Page 21 of In Want of a Suspect

“Yes, I read it. But I am asking you. Why do you want to search that storehouse?”

He felt as though the magistrate were asking him a trick question, and Darcy did not like tricks. He wished that Lizzie were here. She was charming and clever, and she’d likely understand what the man was asking before him and give him some sort of subtle indication.

But Lizzie wouldn’t be permitted past the doors of the club, and so it was up to him.

“I believe my client is hiding something that could be of value to this case,” he said.

“Your client,” the magistrate repeated. His gray, bushy eyebrows rose just a little.

“Yes...”

“And who else are you consulting with on this case?”

Ah. Darcy was beginning to understand. It wasn’t he who’d crossed Lord Templeton lately—it was Lizzie. He couldn’t help but feel a slight twinge of fond exasperation toward her and her tendency to ruffle feathers. “Longbourn and Sons, sir.”

“Mm-hmm.” The magistrate was no fool. “And in particular, Longbourn’s newest solicitor?”

“Yes, sir.” Darcy kept his chin up. He would not be ashamed for his professional—or personal—association with Lizzie, no matter what this man thought.

But even as his pride took over, a quiet voice in the back of Darcy’s mind wondered:How does he know about Lizzie’s new case already?

“A bit of advice, Mr. Darcy. These early days practicing law will determine the course of your career. Think of it as setting sail into unknown waters. Your father has provided you with a good ship and a strong crew in Pemberley and Associates. But it seems to me that you’d sooner cast yourself out in a raft with this Miss Bennet and tackle waves that neither of you is prepared to navigate. Now, your father’s ship is never far, and is ready to pluck you out of dangerous waters, but the farther you drift out to sea with Miss Bennet, the less likely you are to be whisked back to safety.” He paused heavily and said, “Make sure you don’t chart an unsound course.”

Only years of training kept Darcy’s fury under control. How dare this man presume that he knew Darcy, that he knew what Darcy wanted or where he was headed? And how dare he speak so ill of Lizzie? What he wanted to do was stand and raise his voice and tell this smug old man that Lizzie showed more promise in her left pinkie than most men twice her age, and that he’d follow her to the ends of the map any day rather than stay the same, tired old course with his father’s firm.

But, Darcy realized, that was exactly what Lord Templetonwanted.

He was trying to throw Darcy off his true purpose for coming here.

“Thank you for your wisdom, sir,” Darcy managed to say. His words were above reproach, but his tone was frosty. “However, I am afraid I am not here for career advice, no matter how much I appreciate your generosity in offering it. I am here to understand why my request was denied when, as far as I can tell, I filed all the paperwork correctly.”

Lord Templeton didn’t react, except to signal for some unseen staff member. “You did file the paperwork correctly.”

“Then why—” Darcy was cut off by the appearance of a black-clad man who firmly took his elbow, signaling the end of his welcome.

“This conversation is over,” said the magistrate, picking up his paper once more.

“I will appeal,” Darcy said, twisting about to look at the magistrate. “First thing in the morning. I’ll take it above your head.”

His words got the attention of every other gentleman in the room. Darcy could feel the prickle of their judgmental gazes as they looked at him behind pipes and newspapers, but kept his own eyes locked on Lord Templeton.

“Then you’ll have very far to go indeed,” said the magistrate, face already hidden once more by his paper. “Because that storehouse is protected under official Crown business.”

Six

In Which the Bennet Women Consider Numerous Proposals

“AND THEN HE ADMITTEDto actually proposing to her! My suspect!” Lizzie’s voice tipped perilously toward a wail.

“Oh my,” Jane said rather mildly, considering Lizzie’s distress.

“Is that all you have to say? Darcy has actually proposed to someone before, and I find out about it during the course of an investigation! What if she’s the criminal? What if Darcy almost married a criminal?”

“Well, he’s not married now,” Jane pointed out. “That’s what matters.”

“Ugh!”

Lizzie threw herself down upon the bed, burying her face in her pillow. The sisters were taking advantage of the first bit of peace they’d managed to finagle since Lizzie had returned home the previous evening with a scruffy dog in tow. As Lizzie had predicted, Guy’s arrival had upset the delicate balance of hermother’s moods and her sisters’ whims. There had been much crying and shouting, and Lizzie had greatly embellished Guy’s sorry predicament to convince her mother to let him stay the night in the shed. By breakfast, Lydia and Kitty had declared him the most precious creature they’d ever laid eyes on and took it upon themselves to give him a bath. Lizzie was not one to waste the opportunity and pulled Jane upstairs.