“Sgt. Winters, did the other man leave the cottage after speaking with Collins? Do you recognize the man?”
“I have seen him in Brighton, and if I am not mistaken, he was with Colonel Forster’s unit. A gambler, if I remember correctly.”
Darcy, Bingley and Colonel Fitzwilliam all looked at each other. Wickham. George Wickham had been in Meryton until the militia removed to Brighton in July. The man had terrorized Darcy’s life since they were young boys and now this man was involved with the fire that killed Elizabeth’s family, nearly killing her. And his goal was to kill her. He had been hired by some lady to kill Elizabeth. They believed that Elizabeth was near death and would die soon. Would he try again to kill Elizabeth? Would he set fire to Pemberley?
Then reality finally struck. “What did Wickham use to burn Longbourn?” He asked.
“We never knew what had caused the fire.” Mr Phillips said.
“Until now, I had not even thought about this until now. Why did the house explode? There would not have been much inside the house to cause an explosion, especially one that was as severe as the one that ripped through the house and threw Elizabeth the way that it did.”
“We should go to Longbourn and investigate. Mr Bingley, most of the tenants have moved to Netherfield, have they not?”
“Yes, they have. I believe there is only one tenant left at Longbourn, and that is Mr Jolly.”
A strange look came over Mr Phillips face. Mr Gardiner noticed something was troubling his brother in law. “Phillips, what is it? What are you thinking of?”
“Mr Jolly had raised a complaint that he felt Thomas had favored some of the other tenants over him. He had only been at Longbourn for perhaps two months when the fire struck. I believe he had only moved to the area when he came to Longbourn. The man is single; I have never heard tell of a wife or children.”
“Could he have been hired, as well, to assist Wickham?” Lord Matlock asked. “But who would have wished Elizabeth dead? I do not understand it, unless; William, could you have been seen at Hunsford speaking with Elizabeth? I do not wish to think of my sister capable, but could she have learned of your attachment to Elizabeth? You know how she has the desire to have you and Anne wed.”
“Elizabeth and I went for walks several times, and I do not recall seeing anyone. It is not to say that someone did not see us, but I cannot imagine Aunt Catherine being the woman behind this affair. She may be vindictive, but conspiring to commit murder?”
“I do not wish to think of my sister so poorly, but who else would have the sort of money to pay for this, as well as connections to not only Mr Collins, but Wickham as well. No, I believe we must consider this a possibility.”
Mr Gardiner shook his head. The thought of anyone planning to have his niece murdered was something he could not fathom. “What should we do?”
“First thing, I wish to publish the announcement that Elizabeth and I have wed.” Darcy said. “I want the world to know that she is my wife and that I will not tolerate any harm to come to her. She has my protection. I will also write to Lady Catherine personally to inform her of my marriage. We will remain here at Netherfield, only if you feel safe with us being here, Charles.”
“I have no problem with your being here. It would be ridiculous for them to start another fire, especially here. I will send to London to hire men to guard the estate and the house.” Bingley stated. “Once I am married to Jane, we will finally be family, William. I stand beside you, through thick and thin, and will defend Elizabeth to the best of my ability.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam walked to the window, looking out at the sunny day. “I will send to Brighton to ask the General if he will allow me a detail of men to stand guard. I especially wish to have some of the men familiar with Wickham, as it will benefit us encase the man comes here. When Wickham learns of the wedding, his desire to cause more harm will grow. He will wish Elizabeth more harm simply due to William loving her.”
Mr Gardiner looked at his brother in law. “I will remain here at Netherfield, as will my family. We will do what we can to protect our dear girls and all of their family and friends.”
Mr Phillips nodded his head. “I will do whatever is needed of me, and I pledge to do whatever I can to protect Elizabeth and Jane, as well as our new family members and soon to be family members. Sir William, I will also do what I can to protect you and your family, with the exception of your son in law.”
“Have no fear when it comes to that good for nothing.” Sir William spat out his disgust. “I will speak with Charlotte in private, for I do not wish for her to be taken by surprise when the truth comes out. I will keep the news from my wife, as she will not be able to keep her silence.”
“Perhaps you should speak with your eldest son, John. He is level headed such as Charlotte, and he could keep an eye open in case Wickham comes to Lucas Lodge to find Collins.” Mr Phillips suggested. “Your family needs to be protected as well.”
Darcy nodded. “I agree with Mr Phillips. Your family is not to blame for Collins’ behavior and they should be protected from Wickham and Collins causing them harm.”
“Gentlemen, I cannot thank you enough for your thinking of my family when you could easily turn against us, and rightfully do so.” Sir William said as his eyes welled with unshed tears.
“Richard, take the seat at the desk so that you may begin the letter to the General.” Bingley stated as he stepped from behind the desk. “Perhaps we should contact Colonel Forster to learn why Wickham is here rather than in Brighton.”
Sgt. Winters assisted Colonel Fitzwilliam in writing his letter. Winters knew of several men at Brighton who would be able to recognize Wickham, as well as several others who would be ideal for their ability to hide in plain sight. A letter was also written to Colonel Forster. This letter could be most important in resolving the issue of what to do with Wickham, for if he was a deserter, he would be hung for that offense alone. There would be no need to expose Elizabeth or any of the rest of the family to the scandal it would raise if the truth were to come out.
Darcy realized the time and stated that he needed to return to Elizabeth. The other men nodded their heads and continued on with their plans to protect their loved ones from further harm as well as capture and punish those responsible.
Lord Matlock prepared a notice to send to London to be posted in the newspaper, announcing his family’s pleasure to welcome Mrs Elizabeth Bennet Darcy to their family. As Darcy had wished to ensure that people knew of his wife and his protection of her, the men of the Fitzwilliam family, as well as Lady Matlock, wished to make it well known that Elizabeth was accepted into their family and thereby was under their protection as well. They knew that by supporting Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s marriage, Lady Catherine could not openly denounce the union and she could not attempt any sort of legal maneuver to dissolve the marriage. Lady Catherine never appreciated that her brother was the head of the family.
Mr Gardiner left the study to speak with his wife. They would have a footman or one of the guards accompany their children and their nanny whenever they went outside to play. Mr Phillips had decided not to inform his wife of all that was happening so that she would not gossip with anyone.
Everyone determined ways to keep all at Netherfield safe. Darcy would have preferred to take his wife and sister home to Pemberley, as he knew his lands and could keep them safe there. But with Elizabeth just beginning to heal, it would be quite some time before she would be able to make a journey of such distance. The possibility of taking her to London also came to mind.
The more Darcy thought of the situation, the more he had to admit that it was better to stay at Netherfield. They needed to keep a watch over Collins, Mr Jolly, and Wickham, and they needed to discover who was behind the conspiracy to murder Elizabeth.
Now, all Darcy needed to do was determine the best way to tell his wife of the conspiracy. He knew that telling her would cause her to find herself to blame for her family’s demise. She was far too
fragile to allow her to return to her melancholy, yet she needed to be told the truth.
Darcy decided that the only thing he could do was to speak with Elizabeth and Georgiana as soon as possible and inform them of all they had learned that morning. He feared for Georgiana’s safety as well. She must have someone guarding her at all times as well, for when Wickham learned that Darcy and Georgiana were at Netherfield, and learned that Darcy had married Elizabeth, the son of Darcy’s father’s steward would become enraged.
Any other man would run when he learned that the cards were against him, that his days of freedom were coming to an end. Not Wickham, no, his jealousy and hatred of Darcy would keep him from thinking rationally.
Knocking on his sister’s bedchamber door, it was quickly opened by Georgiana’s maid and she allowed him in the room. “William. How is my new sister this morning?”
“She was well when I left her in bed, sleeping soundly. I must ask your indulgence. Would you join Elizabeth and me in our bedchamber in a quarter of an hour? I will have food sent up on trays for us to break out fast together.”
“Certainly, Brother, is all well?”
“It will be, my dear girl. I will see you soon.”
Darcy smiled as he tenderly placed a kiss on the top of her blonde curls.
~~~~~~~ ** ~~~~~~~~
Chapter 13
Darcy entered his bedchamber which he now shared with his wife. She was awake, dressed and waiting for his return. “William, I have been worried. You have been gone so long, are you well?”
Taking a seat beside her on the bed, he wrapped her in his embrace and kissed her gently on her lips. “I am well, my dearest love. I was speaking with our uncles, Bingley and Richard. We have learned of some news that I will explain to you and Georgiana. She will be joining us soon. I felt it would be easier to explain it once and see what your opinions are as to how we should precede.”
Elizabeth wore a concerned expression. “I am not going to like this news, am I?”
“No more than any of us does. The news affects us all.” He lifted her hand to his lips. “Now, the important thing is, have you eaten this morning?”
Chuckling lightly, Elizabeth nodded. “Mrs Hill brought a tray of toast and marmalade, as well as some peaches that had been put up from this fall’s harvest.”
“That sounds delicious. I am envious. I have asked Mrs Hill to bring our breakfast on trays so that we may have more time to speak with Georgiana. I believe that Mrs Hill stated that there were to be sausages, potatoes, and eggs this morning.”
“That sounds delightful. I believe that the cook here is attempting to fatten me up after all I have lost after the fire. I am about half the woman I was in size. Aunt Helen teased me when she came to see me this morning that I could wear her daughter, Ruthie’s, clothing if it were just longer. Truth is, I most likely could. I am no larger than a twig.”
“But you are my twig and I find you to be the most beautiful twig I have ever seen in my life. I believe that there are blossoms coming alive in your eyes, as you return to life. Now that you are eating, it will not be long before you are returned to your normal size, I am sure.”
“You, my dear husband, are a charmer.” Elizabeth said as she stroked the side of her face with her finger. “I love you, William. I pray that you never forget that I love you with all of my heart.”
“I will never forget, for it equals my love for you.” A knock came to the door and Betsy made her way to open it. After granting Georgiana entrance, Betsy made her way out of the room.
“Ah, dear sister, come and sit beside us here on the bed. I believe we will all be more comfortable, since there is much for us to discuss.”
Georgiana and Elizabeth looked at each other, neither knowing what Darcy was about to tell them.
“Richard learned last night of Mr Collins’ behavior towards Elizabeth surviving the fire being quite rude and despicable. So after we retired for the evening, our family members spoke of learning more of what Mr Collins was about. Richard sent his Sgt. Winters to follow Mr Collins this morning when the man left Lucas Lodge to make his way to Longbourn. Lizzy, I am not sure if you are aware, but after the fire, and especially after Mr Collins moved to the neighborhood, all but one of the tenants moved from Longbourn to Netherfield. It worked out nicely for Bingley, as Netherfield had no tenants for some time. But this added to Mr Collins’ anger and his desire to get his hands on your inheritance to allow him to build a new house.”
“I remember Charles saying something to Jane when I was napping, but it never really mattered to me. Is he still trying to gain my inheritance? It cannot be much, as I remember Papa telling me years ago how terrible he felt that there was only one thousand pounds each for our dowry.”
“But, with your younger sisters gone, their shares go to be divided between you and Jane.”
“When we married, the dowry goes to you. Mr Collins has no claim on it, it is rightfully yours.” Elizabeth frowned. “He has no claim, does he?”
“If you and Jane were both dead, and had not married nor had children, the funds would go to Collins.”
Georgiana gasped. “Did Mr Collins have something to do with the fire?”
Elizabeth’s eyes were round as saucers. “William, did my cousin kill my family and attempt to kill Jane and I?”
“Dearest, we learned this morning that there was a conspiracy, and, yes, Collins was involved. Do you remember a tenant that moved to Longbourn just months before the fire?”
“Mr Jolly. He had a letter from a friend of his who had been a tenant before and had to move suddenly to be with his widowed mother. Why are you asking about Mr Jolly?”
“He is the only tenant who remains at Longbourn and is reportedly friends with Collins. And there is more. Lizzy, are you well, do you wish me to wait to tell you the rest?”
“No, I wish to hear it all now. I am well, pray, do not worry for me William.”
Darcy nodded his head. He kissed his wife’s forehead before returning to his information. “There is another man who is living in one of the distant tenant houses of Longbourn. He and Collins had a meeting today; a meeting which was overheard by Sgt. Winters. The man is George Wickham.” He paused as he heard gasps from both of his ladies. “We are keeping a close watch over his whereabouts and he will not come anywhere near either of you. You must know that it was he that set the fire at Longbourn, and he was hired by a woman to do so, a woman who has connections with Mr Collins. My love, the worst is that this woman hired Wickham to kill only you. Whoever she is, she wishes you disposed of.”
“And instead, my poor family paid the price with their lives. My parents and my sisters were murdered because of me? How am I to ever live with this information? How I wish it had been me who had died and that they were still living. They did not deserve such a fate.”
“Lizzy, we have no way of deciding what hand we are dealt in life. You lived for a reason. I do not understand it; I do not understand why your parents and sisters died, or why you were so horribly injured. But I will not allow you to take the blame upon yourself and wish that you had died. I will not have it. You were returned to me and I am grateful to God for his granting me a life with you as my wife.”
Georgiana took hold of Elizabeth’s other hand. “Elizabeth, our father used to tell me that everything that happens in life, good or bad, happens for a reason. We do not always learn the reasons, but we cannot second guess God’s wisdom for what happens. We need to learn from what happens, and grow from what we learn. If we grow into good and kind people, caring for others and doing what is best, then we have learned from our lessons.”
“What am I to learn from my family being murdered in my place? I cannot see anything good coming from having my family murdered instead of me.”
Darcy took ahold of her shoulders. “You are alive and need to respect the sacrifice that was made for you. Do not waste the life that you were given, honor their deaths by living your life in their memory. Our future has bee
n given to us, and I refuse to allow anyone to ever take it from me willingly.”
“William, I feel so empty. Why would someone hate me so that they would wish me killed? And not only wish me dead, but hire someone to kill me? What sort of person could do such a thing?” Darcy could see the pain in his wife’s eyes as she spoke.
“We have a thought as to someone, but we are having a difficult time believing even she would be so despicable.”
Georgiana’s eyes grew with realization. “Aunt Catherine? Would she behave so to force you into marrying Anne?”
“Uncle Henry came to that deduction as well.”
Fear took hold of Elizabeth. “What if they try again? All of you are in danger by being with me. I must leave; go far away so that they follow me away from the rest of you. If anything was to happen to any of you, especially to you, William, I would never be able to live with myself.”
“We discussed whether it was best to remain here or leave, and it was decided we would be safer remaining here. Richard has sent an express to Brighton. We will have more soldiers here as soon as possible, as well as guards hired from London. Netherfield will be safer than even the royal residence. Charles insists we remain here, and our uncles have pledged their support through this. We will need to practice caution, making sure that whenever outdoors, you have guards with you. Not just Lizzy. Georgiana, Wickham would have no difficulty striking back at me by hurting either Lizzy or you. So, Lizzy, it is not you who is to blame for all of this. It is someone wishing to deny me of your love who has caused all this harm. Whether it be my aunt or Wickham, they are trying to strike at my very heart by taking the two ladies I love with all my heart from me.”
Tears began to flow down Elizabeth’s cheeks. “William, you have lost so much in your life. I cannot believe that anyone could wish to harm you. Please, my love, forgive me in my selfishness.”
The Ashes of Longbourn Page 12
