“If he does, he shall have a greater force than I to reckon with. I believe his wife may make him suffer far more than I ever could.”
Richard grumbled and rolled his eyes. “That means I must vouch for the filthy blackguard. Perhaps I shall recommend assignment to Spain.”
“And you? Will you be throwing yourself away on the front lines as well?”
Richard turned away, rubbing the back of his neck. “She is still a Catholic, Darcy, and I am still a penniless second son.”
“The Prince Regent is feeling considerable pressure for emancipation. I expect it will become a popular notion.”
“Not for the sons of earls,” Richard retorted. “She would be ridiculed, Darcy. Mocked, belittled, and abused. It is worse even than you marrying a country girl, for my father is a peer and she is a foreigner. I will not subject her to that.”
“She seems the sort of young lady who would care little what anyone said of her.”
“Aye, but matters are about to become rather ticklish. This tale of Reginald’s betrayal will be a fine handle for all those in the House of Lords who would destroy my father. The family can little afford another such scandal.”
“Are you saying,” Darcy interjected testily, “that this woman you have loved in vain for years is finally free, and you will not do something about it? You are a damned fool. If you had seen what I came upon tonight when I first entered the room—“
“I know what you saw!” Richard whirled, his hands raking his hair. “And I have no intention of letting her go.” He dropped his hands and paced before the fire. “She will have to mourn the bastard for a year. That should be more than enough time. Father will not like it, but I trust you might still come to visit me once or twice.”
“Visit you where?”
“Portugal, of course. And I don’t give a damn if her father objects. I’ll ask for permanent assignment to Lisbon. We will marry there, and she can be a little nearer her home.”
Darcy met this declaration with silence. Richard to leave England! He paced to the window and leaned upon it.
“I know what you think, Darcy,” Richard began.
“No, I would imagine that you do not.”
“You think I have lost my head, that I would give up everything on a romantic whim.”
“I was thinking,” Darcy replied quietly, “that I would have done no less. You will never find another of half her worth. I know, for I have spent five years searching, and another coming to understand what it is to love such a woman.”
Richard blinked. “You do not think me mad?”
“No.”
“I have virtually nothing to offer her, save my soldier’s pay, and my father and mother would die before acknowledging her. Still, you do not think me heedless and rash?”
“I daresay the lady will have resources of her own. I had intended to give her this,” he withdrew the deed from his breast pocket, and handed it to Richard. “It is but a small token of my gratitude toward her. It is fitting that you should help to steward it, and I think she would prefer to hear the news from you, rather than from me.”
Richard took it in trembling hands, glancing back to his cousin in wordless shock.
“And,” Darcy continued, “you shall not be utterly abandoned by the family. I think perhaps Elizabeth would like to see Portugal one day.”
Richard’s arms dropped to his sides and a happy smile grew upon his face. “You are the last man I ever expected to advise me so, Darcy. Bingley, now there’s a chap who would have happily gone with the scheme, but you! It means a deal to me, Darcy.”
Darcy smiled and was about to suggest that they retire to dress for their visit with the earl when a knock came at the door.
“Enter,” he summoned.
“Excuse me, sir,” the butler extended a tray with a note. “This has just come from the Earl of Matlock. The messenger said it was urgent, and he awaits a reply.”
They traded apprehensive glances, and Darcy opened the note. He scanned it quickly, then read it again, more carefully. He felt himself beginning to tremble, and made his way to a seat.
“What is it?” Richard demanded. “What has Father done?”
Darcy shook his head vaguely. “You said that the viscount had been missing for a few days?”
