Page 42 of I Thee Wed (Pride And Prejudice Variation #2)
After suffering through a tediously long dinner, Darcy rose and turned to his aunt. “I have a migraine, ladies, and if I do not retire early, it will become more severe. I shall go now and hope to stave it off.”
“I am sorry to hear that, Darcy,” his aunt replied.
Richard then stood and gave a great yawn. “Aunt Catherine, I mean to go to my bed as soon as I have had a walk in the garden. I find that when I spend too many hours in the saddle, my back begins to ache if I do not walk it off. Forgive me, ladies, but I must excuse myself.”
Anne rose from her chair. “Mother, since my cousins are going to bed early, I will too. I may have overdone it when I drove my phaeton today. Would you like a little brandy before I leave?”
“Yes, bring me a snifter of brandy and my book.”
Anne found her mother’s book, poured a generous measure of brandy, and then withdrew.
All three cousins met in the library shortly after.
“What did you discover, Darcy? Was there anything of use?”
Darcy smiled. “I am relieved to report that the barn does not stand upon Rosings' land. It lies well within the borders of Blackwood Park. I also learned that Lord Ashbrook passed away a year ago, and three months later, the barn was built. But his nephew, Hugh Davenport, inherited the estate while he was still fighting on the Peninsula. He sold out of the service only four months ago and has not yet been in Kent. He prefers London. The smugglers have taken advantage of his absence. They are using the tracks across his fields and have had the effrontery to build a barn. I suspect our aunt has been paid to look the other way. I hope her involvement goes no further. I searched her study. There is no second set of accounts there.”
Anne gasped. “You are looking for another set of ledgers? If Mother had any, they would not be kept in her study. My father maintained a private room for valuables, such as jewels, wills, and important papers. I was sometimes taken there when he wished to show me the pieces I should one day inherit. Mother disliked it and often scolded him for allowing me to idle with him instead of attending to my governess. That room lies beyond his study. There is a safe, a large desk, and couches. If anything has been hidden, it will be there.”
Darcy turned to her at once. “Does my aunt seem nervous of late? Have you observed signs of unease?”
Anne hesitated. “I try to remain apart from her, for she is difficult, and my peace is greater when I avoid her company. But, we always dine together, and she appears much the same as ever.” She paused, her brow furrowing.
“Well, not entirely the same. In recent months, she has been more irritable. Perhaps it has been fear and not irritation. At times, I have entered a room without her notice and found her staring into space, her face marked with alarm.”
Richard looked at Darcy. “Perhaps she is not complicit but threatened.”
Darcy nodded slowly. “It may be so. She could have been pressed and then offered relief if she agreed to remain silent.”
“In either case,” Richard replied, “we must know if there are other ledgers. That would answer our questions.”
Darcy folded his arms. “If such books exist, Cooper has not seen them. He is too transparent, too incapable of deceit. The difficulty lies in gaining access to the hidden room without my aunt’s knowledge.”
Anne’s voice was steady. “I know the entrance and how it may be opened. You cannot succeed without me.”
Richard glanced at Darcy. “Cousin, can you contrive to occupy Lady Catherine elsewhere? If Anne and I remain behind, we can search.”
Darcy considered, then said, “Yes. I will drive her to the parsonage for a morning call, and if the visit proves too short, I shall carry her on to Hunsford village. If I return by the eastern road, we shall pass the barn. I wish to see her face when she views it.”
Richard frowned. “And what if the smugglers are still in the area?”
“I shall walk to the folly at dawn and survey the place. If there is no movement, I will take her there. Her reaction may tell us more than she intends.”
They spoke for a few minutes longer, and then they parted for the night.
The following morning, Darcy went out at first light with a spyglass. He was surprised when he saw Elizabeth already standing at the edge of the grove, looking up at the streaks of purple and red that filled the sky. He joined her but did not speak until the colors faded.
When it was over, Elizabeth turned and said, “You are early today, Mr. Darcy.”
He grinned. “I would not have guessed that you chased the sunrise.”
“Yes. I like to walk early. Mary keeps me busy visiting parishioners most of the morning, and I will not be free again until early afternoon.”
Darcy was surprised. “Mrs. Collins keeps you remarkably busy.”
Elizabeth laughed softly. “She does. The former rector was very old, and the parish suffered for it. She and Mr. Collins are determined to know every family and discover how they may be of service. Kitty and I take turns accompanying her. If I knew how to ride or drive, we could go alone and free Mary for her other work, but I do not have those skills. Kitty often stays behind to sew clothing for the children. Winter is near, and much remains to be done. In the evenings, we all sew together while Mr. Collins reads Shakespeare aloud. He has a fine voice, and the plays come alive when he reads.”
Darcy nodded. “My father used to read aloud on winter nights. Those were evenings of great enjoyment.”
Elizabeth turned away from the eastern sky. “Well, sir, it is time for breakfast. Do you join me?”
He smiled. “What delicacies await me this morning, Miss Elizabeth?”
“A plum pudding. We had it for supper yesterday. I prepared it myself, and it turned out very well. Cook says my pudding will taste even better after it sits overnight. You must try it and give me your opinion.”
They went to the folly and sat. Darcy tasted the pudding and praised it warmly. Elizabeth grinned and drew out a second jar from her basket. They ate with relish. She passed him buttered toast with marmalade, then offered boiled eggs. They finished with scones and coffee.
Darcy set down his cup. “Miss Elizabeth, I must speak plainly. The smugglers we observed yesterday morning are bold. I studied the estate maps. The barn is built upon Blackwood land. The present lord may not even know it stands there. This tells us the gang is strong and unafraid of the law. The excise men and the magistrate may have been bribed. Lady Catherine may also have been paid. It is a dangerous situation. If they suspect discovery, they will act to protect their trade. Richard and Anne will continue to search for a second set of ledgers today. I am to remove Lady Catherine from the house, and I apologize, but I mean to bring her for a visit to the parsonage. If that visit is too short, then I will drive her to the village. They need at least two hours to search.”
Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled. “Then I shall assist you. If we draw her into the sewing room and beg her opinion on our fabrics and patterns, she will have an abundance to criticize and will not wish to leave in haste.”
Darcy chuckled. “Very well, Miss Elizabeth. We have a plan which is bound to be successful.” He stood up and brushed his jacket.
“I must leave if I am to view the barn and the track that leads to it. I need to see if there are any smugglers in the area. If I do not see any, then I intend to drive Lady Catherine to the barn to see how she reacts. Perhaps my aunt will speak to me about her relationship with the gang.”
He looked at Elizabeth and felt the desire to touch the copper strands of her hair, which glittered in the sunlight.
She was kind and sensible, and she had never looked more desirable.
The thought pressed upon him that he could carry her away from all this difficulty, make her mistress of Pemberley, and shield her from danger.
The notion no longer startled him. It settled comfortably in his mind.