“Sir, he has gone directly in search of Miss Bennet.”
“Miss Bennet?” Richard halted on the stair. “Why would he not—oh, never mind that now. Where is she that he has gone after her? I trust no one has yet spoken to Miss Darcy?”
“Miss Darcy’s maid was sent, sir, unfortunately before Mrs Reynolds could speak. I regret, sir, that the matter was handled so.”
“’Unfortunately,’ you say! Why, I should think the dear girl will be rejoicing that her brother has come back!”
“It is only, sir, that he seemed not at all himself. We all tried to stop him from going back out, but he would not hear of anyone restraining or following him. Sir, he looked and sounded like Mr Darcy, but I should not like to trouble the mistress if the man is an impostor. The master was killed, or so we all thought, was he not?”
Richard laughed. “So we did, but it was blessedly untrue, O’Donnell. I learned as much while I was away. We have nothing to fear. The man was, indeed, Darcy, and I am all the more certain of it as you tell me that he has gone in search of Miss Bennet. Now, in which direction was that?”
“The gardens, I believe, sir. Miss Bennet had taken a walk just before dark and had not yet returned.”
Richard’s brows lifted and he emitted a low whistle—a bad habit from his days on the field. “In the rain, even!”
“Shall I send someone out with an umbrella, sir? I think the master must have feared for Miss Bennet’s welfare.”
“Oh, it was not her welfare that sent him out in search of her, and I shall be the last to follow him now. No, obey Darcy’s orders and stand by for his return. Perhaps I will speak with my cousin while we wait.”
He had no need to climb the stair, for at that moment a door slammed above him. Georgiana, white as her bed linens and shadowed by an equally distraught-looking young maid, nearly flew down the stairs. “Richard! Oh, Richard, is it true? Have you brought him? Can it really be true?”
“Yes, dear one, it is!” he grinned. “Darcy is alive, but I cannot take the credit for returning him here myself. It seems rather that we happened to arrive at the same time.”
“Fitzwilliam is alive! But Richard, how can it be true? Oh, please do not tell me that I have dreamt all of it, pray take me to him directly! I cannot bear not seeing him!”
“In good time, dearest, for I have not yet seen him myself. It seems that he went to speak with someone, and I think it must have been urgent to keep him from you.”
She tilted her head. “But what could have been more important? Oh, do not tell me he has locked himself in his study with Mr Jefferson. I could not tolerate it! If he is alive, I must see him! Oh, Richard, why do you keep smiling like that? I shall declare you the worst person in the world if you are teasing me.”
“I am not teasing you, Georgie!” his tone dropped seriously. “You know I would never dream of sporting with your affections. Come, there are some things I must tell you before you see him, and they are not all pleasant.”
Georgiana followed him to her music room, protesting all the while that he was a brute for keeping her from the brother she had thought dead. He held his peace, dismissing the footman and closing the door firmly behind her.
“I do not understand,” she was growing nearly hysterical now. “How can he be alive? Did you not attend his burial yourself? Oh, I want it to be true, but I cannot believe it!”
He turned. “You may rest assured, Georgiana. Itistrue. I had my doubts about the body we buried from the beginning, that was why I left you to search out the truth. Someone wanted your brother dead, and someone else wanted him for leverage. He has spent several months imprisoned, while we were all led to believe him deceased. The veil seemed impenetrable, until some things looked strange to me and I began picking the threads. I followed him to Portugal and back, and it seems mine was the faster route home, for he left some days before I did, and has only just arrived.”
“But who could have done this? Richard, he is safe now, is he not? Oh, yes, everything will be all right now! Why can I not see him?”
“Georgiana,” he held a hand to her shoulder to still her. “He is far from safe, and you may be in danger as well. Tell me, has anything unusual occurred here in my absence?”
She paled. “There… there were two men in the hills. They wanted to kidnap one of us, but Elizabeth struck one with the carriage. The other escaped. Oh, Richard, they cannot be the same who—”
“It is likely,” he interjected. “We will speak of that soon, but there is something I must tell you about your brother before you see him.”
Her brow puckered. “What can you tell me that I do not already know about him? I know him as well as you.”
“You have never seen a man just returned from war and imprisonment. I have, and I expect that Darcy will bear some resemblance. I was told something of his treatment in Portugal, and it would cost you a month of sleep.”
“But he…” Georgiana had somehow grown even more pale, “he is not… disfigured, is he? Or crippled? Oh, Richard, he was not tortured!”
“Torture would be an appropriate description, but from what I understand, his body is sound. I am less certain of his mind. You must prepare yourself, Sweetling, for he may not seem to be the brother you knew. It is likely that he will seem irrational to you at first. He may have odd fears, or his personality may seem altered. We must give him time, do you understand?”
Tears were starting down her face, and she obstinately shook her head. “Not Fitzwilliam, he is too strong to be troubled by such things! If he is well and healthy, that is all that is needed! Oh, please, Richard, let me to him! Where has he gone that is more important than coming to us?”
Richard sighed. “He went to speak with Miss Bennet.”
“But… but… Miss Bennet? Elizabeth? Why would he seek her out before me?”
