Darcy’s expression was exasperated, but something in her tone made it soften. He swallowed.
“I hate this,” he said. “It goes against every instinct I have. But I see sense in what you say.” He nodded briskly for her to go ahead, though he twitched towards her when she took the spoon as though he would like to fling it from her grasp.
Elizabeth sampled a small amount from one bowl and waited. When nothing seemed to happen, she took a larger amount. Then she tried a sample from the second bowl. With a shudder, she dropped the spoon.
6
Darcy moved closer to Elizabeth at once, one hand on her upper back, his eyes concerned.
“What is it?” he demanded.
“It tastes awful. It needs more — something—salt, or perhaps honey. I am not sure what would improve it. I rarely eat gruel.” Elizabeth wiped her mouth and shuddered again. “But I feel no ill effects. I am not sure what I would expect to feel, but I think we are safe.”
“You are sure? You will tell me if you feel anything is wrong?”
Elizabeth smiled. “Do you think I am so eager to poison you that I will lie just to make you eat as well?”
“Believe me, Miss Bennet, my concern is all for you alone,” said Darcy abruptly. He held out the one chair and gestured for Elizabeth to sit, then took a bowl. Elizabeth noticed it was the one that had a little less in it. She was about to protest, but a sideways glance from Darcy silenced her. It was not so much that it would make a difference and justify an argument, so Elizabeth attended her own meal.
When they finished, Elizabeth pushed her bowl away. The gruel was barely adequate, but she was so hungry she finished every bit. It surprised her. She expected to be so worried that she could not have managed a mouthful. She glanced across at Darcy. He ate much slower, his eyes lost in thought.
“I wonder where we are?” said Elizabeth to break the silence.
“I predict we travelled some thirty miles last night,” said Darcy. “They stopped to change horses more than once.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “Then you might have called for help.”
“I heard enough of the conversation to know we would have received no help. I think they must belong to a network of thieves. They might do this all around the country.”
Elizabeth’s lips twitched. “I am sure Miss Bingley now regrets she did not seek my mother’s advice for engaging labourers.”
“I am glad you can still joke,” said Darcy. He smiled at her. “Strange as this might sound, I will pay you the compliment of saying you are an agreeable companion to be imprisoned with.”
“That is the most original compliment I have ever received. I shall treasure it. And I shall also return it. You have kept a cool head, and it has been a great comfort to me.”
Darcy held her eyes for a moment, then dropped them to drift around the room. “Then I am hopeful that two such excellent companions can also escape their predicament. I am not sure what place this is or who owns it. The more we discover, the more we can use to escape.” He rubbed his jaw, then cleared his throat. “I have been thinking how best to ensure your safety.”
“Do you think I am in particular danger?”
“I very much hope not. I think I, at least, am safe because they hope to ransom me. I think they will keep you safe because they can use you to ensure my good behaviour.”
Elizabeth shuddered as she recalled the gun pressed to her neck. Darcy had stopped at once, powerless to do anything when she was endangered. Whatever other disgraceful actions he might have done, he was more of a gentleman than she had given him credit for.
“Do you have any ideas?” she asked.
“We will avoid it if necessary because it could mean the ruination of your reputation.”
“I am more concerned with the ruination of my life. What is your idea?”
Darcy leaned towards her, and Elizabeth matched his movements. He dropped his voice to a murmur.
“If they seem like they plan to separate us, or if they pose any threat to you, whether to your life or person, we must tell them we are betrothed.”
Elizabeth stared at him.
“They will be less likely to interfere with you if they think you are to become my wife,” he insisted, seeing her hesitation.
“Why should they?”
“I will tell them my family will pay any amount of money to have me back again, especially if my wife is included, because they know I will repay them whatever they offer to keep you safe. I will make that clear to them.”
“I see.” Elizabeth idly played with the handle of the spoon as she considered. “Do you think they will believe you?”
“I will make them believe me. It will not be difficult.”
Elizabeth bit back a wry smile. Darcy barely tolerated her throughout their acquaintance. He exaggerated his talents if he thought he could convince people he was so in love with her that he would pay any money to keep her safe. But she could not think of a better idea. Though she would never admit it out loud, she had tried her best to push away thoughts of what the men might do to her if they so chose. If Darcy could convince them she was worth more to them safe and with her dignity preserved, then it would be her best chance.
The door pushed open before they could speak any further, and Lawson entered the room with his usual exaggerated languidness. He observed their empty bowl with a false air of approval, as though he were a parent assessing the habits of wayward children.
“So, you enjoyed our fare, humble though it was. I am glad to see it. You will need your strength for what’s ahead.”
Elizabeth felt her breath catch. She would not allow herself to look at Darcy in case it betrayed her fear, and she would not let that man see it.
“And what is ahead?” asked Darcy in a crisp voice.
Lawson smiled around his cigar. “Get some sleep. We will have to move on soon.” His gaze shifted to the bed, and his smile broadened. “You know,” he said in a confidential tone, leaning towards Elizabeth, his forearm resting on the back of her chair. “If you are uncomfortable sharing a room or bed with Mr Darcy, I am sure I can find something you might prefer.” His smile left no doubt what he meant. Elizabeth held his eyes coolly, though she had to fight a shudder of disgust. She was aware of Darcy tensing beside her, and she prayed he would keep his temper. She did not believe Lawson meant what he said. He spoke only to provoke Darcy. She hoped Darcy also recognised it.
“I am perfectly comfortable here, thank you,” she said flatly.
Lawson feigned a gasp and shook his head. “An unmarried woman prepared to be alone in a room with a man who is not related to her? I am shocked.”
“Miss Bennet will not be unmarried much longer,” said Darcy. His tone was calm, but Elizabeth could sense the underlying tension. “She is to be my wife.”
Lawson went still. He straightened away from Elizabeth, giving Darcy a long look.
“Is that so?”
“Yes, it is. I asked her last night, and she honoured me with her acceptance. Any harm that comes to her reputation will be rectified once we are free to do so.”
“I see.” Lawson’s eyes flicked between the pair. “What a pity you are not married already. Mrs Darcy would be worth much more to your family than Miss Bennet.”
“Miss Bennet is already worth a great deal to my family because she is worth a great deal to me. My family will know that they should pay anything for her safe recovery because they know I will repay them gratefully. Miss Bennet’s safety is as essential as my own.”
Lawson did not respond. He removed his cigar and looked at the glowing end before extinguishing it in the remains of the gruel.
“Why should your family believe you? Do they know Miss Bennet even exists?”
“Of course they do,” said Darcy, a bite in his voice. “I have spoken of her in my letters to my sister and cousin, and I have prepared them for a proposal. I had just asked Miss Bennet to marry me when we were interrupted.”
Lawson grinne
d. “Proposing to her in the woods at dusk. What a fine gent you are.”
Darcy’s face hardened. “I came upon her then and asked her while I had the opportunity. Now, you will write to my family and tell them. My sister and my cousin will verify the truth of what I say.”
“And what of this cousin who stands to inherit everything?”
“I will not write to him. My cousin, Fitzwilliam, is in London, so a letter will reach him before anyone else. He will inform his father, the earl, and they will make arrangements.”
Lawson’s eyes were hard as he stared at Darcy. Elizabeth looked between the two men, pressing her hands together in her lap so hard that her knuckles were white. What if Lawson did not believe Darcy? To her relief, Lawson shrugged.
“You will write to them once we are at our destination.”
“And where is that?” Elizabeth asked. She noted with irritation that her voice was faint with nervousness. To combat it, she straightened in the chair and lifted her chin, keeping her eyes fixed on the thief. To her surprise, his smile this time was not mocking.
“You will see soon enough. Have you ever seen the sea, Miss Bennet? Get some sleep.”
With a bow, he left the room. The door locked with a click.
Elizabeth released a breath.
“You were right about us travelling to the coast. Why should we go there?”
“I suspect that is where they live or at least work from,” said Darcy. “Travelling on the road will allow us more chance to escape. We will watch for every opportunity we can.”
“What if he writes to your family, and they deny knowing anything about me? They have no reason to believe such a creature as Elizabeth Bennet exists. They will think it a trick.”
“My sister and my cousin will tell them I spoke of you,” said Darcy.
Elizabeth’s eyes widened, then she smiled. “I cannot imagine you told them anything to my credit.” She could only imagine what Darcy would have said in his letters. He would have described her uncouth family, her barely tolerable looks, and how she scrambled about the countryside alone with her hems three inches deep in mud. Certainly not a woman Darcy would pay anything to save, let alone marry.
Darcy’s pause at her question left her in no doubt that was the case. “The name is already familiar to them,” he said. “My cousin, Fitzwilliam, will understand at once what I am doing and explain to my aunt and uncle.”
“It is honourable of you to agree to so much to save me.”
“I would not consider it honourable. It is basic decency. I would be a poor wretch if I valued money above your life.” Darcy looked at the bed behind them. “You should sleep,” he added.
“Where will you sleep?”
“Here at the table. I will wake up the moment anyone comes near the door.”
“Very well.”
Elizabeth crossed to the bed. She glanced back at Darcy, her colour rising. He paid her no attention as he rested his head on his arms. Elizabeth gingerly lay down on the dusty bed coverings. After a few minutes, she drifted into an exhausted sleep.
7
Elizabeth woke to the sound of loud voices. She opened her eyes in confusion. The room was in darkness. It took her a moment to collect where she was before the sound of scuffling made her sit up, her heart pounding. Darcy stood near her bed, trembling with rage. The man who had wanted to keep the vase - Farlow, Elizabeth recalled - stood at the end of the bed, his body hunched over, his hands held up in surrender.
“I was just trying to wake her,” he protested.
“By trying to sneak past me when you thought I was asleep? If you ever try anything like that again, you will not have enough pistols to stop me before I kill you.”
Elizabeth swung her legs out of bed.
“What is going on?” she demanded.
Farlow held up his hands again. “I am just here to tell you to get ready to leave, that’s all. I had no other intentions.”
Darcy took a step towards him. Before he could do anything, Lawson appeared at the door. He was scowling.
“What the devil is going on here?”
“Mr Darcy thought I had impure intentions towards his lady,” Farlow grumbled.
“No one will approach Elizabeth like that again, do you hear me?” Darcy said in a low voice.
He and Lawson gave one another a long look, both taking the measure of the other.
“Be careful, Darcy,” said John. “Farlow here might be a poor excuse for a fellow, but if you harm any of my men, I won’t answer for my actions.”
“And neither will I if any of you or your men prey on Elizabeth.”
Lawson’s face creased into a smile. “I can promise you Farlow is no threat to women. We are wasting time here. Come on. We are leaving now.”
Elizabeth moved closer to Darcy, her fingers curling around the untucked hem of his shirt. Darcy’s stance did not relax as he reached behind him to wrap his arm around her and pull her into his side, holding her against him. Elizabeth’s heart skipped. Farlow and Lawson stepped back, Farlow nervously and Lawson with an air of amused indulgence, as they left the room. The click of a pistol prevented any thoughts of escape.
The wagon waiting outside was larger than the one in which they had arrived. As Darcy helped Elizabeth up, throwing a dark look at anyone else who dared move towards her, Elizabeth blinked in the gloom to see a door at the back. Lawson climbed up after them and gestured towards it with his gun.
“Your quarters, my good lord and lady,” he said.
“What is it?” Elizabeth demanded.
“A more private space for the two of you. No one will bother you in there even if we are stopped.”
“And how long are we to be in there?”
“Until we arrive.” He smiled. “Cheer up, Miss Bennet. Sea air is good for the spirits.”
Elizabeth threw him such a look of disgust that his arrogant smile faltered for a moment. He nodded towards the door with a jerk of his chin. “We don’t have all night,” he said gruffly. “Get on with it.”
Darcy reached out to take Elizabeth’s hand and led her towards the door.
It was a tiny compartment with just enough room for both of them. A cushioned bench stretched from one end to the other.
“You are prepared for every eventuality,” said Darcy. “Do you do this sort of thing often?”
“You have the honour of being the first. This space is for our benefit. Sometimes the law gets excitable about our actions, and we need to be moved somewhere else until interest dies down. So, you see, it is not as uncomfortable as it might have been. We are offering you our finest quarters. Think of us when you are nice and cosy in here, and we are shivering on the roof.”
“We will trade places with you if you like,” said Darcy dryly.
“Very kind of you, but you are our guests, and we would be poor hosts if we accepted. Please, make yourselves comfortable.”
The door closed, hiding Lawson’s grinning face. Darcy turned to Elizabeth at once. There were just enough chinks in the wood that they could almost see one another in the light of the wagon lamp.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“I am,” she said. “But you should not have antagonised Farlow like that. Lawson will kill you if he thinks you are too much trouble.”
Darcy’s face darkened. “I heard him come in, and I remained where I was to see what he would do. When he moved towards you, I lost my head a little.”
Elizabeth sat down with a weak laugh. “A little? They must have heard the commotion in Meryton.”
“I might have over-reacted,” Darcy conceded. “He might have moved to the bed because he assumed we were both there,” Elizabeth blushed and was glad the dim light hid it, “but all I saw was him moving towards you. I had to stop him.”
Elizabeth leaned her back against the wood. Several times now, Darcy had taken risks to protect her. He could not seem to endure the idea of her being in danger. Was he as chivalrous as all that? She would never have suspec
ted it of him, not from what she had seen of him in Hertfordshire.
“He said we are going to the sea,” she said. “I wonder what coast that is? I have never seen the sea.”
“Then I am sorry you are to see it under such circumstances,” said Darcy. “Under better circumstances, you would love it.”
“Have you visited the sea?”
“Yes, several times. My sister loves Ramsgate. Or at least she used to.”
Elizabeth shifted to face him. “Used to?”
There was a long silence. “She had a distressing experience there. I only hope it has not caused too much harm. I have done my best to help her heal, but I have been told that much of it is down to time.”
Elizabeth sighed. “Poor Miss Darcy. I cannot guess what has happened to her, but I hope she will recover. She is very young, is she not? I think Miss Bingley said she is fifteen.”
“Soon to be sixteen.” Darcy nodded. “I intervened before any actual harm occurred, but there are other harms less visible but every bit as real. She is with my aunt and uncle now, as I did not want her to be without family when I came to Netherfield with Bingley. They will help her when she learns of what has happened to me.”
“Why did you come to Netherfield? You do not seem to enjoy your stay.”
“I promised Bingley I would. I tried to make other arrangements, but my sister would not hear of it. I could have insisted, but I knew it would cause her distress if she thought I broke my promise for her sake, so it seemed better to go and then write to her as often as I could. If I sometimes seem not to enjoy myself in Hertfordshire, it is because I am worried about her. But I would not say I do not enjoy it.” He glanced down at her. “There are many things I like about it.”
Elizabeth was not sure if he implied what she thought he did. She dropped her eyes to her hands in confusion. He was kind to take her mind from their situation, but hearing him speak so caused a strange flutter in her chest.
“Did you sleep at the table?” she asked.
Rescuing Elizabeth Bennet: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Page 4
