“Of course, and you shall, but I am sure that your preferred style of living shall be contingent on our estate being solvent,” Mr. Willoughby said. He grimaced at Sir Edward. “Perhaps I might think myself capable of charming the royals into granting me that festering sinkhole Sir Walter inhabits. Yes, it would be to my benefit. But I shall not hear baseless accusations merely because it ispossible. Miss Woodhouse and I have presentedfacts, irrefutable evidence of Sir Walter’s guilt, and you have only conjectures, sir.”
Lady Allen managed to subdue Sir Edward’s palpable temper. “Remember that he is my nephew. I have known him nearly twenty years; he is a good lad.”
“And he is to inherit from you, too,” Emma told her. “If he were willing to kill and double cross just to inherit, would he not rather have the estate you will leave him? I presume it must be better than a festering sinkhole.”
“Allenham is perfectly lovely,” Lady Allen said, smiling tranquilly at Emma. “You will like it, my dear. John comes every spring; he can bring you and Harriet next time he visits. But I have never thought him to be in any particular hurry to inherit the place. You prefer London, do you not, John?”
Mr. Willoughby gave his aunt an affectionate smile, before looking to Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy for support. “Miss Bennet, Mr. Darcy, surely you must have a modicum of trust in me. I warned you not to let my uncle see that you had found hisvinaigrette, I told you everything I knew. And you know my secret, if you have read all the dossiers. It is not worth killing for; I should sooner take my chances if Colonel Brandon calls me out.”
“I am inclined to agree with that logic,” Elizabeth said. “You are not the first man to sire a child out of wedlock, and I daresay you will not be the last. You have no more motive than Sir Edward; I should thinkhehas three times the reason to wish his secret hushed up.”
Sir Edward glowered at her, but Mr. Darcy spoke first. “Elizabeth is quite right. Of all the secrets we uncovered in the dossiers, Mr. Willoughby’s was amongst the mildest. Moreover, all of the documents were in the general’s hand; the evidence against Sir Walter was written in different writing – his own, for it was planted to conceal what he is really hiding.”
Sir Edward was still not convinced. “And how do we know itisSir Walter’s writing?”
“He loaned me a book,” Mr. Willoughby said. “I can fetch it here and show you, or contrive to have him write something out for me. I have nothing to hide.”
Cathy picked up thevinaigrette de toilettefrom the table and sniffed at the perfume within. “Perhaps we could also retrieve one of the garments he wore before losing this, and determine if it smells the same.”
“You might prove my innocence a hundred different ways, because I have nothing to do with my uncle’s schemes,” Mr. Willoughby said vehemently. “I had no quarrel with Mrs. Clay or Mrs. Younge, for I presume it was Crawford who sold my secret to the general; I told him of it one night when we had too much to drink.”
“I did not realize you had any previous acquaintance with him,” Sir Edward said.
“A little, through mutual friends. But he is the only one of the general’s informants I have any connection to – and the only one who is still alive.”
“And you were locked up with us when Mrs. Clay was killed, anyhow,” Emma said with a warm smile for her betrothed.
“And he was with you when the general and Mr. Wickham were killed,” Elizabeth reminded her uncle. His temper had cooled, but there was still a look of agitation about him.
“I think we should all sit down, calm ourselves, and remember that we have trusted one another thus far,” Mr. Darcy said. He took a seat on one of the sofas and gestured for Elizabeth to join him.
“And if you like, we might give you all some happy news,” Elizabeth said with a sardonic smile at them all.
Cathy squealed. “Lizzy! I knew it!”
“Miss Bennet has done me the incredible honor of accepting my proposal of marriage, as I have long desired,” Mr. Darcy said.
Emma and Harriet clasped hands and gave cries of excitement, while Mr. Willoughby handed Mr. Tilney a guinea and smirked. Sir Edward smiled at Elizabeth, a look of relief about him.
“You have my heartiest congratulations, my dear Lizzy,” Sir Edward said, and shook hands warmly with Mr. Darcy. “Long desired, eh? Have we Mr. Bingley to thank, and not Sir Walter?”
Mr. Darcy inclined his head. “Since my visit to Netherfield, I have admired Elizabeth’s kindness and intelligence. Even if we had not been locked away together today, a fact I refuse to repine, I am sure I would not have left Clwyd Castle without begging her to make me the happiest of men.”
Elizabeth smiled brightly as he gazed at her so lovingly. She could no longer chafe at the compromise, and could only be delighted by the outcome. “Despite my instinct to toss him into the moat when first we arrived, I have come to realize that no other man in the world could ever make me so happy.”
Mr. Tilney let out a playful whistle and then glanced over at Cathy before looking at the other couples. “Three engagements in four days is nothing to sneer at; what a success this party would have been, had it not taken such a turn.”
“We ought to celebrate,” Lady Allen said. “If you men are done fighting.”
Mr. Willoughby extended his hand to Sir Edward. “Whatever you require of me to prove my innocence, you shall have it.”
Sir Edward nodded, ready to admit defeat and behave himself. “You are the nephew of my betrothed and the intended of my daughter’s particular friend. I suppose you have done the best that could be done at such a time.”
The two men shook hands, and Emma clapped. “Now that is finally settled, you mentioned leaving Clwyd Castle. Sir Edward, did you not say something of making a raft to traverse the moat?”
“Yes. It was Sir Walter’s idea; given what we know now, I daresay he is eager to get away before he is found out.”
“But heisfound out,” Mr. Darcy said. “We ought to make haste in exposing him, especially if he now has the means of escape.”
