Page 22 of Secrets Across the Sea
Staffordshire, England – 1812 – Day 11
Hand reaching toward her door, Elizabeth hoped to retreat inside before anyone might see her–the dust and cobwebs wrapped in her hair and around her mussed dress bound to raise questions.
Exiting her room two doors down, Mary’s eyes raked over her sister. “Lizzy? How?”
The voices which had caused her to seek refuge growing louder, Elizabeth gave her sister one quick look before placing a hand over Mary’s mouth and pulling her into her room, the muffled cries of exasperation coming from her sister growing as she did.
“What do you think you are doing?” Mary ground out as Elizabeth’s hand came away, her eyes fiery until her gaze traveled over her sister’s form once more. Brow raising, she huffed, “You do realize you are covered in filth? I cannot imagine what you have been up to.”
“I can explain,” Elizabeth said, her cheeks warming as she recalled how her hair and dress had been mussed–the dust and cobwebs were only partially responsible.
Head tilting, Mary crossed her arms, “I would not doubt it, I only hope you tell me the whole story, and not just the bits you think I will approve of. Because you have definitely been up to some mischief, I have seen that guilty look before.”
Pulling Mary to the window seat, Elizabeth rushed, “I found the passageway. Well, Mr. Darcy and I found the passageway. We got in through the library, just as we expected! We did not open it, but the first door inside ought to go into the study. Then another went into the hall between the two rooms. Not only that, but one passage led to this winding stairway, the door coming out near the main staircase and looking down the dark hall of the guest wing. It is how Lady Charmane made her escape each time.”
“Are you certain?” Mary teased, her eyes flicking toward her sister. “With all of the cobwebs and dust you are wearing, one might suppose it had not been used in centuries.”
“Amusing,” Elizabeth said drolly, “Definitely amusing. In any case, there was evidence of use; more so between the library and study, but some throughout.”
“It makes one wonder if there are more passageways hidden elsewhere, or secret rooms. What were some of those called again, priest holes? They used to have those in some old homes. Were these part of that, I wonder, or the result of years of remodeling… or simply built by an eccentric owner–rather like Lady Charmane–who valued their privacy above all else?”
“Do not forget, it could have been for illegal purposes,” Elizabeth smiled. “No, chances are we will never know, however, we may be able to track down Lady Charmane. Certainly, we can cut off her retreat.”
Turning at a knocking sound, Elizabeth motioned Jane into the room. “Come, we were just talking about what I found.”
“It seems our secret passageway notion is proved correct; Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have proof of it. Is that not so?” Mary asked, her eyes boring into Elizabeth as if she knew her sister had not yet told the whole story.
“That is so,” Elizabeth answered with false gaiety. “We found it not long ago… As you can see, it was rather filthy.”
“That is good news,” Jane said, a brow raised as she viewed Elizabeth.
Honestly, her sisters knew her too well.
“It is. And I have further news, good I hope,” Elizabeth began as she rubbed her hands over her dress. “You see, Mr. Darcy has, that is to say… he asked me to marry him, and I accepted.”
Her sisters all but pouncing on her as they squealed in delight, Elizabeth laughed.
Her fears had proved unfounded.
“When are you to be married?” Jane asked, a hand on Elizabeth’s arm as she knelt beside her.
“It is a secret, firstly,” Elizabeth said, her tone resolute. “Uncle Gardiner’s permission must be attained before we tell anyone; Mr. Darcy will pass along our good news to his cousin and Mr. Bingley, but beyond that no one must know. Uncle and indeed Father deserve to know before anyone else… Besides, until Uncle gives his blessing, we cannot make many definite plans.”
“Very well, we shall tell no one,” Jane smiled up at her sister. “Though I will tell you how delighted I am!”
“Agreed,” Mary grinned as she pulled Elizabeth in for a hug. “Happy and delighted and pleased at your joy. I have seen how fond you are of him, and he is the best of men; though I shall miss you. It seems with you and Kitty marrying, and Jane soon enough I suspect, Lydia and I will be the only ones at Longbourn.”
“Mary,” Jane blustered, cheeks reddening as she viewed her sister. “Mr. Bingley and I have no understanding.”
“Ah, you knew who I meant,” Mary teased, a playful scowl appearing as Jane gave her a shove.
Leaning back, Elizabeth smirked, “What of your Colonel? Is he not considering proposing to you as well? He is smitten enough from all I have seen. I suspect both you and Jane will be married not long after I am.”
“I fear he may not be in a position to marry me… Whether he wishes it or not.”
With a shake of her head, Elizabeth admonished her, “No. I do not believe a colonel, Mr. Darcy’s cousin at that, would allow his pocketbook, family, or whatever it is you suppose to be a hindrance, to keep him from pursuing, proposing to, and ultimately marrying the woman he loves. And I have seen the way he looks at you, the way he speaks and moves in your company. He does love you. You do love him, do you not?”
A hurried nod, her gaze drifting downward, and Mary admitted, “Yes. I do.”
“Then all shall be right in the end. For you. Jane. And even myself. For I know I mean to be happy.”
“And you shall,” Jane smiled. “It is time we were all happy.”
∞∞∞
Before supper would be served, the three sisters each took up position to trap Lady Charmane in conversation. They would first see Mary into the passageway to dissuade any escaping. Then Elizabeth would wait near the grand stairway, while Jane would sequester herself in the library. No matter which direction their host turned, she would be caught.
A foolproof plan.
Pressed into the darkest corner she could find near the bottom of the stairs, Elizabeth waited; fingers tapping silently on her dress as she kept her eyes on the steps.
Seconds lingering into minutes, Elizabeth’s lips pulled this way and that. Their host would choose tonight to dally. Should any of the guests come down first, their whole plan would be ruined; perhaps a slight exaggeration, but certainly it would have to be delayed.
A flash of vibrant yellow at the head of the stairs brought Elizabeth closer to the wall– no one but the Grand Lady would wear that shade.
As the figure made her way to the foot of the stairs, Elizabeth slowly peeled herself from the wall and began to follow where her quarry led.
The study. Perfect, Elizabeth thought, her breath easing in the knowledge that Lady Charmane had nowhere to go.
Darting around the corner into the study, Elizabeth’s heart dropped.
Empty. But there was no way. Mary had been guarding the passageway.
“Mary!” Elizabeth cried, a section of wall beside her opening to reveal her sister.
“Whatever is the matter?”
Jane hurrying through the study door, she frowned, “What has happened? Are you alright?”
Turning in a circle, Elizabeth noted the room in its entirety. A few shelves of books, purple curtains, a longcase clock carved with peacocks, a desk with similar carvings...
Nowhere to hide. Nowhere. Even the desk or the curtains could not conceal a grown woman. Right?
Moving throughout the room, Elizabeth looked behind, in, and around any space which could even remotely hide a person, along with a few she knew could not.
“She is gone,” Elizabeth murmured as she returned to her sisters’, the confirmation of what she already knew made clear. “There must be another passage… and three walls it cannot be accessed by.”
Shaking her head, Jane sighed, “She does not want to be found. We can keep trying to pin her down, cut off every access she may have, but if she is as insistent as this, will cornering her bring any answers? Will she divulge the relationship between her and our mother; why she invited the unimportant daughters of a country gentleman to visit? I think it is time we leave her be. If we are fortunate, she will one day provide an explanation.”
“I do not know if I can leave it be,” Elizabeth admitted with a frown, her eyes casting over the space. “I will take a leaf from you and not hunt her down, but I will not leave this be. If I find any chance to speak with her, I will take it.”
“And what of you, Mary?” Jane asked, her brows raised and eyes wide.
“I side with Elizabeth on this. Trying to trap her as we have is perhaps a little severe… giving up entirely, however, it is too soon. Only when we are on our way home, am I willing to give way–even then, a letter or two to her and Aunt might pass before I let this lie. It is too important; Mother wanted this, leastwise she wanted us here, and I cannot believe that she did not mean us to at least talk to Lady Charmane.”
Jane’s expression falling, she nodded. “As you say, it is what Mother would have wanted. I wish it was what Lady Charmane wanted too… our last days here could prove less than agreeable.”
“And there are so many other things we might do,” Elizabeth supplied. “Such as spending time in the company of certain gentlemen?”
“That is not my reasoning,” Jane huffed, her eyes cast down as she crossed her arms. “I merely am hesitant to invade the privacy of a woman who has welcomed us into her home. Well, perhaps not exactly welcomed us, but she has housed us, fed us, and allowed you to meet a certain someone. Respect if nothing else ought to come from that.”
“You are correct. And we shall grant her that respect… though not at the expense of what Mother wanted,” Elizabeth said, the argument ended in her mind.
“Ah, there you ladies are,” Mr. Bingley supplied as he stood in the doorway. “Our host has said that dinner is served.”
Following after him with her sisters, Elizabeth and Mary shared a look. Lady Charmane had managed to make her way back to the dining room. Wherever the other passage went, it had proved more than a dead end.
Meeting Mr. Darcy outside the dining room, Elizabeth paused, her frown fading at the sight of him. If only they might share their news. If only it were permissible to wrap him in her arms and enjoy a kiss. Or even sit close together in front of a fire, sharing stories and plans and hopes, all through the night.
Soon enough. They would write Uncle and within a week he would respond to them. She simply had to be patient.
Breath catching as he smiled down at her, Elizabeth sighed.
Perhaps it would not be soon enough? Not for her liking, in any case.