The man’s silence answered for him.
“Then someone still required your services! Out with it, man. What were you to do at the estate?”
The little man gulped, his eyes wide and blinking until Darcy lifted him by the collar once more and shook him.“Why where you there?”
“The girl, suh! We was to take ‘er to ‘im, and Jakes an’ me was to get th’ others!”
Darcy forced himself to drop the man again, lest he lose his temper and snap him like a twig. From the corner of his eye he could see the stable boy, hesitating in the corner with Darcy’s saddled horse. “You are coming with me,” he informed the little man.
The fellow glanced up to see the boy leading Darcy’s mount from the stable, recognising the same horse he had worn out earlier in the day. “What’ll I ride, suh?”
“Ride?” Darcy laughed bitterly. “You, sir, will walk.”
Chapter thirty-three
Pemberley
“Youaskedtoseeme, Lady Catherine?” Elizabeth paused at the entry to the music room. Even from down the corridor, her ear could discern the minute discord created by the unhappy fingers of a normally skilled player at the instrument. At her appearance, the laboured music culminated in a most unharmonious seizure, then the hands dropped altogether.
Georgiana sat dutifully at the pianoforte, staring straight ahead at her music with clenched jaw, while her aunt stood poised behind her with a pointer stick tapping the air like some musical martinet. Elizabeth spared Georgiana a commiserating glance, then returned her attention to the lady. For her part, Lady Catherine seemed only displeased that Georgiana had taken Elizabeth’s arrival as an excuse to cease her practice. She turned slowly.
“Miss Bennet,” she greeted coolly. “Please be seated.”
Elizabeth felt herself sigh inwardly.Thisboded ill! Lady Catherine would not have asked her to take a seat unless she intended a long, one-sided conversation.
Lady Catherine strode to the centre of the room, gesturing grandly with her pointer and gazing down at Elizabeth. “I understand, Miss Bennet, that yesterday my niece was attacked by a highway ruffian. Why was I not told of this before? As her nearest relation, I have a right to be made aware of these matters!”
Elizabeth felt her brows arch. “Naturally, your ladyship, but Miss Darcy had already ordered an investigation into the matter before your arrival. There was nothing more to be done, for the staff are searching out all that may be discovered.”
“And why was this footman not immediately arrested? Saints preserve us, but what is come of Pemberley that a footman may stage an attack on his mistress, then escape with lies?”
“We do not know that Mr O’Donnell was in any way at fault, your ladyship. His actions had all the appearance of sincerity, and he has proved loyal and attentive to his mistress in the past.”
“He has no credible alibi, and no plausible source of knowledge, but that he participated in the attack, and likely planned it himself! Miss Bennet, I had not thought you so blind and obtuse as I now find you, and I wonder at your utter lack of interest in my niece’s safety! Are you, indeed, as innocent a party as you wish to appear?”
“I understand your concern, Lady Catherine,” Elizabeth bristled, wishing to reel the conversation back under control. “Lest your ladyship forget, my sister and I were also nearly victims of Miss Darcy’s attackers, and I do not enjoy contemplating what might have occurred. I have spoken to almost all the household staff personally to learn whatever I can, interrupting that course only when I was summoned here. You may rest assured that the steward is also doing everything that can be done, and a local magistrate has been brought into the investigation. Miss Darcy had already determined that her own safety would be best served by remaining close to the house until the perpetrator is found, and I might observe that her present duties lie more with the investigation than with her musical practice.”
Lady Catherine’s face had purpled in shock. “I have tolerated your presence, Miss Bennet, but you willnotquestion my governance of my niece! You speak of all these doings, and yet it was not deemed necessary that I be informed that anything was amiss! Georgiana Darcy,” she whirled on her hapless niece, “you have been taken advantage of! This woman has pulled the wool over your eyes and is quite plainly bent upon separating you from the influences of your family. Can you still remain ignorant of her intentions?”
Georgiana had been caught in the midst of disrespectfully rolling her eyes, at which Elizabeth could not help a silent chortle in amusement, but it only incensed her aunt further. She opened her mouth to deliver a lecture on the ills of unqualified friends, absent companions, indifferent guardians, and incompetent staff, when a knock sounded at the door. Lady Catherine glared in that direction and appeared ready to send whomever it was away.
Elizabeth lifted her chin toward Georgiana, then flicked her eyes to the door. Understanding, Georgiana rose a shaky voice to beckon entry. “Come,” she squeaked, cringing only slightly when her aunt’s incredulous gaze pierced her.
Mrs Reynolds entered the room, her experienced professionalism rapidly taking stock of the scene. “Miss Darcy,” she dipped slightly in pointed deference to her proper mistress, “Lady Catherine,” she curtseyed again, “Mr Jefferson has returned from Weston and awaits you all within the library, at your ladyship’s request.”
Lady Catherine’s lips puckered in disdain as she surveyed Elizabeth. “I do not require the attendance of a mere girl and a country miss who has no place in these affairs. I will address the steward myself.”
“If I may be so bold, your ladyship,” Elizabeth smiled, “would not Miss Darcy profit by observing your ladyship’s ways? Surely one of her youth, in her position, must take every opportunity of improving her mind and learning to govern her own affairs. Can there be a better example from whom she might learn?”
The lady’s eyes narrowed, and one standing very close to her might have heard her whisper through clenched teeth, “Arts and allurements!” More openly, however, she seemed to pause and level a significant gaze at each girl in the room. “Georgiana Darcy, you shall attend me. I may require your information to corroborate your steward’s statements. That will beall, Miss Bennet.”
Elizabeth watched them go—one sweeping grandly from the room, the other following with ruddy cheeks and clenching fists. Just before Georgiana allowed the door to be closed behind her, she shot one last, imploring look to Elizabeth, and then dutifully followed her aunt.
Elizabeth could hear the relief sighing from Mrs Reynolds, who stood still behind her. She turned and offered a sweet smile. “Thank you, Mrs Reynolds. I understand that present circumstances have laid numerous demands upon you, but I know Miss Darcy appreciates you greatly.”
Mrs Reynolds blinked nostalgically and shrugged her stout old shoulders. “’Tis not I whom she appreciates, ma’am.” She offered Elizabeth a proper little dip of her head, but the whimsy in her eyes could not be mistaken for other than true regard. It was not the housekeeper’s place to say more, but Elizabeth could not help but feel that she and this woman would have—could have—shared a lifelong partnership defined by the very deepest respect and affection. Some little part of her heart tore again at that realisation.
“Miss Bennet,” Mrs Reynolds continued, after shaking off her bit of sentiment, “I’ve a letter for Colonel Fitzwilliam. I was about to give it to Miss Darcy, but the messenger said it awaited an urgent reply, and as the colonel authorised you in his absence….”
