Page 27 of Lord Lonbourn’s Daughter

Elizabeth must have fallen asleep sometime in the early hours of the morning and had not even stirred when her book hit the floor.

It took her a moment to comprehend what had awakened her.

At first, she thought it was the unintrusive presence of Grey, Mr Darcy’s valet, but the racket was not coming from the dressing room.

She heard agitated voices of both sexes coming up the stairs when the door was flung open and none other than Georgiana Darcy stepped into the room, followed by the colonel.

Elizabeth jumped to her feet, ran the few steps to her sister’s side, and embraced her.

“I am so glad you are alive and well!” she cried.

“I do not understand. Good gracious, what has happened to my brother?”

Elizabeth’s eyes shifted between her sister by marriage and the colonel, who shrugged. Elizabeth guessed he had chosen not to tell his young cousin much.

“Your brother has been severely injured and has yet to regain consciousness. But he has opened his eyes and groaned. The doctor says it is a good sign that he responds to pain. We must be grateful for small mercies at this point, Miss Darcy.”

The girl moved to her brother’s side and grabbed his hand, swallowing hard to no doubt quash the despair threatening to erupt.

“Miss Darcy, do you know where Lydia and Kitty are?”

“I suppose they are at home, with their father. He had a separate carriage waiting for them at the inn.”

“I should go back and fetch Mrs Younge and see whether she can shed some light on this situation.” The colonel turned abruptly and left.

Elizabeth followed him into the hall. There were matters she needed to clarify.

“While you are interrogating Mrs Younge, try to remember that my little sister is still missing. You have just blown the safest route to get her home, which was by simply doing what the extortion letters told us to do. Instead, you have played the hero to your own family while sacrificing mine.”

“You cannot be serious, Lady Elizabeth. Look at the state Darcy is in, and your sister is about to marry against her inclination. You could not expect me to leave Georgiana in the clutches of this mad mastermind of a criminal.”

“A mastermind close to your family, as my sister Kitty was found drugged in an asylum whilst your cousin turns up none the worse for wear. Where did you find her?” Elizabeth hissed, fighting valiantly to keep her voice down.

“She was at my aunt Lady Catherine’s townhouse.”

“And how do you suppose we are to rescue Lydia now?”

“By finding her before the kidnappers realise we have found Georgiana. I really must be off to question Mrs Younge. I know what peril I have put your sister in. Believe me, I do. But you could not seriously expect me to leave Georgiana behind once I got a whiff of her whereabouts.”

The fury slowly left her, and dread filled its place.

“What did you mean by mentioning my husband’s state in this context? He put a bet in the book at White’s to best Lord Hazard. At both pugilism and horse racing, it would appear.”

Richard stepped closer to her with a menacing expression on his countenance.

“Why do you think a staid gentleman such as Darcy would take on such an out-of-character wager? It was in the bloody extortion letter!”

“But why did no one tell me?” Elizabeth enquired.

“You should ask yourself that question, or your husband and father, not me,” the colonel defended himself.

“You are correct. I am preventing you from performing your duty unnecessarily. Please excuse me.”

Elizabeth drew back and let the colonel leave without importuning him any further. As soon as he was gone, she returned to her new sister.

“Miss Darcy, we have all been so worried about you. Since Mr Darcy came back from Ramsgate after finding all the servants tied up in the cellar, we have been looking relentlessly for you and my sisters. Shortly after your brother arrived home, we received an extortion letter, in which the kidnappers made their demands in exchange for freeing Kitty. It ordered your brother to marry me, in the belief we would be unhappy. To free you, as I now understand it, Mr Darcy had to challenge a brute to a fight and a race through Hyde Park, while my sister must marry Mr Bingley.”

Miss Darcy gasped in outrage.

“Elizabeth,” a raspy voice cried from behind her.

“Fitzwilliam! I am so happy to see you!” The girl raced to the bed and embraced her brother, who winced in pain.

“Georgiana! Is it really you?” Mr Darcy whispered.

“Yes, Brother, it is I. Are you in much pain?”

“Only a little. It will heal with time and patience. But how are you, Georgiana? Are you well? Are you injured?”

“I am perfectly well, Brother.”

“I am so sorry it has taken us so long to find you. I know not how to make amends. Name it, and it will be yours.”

“My only wish is to spend some time with my dearest brother, and I shall tell you all.”

“Do you mind, Elizabeth?” He addressed her for the first time since he discovered his sister had been recovered. The Darcys had much to discuss, and she knew all that she needed to know.

“Not at all. If you need me, I shall be at Bennet House with my sisters,” she informed them.

“Yes, give them my regrets that I cannot accompany you at the moment,” Mr Darcy implored.

“I believe they will understand, sir. I shall be back in a couple of hours at the most.”

Elizabeth hurried out of the door. The threat of tears falling down her cheeks were her constant companion these days. In addition, she felt the well-known cramps beginning in her stomach. She needed a tisane of willow bark; not that it would remove the sting of disappointment.

It was a blessing to be amongst her sisters, who were full of questions about the details of what had happened to her husband. Her father had been apprised about the injuries last evening, but she had not known then what she did now.

Elizabeth told them everything, from Mr Darcy’s wounds to the reason he had sustained them. She also related that Georgiana had been found and that Colonel Fitzwilliam had gone back to Lady Catherine’s townhouse to question Mrs Younge.

“Tell me he did not go back by himself!” Jane exclaimed.

“I know not. I was rather distracted by Miss Darcy’s return,” Elizabeth admitted ruefully.

She left out her disagreement with the colonel. Her fear had been turned on the poor man, who had responded with more grace than she would have. Though his annoyance had not been entirely concealed.

“You are pale, Elizabeth. Can I tempt you with a cup of tea?”

“Thank you, Jane. Some willow bark would not go amiss.”

“Oh dear, should you not lie down?”

“I swear, Jane, nothing has ever been resolved by lying down. I would prefer to walk it off, but I cannot stroll in the park. My husband might need me, and it would not do to have the servants searching for me for God knows how long. However, if you would accompany me for a turn about the garden, I would be most grateful.”

Jane acquiesced, and the two eldest sisters went out of doors. Kitty was well but preferred to stay inside, while Mary happily agreed to keep her company. Elizabeth guided her sister farther into the garden, away from prying eyes and attentive ears.

“I wonder, Jane, now that Miss Darcy has been found and it is no longer necessary for you to marry Mr Bingley, do you prefer to wed regardless, or is there another gentleman who holds your interest in equal measure, if not more?”

“I honestly do not know. Miss Bingley will be disappointed, and so will Mr Bingley, of course.”

“Are you certain?”

“I am not, but it is easy to imagine. Why? What have you heard?”

“I have heard nothing. I am simply curious as to what you want?”

“I…”

Elizabeth waited expectantly, but it would seem that nothing more was forthcoming.

“Do you believe in fate, Elizabeth?”

“I do not know. I have never considered it, why?”

“The archbishop has denied Mr Bingley and me a special licence because Mr Bingley is not a member of the peerage.”

“Well, neither is Mr Darcy.”

“Your husband is the nephew of an earl, while Mr Bingley has connections to trade.”

“As do I, but that did not stop him from granting a special licence.”

“You and I are the daughters of an earl, Lizzy. I suppose none are entirely without connections to trade if the family trees are too closely inspected, but these are only circumstantial excuses. The real reason for the archbishop’s refusal is how Mr Bingley pleaded his case.

You know that Mr Darcy went with Papa when they petitioned for your special licence.

The archbishop must have a romantic side because, according to Papa, Mr Darcy pleaded his case very convincingly whilst Mr Bingley was not persuasive at all.

Regardless of the reason, the wedding must be postponed until an ordinary licence can be procured.

Yet I wonder, Elizabeth, whether I may ask you a personal question? ”

“Of course. I shall do my best to answer any request from you, Jane.”

“Did Mr Darcy propose to you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Did he actually request your hand in marriage?”

“It was not like that, Jane. Father summoned us both to his study and read the extortion letter aloud to us. I suppose one could say that it was Papa who proposed. We simply answered. Why do you ask?”

“I suppose I expected a proposal despite the forced circumstances of our betrothment. It feels unreal, perhaps because we were not even in the same room. Mr Darcy was the one who proposed marriage to me and Mr Bingley. At least Miss Bingley has been very welcoming. That is a comfort, given that we shall be residing in the same household.”

“It sounds to me like you have made up your mind,” Elizabeth probed tentatively, though she noticed that Jane had not answered her question.

“I cannot see that I have a choice. To back out now, when the family is aware of the attachment, could seriously damage our younger sisters’ prospects. Which brings me to my most important question. Where is Lydia?”