Richard carefully laid the paper on the table. He stared at Darcy as if checking to see that it was genuinely his cousin who sat across from him. “What exactly did you do this morning?”
Darcy heard the suspicion in his tone. “Mr. Haggerston accompanied me and Mr. Cornerstone to Bow Street, where we filed an official petition for the arrest of Mr. Simon Cole and the release of Mr. Anders. I had already contacted them to have Wickham’s murder investigated. This merely helped them to narrow their search. After, I went to the Bank of England and froze all of Pemberley’s and Cole’s accounts—and, yes, before you ask, he arrogantly left his funds in his old account, assuming it was as protected as he was. Wickham spent all but a few hundred pounds of Georgiana’s portion.”
“He spent thirty thousand in a few months’ time?” Richard was horrified.
“I believe that most of it went to Cole. Where there is an enormous gap in available monies in Pemberley’s accounts. The amount set aside for the rebuilding of Darcy House is a pittance. Pemberley’s funds will barely pay for the seed to plant next season. Wickham lived in excess. Wealth also dazzled Cole. He spent as recklessly as Wickham once he had control.” Darcy shook his head. “I assumed, incorrectly, that a man of business would know better how to manage funds.”
“No, Darcy. Your father and you knew how to manage wealth. It was only under your direction that Cole had any success. Do not forget that fact.” Richard sighed. “What happens now?”
“My next step is to find those who worked at Darcy House for years and see what I can do to help them by either giving them a reference or seeing them established elsewhere. Cole might have had the right of it by selling the property rather than rebuilding. The land is valuable enough that I could use the funds from the sale to see that needed repairs at Pemberley are complete. When Elizabeth and I come to Town, we, and eventually our children, would not hesitate to encroach on Matlock House. Imagine how your parents would dote on little ones. As it is, your mother is already taking over Georgiana’s care, treating her like the daughter she always wanted. Even your father fusses over her.”
“And, Elizabeth? How do they get on?” Richard asked.
Just the thought of her made him smile. “My wife has a way about her that invites confidence. She exudes happiness, sharing the quality with everyone she meets. She is a wonder, Cousin. If you recall from the wedding, your parents accepted her with open arms.”
“That is as I expected. What I did not expect was the unsavoriness of Simon Cole. What will happen now?”
“I suspect that once the papers are published, readers will scurry to be the first to report Cole’s location, which I intended. It benefits only the courts when proceedings are long and drawn out. As things now stand, with the written statements we already have in hand, now that thelaw is involved, things should happen quickly. Cole will attempt to pass any blame on the unknown man who aided him in helping Anders escape and who likely murdered Wickham. That is not my concern.”
Richard scratched his head. “Why in the world did Cole break Anders out? Would it not have been better for him to allow the assizes to hang the man?”
“At any time, someone could have asked Anders the same question we did. Did you brutally murder George Wickham? With his answer, the hunt for the culprit would have been on. Cole could not take the chance that Anders would talk.”
His cousin nodded. “Then, once Cole is in custody, this is the end for you.”
“Yes. I will collect Elizabeth and Georgiana from Alderwood and safely take them home.”
“Home?”
“To Pemberley.”
38
Elizabeth knew she left Georgiana in expert hands with Lady Matlock. Aunt Helen fussed over her niece while providing life lessons that would serve the girl well.
There was a break in the weather on the morning of their third day of travel south to London. Though far less than in Derbyshire, there was still patches of snow on the ground. For the first time that Elizabeth could recall, the slipping and sliding of the carriage upset her stomach. Gratefully, Molly was a compassionate maid, and Lord Matlock was understanding.
“Helen had the same difficulty when she was expecting Richard. For almost six weeks, we could not travel from Matlock House to Bond Street without her needing to stop, even though the walk takes minutes. After that period ended, she never slowed down.”
Resting her head on the squabs, she sighed. “I foolishly thought I could keep this a secret until I shared the news with my husband. I suppose that emptying mystomach throughout the day and then eating everything within sight when we stop is undeniable evidence that I am increasing.”
He chuckled. “My dear lady, when Helen carried our first son, I was oblivious to the signs. She had to state her condition plainly. Even then, I suppose the shock from how quickly it happened caused me to react poorly.”
The conversation distracted her from her temporary misery. “What did you do?”
He proudly owned his error. “I stupidly said, ‘I did that?’”
“Oh, no.” Elizabeth’s chin dropped. “How did Aunt Helen react?”
“She said, ‘Of course, you big oaf. There has not been another man in my bed chamber since my father peeked at me at birth, saw I was a girl child, and left, never to reappear in the nursery again until my brother was born.’”
Elizabeth giggled.
He shrugged, a grin on his face. “I fear that my sorry tale gets much worse. You see, when I learned we had a son, I was ecstatic. An earldom needs heirs. To my eternal regret, when I saw my son for the first time, I repeated, ‘I did that!’ only to have Helen give me that look, you know, the one where I am plunged into a vat of guilt and idiocy.”
“I know that ‘look’ very well,” Elizabeth admitted, laughing aloud. “My father says thatthe lookis every woman’s most powerful God-given weapon against unsuspecting men.”
Snorting, Lord Matlock said, “Amen to that.” After the merriment died down, he asked, “Darcy does not know?”
