Page 29

An hour later, the gentlemen having just moved to the billiards room for a quick game or two, Mrs. Nichols knocked on the door.

She pushed the wooden panel open when bid and entered with a maid trailing behind her.

She looked Colonel Fitzwilliam in the eye and nodded once, then directed the maid to set the tray she held on the table near the window.

Once the servants had gone, Fitzwilliam looked toward the door from his position next to the billiard table to make sure it had been pushed to but not closed entirely. Then, he spoke to his cousin.

“You should have some of that tea, Darcy. It will sooth that dry throat you were complaining about during our ride.”

“I will take some, as well,” Madison said.

Darcy poured two cups of the brew that the housekeeper had prepared. “How kind it was of Mrs. Nichols to take pity on a bunch of bachelors and steep the tea before she brought it to us.” He passed one cup to his friend and then pretended to sip the other.

Both gentlemen went through the motions of drinking for several minutes as the five of them chatted together and Bingley and the colonel finished their game. Suddenly, Darcy set down his cup and yawned widely.

“Oh my. I am sorry. I am suddenly very tired.”

Fitzwilliam nodded toward the settee near the fire. “Perhaps you should lie down on the sofa for a while. You said this morning that you did not sleep well. It would not hurt you to nap, you know.”

Darcy yawned again. “Maybe I will.”

Hurst put his cue stick away and turned toward the door. “I think I will go check on my wife. She was feeling a bit peaky this morning.” He bowed to his friends. “I will see you after a bit, Bingley. We can go out for some shooting.”

“Oh, yes! We should do that! I will see you in a few minutes at the front door.” Bingley watched his brother leave the room, then bowed to the remaining gentlemen. “I should go change. You are welcome to join us, if you wish.”

Madison inclined his head. “I have a letter to write before I can play; perhaps tomorrow?”

Bingley agreed and, with another, more shallow bow, exited the room. Madison was right behind him.

“I will leave you for a few minutes, Cousin. I have a gift for you from my father that I left in the other room. I will go retrieve it; that will give you a few minutes to rest before I drag you outside again.” Without waiting for a reply, Fitzwilliam darted out of the room and to the right, then into the study.

Once there, he crept toward the door that joined the billiards room, tucking himself in behind it, thankful he had earlier left it open just a crack.

From his vantage point, he could see Darcy lying on the sofa.

It took only a few minutes of watching before he sprang into action.

In the billiards room, Darcy was stretched out, his muscles tight and ready for action.

He heard someone enter after his cousin had exited and opened his eyes just a little.

Through the small slit, he could see a figure examining the empty cups of tea.

He was glad he had thought to pour the drugged beverage into the potted plant near the table.

He closed his eyes again as the man moved toward his position.

When a hand clamped over his mouth, he sprang up, grabbing the appendage and pushing the body attached to it away.

After a brief scuffle, it was all over. Darcy’s cousin and friends had done their parts exactly as they had been told to, and between them had overcome Mr. Larkin and bound him hand and foot .

“Bingley.” Colonel Fitzwilliam stood, breathing hard after his exertions. He swallowed. “Call for the magistrate, please.”

Bingley nodded from his place at Larkin’s feet, hands on his hips as he also tried to catch his breath. “I will do that.” He moved away to call for the housekeeper.

“He put up quite a fight.” Hurst was bent over at the waist, his hands on his knees. He blew out a breath before he straightened. “Good thing there were five of us and only one of him.”

Madison chuckled. “Indeed. If we had not outnumbered him, we would have been in trouble.”

“At least he did not pull a weapon from somewhere.” Darcy knelt beside the prisoner, who had stopped struggling but glared at him over his shoulder.

“Check his pockets while you are down there,” Fitzwilliam said. “And the tops of his boots. He may have one and simply did not have opportunity to retrieve it.”

With a nod, Darcy did as he was bid. When Larkin protested at the rough treatment, he was reminded in no uncertain terms that he was not in a position to make demands.

“Get me off the floor, at least.” Larkin had turned his head to look over his other shoulder so that he could see the colonel. “I was only doing what Lady Catherine required of me. I do not deserve to be treated like an animal.”

Fitzwilliam sneered. “You deserve worse than that. Who knows what the results would have been for Darcy? Kidnapping is a crime, and my aunt should have known that, as should you.”

“What I should have known was that it was too easy. The maid went from suspicious to eager to help me in the space of a day, and Mr. Darcy was left alone too quickly.” Larkin shook his head.

“It is as though you knew I was coming.” He looked over his shoulder once more, his eyes forming slits as he looked up at the colonel.

Fitzwilliam shrugged. “We did. And what is more, we took steps to stop you.” He looked the other man over from head to toe, pausing for a moment on the bindings that held his hands behind his back. “Looks to me like we succeeded.”

“How could you know? I met with Lady Catherine alone.”

Fitzwilliam crouched down beside Larkin’s head. “We know everything that happens at Rosings.” He looked the other man in the eye. “Everything.” He stood then and walked away.

Bingley had done as asked and requested that Mrs. Nichols summon the magistrate. When she returned to tell him it was done, she brought two of Netherfield’s burliest footmen with her.

“I thought they might be of service to you, sir,” she said when he lifted his brows.

“Very good. We certainly can use them.” Bingley waved the servants in and dismissed his housekeeper.

Fitzwilliam had the footmen lift the prisoner off the floor and sit him on the settee, then stationed them, one at each end of the piece of furniture, to guard the man.

“We have bound his feet to keep him from escaping. Once the magistrate takes control of him, you will need to remove those bindings, but keep his hands as they are.”

“Yes, sir. He won’t get away from us.” The servants took up their places, giving Larkin dirty looks as they did.

Darcy and his friends returned to the library after this, keeping open the door between it and the billiards room.

“I could use a glass of port.” Hurst headed straight for the decanters on the table near the window. “Anyone else?”

The rest of the gentlemen agreed, and soon the five of them were seated and sipping glasses of wine.

“I have not worked that hard at anything in years.” Madison laughed. “It was quite invigorating.”

“You seem almost gleeful.” Darcy shook his head at his friend. “But then, you always were one to enjoy a physical altercation.”

Madison grinned and lifted his glass in a mock salute. “Much to my mother’s dismay.”

His companions joined him in laughter.

“What happens now?” Bingley turned to Darcy and Fitzwilliam, who sat close to each other in the chairs nearest the fireplace.

“I mean, clearly this man …” He waved toward the billiards room.

“… will be charged with a crime and tried, and hopefully punished. But, what about Lady Catherine? If she was behind the plot, what can be done about her?”

Darcy lifted and lowered a shoulder. “I do not know that anything can be done legally, or even should be. I will, however, distance myself from her. She clearly cannot be trusted.”

“I am sorry. I know how that feels; I would not wish a rift in the family on anyone.” Bingley frowned into his glass.

No one knew how to reply to that. Darcy and Hurst gave him sympathetic looks, while Madison and Fitzwilliam appeared confused. They were all distracted by a knock on the hallway door.

“Sir,” Mrs. Nichols said when she had been granted entrance. “The magistrate is here.” She moved aside and allowed Sir William Lucas to enter. Then, she curtseyed and exited the room, pulling the door shut behind her.

Sir William was greatly surprised at the tale the gentlemen told him.

“I have never heard of such goings on around here. Life is generally quiet in this area; nothing more than a few drunken farmers now and again.” He slapped his hands on his knees and stood.

“I will lock him up in the town jail. The circuit judge is due in Hertford next week; he can be tried then.”

The rest of the men stood when Sir William did.

“Will you require assistance in conveying him to Hertford?” Fitzwilliam nodded to his cousin. “I am certain Darcy can hire someone if need be.”

“I can lend you some footmen if you require it.” Bingley stood.

“Thank you, Mr. Bingley. You, too, Mr. Darcy. I have two men who share the overseeing of prisoners – bumbailiffs, if you will – so at present, I will not require more. However, I may make the request in the future.”

“All you need do is ask.” Darcy bowed. “I thank you for coming so quickly.”

“I will need you to write out a statement. Perhaps you can do that while I ask Mrs. Nichols to send for my men? As a matter of fact, I should probably get one from each of you who was involved.”

“Gladly.” Darcy made his way to the desk at the end of the room.

Pulling out paper, a pen, and ink, he prepared to write, first mending his pen and then choosing a piece of paper.

As he worked, the rest of the gentlemen chatted.

When he was finished, he handed the sheet to Sir William and Fitzwilliam went to the desk to write out his account.

Before long, everyone had finished and the two men who tended the jail and its prisoners had arrived. Larkin was untied at the feet and led out to the cart the men had brought, and was taken off to the village jail. Sir William shook the hand of each of the gentlemen of Netherfield.

“I will be heading home now. I promised Lady Lucas that I would not be away long.”

“Thank you again for coming so quickly,” Darcy said. “I apologize for pulling you away from your family.”

“Think nothing of it.” Sir William smiled broadly. “I was happy to escape the talk of lace for a time.”

Darcy and his friends laughed.

“I think I will ride with you,” Madison said. “I promised Charlotte I would visit; I do not wish for her to be concerned at my tardiness.”

Hurst chuckled. “You do not mind discussions of female fripperies, I take it?”

Madison grinned. “I do not. I have grown used to them, living with so many females.”

“And you plan on adding another to the mix?” Bingley shook his head. “Better you than me, my friend.”

All the gentlemen laughed loudly at that. Then, Madison and Sir William bowed again and walked out the door.

“I think I will write to my father and apprise him of the situation.” Fitzwilliam bowed and strode back to the desk to complete his task.

“I should go check on Louisa and give her the news. She will be relieved.”

“Was she truly ill?” Darcy tilted his head as he asked the question.

Hurst nodded. “She was. Something she ate last night did not agree with her. It was strange … the dishes were all her favorites.” He shrugged. “Perhaps she was overset with nerves or something and this was the result.”

“Maybe. Please thank her for her patience today in my stead.” Darcy glanced at Bingley. “I am going to Longbourn. I need to see Elizabeth.”

“I will accompany you. I long to see Jane.” Bingley turned to the footman stationed nearby and gave an order for his carriage. When he turned back to Darcy, he said. “We can travel in comfort. After wrestling with Larkin, I am not in a mood to bounce around in a saddle.”

“You would rather bounce around in a carriage.” Darcy laughed. “Very well. I will happily ride with you in your equipage and leave Apollo to his stall.”

The gentlemen parted ways at that point, and before too many minutes had passed, Darcy and Bingley were descending from the carriage in front of Longbourn.

Upon their arrival, they were greeted at the door by their ladies.

“How good of you to come, Mr. Darcy.” Elizabeth smiled teasingly and arched her brow.

Darcy forced himself to keep his hands to himself. Whenever she gave him that particular look, it was all he could do not to take her into his arms and kiss her senseless. However, her sisters were hanging out of the doorway, shamelessly ogling them … and eavesdropping.

“I could not stay away. After the happenings of the morning, I had to see you.” He took her hand and kissed it before tucking it under his arm.

“Is there a place we can talk?” He looked at his friend and Jane, who were in a similar position.

“You and Miss Bennet, as well, Bingley. You can fill in details I might miss.”

Elizabeth’s brow rose and she looked at her sister, but then shrugged and said, “Certainly. We can use the back parlor. Mary is done practicing for the day, and we can open the door to Papa’s book room and lock the hallway door.

If we explain to him what we are doing, he can chaperone from his desk.

Kitty and Lydia know not to enter his library without permission and he will not grant it if we ask him not to. ”

Everyone agreed, and the four of them proceeded to do as Elizabeth had suggested.

Within a few minutes, they were ensconced in the parlor and a fire had been lit.

They seated themselves in front of it, where Mr. Bennet could see them.

Darcy began to speak, relating the events of the morning and what had preceded them, as well as the reasons behind them .