“You will take Neddy over my dead body,” Elizabeth exclaimed. “You will not touch him. Get out of our home, now!”
“Your heedless lack of discipline and control is not to be borne. I am the master here, and I will do as I will.”
“Longbourn belongs to Neddy!”
“He is an idiot, and everyone knows it. I already have the papers prepared, and my solicitors will take up the case in Chancery. I shall be his guardian soon, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. I shall be closing Fox Hollow, and you may beg on the streets, for all I care.”
She would not allow him to upset her; he did not have that power. “Already people are talking about what a great pretender you are, how you have tried and failed to step into my father’s shoes,” Elizabeth said gravely. “Instead, you take what is not yours and try to bully everyone into following after you. It will not work. You are the master of nothing, not even of yourself.”
He stalked towards her, glaring, fists clenched. She would not back down. Jane stood and ran to Elizabeth. “Stay away from her,” she cried.
“Out of my way!” he shouted.
“What the devil is going on?” came a voice from the open doorway. Darcy had returned, hatless, his usual pristine appearance uncommonly dishevelled.
Mr Philips stepped back, and his furious tone subsided into an unctuous one. “Why, Mr Darcy! This is a surprise!”
“What are you doing here, Philips?” Darcy demanded harshly.
“Well, I am here to escort my niece home,” he said, adopting a pretended dignity.
“I will go nowhere with him!” Jane asserted.
“Mr Philips was just leaving. Alone.” Elizabeth folded her arms and smiled sweetly at her uncle. With some satisfaction, she saw the anger he was forced to swallow.
He looked at her, and then at Darcy with sudden suspicion. However, he did not have the courage to ask what Netherfield’s most illustrious guest was doing there. “Jane, I will be back,” he said instead.
“Do not bother,” Jane replied—bravely, Elizabeth thought, for she watched Darcy with some wariness. “I am living here now.”
Mr Philips, his face red with fury, turned on his heel and stormed out of the house.
Darcy was regarding her sister with an equivalent curiosity. “Living here?” he murmured.
Elizabeth, however, required answers to more important questions. “Did you locate your sister?”
Immediately, his visage darkened, and she saw equal parts frustration and concern in his eyes. “Not as yet. I went to the top of Oakham, saw nothing, and decided to swing back by to see if she returned. Since, plainly, she has not, I had better go to Netherfield for help.”
“What is it?” Jane asked. “Who needs help?”
But at that moment the sound of voices from the yet open door heralded yet another interruption. All three turned towards the newcomers.
It was Mr Hill, a trunk carried atop one burly shoulder, along with Mr Bingley, leading his horse. He greeted Darcy, who stood in the doorway half-blocking it, with a smile.
“I say, Darcy, what are you doing here? I called at Longbourn, but Mr Hill, here, told me that everyone was at ‘Fox Hollow’, and offered to lead the way. We passed Philips on the way over, but he appeared as though he ate something that disagreed with him, poor fellow! Why, this is a pretty little place!” He peered around at the spotlessly clean interior, his gaze landing upon her and Jane. Elizabeth saw how his smile broadened at the sight of her sister. “Good morning to you, Miss Bennet. And…Miss Elizabeth, is it not?”
Thirty-Six
TRUE NORTH
Jane blushed, but Elizabeth saw how she tried to gather herself and retain her composure. “Mr Hill, thank you for bringing my trunk,” Jane said, as Darcy moved aside to allow the servant in.
The older man nodded, setting the trunk down. “Happy to do it, miss.”
Mr Bingley appeared confused, but Darcy did not give him time to ask questions. “Georgiana and Edward are missing,” he said. “She took Mabel out with him close to three hours ago now. They were expected back within an hour. Something is wrong.”
“Edward? Who is Edward?”
It was Jane who answered. “He is my little brother, and the true master of Longbourn,” she said urgently. “Oh, hemustbe found, and quickly. He is only three years old!”
