your uncle Gardiner. We can all leave the day after tomorrow and be gone from London before this meeting.”

“Get the girls away from London,” Lizzie agreed. “Lydia and Kitty have far too much freedom here, and they aren’t careful—”

“No, Lizzie. We areallleaving. Even you.”

“Papa, I need to stay in London,” she said, struggling to keep her voice measured. “You read the letter—she’ll be back at the church three days from now, and if I go—”

“No!” Her father slapped the edge of the desk. “It’s bad enough you’re caught up with that woman, but you will not be touching this case. I’ll write to Graves and inform him of our plans.”

“Papa, be sensible! That didn’t work the last time, and it won’t work now. She’s threatened your life—we can’t just run! Tell him, Darcy!”

Darcy had remained silent as Mr. Bennet had gone about his preparations, and when Lizzie looked at him now, she realized he’d gone quite pale. The last time he’d looked like that was when he’d rushed to her side after Mr. Tomlinson had given her a rather nasty beating. “Lizzie,” he said.

She felt an awful shock ripple through her as he looked at her with apprehension and fear. “No.”

“I don’t like it,” he said, as if that excused his betrayal. “But I think your father is right.”

“You want me to give up.”

“No, I want you to besafe,” Darcy said.

“I want you both to leave it alone,” Mr. Bennet added.

“Papa!”

He didn’t even look up from the letter he was composing. “Think of it not as giving up. Think of it as taking a holiday.”

But Lizzie did not want a holiday. She wanted to face Lady Catherine. She wanted to look her directly in her cold, calculating eyes and hold her accountable for all the ruin she’d caused. She didn’t want her to slip away like she had twice before.

“Go,” she said. “But I won’t leave.”

“I’ll come with you,” Darcy said quickly, as if Lizzie would agree to this trip if he joined them.

Mr. Bennet had just nodded at him. “That would be fine.”

“I don’t agree—”

“You do not have to agree, but you will obey,” her father said, in a tone so severe Lizzie nearly gasped. Her mild-mannered, book-loving father had never, ever spoken to her in such a way. “This is a matter for Graves, Elizabeth. Do not make me lock you in your bedchamber, because so help me, I will.”