Netherfield Park Quarantined

by Schertz, Melanie

  “She was injured when she was escorted from London, as there were some tools on the wagon which conveyed her and she received a cut. We cleaned it and bandaged it, but it has taken an infection and she developed a fever just after we arrived here. She was weak, and could not eat much, which led to her deterioration. As it is imperative we keep her presence here private, I thought it wise to await your arrival to determine whether or not to send for an apothecary.”

  Mr Collins walked close to the bed, disgusted by the sight of the sickly young lady lying there. He had never been able to be comfortable in the presence of anyone sick or injured, the very sight of Elizabeth in such a manner repulsed him.

  “Has her condition improved any since your arrival?” He asked Wickham. Wickham shook his head. “Not at all. Mrs Younge has been tending to her needs, but it will need to be turned over to one of the maids soon. Mrs Younge has also had to take care of our companion, who is not ill, but has been kept from all others in the house.”

  Knowing Wickham had abducted Georgiana Darcy, on the orders of Lady Catherine, and would ransom the girl to her brother once they returned to England, Mr Collins smiled. Lady Catherine had proposed the plan to use Wickham to kidnap Georgiana as a way to bring Darcy back to London and have the great man off balance in his thinking. Little did he know his sister’s abduction was a diversion, so Wickham could capture the true prize from under Darcy’s nose.

  “Well, we will keep a close watch over my betrothed for the next day or two, and if there is no progress, we will send for an apothecary. I do not wish to pay for care if it is unnecessary.”

  Wickham nodded his head. “Very good, Mr Collins. If you would excuse me now, I need to make arrangements for our departure. Dinner will be served in two hours.” He explained as he showed Mr Collins to his new suite of rooms.

  “Thank you, Wickham. That will be all for now.”

  ~~ ** ~~

  When Darcy and Richard arrived in Ireland, they began to inquire about the location of their late uncle’s estate. On the ship from England, Richard remembered the name of the estate, Rosemoore, and that it was not far from Dublin. There was no time to send to Lord Matlock to learn of the location, the cousins were sure that time was of the essence. Something in Darcy’s heart told him that it was vital they reach Georgiana and Elizabeth as soon as possible.

  At night, during their journey, Darcy felt as if he could hear Elizabeth’s thoughts. She was frightened, caged and bound. And he could feel her pain. Something had happened, she had been injured. Darcy was not sure how he knew this, he just did.

  Years ago, when Darcy and Richard were at school, Darcy had had a similar feeling with regards to his father. He felt as if there had been an accident, with a horse involved, and his father was critical. Later that day, an express arrived telling of a riding accident, and that Gerald Darcy’s horse had stumbled, and as they fell, the horse landed on top of the Master of Pemberley. With broken bones, internal injuries, and severe blood loss, Gerald was not long for the world.

  Darcy arrived mere moments before his father died. After this event, Darcy and Richard, both, learned to pay heed to any of Darcy’s “feelings”. When the feelings of Elizabeth’s pain began, fear gripped Darcy’s heart. Fear of not being able to save her, of losing the greatest love he had ever known. It was only because of Richard’s reassurance that all would be well, that Darcy was able to keep sane.

  As the men neared the estate, plans were being put into place. Richard had been to the estate in Ireland once, when he was near twelve. Lord Matlock had taken his two sons there while on a trip to purchase new horses. Searching his memory, he described the house and the surrounding areas. “There are four floors, and an attic above that. I remember sneaking up into the attic with my brother, as we heard there were ghosts up there. There was a unique platform outside the attic, stretching out over the roof of the rest of the house. I thought it was a proper location from which to stage battle, as the house could be defended from that location. And you could see for miles. As long as there is no one standing as look out from up there, we should be able to approach the house with no problem. If I remember correctly, there is a ridge over there, to the east of the house, and we will be able to see the platform on top of the house.”

  “If there is someone up there, what do we do?” Darcy asked, desperately trying to keep his mind looking forward. “We can cause a distraction. Set a fire in one area and sneak around to storm the house from another direction. I doubt there are many working with Wickham, as he will not wish to part with any of his ill-gotten gains.”

  “There are few who would trust Wickham, as he has lied and cheated everyone with whom he has ever tried to work. I would not be surprised to see him cheat Mrs Younge, leave her and run away without her.” Darcy stated.

  “Do you think Lady Catherine would have travelled there?” Richard asked. “No, though I am concerned that her lackey, Collins, is involved as well. He might be there. I do not fear him, as he is not smart enough to know how to defend himself. He thinks that he can talk his way out of any problems.”

  “That would fit the man who hired the carriage to take him to Rosemoore. From the description you gave me of the fool, I believe he has arrived. Fortunately for us, he hired the carriage two days ago, and would only have arrived this afternoon. With us coming on horseback, we traveled more quickly.”

  The men had hired four other men in Dublin, and they knew the area well. One of the men stepped closer to Darcy. “Sir, perhaps I can suggest something.”

  Darcy and Richard nodded towards him. “What do you have in mind?” “I know the housekeeper’s son. His name is Jerry O’Rourke. I could ride to the house, ask to speak to Mrs O’Rourke, tell her I wished to be in contact with Jerry. I know where he is, he went south, to Waterford, where he is working. When I ask Mrs O’Rourke for her son’s address, hopefully I can get her to the side and ask her questions.” The young man, named Tommy, looked confident.

  “Very well.” Darcy agreed. “And we will meet back here, at the shack.” ~~~~~~~ ** ~~~~~~~

  Chapter 13 Pacing about her study, Lady Catherine was furious with the lack of progress by Laub and his man. She thought he would return from Hertfordshire with the documents Darcy had signed for his wedding. The country solicitor could not be intelligent enough to hide the papers from her hired men. She was certain there would be no problems with obtaining the papers. Then she could precede in having Darcy’s marriage annulled.

  But Laub had returned empty handed. Without those documents, of assurance they had been destroyed, she would not be able to move forward. “Where could the papers be?” She demanded of Laub.

  “We searched the office, and were even able to break into his safe. There was nothing there with your nephew’s name on it. There was also nothing there with the Bennet family name on it, though I am sure Phillips was the family solicitor. He was married to Mrs Bennet’s sister and had apprenticed under her father.”

  “What about his house? Does he have a study or a safe at his house?” Laub shook his head. “We were unable to gain access to the house. There were too many people inside before his death, and now, the house is being guarded by men hired by Mr Bennet. We thought of questioning Mr Bingley, your nephew's friend who’s house in which Mr Darcy was staying at when the wedding occurred. When we arrived at Netherfield, the man was not home and his staff refused to speak with us. We kept a watch over Netherfield, waiting for him to return, but he never did. It is our belief he is staying at Longbourn with the Bennet family.”

  “Then force your way into the Bennet household and retrieve the papers. I am certain Mr Bennet has a copy of the papers, we need to find them quickly.” Lady Catherine demanded.

  “We went towards Longbourn, but were stopped. No one is able to access the Bennets or their house. Mrs Phillips is staying at Longbourn as well. Mr Bennet is not a fool, he has hired guards from Town to protect their home and all inside. There are even armed men moving about the estate,
keeping watch over the tenants, as well.”

  “There has to be a weak link in their armor. Find it, and get those papers.” Lady Catherine seethed as she spoke. “I will not allow a family of country nobodies to outwit me.”

  ~~ ** ~~ Mrs O’Rourke answered the door, as her husband was carrying Mr Collins’ bags upstairs. Recognizing the young man, she smiled. “Tommy Shannon, how have you been? We have not seen you in an age.”

  “It is good to see you, Mrs O’Rourke. How are you and the mister?” “We are fine. How can we be of service?”

  Tommy looked around. “Mrs O’Rourke, could we speak in private? I wish to speak with you concerning your son, Robby.”

  “Has something happened to Robby?” Mrs O’Rourke asked, concern was obvious.

  “No, nothing has happened to Robby, but it is extremely important I speak with you.” The housekeeper nodded her head. She led him to the back of the main level of the house, to a room which appeared to be her private study. Once the door was closed, Mrs O’Rourke asked him to explain what was happening.

  “Forgive me for frightening you, Ma’am, but it is important I find out information. Are you aware of two young ladies being here in the house, young ladies who are here against their will?”

  “I know there are two rooms being used, though I am not sure who is in them. Mr Wickham and Mrs Younge take meals to the rooms and never allow us near them. There are two young ladies? Lord, help us.”

  “I am here with the family of the two ladies. One of the men is the husband to one lady, and the other is his sister. Can you tell me where in the house they are located? Can we access them by windows?”

  Mrs O’Rourke knew something was going on in the house, but she was not at liberty to ask questions or demand information. “The one room is on the second floor, near the north corner. The only window is small, too small for anyone to fit through. I believe they wished that room for that very reason. The other room being used is in the attic. There was a maid’s room up there, and there is no window in that room.”

  “How many people do they have here? Are they armed?” Tommy asked. “Another man arrived today. He is the new master of the estate. Mr Collins. I do not know much of him, only what was sent to me by the solicitor for Lady Catherine. The first man and the lady, they are armed at all times. I know the man carries a pistol and at least one knife always, and the lady has a knife strapped to her leg and a small, ladies pistol in her pocket. They are planning to leave with the person in the second floor room, two days from now. I overheard Mr Wickham telling Mr Collins that this morning.”

  “Good, now, there are no others helping them?” Seeing Mrs O’Rourke shake her head, Tommy continued. “Is there anyone here who would be willing to aid us in bringing the two ladies back to their families? They will be handsomely paid, as the husband is Mr Darcy.”

  “Mr Darcy, of Pemberley? I know his family.”

  Tommy nodded. “The other man is Colonel Fitzwilliam. He remembers coming with his father, Lord Matlock, when he was a boy.”

  “I remember Lord Matlock and his sons. The younger son was a kind and good natured boy.”

  “That is the Colonel. Mr Darcy is the brother of the younger of the two ladies.” Tommy reassured her. “I will need to speak to my husband and the footmen. I am sure they will be able to aid Mr Darcy and the Colonel. There is one thing I should tell you. The person up in the maid’s room in the attic, must be ill. There was talk of sending for an apothecary if there was no improvement soon.”

  This was not good news to Tommy. This would mean the plan needed to come together quickly. “We will be at the shack, a mile north east of here. Will you send someone with a message to us, later tonight, after you have spoken to the men?”

  “I will. Tommy, your mother, God rest her, would be so proud of what you are doing.” Mrs O’Rourke smiled as a tear rolled down her cheek. She quickly embraced the young man before her, and quickly escorted him out of the house before Wickham or Mrs Younge could see him.

  ~~ ** ~~ Lord and Lady Matlock had arrived in Dublin and immediately prepared to continue their journey. They were not surprised to find a message left by their son when they hired a carriage to take them to Rosemoore.

  Mother, I knew you would come. I hope you were able to convince Father of the truth and he is with you. We are heading for Sir Lewis’ estate of Rosemoore. It is our belief that Lady Catherine would have sent her lackeys there with Darcy’s ladies. We are not sure how many men Wickham has with him. We have hired some to take with us, local men who know the area. Please use caution when you approach Rosemoore, I do not wish you to be harmed.

  I pray we will see you soon, and we will have Georgiana and Elizabeth safely recovered. Darcy has been having one of his feelings, this one is that Elizabeth is injured and taken ill. Keep a prayer for all of our safety.

  Your loving son,

  Richard Knowing there was a small inn two miles from Rosemoore, Lord Matlock decided to travel there and hire someone to check on the estate before the Matlocks went to the house. They hired a dozen men from Dublin to journey with them, in case Richard and Darcy needed assistance.

  ~~ ** ~~ Darcy was pacing the floor of the shack when Tommy returned. When the young man entered the shack, Darcy rushed towards him. “What did you learn? Are they there?”

  “They are there, though Mrs O’Rourke has not seen them. Wickham and Mrs Younge handle their care, not allowing anyone else in the rooms. And a Collins arrived today. He is the new master of the estate.”

  “I knew he was involved with Lady Catherine in this plot.” Richard spat his words.

  “How many others do they have and what sort of weapons are they carrying?” Darcy asked. “Only Wickham and Younge, as well as Collins. Wickham and Younge have knives and pistols with them at all times, from what the housekeeper said. Mr Collins does not appear to be armed, only demanding. Mrs O’Rourke said Wickham and Mrs Younge are taking one of the ladies with them and leaving the area in two days. And, Mr Darcy, the other lady is ill. They are trying to decide whether to send for the apothecary.”

  Darcy’s heart nearly stopped. His beloved was truly reaching out to him, sending him messages, telling him she was in poor condition. She was dying, and if no one helped her soon, she would perish. He could feel it in his heart, the pain she felt and her body slowly giving up.

  “We must go tonight. Do you know where in the house they are?” Darcy asked. “One is on the second floor, north corner of the house. The other is in a maid’s room in the attic. From what I have been told, the one in the attic is your wife.” Tommy looked cautiously at the man before him. “Mrs O’Rourke is going to speak with her husband and the staff, and then they will send word here to us as to what would be the best way for us to rescue the ladies.”

  Richard nodded his head. “So we have to wait until there is more information.” He knew his cousin would not want to wait. “William, it is important we have the information. It is the safest way to get both of them out of the house.”

  “Is there a physician or apothecary near here? We need to have them ready for when we rescue them. Elizabeth needs help soon.”

  “There is a physician, just the other side of the inn we passed.” One of the other men stated. Richard looked at his cousin for a moment. “William, you should take the rest of the men back to the inn, have the physician prepared for when we get inside the house secured. Have a good meal, refresh yourselves. Then bring some food back for Tommy and me. We will wait here for the message. If you have not returned, Tommy will come to the inn.”

  Darcy looked at the other men, all of whom had ridden hard and followed orders without complaint. They had not eaten in hours, and they had to be hungry. “Very well. We will return with a filling meal for you.”

  Nodding, Richard was relieved he would not have an argument with his cousin over leaving. As Darcy walked passed him, a smile graced the Master of Pemberley’s lips. “I am only going, due to the fact I need food and know the m
en do too. If we do not see to our needs now, what good will we be to Lizzy in a few hours? I am attempting to be rational, even though my heart demands I race ahead and storm the house to find her.”

  “It pleases me to see you are listening to your head, not your heart. Keep thinking this way, William. It is the only way we will be able to rescue Elizabeth and Georgiana.”

  ~~ ** ~~ One of the guards approached Mr Bennet’s study. Upon being directed to enter, the man walked to the edge of the desk. “Sir, there has been a sighting of two men, on horseback, watching the estate carefully. They are the same men who have been seen in Meryton watching the Phillips residence and also near Netherfield’s main house.”

  “Is it the same men who were seen in Meryton just before Mr Phillips was murdered?” Mr Bennet asked the man. “It is believed so. Lawson saw them in Meryton, and when he returns from checking with the men there, I will take him to the area where the men were seen earlier. They are intent on watching the comings and goings here at the house.”

  “Fortunately we have no set routine which they think they can exploit. I wonder if they are the same men who attempted to come here, claiming to express their condolences to Mrs Phillips.”

  “Most likely is, from the description of the men. We will keep a close watch over the estate, including the tenants. Mr Gardiner sent word that there would be more men coming. Colonel Fitzwilliam, cousin of your son in law, contacted a Colonel Forster of the militia. He asked that the militia be brought here to protect the area. The letter stated Colonel Forster is aware of the situation, and is more than willing to assist the family of Colonel Fitzwilliam. Evidently, Mr Darcy’s cousin saved Colonel Forster’s life.”

  “He must have made the arrangements when Elizabeth was kidnapped, as I am not certain if William and his cousin know of Mr Phillips’ murder.” Mr Bennet turned towards the window. “I pray they are successful in finding my daughter and Miss Darcy, and bring them home safely.”