by Anne Louise
“Sir, I wish to speak with the manager.”
“But I am the manager. My name is Gregory Simmons.”
“Thank you for inviting me inside, as I can see that you are very busy. Mr. Bingley saw his friend take a sip of soup and he immediately spit most of it out for it burnt his tongue, and next he collapsed.”
“He has not died, has he?”
“No, but he is presently in a coma and is at death’s door. Has anyone else been sick?”
“No, in fact, we had just opened when he and Mr. Bingley arrived. They were the first to be served. Both men never took a bite of food.”
“Did the woman who served him stay on after he became sick?”
“She seemed upset and left, but she took some soup with her. She has only been here for a month and works as a server and does not prepare the food.”
“Do you know her well?”
“No, but she came highly recommended and got on well with the others. You do not suspect she poisoned him, do you?”
“Someone did, and if you have confidence that your cooks are not responsible, that leaves the server. What is her name?”
“She is Mrs. Harris.”
“I ask you these questions because a woman went to the holding cell of The Old Bailey this afternoon and visited a man there and left him with some soup. She left right away and the man fell over dead.”
Mr. Jennings asked the man to show him the kitchen and the pantry and the lockers where the servers kept their personal things before dressing in their uniform. There, hidden in a corner of her locker, was a small bottle of what looked to be medicine.
“What is this, Mr. Jennings?”
“It may be poison, but can I take it from here?”
“I have never seen it before, but please take it.”
The manager said he would contact Mr. Jennings if the woman came back and would hold her for the authorities. He described the woman’s physical appearance and gave the man her address. Mr. Jennings next spoke with another server who told him a different address where she knew the woman lived. Mr. Jennings next went there.
She rented a single room in a house a half mile from White's, but her name was Mrs. Younge. No person had seen her since she left for work the previous day. When Mr. Jennings told the owner that she had poisoned two men, the woman promised to tell Mr. Jennings as soon as the woman returned and said she would hang a ribbon on the front door as a signal that the woman had returned.
Following that he spoke with the authorities and returned to Darcy House. Colonel Fitzwilliam and Jane and the ladies maid had left Darcy house minutes earlier to return to the Gardiners as Mr. Jennings came inside.
“Well, sir, what have you discovered? There is nothing new to report on Mr. Darcy.”
“Then I hope he can hear us, for he was poisoned and the manager told me the lady’s name is not Mrs. Harris but her real name is Mrs. Younge. She, or perhaps Mr. Wickham or Mr. Woods, forged her letter of recommendation to get her the job as a server at the club. She had been there for a month. I also found a small bottle which might be the poison, and have given it to the authorities. The manager has directed the staff to inspect all the stores and shelves for anything unknown and to tell the authorities all they know of the woman and her actions over the last few days.”
“Do you know where the woman is now?”
“No, Georgiana, she has likely left town, for if she returns to White's or to the boarding house, she will be reported.”
Mrs. Pierce next said she would alert the staff to not let in any person unless they or she knows them. Next, she described the woman, who went by the name of Mrs. Harris, and said that her real name is Mrs. Younge. Minutes later, after Mrs. Pierce had told the staff about the woman, a young servant came forward.
“Mrs. Pierce, before Christmas, I saw a woman and man speaking out back of the house near the servant entrance. Mr. Woods was talking to them about Mr. Darcy possibly looking for a new companion for Miss Darcy. I did hear the other man introduce her as Mrs. Younge and she seemed to be the woman you described.”
“Did you watch them for very long?”
“Mrs. Pierce, I watched for just for a minute or two, but they did not see me. The other man was very handsome.”
“Yes, perhaps that man was George Wickham?”
“Thank you, for I did hear that name.”
When Mrs. Pierce next spoke with Mr. Jennings, she told these things to him.
“Then we must continue to lock down Darcy House. Mrs. Pierce, I do not believe this woman is finished trying to kill Mr. Darcy and perhaps Miss Darcy or others. I will post guards outside the house to watch for all who approach.”
Mr. Jennings waited until Doctor Williams returned and he said Darcy was poisoned. After speaking with him about these latest developments, Mr. Jennings then left to visit the local magistrate, Mr. Adams. Meanwhile, Doctor Williams pronounced that Darcy was no better and no worse and said he would return in the morning.
Two hours later, Mr. Adams arrived and spoke with Mrs. Pierce and Georgiana and then interviewed the servant who told Mrs. Pierce she had seen a woman who matched that description of the server at White's, and she said that Mr. Woods and Mr. Wickham and the woman were talking, as if they were planning on doing something. The man believed the woman’s story.
“Mr. Jennings, we really have no witnesses to the story, except the men from Dover who witnessed Mr. Wickham’s killing Mr. Stone and then his accident at the stone wall. We do have enough information to arrest the woman but we must find her. It would satisfy me if she took the poison and left us to be mute about this sordid affair. With the exception of Mr. Darcy and Mrs. Younge, all of the principals are dead, but we will find her soon.”
For the next two days the investigators went to the boarding house and returned to the spots that she may have visited. They did find a letter of recommendation that Mrs. Younge might use to become a companion for Miss. Darcy, but with Darcy near death and with Wickham dead, there was little prospect for the woman’s future.
For the next two days and nights Darcy remained as he had been. Mr. Adams confirmed there would not be a trial unless it was for the woman. With all the others dead, those responsible for planning and carrying out the kidnapping had paid the ultimate price.
That night there was a sudden storm that rattled the windows and shook the trees, knocking off the weakest branches. It was dark and foreboding as a stranger entered the house by way of a servants entrance door that had a broken lock. It was past two in the morning when the intruder entered the room and approached Elizabeth. She heard steps and turned around just in time to avoid the woman trying to cut her. Instinctively she lifted her rocking chair and ran with all her strength and used the chair to push the woman out of the room. The woman continued to back up, choosing not to turn to one side or another until, not recognizing the stairs, she fell down and grabbed the knife which by then was imbedded in her stomach and as she rolled the knife twisted and tore a large opening. As blood poured from her mouth and her wound she died with several onlookers watching and wondering how the woman could have entered the house.
Elizabeth had never seen a person die, but many saw Mrs. Younge die that night. Few who witnessed the struggle were able up go back to sleep but Elizabeth again went inside to watch Darcy. Her hands were trembling as she held his hand and sobbed and asked God to forgive her for killing the woman. Her tears were now streaming down her face as she asked God to take her and let Darcy live instead. Her head was lying on his chest as she felt his hand cover the back of her head and felt his hand squeeze her own.
“Mr. Darcy, you have come back to me, tell me I am not dreaming?”
“I love you, Elizabeth, but I am very thirsty and still very weak and I find it hard to breathe.”
“Mr. Darcy, I have come to attend to you. I most assuredly love you. Our nightmares are over.”
Immediately she brought him cold water and watched him drink it slowly. They stayed with each ot
her those early hours and privately celebrated the good news of his recovery.
Mr. Jennings had asked Mrs. Pierce to contact him immediately if there were any new developments regarding Darcy or the woman, so she sent a servant to tell him about the woman. Less than an hour later the coroner and two men arrived with Mr. Jennings, but he immediately went to see Darcy, until Georgiana told him that Darcy was sleeping. Mrs. Pierce and Elizabeth then explained what happened.
The coroner noticed Elizabeth was crying and attempted to console her.
“Miss Bennet, you did not kill the woman. When she fell down the stairs the knife became lodged in her stomach. You did not put the knife there.”
“But she is dead because I reacted forcefully.”
“Miss Bennet, the man is correct. If you had done less, she would have killed you and Mr. Darcy and his sister and perhaps others. Mr. Darcy certainly could not have protected you because he was unconscious, and the woman was obviously out for blood. I believe she would have done her best to kill as many people as she could. You saved your friends and yourself just by shoving her out of harm’s way.”
The magistrate, Mr. Adams next arrived and took statements and authorized the coroner to remove the body. With Darcy now awake, he and Mr. Jennings entered his room as Georgiana spoke. “William, you have two guests who have come to see you.”
“Why are you both here? Have you news to report?”
“Yes,” Mr. Adams replied, “there is much news and the best is that you have come out of your coma. Mr. Jennings and these wonderful women will tell you about these last few days, but before I leave, there will be no trial and the papers will not write of these happenings. All of those connected with the kidnapping are dead”
Mr. Jennings next told him of his last few days and Darcy remembered passing out at White's.
“You mean this friend of Wickham poisoned me?”
“Yes, Darcy, but you also have pneumonia. Doctor Williams has also been treating you and Miss Bennet has come to town.”
“Georgiana, you asked for her to come?”
“No, William, but her sister wrote for her and she came here immediately.”
“Darcy, she saved your life. The very woman who poisoned you came into this room to stab you. Miss Bennet used a chair to fight her off and the woman fell down the stairs onto her knife. Miss Bennet said that she will stay to help you recover.”
It was very early in the morning as Mrs. Pierce went to ask the cook to prepare breakfast for everyone, including much coffee.
“Gentlemen, I expect there is still a lot that you must discuss, and so you will eat breakfast in the family dining room. Mr. Darcy, you must eat. What can I bring you?”
He asked for small portions of scrambled eggs and toast and bacon and coffee, but he likely would eat more.
Doctor Williams arrived after the others had left and congratulated Darcy and Elizabeth. “Darcy, I had worried about the poison, but you must have not sipped much.”
“That is true, but my last memory was burning my tongue and then there was darkness.”
“Well, Miss Bennet, it looks as if you will be needed to insure he does not burn his tongue.”
CHAPTER 8
Mr. Jennings met with his men and Mrs. Pierce to determine how the woman had managed to enter Darcy House. It turned out that she had crossed over from behind two other homes during the worst of the storm and had found that the outside, servant entrance at the back of the house was unlocked. The lock was subsequently found to be defective and it was replaced and all others were inspected. Though it appeared locked from the inside, it could be opened from the outside.
Mr. Adams visited once more and told Darcy that the investigation was complete and that he need not worry of any of the papers writing of the sordid events surrounding the kidnapping. Elizabeth could see the great worry wash off of Darcy’s face at such news. Next she saw him smile back at her and this caused her heart to thump.
She continued to help Darcy, who gradually regained his strength and soon they took smallish walks about the property. Later they and Georgiana accompanied Mrs. Gardiner and the children and joined with Jane and Colonel Fitzwilliam in the park nearest the Gardiners.
Things were on schedule and Darcy planned to accompany the sisters, Georgiana and his cousin to visit Longbourn. Jane’s stay with the Gardiners had been extended so they might return to Longbourn together, but it was likely that the Gardiners would wait at least a month before they invited Mary to come visit.
They arrived mid morning at Longbourn and were greeted as servants brought their things to their rooms. After taking time to refresh, they joined the Bennets for tea, but Georgiana and the younger Bennets were soon on their merry way on some outing.
After tea, Mr. Bennet invited the gentlemen to join him in his library.
“Gentlemen, I am pleased to see that you are both well. Can one of you tell me the specifics of what happened?”
Darcy began to speak and later his cousin covered the time after his cousin slipped into a coma.
“Sir, I would like to give you more details but Miss Elizabeth will have to tell you the rest. Suffice it to say, I cannot remember so many things happening at once to the Darcy family.”
“But Colonel Fitzwilliam, it is your family that I want to discuss, particularly you and my eldest daughter. Jane has written her mother and has said that you proposed marriage to her, did you not?”
“I did, sir, and she accepted. Of course, I should like to have your blessing?”
“And Mr. Darcy, we have spoken of you and Lizzy becoming engaged. Is that still her desire as well?”
“Yes, sir, that is true.”
“Now back to you, Colonel Fitzwilliam, will you remain in the army?”
“No, sir, I will leave the army whilst I am in town and your eldest daughter will not have to see me go off to fight. That is one of the reasons I have not pursued marriage before.”
“Your father is The Earl of Matlock?”
“He is, and he and your brother Gardiner are friends.”
“So you are the second son, are you not?”
“Yes, Mr. Bennet, that is true.”
“Oh! What I would have given to have two sons like you and your cousin, but alas, we have five daughters.”
“And we are pleased that you do,” replied Darcy.
“Mrs. Bennet has already written to Jane and told of my agreement to announce your engagements whilst you are here. Mrs. Phillips, the girls’ aunt, will join us this evening and I shall announce the engagements at that time.”
“Sir, you have not questioned how I will support a wife after I leave the army?”
“No, but I leave that business to you and Jane. You have graduated from Cambridge and you and Jane are in love. I trust you will keep your vows, and the same applies to your cousin. Now please do not speak of my approval and let the announcement be a big surprise?”
The men agreed. Later the friends went into Meryton and visited the little village, but Georgiana stayed at Longbourn where she and Mary played the pianoforte and the others watched as Georgiana showed Mary a few things that immediately improved her playing. After that, Mary found that both Kitty and Lydia were suddenly interested in playing.
The friends made their way back to Longbourn but the men did not talk of their earlier meeting with Mr. Bennet, and neither did the sisters, but many people saw the two couples stroll arm in arm that day.
Though they were already practically engaged, it suddenly hit Darcy that he had not formally proposed. Just before dinner, he suggested that Elizabeth and he might visit the greenhouse. Elizabeth was anticipating a kiss but next saw Darcy get on bended knee as he held her little hand.
“Miss Bennet, I have dreamed of this moment for all my life. I used to pray to God that he would send me a good woman who I could love. He looked out for me! I could never wish to marry any other woman. You have captured my heart and have bewitched me, body and soul. I must ask you to make me the
happiest of all men and agree to be my wife?”
Elizabeth could not take her eyes off of the man and her tears were about to run down her pretty cheeks. “William, I assume the normal reaction would be to accept, but I must not hurry my reply. You have made me the happiest woman in all England. Be assured, I will love and honor you for as long as I live and after that. I accept your offer, my love.”
A kiss followed that had Elizabeth and Darcy in such bliss they had not known before and he had not yet given her the ring.
“I will present the ring after your father announces the engagement, whenever that is?”
Later that evening, during the dinner, Mr. Bennet announced the engagements. None expected he would announce so early and were surprised, but all were happy. Mrs. Bennet kept her countenance and kept her emotion in check, but her sister, Mrs. Phillips was ecstatic. Soon everyone within a five mile radius would learn that the two eldest Bennet daughters were engaged to two men from two of the most prominent families in the country.
The men next presented the rings. First Darcy presented Elizabeth with a beautiful, diamond and emerald ring that had been passed down and had been owned by his mother. His cousin followed him and presented Jane with a beautiful diamond ring adorned with rubies.
Mrs. Bennet and her girls next went to work planning the wedding and the men were asked to look at the details, but it was women’s work and the men had little to say about the planning.
They settled on the second Saturday in April at the local church.
Late that night, the couples were afforded their privacy and Darcy and Elizabeth stepped outside to look at the heavens.
“Elizabeth, can you believe we are weeks away from marrying? I hope you do not feel I have rushed you?”
“I am just happy all this unpleasant business is over and we can share more time together.”
“Then shall I kiss you under Orion the Hunter?”
“Yes, William, but please do it quickly, for I see Lydia looking out her window.”
“Then we will go back inside, and I will tell you all about Pemberley. You will love the place and so will our family.”
