Mr. Darcy's Daughter

by Rebecca Ann Collins

  "When she did not return home last night, Mrs Baines had assumed that she had been delayed here and decided, wisely, to stay overnight," Cassy explained to her husband,"Oh that it were true! However, there was no message from her today, her mother became concerned. No one has seen Margaret since she left here around four o'clock last afternoon. No one but myself, that is, for I am now quite certain it was Margaret I saw, walking with this man, on the Matlock Road, much later in the evening, when I was returning from Pemberley."

  "Could you recognise the man she was with?" Richard asked, intrigued.

  Cassy was unsure."No, I did not at the time; I could not see his face. But when Lizzie described the coat he was wearing, Grantham had said the dead man was wearing a fine wool coat with a broad collar, I remembered it was exactly like the coat as the man wore who was walking with Margaret."

  Her husband shook his head, his grave face and furrowed brow indicating that he was very concerned indeed, but he said nothing.

  After they went upstairs, he revealed to his wife that the body had been identified by the innkeeper as that of Andrew Jones.

  "He had stayed occasionally at the inn and, if the landlord is to be believed, was seeing a young woman quite regularly," he said, and when Cassy gasped, he added,"It may not be as bad as you fear, Cassy. The landlord did say they were walking out, but did not stay at the inn together at any time. He identified Jones, but knew nothing of the young woman, except that she had very striking auburn hair. So it does seem it was Margaret."

  Cassy was so shocked, she could hardly speak. It grieved her that a girl like Margaret Baines, with so much promise and common sense, or so they had all thought, could have been deceived into an affair with a man like Jones.

  "How could she, Richard? Did she not see that whatever he said, however many promises he may have made to her, they were probably all worthless? Did she not stop to think of the consequences for herself as well as her poor mother, who is worried sick and likely to be even more devastated, when the whole truth is out?"

  Richard sighed and, when he spoke, his voice was low and even, as though he was keen not to wound her feelings.

  "Do not judge the girl too harshly, my dear. Remember that only some months ago we were faced with the consequences of an intelligent, young woman of impeccable character and connections doing something very similar. Indeed, one might say that at least Margaret Baines had no husband and child to abandon. If she has been seduced by this man's charm and false promises, and of that we cannot yet be certain, she will not be the first young person to be so deceived. It is not easy for young women of very little means to resist the lure of such a proposition. They have not the knowledge and experience to help them see through the promises of a skilled liar, which Jones clearly was. Think, Cassy, if a woman of Josie's education and intelligence could be taken in by the false promises of Barrett and Jones, what chance has a girl like Margaret Baines?"

  Cassy's tears fell, despite her efforts to control them.

  Memories of Josie and Julian, and the appalling tragedy that had resulted from just such a deception, stung her deeply and Richard, understanding, held her and comforted her.

  The truth, however, had to be faced and some action would need to be taken to find Margaret, if she was still alive.

  "What has been done to recover her? Are they searching for her?" she asked, but Richard indicated that it was at the moment a police matter and, while her friends and family might look for her, it was now the chief responsibility of the police to carry out a search.

  "But dearest, you know that they will be far more interested in finding Jones's murderer, than in recovering poor Margaret," she cried and he agreed,"Yes indeed, which is why Grantham proposes to make his own enquiries in the village and go to Cromford, if necessary, to discover more information. Pray God, they may yet find her alive."

  Cassy felt some slight relief; she had great confidence in Grantham, yet nothing would be known for hours; it may even be days, she thought and, in her mind, began to form a plan, which she hoped might be put into action sooner.

  It was useless to wait for the police, Cassy thought. 'Twere better to make an immediate start.

  Tomorrow, she would send for Mr Grantham and Mr Carr and ask for their help. They were in a better position than she was to act. As for Richard, she would tell him, of course, once the plan was in place.

  On the following day, Dr Gardiner left early for the hospital. Police matters, among other things, had kept him away on the previous day, but he had serious work on hand, which needed completion. A paper was being prepared to be presented to a distinguished gathering of medical men next month; he and his assistant Matthew Ward were working assiduously to complete the research and write up their results. Acceptance and publication would bring the hospital and the two men involved considerable recognition and, hopefully, more endowments for continuing their work.

  Cassandra knew she had much of the day to herself. She despatched urgent notes to Mr Grantham and Mr Carr requesting their help. She had already decided upon a plan and was hoping they would agree to carry it out. By the time Grantham, who came in great haste, fearing the worst, and Mr Carr, who had intended to ride over to see Lizzie, had both arrived, Cassy had her plan clear in her own mind. It was simple, but it required the maintenance of strict secrecy; consequently, it could not involve her husband or any other person who held an official position.

  Mr Carr, as an outsider, who had recently purchased a property, could help; his bona fides were unlikely to be questioned. As for Mr Grantham, as manager of the Pemberley Estate, where the missing girl and her family had lived, he was entitled, nay even duty bound, to do whatever he could to discover her whereabouts.

  When she disclosed her plan to them, both Grantham and Mr Carr were willing to help, but warned that the prospect of success was remote.

  Grantham was pessimistic, believing Jones had killed the girl.

  Cassy disagreed."I am convinced Margaret is alive," she said,"If she had died, too, her body would not have been far from where Jones's body was found. The fact that it has not been found gives me some hope," she said, describing how they were to question, discreetly, all the tenants, labourers, and servants on the properties under their control, to gather as much information as possible about Jones and Margaret.

  It was a hope that was enhanced by the arrival of Mrs Baines, who revealed that someone had entered her cottage while she was out searching the village for Margaret and removed some items of clothing and food. This news brought even Mr Carr and Grantham to an acceptance that Cassy may well be proved right. She was overjoyed, convinced that the girl was now definitely alive.

  "Not very much has been taken, but they are all personal and significant items; a travelling dress and coat which Lizzie used in London and gave to Margaret only a few weeks ago, some underclothes, a pair of shoes, and a hat. Now, it seems to me that Margaret is in hiding and means to get away from the area.

  "We must find her before she does, because the moment she runs away, she becomes a suspect. The police will believe she killed Jones, as a result of a lover's quarrel, jealousy, self-defence perhaps, if he tried to molest her; who knows what motive they may attribute to a young servant whom they wish to accuse of killing a man from a wealthy London family. You can be sure, once they know she is alive, she will be hunted, found, and charged, and God knows how she will save herself then, for who will believe her?"

  Grantham protested."Margaret Baines is no murderess, ma'am," he said."I have known her since she were a baby; she cannot have done such a thing."

  "I know that, Mr Grantham, and so do you and all of us, but the police do not. To them, she will be just another suspect and, if convicting her will help solve their murder, they will not ask if she was capable of it. And if she runs away, she will look guilty and play right into their hands. Which is why we must find her before they do."

  Cassy's passionate appeal moved both men sufficiently to let them assure her they woul
d do their best.

  "I shall talk first to my servants here and then to the staff at Pemberley, and Mr Carr, would you please do likewise at Rushmore? Do not forget the stud; the men may have seen something. Ask them also about John Archer. I am certain, though I cannot explain it or give you a logical reason for my feelings, that Archer is linked in some way to Mr Jones."

  Grantham looked sceptical, but Mr Carr was of a mind to agree with her.

  "You may well be right, Mrs Gardiner," he said."I have been thinking, since his visit to the stud in my absence to enquire about the horses, that he could have been acting for Jones. I may not have mentioned this, but I am aware that someone has been trying to purchase a pair of my horses on a previous occasion; my recollection is vague, but I believe it was a man from Cromford. Now the innkeeper says Jones, who was also keen on a pair of horses, had been staying with friends in Cromford…"

  Grantham interrupted,"And Archer was in Cromford last week; I saw him there myself," finally beginning to believe that the theory made sense.

  "There you are!" said Cassy."You do have something to be going on with. I have to rely on you to talk to the people in the town and the men who work on the farms; you have known them, Mr Grantham, for as long as I have been alive; they will trust you and tell you far more than they will tell the police. Tell them what we believe and ask for their help to save Margaret Baines. We must find her and discover the truth about Jones's death; it's her only chance."

  Grantham agreed; he could see no other way to save the girl.

  Mr Carr, by now completely convinced Cassandra was right, declared that in addition to talking to his servants, he would visit the innkeeper at Matlock, of whom he had made a firm friend."I think I may be able to persuade him to tell me something more about Jones than he has revealed to the police. I shall certainly do my best."

  Cassy saw them go with more hope in her heart than she'd had that morning. At least, something was being done to find Margaret Baines.

  The arrival, later that day, of her son Darcy from London, albeit in such a state of weariness he could barely get up the stairs before falling into bed, fully clothed, was not entirely inopportune.

  He, too, could be drafted into helping with their enquiries, she thought, for Darcy, unlike his elder brother Edward, was a gregarious young man and had many friends in the area. These were not drawn only from the gentry and professional classes either, for with his love of sport, being a keen cricketer and horseman, he mixed easily with the sons of tradesmen, mechanics, and farmers, who were sportsmen, too. This, his mother realised, could be very useful indeed.

  Having slept for some hours, he bathed, changed, and came downstairs, still cursing the overcrowded train in which he had travelled to Derby, before making the rest of the journey in"a none-too-comfortable hired vehicle, drawn by ancient nags driven by a drunken driver!"

  His colourful account of the journey won him some sympathy from his mother, but before long, while he was still savouring"the first cup of decent tea in weeks," she was keen to acquaint him with the details of what had occurred in the last forty-eight hours.

  Shocked and outraged, he was eager to help and indeed was willing to set out at once, if necessary, to make enquiries among his many friends and acquaintances. Cassy had just persuaded him to wait until the morrow, hoping that he would drive her to Pemberley, so she could speak with the staff there first, when the sound of horses' hooves on the drive alerted them to the arrival of a visitor.

  Darcy went out into the hall and, moments later, Cassy heard him welcoming Michael Carr. The two friends were enthusiastic in greeting one another and, as they entered the parlour, it was easy to see how close they were.

  However, when they had done and Mr Carr had accepted a cup of tea, he spoke with a gravity that presaged some serious news.

  "Mrs Gardiner, forgive me for intruding upon you so unceremoniously, but I have bad news." Cassy braced herself. Please God, he was not going to tell them Margaret was dead, she prayed silently.

  Darcy, sitting beside his mother, sensed her apprehension as she held his hand tightly while Mr Carr spoke,"When I got back to Rushmore Farm, I was informed that the police had been there in my absence and questioned some of my men and one or two of the tenants as well. I was rather perturbed that they had not sought my permission first, but let that pass. As I attempted to ascertain what they had been trying to discover, they returned. This time they did come up to the house, but only to inform me that they were going to arrest a young man, Josh Higgins, who works for my steward at the stud."

  "Josh! That's preposterous!" cried Darcy, whose explosion of outrage interrupted Mr Carr only momentarily, as he continued,"Mrs Gardiner, as Darcy here will tell you, Josh is the most unlikely suspect you can possibly imagine. He is a decent lad, a little slow; one might even say simple, but good hearted and a prodigious worker. He loves the horses and, while he cannot learn a trade, he is not considered smart enough for it, he is amazingly good at his work."

  Darcy was incredulous."Surely they cannot believe he would murder someone?" But Mr Carr said the police suspected Josh of being involved."They claim he was seen in the area; they have questioned him for an hour or more, though what he might have told them I cannot imagine, the boy is unlikely to know he is a suspect. They claim he killed Jones for his money, the man's wallet is said to be missing and the police say that Josh was in the village on the following morning trying to buy a pocket watch."

  "Does anyone else at the farm believe this?" asked Cassy.

  Carr shook his head."No one; my steward says the lad could not kill anyone. He is squeamish about blood and will not even join the beaters on a shoot! But it does look as though the police are about to build a case against him," he said looking decidedly pessimistic.

  Cassy's voice was sombre."Oh my God, the poor lad, unless a witness to the murder can be found who says otherwise or Margaret Baines comes out of hiding and tells the truth, he will be charged…"

  "And if he is found guilty…he will be hanged or at the very least transported to Australia," added Darcy, grimly.

  "And that will surely kill his mother, poor woman," said Mr Carr."She has been so proud of him since he started work at the stud."

  Lizzie, who had come downstairs and heard most of the preceding conversation in stunned silence, said,"I'd like to visit his mother and sister, Mama. I know Josh, I know how absurd it is to have him accused of such a crime. They must be in despair."

  She was eager to go, but both Mr Carr and Cassy advised against it.

  "I understand your outrage, Lizzie, and it is very kind of you to want to comfort Mrs Higgins and her daughter," said Cassy,"but I do not honestly believe you would accomplish anything by visiting them at this stage."

  "Why not, Mama? Surely there can be nothing wrong in wanting to help the family. Josh's sister Molly wishes to be a ladies' maid and I have promised to train her, when we are…" and she broke off in some embarrassment, looking at Mr Carr,"Well, can you not see what a blow this must be to her hopes, having her brother arrested for murder?" Her voice broke as she pleaded to be allowed to go.

  Her mother looked most distressed, but Mr Carr intervened, gently and persuasively arguing that he would personally convey her message of sympathy and support to Mrs Higgins and her daughter.

  "But, it would be best, my dear Lizzie, if you did not go yourself, for several good reasons, including the fact that your dislike of Mr Jones has been quite publicly demonstrated in the village," he said and gradually she came to accept that they were right. But, like her brother, she fulminated and raged against the injustice that had been done to young Josh Higgins."Does this mean that if Margaret is found, she too will be arrested?" she asked, angrily.

  "It is possible, my love," said Cassandra,"which is why it is imperative that we find her before the police do. She will at least have an opportunity to explain her actions and tell her side of the story."

  Mr Carr agreed and, while he was unable to stay to dinner
, he did promise to return on the morrow with more, if not better news.

  Once he had left, Darcy declared he was of a mind to go to the police himself and speak up for Josh Higgins, protesting about his arrest.

  But at that point, both Lizzie and her mother cautioned against such action."It will do more harm than good, if we were to antagonise the police at this time," said Cassy.

  His sister added,"It is more important to find Margaret, now we know she is probably alive. It is she, not you or I, who will be able to clear Josh of the accusation. If she can be persuaded to go before the magistrate and tell the truth, it may help Josh. I cannot believe that either of them is capable of murder, although it is possible that Mr Jones may have attempted to take advantage of Margaret, and she may have struck out at him to defend herself, not meaning to kill him. He may, as a result, have fallen and hit his head," she argued.

  While this may have sounded quite plausible, Cassy had to point out that it was not consistent with the facts.

  "Your Papa has examined the body, which is badly bruised from the fall; whatever it was that killed him, it seems like a great deal of force was used. His injuries were very severe," she explained.

  Lizzie, horrified, hid her face in her hands.

  She could still see Jones's face quite vividly, as he had importuned and pestered her, following her around in the village teasing her; she had wished then that she had had the strength to strike him and be rid of him. Lizzie could well understand such feelings as Margaret might have felt, but she kept her counsel and said nothing.

  Seeing it was almost time to go upstairs and dress for dinner, Cassy said,"Your Papa will be home soon. I think his day may have been very busy and he is likely to be exceedingly tired, so I suggest we try not to speak of this terrible business at dinner. It is hardly the subject one wants to pursue at the table, especially with the servants present, and your father may welcome a change from such matters, having spent all of last afternoon with the police and the coroner."

  So it was agreed between them, and Richard Gardiner, though he was somewhat surprised at the lack of questions on the subject, was also relieved.