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When the other man began to argue, Fitzwilliam ignored him.

“She is now under my protection, and not only am I better connected than you, my connections actually like me. Sir James Darcy does not look upon violence against females with a kind eye, regardless of their station, and I have no qualms with summoning him here this instant.” His tone left no doubt that he was deadly serious.

Without waiting for a response, Darcy nodded to Elizabeth and they each took one of the poor maid’s arms. They moved as swiftly as the injured woman could walk and kept to the mews to avoid attention, but even so, they both breathed a sigh of relief when they reached Derwent House.

The appearance of the master and mistress with a distressed female at the kitchen door caused more than a little consternation among the staff.

However, as soon as Mrs. Wilkins was made to understand the situation, she bustled the maid off to a bed.

It was quickly determined that Tilly (for that was her name) did not require a physician, only rest and protection.

A note was dispatched to Corning’s housekeeper and the woman herself arrived within the hour, lips tight with anger.

“It’s my own fault, it is!” she confided to Mrs. Wilkins.

“I was the one who encouraged the poor girl to wear one of the mistresses’ dresses to church this morning.

Not one of the fancy ones, mind you… just a pretty blue muslin with a bit of ribbon on the sleeves.

She was so miserable about Lady Alice… I just thought that wearing it might cheer her up a bit. ”

Elizabeth touched the older woman’s arm. “You could not have known what would happen, Mrs. Greene.”

Darcy had decided to take the precautionary step of informing his uncle about the incident and so, in the end, both Tilly and Mrs. Greene were interviewed by Sir James Darcy himself.

The housekeeper had been shrewd enough to bring the maid’s belongings with her to Derwent House, so the elderly judge was also able to read letters in Lady Alice Westinghouse’s own hand.

One recommended her lady’s maid to a future employer in such glowing terms that made it impossible to think that she had ever had any reason to question Tilly’s honesty.

The other was to Mrs. Greene, and outlined her mistresses’ wishes regarding the allocation of some personal possessions to particular members of the staff.

The judge spoke in reassuring tones to the servants, but once alone with Darcy and Elizabeth he was much more blunt.

“Morally, she is in the right, of course. Sadly, our justice system is not often inclined to take the side of a servant—and a female one at that—against that of a peer.” He eyed the pair seriously over his glass.

“Tilly was very lucky that you found her. However, if you are not inclined to take her into your service, then I would recommend she consider leaving London, and possibly the country. I do not know the current Earl of Corning; his father was a good enough man, but what I have heard from Tilly and Mrs. Greene leads me to conclude that the son is an unpleasant sort, more than capable of pursuing a grudge like this to vile ends.”

The Darcys shared a look that communicated volumes before Elizabeth responded, “Then it’s providential I’ve been searching for a lady’s maid.”

Sir James nodded with approval. “Well done, then. In addition to doing your Christian duty, I believe you will be gaining an exceptionally loyal servant. She knows very well what might have happened to her.” He turned to scrutinize his nephew.

“Now, what can you tell me about this so-called gentleman? I sense that you know more than you have said.”

Mr. Darcy’s expression tightened but he replied honestly, knowing that his uncle was not inquiring for the sake of idle gossip.

“The current Earl of Corning was formerly the Honourable Guy Westinghouse; he was born the younger son, though only by a few minutes. He and his twin brother, John, attended Eton with my cousin, Edward Fitzwilliam. Ashbourne and the current Earl continue to keep company, which may tell you more about his character than any anecdotes I may relate.”

Darcy’s listeners frowned and Sir James motioned for his nephew to continue.

“I knew John Westinghouse only in passing, but by all accounts he was an excellent man—intelligent and gentlemanly.

His twin, however, resented his status as a younger son and his jealousy only worsened as they grew up and left for school.

Lord John applied himself and was awarded honors in both academics and athletics, while his brother developed a reputation as a gambler and a rake.

“The old Earl died not long after the boys turned twenty-one. I myself overheard the Honourable Guy Westinghouse complain that his father had left him ‘only’ a small estate in Staffordshire and a fortune of twenty thousand pounds. ”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, having little patience for wealthy people who did not appreciate what they had been given. Sir James caught her and his eyes twinkled with amusement for a moment.

Turning back to his nephew, however, the elderly gentleman quickly became serious again. “I can imagine it would be a difficult situation for some characters to accept. But how did the younger son come into the title and fortune that he seems to have coveted for so long?”

Darcy grimaced. “The old Earl arranged a betrothal between his eldest son and the Lady Alice Annesley, the Duke of Rutford’s younger daughter.

Plans for the wedding were interrupted by the Earl’s death, and the family’s mourning necessitated a long engagement.

Then, only a few weeks before the ceremony was finally to take place, John Westinghouse was dead.

At the funeral, his brother announced publically that he would honor the agreement between the Duke and his father by marrying the Lady Alice himself, and did so two weeks later. ”

Sir James eyed his nephew shrewdly. “Those are the facts, and concisely framed, I grant you. However, at least two convenient deaths appear to lie between Guy Westinghouse and his new title (not to mention the recent passing of his wife), so I believe that we need to hear more about the emotions swirling about. Therein lie the motives, I suspect.”

Darcy gave his relation a long look. “It’s all hearsay, mind you.”

Sir James indicated that he understood the distinction.

“I’ve heard nothing to suggest that the old Earl’s death was anything but natural,” Fitzwilliam began. “It was widely known that he suffered from a shortness of breath since he was a child and that it was often worsened by London’s poor air.”

“And he died in London during a particularly yellow fog, I remember that. But what of the sons?” prodded the judge.

Darcy sighed. “After John Westinghouse was created eighth Earl of Corning but before his wedding, the two brothers went to stay at the family’s hunting lodge in Scotland.

I’ve heard it said that Guy Westinghouse proposed the trip and hoped to use the time alone to convince his brother to increase his portion, but that was only a whisper.

By all accounts, the pair went out riding one morning but only Guy came back, yelling for someone to fetch the doctor.

He claimed that his brother had taken a hard fall jumping over a hedge, though John Westinghouse was considered to have an excellent seat and had ridden those fields all his life.

By the time a cart was brought around, Corning was dead and his younger brother the new Earl. ”

“And Lady Alice?” asked Elizabeth, feeling a surge of pity for this woman whom she had never met.

“Lord Guy’s public declaration of their engagement was done in such a way that she could not escape it with her reputation unscathed.

It was only after the wedding that her new husband discovered that nearly all of her dowry had been lost in a poor investment—something about diamond mines in America.

The old Earl had been great friends with the Duke and considered the happiness of his son more important than the bride’s fortune.

Lord Guy was not of similar attitude; I have heard him publically abuse his wife for her lack of dowry…

and, given what I know of him personally, I would not be at all surprised if he abused her in private with his fists. ”

The remainder of the meal was conducted in a solemn mood. When Sir James departed, he quietly assured his nephew that he would be doing some discrete checking into the newest Earl of Corning’s affairs.

Later that evening, Darcy and Elizabeth cuddled together before the fire in their private sitting room, as had become their custom before bed.

Often they read—poetry or newspapers, histories or novels—according to their mood and fancy.

On this evening, however, neither was much inclined toward entertainment.

Fitzwilliam had a request to make but was worried that Elizabeth would not take it well. Lizzy was disturbed by the similarity of the maid’s attack to her own misadventure in Hyde Park the previous spring.

She spoke first. “I have finally realized why the Westinghouse name sounded familiar. You remember my friend Lily—Mr. Davenport’s sister?

” She waited for Darcy’s nod and then continued, “Her father tried to force her to accept Guy Westinghouse’s suit—this was before he became Earl of Corning.

The pressure was so great that she left her father’s house on the very day she came of age and went to live with her brother and his wife, even though she was cut off completely. ”

“She was lucky then, and wise,” murmured her husband, thinking about the precarious position of wives in their society.