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The Darcys, Bennets, and Fitzwilliams were in an antechamber at Buckingham house awaiting the summons from the Lord Chamberlain to enter the drawing room where the Queen and the Regent were sitting. A few minutes after the hour, he summoned them, then announced them all to the royals.

Once all were announced and deep curtsies from the women and genuflecting from the men had been offered, they were invited to sit.

“We welcome you all and thank you for graciously accepting our invitation,” the Regent drawled.

“We are especially gratified to see that his Grace, the Duke of Derbyshire, seems to be hale and healthy again. We would like to thank you for saving our Cousin Elizabeth from that madman.” He inclined his head toward Darcy who accepted the royal thanks with a single nod.

“Lord Darcy, did our cousin explain that not only did your father save my husband but also our son on that fateful day?” Queen Charlotte asked.

“Lady Elizabeth did tell me that, your Royal Majesty. I have always been proud of my late father, and am even more so now that I have heard of his heroism. He told no one save my mother, his beloved wife Lady Anne.” Darcy radiated pride for his late father, the first Duke of Derbyshire in the Darcy line.

“Did we hear correctly that the dastard admitted murdering your father before he was dispatched?” the Regent asked.

“Yes, Your Royal Highness, that is correct,” the Duke of Derbyshire replied, his anger building as he thought about what Wickham had taken from them, what he tried to take from him now.

“If he had not been shot, I would have done the deed with my bare hands.” The Dowager Duchess sitting next to him put her hand on his arm to calm him.

Even though Georgiana knew what the murderer had done, she gasped at hearing his criminal deeds being discussed in such a forum.

“Cousin Elizabeth and Cousin Tom, did we hear that congratulations are due to both of you as you are both betrothed?” the Queen asked, knowing the answer to the question before she asked it.

“Yes, Your Royal Majesty,” the brother and sister chorused.

“On behalf of my betrothed, Lady Amelia Ashbury, I thank you for your kind words, Your Royal Majesty,” the Marquess of Birchington said as he bowed his head toward the Queen.

“You are betrothed to Derbyshire, Cousin Elizabeth?” the Queen asked. “We heard that at one time your feelings were not so tender, if our sources are correct?”

“In cases such as this, Your Royal Majesty, a good memory is unpardonable,” Elizabeth answered cousin with her trademark impertinence. The Regent let out a loud guffaw while his mother laughed silently into her hand.

Once the Regent had settled, he got to the business of the hour. “Derbyshire, you understand that by awarding the dukedom to your father posthumously we did not violate the agreement that he made with my father, His Majesty the King?”

“I do, Your Royal Highness,” he agreed.

“Good. Before we commence with the investiture, we would like to explain why we invited the former Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam and his family here today.” Richard tensed as he truly could not fathom that he was the reason that his family had been invited to attend the ceremony.

“Wellesley has fully informed us of your heroism at the battles of Rolica, Elvina, and Bucaco .” As the Regent saw the former colonel about to protest, he raised his hand to silence him.

“As you well know, Wellesley does not give praise lightly, and we have verified everything with other officers who served alongside you as well as some of those whose lives you saved. For the services that you provided to the crown and your heroism in the field, we are elevating you. From this date forward you will be the Earl of Brookfield. We are awarding you the estate of Broadmoor in Nottinghamshire. Your first son will be Viscount Broadmoor. We do this with our thanks and that of the kingdom, even if most do not know of your actions by necessity.”

The Duke of Derbyshire was then instructed to kneel, and the Regent tapped his right shoulder with his ceremonial sword, the elevation then official and irrevocable.

The new Earl kneeled in front of his Highness and received his tap on his shoulder.

His family watched the investiture with pride and happiness radiating from their countenances.

The Lord Chamberlain handed each new peer their patents and informed them that a royal decree would appear on the morrow in the papers.

,. “You had to better me and reclaim your place that I took when I outranked you after we married,” Lady Marie Fitzwilliam could not help teasing her older sister as they walked out of St. James, very happy for both her sister and new brother. “Janie, I can scarce believe it, you are a countess!”

“ You cannot believe it! Richard and I are waiting for someone to wake us or tell us it was all an intrigue by our cousins,” Jane admitted as she walked between her mother and mother-in-law.

“This was never anything that I wanted,” the Earl of Brookfield stated, still in a stupor.

“No one deserves it more than you, Rich,” Andrew Fitzwilliam countered. “As much as you have tried to downplay your actions, the family has long known about them,” his older brother added. Richard scanned his family; his eyes narrowed in accusation.

“No, son, not I nor anyone else in the family petitioned the royals for this or anything else. While you were being elevated, one of the royal advisors informed me that it was General Arthur Wellesley himself who informed the Regent and pushed for you to be recognised,” the Earl of Matlock assured his son.

He was as proud of his son as any father could be, in fact more so than he could express in words and of much lesser importance, it did not hurt that he had just gained another ally in the lords.

“Only one person here made a disclosure to her cousins that led to an elevation,” the Dowager Duchess of Derbyshire teased her future daughter-in-law.

“Although, I must admit that Lizzy sought my permission to speak to her parents and cousins, and I granted it to her.” William should have known that his betrothed would not break an oath of secrecy to his mother and just shook his head in amusement.

“It did not take much convincing. Cousin George was delighted that I offered him a way to thank the Darcys for the service that your late husband provided them,” Elizabeth reported proudly.

“I see,” teased the Duke of Derbyshire, “you are determined to marry a duke!” he said with a huge grin. He was able to tease her as he knew that his new title had nothing to do with her wanting to marry him. “This duke is more than happy to make you his duchess, Lizzy.”

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

The new Earl of Brookfield was beside himself with anger.

When the men and runners that were dispatched to Fowey arrived, they found only three men, not four.

A search discovered the body of Sergeant Hamms with his throat slit.

If that was not bad enough, the Younges had vanished.

After an exhaustive search and questioning many, it was discovered that the sloop that Younge used had sailed the same day that Hamms had disappeared.

The report was that it seemed to be heading toward France, but as Richard related the information to his Cousin Darcy and Lord Thomas Bennet, they all agreed that the heading was more than likely a diversion.

Lord Thomas noted the name and description of the sloop.

The information would be disseminated throughout the Dennington fleet with instructions to report any sightings of the Stealthy Runner .

As they could have sailed anywhere, there would not be a formal search mounted.

The Dennington Lines fleet was the largest in the realm and docked in ports large and small in every corner of the known world, therefore, it would be the most effective way to search for the sloop.

The three men pledged money that ended up totalling ten thousand pounds to be invested for Hamms’ widow and children, giving them an income of more than five hundred per annum, considerably more than what the ex-sergeant had earned.

It would not make up for Mrs. Hamms loss of her husband or his children their father, but they would be cared for financially.

Richard Fitzwilliam pledged that those who murdered Hamms would be brought to justice, one way or another, and the steely look in his eyes left no doubt of his resolve.

His family had seen that look before, the Younges and their cohorts had crossed a line that had lit the fire of fury in the normally affable man with a jovial disposition.

The two betrothed couples decided to take a walk in Hyde Park.

Lady Elizabeth had not uttered one syllable in opposition to the eight footmen that would accompany them, including her and Amy’s companions.

Since that day, she had accepted whatever security measures that her father put in place to protect his family.

Some of the guards, namely Biggs and Johns, would stay very close to the couples, and two sets of three would walk ahead and behind their charges.

Even with Wickham dead and his co-conspirator out of England, the Duke of Hertfordshire would not take any chances.

He gave his middle daughter a challenging look, daring her to try and gainsay him; it killed any possible protest before it was made.

As they walked over the infamous bridge, Darcy looked at his betrothed, both silently acknowledged that they would never walk over the bridge without remembering what almost happened. Seeing the pensive look on her fiancé, Lady Elizabeth gripped his arm tightly to get his attention.