Page 48 of A Matter of Murder
“Of course,” Lizzie said. “I’m glad you told her. She’s adelightful girl. I can’t imagine how difficult this last year has been for you, being apart.”
He sighed. “Yes, but I imagine she’ll be back in London for the season—she’s old enough now to make her debut.”
Lizzie looked up at him. “She will? Is your father...”
Darcy’s expression was stony. Lizzie knew this expression—it was the one he wore when he was upset but trying not to show it. Unfortunately for him, looking like a severe marble sculpture gave him away. “I’ve had word from him, yes.” Darcy’s voice was clipped. “He’s on his way back to England. I don’t know exactly when his ship will dock but... soon.”
“Darcy,” Lizzie breathed. The subject of his father was a sore one. When they’d first met, the senior Mr. Darcy had been a distant figure to her, but Lizzie had gotten the distinct impression that he did not approve of Darcy’s association with her. Darcy had assured her he was glad enough to have another solved case in the books, and even grateful that their investigation had proved what a scoundrel Wickham could be. Lizzie had suspected him of exaggerating but had said nothing.
When Darcy’s father had announced his prolonged business trip to the continent, Darcy had been upset—but Lizzie knew it was less about his father’s absence and more about his insistence on sending Georgiana to the countryside with no company except a paid companion. And she knew that his father hadn’t been pleased by how their case with Jack Mullins had turned out, although she had hoped he’d at least recognize that their efforts had uncovered a mole in Mr. Tomlinson.
Judging by Darcy’s expression now, she doubted his father had voiced his admiration for a job well done.
“Please don’t worry,” Darcy said, which was what he always did when the subject of his father was brought up.
“You’re clearly upset. Has your father said anything about...” She wanted to sayusbut chose the safer route and finished with, “Lady Catherine?”
Darcy grimaced. “Not in as many words.”
Ah. Lizzie feared that meant he’d had plenty to say about her and their prolonged partnership, then.
“But this is a good thing,” Lizzie said, attempting to put on a brave face, though she did not in fact think that Darcy’s father’s return portended much of anything good. “Georgiana will be back in London soon enough, and surely having her close by will be an improvement for you both.”
He smiled a little at that. “She’s been awfully bored at Pemberley. She claims the lady’s companion is terrible company, always complaining of a headache or finding some excuse to abandon her duties. Georgiana is hoping Father will sack her as soon as he returns.”
“Oh dear,” Lizzie said, unable to help feeling a pang of sympathy for the lady’s companion. The position was reserved for gentlemen’s daughters who had little money and no marriage prospects on the horizon as a way of earning a respectable income. It did not sound like a pleasant living to Lizzie, but there weren’t exactly many respectable positions open to ladies who must work.
Lizzie was about to further inquire about Georgiana when Darcy stopped. “Isn’t that Sally up ahead?”
It didn’t take Lizzie very long to see whom Darcy was referring to. They were approaching the outskirts of the village now, and some distance ahead of them in the field to their right, a distant figure of a woman, tall and slender with white-blond hair, walked toward the village.
“I believe so,” Lizzie said, shading her eyes to look out. “Do you think she’s coming from Netherfield? Why not use the lane?”
“Perhaps she knows a shortcut through the woods?” Darcy suggested.
Instinct took over, and Lizzie picked up her pace, dragging Darcy and Guy along with her. “Come on. I want to see where she goes.”
“Lizzie! We can’t just...”
“Follow her? Of course we can! If she’s just going to the shops, then all right. But if she goes anywhere else or sees anyone else, I want to know.”
“All right,” Darcy grumbled as he increased his pace to keep up with Lizzie. “But this isn’t London—there is considerably less coverage to tail someone in a village like Meryton. You’d better start thinking up your cover story should we get caught.”
“When have I ever not had a cover story prepared?”
Darcy muttered something incoherent but followed.
The path Sally was on appeared to run somewhat parallel to the lane, although it was separated by some distance and the length of a stone wall. Lizzie kept an eye on Sally as sheapproached the edge of the village, but the other young lady’s path did not take her to the high street—instead, she skirted around a row of gardens, heading to the north side of the village. “Interesting,” Lizzie said. “So she’snotrunning an errand for the household.”
“We don’t know that for certain—she’s just not going straight into the village,” Darcy corrected. “Let’s let her get ahead a bit and then follow.”
Lizzie fidgeted but waited until Sally was a good distance away and in danger of slipping out of sight before she and Darcy left the lane and strode through the long grass of the hayfield that separated them from the worn footpath Sally took, Guy trailing them. Right before it entered the village proper, it branched off, running alongside the back of many of the cottages and buildings. That was the direction where Sally had disappeared. “I can’t see her anymore,” Lizzie said in a low tone.
“She can’t have gone too far. Come on.” Darcy took her arm, and they picked up the pace. The path curved to the left, leading to the north side of the village before meeting the high street as it led out of the village. Lizzie and Darcy halted, looking around for Sally.
“She could be anywhere,” Lizzie murmured. On this end of the village were mostly cottages, a farrier, and what appeared to be a smithy. There were some people out and about, and a few men at work, but no sign of the tall, blond young woman they’d been tailing. Disappointment plummeted in Lizzie’s stomach.
“There,” Darcy said suddenly, looking to the right. “The churchyard.”