'Congratulations, sir, you will be a parent again in the autumn. There's no need for me to examine Mrs Darcy, unless you wish me to, she is obviously perfectly healthy.'
'Thank you, Doctor Bevan, it's good to have one's opinions confirmed by you. Perhaps you could call in and see my wife when you visit Mrs Bingley again?'
The matter happily decided between them the doctor left and Darcy went to give Lizzy the good news. However, when he arrived in the Grand Hall he was met by Peterson.
'A letter has come by express for you, sir. A reply is required.'
Darcy removed the missive and stepped aside so he could read it in the morning light that streamed through the long windows. He scanned the contents and then turned to the butler.
He needed to speak to Hugo and Lizzy about this matter preferably together to save him having to repeat himself. 'Find Colonel Fitzwilliam and have him join me in the study immediately. Do you know the whereabouts of my wife?'
'Yes, sir, she is in the small drawing room with Miss Bennet and the other young ladies. Do you need me to send a message to her?'
'Do that. Make sure the messenger has rested. He'll have his reply within the hour.'
The study was one place he could be sure he wouldn't be interrupted by any of his guests. Indeed, only Lizzy was welcome there without an invitation.
He paced the room trying to marshal his thoughts so he could explain the matter succinctly when they both arrived. Ten minutes passed before there were hurrying footsteps – Lizzy was on her way. Then there was the heavy tread of his cousin.
They arrived together and he ushered them in before closing the door firmly behind them. 'I've just received this letter from Sir Robert.' He tossed it across to Hugo but continued his explanation for Lizzy's benefit. 'He enquires most politely if he and Hall will still be welcome here after the unpleasant business in Town. I can't discern from his writing if he assumes we know what actually happened or if we believe the fabrication about blackmail that we put about.'
'If you're asking me if I'm happy to have them here then my answer is in the affirmative. I believe that their presence is essential if Cousin Hugo's plot is to succeed.' She frowned before continuing. 'As to your other question, I've no idea. If that's all you wish to say to me, dearest, I must return to my guests.'
'Yes. No. God dammit! I didn't intend to make this a public announcement. The doctor confirmed our suspicions that there is to be another happy event at Pemberley in the autumn.'
'Might I be the first to offer my congratulations on your happy news?' Hugo said with a smile.
'Thank you, sir. I'm so happy I could burst.' Her eyes brimmed with amusement. 'Perhaps not the most felicitous choice of phrase in the circumstances. Pray excuse me, gentlemen, I must go at once and tell my sisters my good news.'
She rushed off, her steps light and looking even more beautiful than usual. He raised an eyebrow in the direction of his cousin who had just completed reading the missive.
'Well, Hugo, shall I tell this traitor he and his crony may come?'
'If you will. As to the matter of whether he knows that we are aware of his treachery I assume that he doesn't. He would have expected us to hand him over to the authorities if we knew he was passing on state secrets. Therefore, unlikely as it might seem, I must surmise he thinks us in ignorance of the true state of affairs.'
'I only met him a couple of times and wasn't impressed by his intelligence. His son, I must say, is a different prospect. I will have a letter sent to young Hall and his family and make sure they know that they are welcome here despite what happened.'
*
Lizzy was occupied the next few days welcoming new guests as they arrived. Sir Robert and Mr Hall turned up and Fitzwilliam said they were behaving impeccably. Thomas Hall, his mother and sister were the last to come, but despite their delayed appearance they soon blended in with the other guests.
Mary had blossomed and was now as popular with the young ladies as she was with the young gentlemen. This had not gone to her head however, and Lizzy believed her sister had finally grown up. The only worrying aspect was that Mary appeared to be partial to Richard Sinclair.
Her father remained in his room, ostensibly resting from his experience, but she rather suspected he preferred peace and quiet upstairs rather than the hectic toing and froing of downstairs. The twins were safely installed with their nanny and nursemaids in the East Wing with their cousin Charlotte.
Her mother had much to say on this matter. 'Elizabeth, surely your sister has more than enough to do without burdening her with your children? She is in an interesting condition and any added upset might be bad for her and the infant.'
Lizzy and Darcy had decided not to announce their good news as she was feeling perfectly well and didn't intend to be treated as if she was an invalid. Her mother's remarks prompted her to reveal that she too was with child.
'Good heavens! Am I to become a grandmother three times over yet again? My dear girl, you should not be dashing about the place as you are. You must allow your mama to take over the running of the household whilst you have this house party here.'
'That's most considerate of you, but this time I've never felt better. We wondered if you and Papa would like to remain here until after all three of us have been delivered. Mary appears to be enjoying herself and I'm sure will be happy to remain until the autumn.'
'Stay at Pemberley? Are you quite sure Mr Darcy is in agreement?'
'This was his suggestion and I thought it an excellent one. Things will be much calmer when our guests depart in two weeks' time and we will be able to enjoy the summer together.'
'I must speak to you about Mary. Lady Sinclair tells me that her son wishes to make an offer for your sister. Imagine that! One of my daughters will eventually be a member of the aristocracy.'
Lizzy had difficulty hiding her dismay. 'They scarcely know each other and I'm sure neither of them will do anything precipitous. He is a pleasant young man but I cannot like his father.' She hesitated and then decided to continue. 'I must tell you that he was involved with Mr Hall in some unpleasantness in London whilst we were there. Would you still be happy for Mary to become entangled with the family if his father was forced to leave the country?' Even this was revealing far too much but she had no option.
Her mother clutched her bosom in dramatic style. 'Sir Robert a villain? I'm sure that you're mistaken for he is a most charming man. Lady Sinclair is my dearest friend and I won't hear a word against her husband.' She stalked off and Lizzy swallowed the bile in her throat. This was an absolute disaster and of her own making. Her mother would go immediately to Lady Sinclair and soon word would be all around the house.
Both Fitzwilliam and the colonel would be furious with her – and rightly so. She had been given information in the strictest confidence and she had betrayed their trust. The gentlemen had organised an impromptu game of cricket for all the guests who wished to play – even the young ladies were included if they so wished.
She ran to the rear of the house and out onto the terrace. The warm mid-April sunshine was perfect for playing outdoor games. She put her hand up to shade her eyes and squinted across the parterre in the hope she might be able to see who was taking part in the game. Even from her vantage point she was unable to see more than their heads.
There was no option but to move closer so she could see properly. As she was about to descend the steps someone called her back.
'There you are, I've been searching for you.'
'Fitzwilliam, I've done something absolutely dreadful. I was looking for you or your cousin in order to warn you.' She quickly explained what had taken place and instead of being angry he laughed.
'That explains why Mrs Bennet is causing such a stir in the garden room next door. Bingley just came over to warn me that trouble is brewing.'
'I don't understand. Have I not ruined everything?'
He dropped an affectionate kiss on top of her head. 'You didn't reveal anything important
– merely repeated what might well be common knowledge by now. Certainly Lady Sinclair is well aware that her husband is treading on very thin ice indeed. She will confirm what you said and this will prevent the romance between Mary and her son from progressing.'
'Actually I think it might have the reverse effect on my sister. I think she secretly envied Lydia's escapades although outwardly she always disapproved. She might well find the notion of becoming entangled with the son of a villain romantic.'
'I like the young man. Whatever happens to his father, Mrs Bennet is quite right to say that Mary would become Lady Sinclair eventually if she marries into the family. Your sister has sufficient money to keep them both, so why not let the relationship continue?'
'I've no intention of interfering. I just hope that she doesn't choose to go ahead for the wrong reasons. There is something else that worries me – what if Mr Sinclair is pursuing her to gain respectability for himself and his sister?'
'You refine too much on the matter, Lizzy. There's nothing we can do about it either way. Mr Bennet can refuse his permission if he so wishes so we must leave it to him. By the way, do you think he intends to remain closeted in his apartment indefinitely?'
'I hear on reliable authority that he makes clandestine forays to the library in the middle of the night. As long as he has books to read I believe he will remain in hiding. He has never enjoyed socialising.'
'I wasn't looking for you to discuss Mary's romance but to tell you we are to expect the first of the gentlemen from London to arrive after dark this evening. Whatever is going to happen will take place in the next two days.'
*
'Will the villains be apprehended by their peers? Where will they be put until they can be transported to London to face trial?'
'Hugo has not thought fit to tell me those details. Suffice it to say that I shall stay as far away from the procedure as I possibly can. I have no intention of standing in the line of fire if I can possibly avoid it.'
'Good gracious, Fitzwilliam, I never expected you to be personally involved in the matter. You are not a soldier as the others are.'
A flicker of annoyance ran through him at her words. He might not be a natural killer of men but he was quite capable of pointing a gun and firing it if necessary. 'How perspicacious of you, my dear, if you had not pointed it out so clearly I might have thought myself a soldier in disguise.'
She chuckled at his sally and then dashed off to attend to some domestic duty or other. If she was not so obviously blooming he might have been concerned about how much she had to do. His lips curved as she vanished around the corner. When the autumn came he would be inundated with infants – not only father to three, or possibly four, children of his own but also uncle to three more.
In his opinion it was a great shame that unless one restrained from lovemaking, one's wife was obliged to produce a new offspring possibly every year. Good God! This meant that Lizzy, who was only three and twenty, could have a further dozen children if they continued to share a bed.
There must be some way of preventing conception without abstaining from bedroom sport. He would begin to make discreet enquiries and hopefully come up with a satisfactory answer to this conundrum. Not every married couple had a constant stream of new babies in their nursery. So either the husband satisfied his needs outside of marriage, which he was not prepared to do, or there was another solution and he intended to find it.
He had politely declined to participate in the game of cricket that was taking place outside and had been somewhat mystified by the fact that his cousin had agreed to take part. He made his way outside, along the parterre, until he could see the players.
There were sufficient numbers to make up almost a full team for each side. At least half the young ladies had had the courage to join in such a robust sport. The game was progressing with a deal of merriment and nobody seemed to be taking it very seriously.
At first he couldn't see his cousin – his side must be batting as he certainly wasn't in the fielding team. He scanned the group sitting on chairs but couldn't see him – he must be standing to one side. Yes, Hugo was deep in conversation with Miss Hall and they were both ignoring the efforts of their teammates. Presumably both participants were aware of Mr Hall's precarious situation and neither seemed put off by it.
He shrugged and left them to it. Bingley wasn't among those exerting themselves on the field so he would search out his friend and see how things were in the East Wing. He had no intention of going in, not whilst the three redoubtable ladies were holding court there. With luck he might find him at the stables.
These housed both his and Bingley's horses and no doubt would now have many more filling out the barns. The weather was more clement and the spring grass growing which meant that half the mounts could be turned out during the day.
He'd not reached the yard when he was hailed by the very person he was looking for. 'Darcy, shall we go and visit Jonathan or Adam? If we remain on the premises we will be inveigled into some activity or other. Both Jane and Lizzy seemed determined everyone must participate in something today. Mr Bennet has the right idea hiding away in his apartment.'
'I was going to suggest that very thing. The Old Rectory is nearer so Adam and Kitty will have the pleasure of our company for a while.'
They cantered and galloped across country and arrived at the village far quicker than they should have. He reined back to a walk thus allowing his mount to cool down. 'I believe it's a musical evening tonight and we will have to endure an hour or more of caterwauling and indifferent piano playing.'
Bingley laughed. 'As long as I don't have to do either I'm quite content to listen. You seem rather blue-devilled today, my friend. Are you concerned about Lizzy overdoing it?'
'No, I might as well tell you as you are privy to everything else. Hugo's colleagues arrive under the cover of darkness tonight. That's why it's essential to have everyone in the music room and not prowling about outside.'
'Well, the colonel seems remarkably sanguine about the whole business – if he was worried surely he wouldn't be gallivanting about the place playing cricket and flirting with the daughter of one of the traitors?'
'This business seems doomed to failure. I cannot think why these men agreed to travel to Derbyshire.'
Bingley looked puzzled – but he was not famous for his sharp wit.
'They could have met in perfect secrecy a dozen places much closer to Town. It doesn't make sense to have come so far,' Darcy explained.
'These military coves are a strange lot and it's best not to get involved, in my opinion.' Bingley nodded sagely. 'But seeing as you are, I should leave them to it. We can pretend to enjoy the entertainment this evening and the matter will be resolved without your assistance.'
Darcy laughed. His friend never failed to cheer him up. 'I sincerely hope that your summation of the situation is correct. Come, we shall put the matter aside and enjoy our visit. I can see King at the window waving to us.'
Chapter Twenty-One
The twins were content in their new surroundings and Lizzy was confident they would come to no harm living with Jane and Charles for the next few days. Her mother approached as she tried to slide past the drawing room without being seen.
'There you are, Elizabeth. I must tell you that I've discussed the matter you mentioned with her ladyship and am satisfied dear Richard will make Mary an ideal husband despite his father's peccadilloes.'
'Have you discussed the matter with Papa? After all, it's he who must give his permission if they want to become betrothed.'
Her mother's mouth pursed. 'He will be as happy as I am when I explain the situation. Dear Richard cannot be held responsible for his father's actions as I'm sure that you will agree.'
Lizzy didn't wish to continue the conversation in case she revealed the true state of affairs. Whatever her mother's feelings on the subject were, if Sir Robert was arraigned her father would never agree to a union between Mary and Richard.
'They
have only known each other a few days and I'm sure that Mary is far too sensible to commit herself so soon. Please excuse me, I have so much to do and must return home immediately.' She dashed off not allowing her mother to reply.
No sooner had she set foot indoors than she was accosted by Reynolds with a list of queries regarding the arrival of the secret visitors. Obviously it had been necessary to take both the housekeeper and the butler into their confidence, and no doubt half a dozen members of staff would also be aware there were extra guests lurking in a part of the house that was never used.
'I'll leave this in your capable hands, Reynolds. Is there anything else?'
'No, ma'am, I'll not hold you up any more. A cold collation will be laid out in the dining room at one o'clock for those who desire to eat.'
The cricket players would be ravenous after all that exercise so this was a sensible suggestion. 'Make sure that the gong is banged loudly outside so that everyone can hear it.'
The remainder of the day sped past and allowed her no time to dwell on what might, or might not, happen. Fitzwilliam had returned in high spirits and refused to discuss the matter. They strolled through the house to join their guests in the drawing room where they were all gathered before going in to dine. To her surprise the colonel was there and engaging in an animated discussion about the price of corn with Miss Hall.
'Look at that, Fitzwilliam. If your cousin isn't worried then neither should we be. I'm determined to enjoy myself tonight.'
He grinned and lowered his head to speak quietly into her ear. 'I think it might only be possible to enjoy oneself, sweetheart, if one was stone deaf.'
'Do you really think it will be as bad as that? I've no idea of the musical talents of the other guests but Mary, Kitty, Georgiana and I are all competent pianists. Both you and Charles can hold a tune as can Jane. After we have performed there will scarcely be time for anyone else, so don't look so perturbed.'
'I've absolutely no intention of participating as well you know. It would be unpardonable if only the family got the opportunity to shine; you must allow anyone who wishes to take centre stage to do so before you or your sisters.'
A Spy at Pemberley Page 18
