Page 144 of Obligation and Redemption
“That, I cannot say, but you will be there until I return to town again at the earliest. There is no need to take time today to pack beyond what you brought to Rosings though. We can leave Maggie at Tromwell House to prepare your trunks, and she can then travel with my servants. Mrs. Annesley can remain in town at Tromwell until then.”
“Will Mrs. Darcy be at Pemberley?” she asked in a small voice. The question surprised her brother, as he considered all that she might be asking behind the words.
“Yes, Georgiana, Pemberley is Elizabeth’s home now. She will be there.”
Georgiana looked to her cousin who seemed to be asleep. “Will you let her stay though?”
“I want you to stop worrying about my marriage. We will not conjecture until we have all of the answers, and I will certainly not judge my wife without them.”
She glanced again to her cousin before continuing softly but insistently, “But Brother, you cannot deny that she and Mr. Wickham have been in a relationship. He had proof of her affections.”
In susurration, yet also with resolution, Darcy responded, “Desist, Georgiana! I will not have you speaking so. Now, Elizabeth is my wife and I will not have you speculating about the truth or falsity of her fidelity. We will go to Pemberley and discover the veracity of his claims. I have known Wickham longer than you, and I can assure you that his false words will poison you. I will not have them poison me against my wife without knowing the whole story. We will talk of this no more.”
At Darcy House, the threesome went inside to refresh and eat.
The Darcys would stop for no more than two hours before setting out again.
During that time Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam met in Darcy’s study one last time to confirm how the next week would play out.
It was determined that Fitzwilliam would have some of his men stationed undercover at the proposed drop off sight, keeping an eye out for the young boy whose description Darcy relayed.
That would be easy enough. After handing over a satchel, seemingly filled with funds, the boy would be followed to determine Wickham’s hiding place, which would then be under close surveillance until a time when Darcy or Fitzwilliam would confront the miscreant.
“Please write should there be any public report. I would like to know as soon as possible. And, James, should that happen, can you reassure our family that I, well, I suppose tell them that I will get to the bottom of Wickham’s claims and will do whatever I can to protect the family.”
“I will take care of everything here. I have leave until the beginning of July, and I will devote whatever time is needed for your cause.”
“Thank you. I know that I can count on you. I will send over a missive to my bank giving you leave to take out whatever funds are necessary should it come to that.”
Fitzwilliam raised his brows. “So I will have full access to your account? I must not let such an opportunity pass me by, Cousin!” he finished with a smile.
“I trust you with my life. If I cannot trust you, my dearest friend, with my money, then I have no hope.”
“Then count yourself most fortunate, for I will guard all that you have as if my own.”
Soon Darcy and Georgiana were on the road again with fresh horses and food for later.
They would travel approximately thirty miles today, helping ensure that they made Pemberley by mid-afternoon two days hence.
The weather could change quickly this time of year with rainfall on most days.
Since it had been dry, Darcy suspected they would be in for some showers along the way.
DESPITE A CHANGE IN WEATHER, they were able to make good time.
Finally, on the third day they approached the lodge that marked the entrance into the Pemberley estate.
The sense of relief was palpable for Darcy, but his sister had become more somnolent as they journeyed.
She dreaded the confrontation with her brother’s wife and wished that Elizabeth were anywhere but at their family’s beloved home.
As they pulled up to the grand house, two servants rushed out to meet him. When he first descended from the coach, before he could hand his sister down, Peters said, “Mr. Darcy, sir, we are glad you are finally home. We have grave news to impart.”
“Follow me to my study.” With foreboding, Darcy left Georgiana to be escorted in by a servant, much to her vexation. After closing the door behind him, Darcy turned to Peters and the footman, Clark, who had accompanied them. “Tell me.”
“I suggest you sit down.” Seeing that his master had no inclination to sit, Peters began, “Your wife, sir. She is missing.”
“Elizabeth is missing? What do you mean, she is missing?”
“Yesterday afternoon she was walking with Lord Langs ton when your cousin was hit from behind. All he could determine after that was that Mrs. Darcy left with a man, Mr. Wickham, if he saw him correctly. She has not been seen since.” Darcy apparently decided that sitting was a good idea after all.
He mindlessly made his way to the chair in front of the chimneypiece and sat, eyes wide, mouth agape.
It is true! Blast! How could I have been so foolish? He must have scheduled Monday night for payment to keep me in town. Or perhaps, he suspected that I would not pay after all and so chose to come up here to abduct Elizabeth himself, hoping for an even greater payoff. “Tell me everything. ”
The next thirty minutes were spent in narrating the events of the past two days, how Elizabeth had been walking with Clark until Langston relieved him, how Langston had returned three hours later without her and how the search had so far come up without a clue as to her location. “Where was she last seen?”
Clark spoke up, “I left her with the viscount on the path leading to Lake Merimar. We had been walking for about three miles when he crossed our path. I reluctantly left them there, following his orders that I leave. That was the last time I saw her. You will have to ask Lord Langston yourself about his experience, for I cannot reconcile his tale with what I know about Mrs. Darcy.”
“Clark, are you accusing my cousin of something?” Darcy said, his anger finally finding an outlet.
“No, sir. I meant no disrespect.”
“What is being done? Where is my cousin?”
“He is out with the search party, but he does not think they will find success,” said Peters.
“The staff, including the footmen and stable hands, was ready at dawn and had begun the search when your cousin called them in and directed them to the south. Mr. Wickham is well acquainted with the grounds of Pemberley, and Lord Langston suspects they are long gone.”
“Damn! If she is with Wickham then I have no doubt that they are no longer in the area, but I do not think she would have left willingly, which would likely have slowed him down. Did Langston say if they were on foot or horseback?”
“He did not say, only that he saw them walk away from him.”
Darcy sat there considering his servants’ report and trying to decide what course of action he should take. “Has anyone gone into the towns nearby to ask if Wickham has been seen?”
“We sent men out this morning, but there is no indication that he has stayed at the local inns or visited the alehouses.”
Darcy stood. “I am going to change. Clark, meet me at the stables. Have a horse ready for each of us. I want you to take me to where you last saw her.”
“Yes, sir.” The look of relief on the footman’s face was palpable, and Darcy considered what else the man might know.
Georgiana had entered her family’s home with little fanfare.
She had not been in residence there for nearly a year and keenly felt the disappointment in how she was left in the hands of a servant.
She had wondered about her brother’s hasty removal from the front entrance and was curious to know what could have disturbed him so.
She had observed him for the past several days in subdued but clear agitation.
Georgiana suspected that her brother’s wife was at the heart of the matter, and hoped that it was so.
She knew that her story about Wickham, nearly two weeks ago, had a profound effect on his peace and was likely now the catalyst for his disquiet, but she also suspected that more had taken place since that time, about which she was left in the dark.
Before she had gotten to the stairs to the upper floors, her cousin’s wife, Lady Susan, approached her.
“Georgiana, you have arrived just in time for all the fun.”
“What can you mean by fun? I was under the impression that something was terribly wrong. ”
“Well, I guess it all depends on your perspective,” replied Lady Susan who grabbed hold of Georgiana’s arm and led her upstairs. “Follow me to my rooms and I will tell you what has happened.”
When they entered Lady Susan’s chamber, Georgiana walked over to the hearth, so that she might warm up a bit. The air around the peaks was much cooler than even a few hours’ carriage ride away. “So, do not keep me waiting. What has occurred?”
“Your sister-in-law has run away! Is that not delightful? It turns out that she and that Wickham fellow – you know the one who used to live here at Pemberley, his father being your father’s steward – well anyway, apparently he and Mrs. Darcy had been acquainted, very acquainted it would seem, from her time in Hertfordshire.
She had wanted Wickham all along, but must have gone through with the marriage to your brother in order to get control of money, maybe even by selling the jewels.
” She said all of this in whispered tones, as if fearful of being overheard in her private room, yet satisfied with her tale, nonetheless.
“I knew it! My poor brother was used by that, that … strumpet!”
“Georgiana, dear, do calm down. What do they teach young girls now? Such language!”