Page 34 of Lord Lonbourn’s Daughter

The search for Lydia and Mr Wickham was unsuccessful. Either they had hidden well or had left Lady Hamilton’s ball.

“We should all go home and get some sleep,” Richard suggested.

“Should we not find out where Mrs Younge keeps her boarding house and try to rescue Lydia?” Elizabeth asked.

“From what you have told me, it does not sound like she wants to be rescued. Besides, they left hours ago. I doubt they will still be there. Do you know where Mrs Younge’s house is, Darcy?” the colonel enquired.

“No. I never looked into her finances. I might find something in the ledger I keep for employees or her references. I have those in my study,” Mr Darcy apprised them.

“That will be your assignment for the day. Montgomery, will you escort Mother home? I would like to escort Lady Jane to her house before I return. With Wickham loose on the streets of London, I dare not risk it.”

“I shall be there,” Mr Darcy protested.

“Everyone with eyes can see that your knee is paining you still. To take you would be far too easy.”

Elizabeth thought Mr Darcy would protest vehemently against such a slight to his prowess, but a look was exchanged between the cousins that made her husband nod his consent.

After a swift farewell to the hostess, complimenting her ball, Elizabeth entered the Darcy carriage with her husband, sister, and future brother.

“We must awaken Lord Longbourn when we arrive and inform him of this new development,” Richard stated.

“Yes, I shall send a footman over,” Darcy offered.

His cousin nodded, and nothing else was said until they entered Darcy House.

“The study?” the colonel suggested.

“Yes,” Mr Darcy confirmed.

Elizabeth held her peace around the servants, but as soon as the door to the study closed, she intended to speak her mind. She was not afforded the opportunity.

“What have you discovered, Richard? And for future reference, you may not play the infirmity card on my behalf. I am recovered.”

“I know, you must pardon me, but a thought has disturbed me. You will find that I may have good reason not to be thinking too clearly when I reveal what just occurred to me. I have pondered the fact that the girls were taken in an unmarked barouche box. It has also been mentioned that our aunt owns such a conveyance, but it was being reupholstered. Aunt used her landau to come to town to try to stop your wedding. It may be a light, skilfully designed carriage, but Lady Catherine prefers the distinction of travelling in her barouche box over speed and agility, which led me to make enquiries. I saw the carriage at her house, and I just realised two things. First, the crest had been removed from the door, which should not be necessary for an internal reupholster, and second, it was my brother who collected the carriage and brought it to London on our aunt’s behalf. ”

The room grew quiet from the sheer magnitude of the implication. All were deep in thought when the Earl of Longbourn arrived to be informed of their news.

The colonel explained while Mr Darcy searched frantically through his ledger and papers for the information he had on Mrs Younge.

“I do not understand! Why would the viscount treat his own family so appallingly?” Elizabeth enquired.

“It makes sense when you think about the difference in how the girls were treated. Georgiana kept her companion and was taken to her aunt’s house with her reputation intact.

He insisted that I marry Georgiana to save her reputation should any rumours arise.

He felt no such qualms about the Longbourn girls, whom he wanted to disgrace.

Lady Lydia was married at the earliest convenience, Lady Kitty he had no use for, and she was kept incapacitated.

He was angry when Jane broke her engagement to Mr Bingley and I offered for her, because he wanted us to fail.

Lady Lydia was always intended to marry Mr Wickham, which would have been suspect from a stranger’s point of view—Georgiana’s fortune is ten thousand more than hers, so Wickham should have chosen Georgiana’s fortune as his prime concern.

I know that Lady Lydia comes with an estate, but that is not generally known.

I doubt Montgomery is aware of the fact.

He was never good at reading people. He is too absorbed in his own concerns to notice subtleties.

My guess is that he wanted leverage over Darcy—”

“But why? I cannot see that he has a motive,” Elizabeth protested. She could not picture the staid viscount as a villain.

“He has always been jealous of Darcy. Not that he had a particular reason other than he wanted to be the family’s only unapproachable saint. Darcy has never been one to succumb to vice of any sort,” the colonel tried to explain.

“You seem to believe that marriage to me would bring him down? Excuse me, Colonel Fitzwilliam, but I am the daughter of an earl. Mr Darcy is a gentleman from an ancient and well-known family, but he has hardly found a bride below his station.”

“No, he wanted you to marry because you do not like each other very much. His marriage to Annabella may not have been a passionate union, but they are content. She is the daughter of a marquess and connected to the Duke of Cavendish, which makes her above Elizabeth in station. He has bested you in a twisted sense, Darcy.”

“I am an earl, above your brother in rank and his father’s equal. Why would he chance making me his enemy?” Lord Longbourn enquired in disbelief.

“Pardon my frankness, my lord, but my brother has little respect for you. You do not use your seat in the House of Lords—a capital offence in Crawford’s mind.

His political engagement is a deep-rooted trait.

He cannot countenance why you choose not to use your voice when you have one at your disposal. ”

“I still cannot see it, but you know your brother better than I, Colonel Fitzwilliam. However, a piece is missing in this puzzle.”

“There!” Mr Darcy exclaimed. “I found Mrs Younge’s address on a note. It is in Edward Street, close to the Newgate prison.”

“Good, we should divide ourselves up. Some must go to Edward Street while the others must go to Matlock House to question my brother.”

“I shall take my men to Mrs Younge’s establishment to fetch my daughter and the scoundrel she has married.

You two may go and wring the neck of the viscount, Colonel.

I trust you can accomplish that despite him being your brother.

I suggest we delay your union to my Jane until this travesty has been resolved.

” Their father had a menacing edge to his voice that none of the occupants of the room had heard before.

“But Papa!” Jane pleaded.

“You are coming with me, child. Lydia may need convincing to return home with us. Elizabeth, I leave it up to you whether you come with me or follow your husband.”

“I shall go with Mr Darcy to Matlock House.”

“I think you should retire, Elizabeth. It has been a tiring day,” Mr Darcy suggested.

“Out of the question,” Elizabeth retaliated, glaring at her husband who relented under her dagger-shooting gaze.

#

Matlock House, four o’clock in the morning

Lord Matlock and his wife had not yet retired. They were speaking quietly between themselves when their youngest son, Darcy, and Elizabeth descended upon them.

“Where is Montgomery?” Richard bellowed with more force than necessary.

“He has retired for the night. Why, is there any news?”

Richard did not deign to answer before he bolted from the room. His heavy tread could be heard pounding up the stairs.

“We have some questions about the affair we thought the viscount may have the answer to,” Darcy offered. His formal address clearly made the countess aware that something was amiss.

Richard returned the next instant.

“He is not here, and his horse is missing.”

“Zounds, he must have gone straight to Edward Street. We must follow him at once. I beg your pardon, Aunt and Uncle, an explanation must wait for another time. Makehaste, we have not a moment to lose.”

Their party was gone as swiftly as they had arrived, leaving a worried earl and countess behind.

#

Edward Street

Elizabeth’s father’s carriage was still outside the building when the Darcys’ carriage approached. Lord Longbourn was dragging a howling Lydia by her arm while her husband followed, wedged between two of Longbourn’s most sturdy footmen.

Mr Darcy hastened to alight from their carriage.

“Meet us at Bennet House. I shall explain there,” Lord Longbourn barked.

“Certainly, Longbourn, but did you happened to see the viscount?”

“No!”

Lord Longbourn shoved Lydia into the carriage, where Jane was waiting. The vehicle jolted forwards and set a brisk pace towards Grosvenor Square.

Lord Longbourn’s study would have been overcrowded with so many in attendance, so they adjourned to a parlour where footmen were stationed outside the door—should any of their captives be of a mind to escape.

Lydia continued to rant about her displeasure of the treatment of herself and her husband. It was soon abundantly clear that she was not inclined to abandon her spouse.

Mr Wickham had little to offer by way of an explanation, despite the immense pressure he was receiving from Lord Longbourn, Mr Darcy, and Colonel Fitzwilliam. The latter clearly had no qualms in making Mr Wickham squirm in agony.

He admitted that the viscount had paid him to take the girls from Ramsgate, but beyond the first inn, he had not seen either Kitty or Georgiana.

Mr Wickham also received a healthy sum for marrying Lydia, whom he had wooed until she agreed to the elopement. The remuneration he had used to buy a carriage and horses and equip himself for his new station as the son of an earl.