Darcy checked on Elizabeth before he joined the viscount and the Pemberley staff members. Finding his wife enjoying a cup of tea, he kissed her and then rushed downstairs to address yet another mystery unfolding under his roof.
“I have instructed the butler and housekeeper to ask about the missing maid and report any details they discover,” Adam Lawrence informed Darcy when Pemberley’s master suddenly appeared in the main foyer.
“Thank you, Your Lordship.” Darcy gestured toward the main drawing room, the one Darcy used when he first welcomed his guests to Pemberley. “Let us see if there is any brandy left in the decanter.”
“I thought this madness had taken a vacation.” Stafford fell in beside Darcy.
Darcy shook his head in disbelief.“I had hoped. I cannot imagine how I will explain all this to the local magistrate. I have taken to making notes daily so I do not omit anything.”
They took up chairs before the dying embers of the hearth. Neither of them bothered with stoking the fire—they would not stay long. “Do you think the maid committed the destruction we witnessed in Mrs.Wickham’s room?”
“I no longer know what I should believe.” Darcy raked his fingers through his hair. “I pray it is simply a matter of a rogue servant taking out her lack of patience with a difficult mistress.As appalling as it would be to have such a person in my employ, the alternative is not something I wish to consider.” Darcy paused before adding, “I should tell you, we have a new guest on the second level. He is one Lieutenant Harwood, a compatriot of Colonel Fitzwilliam’s and an avowed suitor of my cousin Anne.”
Lord Stafford weighed his words carefully. “Your tone says you do not approve of the lieutenant. Is there something else of which I should be made aware?”
Darcy would not mention Anne’s possible ruination. “The lieutenant reports this part of Derbyshire suffered the most in the storm. He claims that he rode here from Cheshire. Carriage travel, he says, is not yet fully available. I imagine that it should only be a matter of a few days.”
Stafford’s quick analysis brought an ironic retort. “Are you telling me that if Cathleen and I had continued on our journey that we might have outrun the storm?”
Darcy chose his words carefully. “If the lieutenant is to be believed, then the answer is in the affirmative.”
Stafford sat forward in interest. “If? What are not saying, Darcy? The lieutenant is not to be trusted?”
“I have no knowledge of the man’s true character, Stafford, but I have learned not to accept anything at face value.When you hear the lieutenant speak, listen carefully.”
Stafford did not respond; they understood each other. “You will seek my aid if you need it, Darcy.”The viscount stood to take his leave.
“Should I apply to your chamber or that of your cousin?”
“If you ask the question, I must assume you already know the answer.”The viscount strolled casually toward the open door. “My cousin has chosen to no longer accept my protection when this is over.” Stafford’s voice did not betray his own ambivalence about the situation.
Darcy paused momentarily before adding,“I am sorry to hear it; as cousins go, the young lady offers a touch of true class.”
“I believe she does.”
By the time Darcy climbed the stairs, Elizabeth slept. He joined his men as they searched the house for the errant maid. He really did not expect to find Lucinda Dodd; she had disappeared, just as the Pemberley phantom did every time they had an opportunity to capture him. Frustration filled him as he undressed for the evening. He wanted this over—Darcy wanted to go back to his life before the siege on his household.
He struggled out of his jacket before addressing his waistcoat and cravat. He could not even remember the last time he had depended on his valet to help him disrobe at night. “Yes, you do, you fool. It was your wedding night,” he murmured. “The night this goddess gave herself to you.” He knew he should let Elizabeth sleep alone—exhaustion plagued her—but he did not believe he could ever again sleep without her next to him.Without Elizabeth in his arms, he felt bereft of life—she had imprinted herself on his soul.
Darcy stripped away his breeches and small clothes and crawled under the blankets with her. His weight caused her to roll toward him, and Darcy scooped Elizabeth into his arms. “Fitzwilliam?” she mumbled.
“You were expecting someone else?” he teased as he stroked the hair from her face and kissed her temple.
Elizabeth smiled mischievously, keeping her eyes closed.“My lover.”
Darcy nibbled on her earlobe. “Does your lover make you gasp with anticipation?” He kissed his way down her neck, creating the sensation he had just described. Then his lips brushed hers. “Does your lover make you quiver with his touch?” He brushed Elizabeth’s breasts before trailing a line of fire across her hips. He feathered kisses along her chin line. “Does your lover bring you such ecstasy that it is a tempest impossible to control?”
“No, sir,” she said as she snuggled into his chest, inhaling his scent—the smell of a powerful male. “Only my husband brings forth such pleasure. He is love incarnate.”
He closed his eyes for a moment, and then a curious kind of peace crossed his face.“Then I am thankful that I am your husband, ma’am.”
“As am I, Mr. Darcy.”
He kissed Elizabeth’s upturned nose. “Rest, my Love.Your husband is here to take care of you.” He wrapped her in his arms, pulling the blankets over them.
The morning room buzzed with life and noise, the excitement of the previous evening carrying them into the new day. “Well, I am thankful Mrs. Darcy was not harmed by the incident,” Cathleen remarked. “A woman with child is in a precarious situation.”
“With an estate this size,” Mrs.Williams observed,“it is imperative that the lady deliver a healthy heir. Mrs. Darcy must feel the pressure of giving Mr. Darcy a son to assume the estate.”
Anne joined the conversation. “I am sure my cousin has never conveyed such an edict to his wife.”
Mrs. Williams ignored Anne’s defense. “Mrs. Darcy must prove she is worthy of the respectability Mr. Darcy bestowed on her when she became his wife.”
“Mrs. Darcy is a gentleman’s daughter,” Anne asserted.
Evelyn Williams spit out her words: “That may be, Miss de Bourgh, but it is painfully evident that your cousin’s connections outpaced his wife’s.” She turned a deaf ear to Anne’s protest; and then she delivered a final cut. “It would seem to me, Miss de Bourgh, that you would count Mrs. Darcy’s situation as one of your blessings. If Her Ladyship had her way, you would be Mrs. Darcy and be expected to assume the position of mistress of Pemberley and be the mother of the Darcy line. It would be a daunting task for a woman of such a delicate nature. Maybe Mr. Darcy had it right, after all. A woman to serve Pemberley and him equally would have to understand those of a lower class.”
Anne charged, “Why do you speak so poorly of your hostess?”
Mrs. Williams smiled wryly. “That is where you are in error, Miss de Bourgh. I admire Mrs. Darcy. She is a survivor—the kind of woman who can adapt to any situation. Mrs. Darcy could follow the drum or host a grand ball for royalty. I understand her husband’s foresight in choosing the woman. Other choices would have weakened his position and his bloodline.”
“Then your censure is for me?” Anne’s cheeks colored.
Instead of giving her an answer, Mrs. Williams turned her back on Anne, ignoring the woman she had come to dislike.
Her actions brought a deeper flush of color to Anne’s cheeks. Uncertain how to handle such a strained personal relationship, she retreated, taking her plate to another of the settings, away from the offending woman.
Darcy called on Lieutenant Harwood, wishing to accompany the officer to the breakfast room—not allowing the man to surprise Anne. “Ah, Lieutenant, I see you are ready.”
“I tend to be an early riser, Mr. Darcy.”
“Then let us be about it.” Darcy led the way through the dimly lit hallways. As no one else resided in this part of Pemberley, no need existed to light lanterns on the tables. Hearing the noise of the morning room in the distance, Darcy reluctantly contemplated the scene he had constructed to inflict upon those in attendance. He had forbidden Elizabeth from coming downstairs this morning; she had reluctantly agreed, although she had provided her opinion on how he should handle the encounter. Luckily, Georgiana was in the music room. Since his reprimand regarding her late night sojourns, his sister had decided early morning seclusion was comparable to nocturnal solitude.
Leading the way, Darcy immediately noted that Mrs. Williams sat apart from the others. The woman had become quite withdrawn over the past few days—a fact which did not sit well with him. Mr. Worth chose items from the morning table, while Anne sat with Miss Donnel and Lord Stafford. Anne looked quite troubled, and for a moment, Darcy wondered if Worth had betrayed his trust. Then Anne’s eyes fell on Harwood, and she paled in horror. “Robert!” she exclaimed as she rose shakily to her feet.
The lieutenant bowed chivalrously in her direction. “Miss de Bourgh, I am pleased to have found you safe.”
Darcy jumped into the fray. “Ladies and Gentlemen, might I present Lieutenant Robert Harwood, an associate of my cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam. Lieutenant, this isViscount Stafford, his cousin Miss Donnel, Mr. Worth, and…” Darcy turned to introduce Mrs. Williams, but the woman had slipped from the room.“It seems our other guest has taken her leave unexpectedly.You shall meet Mrs. Williams, as well as my wife and sister, a bit later.” Anne remained standing, although she swayed in place. “And, of course, you hold an acquaintance with my cousin.”
Anne demanded an explanation.“Why are you here?” Her eyes had not left Harwood’s face.
The man smiled—the grin of a cat that has caught the mouse. “I believe, Miss de Bourgh, we should discuss in private the reason for my sudden appearance at Pemberley.”
Again, Darcy took control of the conversation. “Anne, why do you not go and ask Lady Catherine to join us.We shall all meet in my study in, let us say, thirty minutes.”
Anne nodded weakly and skirted from the room.
“Please, Lieutenant, help yourself. Come join the viscount and me. I am sure Lord Stafford would be interested in the road conditions. He and Miss Donnel had set out to reach a seriously ill relative before being waylaid by the storm.”
“Thank you, Mr. Darcy.” Harwood moved off to fill a breakfast plate. Darcy motioned a footman to bring both coffee and tea, and then he took a seat beside Miss Donnel, leaving the one beside the viscount available for Harwood. Worth quietly seated himself on the other side of Miss Donnel.
When Harwood finally joined them, Adam Lawrence began. “Mr. Darcy seems to believe you are aware of an improvement in weather conditions. Might you enlighten us, sir? As our host has indicated, my cousin and I hoped to reach Cheshire before the demise of our relative, and Worth, here, has a law practice to which to return.”
Harwood stuffed his mouth with bacon and toast—a stalling tactic recognized by three of his table partners. “I came from Liverpool by horseback.The roads are passable but difficult. A carriage might still find it impossible. Derby—at least, this part—appears to have taken the brunt of the storm. It became more difficult the closer I came to Lambton.”
“And Pemberley was your destination?” Mr. Worth ground out in a poor attempt at civility.
Harwood should have looked embarrassed, but he boldly announced to the group, “I followed Miss de Bourgh when I realized she had left with her mother and her companion.” For a man who wished to save a lady’s reputation by an offer of marriage, Darcy noted how easily Harwood himself spread the gossip of Anne’s indiscretion. “As I entered Derby and noted the conditions, I remembered, quite unexpectedly, Miss de Bourgh’s association with Mr. Darcy. I took the chance the ladies came to him for protection.”
“I thought you were a close associate of the colonel?” Stafford asked in a seemingly innocent manner, although Darcy knew it was anything but innocent.
Harwood stammered, “I-I call the colonel my friend. Why do you ask, sir?”
“Oh, no reason.” Stafford returned to the kippers piled high on his plate. “These are delicious, Darcy.” He gestured with his fork. “I must find out from whom your cook purchases these. I would have them regularly.”
Harwood sat forward, trying to recapture the viscount’s attention. “No, sir. Really, I must insist. Do you question the legitimacy of my relationship with Colonel Fitzwilliam?”
Stafford now sported the cat-like smile.“It just seemed odd that you would unexpectedly remember that the de Bourghs are related to Darcy. First, the lady in question called you by your Christian name, indicating an intimate relationship exists between you. Secondly, the Fitzwilliam family is very proud of their connections. I had known the Earl of Matlock less than a day before his association with both Darcy and the de Bourghs was made known to me. Finally, the colonel serves with Darcy as Miss Darcy’s guardian, something of which I would imagine a friend would be well aware. It seems more likely to me that you expected Miss de Bourgh to seek Mr. Darcy’s protection and his advice, and, therefore you came to Pemberley expecting to find her here.”
“I assure,Your Lordship, that you are in error,” Harwood asserted.
Stafford laughed softly, self-mockingly setting the ploy. “I may be, sir. It would not be the first time, now would it?”
“Nor the last,”Worth added good-naturedly.
The viscount nodded in agreement. “Nor the last.” He turned to Cathleen. “How do you feel about a tour of the Darcys’ conservatory, my Dear? Worth, here, tells me our hostess has teased several interesting rose varieties from the ground.”
“That would be excellent, my Lord.” Cathleen placed her napkin on the table. “I wish to look in on Mrs. Darcy first; then, I will join you, Adam. Please excuse me, gentlemen.”
“I shall wait patiently in Mr. Darcy’s well-stocked library.” Stafford, too, begged their permission to leave and disappeared from the room.
“I have a great need to check on my wife, if you have no objections, Lieutenant. Mrs. Darcy took a tumble yesterday evening, and I am a doting husband, it seems.” Darcy shot a quick glance at Worth, reminding him not to say anything untoward to Harwood.
The lieutenant nodded and returned to his breakfast.
Worth followed Darcy to his feet. “There is something about which I wish to speak to His Lordship. I hate to leave you to your own devices, Harwood, but I am sure you will understand.” Worth picked up his pace so he might overtake Darcy in the main foyer. “Darcy,” he hissed as he came close.
“Yes, Mr.Worth,” Darcy turned expectantly to the man.
“I want to be part of the negotiations between Harwood and Anne.”
Darcy ignored the familiar use of his cousin’s name. “How would that expedite the matter?” Darcy drew Worth away from the servants’ ears.
“I am a man of the law, for God’s sake. I understand what is legal, and what is not in such situations.”Worth’s voice spoke of his need to keep Anne from danger, and Darcy appreciated the man’s sincerity. He had known the same anxiety when Lydia Bennet eloped with George Wickham and placed her whole family’s reputation in peril. “I have developed an affection for Miss de Bourgh, and if I can use my skills to safeguard her, I will. I am not the swashbuckling male that the lieutenant is. But let me prove to Miss de Bourgh that I am the superior choice.”
“You will not betray your affection for Anne before the lieutenant?” Darcy cautioned. “My aunt will be hard enough to contain without your passion creating other issues.”
Worth smiled slightly. “I will be in the room only as Miss de Bourgh’s man of business.”
“I like your deviousness, Mr.Worth.” Darcy clapped the man on the shoulder. “My study in twenty minutes.”
Worth leaned closer to ensure privacy. “Tell Miss de Bourgh that at no time is she to admit more than a friendly interest in the lieutenant. She is to repeatedly deny that she ever had an interest in the man romantically.”
“I understand,Worth.”
“I spent several hours after we parted yesterday evening trying to determine the best way to handle this. Tell Her Ladyship and Anne to follow my lead.”
Twenty minutes later, Darcy escorted an agitated Lady Catherine along the main staircase. She had taken to her room after their encounter the previous evening, agreeing to this meeting only at his insistence. He instructed his aunt on holding her tongue while in the lieutenant’s presence. “I have guaranteed Mr. Worth of your cooperation, Aunt,” he spoke quietly to her alone. “It could mean the difference between paying the man a substantial sum or sending him packing. Do you comprehend my meaning, Your Ladyship?”
“I thoroughly grasp the gravity of the situation, Darcy. I am a woman very well acquainted with the business of a man’s world.”
“Lady Catherine, I do not question your intelligence, but like the rest of the Fitzwilliams, you possess a fervor, which sometimes boils over into misspoken feelings.” He patted the back of her hand as it rested on his arm.
“I will do my best to perform admirably in your presence, Nephew,” she bit out the words.
This time he squeezed her hand gently, suddenly aware of how fragile it appeared—the gnarled knuckles and the no-longer-firm skin. In fact, her hand trembled slightly. “That is all one may ask, Aunt.”
He and Lady Catherine entered his study, followed by Anne. The lieutenant waited impatiently by the hearth. Darcy had purposely delayed their entrance—just a few extra minutes to allow Harwood to become uncomfortable with his surroundings. Darcy’s father had designed the study as an advantage in his business dealings. Dark mahogany panels, rich forest green. The walls sported hunting trophies, weapons, lead crystal—no sign of femininity anywhere. The room could overpower someone—break him with its strength and masculinity. Darcy often used that fact to his advantage.
Upon seeing them, the lieutenant smiled amiably and offered them all a bow before saying, “Your Ladyship, it is pleasant to see you again.”
“Do not feign cordiality with me, Lieutenant!” Lady Catherine barked.
“Sit here, Aunt.” Darcy led her to a chair close to the fire.“Shall I send for some tea?”
Lady Catherine waved away his concern.“I shall be fine, Darcy.”
He seated Anne beside her mother. Since he had sent her from the morning room, Anne’s docility had returned—a fact he had expected. His cousin’s newfound freedom was a delicate thing. “Come, join us, Harwood.” Darcy clustered the chairs in a relatively tight circle.
“For whom is the extra chair?” Harwood remarked, seating himself in the wing chair beside Darcy’s.“Shall I have the opportunity of meeting your wife, after all?”
“Unfortunately, I do not expect Mrs. Darcy to join us until supper. The chair is for my cousin’s legal counsel.” His words brought a simple nod of recognition for what he planned from his aunt and a renewal of hope from Anne.
“I was unaware that the de Bourghs’ man of business traveled with them.” Harwood shifted uncomfortably in his chair and looked around, as though he was expecting a judge to materialize and pass sentence.
Darcy chuckled lightly, having seen the effect of the mention of the word “legal” had on the lieutenant. Suddenly, this conversation took on interesting overtones. “You misunderstand, Harwood. Mr. Worth met my family at Pemberley to settle some financial transactions.”
“Mr. Worth?” Harwood looked surprised. “The gentleman I met this morning?”
Worth strolled in the room casually, playing the part of the disinterested man of law. “I apologize for my tardiness, Darcy. The viscount and I took up a heated discussion on duty and politics: I pray I have not delayed your conversation.”
Lady Catherine played her part by saying, “We have just taken our seats,Worth. Please come join us.”
Harwood glanced around nervously. “I did not expect a full audience for my proposal.”
“People of our connections, Lieutenant, do not even order a sack of seed without legal counsel,” Lady Catherine said and sniffed.
Darcy interrupted, “Harwood, why should we stand on ceremony? Please explain to my aunt and my cousin what you told me yesterday evening.” He sat back into the chair’s cushions, giving the impression of being relaxed.
However, Harwood shifted uneasily in his chair, a point Darcy and Lady Catherine enjoyed.“As you are aware,Your Ladyship, while I visited at Rosings Park, I developed a deep affection for Miss de Bourgh.” Lady Catherine started to object, but a warning flick of Darcy’s wrist stifled her protest. Constantly clearing his throat, Harwood continued, unaware of the private interchange. “And maybe I flatter myself, but I believe Miss de Bourgh returned my interest. I asked your daughter to make me the happiest of men before I left for my new post, but Miss de Bourgh could not muster the strength she would have needed to inform you of her decision, so I departed for Liverpool alone. However, several days after my arrival on the western coast, I received word of Miss de Bourgh’s presence in the city.
“I immediately made moves to protect your daughter by finding her adequate housing. It was not of the best quality, perhaps, now that I consider the situation, but I had hoped to guard against it becoming common knowledge that Miss de Bourgh traveled unchaperoned. Unfortunately, as I made plans to solidify our union, you arrived and whisked your daughter away.Your position made Miss de Bourgh’s name recognizable. As such, many in Liverpool now are aware of her ruination. I have followed you to Pemberley to offer your daughter the protection of my name.”
Lady Catherine bristled. “You accuse me of ruining my own child?”
“May I, Lady Catherine?”Worth inserted quickly.
“Certainly, Mr. Worth. Please earn your pay.” Her caustic tone spoke of her disdain for Harwood.
Worth leaned forward to press his point. “May I summarize, Lieutenant?” Without waiting for a response, he continued. “You are under the impression that Miss de Bourgh, first, is afraid of her own mother and would refuse a man whom she affected rather than address such a wish to Her Ladyship. Secondly, you assume that Miss de Bourgh came to Liverpool specifically to join in holy matrimony with you.”
“Of course, Miss de Bourgh came to Liverpool because of my earlier request,” Harwood blustered.
“Which Miss de Bourgh had already refused, if I heard you correctly?” Worth’s voice overrode Harwood’s.
A flash of anger showed on the lieutenant’s face. “Yes, she refused. Anne knew her mother would object to our union.”
“Let us for the moment give some credence to the possibility that you misunderstood the lady’s intentions,”Worth retorted. “Might it be in the realm of reason that Miss de Bourgh had another reason to travel to Liverpool besides the inducements of your charms?”
Suddenly, Anne chimed in softly. “May I ask, sir, if I so feared my mother’s disapproval, how I might then oppose her? First, I was afraid, and then I was not. Afraid…not afraid. I am seven and twenty, sir—not a child to be punished for misbehavior.”
“Exactly, Miss de Bourgh,”Worth asserted.
“No matter the circumstances,” Darcy parlayed his farce,“should we not consider Harwood’s offer? After all, if Anne’s reputation is in tatters…”
Worth took the reins once more, just as Harwood began to preen. “So Miss de Bourgh refused your overtures. Then you assumed her appearance in Liverpool meant that she sought you out as her affianced?”
“She came to me in Liverpool!” Harwood protested.
Worth smiled confidently. “I am sure she did. Miss de Bourgh was in a strange city, so she turned to a person she considered a friend—an acquaintance who might do the gentlemanly thing and see to her needs without creating a compromising situation.”
“And that is what I did. Did I not, Anne?”
Lady Catherine’s voice sliced through the conversation. “Lieutenant Harwood, I must insist that you show my daughter proper respect by not using her Christian name as if you were an intimate.”
“But we are intimates, Lady Catherine,” the man asserted. “Less than an hour ago, Miss de Bourgh called me Robert before all those in attendance in the morning room.” He gripped the chair arm tightly, indicating his irritation.
“My cousin did as the lieutenant described,” Darcy confirmed. “Perhaps Harwood has a case, Aunt.”
Lady Catherine asked hotly, “Why do you choose to support this scoundrel, Darcy?”
He had only discussed his intentions of portraying the devil’s advocate with Worth, but in order to weaken Harwood’s defenses, Darcy recognized the need to give the lieutenant a false sense of security.“I certainly do not agree with the lieutenant’s methods, but it appears he is offering my cousin an honorable alternative.”
Lady Catherine harrumphed in disgust.
Worth interrupted, “May I ask, Miss de Bourgh, if you have ever verbally agreed to the lieutenant’s suit—either at Rosings or in Liverpool?”
Darcy had warned Anne regarding her legal response, and although her cousin’s apparent support of Harwood confused her, Anne still followed Darcy’s advice. “No, sir.”
“I object!” Harwood exclaimed, nearly coming out of his chair with anger.
Worth laughed. “This is not a trial, Lieutenant.”
“It certainly has the feel of one!” Harwood blustered.
“I am sure no one wished to place you on the defensive, Lieutenant,” Darcy soothed him.“Having always known such opulence, it is difficult for us to see our lives as others might.”
Worth leaned back, following Darcy’s carefully worded suggestion of not appearing so aggressive. “I agree, Mr. Darcy,” he said cannily. “We are jumping the gun. I simply wished to establish early on that, although Miss de Bourgh held an acquaintance with the lieutenant, she neither considered herself engaged nor did she encourage the gentleman to make arrangements for a wedding. Obviously, such an agreement was out of the question. A special license was impossible for Lieutenant Harwood, as he is not part of the aristocracy. Therefore, he would have to take the traditional route of first establishing residency before the banns may be called. Most parishes require a minimum of a fortnight and often as long as thirty days to indicate a resident. He, by his own words, spent only a few days in Liverpool before your cousin’s arrival. Add to the residential time the three weeks to call the banns. Surely, the lieutenant is not accusing Miss de Bourgh of being the type of woman who would spend five to seven weeks with a man she had previously refused. And if the lady so feared her mother as to seek a clandestine meeting, Miss de Bourgh could not possibly believe she might avoid a confrontation with Her Ladyship for such an extended period of time.”Worth knew firsthand that Anne had no knowledge of these facts at the time, but she certainly would not say so now.
“Then if Miss de Bourgh did not come to Liverpool to seek my companionship, why, may I ask, did she travel in the winter and alone?”
“As her business was of a personal nature, I refuse you knowledge of my daughter’s purpose,” Lady Catherine declared. “However, to suggest that Anne came to see you demonstrates a certain conceit. I knew of and sanctioned her departure for the western coast. She traveled with my blessing, as well as my instructions. Unfortunately, my daughter made a poor decision when her maid became ill, and she left the miserable girl behind. Anne has explained to me that she did not wish to disappoint me by not fulfilling the first task I had ever assigned to her. As my daughter will soon come into her inheritance, I wished her to begin learning of the many holdings belonging to her father.”
Harwood charged, “Then why did you create such a scene when you discovered Miss de Bourgh at the Salty Sailor?”
Lady Catherine wrinkled her nose with the memory of the inn where she found Anne—a seedy establishment close to the water-front. “I was admittedly distraught not to find Anne where she was to stay. Little did I know that Mr. Worth was out of town on business, and she could not reach him for the proper arrangements. Needless to say, I was beside myself with terror for my child’s safety. I behaved improperly, I admit, but I was beyond reason by the time I extricated her from your choice of lodging for a lady.” Her glare made the lieutenant flinch, and Darcy realized why he admired his aunt. She had that Fitzwilliam tenacity, which his mother had exhibited, along with his uncle and both of his male cousins. Lady Catherine’s fierceness when someone attacked her own softened Darcy’s opinion of her sometimes-rude behavior.
“I was in Newcastle in consultation for an upcoming trial. Her Ladyship had assumed I would be able to meet Miss de Bourgh in Liverpool, as my main practice centers are in Cheshire and Manchester,” Worth offered. “As I understand it, when Miss de Bourgh realized her cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam was not also in Liverpool, she sought the only person she knew in the city: you, Lieutenant.”
“Then it is this family’s position that Miss de Bourgh traveled to Liverpool for reasons unrelated to our relationship?”
Lady Catherine actually smiled. “It is, Lieutenant Harwood.”
Harwood saw one of his claims on Anne dwindle away, but defeat was not in his vocabulary. “However, the facts remain that your daughter, Madam, did travel alone and did come under my care while in Liverpool.As such, Miss de Bourgh has been compromised. I will, therefore, present myself to you as an honorable suitor for Miss de Bourgh’s hand. Although she may see me in an unflattering light at the moment, I am certain I will eventually win her affection. I hope, Miss de Bourgh, that you accept my humble plea.”
Lady Catherine could not resist tweaking the gentleman, “And you will, in return, accept Anne’s inheritance.”
Harwood leveled a steady gaze on the woman.“I assure you that is not my main motivation, but any man would welcome such a dowry from his wife.”
“Well, you shall not have it. I will disown Anne if she makes such an alliance!”
“Now, Aunt,” Darcy cautioned. “Let us not make idle threats which could hurt my cousin.” Darcy wanted to keep Harwood at Pemberley until he heard from Colonel Fitzwilliam. He could not have his aunt send the man away too quickly. “I suggest we invite the lieutenant to join us for a day or two. It will give Anne time to seriously consider Harwood’s suit.” He held a hand up to quell any protests ready to be voiced by his family or Worth. “And it will give us time to determine how to address the lieutenant’s honest request.”
“But Darcy!” Lady Catherine insisted.
“You must trust me, Aunt. I promised Anne my protection, and I will brook no resistance.”
Harwood’s shoulders straightened, and he gazed at the assembled group triumphantly. “Thank you, Mr. Darcy, for your confidence in my character.”
Before anyone else could object, Darcy rose, effectively ending the conversation.“We shall meet here tomorrow, an hour following the morning meal. Harwood, I am assuming your room suits you.”
“It does, Mr. Darcy.” Harwood also came to his feet.“I believe I shall return to my chamber. Miss de Bourgh, I pray you will honor me with a few moments of your time later this afternoon.” Anne did not say a word—did not move—and Harwood accepted her silence as agreement. “Good morning.”The lieutenant strode confidently from the room.
Silence filled the study. When Darcy was sure Harwood had actually returned to his room, he crossed to the door and closed it. Immediately, three voices exploded, each drowning out the other, and each more irate. “Darcy, what means this?” Lady Catherine demanded.
“As I said previously, you will need to trust me. I have a plan, and although it may seem like madness, it is far from it.” His calmness soothed some of their initial concerns.“I cannot explain at the moment, but it was imperative to detain the lieutenant.”
“Well, whatever you plan had better work,”Worth warned.
Before any other discussion could occur, a rapid knock at the study door interrupted them. “Come!” Darcy called to the closed portal.
A distraught-looking butler opened the door. Seeing the dazed and astonished scowl clearly displayed on Mr. Baldwin’s face, Darcy crossed to him immediately. “What is it, man?”
“It is Lucinda Dodd, sir,” Baldwin rasped out. “Everett in the gatehouse sent word that he found Lucinda’s body along the incoming rise.”
“I prayed never to hear those words.” Darcy’s lips thinned in a frown. “Send someone to instruct Lord Stafford to meet me in the foyer.Tell him we are taking a walk outside and to dress accordingly.”
“Yes, Mr. Darcy.”
Darcy turned to Worth. “I would ask you to join His Lordship and me if you would,Worth.We have another mystery on our hands.”
Twenty minutes later, Darcy, Lord Stafford, and Worth joined Darcy’s men along the edge of Pemberley Woods.“You found her, Everett?”
“Yes, sir. I sees vultures circling from the gatehouse so I walks in this direction to see what those carrions found. I’s expected a deer or even a sheep, but I’s never thought to discover no Miss Dodd.”
“And you have touched nothing?” Darcy demanded, his hands tightening into fists at his sides.
The gatekeeper’s candid response added to Darcy’s frustration. “I be sittin’ the girl up wheres she slumped over, but that be it, sir, besides checkin’ to sees if Miss Dodd be breathin’. She ain’t, sir.” With a nod of his head, Darcy dismissed his servants to their duties, except the two who would take the body back to the main house. He knelt beside the body, trying to determine the woman’s condition.
“A woman’s silk stocking about her neck,” the viscount noted.
Worth touched the offending item. “It must be the mate of the one we found cut to pieces in Mrs.Wickham’s room.”
“The girl’s been strangled. See the marks on her neck.” Stafford untied the leg wear and then pointed to the bruising along Lucinda’s throat. “Mrs.Wickham?” he suggested.
“My wife’s sister admits to arguing with Lucinda, and although one woman could easily strangle another, it does not explain how the body came to be found so far from the house. In addition, I am convinced that Mrs. Wickham, although self-centered, is no murderer.” He glanced toward Pemberley. It was nearly a mile from the turnpike road to Pemberley’s front door. Lucinda’s body rested halfway between the road and the house. It made no sense.
Worth tried to reason out the possibilities. “Do you suppose that your maid tried to escape the house—ran away in terror—and collapsed at this point?”
Again, Darcy looked at the way they had come. Distinct prints—footprints of his men, hoof prints of Harwood’s horse, and footprints of his, Stafford’s, and Worth’s—lay along the curving drive, but no trace of a lady’s shoe showed along the entrance pathway or even across the smooth, pristine surface of the gently rolling wood-land defining the park.“I observe no female footprints.” He took a close look at her footwear. “Lucinda wears the typical half boots.”
Worth and Stafford also took a close look at the footwear and estimated her shoe size. Viscount Stafford stood slowly and surveyed the surrounding area. “It appears that your gatekeeper came from the left,” he said, pointing to the obvious boot prints leading to and from the body.
Worth followed his train of thought. “And those are ours and those of your servants,” he offered as they assayed the evidence. “I see no others.”
“Nor do I,” Darcy remarked, “but I do see a trail of sort—from the waterfall toward the trees. Notice how this area is scored—no longer smooth—like someone tried to erase his tracks.”
“Exactly.” Adam Lawrence braced himself against the wind. “Let us spread out and follow along the edges of these marks—see where they lead.”
Moving meticulously along the three-foot-wide pathway, they each took a step, sinking deeply in the snow, and then paused, trying to discern anything unusual. Step. Pause. Step. Pause. Step.
“It was probably a tree branch or a broken limb from a bush.” Worth pointed to several branches currently stabbing the roughened surface. “Broken from the icy weight and the snow.”
“Makes sense,” Darcy noted as he took another step.
“It seems our trail leads toward that copse of trees.” Stafford gestured as they approached dense woodlands.
No one spoke as they crossed the open area and entered the tree line. Even there they found the dense snow’s scratched surface. Then suddenly, it stopped—no more markings.“It is just some hedges and a boulder.”Worth looked back to see if they had made a wrong turn.
“There has to be something,” Darcy grumbled.“Keep your eyes open and watch where you step.”
Again, they moved carefully—looking for another trail—another clue. After several long, agonizing moments, Stafford called out, “Here!”
As quickly as the deep snow and strong wind would allow, Darcy and Worth joined the viscount. “What is it?” Worth asked as he knelt beside Stafford.
“Here,” he said and pointed to the upper branches of a bramble bush. “Threads. Probably from the maid’s dress.”
“And here.” Darcy said. He was kneeling close by, holding the lower branches of a Spanish oak. “See, Stafford, it is the same shape as we found on the tree by the cottages.”
Stafford’s mouth twisted in an all-knowing smile. “The square heel. When we find the man with the square-shaped heel, we will find your murderer, Darcy.”