by Jennifer Joy
Colonel Forster acceded hesitantly. It struck Elizabeth that he did so more out of a desire to avoid another lengthy discourse, and she had to thank Mr. Collins’ convenient reverence to Lady Catherine, as well as his gratuitous use of words for it.
A knock on the door quieted the room. Lydia, no doubt hoping an officer had come to call, rearranged her skirts. Mrs. Forster, influenced by her guest, did the same.
“Mr. Tanner is here to see you, sir,” said the butler, with a stoic face.
Colonel Forster kept his calm, though it was clear to see the intrusion annoyed him. Bunching up his cheeks and sighing, he said, “Very well. See him in.”
Mr. Darcy remained standing by the fireplace. He and Mr. Tanner were of the same height and build, but the bitter scowl on Mr. Tanner’s face stood in stark contrast to the relaxed calm on Mr. Darcy’s.
“Come in, Mr. Tanner. How good of you to call. Please take a seat with us,” said Colonel Forster.
Mr. Tanner only sat when Colonel Forster insisted once again. Crossing his arms, he said, “With such goings on as I witnessed here, I took it upon myself to see if all is well in your household, Colonel.”
The colonel cleared his throat and pressed his chin down. “Yes, it has been an eventful morning for Mr. Darcy. So long as the truth comes to light, that is what concerns us.”
Narrowing his eyes at Mr. Darcy, Mr. Tanner said, “I saw Mr. Stallard leave here in a foul temper. I do not suppose you think he did it, do you?” He said it as if it were too far-fetched of an idea to consider.
“I made no such accusation. He did, however, attempt to blackmail me.”
Elizabeth, Mr. Collins, and the colonel gasped aloud.
Mr. Tanner was unconvinced. “You would slander him to make yourself appear innocent?” he accused.
“I am not accustomed to speaking falsehoods, Mr. Tanner. And do not malign the gentleman’s intelligence by asking if witnesses were present. He made certain we were alone. You will have to accept my word as truth.”
Mr. Tanner closed his mouth, his unuttered question answered.
Having recovered herself, Elizabeth said, “His attempt must have been unsuccessful.”
Mr. Darcy nodded.
Colonel Forster ran his hand over his face, massaging his temples. “And in my home, nonetheless. Mr. Darcy, I must apologize. I should have insisted on being present.”
“You could not very well have done so to the magistrate. Please do not trouble yourself, Colonel,” replied Mr. Darcy. “The details of his demand I will reserve only for you to hear as it concerns a third party I do not wish to involve unless it is necessary.”
He did not need to mention Miss Stallard for Elizabeth to suspect what Mr. Stallard was after. Her disgust rose to a new level, and with it, her concern for Mr. Darcy’s life intensified.
The colonel nodded in approval. “Very good.”
“And me? Am I not to be allowed to know all the facts pertaining to the murder?” asked Mr. Tanner bitterly. Really, his insistent badgering was getting tiresome. Elizabeth had never known him to act so spitefully. Unwavering, yes. But this belligerence was new and all the more annoying because it was undeserved.
Colonel Forster answered in a firm tone, “If it is necessary for you to know, I am certain Mr. Darcy will tell you himself.”
Mr. Darcy nodded, growing cooler to the extent Mr. Tanner grew agitated.
She needed to intercede before the purpose of their visit was lost. “If we may, we came to convey some recently learned information.”
Colonel Forster waved for her to continue.
Cutting to the chase, she said, “My aunt Philips’ maid told my aunt that Mr. Wickham courted Miss Stallard while she was at Ramsgate this past summer. The source being Miss Stallard’s lady’s maid, my aunt has no reason to doubt its veracity. While Miss Stallard’s maid did not admit as much, it was understood from their conversation that Miss Stallard had agreed to elope with Mr. Wickham.”
Mr. Darcy’s face lit with understanding. “That explains why he came to Meryton. He was not following me. That was an unhappy coincidence; nothing more. He came here for Miss Stallard.”
“Against her father’s wishes? What did he seek to accomplish with that?” asked Colonel Forster.
“Mr. Wickham was the sort of man to see opportunity in others’ weaknesses. If he felt he could extract money from Mr. Stallard by using his daughter against him, he would have delighted in doing so. He could have made Mr. Stallard so miserable, he would have eventually agreed to the match.”
“With her inheritance and large dowry,” said Elizabeth, shaking her head. She thought she understood Mr. Stallard’s motive in blackmailing Mr. Darcy. Naturally, he wanted to see his daughter marry to advantage, and he had a powerful lure to offer. Freedom. Life. A lure which Mr. Darcy had refused.
Elizabeth’s traitorous heart filled with elation. Her mind— which she trusted as being far more sane than her heart— told Elizabeth that his refusal of Miss Stallard did not in any way imply he held her in tender regard. Not that she wanted him to….
“It will be simple enough to confirm,” said Colonel Forster, once again tugging on his side whiskers, deep in thought.
Mr. Tanner offered, “I will do it. Mr. Stallard has business with his land steward which he expected would keep him busy well into the evening. The servants will not balk at me as they would to their betters. The coachman or the valet would know what happened. I will start there.”
“Thank you, Mr. Tanner,” said the colonel, coming out of his pensive fog. With alert eyes, he addressed Elizabeth, “Miss Elizabeth, I thank you for this information. However, I must beg you to involve yourself no further. If Mr. Stallard is indeed a participant, either willingly or unwillingly— I shall not judge until I know all of the facts— then you could be in as much danger as Mr. Darcy for what you have revealed to us today. If Mr. Stallard is as innocent as we presume Mr. Darcy to be, then your life is in greater danger still. It would take someone with a keen intellect to have us casting the blame where it is undeserved and providing evidence for it. An individual who would stoop to murder would hold no qualms about doing it again to keep his secret.”
His stern gaze locked on her, intent on receiving a guarantee she could not agree to give. While Mr. Darcy was the primary suspect, she could not rest until she found out who was responsible for Mr. Wickham’s death— or until she admitted to their compromise.
Mr. Darcy’s soft, pleading voice cut through her tenacious musings. “Miss Elizabeth, please consider. None of us could bear it were you to come to harm. You did well today, but that is where your good intentions must stop.”
The entreaty in his eyes nearly cracked her resolve. Almost.
“I will be careful—” she began. Her words choked her throat when Mr. Darcy glared at her. Was he angry? Why should he care what happened to her?
Looking at Mr. Tanner, Mr. Darcy asked, “Is she always this stubborn?”
Stunned at the question, just as she was, Mr. Tanner chuckled. “She is known for it.”
Elizabeth clamped her mouth shut, feeling the fumes of her blush radiate from her skin. If it were possible, she would breathe fire.
Rising with what pride she could muster, she said, “We have accomplished our purpose, and we have stayed longer than we ought.”
With a parting glare at Mr. Darcy and an added flare of the nostrils for Mr. Tanner, she waited for Mr. Collins and Lydia to join her. They did not delay, though they both stood at a cautious distance from her as they bid their farewells.
Mr. Tanner did not fear her. He moved to join them, offering his arm for her to take. She wanted to slap it away, but took it begrudgingly as they departed.
They had just got outside when Mr. Darcy’s manservant called after them. “Pardon me, Miss Elizabeth, but I believe you dropped this.” He held a piece of paper in his hand.
Too angry to question him, she took the paper and stuck it in her pocket. “Thank you,” she managed t
o mumble. She was angry with Mr. Darcy and Mr. Tanner, not the manservant. It would not do to take out her wrath on the poor man when he merely sought to be of service.
He turned toward the house and their small party continued toward the square.
“Well done for refusing Mr. Darcy’s advances,” said Mr. Tanner with a malicious grin.
“Advances?” He must have imbibed too much ale, she considered.
“It is obvious he admires you. I cannot fault him in his concern for your safety, but I have no doubt but that he does it for his own selfish reasons.”
Elizabeth dropped her hand and spun to face him, her breath bursting out in angry puffs in the cold air. “You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Mr. Tanner. You have earned the reputation of being honest and honorable in your dealings. You are well-liked in town, and the villagers respect you. Yet you have done nothing but add fuel to their prejudices against Mr. Darcy. If my life is in any danger, it is at your doing! Are you so blind to the facts you still insist on his guilt? You, sir, are the one motivated by a selfish desire to see the downfall of one born into privilege to satisfy your own warped thirst for revenge. Shame on you!”
Mr. Tanner’s smile disappeared, and his thick eyebrows knitted together at her rebuke. Softly, he said to Mr. Collins, “See that the ladies arrive home unharmed.”
With that, he turned his back to them and trudged across the square to his inn.
Chapter 20
"Colonel Forster, you must allow me some freedom."
The colonel gaped at him. "Mr. Darcy, I am being more lenient than I ought to be as it is. Do not forget that my position here is to maintain order and peace. If I were to allow you to roam freely when most of Meryton is convinced of your guilt, not only would I put my own position in jeopardy, but you would likely find yourself in a great deal of danger."
Darcy gritted his teeth. "No more so than I am in now. At least, on my own, I could defend myself."
"And risk another death or injury? No, Mr. Darcy," the colonel said, shaking his head firmly. "That I cannot allow. You are safe in my household, you may rest assured of that. I have men stationed by the front and back doors at all hours."
"I do not doubt your capability nor your good intention in extending your protection to me, but I feel like a man with his hands tied during a battle."
Miss Elizabeth had given no promises, and Darcy knew what that meant. How could he protect her if he could not move about freely?
Mrs. Forster moved closer to them, standing behind her husband’s chair and resting her small hand on his shoulder. "Surely, my dear, Mr. Darcy is to be trusted," she said, tracing the gold epaulet marking his rank. "Besides, I find all of this a tremendous bore. While Mr. Darcy remains here, my friends do not call, nor have we been invited to any dinner parties since the Netherfield Ball. I had hoped country life would be more agreeable and provide a nice respite for you, as well as some new acquaintances for me. Of what good is it for us to be here if we cannot socialize?"
He patted her hand. "My love, my first responsibility is to the good people of Meryton and its surrounding estates. Right now, the people are afraid, and if my regiment is not seen to act, they may revolt, causing more trouble to their otherwise peaceful home. I have seen it happen before.”
“That does not mean it will happen here,” she pouted.
“What of Mr. Darcy's life? I could not live with myself if he or anyone else whom it is in my power to protect were to come to harm," he added in exasperation.
"Can you not protect him, keep the villagers from causing chaos, and allow me to arrange for a little card party?" asked Mrs. Forster as she fiddled with his top button.
"I am sorry, dearest, but it cannot be helped at this moment." Colonel Forster patted her hand, giving a sense of finality to his statement.
"Oh, but surely it could not cause any harm to invite a few select friends. Did we not just entertain the Misses Bennet as well as Mr. Collins? And this just after receiving a call from Mr. Stallard," she persisted.
"Mr. Stallard's visit could hardly be described as a social call, dearest, and he did not come to see us, but rather Mr. Darcy," replied the colonel.
"And the Misses Bennet? I had a lovely chat with Miss Lydia. In fact, I want to ask you before I make mention of it to her and risk getting her hopes up…." She paused, petting his coat sleeve like she would a cat. "When we travel to Brighton, may she keep me company? You are so often busy, and sometimes I am rather lonely."
"Very well, it is an excellent idea," said the colonel with a large sigh and an even larger smile. He seemed pleased to have been able to acquiesce to at least one of the wishes of his young wife.
As they negotiated certain details of Mrs. Forster's plans to include Miss Lydia in their travels in the spring, Darcy considered the uneven match before him, and he wondered why a man such as Colonel Forster would consider marrying one so young and inexperienced.
While Darcy would not quite call her silly, she lacked a level of maturity the wife of a commanding officer would require. Her manners were friendly and inviting— qualities becoming in society, but perhaps not so welcome in a wife blessed with a handsome face and surrounded by hundreds of men much younger and handsomer than her husband.
Mrs. Forster left the room with a bounce in her step, and Darcy ventured she had achieved her purpose to some degree. She would not remain bored for long.
"Mr. Darcy, what was it you wanted to tell me about Mr. Stallard's attempted blackmail?" asked Colonel Forster, his eyes leaving the doorway his wife had just passed through to focus on Darcy.
“In exchange for my freedom and the disappearance of this macabre mess, he wants me to marry his daughter,” said Darcy tersely.
Flabbergasted, Colonel Forster massaged his temples. “I would not believe it if it did not come directly from you, Mr. Darcy. Did he give any indication that he possessed knowledge of the real culprit?"
"He did not. He based his confidence in securing a dismissal of the case against me on his influence over the villagers. He reasoned that they would not convict the man promised in marriage to the magistrate's own daughter."
Colonel Forster dropped his hands. "He does have a point there. Nobody would dare accuse you of murder if the magistrate approved the engagement of his daughter to you. It would show where he stood on the matter so well, nobody would challenge it." He narrowed his eyes at Darcy. "Are you considering his offer?" he asked.
Darcy's controlled manners prevented him from shaking his head vehemently. He took a calming breath, and said, "I cannot agree to a marriage founded on underhanded schemes. Not only would I be unhappy, but Miss Stallard's happiness would forever be denied her if we made such an arrangement."
"Mr. Stallard does not strike me as the sort of man to take kindly to refusal," said Colonel Forster, once again reaching for his whiskers.
"Which is why I dearly wish for some amount of freedom, Colonel. I do not know the extent of Mr. Stallard's involvement, but if what Miss Elizabeth repeated to us is true, then he had sufficient motive to wish Wickham dead. He also had the opportunity, having returned home early from the ball." He stopped, letting the new evidence make an impression on the colonel.
"If I allow you to leave, how do you know he will not take his revenge out on you because you refused his offer? If he is the murderer, what is to stop him? I can ensure you come to no harm here. I would have my men inform me when he called, and I would insist on being present. He would not dare refuse me in my own home."
"I thank you for your concern, Colonel. It is kind of you to value my life as much as I do. However, I am more concerned in clearing my name by discovering the true villain in this affair. And, you no doubt noticed another young lady's interest in this matter… Miss Elizabeth has no one to protect her, and I feel I must warn her to stop making inquiries— something I fear she will not do unless I am in a position to take over to her satisfaction."
Colonel Forster nodded gravely. "I have heard Miss Elizabeth
is inquisitive in nature. I do hope she has sense enough not to involve herself more than she already has."
It chafed against Darcy’s defenses to have the colonel imply that Miss Elizabeth lacked sense, but he did wish she would stop involving herself.
Darcy said, "It would not surprise me if she called on Miss Stallard to test the veracity of her aunt's story."
Miss Elizabeth had gumption, that was for certain. She would not back down until she heard some reasonable answers. He admired that about her— except where her safety was put in jeopardy. If she were to learn too much… if someone were to harm her…. A dose of panic coursed through his body, tying knots in his stomach until he felt light-headed and nauseated.
Colonel Forster looked at him with the perceptive eyes of a man accustomed to dealing with young men and their most common problem. Women.
"I have to wonder why Miss Elizabeth concerns herself. I understand it from Miss Bingley— you are a good friend of her brother and, until recently, a guest in the home she manages. But Miss Elizabeth is a new acquaintance, is she not?"
Darcy could have avoided the question. It was nothing which pertained to Colonel Forster to know anyhow. But more than anything, Darcy needed his freedom, and he would do nothing to ruin his prospect of it. "You said it yourself. Miss Elizabeth is inquisitive.”
Colonel Forster looked unconvinced.
Darcy continued, “I doubt her interest in this gruesome matter is based on any particular regard for me. It likely proceeds from the same ennui of which Mrs. Forster recently admitted to falling victim." The words which had formed so seamlessly in his mind nearly choked him on their pronunciation. Miss Elizabeth was nothing like Mrs. Forster.