Suddenly, she stopped and cocked her head at Mrs. Gardiner. “Mrs. Gardiner, were you once called Miss Lockwood?”
Mrs. Gardiner was momentarily surprised, but her expression quickly shifted into a pleased look. “That is my maiden name, Mrs. Reynolds. My father was the rector in Lambton for a short time, and when he passed away, I remained behind with my uncle, his brother, who owned the general store. When hepassed away, I moved to London with another uncle, where I met my husband.”
“You are the daughter of Reverend Lockwood?” Darcy asked. “I vaguely remember him from when I was a child, though I believe I was only five or six when he passed away. I am sorry I did not make the connection.”
“I did not expect you to, nor did I mention my maiden name before. You were very young when I left the area. Now, Mrs. Reynolds, I believe your arrangements should work very well, at least until after the wedding.”
“Of course, madam,” Mrs. Reynolds replied with her usual sedateness, but her eyes widened at the mention of an imminent wedding. “I can send tea to the drawing room while the maids and I ensure the rooms are ready. I will send several girls to begin cleaning the nursery. It should not take long to prepare the main room for them to inhabit it, and then we can quickly clean enough beds to accommodate all four children. Do you need an additional maid to watch the children?”
“We brought ours with us, but perhaps another maid or two might be useful to spell her occasionally,” she replied. Mrs. Reynolds nodded and then looked to Darcy for further instruction.
“Mrs. Reynolds, we will not bother you today, but I would like you to meet with Elizabeth and me to begin discussing the plans for our wedding. It will take place as soon as it can be arranged.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied before rushing off to do as she said.
Georgiana looked at her brother in surprise at his words about the wedding. “Brother, why do you intend to marry so quickly? And why at Pemberley and not in Miss Elizabeth’s parish?”
Darcy sighed. “It is a long story, Georgiana, though it is not that we want, or need, to marry quickly. We have been engaged for nearly a fortnight and are simply anxious to begin our lives together. Come, let us go sit, and I will tell you all you need to know.” Turning toward the two men standing in the foyer, he spoke again. “Fraser, Thorne, I will need to speak to you once our guests are settled. Can you begin to arrange to investigate what may have happened to my messenger while we wait? Or to the post that was not delivered?”
At their nod, he turned and followed his sister and his guests into one of the formal sitting rooms nearby. A maid was already bringing a large tray containing tea into the room, and another followed behind, carrying sandwiches and pastries. Darcy and Elizabeth sat next to each other on a settee, and Georgiana sat nearby. Darcy leaned over and took his sister’s hand in his. “I did not intend this to be a surprise, as I wrote to you about it several times. I have been too busy in the last fortnight to realise I had not received a letter in reply, but truly, sister, it has been a very eventful period. There are some details I will need to tell you in private, and perhaps once everyone is in their rooms, you can accompany me to my study. Elizabeth, I am certain you would like to refresh yourself, but I would like you to join us when we speak.”
Elizabeth smiled at Darcy. “Of course, I would gladly join you. I need only a moment. Miss Darcy, if you could show me to a retiring room, we could all head there right after.”
Georgiana nodded her agreement with the plan.
“I am exceedingly pleased to meet you, Miss Darcy. I know your brother was looking forward to introducing the two of us, and I apologise for the surprise it must have been. I hope we can befriends, and to that end, please call me Elizabeth or Lizzy, as my sisters do.”
“You are welcome to call me Georgiana if you like,” she said quietly. “From his letters, my brother seemed to admire you very much, so I am only a little surprised by your news.”
Elizabeth laughed. “I believed for a time that he did not like me very much and had to apologise repeatedly for misunderstanding his character. I know him better now and want you to know how much I dearly love him. He is a truly good man.” When she noticed Georgiana’s stunned expression, she laughed. “That is likely one of the things your brother wants to explain to you when we speak later. He is not always at his best in company, and we had to speak frankly to allow us to understand each other. But as I said, we have clarified things and are pleased to marry each other.”
After Elizabeth refreshed herself, the three of them decamped to the study where Darcy and Elizabeth told Elizabeth what had happened in Hertfordshire with Wickham.
“He was not captured?” Georgiana asked.
“He was not,” Darcy affirmed, his mouth in a tight line as he clasped and unclasped his hand. “For the time being, I ask that you not leave Pemberley, even to walk on the grounds without at least two footmen. Everyone has been asked to take this precaution, however little some of them like it.” This was said with a pointed look at Elizabeth who flushed slightly.
“William, we have been over this. However little I like having my actions restricted, I will not venture from the house with a guard,” Elizabeth replied with some asperity.
He sighed. “He knows how I feel about you, Elizabeth, and would not hesitate to harm you if he thought it would benefit him. While I wish it were not necessary, until he is captured or I have definite proof he has left the country, I will protect all of those I care for.”
Instead of growing angry, as she might have done, she leaned into him. “Thank you, William. I am unused to your manner of care, but I know I must grow used to it. You will not be the lackadaisical caretaker my father has been.”
“No, my love, I will not,” was his reply and he wished they were alone so he could express his care more effectively.
Chapter Twenty-Six
After Elizabeth and Georgiana left his study, Darcy met with his steward and the butler to learn what had happened to the messenger who had failed to arrive. The two men confirmed that he had not arrived as expected and sent out other men to see if they could track down the messenger.
It would likely be a few days before any news was received, especially since the next day was the Sabbath, and any investigation could not begin until then. They would ask around after service tomorrow in Lambton and send a man on Monday to travel toward London to see if any of Darcy’s messages had been received.
That done, the butler left, leaving the steward to discuss several pressing business matters. None of the letters Darcy had sent from Netherfield over the last weeks had been received, and that concerned Darcy since several issues had been important.
Darcy had, however, received a message from Colonel Fitzwilliam informing him of the lack of progress in finding Wickham. The colonel had found several additional men, formersoldiers, to serve as guards, who delivered the missive along with themselves to Pemberley.
Darcy continued in the study for a little longer, going through documents and reports left for his approval for another hour or so until he heard a light tapping on the door. “William,” he heard as the door slowly opened to reveal the figure of his Elizabeth.
He stood and ushered her to the armchairs in front of the fire, the chairs placed close enough together that they could hold hands. “Elizabeth, I am so pleased you found me here. Is there anything I can do for you?”
