Page 53 of Missing

"I see. That must be why she looks so sorrowful in my thoughts," William said regretfully. "But there is another figure—one I have seen in dreams, or rather in nightmares, since childhood. A woman by the river, telling me she hated me. In my worst dream, she is the one who cast me into the water."

"I can hardly believe it! The only person present when you fell into the river was Edith Wickham—the mother of that scoundrel you know too well. It has ever been said she drowned in the attempt to save my cousin."

"My memories are too blurred to distinguish truth from falsehood. Yet for years, I thought she was my mother and had tried to rid herself of me. I am relieved to know it was not so."

"I can see the Daltons raised you as their son, and you feel deeply attached to them," Richard observed, concerned. He knew that once his uncle George learnt of his lost son, he would expect him to begin preparing for his position as heir to the Darcy legacy.

"Yes. Aaron and Violet Dalton raised me as their own, and I am proud to call myself their son. They were the best parents an orphaned child could ever have had," William declared.

"I am glad you had a happy childhood, for ours at Pemberley was very different.

My Aunt Anne never recovered from the loss of her beloved boy.

Though she was advised against further pregnancies, she was determined that the Darcy line should not end with uncle George, and thus she bore Georgiana.

Yet she did not survive long afterwards.

Uncle George, for his part, was plunged into a melancholy from which he has never wholly emerged.

He buried himself in business, and Georgiana has lived far too secluded from society. "

As Richard described the grief of his uncle and aunt, William could not help but feel sympathy.

He had never thought of his birth parents; in truth, he had assumed they had not wanted him and therefore never sought him.

Now he understood that circumstance had led them to believe their son had perished in the river.

They could never have imagined that a family from Manchester had taken him in as their own.

"Fitzwilliam, I have one more question. It may sound absurd, but indulge me. Behind my ear, I have a mole of a most peculiar shape…"

"Is it a crescent?" William asked at once.

"Yes."

"It is a birthmark most Darcys possess. If you had any lingering doubts, I trust that will persuade you," Richard said, smiling. "But tell me, what do you intend to do now?"

"For the present, I must speak to Mr Darcy. Only afterwards shall I consider what course I must take."

The cousins continued their conversation for nearly half an hour longer.

Richard spoke of the Fitzwilliam family and the Darcys, while William listened intently.

He longed to gather as much knowledge as possible of his birth family before determining what path to choose and what decisions would shape his future.

◆◆◆

Mr Darcy was anxious to speak with his dear Fitzwilliam.

He now possessed all the evidence required to be certain that the young man he had first encountered months earlier in Mr Gardiner's office was indeed his beloved son.

Moreover, that lady had assured him that Fitzwilliam would come before the end of the week.

Yet, should he fail to appear, Mr Darcy resolved that he himself would go to the Dalton house to inform his son that he need no longer reside there, for he was the rightful heir to one of the most distinguished mansions in London.

But in order to enjoy his son's presence, he must first sever ties with his godson and expel him from his life forever. Thus, he instructed his solicitor to summon Wickham to his office.

As soon as Wickham arrived, Mr Price read aloud the document containing his client's express instructions.

Wickham would henceforth receive a monthly stipend, payable at that office on the first day of each month.

Wickham had fancied that his godfather meant to include him in his will, and therefore was stunned to hear that the purpose of the meeting was to allot him what he considered a paltry allowance, which he was expected to accept with gratitude.

The truth was that the sum Mr Darcy assigned to Wickham was more than sufficient to maintain a comfortable lodging, to meet all his expenses, and even to allow him elegant attire and a few luxuries.

Yet Wickham would not content himself with so little, for he had long imagined that Darcy House, Pemberley, and the immense Darcy fortune must, in the end, be his.

Mr Darcy requested Mr Price to leave him alone with Wickham, wishing to speak a few last words to him in private. Wickham rejoiced at the opportunity, believing it the perfect chance to exercise his persuasive arts and turn his godfather's mind.

"Godfather, I think you are being extremely unjust to me. This is no manner in which to treat your godson, particularly after what my mother did for your son," Wickham said, feigning sorrow and distress.

"Quite the contrary, George. For many years, I have been unjust to many others—those whom you have injured—merely to protect you, and all because of the promise I made your mother.

After what you attempted with my daughter, I ought to have left you to your own devices.

It is solely out of respect for your mother's heroic act that I shall continue to support you financially.

But that is all. I do not wish to see you again, and I expect you to stay away from me and from my family," Mr Darcy concluded with firmness.

"But godfather, you cannot forget that I am your godson. I do not know what falsehoods you may have heard, but I sincerely hope you will not be misled by intrigue and gossip. We have ever been close, and you know that I love you dearly."

"If you loved me, George, you would not have attempted to harm Georgiana to seize her inheritance. Do not speak of love again; you love only yourself."

"I cannot imagine how I ever believed you cared for me, godfather. Were it truly so, you would place your trust in me. Besides, how do you expect me to maintain my standard of living upon the pittance you have assigned?" Wickham persisted, determined not to yield.

"George, I sent you to one of the finest schools in England, and afterwards I paid for you to study at Cambridge.

You might have chosen the Church or the Law, and thus enjoyed a respectable and steady income by your own merit.

Yet you chose to squander every opportunity I afforded you.

Whole families live upon less than I shall continue to provide, and that, George, I offer only out of respect for your parents.

I have nothing more to say to you. Goodbye.

" With that, Mr Darcy quitted the office.

Wickham was enraged. He swore that he would contrive some means to alter the matter; he had no intention of relinquishing the Darcy fortune so easily.

◆◆◆

Mr Darcy ate very little of his luncheon. The most unpleasant meeting with Mr Wickham had left him tense and troubled. Retiring to the library, he endeavoured to read, but without realising it, he fell asleep before the fire, dreaming of his beloved son Fitzwilliam.

Meanwhile, at the back of the house, Wickham was conferring with his informant at Darcy House, hoping to find some explanation for recent events. From what his accomplice disclosed, Wickham concluded that the damned Richard Fitzwilliam and Caroline Bingley were behind everything.

The servant told him that his master had dismissed Mrs Annesley, but after a long conversation with Colonel Fitzwilliam in the study, Mr Darcy had visited the Bingleys and reinstated her.

"Wickham, I want this to be the last time you come looking for me here. Mr Darcy has said you are no longer welcome on any of his properties, and I do not want to lose my position."

"I do not want you to lose it either, Jackson.

You are my only contact in this house, and I need to know what is happening in order to determine my next move.

In any case, the old man is angry with me now, but he will forgive me eventually," Wickham replied, seeking to retain the respect of the footman who kept him so well informed.

"Before I go, has anything happened that I should know about? "

"No, nothing of consequence, only that a lady came a few days ago to speak with the master, and they remained in his study for more than an hour."

"Are you suggesting the old man has a mistress?" Wickham asked with a mischievous smile.

"I do not think so; the lady appeared most respectable. I believe she is the mother of Miss Darcy's friend."

"What friend?"

"Mrs Dalton."

"Did Mrs Bennet call on my godfather?"

"No, Mrs Dalton."

"I see," Wickham muttered. "That is not her mother, but her mother-in-law."

"Without doubt, Mrs Dalton has everything a lady ought to possess to make a man happy," Jackson added with a lascivious smile. "But I must return to the house. Remember, if you need to speak to me, send a word; otherwise, I shall see you on my day off at Joe's bar."

Jackson slipped back inside, leaving Wickham intrigued. Why should the mother of the insufferable William Dalton call on Mr Darcy in the evening, when no one else was at home?

His surprise was greater still when, turning the corner, he saw William Dalton himself entering Darcy House by the front door. Wickham instantly concealed himself behind a tree, unwilling to be caught spying.

'What is that fool doing here? I must hope Jackson can tell me later,' Wickham thought angrily. He felt the man's presence in the house would prove most injurious to his plans.

William drew a deep breath when the butler asked him to wait while he announced him.

He was nervous; he did not know how to face the gentleman who was, apparently, his father.

Aaron Dalton's influence had been decisive in forming his character, his values, and his sense of duty; William could scarcely imagine considering another man in that sacred role.

"Mr Darcy, I am sorry to disturb you, but Mr Dalton is here," said Gibson. He disliked waking his master, but he had been instructed to notify him at once when the young man presented himself.

Mr Darcy awoke with sudden excitement. "Gibson, send him in immediately." He did not relish hearing his butler refer to his son as Mr Dalton , but he knew he must be patient. Soon, he would be able to tell the world that his son lived and had returned to claim his place.

Mr Gibson informed William that Mr Darcy was expecting him, conducted him to the library, and then discreetly withdrew.

"If you are here, it must be because Mrs Dalton has explained everything to you. I imagine you must be overwhelmed by all you have recently learnt, but it is true. Welcome home, my dear Fitzwilliam," said Mr Darcy, his voice trembling with emotion.

"I am grateful for your words of welcome, sir, but my name is William," he replied as calmly as he could. He wished Mr Darcy to understand that it was impossible to erase twenty-two years of a happy life.