The man who entered was short, with a thinning pate of hair, a wiry, athletic frame, and quick movements. He glanced once to Lady Catherine, whose eyes flared in rage, and then paused more lingeringly on Anne. Before either lady could speak to discredit their visitor, the earl himself had gestured, unequivocally, for silence. This appeared to set the man at some ease. He quickly identified Darcy as the master of the house and presented himself in due course.
“Sir, my name is George Barrett. You may well be familiar with my name, as I am one of the principal owners of Vauxhall Gardens.”
Darcy looked quizzically to Richard, then back again to Mr Barrett. “That is a singular coincidence.”
“Indeed, sir. I understand you have just come from there. I do hope the venue pleased.”
“I think it the most enjoyable day there… or anywhere… in my memory,” he answered quietly. “But what brings you here, sir?”
“Mr Darcy, you will think me decidedly forward, but I had rather suspected that you would be reluctant to provide the means which were sought by Lady Catherine and Miss de Bourgh. I am well acquainted with the ladies, and last summer I enjoyed the company of Miss de Bourgh, particularly, when we were both taking the waters at Bath for our health.
“Before you rush to any conclusions,” Barrett held up a hand, “I have no improper relationship with Miss de Bourgh. Through a series of rather unfortunate encounters with the landlord—I was a guest in the same hotel and more than once found myself in the midst of the affair—I learned something of the ladies’ circumstances.”
At this juncture, Lady Catherine emitted a loud cry of outrage. “Lies! You would slander and impugn a daughterof nobility—”
“Catherine! I will hear the man,” the earl warned.
Barrett smiled tightly and turned back to Darcy. “I presume you are aware that the de Bourgh coffers are all but bankrupt?”
“I… was not, in fact.” Darcy watched his uncle for his response, but only discerned a faint tightening to his cheek. “I advise on many matters at Rosings, but I am not privy to my aunt’s personal financial affairs.” He paused, allowing his aunt the dignity of making some response, but her only answer was to cross her arms and look pointedly at her daughter.
Anne sighed and shrugged. “I follow the horse racing. I have for years, as there is little given to me for amusement. I have never seen a race, for Mama says my health would not withstand the exposure to the weather, but I did buy some rather fine horses.”
Darcy shook his head in confusion. “How is this pertinent to the matter at hand? We all own fine horses. How many did you purchase?”
Anne puckered her lips and rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. Lady Catherine merely continued to glower at her, but Barrett gently cleared his throat.
“I understand there were at least seventy horses, all totalled, from the beginning,” he answered quietly. “One less conservative estimate is more than double that figure, but the numbers are not reliable. Miss de Bourgh broke down one evening at the pump rooms and shared the entire tale. It seems she had brought on a dishonest racing steward.”
“Anne?” the earl asked. “Does he speak the truth?”
She huffed and sniffled, her hands gesticulating helplessly. “He said he loved me! He was always saying nice things to me. He said the horses I bought were not selling for fair prices or winning good purses because they were no good or needed better feed. Fool, I! I bought him everything he asked for, and he sold it all and pocketed the money. And then when I discovered it and confronted him, his solution was to offer marriage, for he claimed that an invalid and a lady such as I could never expose him without publicly ruiningmyself. What was I to do? I had reached the bottom of Rosings’ reserves!”
Darcy could not have been more astounded if Anne had casually announced that she was, in fact, with child as he had originally feared. He cocked an eyebrow toward Richard, who merely shrugged back in open-mouthed astonishment.
If this came to light!Not only Anne would be humiliated, but with her all her male relations who had the place of advising her and preserving her from ruin—most particularly himself, the presumed betrothed who did nothing in the eyes of the world to stop the charlatan from taking her for all she had. Little wonder his aunt had claimed some further leverage upon his pride!
“Sir,” Barrett interjected, “I have offered a sensible solution, one which would see the ladies safely into financial security and would answer for my own wish to seek an establishment. I fancy the weather and the setting in Kent and have offered to lease Rosings for a rather handsome sum. The ladies might preserve their annuities and retrench, and I would assume the responsibility of the estate.
“I am not a married man, sir, but I hope one day to alter that circumstance, and I have resources enough to take my leisure at present. A sensible man would have given in at the first refusal, but one who is perfectly aware of the advantages on all sides and determined to prevail, may, I confess, seem rather foolish in his quest. I presume, sir, that it is not your pleasure to marry Miss de Bourgh? If I trespass, then I shall beg your forgiveness and withdraw at once, but as I believed I might yet be the best means of recovery for the ladies….”
“You are correct.” Darcy glared across the room at his aunt, then his cousin, and received back a look which could have scalded water. “Barrett, if you will be so good as to call tomorrow, we can discuss terms. Lady Catherine and Miss de Bourghwillbe receptive of your offer,” he informed them all.
“Thank you, Mr Darcy,” Barrett bowed. He paused just before Anne, offered a half smile which was not returned with quite so much grace, and then took his leave.
Darcy merely stared at his cousin. For her part, she bore it without flinching, and in fact gazed serenely back as if waiting for some sort of apology. There were all manner of questions he must now ask, but the why, the when, and the how of the de Bourgh ladies’ reversal of fortune was not entirely a matter for his interference. Nor, thought he bitterly, was he in any humour at present to perform the service. Let the constable hear the rest of that tale! There was one thing, however, that he would make clear.
“Aunt Catherine, Anne,” he glared between them, “I will not be so discourteous as to turn you out without friend or help. Take care—my patience has already been tried, so what I offer is not to be negotiated. I shall provide a modest allowance for you to live on. Five hundred per year should be more than sufficient for two ladies even with your accustomed manner of living, particularly if you should remove to Bath. I will actively promote marriage prospects for my cousin, but you are both to understand that the groom shall never be myself. My help is not unconditional, for if so much as a whisper of suspicion against my characterorMiss Bennet’s honour ever reaches other ears, my support shall undergo an immediate and very embarrassing seizure. Am I quite understood?”
Cowed at last, both Lady Catherine and Anne now stared at one another. “Your terms,” Lady Catherine’s voice wavered, “are… generous… nephew.” She looked as if she wished to cleanse herself of his acquaintance, but it was enough, and he drew back, satisfied.
“Catherine, Anne,” the earl intoned gravely, “my carriage is waiting outside. I would advise you both to take advantage of the countess’ hospitality this evening. Darcy and I have some matters to discuss regarding your circumstances and the disposition of Rosings, and I fancy it will require you to remain as our guests at least a few days.”
Darcy nodded his thanks to his uncle, but the sight of Wilson, standing patiently behind Richard, recalled him to one more detail he must attend in his aunt’s presence before any of his house could begin to function again. “Wilson,” he gestured to the man, “recount, if you please, your discovery of last evening.”
Darcy had the dubious pleasure of again watching the colour rise in his aunt’s face as Wilson, with humble simplicity, laid before them his discovery of the drug in his master’s drink and the subsequent plans for his ruination.
“Lies!” the lady spat, “Outright slander! And you would believe the word of this intoxicated servant, one who is not fit to clean the fire grate, over that of your own aunt? He has taken advantage of my fall from grace for his own aggrandisement!”
