OUT OF THE BLUE CLEAR SKY: (A PRIDE AND PREJUDICE VARIATION)

by SANDRA P. HIGGINS

  Dear Cousin,

  I hope this letter finds you and Georgiana well and also your lady friend, Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Mr. Collins told us you and her are presently in a courtship and such news pleases me. As you might guess, my mother did not enjoy that news. Earlier I overheard Mr. Collins, telling mother that Mr. Wickham is on a ship bound for Australia, and he said that before the ship left, Mr. Wickham told others that mother had paid him to compromise your Miss Elizabeth. When I learned of this I argued with mother but she pushed me down and hit me in my head with her cane as I tried to get up. She kept screaming her crazy fantasy that you and I will marry, even as I told her differently.

  Mother also struck Mr. Collins and he ran back to the parsonage.

  I was alerted by a servant of mother’s scheme and another servant arranged for a friend to take me to town. I will send this letter from Cambridge and you should receive it soon. Mother will be furious with me for leaving but it cannot be helped. Please ensure your lady friend is protected and I hope to meet her soon but I will be staying at our uncle’s house. It is time that I finally assert my legal right to be the owner of Rosings and mother can stay in the Dowager House, if not in prison.

  Hope to see you and Miss Elizabeth and Georgiana soon.

  Your Cousin,

  Anne de Bough

  “Elizabeth, please read this letter and tell me your thoughts. I believe my cousin Anne is in much trouble.”

  He watched as she read and he could see she had a look of grave concern.

  “William, I am also concerned that your cousin may be in trouble. This is so much more important than the business of throwing your Aunt Catherine in jail with her parson.”

  “Yes, we simply cannot be certain that Anne is at my uncle’s home, and we know none of the particulars. I believe it is possible that Nellie may have a contact at Rosings. If Anne has not arrived at my uncle’s house she has likely been kidnapped. Nellie needs to be watched carefully.”

  “I also believe you or your uncle or Lady Catherine will soon receive a ransom letter. Your cousin’s letter seems to imply that everything is centered at your uncle’s home. If she has been kidnapped, then the kidnapper wants you all together.”

  “Lady Catherine would come to town as soon as she saw Anne was missing. She would also need my uncle’s help. Certainly Anne was in a hurry but we must leave soon. Aunt Catherine might already be there and soon others will be involved to help her discover where Anne is staying. She will be looking to bring Anne back to Rosings but if Anne is with my uncle, Lady Catherine will be removed as owner of Rosings and Anne will take possession as the lawful owner. Most likely she will allow her mother to live in the Dowager house, if she is not incarcerated for her crimes.”

  “I still have a bad feeling about this. If she is not at your uncle’s house we are looking at a kidnapping and that would be everyone’s worse nightmare. You already told me about Nellie. Of course Mr. Wickham got paid by your aunt but he may have planned the kidnapping all along. If that is true, others at Rosings are involved.”

  “Elizabeth, I do know most of my aunt’s servants dislike her but Anne is liked by everyone. We cannot solve this by speculating and I need to leave right away. My plan had been to first visit Rosings, but now I will go with Georgiana. Elizabeth, would you like to return with us? It will only be for a few days and you can meet my favourite relatives as well as my least favourite.”

  “I do wish to accompany you but I need to get my father’s approval. Please wait while I ask him?”

  She returned in less than five minutes and had her father’s approval so Darcy rode back to get Georgiana and from there they would return to Longbourn to pick up Elizabeth.

  * *

  In very little time the packing was done and the coach was readied. They stopped at Longbourn for Elizabeth and soon they waved goodbyes as Darcy’s coach pulled away.

  “You must think poorly of our family, Miss Elizabeth.”

  “I certainly do not think that way of Miss de Bourgh. She wanted to warn you of Mr. Wickham’s ill intentions.”

  “Yes, I understand that Anne is not responsible for her mother. It is mostly Lady Catherine that causes me to make such a comment.”

  The Darcy coach made good time and the roads were in good condition. Darcy’s plan was to stop first at his uncle’s house and speak with him. Immediately they were brought inside as Darcy introduced Elizabeth to his relatives.

  “Well, Miss Bennet, our son Richard only had good things to say about you and I can see that he was not exaggerating. Please excuse me but my nephew is signaling that he needs to speak with me so this must be very important. We will be back soon.”

  Darcy next walked off with his uncle as Elizabeth and Georgiana and Marilyn Fitzwilliam set in the parlor and talked about why they had come to town.

  “This is so shocking Miss Bennet but I am not surprised that Lady Catherine would stoop to such a level. I know my husband is talking about the same thing at this moment with our nephew and they are trying to decide what to do next. I fully expect Lady Catherine to arrive very soon and I just hope that Mr. Darcy is available to protect you from his foolish aunt. The woman is an embarrassment to all the family and now she will lose Rosings, and if Anne is kidnapped, her mother will be an emotional wreck.”

  In his uncle’s study Darcy told the full story and after that both men began to talk about a plan to apprehend those who are responsible and both wanted Colonel Fitzwilliam to assist in catching those responsible.

  “Your friend Miss Bennet is very wise, Darcy. Richard told us about her. She must be clever because he said she suggested that you go on the offensive in Meryton and expose Wickham for what he really is. Richard also said she mentioned that you might be in a position to use Nellie to help catch the others who are involved.”

  “All you say is true,” replied Darcy.

  “Darcy, I think for now it is best that you leave and go to Darcy House. I will have our house guarded to catch anyone dropping off a ransom note and you must speak with Mrs. Hughes to keep track of Nellie. If she is caught delivering a ransom letter we will be able to find Anne.”

  “I believe Miss Bennet is onto something. There was probably always going to be this kidnapping but now Lady Catherine will be toppled from her throne. Of course our main job is to locate Anne and ensure she is unharmed.”

  When they next joined the others Darcy said they would go to Darcy House but at the last moment Darcy suggested that Elizabeth stay there and pretend to be the daughter of a friend of his aunt. Elizabeth and the others agreed to this charade and were pleased such that her trunks were brought inside as Darcy and Georgiana left for Darcy House.

  * *

  Whilst Darcy and Georgiana were at Darcy House speaking with his housekeeper, Lady Catherine arrived and barged inside as though it was her home.

  “Well, John! My Anne has left Rosings and I thought she might have come here.”

  “Did she run away or has she been kidnapped?”

  “It is unlike her to leave without a word.”

  “Did you argue recently?”

  “No, she knows better than to argue with me. I am her benefactor. She currently could not manage Rosings without me.”

  “If she has been kidnapped you may never see her again, and if that happens I will see to it that you will lose Rosings, for your late husband has that written into his last will.”

  “Oh, Marilyn, my brother believes Anne has been kidnapped and he said he will put me out onto the street if anything bad happens to Anne.”

  “Sister, he is probably worried for Anne, but one cannot dismiss that as a possibility. If she has been kidnapped you may have to pay a ransom of thousands of pounds to free her. Just what kind of man would kidnap a defenseless woman?”

  “Yes, sister,” interrupted John Fitzwilliam. “Such a man might also be a rapist or a murderer or a man who would accept money to defile a young woman.”

  Lady Catherine immediately knew that
her brother knew she had hired Wickham to compromise Miss Elizabeth.

  “This is of no help, Marilyn. Brother, you must find Anne today, I insist.”

  The Earl of Matlock was irritated by the sudden arrival of his sister and her demands and chose to tell her.

  “Look sister, I do want to help you and so will Richard, but this is my house and you have no say here. Less you forgot and start to take charge, this is a warning not to try my patience. Your visit brings me no pleasure and if you try to bully your way around this house my servants will forcefully remove you.”

  “But where would I go?”

  Frustration and anger showed as John Fitzwilliam wished his sister was back in Rosings. He tightened his jaw and his fists and next took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

  “Quite frankly, I only care to find Anne. When did you notice she was gone?”

  “It was yesterday and Mrs. Jenkins was just returning from visiting her mother and she asked about Anne.”

  “Did she write you a letter?”

  “No, there was nothing and the servants knew nothing.”

  “And what of your man who drives you around in your carriage?”

  “He never left Rosings. He has recently been sick until this morning.”

  “Anne wrote to Mr. Darcy and said she was coming here and wrote that you hit her with your cane and you did the same to Mr. Collins. Why did you strike them?”

  “I did not hurt either person, but both defied me. Mr. Collins told me my investment in Mr. Wickham was stupid and next Anne accused me of paying for a man to compromise a young woman who had caught Darcy’s eye.”

  “Did you do that?”

  “No! Of course I did not do that.”

  “But you just brought up the name George Wickham. You are a poor liar, Catherine. First of all your clergyman is a loyal sycophant and he would never tell you that anything you said was stupid.”

  She tried to reply but others began to laugh. Lady Catherine next tried to change the subject and asked Marilyn who the other young woman is and why was she listening.

  Now Marilyn introduced her as Miss Diane Brinn and said she had agreed to let the young woman stay a few weeks whilst her parents, Lord and Lady Brinn were away in Ireland. Elizabeth curtseyed but Lady Catherine only nodded and turned away as Elizabeth acknowledged the great lady and said she was happy to meet her.

  “Catherine, let us get back to this business about Anne. Mr. Collins told others that you paid Wickham and Wickham admitted this before he left London for Australia.”

  “Are you crazy? I would never do such a thing. No, somebody has to look out for Anne. She is under my guidance and I will continue to run Rosings. Her running away only proves she is incapable of running Rosings. Darcy and Anne will marry soon and all will be well.”

  “But Catherine, the man himself will arrive here later and you can answer his questions but he presently is quite mad at you and is ready to turn over to a magistrate information to have you arrested.”

  “He will not get anywhere. I have already spoken with my lawyer.”

  “Sister, you should know that all your family is against you and that includes Anne and most of your servants.”

  “You have just admitted to paying a man to compromise an innocent young woman so that Darcy will marry your daughter. Any good prosecutor could win that case. Whether we find Anne or not, you will be tried for this and I hope you are found guilty.”

  When she finally left her brother’s study she entered the parlor and saw Darcy speaking with his other aunt. Darcy looked at Lady Catherine but did not say a word and finally Lady Catherine came up to him and asked him what he was going to do to find Anne.

  He then explained his plan to have the servants at Darcy House and his uncle’s house keep an eye out for anyone delivering a ransom letter. He also said that he had reason to believe who else might be involved but for now he needed to learn a little more before he made his move.

  “No, this will not do, you will find her now”

  His Uncle John had caught some of their conversation and approached his aunt. “I warned you Catherine and so I must act as I said. You can conduct your own search whilst we do our own. I have come to the conclusion that you are not any help but are a hindrance to our search for Anne and I will ask you to leave.”

  “But brother, I did not think you would abandon me. Certainly I can be of help and so I beg you to not throw me out. You watch, I will only speak when I am asked.”

  Darcy, did not believe his uncle would throw his sister out but he waited long enough to see his aunt began to cry as Marilyn came to comfort her.

  “Sister, you can stay here under those terms you just stated but you must abide.”

  Soon Darcy and his Uncle John and Lady Catherine went into the study and Colonel Fitzwilliam arrived after that and joined the others inside. Before that his mother had told him that Elizabeth was there under the name of Miss. Diane Brinn, who was staying a few weeks while her parents were in Ireland.

  Once they began to talk Darcy could see that his aunt was truthful and she confessed to hiring Wickham to compromise Elizabeth and also admitted to hitting Anne and Mr. Collins. Darcy’s lawyer and his investigator then arrived and joined the others in the study. Darcy knew for certain that Nellie was involved and back at Netherfield he had written his attorney to have her investigated. He felt certain that Mrs. Younge might also be involved and of course he already knew that Mr. Wickham was behind all of this. Darcy was certain this was confirmation of Elizabeth’s intuition that Wickham had been the mastermind of the kidnapping from the beginning. Now all of this seemed to make more sense. He now thought that Nellie’s sister Doris was involved in the kidnapping.

  Mrs. Younge had been tracked down to living in a poor area where she ran a boarding house just around the corner from her own. She still went by her late husband’s name but for many years had been in love with a much younger George Wickham. Darcy’s men had found the address and watched the comings and goings and Mrs. Younge told the men that she had just yesterday seen Nellie visit.

  Darcy asked his aunt if she had hired any new people recently and she said she had hired a new servant a year ago and her name was Doris. She also said that a few weeks before she hired Doris, she had replaced a driver after the previous driver had stolen her wine. After that the man returned to Liverpool. Lady Catherine said she did not think anyone from Rosings was involved but Darcy looked at Colonel Fitzwilliam as they rolled their eyes as if to conclude their aunt was clueless.

  Back at Darcy House, Mr. Johnson, the servant that Mrs. Hughes had asked to spy on Nellie, noticed the young woman had been busy in her room and he suspected that it may have had something to do with her writing a letter. When she left to return downstairs for her dinner the man was able to get inside her room where he saw some papers crumbled into balls and laying on the floor and he grabbed just one of them and it provided all the information that he knew Mr. Darcy would be looking for. He did not disturb the other papers nor did he leave any sign that anyone else had entered her room. Because his room was next to Nellie’s, he could easily hear her movements about her room and heard when she left her room. She went in the direction of the side door and unlocked it and left. Moments later he heard a pounding on the front door that woke up many and beside the door was the rock that was used to awaken everyone in Darcy House. Under the rock was a letter for Mr. Darcy. It was a ransom letter but Mrs. Hughes said nothing, though she read the ransom letter as soon as the others had returned to their rooms.

  Greetings, Mr. Darcy,

  Your cousin Anne is being held outside of town. She is holding up well but is nervous and has been unable to keep down the food we have given her. I never realized she was so sickly but nonetheless she should live for several more years. Of course that is up to you and others. One thing she does have in her favor are her long elegant fingers. Now it would be very poor of me if I did not tell you that she may lose some of her fingers unless your
family pays a ransom of twenty-thousand pounds.

  I do not presently have her and her fingers ready to give you but here is a small lock of her hair and the diamond pendant necklace that she was wearing when she came here. If you do not answer this letter before noon which is nine hours from now, the next letter will include her little finger from her right hand but along with her finger the ransom will increase another two-thousand pounds.

  You must deliver this ransom letter to the Earl of Matlock now. The signal that your family agrees to pay the ransom is that you will hang a white towel on the front door of both homes. I will be watching you, Mr. Darcy.

  It was deep into the middle of the night with Mrs. Hughes knocked on the door of Darcy’s Uncle Fitzwilliam. Darcy was the first person to see her and of course Richard and his father were behind him as he started to read the ransom letter out loud.

  After that Lady Catherine arrived and Darcy showed her the letter.

  She looked as if she was in shock, so Darcy spoke.

  “The kidnapper is asking for twenty-thousand pounds or he will start cutting off Anne’s fingers.”

  “Stop there, Fitzwilliam! We do not know that a woman is not behind this.”

  “That is true, but I believe otherwise. What is important is that the kidnappers have threatened to cut off one of Anne’s fingers for each day that you have not paid the full ransom. The ransom letter also tells that with each finger that is cut off the ransom will increase by two-thousand pounds, meaning a total cost of forty-thousand pounds if we do not agree to his demands. There is no other information from the ransom letter that allows us to identify where Anne is but the letter suggest she is being kept out of town. I believe the opposite to be true and that they do not want us to search in town.”

  Darcy wasted little time in questioning Mrs. Hughes who could not provide Darcy with information on the whereabouts of Nellie but then the woman gave him the draft of the earlier ransom letter that her spy Mr. Johnson had retrieved.

  “It is nearly the same letter. My God, Nellie wrote the ransom letter but where is she now?”

  Early that morning Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam went to visit the local magistrate who agreed to take two men with him to visit Mrs. Younge but when they arrived they were surprised how cooperative she was. They looked for Anne but she was not there nor was there any evidence that she had been there. Darcy next showed the woman the ransom letter and the crumbled draft of that letter.