Mr. Darcy had not traveled this far to be put off by a young pup, no matter how well-dressed. He pushed past the man and walked quickly into the building. There were any number of private offices, but he knew that the more important men were always toward the back; thus, he walked unerringly to Mr. Gardiner’s private office and opened the door without so much as a knock.
Mr. Gardiner was there, as was Lord Thornton, a wealthy gentleman of Mr. Darcy’s acquaintance.
Mr. Gardiner rose at once. “You may leave now, Mr. Darcy, and return to Derbyshire; I assure you that you have no business with me.”
“I beg your pardon, my lord,” Mr. Darcy said to Lord Thornton. “Mr. Gardiner is my uncle by marriage, and we have an unpleasant family matter that requires his immediate attention.”
At that, Lord Thornton rose, saying, “We were about done in any case; Mr. Gardiner, I trust we will speak again soon.”
Once Lord Thornton had left, Mr. Darcy closed the door.
“I will give you one minute; then I will call the constables, and you may explain the matter to them.”
“I will not need a minute, Gardiner. I should never have allowed my mother to remain at Pemberley; it was a terrible, terrible mistake. I love Elizabeth desperately. I must see her. I beg you,I beg you, let me see her.”
There was a long silence. Then Mr. Gardiner said, brow furrowed, “I do not know, Darcy. You have made a right cock-up of things.”
“I know I have. I will beg her forgiveness on my knees, but I assure you, there is a misunderstanding of some sort at work here.”
“I am given to understand that it is your mother who is at the root of the misunderstanding. What will you do about that?”
“She will move to her estate in Cumberland.”
Mr. Gardiner sighed heavily. “I am only a man, and so liable to make a mess of this. You had best speak to Mrs. Gardiner.” And he gave Mr. Darcy the direction to his home in St. James.
Mr. Darcy thanked Mr. Gardiner, who waved him off irritably, and leapt back into the carriage, calling out the direction to the coachman. The traffic was dreadful, and it was a full half-hour before the carriage pulled up in front of a large family home.
Mr. Darcy was out of the carriage before the carriage had stopped moving. The door was answered by a butler.
“I am Mr. Darcy; I have come for my wife.”
The butler stared at Mr. Darcy for a long minute before stating that he would see if the mistress was available. Mr. Darcy was conducted into a very well-furnished drawing room and made to cool his heels for half an hour before Mrs. Gardiner entered the room.
Mr. Darcy leapt to his feet. “I beg you, Mrs. Gardiner! I must see Elizabeth! I have been so worried, I thought all manner of things –“ His voice caught and he could not continue.
Mrs. Gardiner eyed him thoughtfully. When she and been informed that Mr. Darcy had arrived, she had immediately decided to give him no information whatsoever about Elizabeth, but she was now reconsidering that decision. This man was clearly in pieces and was actually trembling with emotion.
He managed to explain that there had been some sort of misunderstanding that had led to Elizabeth leaving Pemberley. It had certainly not been because her husband wished her gone.
Mrs. Gardiner said, great satisfaction in her voice, “I was certain there was more to the story than what Elizabeth told me. You will find your wife at Darcy House.”
Darcy House! Thanking Mrs. Gardiner profusely, Mr. Darcy was soon back in the carriage and on his way.
Running up the steps at Darcy House, Evans close behind him, Mr. Darcy threw open the front door, startling Thompson rather badly. “Where is she, man?” Mr. Darcy asked, barely refraining from shaking his butler.
“Who?” Thompson was confused.
“Mrs. Darcy, of course!”
“She is not here, sir.”
“Not here? But I understood – I thought –“ Mr. Darcy was flummoxed; had he misunderstood? Was she not here after all? Had Mrs. Gardiner led him astray? Had all his hopes been for naught?
Evans came up behind him. “When is she expected back, Thompson?”
“Oh, she and Miss Bennet went out for tea with the Countess; I expect them back in a few hours.”
Recognising that the error had been his own, Mr. Darcy managed not to glare at Thompson.
