Page 11 of Raised at Rosings (Elizabeth and Darcy True Love Multiverse #4)

Chapter Ten

Darcy had mostly recovered his spirits the following morning, after all sunny mornings were not the food of morose pondering. It helped that Richard had burst in to his dining room as he was sitting down to break his fast. Always chipper, his cousin helped himself to a cup of coffee before sitting across from him and saying, “I have had a note from Elizabeth. Or rather, Jane has, but she passed the message on to me.”

Swallowing, Darcy wiped at his mouth with a serviette before asking, “Is all well or should we be worried?”

Richard’s normally confident demeanor shifted as he looked at his cup, his frown deepening as he rolled the cup between his hands. Looking back up at Darcy, he said, “Our aunt has brought Anne and Elizabeth up to London, presumably for Anne to see a physician, but we both know she has never wanted to do such before. It has me worried.”

Darcy leaned back in his chair, the creak of the wood loud in the quiet room as he pondered what Lady Catherine might have in mind. His aunt had never had the desire to bring Anne to London before, no matter how much her daughter’s health had suffered. She had often sent for various quacks and had them prescribe all sorts of nostrums. But come to London? That had never happened. Richard was right, there was definitely something underhanded at play.

“That is certainly unsettling,” Darcy commented, his eyes narrowed in concern. “Georgianna has kept in close contact with Anne and Miss Elizabeth over the last few years, and yet I do not think she knew anything about plans to come to London before now. What could our aunt have in mind?”

Richard finished taking a sip of his coffee and commented, “I have long been grateful that Elizabeth has kept in close contact with Georgianna. Not only has it helped us keep tabs on what aunt Catherine is up to, but it was Elizabeth who first became suspicious of Mrs. Younge. Can you imagine what could have happened if we hadn’t put a stop to that trip to the seaside?”

Shaking his head, Darcy shuddered. “It does not bear thinking of. I still wake up at night in a panic, thinking of the danger my sister was in.”

“I, for one, am delighted that Wickham and his paramour are located an ocean away and are another country’s problem. Hopefully, he can finally find it in him to make an honest living or have an accident and rid the world of his particular brand of maliciousness.” Richard stood and moved to the sideboard, and selected a pastry before returning to the table, saying, “I’m afraid it is Anne and Miss Elizabeth who are in danger now, and we must find a way to help them.”

“Without any information, we will get nowhere in shielding them from Lady Catherine’s wrath. Do you think we can visit with them without arousing suspicion?” Darcy spoke as he cut up what was left of his ham, his mind filtering through possibilities.

Richard brushed crumb off the corner of his mouth before saying, “Aunt Catherine cannot avoid the fact that she is in London. It would only be polite to call on the household. We are family, after all. How would it look if she turned us away?”

With a quick stab of his fork into the square of ham, he pointed it at Richard and replied, “Yes, but you know she would most likely attempt to prevent us from communicating freely with either of them.”

“I could always set someone to watch the house. Surely Aunt Catherine will leave at some point, and we can swoop in and visit while she is out.”

Darcy’s jaw moved rhythmically as he chewed his meat, turning over the plan proposed solution in his mind. Of course, they would have to be somewhere close enough to get to de Bourgh House quickly. Then there was his worry that his aunt would be doing something underhanded while they were there. Swallowing, Darcy said, “If we were at the small park at the end of her block, it would be nothing to visit once our aunt leaves and we can have your person follow her and try to ferret out what she is up to.”

“Brilliant,” Richard clapped his hands together and stood. “There is a footman at Fitzwilliam House, an ex-army officer, who is just the sort to help us unravel Aunt Catherine’s plotting. I’ll sort everything out with him and meet you at the park in, let us say, an hour?”

Nodding, Darcy answered, “Yes. I will meet you there in an hour. Hopefully, we will be able to be in place early enough and we will not be waiting around all day. We do not know if Aunt Catherine even plans to leave the house today.”

“In the event that Aunt Catherine chooses to remain at home, we can spend some quality time chatting. I have yet to tell you of my most recent conversation with Jane and my fear that I shall have to put up with Bingley as my brother-in-law.”

Sitting up straighter, Darcy goggled and asked, “Truly? I knew Bingley danced with her last night and was watching her as she moved about the room, but I had not suspected anything would truly come of it. She has been out for some time and has long been heralded as a tremendous beauty.”

“You did not have to hear her talking last night on the way home from the ball about how he was just what a gentleman ought to be.” Finishing his sentence, Richard rolled his eyes and added, “We can talk about it at the park.”

Richard left with a wave of his hand, and Darcy finished his meal in a bit of a rush. He still needed to dress for the day and send a note off to his solicitor before he left to meet his cousin. Darcy hoped his solicitor might also be able to look into Lady Catherine’s affairs, and that whatever she was plotting could be circumvented without too much drama.

Darcy had not informed Richard about the fact that Miss Elizabeth’s recent letters to Georgianna spoke of Anne’s worsening health. Georgianna had been kind enough to let him know the seriousness of their cousin’s situation, as much as she tried to soften the blow of the news. Despite the possibility that Richard was already aware of her declining health, Darcy was hesitant to be the one to break the news if he hadn’t been informed yet. A heavy weight gnawed at Darcy. The possibility that Lady Catherine’s scheming could kill her daughter was not entirely out of the question.

Knowing that Lady Catherine had left the house should have reassured Elizabeth, but it did not. The thick carpet swallowed Elizabeth’s soft steps as she tiptoed into Lady Catherine’s private sitting room, her heart pounding in her chest. She had never behaved so boldly, but Elizabeth knew the woman was up to something. She could feel it in her bones.

There was no telling how long Lady Catherine would be gone, so Elizabeth had to be swift if she was going to learn anything of her plans while she was away. It was a godsend that Lady Catherine had taken her lady’s maid with her, otherwise Elizabeth’s intelligence gathering would never have been successful.

Elizabeth memorized the placement of the papers on the desk before she began sorting through them. She would have to have put them back exactly the way they were to prevent any suspicion. There were several bills for what Elizabeth presumed would be gaudy pieces of furniture for Lady Catherine’s throne room. A page with Lady Catherine’s nearly illegible handwriting that Elizabeth deciphered as some sort of list of names that made no sense.

At last, Elizabeth came across what looked to be a legal document, or at least a rough draft of one. Elizabeth’s heart skipped a beat when she saw her name in the first paragraph, a sudden jolt of unease coursing through her. There was too much to read right then, and she could not dare try to abscond with it. She was certain Lady Catherine would notice it missing.

The sharp sound of a forceful knock at the front door jolted Elizabeth, and the subsequent commotion downstairs had her dropping the document she was studying. Knowing her time was up, Elizabeth put everything back as it was and rushed out the door to the room. With a nervous hand, Elizabeth smoothed her skirt as she dashed down the hallway to where a maid was standing, her attention focused on the landing below.

Smiling at Elizabeth, she said, “Do not worry, it is not the old bat, just the young Miss’s cousins come calling.”

Elizabeth knew she should probably chide the maid for calling Lady Catherine an old bat, but instead, she offered her a smile and said, “Thank you for playing look out for me, Rachel.”

“Oh, we both know that woman is up to something. It is better that we find out now than after she has sprung some trap.” Patting Elizabeth on the shoulder, she added, “Just you let me know if you need my help.”

It was a relief to know that she was not all alone in the struggle to withstand Lady Catherine. Rachel was a maid that had worked at Rosings for quite some time, having started there at only thirteen as a scullery maid. She was a woman who could not be easily intimidated and had been entrusted with their secret, knowing that Anne was the true mistress of the estate.

Years ago, when Elizabeth revealed their situation and plans moving forward after Uncle Lewis’s funeral, Rachel simply shook her head, muttering, “Who would want to fight for power with a mother like that? Especially a sickly girl like Miss Anne? Just you tell me what you need to help the poor little lamb, and we will find a way to get it done. She deserves to be able to do as she wants, especially now.” Their eyes met, and in that instant, they acknowledged the grim truth: Scarlet fever had left its mark on Anne, and her future would be cut short.

Elizabeth smiled in remembrance as she began to go down the stairs. Rachel might have been only a few years older than Anne, but she mothered her constantly. It was something that Anne always seemed to relish. The fact was that most of the long-time staff were loyal to Anne over Lady Catherine and pampered her however they could.

As Elizabeth descended the final steps, her fingers nervously smoothed her hair, trying to make sure it was perfectly in place before facing the unexpected visitors. She was not surprised to find herself enveloped by Richard’s warm hug. Shaking her head, Elizabeth wondered why she had bothered to smooth her hair and said, “This is unexpected. Nevertheless, your timing is perfect. Lady Catherine has gone off on some mysterious errand, so we are free to converse as we wish.”

Leaning back from Elizabeth, Richard took in her appearance, his expression concerned, and asked, “Our timing is perfect by design, but before we get to that, how are you and Anne? It has been far too long since I have had the opportunity to see you in person.”

Elizabeth took a step back from Richard, her touch lingering on his hand as she squeezed it reassuringly. “You know that there is very little that can get me down,” she said, her eyes sparkling with determination. “I have been kept very busy lately managing everything for Rosings and de Bourgh House, but it is nothing I cannot manage.”

Her eyes darted between Mr. Darcy, who stood nearby, and Richard, a weak smile playing on her lips. Georgianna, with her tendency to share everything, would have surely told Mr. Darcy about Anne’s declining health. Richard, however, was less privy to such matters. Even she was shocked about Anne’s rapid decline since they came to London.

“And what about Anne?” Richard’s question hung in the air and Elizabeth felt the weight of his worry.

“Anne is not well. The trip to London, it seems, was too much for her. Frankly, I do not know if she will ever be able to leave London.”

Mr. Darcy reached out and gripped Richard’s shoulder in reassurance. “Can we see her?”

Nodding, Elizabeth turned to go back up the stairs before saying, “I do not know if she will be awake, but I will take you up to her.” The sound of her breath echoed in the stairwell, a stark contrast to the heavy thuds of Richard and Mr. Darcy’s footsteps as they followed her.

No one spoke as they walked down the hall and silently entered Anne’s room. Anne lay in her bed asleep, her breathing soft and even, while the maid, her face illuminated by the soft glow of the bedside lamp, sat quietly in a chair, ready to tend to any need. Molly, the maid, looked up from her needlework as they entered, a gentle smile on her face. “She drifted off after her morning tea,” she whispered softly, “but I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if you wanted to wake her, Miss Elizabeth. She is always happy to spend time with you.”

Seeing Anne came as quite a shock. Her usual paleness had given way to a sallowness, and her eyes were sunken and shadowed. Even under the blankets, he could see that she had become alarmingly thin. Though aware of his cousin’s short life expectancy, he’d avoided imagining its reality and here it was, staring him in the face.

Anne’s decline and eventual demise were unstoppable; he and everyone else were powerless in the face of her imminent death. With a worried frown, Darcy murmured to Miss Elizabeth, “How long has she been in such a state?” The hushed tone was barely audible above the labored breathing of the sick woman nearby.

Not taking her eyes off Anne, Miss Elizabeth answered, “Her decline had been fairly steady until Lady Catherine decided that we would be coming to London. The frantic rush of packing, the foul weather, and the long, bumpy journey completely drained Anne. She has not risen from bed since we arrived and is only barely able to hold conversations.”

“Is she in any pain?” questioned Richard.

Miss Elizabeth shook her head, a faint frown furrowing her brow, and replied, “No. The maids are keeping her comfortable, ensuring she has a constant supply of soothing teas and medicinal powders to ease her discomfort. I contacted her physician; he’ll be here tomorrow to evaluate her and see what more we can do to ease her way.” Speaking of Anne’s imminent death seemed to push Miss Elizabeth over the edge, and she broke off in a sob.

Reaching out, Richard pulled her into his side in a comforting embrace. Darcy watched his cousin soothe her, whispering to her so low that he could not hear what he said. He felt a pang of something unfamiliar watching them, a cold knot in his stomach that he eventually identified as jealousy.

It was a blow to realize that he wanted to be the one to comfort Miss Elizabeth. He was so surprised that he intentionally shied away from trying to understand why he would feel that way and instead said, “Why don’t we leave Anne to her rest.” Darcy left the room and the other two followed him, their footsteps a soft agreement to his statement.

He had only taken a few steps into the hallway before he had realized that he did not know where they should go to speak together. Seeing his hesitation, Miss Elizabeth cleared her throat and said, “We can go down to the front parlor and discuss matters over a nice cup of tea. With Lady Catherine and her companion, Mrs. Cuthburt, away from the house, we are free to speak as we wish. The staff here are loyal and will do whatever they can to help us thwart her.”

Darcy settled into a comfortable chair near the crackling fireplace, the heat driving away the chill that his earlier flash of jealousy had brought on and the sound of the flames soothing his unease. He waited until everyone was seated and tea was requested before saying, “I do not know how much time we have until Aunt Catherine will return, so we must use what time we have wisely.”

Miss Elizabeth nodded and asked, “First, gentlemen, may I inquire whether you have come for any particular reason, or are you merely here to check on Anne?”

Richard stretched his legs out before him in a familiar manner before replying, “While we, of course, wanted to see you both, hearing that Lady Catherine had brought you all to town alarmed both of us. She would not put forth the effort to come to town without cause.” Looking back and forth between Miss Elizabeth and Darcy, he added, “Aunt Catherine has something planned, and we must discern what it is.”

“I do not disagree.” Miss Elizabeth stood and walked to the freshly delivered tea tray, the fragrant steam rising from the teapot a welcome sight as she commenced preparing the tea. First, she handed Richard a steaming cup, then carefully presented Darcy with his, a warm smile gracing her lips as she said, “It seems our thoughts were not dissimilar. I had also wanted to take advantage of Lady Catherine’s absence. When you arrived, I was actually going through the papers on Lady Catherine’s desk.”

The steam from Darcy’s tea curled around his face as he took a small sip, the comforting warmth spreading through him. “Did you find anything that might help us to uncover what she is up to?” he inquired.

Sitting down with her own cup, Miss Elizabeth stared into its depths pensively. A moment passed before she spoke, a strange tension in her voice. “Most of what I found seemed to be random bills, but there was one thing—a stack of what appeared to be legal papers—that seemed rather disconcerting.”

Richard leaned forward in his chair and asked, “What was disconcerting about them?”

Taking a slow sip of her tea, Miss Elizabeth seemed to stall for time before admitting, “I only got a glance, mind you, but at first glance, I noticed my name appeared several times at the top of the page.”

Concerned, Darcy put his teacup down on a nearby table. Despite his apprehension about Lady Catherine, Darcy was unprepared for the queasiness he felt upon discovering her ire was directed at Miss Elizabeth. Swallowing against an unexpected lump in his throat, Darcy said, “Do you know what the papers were pertaining to?”

Shaking her head, Miss Elizabeth replied, “No, I had only started looking them over when I heard the commotion downstairs, and I hurried out of the room.”

“I already had my solicitor looking into my aunt’s suspicious behavior, but knowing that she has what I can only assume are forged documents pertaining to you, I will let him know he needs to focus his attention on that. I am confident we will circumvent her plans, whatever they may be.” Darcy’s voice held a steely resolve as he reassured Miss Elizabeth. “You know we will do all we can to keep you from being harmed by whatever wicked plot she is attempting.”

“What are we waiting for?” Richard jumped to his feet. “Let us go up and look at those papers.”

Making their way to the base of the stairs in the entryway, they were startled when Lady Catherine and her companion, Mrs. Cuthburt, walked in through the opened front door. It only took a moment for all of their eyes to meet before Lady Catherine screeched, “What are you doing here?”