From the shadows, a woman appeared. “Ye always had a hard head.” She reached down her side and pulled a dagger from her boot. “I’m not ready for ye yet,” she sneered, her voice full of venom as she flung the dagger at him.
He tried to move, but she was faster. He heard the crack of the blunt end of the weapon against his skull before he felt it. Once again, Darcy slipped into oblivion.
CHAPTER 2
Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam paced outside St. Clement Church, stopping only to glance at his pocket watch, then up and down the lengths of the street at increasingly frequent intervals. Still no Darcy.
Wickham had been unwilling to begin the ceremony until Darcy’s arrival, and Richard could not remain under the same roof with the man without doing him bodily harm. The scoundrel was more interested in the thousand pounds promised to him than in salvaging the foolish girl’s reputation he had so thoughtlessly ruined. The vicar had allowed an extra quarter of an hour, but more than that he could not spare.
Richard glanced at his pocket watch again. One minute remained.
It was not like Darcy to be late.
Counting the seconds down in his mind, Richard continued watching, peering inside every passing carriage and observing every passerby and rider.Three, two, one.He peeked at his watch to confirm. Time had run out.
Darcy was not here.
There would be no wedding today.
Heaving a sigh, Richard returned inside to see what he could salvage from the wreckage.
Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner stood on either side of their niece. Miss Lydia’s bottom lip pouted and quivered, and she crossed her arms tightly in front of her as if she could not decide whether she would rather burst into tears or throw a spectacular tantrum.
He shook his head at Mr. Gardiner, then at the vicar. But though Darcy had failed to make an appearance, he had charged Richard to be there, and Richard would see his cousin’s plans through in his absence. As insistent as Darcy had been, Richard feared something dreadful had happened. Why had he not called at Darcy House the night before? He should have called. What could have happened to Darcy—and when? Last night? This morning?
Darcy had been out of sorts lately, staying up all hours, sleeping at his club, and riding before daybreak. Richard had never seen him so restless. He had stayed with his agitated cousin as much as he could, but a soldier took advantage of rest when he had the opportunity. Now Richard felt guilty forsleeping soundly when he might have helped his cousin.
Shaking the worry that churned in his mind, Richard marched until he stood toe-to-toe with Wickham. In the same tone he used with the men under his command, Richard said, “I will witness the signature with Mr. Gardiner. We may proceed.”
Wickham held up a hand, taking a step away from Richard. “Darcy was clear. I will not get a penny from him unless he personally witnesses my signature. Therefore, I will not marry if he is not here to witness it.”
Gritting his teeth, Richard reminded himself that he was inside a church. Taking a deep breath, he forced his shoulders down and his fists to relax. When he found himself in a boxer’s stance, he crossed his arms over his chest and, once again, reminded himself where he stood. His father would understand his predicament—he despised Wickham as much as Darcy and Richard—but his mother would not excuse him for a lapse of control. Not even when Wickham was on the receiving end of his knuckles.
Miss Lydia let out a wail that echoed off the walls and pierced his eardrums. Mrs. Gardiner shushed her with the help of the vicar, but Miss Lydia would make her displeasure known (albeit at a more respectable volume). Glaring at her betrothed, she whimpered, “He said he loved me.”
If any good was to come of this situation,Richard needed to act. And fast. He asked the vicar, “May we return on the morrow?”
“I have no additional time to spare until Friday. I am sorry. However, should my obligations allow for an earlier time, I promise to inform you of it.”
Richard groaned. “That is well enough. Thank you for your patience.” That did not suit at all, but it would have to do. Addressing the rest, he said, “I will consult immediately with Hastings to see what arrangement might be made. If the settlement was to be paid in ready money, then there is no reason why I cannot act as a witness in Darcy’s stead.”
Perhaps Hastings would know where Darcy might be. It was unlike Darcy to disappear without a word. Over the past week, he had been like a man possessed, working night and day to arrange this patched-over affair in order to give the Bennets some semblance of respectability after their youngest daughter’s reckless behavior.
Richard knew Darcy would want him to see the wedding through. To help the Bennets. To save Elizabeth. He had been adamant. Richard would not give up.
His own conscience would not be at ease until he had done his part to put things right, especially since he had been the one to drive a wedge between his cousin and the lady he loved. Not that Darcy had not done a sufficiently thorough job of offending the lady on his own, but Richard owned thathecertainly had not helped when he had let it slip that Darcy had “savedMr. Bingley from the inconvenience of a most imprudent marriage.” Merely recalling the words made him wince. How was he to know that the lady about whom Darcy had expressed strong objections—to a man of deep passions like Darcy, nothing would be worse than his lady’s indifference—was none other than Miss Elizabeth’s sister?
Darcy held little hope of a reconciliation, but Richard hoped where his cousin dared not.
Which made Darcy’s disappearance dashed inconvenient … and suspicious.
Richard watched Wickham. Did he benefit more from Darcy’s disappearance than he stood to gain by marrying Miss Lydia? Richard had never known Wickham to be truly evil, merely opportunistic (which was bad enough). Still…
He steeled his voice and dropped his chin to his chest. “Do not leave town. Stay at the inn where I can find you.”
Wickham’s eyes widened.Be afraid, you no-good blackguard. Be very afraid.
Richard continued, his voice low, threatening, “If I find out you had anything to do with Darcy’s delay, I shall not be as lenient as I have been in the past. You shall pay. Dearly. Nobody will hold me back.” Not like last time.
