Page 28

COUSIN TEA

W ith Darcy’s recovery, Wickham returned to his regimental duties and life appeared to settle down into a comfortable routine. It was not until Christmas that Darcy could join the family downstairs. Much joy went around the room at his appearance. Elizabeth was still worried about her husband’s health.

During the month that Darcy had recovered, Bingley appeared to withdraw more and more from the company around him. Between the weddings being planned and the various social engagements, the family did not have much time to notice Bingley’s behaviour.

For each of the couples, it was all too brief a time for them to spend together. However, on Christmas Eve their time of happiness was interrupted in a most unwelcome manner. They had gathered in the drawing room after dinner and were settling down for each of the members of the family to take turns playing the various Christmas Hymns. Elizabeth had barely opened the instrument when Lady Catherine de Bourgh hurried into the parlour.

“Fitz, Elizabeth, Christopher, Catherine. I’ve failed you!” Lady Catherine almost screamed.

“Calm down, Catherine,” the earl ordered his sister. “Tell us slowly what has happened.”

“I… do not know. I thought I was getting through to Georgiana and that she was improving. It seems she had an argument with one of my servants last month and shortly afterwards, she ran away. My servants, contacts, and I have been spending the past month searching for her! She has disappeared into thin air. We cannot find her. Mrs Younge has also gone. I had sole responsibility for my niece! Mrs Annesley is at a loss to know where the girl has gone,” Lady Catherine revealed. “I do not know where she is. I do not know what has happened to her!”

“Did you say Mrs Younge?” Mrs Bennet asked.

“Does that mean anything to you, Mrs Bennet?” The earl asked, surprised.

“I am not sure. My husband was not very forthcoming about his family and friends. I think he has mentioned her though,” Mrs Bennet informed them. “I think there’s an estate somewhere in Devon that meant something to him as a child.”

“Devon! My God! George and Lewis died for nothing! Shortly before their deaths, we intercepted a letter that said Deliberate Entrapment Very Obvious Now! The first letter of each word was underscored. We had no idea what it meant. We thought that their cover had been exposed. They had the key to opening the whole thing wide open. There was a strange addition at the bottom of the letter. Cousin Coffee, Tynemouth. It had been addressed to a . The letter had seemed like it was complete nonsense.”

“ is my husband. He and his cousin were at one time very close. He was called Tea because his first name is Timothy and his drink of choice was Tea. Hers was Coffee, I understand,” Mrs Bennet explained. “It was a little inside joke Coffee stood for Caroline, where Tea was Timothy.”

“I wish we had known this five years ago! My brothers need not have died,” the earl exclaimed.

“What does all of that have to do with our niece?” Lady Catherine demanded. “And who is this woman, that you take her word for it?”

Elizabeth stood up. “Lady Catherine, this woman is my mother. It appears that my mother knows more than any of us ever thought she might.”

Mrs Bennet blushed. “I may not be the smartest person in the world, Lizzy, but I do keep my ears open and know a thing or two.”

“I did not mean to say otherwise, mama. I only meant that we thought papa had kept you ignorant of everything he was doing,” Elizabeth stated.

“He would have done so, Lizzy. However, he became careless and told me bits and pieces that he thought I would easily forget. He was, of course, wrong – as he has been about so much in his life,” Mrs Bennet said with a sigh.

“Yes, yes, but what has this to do with Georgiana?” Lady Catherine impatiently demanded.

“I believe that Mrs Bennet has given us the clue to find her,” the earl remarked.

Lady Catherine narrowed her eyes. “Why do you think that?”

“Because she has given us a link between Mr Bennet and Mrs Younge. Not to mention the childhood link to Devon!” The earl huffed.

“I am confused about one thing. According to what I was taught, Tynemouth is in the North of England, far away from Devon,” Elizabeth asked.

“Well spotted, Elizabeth. I do not know if it was purchased later on or whether it came from either her husband’s family or from somewhere else, but five years ago the Younges not only had links to the Tyne and Wear region of England, but owned an estate there. It was that estate that we knew about and how we did not catch that the message was saying they were going to be taking girls through Devon. Also, the Prince Regent will be very interested to find out that Mr Bennet is somehow involved with this — especially because the man shot at our son and nephew!”

“What are you planning, David?” Lady Matlock asked her husband.

“I do not know right now,” the earl confessed. “We have held back in arresting the man. The things that he has done are despicable and I would have moved against him straight away. What he has done to our family is unacceptable. What he did to his daughters is unconscionable. The Prince Regent, however, has ordered us to wait. I do not know exactly what he is planning. The only thing that I know is that the insult to the King and Country will not go unanswered. I fear that the Prince Regent will not be kind to him. The only thing that we are sure of right now is that the royal affront will not allow for Mr Bennet to be pardoned for his crimes. I should not be surprised if he should experience justice before he even gets to trial.”

“Oh, tosh! He will have a trial just the same as any other man who has committed a crime,” Lady Matlock waved away the earl’s statement. “No need to frighten those around you!”

The earl laughed. “I am not the one frightening anyone. However, I do believe that if my son is up to it, Christopher, Elizabeth, and I need to travel to Devon to attempt to find Georgiana.”

“I am up to it,” Fitzwilliam announced.

“But I am not,” Elizabeth confessed. “I do not know if I have exhausted myself too much, or what, but I am far too easily tired and I’m feeling sick all of the time.”

Lady Matlock, Lady Catherine, Mrs Bennet, Catherine, and Miss Bingley all ushered Elizabeth from the room. Darcy watched them go, with a twinge of regret. “I can attempt the journey, in my wife’s stead. I ought to be looking for Georgiana anyway,” Darcy suggested.

“Aside from your wife not forgiving me if you reopened your wounds, it would not do for you to be travelling at this time,” the earl objected.

Darcy shrugged. “I have to get back to normality at some point. I may as well begin sooner rather than later.”

“No, Fitz,” Mark interrupted. “Lizzy will never forgive any of us if you do not recover. You are only just up and out of bed. There’s no way you are well enough to go travelling.”

“I cannot sit around while my sister is missing! I must search with you!” Darcy argued.

“And yet, you have a duty to your estate, your tenants, and more especially your wife to stay where you are and to recover. I think the ladies’ reactions to your wife’s declaration could indicate that you are soon to be a father too. Your health and well-being is the most important. We will go and search for Georgiana!” The earl told Darcy. “Were you not recovering from being shot, things would be different.”

“Christopher is also to be a father!” Darcy objected. “and he is also recovering from being shot.”

“And yet I have been up and about for longer than you!” Fitzwilliam reminded Darcy. “I can take Kitty with me and we can search together. Besides, one of us needs to be here in case Georgiana turns up in the absence of the other.”

Darcy scowled at his cousin, but what they said made some kind of sense. Elizabeth did seem to be sicker than her sister. “Very well, but I do not like this!”

“I will join the search too,” Mark volunteered.

Darcy swallowed. His pride revolted at any kind of show of weakness. “Thank you!”

“We know that you do not like this, Fitz! But we will find her and bring her back! I promise you!” The earl assured him.

Morosely, Darcy glared into the fire. “I hope that is possible. I cannot bear the thought of losing her.”