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“I am. He did not know that I was married when he visited one of my husband’s gambling halls. I seduced him when he was in his cups on three or four occasions, and this,” she nodded toward her son in disgust, “sorry excuse for a son was the result.”

“How do you know that Tony was the Earl’s son and not your husband’s issue?

” William demanded. Johanna explained why it was not possible that Tony was the Spaniard’s son.

She mentioned wryly that it was lucky that the then viscount and her late husband had similar hair colour as her son had his father’s colouring.

The three men who knew Harry Smythe looked closely at Tony and all three saw similarities to the Earl that they had never noticed before.

It would be a discussion for another time.

“There was never a need for me to tell these men of your dastardly plans,” Tony returned to the critical point of her mistaken assumptions.

“I would have if they had not already known all, as I could see that the lady that you were all bound and determined to blame for your own failings was, in fact, innocent.” His mother was about to hurl an invective, so Tony proceeded as if he did not see the thunder building in the murderous looks she was shooting at him.

“As you by now know, Jones, Forester, and Tibbson were never discharged from Dennington Lines. What you do not know, but I am sure you can work out for yourself, is that they were sending regular reports about your brilliant, fool proof plans over which the three of you were conniving. You let your greed overrule your good sense, and look at where it has led you. If I had not woken up to the truth on my own, I would be sitting right next to you now, a bitter and delusional person whose life is forfeit.”

Johanna recoiled at his last statement. “You would allow your own mother to be executed?” she said, attempting to play on his guilt.

“Actually, I would have,” Tony agreed, and his mother’s pallor turned decidedly white.

“However, the men, all good and honourable men, that you see here, and others that are in the house, offered me an alternative. Rather than allowing your head to be separated from your body, you will be transported to Botany Bay in Australia.” Tony saw his mother start to calculate how she would extricate herself from her new situation.

“Before you get any ideas, you will have a life sentence of hard labour. Any attempt to escape will be met with swift execution. You will never be free again, but you will have your life, Mother .”

“How could you do this to your mother?” Johanna fairly screeched.

“Did you not tell me that I am not your son? I seem to remember you calling me the ‘devil’s spawn,’ so why would you expect any mercy from one such as you described?

Before you try to blame anyone else for your fate, there is only one person to blame and that person is you.

“I will wager that you consigned my letters to the fire.” Tony got his answer as Johanna could not look him in the eyes.

“Twice I attempted to warn you, I begged you to change your path, but you chose the path of avarice and madness. After what Wickham attempted, in what world did you and your cronies imagine that the Duchess would not be guarded at all times regardless of where she was?”

The three men standing behind Tony could not have been prouder of the young man.

They had no doubt that his feelings were not as calm as the facade he was presenting to his mother portrayed.

He stood tall and resolute, and there was no outward trace of his having allowed any of his mother’s vitriol to faze him.

All four saw the moment that all of the fight left Johanna álvarez.

She seemed to crumble in on herself, and for maybe the first time in many years the weight of her own misdeeds became evident to her.

She finally saw the folly that had cost the lives of Wickham, her husband, and both Younges, and now she would be sent to Australia to be in servitude for the rest of her life.

She sat with her head down and no further invectives were heard from her.

She lifted her head, and Tony was taken aback to see tears in his mother’s eyes.

He honestly could not remember a time that he had seen her cry before.

“I know you do not owe me anything, but please tell me what you are doing with your life, Anthony.” Tony judged that the question was sincere, so he told her of his studies at Oxford and his plans, once he read the law, to become a steward.

When done, Tony left the cellar in the company of Mr. Elliot while the brothers-in-law remained behind.

After the door was closed, Richard turned to the woman who was sitting with her head down.

“You will be taken to London. From there you will be on the next transport out of England for Australia. Take heed of what your son said. Any attempt to escape will be met with swift and final punishment. May God show you any mercy that He feels you deserve, because I do not feel any for you,” Richard bit out as the anger over the murder of Hamms bubbled to the surface again.

“If I had my druthers, you would be in the potter’s field next to Younge! ”

The two men turned without a further word and exited the cellar. Outside Richard issued orders to make sure that the prisoner was on her way to London before sunup. Tony and Elliot were waiting for them at the base of the stairs to the kitchens and William put his hand on Tony’s shoulder.

“I know that was not easy for you, Tony,” William offered sympathetically, “Not only did you confront your mother, but you found out that you are not the son of the man that you believed was your father. When you are ready, speak to any of us. Lord Harry Smythe is well known to us, most particularly Andrew as they were at school together.”

“My aim was to get some form of closure, and I feel that I achieved that,” Tony said thoughtfully. “I have a lot to think on. When and if I want to know about the man that is my real father, I will ask.” The three men nodded, and they all ascended through the kitchens and back to William’s study.

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

Elizabeth felt like a young girl as she bounced on the carriage seat with excitement as they passed Pemberley’s gates and she heard the gatekeeper fire the two-shot signal to the waiting groom.

Within minutes William and the rest of the men of the family would know that they were on the estate’s grounds.

She may be a Duchess, but with each yard that the equipage traversed, she felt the excitement building.

The other three ladies that had not seen their husbands since the departure from Falconwood were in no less anticipation than Elizabeth; they just were not bouncing on their seats as she was.

The occupants of the conveyances felt the attitude change as the horses pulled up to the rise.

They were then on the crest and before them was the manor house.

It was a most welcome sight to all, not because they had been unhappy or uncomfortable at Falconwood, but because of the relief seeing Pemberley represented, the threat was past, and they were safe.

As the coaches trundled over the cobblestones of the internal courtyard, the occupants did not miss the number of people standing impatiently waiting for the drivers to bring their vehicles to a halt.

Amy and Tom had been riding in the first carriage with Elizabeth and Ladies Sarah and Anne.

Amy looked up and then looked away, but arrested her movement as her head shot back to what she had thought that she imagined.

Right next to the men that she expected to see stood all of her family from Surrey!

Amy had to fight her urge to bolt out of the carriage before the mistress of the estate.

As soon as William helped his wife and mother down and Lord Thomas extended a hand to his wife, Amy was out of the door like a shot out of a pistol, not waiting for Tom to help her down as she flew in the open arms of her parents with tears of joy streaming down her cheeks.

She was enveloped by her parents, brothers, and sisters-in-law as the rest of the party looked at the loving scene before them while reuniting with their own spouses and loved ones.

“When did you arrive?” Amy asked as Tom joined them to be greeted by his in-laws. Before they could answer the master of the estate’s voice was heard.

“I suggest we move the festivities indoors,” he said as he held his wife’s arm as if his life depended on it.

He wanted nothing more than to sweep her up in his arms and carry her to his bedchamber and love her thoroughly for some days together, but there would be time for that soon enough, so the Darcys led everyone into the blue drawing room.

Mrs. Reynolds had the foresight to make sure that a good range of refreshments were waiting for the family as they filed in and found seats.

Not surprisingly, Lady Catherine had her arm wrapped around Anne’s and the two chatted quietly as they sat with Ian Ashby on the other side of his wife.

“To your question, Amy,” Lady Gillian said, as she hugged her daughter close to herself, “we arrived early this morning before Lord William and the rest of the men returned to the house from the morning’s activities .

” She looked at her daughter and son-in-law, “How could we not come after the letter that we received from you?”

“You are under Tom’s protection,” said Lord Maxwell his voice gruff with emotion, “but you will never cease being our daughter.”

“Everyone is more than welcome,” Elizabeth said as she served refreshments to anyone that desired.

“We understood why we were not informed of Tom and Amy’s loss,” Lord Thomas said, “it is very good to see that both of you look well, and your spirits seem to be good.”

“I am much better than I was when it happened, Father Bennet,” Amy assured her father-in-law.

“I was surrounded by love and understanding.” Amy looked at her mother, “It would only have been better had my Mama, Papa, and the rest of the Ashbys been there, but,” she squeezed her mother’s hand, “they are here and although the reason they came is a sad one, I am extremely pleased to see all of you.”

“William, will you please tell us what happened here today?” Lady Anne verbalised the request all of the Falconwood party wanted to make.

The men who had been at Pemberley explained all.

There was much relief that the ordeal was over and that none of the perpetrators would be able to attempt to hurt any of them ever again.

Jane was especially proud of the quick actions of her husband that ended the threat of Clay Younge who had seemed determined to take someone with him.

That the someone he attempted to kill was Richard was not to be borne.

Above all, it would help her husband feel like he had finally gained some justice for his soldier and friend, knowing that none here could understand how personally he had taken the attack.

When Elizabeth said that she wanted to thank the men that played such an integral part in stopping the criminals, she was assured that all of the men, including Captain Burnett, were all at Pemberley and that she could thank them in person later that evening.

There was laughter when Richard described how well Burnett had looked in Lady Anne’s old day dress, closely shaved and sporting the wig.

The overarching emotion expressed was thanks for the role that Jones, Forester, and Tibbson had played, and the sacrifices that they had made for Elizbeth’s protection.

When the men relayed Tony’s confrontation with his mother, there was silence as they heard how Johanna had spoken to Tony.

The group felt satisfaction that the consequences of her misdeeds had finally seemed to be acknowledged by her.

There was shock at the revelation about who Tony’s natural father was, followed by anger at the way that the woman had seemed to use the information to attempt to wound her son, and were as impressed with Tony’s keeping his temper under good regulation when all present knew at least two who would not, both the Duke and duchess of the house blushing when that very point was made.

Andrew promised that he would not contact his friend about the subject of the parentage unless Tony requested that he do so. Knowing Harry, Andrew was sure that if Tony desired it, he would like the chance to know his son.

After about an hour of conversation, William got his wish to be alone with Elizabeth as he escorted his wife to their suite.

He would have preferred to carry her, but he was so relieved to have her close that merely walking with her hand firmly clasped in his was its own reward.

For her part, Elizabeth was just as anxious to retire with her husband, bursting with excitement at finally being able to share her news with him.