Page 59 of Her Affections and Wishes

Her disapproving future father-in-law would not look kindly on Lady Metcalfe’s daughter having a child out of wedlock, but Elizabeth said nothing about it. They walked in silence. This path led behind the stables, and unsettled feelings sank to the pit of her stomach. There may not be pleasant gravel walks around the house, but there was no need to stroll here.

“Perhaps we could walk over there,” she said, pointing past the trees to where they would be in sight of the house.

“I want to check on my horses. Come to the stables with me.”

Arguing with her would be rude. Rather than go into the stable, Lady Metcalfe walked round the back and set down her bag and blanket on the back of a cart.

“I noticed your trunks were brought down,” she mused as they stood together. “That makes things easier.”

Elizabeth’s patience waned. Easier for what? For someone who wanted to make things right with her, Lady Metcalfe had made no apologies on her behalf or on her daughter’s. Perhaps if she appeased Lady Metcalfe, they could part amicably and she could return to the house to find Darcy.

“I think we can have nothing further to say to one another, ma’am. For Miss Metcalfe’s sake, I am sorry Darcy’s heart has settled elsewhere.”

“Yes, well, until she sees reason and chooses another man, any man, she needs to continue to try with Mr Darcy.”

Elizabeth gasped. “Did you invite me out here to ask me to look the other way whilst Miss Metcalfe continues to entice my future husband? Even if I had so little respect for myself, Darcy is the most determined man I have ever known. He has made his choice, and we are leaving this morning.”

“I suspected you would say that.”

Whilst Julia had always looked at her with a jealous eye and seemed about to boil over with rage, her mother’s emotionless stare was chilling. It made Elizabeth take two steps back. A feeling of building alarm crept over her.

“If you were gone,” said Lady Metcalfe, “and Mr Darcy thought you did not want him, he would change his mind, and Julia could have him.”

Every nerve in her body told her to run. She spun and took three strides, but Lady Metcalfe was taller and caught her gown by the collar, roughly tugging her back and briefly gagging her. Her necklace choked her before snapping. Elizabeth reached behind her to pry her fingers off, but after a brief struggle, Lady Metcalfe tossed her to the ground. She gripped her parasol in two hands and stabbed down with the handle against the side of Elizabeth’s head.

The first blow befuddled her, but she tried to turn over to get away. The second strike completely overcame her.

“Good God! Mr Darcy!”

He was being jostled, and it both drove pain through his skull and also brought him more awareness.

“Mr Darcy? Can you hear me?”

His valet’s voice pushed through the torture and confusion. A sensation of pins sticking his hands and feet made it difficult to move. The sense of thirst was consuming, but his stomach reacted violently to even the thought of drinking, although there was nothing left in his stomach by now.

He opened his eyes and saw Mr Warren bent over him, his face etched with deep lines of worry. “Sir, you ought to have rung for me. How long have you been ill like this?”

He actually felt less terrible now than he had hours ago, judging by the sunlight and shadows. Perhaps he had fallen asleep at some point rather than just drift through a delirium of agonising pain. He was still on the floor, but he gestured with his hand and his valet helped him to sitting.

“Poison,” he choked, pointing to the tea tray with his other hand. He did not want anyone to drink it or even touch it.

“What? Are you certain?”

Darcy tried to answer, and it took a few tries. “Arsenic, I think.”

Warren’s face paled. “Did you send for tea last night? No one told me.”

He shook his head. “Willow bark…for Miss Bennet.”

Warren helped him to stand, and he wobbled on his feet, the sensation of being pricked with pins making it hard to keep his balance.

“You drank an infusion meant for your future wife, but it was poisoned?”

Of course, it sounded incredulous, but now he knew what Julia was capable of. “Send for a constable and a magistrate,” he said in a rasping voice. His throat was still hot, but it did not scorch like last night.

“I will in a moment, and for a surgeon, too, but we will have little luck getting them here with the races on. Anyone in those positions will be at Epsom Downs. It could be hours, sir.”

Darcy nodded, and it made him dizzy.