Her brow furrowed dubiously. “I would like that, but I thought you preferred to stay with the family this year.”
He fumbled with the brim of his hat. “I think we ought to get on with the business of living. I shall ask Anne if she would like to accompany us—the earl himself has said he has matters to attend in London, so we will see him there as well.”
“But everyone else will remain?”
He fidgeted more with his hat. “Yes. We have spent enough time with the family. I think it fitting for now that we should go.”
She looked out the other window. “Whatever you think, William.”
Chapter 29
Brooks’, London
Two weeks later
“Darcy!Iheardyouwere not coming to Town for Christmas this year. How are you keeping, old chap?”
Darcy had scarcely stepped from the cloakroom and glanced up when he heard his name. “Bellamy. Good to see you, my friend.”
“Likewise, likewise. By-the-by, damn shame about Fitzwilliam. I am sorry, Darcy. How is the family?”
“Holding up, thank you.”
“I am certain the earl is quite broken up about it all. First losing his father, then his brother. The Fitzwilliams were always a close bunch.”
“Yes, but he is managing. He is Matlock now, and he does as he must.”
“Indeed, indeed. Do you know, I finally heard back from my cousin about two months ago. Never expected it to take that long, but he is well. Sends his condolences about Richard.”
“Was he among the men who were captured, then?”
“Yes. Did a nasty turn with malaria, but thank goodness he did not come down with sleeping sickness.”
Darcy clenched his jaw. “A good thing, that is a sure death sentence.”
“Oh, do you know, he said there was a fellow in the prison camps who survived it.”
“No.” Darcy squinted. “I thought none survived sleeping sickness.”
“Even so, one did. They said he was an idiot afterward, never recovered his senses.”
“And what became of him?”
Bellamy shook his head and made a dismissive gesture. “He did not say. More than likely starved to death or something of that nature. His brain was gone, my cousin says. Completely unaware, could not look after himself even to drink a sip of water.”
“Did he say who it was?”
“No, he said it was in another part of the camp, and they were not told the name. No one ever saw him after they were liberated.” Bellamy curled his lip. “Bloody Dutch.”
“Afrikaners, you mean. They do not think of themselves as Dutch anymore.”
“Whoever they are, they do not fight by the rules of war.”
Darcy snorted. “There are rules? I thought the only rule was you have to kill more people than your enemy.”
“But ambush! Lying in trenches and attacking men in their beds! There, that is not a fair fight. But do you know, I heard Kitchener turned the tables on them rascals.”
“How so?”
