Page 90 of A Matter of Murder

“You don’t think Sally...” Bingley trailed off.

“I didn’t see her,” Darcy said. “Did any of you?”

They all shook their heads. Lizzie added, “She was belowstairs tonight, to avoid gossip. But I don’t think she would do this to us—we saved her grandparents from jail.”

“Then who?” Mr. Bennet asked again.

Darcy looked to Lizzie. It was her secret to tell. And judging by her horrified expression, he guessed she was regretting having kept it.

“Who else?” she said with a tired sigh.

Mr. Bennet needed no guesses. “Lady Catherine?” he asked,incredulous. Both Darcy and Lizzie nodded, and Mr. Bennet’s expression darkened. “Explain.”

In halting sentences, Lizzie recounted the note she’d received nearly a week earlier. Mr. Bennet took the news in with a stoic expression, and when she’d finished, he turned to Darcy. “And you knew about this?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And you didn’t think to inform me?”

Darcy forced himself to meet Mr. Bennet’s eyes. He read anger in there, but disappointment, too. The disappointment was what stung the most, because unlike when his own father was disappointed in him, Darcy cared very much about Mr. Bennet respecting him. He swallowed. “Lizzie asked me not to.”

“Papa, it’s not his fault—”

Mr. Bennet held up his hand, and she went quiet. “You both decided to keep this to yourself, knowing full well that Lady Catherine is dangerous and has made threats against us all. And in the face of multiple unsettling accidents and events, you decided to hold your tongues.” He paused and shook his head. “Whatpossiblycould have possessed you?”

“I wanted to find out who the dead man was,” Lizzie said, her voice small. “And I wanted to find the killer and restore Jane’s reputation amongst her new neighbors. I thought if we told you, you’d insist on leaving and that would only anger her. I had every intention of telling you everything tomorrow...”

Darcy had never seen Lizzie so defeated before. He took her hand and squeezed it.

“Lady Catherine has infiltrated Netherfield Park?” Bingley asked. “But how?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t care,” Mr. Bennet said. “We must leave immediately.”

“I can’t move Caroline,” Bingley said. “You saw what state she’s in.”

“It’s me she wants,” Lizzie said miserably. “Everyone can stay here. I’ll go.”

“Nonsense. We will all go to your aunt and uncle Gardiner’s. I wrote to them of our troubles, and they’ve already extended an invitation—”

“No.” Lizzie gently withdrew her hand from Darcy’s. “I won’t go anywhere I might endanger more people I love. You and Mama and the girls should go to them, though. And Bingley, I’m truly sorry. I think you ought to send away all the servants except those absolutely necessary. Only keep those you trust.”

Alarm spread through Darcy. “Lizzie, where do you plan on going?”

“I’ve given it some thought, and the Dashwoods have a spare room in their shop for me. I can keep a low profile while we—”

“No,” Darcy and Mr. Bennet said at the same time.

“You’re not venturing out alone, not with that madwoman at large!” Mr. Bennet said.

Don’t leave me, Darcy thought selfishly. But was it selfish to want to face whatever was ahead with her by his side?

“Where would you have me go that’s safe, Papa?” Lizzie asked. “I wouldn’t trust a sea voyage—Lady Catherine has toomany connections aboard vessels, and who knows where her spies might be?”

“Perhaps Scotland—”

“Scotland!” Lizzie cried.

“You don’t have to go to Scotland,” Darcy said. “You don’t have to leave the country at all.”