Page 30 of Bella Darcy is on the Run

"Do not look at her," George said through clenched teeth.

The man leaned casually against the doorframe, and Bella noticed for the first time that two large, burly men stood behind him. There would be no chance of getting past them.

"I do not particularly wish to look at her," he said pleasantly. "I wish to be paid for her. As you know, Captain, I am a businessman with many and varied interests, and I cannot overlook an opportunity like this when it falls so conveniently into my lap."

His eyes, dark and hard like wet pebbles, shifted to George. "And as for you, Captain Harwood, I hear you have been working for the Customs office. Now why would you keep such a thing quiet? That's hardly sporting, is it?"

"You will not get away with this, Trevethan," George said, his voice so low it was almost a growl.

"I am not certain you are in a position to be making threats, dear Captain." The man's pleasant smile did not falter. "I do hope you are enjoying the accommodation. I cannot imagine the family of this darling girl will wish to leave her in such circumstances for very long, so we must hope, for her sake, that her stay is brief. As for you, Captain George Harwood, I have not quite decided."

"He must come with me." The words burst from Bella before she could stop them. She scrambled to her feet, clutching George's coat more tightly around herself. "If you want a ransom, then he is included. I must insist upon it."

"Miss Darcy," the man said, almost kindly, "I am not sure you are in a position to insist upon anything either."

Bella lifted her chin. "Nevertheless, I do."

Some emotion flickered across his face, amusement perhaps, before he inclined his head. "Then I shall take it under consideration."

Sly’s gaze remained on Bella and she was painfully aware of his attention. The man made her skin crawl.

“One thing before I go,” he said pleasantly as he stepped towards her.

George moved at once. “Do not touch her.”

The two men behind Trevethan came forward, and Sly merely raised one hand as though calming an excitable dog. “Really, Captain. There is no need for theatrics. Mr Darcy will require some assurance that I have what I claim to have.”

Bella understood a second too late. His fingers caught the end of a cream ribbon that remained tangled through her hair and drew it slowly from her hair. She felt the silk slide across her scalp before the last of it came free, wincing at the feel of this horrible man’s fingers against her skin.

George made a furious sound beside her.

Sly looked down at the ribbon now looped across his palm. “This ought to do nicely. And one of my men will return shortly with paper and writing implements so that you can send your own note to your dear parents.”

Bella’s stomach turned. Aunt Lydia had tied that ribbon into her hair only hours ago, laughing that the cream gown required something to save it from utter dullness. Now it would be sent to her father as proof that she was a prisoner.

“You are a vile man,” she said.

Sly smiled. “I have been called worse.” He tucked the ribbon carefully into his coat and stepped backwards towards the door, which closed with a heavy metallic clang, leaving Bella more frightened than she had been at any point during the whole ordeal.

Chapter Fifteen

It was a long way from Derbyshire to Cornwall, Darcy thought with a sigh for what must have been the twentieth time during the journey. In recent years, when the family travelled any great distance, they had taken three carriages. One for himself and Elizabeth, another for the girls and a companion or governess and a third for the servants and luggage. It was an extravagance, certainly, but one Darcy was more than willing to pay for. As their daughters had grown older and no longer needed to travel under their parents' immediate supervision, he had revelled in having his wife entirely to himself once more on long journeys.

Over the years, they had become increasingly inventive in how they passed the time. He glanced towards Elizabeth now and found her watching him with an expression that suggested her thoughts had travelled in the same direction. Her lips twitched and her eyes flashed in a manner that even two decades after their meeting still managed to undo him. Darcy cleared his throat and looked pointedly through the window.

Unfortunately, with Bella's flight still so horribly fresh in both their minds, neither he nor Elizabeth had been comfortable allowing either of their remaining daughters out of their sight for more than a few minutes. It meant that instead of having his wife delightfully to himself, Darcy had spent day after day pressed into one perfectly comfortable but overstuffed carriage with Elizabeth, Kate and Mina. He did not think there had been a break in the conversation for more than two or three minutes at a time and the novelty had worn off somewhere around Birmingham.

Mina had just completed a lengthy diatribe on the superiority of female artists and was now explaining her latest project, a study of Pemberley’s waterways in excruciating detail. Darcy's head had begun to pound somewhere during her discussion of composition and was now keeping time with the steady clatter of the carriage wheels. He looked towards his wife and Elizabeth gave him an indulgent smile and placed her hand upon his thigh, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

They were now only half a day from Falmouth. Soon he would hold Bella in his arms and know for a certainty that she was safe. He was still angry, and he knew Elizabeth had several stern words of her own to exchange with their eldest daughter, but much of his anger had faded in the face of the all-encompassing relief of knowing she was well and being cared for.

"Papa?" Kate's soft voice broke him from his thoughts.

"Yes, darling?"

"Now that Bella has made such a long journey on her own, I have been thinking that perhaps I could travel next summer. There is a site of great scientific interest near Rosings that I should very much like to visit, and afterwards I could stay with Aunt Anne and Uncle Richard and Bertie. You need not trouble yourself. I could travel with a maid, like Bella."

Darcy rubbed a hand across his jaw where stubble had already begun to form. He took a deep breath and tried for a gentle tone. "Kate, darling girl, although Bella is safe and well, she still took an extremely foolish risk. If you wish to go to Rosings, I will of course accompany you. I know your aunt and uncle would be delighted to see you." He paused and looked meaningfully at Mina, who was watching the exchange with a worrying spark in her eye. "But no one is to go gallivanting across the country without a proper escort or without our knowledge."