by J Dawn King
“Yes, I suspect this has been her motive.” Moving to the next paper in the stack, the solicitor added, “I also surmise that if Lord Matlock were appointed guardian, her next act would be to gain control of Miss Darcy so she would have a justifiable reason to invade Pemberley and remain there until your sister marries. After that, I could not imagine her plans.”
Darcy growled. “For Georgiana to inherit, I would need to be either sent to the penal colonies or die by hanging.” Bitter bile rose in the back of his throat. “Earlier, my staff delivered my post that has accumulated at Darcy House and been forwarded from Pemberley. In the pile was a letter from my aunt to Georgiana. I opened it to find Aunt Catherine requesting my sister’s opinions of my wife, Mrs. Milford and the baby, in addition to the profligate activities supposedly going on at Pemberley. She ended her letter by demanding Georgiana remove herself immediately to be placed under Aunt Catherine’s care.”
“Then, it is as I suspected, is it not?” Mr. Shaw mused. “Your aunt’s motive is to establish herself well at someone else’s expense. It is a mean art.”
“That it is.” The relief Darcy felt at having one relative’s goals revealed was immense. “With that said, we still do not know why my uncle is pushing hard to permanently remove me from society. He has always been hungry for power. To be the Master of Pemberley would provide riches but no increase in consequence. He is already a wealthy man. Matlock is barely smaller than my estate.”
“Yes, this is true.” Mr. Shaw looked Darcy in the eye. “Should Lord Matlock be successful in gaining guardianship of his grandson, this would give him authority over Rosings and the assets belonging to the barony. This makes the letter from your cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam, to you, critically important. Lord Matlock would have no rights over his grandson if the Lord Chancellor sees the intent of the letter was to appoint you as guardian.” Mr. Shaw paused, before asking, “Have you heard from Mrs. Darcy? Should she not have arrived in London by now?”
Darcy could not keep the blush from his cheeks. The private messages Elizabeth had sent him each day from the Rose and Thorn had filled his senses with love at her tender words. Despite receiving each of the letters already opened by the guards, he savored each private word meant for his eyes alone.
His wife was not a fool. Never would she include information a spy could deliver to Lord Matlock for his benefit. He knew from the note delivered not an hour past that Elizabeth and Georgiana were on their way to London under escort of his uncle’s men. Since she failed to mention Mrs. Milford and the babe, Darcy reasoned they were hidden somewhere out of reach.
“Mrs. Darcy should be arriving today.” Anger at her circumstances caused his voice to sharpen. “Her first destination will be Matlock House for interrogation. Only then will she be able to come to me. Therefore, I will have Richard’s letter for you on the morrow.”
Mr. Shaw nodded. “This is good news.” Then, he sighed. “Now, for the bad news.” Setting the papers aside, he dipped his head as he wiped his palms on his trousers. “Lord Matlock has decided that his son is not the only one to be exiled as punishment for crimes he feels have been committed against him. I believe you told me your uncle said the colonel will remain in France with no attempts to ransom him for a period of a month?”
“Yes, that is what I heard.”
“Lord Matlock has decided the same will be true for you.” Mr. Shaw waited for Darcy to calm before adding, “An aide in the Lord Chancellor’s office informed me the direction was given that you will remain in custody until your trial, which is to be held in three more weeks. As unpalatable as this news is, sir, this will allow Mr. Huggins time to gather as much information about your family as possible.”
“I see,” Darcy settled back on the cot. “Then we can hope that between you, Mr. Huggins and my wife, a case can be built establishing me as guardian and I can be free of this place.”
Once Mr. Shaw left the cell, Darcy pondered all he had learned. The deviousness of his Fitzwilliam family members made him sick to his stomach. It was not until he thought of his wife confronting his aunt and uncle that worry over Elizabeth took over.
How would she fare? Would his wife be intimidated by their positions? Surely not.
Wishing more than anything that he could be on hand to protect her, Darcy sent up a silent prayer for any divine assistance available. Elizabeth would need all of the help she could get.
Chapter 26
“Mrs. Darcy and Miss Darcy,” the Matlock butler announced after opening the door to a drawing room.
Elizabeth pulled Georgiana’s arm through the crook of her elbow, keeping the young girl pressed to her side. Lifting her chin, she stepped forward, pleased to see her sister adopt the exact same posture.
Scanning the room quickly, she found five occupants. One she already knew. The other four were easily identified. Lord Matlock and his son sat next to each other on a sofa. Neither of them stood at their entrance. The insult obvious. Lady Catherine and Lady Olivia sat across from them in wingback chairs. George Wickham stood at the fireplace.
The four hired men had escorted Elizabeth and Georgiana into the room.
“Where is the babe?” Lord Matlock barked to the men.
The tall one who had spoken for the other three at the inn stepped forward.
“We were told the baby was ill. They called an apothecary who visited daily. We had no reason to suspect anything was amiss until this very morning.” The man pointed at Elizabeth. “She won’t tell us where she hid him.”
“I see,” Lord Matlock glared at the man. “You are dismissed.”
The door closed firmly behind the four men, leaving the family and Mr. Wickham alone.
Breaking the dead silence that followed, Lady Olivia snickered. “Why, Georgie, you should guard your association, my dear. A lady cannot be too careful with her reputation.”
When Georgiana began to reply, Elizabeth squeezed her arm, giving a brief shake of her head.
Lady Catherine was the next to speak. “Where is my grandson? What have you done with him? I could have you arrested and thrown in prison with Darcy if you do not tell me where you have hidden him. I demand you tell me now.”
As soon as Lady Catherine finished, Elizabeth moved her eyes to the viscount.
He shrugged, then looked to his father.
Elizabeth’s gaze rested upon Lord Matlock. She did not have long to wait before the explosion.
“How dare you waltz into my home without my grandson. How dare you presume to marry into our exalted family, you, who are a nothing from nowhere important. You are a liar and thief as is your husband. I insist you conjure up that boy in the next few minutes, or I will call the men back to have them escort you to Newgate. What have you to say to this?”
Elizabeth barely dipped her head in acknowledgement. Studying him, the one person in the room holding all of the power, she noticed a slight dampness on his forehead and upper lip. His hands were fisted, his knuckles showing white.
Elizabeth’s voice rang out clearly in the room.
“Before I give you the information you have requested, Lord Matlock, I would appreciate the opportunity to address Mr. Wickham on a matter that I believe will concern you.”
“Me?” the earl scoffed.
“Yes, My Lord, you.” Holding herself still so her nerves would not show, she chose not to await his permission.
Looking directly at Mr. Wickham, she said, “I see you are no longer wearing the uniform of the militia, Lieutenant. In so doing, I am assuming you have been living off the largesse of the Fitzwilliam family. I wonder, do you believe they know your purpose? Have you shared your hope of using my new sister to gain control of Pemberley? For I cannot imagine either Lord Matlock or Lady Catherine would ever desire the steward’s son to be in control of the greatest estate in Derbyshire, can you?”
Focusing on Lady Catherine, she saw the older woman’s horror.
Elizabeth continued, “Lady Catherine, is this why you tolerate a ser
vant’s presence here in your brother’s house? Do you eagerly anticipate Mr. Wickham, who is not a gentleman, becoming husband to Miss Darcy to do with Pemberley and its assets as he will?”
As Lady Catherine sputtered in her ire, George Wickham spoke.
“You are just as bold here in London as you were in Hertfordshire, Miss Elizabeth,” he pretended embarrassment. “Rather, Mrs. Darcy.” He smirked, confident of his standing. “You know not of what you speak.”
“Really? I cannot imagine you think this to be true, Mr. Wickham. You see, before Lord Matlock had you escorted here, my husband’s man of business bought up all of your debts in Meryton and elsewhere. You barely escaped his confronting Colonel Forster with your misdeeds. To what purpose, you might wonder? To see you in Marshalsea.”
“Hah!” he snorted.
“Watch him,” Elizabeth whispered to Georgiana.
Wickham puffed out his chest in his arrogance. “Neither you nor Darcy have any control over me. In fact, I have in my possession evidence that will see to my freedom, my wealth, and my happiness, is that not correct, Georgiana?”
Elizabeth laughed to his face. “Are you speaking of the letters you will claim that she wrote to you? If so, you are a fool to believe you could use them to extort anything from the Darcy family.” Elizabeth stepped closer, pulling Georgiana along with her. “What is the worst that could happen? The Darcy name would be smeared in the public’s opinion? Well, allow me to inform you, Mr. Wickham, that with my husband’s incarceration at Newgate, the newspapers are filled with every sort of rumor about each person in the family, including Miss Darcy. Your having those letters would barely make the news.”
Letting go of Georgiana’s arm, Elizabeth walked right up to him. Pointing her finger directly at his chest, she added, “Tell me something, Mr. Wickham. How does it feel to be hanging over a cliff by a tree limb that is barely attached to the tree? You crossed the line of good behavior when you forged my husband’s name on I.O.U.’s for your gambling debts. Oh, do not look surprised, sir.” Elizabeth smirked as Lady Olivia had done. “Mr. Darcy has those in his possession. It would take little effort to convince a judge that you forged the letters from my sister. Do you know what the penalty would be? Oh, do not guess, for I delight in telling you. The metaphorical tree limb would break, and you would fall to the rocks below, your body bent and broken as you die a slow, miserable death worthy of the rubbish that you are.”
Spinning, she looked at Lord Matlock. “My Lord, how can you justify having this...this man in your home? My husband has shared with me the history of your family visiting Pemberley during the summers. Your sons played with the rake.”
The viscount interrupted. “I refused to play with Wickham.”
“Then you are a smart man,” Elizabeth glanced at Henry Fitzwilliam. Immediately her gaze went back to the earl.
“I do not have to justify myself to you,” Lord Matlock defended himself.
“Tell me, My Lord, has the viscountess been kept safe from harm while the rogue was sleeping in the same house as her? Have you adequately protected those who are your own?”
Before the earl could reply, Lady Olivia said, “No. I have not been safe. That...that...” she pointed to where Wickham stood. “That vile creature attempted to compromise me when I am carrying the heir to the earldom.”
“What?” Everyone in the room yelled except Elizabeth and Georgiana.
“Yes, I have been faithful to Henry since my twenty-fifth birthdate. For the past six months he has been my only companion. I felt the quickening but three days past.” Lady Olivia grinned at her husband. “Henry, I meant to share the news in a private moment. However, under the circumstances, the revealing was necessary.”
Henry’s mouth gaped open. Finally, he said, “I am to be a father?”
At his wife’s nod, the viscount jumped up, assisted Lady Olivia to stand, then moved to escort her from the room. Turning back before they reached the door, he told his father, “Get him out of here or we leave.”
No sooner had the door closed than Lord Matlock bellowed, “You dared to attempt to touch my daughter-in-law under my hospitality? You dared to attempt blackmail using forged documents you say are from my niece? You lied to and cheated my nephew all of these years?” Lord Matlock’s voice shook from intense emotions. “You...you servant’s son...dare to consider yourself qualified to run Pemberley? You would run it right into the ground if you had the opportunity.” The earl rang for a footman.
Wickham looked poised to run. Before he could make a move, several men entered behind the butler.
“Get him out of here.” Lord Matlock commanded. “Take him to Marshalsea. Tell them I shall send the papers later.”
“But...but...” Wickham dug his heels into the carpet as two burly men grabbed his arms.
When he was gone, Elizabeth’s glance went back and forth between the brother and sister.
“Now, let us get down to business, shall we?” she asked, motioning for Georgiana to take the chair the viscountess had vacated. Elizabeth seated herself where Henry Fitzwilliam had been sitting.
Lady Catherine sought to interrupt. Elizabeth held up her hand to stop her.
“Lord Matlock, Lady Catherine, you have something that I want. I have something you want. What is your suggestion on how we should begin negotiations?” Elizabeth boldly asked.
“I believe we have the upper hand, Mrs. Darcy,” the earl replied.
“In that you are incorrect, Lord Matlock.” Elizabeth leaned forward with her hands clasped loosely on her lap. “You forced our presence at Matlock House. Once here, I received no introduction, no seat was offered, and nothing was provided for our comfort. You harbored a known thief, endangering your immediate family and potential heir. You have not greeted your beloved niece with affection, nor have you given me any respect for being the wife of your honorable nephew. No, you do not have the upper hand, sir.” She paused, then added, “I do.”
“Do you know who we are?” Lady Catherine screeched.
“I do,” Elizabeth admitted. “Pray pardon me for saying so, but you have no power here, Lady Catherine. It is your brother who is making the decisions, I believe.”
Lord Matlock nodded as Lady Catherine fumed.
The earl took several deep breaths before speaking. “You mentioned negotiations. I have Darcy, and you have my grandson. Nevertheless, you should know that I will find the boy. Do not doubt it. My nephew erred greatly in keeping him from me. So did my son. Thus, they should pay. No, they will pay for their crimes against me. Your husband and Richard shall spend a month in the hellholes of Newgate and France respectively. They both deserve to feel my ire. I will not bend.”
Elizabeth nodded, then stood. Clasping her sister’s hand as Georgiana rose to her feet, Elizabeth told the earl, “Do feel pleased with your flexed muscles, Lord Matlock. However, know we now have the information needed to free my husband. Darcy is an honest man who has done nothing to deserve this sort of treatment. My husband is forgiving, but know this: I will never forget.”
Turning from the man, she spoke to her sister, “Come, Georgiana. We are at a stalemate. It is time we left for Newgate.”
She was surprised when neither the earl nor his sister did anything to stop her. Before the door opened for her, she looked back at the pair. They were the picture of prideful ruthlessness.
“By the by, Lord Matlock, if you want to ever see your grandson, then you had better move every obstacle between here and France to bring Colonel Fitzwilliam home, because Mrs. Milford crossed the Channel with the baby several days ago. I suspect little James Alexander Fitzwilliam is comfortably ensconced in his father’s arms as we speak.”
The noise from behind them as Elizabeth and Georgiana made their way from Matlock House was deafening.
Deciding to walk rather than call for a carriage, the two ladies crossed the street and casually strolled the short distance it took to reach Darcy House.
Georgiana grabbed Elizabeth’
s elbow and giggled. “Well, I do believe that went rather well.”
Relief that it was indeed over weakened Elizabeth’s knees. She needed peace and quiet. She needed a warm bath. Most of all, she desperately needed to hold her husband so tightly that she would never let him go.
Chapter 27
“How did you know we would be free to leave?” Georgiana asked as the two ladies ascended the steps to Darcy House.
“I simply gave them no opportunity to insist otherwise,” Elizabeth stopped before entering the building. “Boldness has its place, Georgiana. The life of a gentlewoman is typically one of quiet subservience. Your uncle was not expecting my attack. Nor was he able to comprehend my tactics. I suspect that his whole lifetime has been spent with females who barely make themselves known to him.”
“With the exception of Aunt Catherine, I imagine,” Georgiana chuckled.
“Yes, she would be the exception to the rule.” Elizabeth smiled. “Do not think that what I did was anything special. You see, with five girls at home, strife and fierce competition is considered normal at Longbourn. Since Kitty and Lydia reached adolescence, I have had to apply the strategy of Alexander the Great’s father King Philip II, who believed that to divide and conquer was the best method of reducing the enemy to the size that can be easily dealt with. My youngest sisters bicker constantly. The only way to get a hearing ear from either is to separate them, speak over the top of their whines, and forcefully tell them exactly how they should behave. Your uncle and aunt are no different. They are merely older versions of my sisters.”
“I am so pleased that you married William, Elizabeth.” Georgiana pulled her inside Darcy House. “Let us clean off the dust of the journey. In this way, you can visit my brother. I cannot imagine there is anything else either of you would want, am I correct?”
