He stared at her, his expression cruel and calculating, unnerving her, but she refused to show any reaction whatsoever. She occupied her mind by wondering instead if she and Lizzy had been missed yet. Most likely not, but she refused to be discouraged. The hour for luncheon was approaching, if it had not already arrived, and the alarm would be raised. Pierce knew they were walking together and she was sure they had been seen at one point by a least one gardener. Her ribbon would be found and then…and then what? Sheffield would not let her go without putting up a fight, would he?
She received an answer to her unspoken questions when she heard someone approaching–someone who was making no effort to do so quietly. Sheffield tensed, but Anne’s heart lifted.
“What the devil?” Sheffield peered through the doorway and an evil grin spread across his face. “Morning, Colonel. You should not have come, but I am very glad you did. You and I have unfinished business.”
“I am hardly likely to let you kidnap my cousin and do nothing about it.”
Anne wanted to cry with relief when the colonel peered past Sheffield’s shoulder to ensure she was unharmed. She had never been more pleased to see anyone in her life. She smiled at him and nodded once, which appeared to satisfy him.
“The way I see it, you’ll do nothing about it now ’cause you have to get past me to get to her, and I won’t let you catch me unawares a second time.”
“You are still on Pemberley land, Sheffield, and will not be allowed to leave it with Miss de Bourgh. If you try to harm her in any way then you will lose your only bargaining tool and swing for your crime.”
“It might almost be worth hurting her,” he snarled, “because I know you will be blamed for pulling her into your scheme.”
“I volunteered,” Anne said sweetly.
Sheffield turned to glance briefly at her. His eyes widened, and she took satisfaction from having shocked him. “You knew what they were doing?”
Anne shrugged. “The colonel would not do something like that without my permission. Unlike you, he is a gentleman.”
“So, Sheffield, what is it to be?”
Anne’s sight of the colonel was impaired by Sheffield’s body, but she was sure her rescuer had his hands behind his back, making some sort of signal with them. She understood the colonel’s plan now, or thought she did. He was taunting Sheffield into fighting with him, aware that Sheffield couldn’t fight and keep her from running. In his haste to abduct her, he had overlooked the very obvious need for rope to restrain her. Perhaps he was not so intelligent after all. What self-respecting kidnapper went about his business without a way to keep his captive subdued?
She would not like to see Colonel Fitzwilliam come to any harm if it came down to a fight of course, but she was fairly sure he would be able to overcome Sheffield. Sheffield clearly thought the same thing because instead of standing to face the colonel, he moved back into the hut, pulled Anne to her feet, and thrust her in front of him, a dagger at her throat.
“Very brave,” the colonel said in an indolent tone. “Hiding behind a lady’s petticoats.”
“A change of plan,” Sheffield replied. “Miss de Bourgh and I are leaving the estate, and if you attempt to prevent us then she will suffer the consequences.”
A crystalline stillness filled the hovel, broken only by the sound of Sheffield’s rapid breathing and the beating of Anne’s heart. She felt the cold steel of the dagger nicking the skin at her throat, sensed a wild desperation about Sheffield’s behaviour, and thought he might actually be sufficiently deranged to kill her. Truly afraid now, she implored the colonel with her eyes to do something to help her. She dare not move her head for fear of the dagger actually penetrating her skin. The colonel nodded just once and definitely made a signal behind his back this time. Now that she was standing in front of Sheffield she saw it quite plainly.
The next second a thunderous noise came from the back of the small hut. The crumbling wooden wall crashed in, and Pierce stood there, glowering at Sheffield, magnificent in his anger. Sheffield himself had turned to see what was happening, loosening his hold on Anne just enough for her to dip beneath his arms and flee straight into the colonel’s arms. He swept her from the ground, and they watched Pierce as he floored Sheffield with two massive punches, adding more damage to his nose and, unless Anne was mistaken, relieving him of several teeth.
“It’s all over,” the colonel said. “Are you all right?”
She nodded. “Yes, he didn’t actually hurt me, just scared me half to death.”
“That is as well for him,” Pierce said, taking her from the colonel and swinging her effortlessly into his arms. “Come along. I shall take you back to the house while the colonel deals with the mess here.”
Chapter Twenty
“Are you absolutely sure that you are both all right?” Will asked for the tenth time, sitting beside Lizzy in the small salon and holding her hand, mindless of the fact that Anne, Mr. Asquith and the colonel were also in the room. “You look fearsome pale.”
“Yes,” Lizzy replied. “Please stop fussing.”
“The doctor has been sent for,” Will said. “I want his reassurance. I do not trust you to tell me the truth.”
“I am so very sorry this happened,” the colonel said. “I underestimated Sheffield.”
“Well, he is locked safely away in the cellars for the time being,” Will replied, scowling, “until we decide what to do with him.”
Lizzy blinked. “Surely he must answer for his crimes?”
“Not if we wish to protect Anne’s reputation and keep this business secret from Lady Catherine,” Will said.
“Ah yes.” Lizzy nodded. “I had not considered that.”
“It is fortunate Mama is not here today,” Anne said. “I have a great curiosity to know where she has gone but would infinitely prefer her not to know what happened.”
“Then it is fortunate you found a reason to send Mr. Collins into Lambton,” Lizzy said to her husband. “He knew something was not quite right and I wouldn’t put it past him to listen at doors.”
“Especially if he thought he might overhear something to my detriment,” Mr. Asquith said. “And he would have done too. This is as much my fault as it is yours, Colonel. I ought to have taken better care of Miss de Bourgh.”
Unlike Will, Mr. Asquith was not actually free to touch his beloved, but that did not prevent him from fixing her with a look of such total adoration that no one in the room could have failed to interpret its true meaning.
“We should not waste time apportioning blame,” Will said. “Instead we must decide what to do about Sheffield.”
“He could be put on a ship back to Jamaica,” Anne suggested. “That is where he planned to go once he extracted money for my release.”
“We could,” Will agreed. “But that would hardly be punishment, and what is to stop him from returning to England and trying something even more desperate?”
“Surely he could be prosecuted for trying to steal Mrs. Sheffield’s estate,” Lizzy said. “That would not implicate anyone.”
“Yes, that might be the best thing to do,” Will agreed. “If he starts making accusations about Anne, no one will believe him because no one but those of us in this room knows about it. My servants will not say a word. You had best warn Mrs. Sheffield and obtain her agreement first, Fitzwilliam.”
The colonel nodded. “Very well. I shall speak to her this evening when they come to dinner.”
“What about Sheffield’s accomplice?” Lizzy pointed out. “Do we know who it was?”
“Oh yes, we had a frank discussion about that,” the colonel replied, flexing his grazed knuckles. Lizzy was sure there were fresh cuts on them. Asquith reflectively did something similar with his own fist and Lizzy noticed that his too was cut. “A groom was dismissed by your steward for pilfering, Darcy, and bears a grudge. Sheffield heard him grumbling about Pemberley while in the taproom and fell into conversation with him. Makes you wonder if he was planning so
mething along these lines even before you exposed him for a liar and a fraud. Anyway he knew where the man lived, looked him up as soon as he got back to Lambton. He only went five miles out of the village, by the way, had the coach stop on some pretence, and made his way directly back.”
“So he had been here longer than we realised,” Mr. Asquith remarked.
“Exactly.”
“What is this accomplice’s name?” Will asked. The colonel provided it. “Right, I shall make sure he says nothing about his part in all of this. It will be the worse for him if he does.”
“Good,” the colonel replied. “Then we are agreed on our course of action.”
Everyone confirmed that to be the case.
“We can now put the matter behind us and look forward to the play this evening, “Anne said.
“Are you sure you should participate, Anne?” Will asked. “You have had a considerable shock.”
“But am none the worse for the experience, and would not think of letting the others down. Besides, if I do not take my part we shall have to cancel and explain why. Mama would then know.”
“Well, if you are absolutely sure.”
“Perfectly so.”
Before the matter could be discussed further, the door opened and Lady Catherine sailed through it, an unknown gentleman beside her. Unknown to everyone in the room except Mr. Asquith, it appeared.
“Sir Marius,” he said, looking astounded.
***
So that is where Mama has been all day, Anne thought incredulously. She had received a reply to her letter to Sir Marius and had gone to meet him somewhere in private. How extraordinary. Mama looked different too. Animated, younger, less disapproving. Anne studied Sir Marius as she waited her turn to be introduced, intrigued by Pierce’s mentor. He was perhaps fifty years old, with thick grey hair and whiskers, a deeply tanned face etched with lines and a tall, upright stance. He must have once been very handsome. He was still elegant and commanded one’s attention.
She watched as he greeted Pierce by clasping his shoulder and shaking his hand for a prolonged time.
“It is a pleasure to see you again, my boy,” Sir Marius said.
“As it is you, sir. I trust I see you well.”
“Fit as a flea,” Sir Marius replied cheerfully.
Anne breathed an inaudible sigh of relief. Mama would have lost no time in confronting Sir Marius with the accusations Mr. Collins had brought to Pemberley. If there was any truth in them, Sir Marius and Pierce would not be on such congenial terms.
“Ah, so you are Miss de Bourgh,” Sir Marius said when Anne made her curtsey. “I have heard a great deal about you and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
When everyone was seated and refreshments had been served, it was Sir Marius who broke the silence.
“I dare say you all wonder what brought me here uninvited, and where Lady Catherine and I have been all day.”
“You are very welcome here, sir,” Lizzy said.
“Thank you, Mrs. Darcy. I would not have dreamed of intruding had I not received Lady Catherine’s letter. When I heard of the accusations my daughter levelled against Asquith, I knew a visit in person was necessary to set the record straight. I assume you all know of these accusations.”
Everyone nodded, probably feeling as uncomfortable as Anne felt about having the subject discussed so openly, but at the same time curious, or in Anne’s case anxious, to know the answer.
“I came to England because I plan to return here permanently. My wife died a year ago during some rioting by dissatisfied slaves from an adjoining plantation, so there’s nothing left in Jamaica for me.”
“I am sure we are all very sorry for your loss,” Mr. Darcy said.
“Thank you. I appreciate that.” Sir Marius rubbed the back of his neck. “Now, where was I? Ah yes, I was explaining about Jamaica. The place ain’t what it once was. I have seen the best of it, made my fortune, and want to end my days on British soil. All of my children are either married or at school over here. Miranda is the only one still living beneath my roof and there’s a reason for that.” This time he rubbed his bristled jaw and took a sip of his tea. Anne surmised that rubbing certain parts of his person was a nervous habit and wondered what it was he was about to reveal that so upset him. “She’s a charming chit, but not quite right in the head. We all knew it the moment she came into the world. Asquith here took especial care with her schooling, showing devilish patience because she was slow, you see. She mistook Asquith’s patience as something more and got quite fixated on him.”
“Ah,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said softly.
“Quite so,” Sir Marius replied. “That was one of the reasons why I suggested he return to England. I thought she would get over him soon enough. Her memory isn’t all that good, and she was bound to forget. But the moment we got here she found out where he was, waited until I was out of the way, and took off after him.” Sir Marius shook his head. “I never would have credited her with that much guile. Anyway, Asquith is blameless in the entire affair.”
“And yet you kept silent when accused in order to protect the lady’s reputation,” Lizzy said. “I applaud your conduct, Mr. Asquith.”
Pierce inclined his head. “Thank you. I am just grateful that Lady Catherine did not accept Mr. Collins’s account at face value.”
“I was acquainted with Sir Marius when I was a girl,” she replied. “I knew he would not recommend a man unworthy of his endorsement.”
“Well, Sir Marius, I do hope you will stay tonight and watch the play Mr. Asquith is putting on for our entertainment,” Mrs. Darcy said.
“Are you taking part in it, Miss de Bourgh?”
“Yes, sir, indeed I am.”
“Then I shall stay with pleasure. Thank you very much.” He turned towards Pierce. “Dolores, Daphne and…er–”
“That is the one, sir. I had no notice to prepare anything else.”
Sir Marius laughed. “Asquith wrote that himself. Don’t suppose he told you that.”
“No,” Anne replied. “He did not.”
“Wrote it and put it on in Jamaica with half my brood participating in it. Best entertainment we had in years.”
“Well then,” Mrs. Darcy replied. “Speaking personally, I now have an even greater desire to see it.”
Simpson was summoned to show Sir Marius to his chamber and Anne took the opportunity to escape to hers and rest before changing for dinner. She had had a very full day and it was far from over. She had no wish to see the doctor because there was absolutely nothing wrong with her, although she was very glad he had been called to attend Lizzy. She would never forgive herself if anything happened to the baby.
***
Joshua slid his arms into the coat Cox held out for him. He was nervous and on edge. The Briars and Celia would be arriving any moment. When the play was over he would be seated at table with her and knew it would be a living hell. He wanted her more than ever. The passion that burned inside of him each time he thought of her could not be suppressed, and so he must endure it with fortitude.
Celia was at her loveliest that evening. She wore a shimmering turquoise gown with delicate lace bows running from bosom to hem, its small capped sleeves trimmed with similar lace, drawing one’s attention to her fine figure. Her eyes sought out Joshua the moment she entered the drawing room and he was powerless to look away from her. She looked different somehow, almost carefree, as well she might. Her life was now hers to live as she saw fit.
There was no time for them to converse in private before they were ushered into the music room in preparation for the play. The gentlemen helped the ladies into chairs and took the ones behind them. Joshua did his damnedest not to sit behind Celia, but somehow that was how it turned out, and he was tortured by the sight of her lovely profile for the entire production. Her laughter rang in his ears, and every so often she looked back to share her pleasure with him. Ye gods, this was purgatory!
The play itself was light-hea
rted, funny in places and surprisingly well acted given the limited amount of time they had had to prepare. The girls threw themselves wholeheartedly into their parts and Captain Turner did not once stutter over his lines. The scenery the girls had agonised over appeared natural enough with the lights lowered, but even if it had not, no one was of a mind to criticise all the hard work that had kept the young people occupied for an entire week.
Joshua noticed Lady Catherine and Sir Marius sitting together, slightly apart from the rest of the audience. His aunt appeared to enjoy herself and actually laughed aloud in places. Joshua was astonished. He could not recall ever hearing her laughing aloud before. She considered such conduct unladylike. She had been heard to mutter disapproving comments all week about the play itself. Had anyone but Asquith suggested it, Joshua was sure Anne would not have been permitted to participate. He was filled with curiosity regarding her tolerance for Asquith, which obviously had something to do with Sir Marius. That gentleman certainly had a beneficial effect upon her temperament, and Joshua wondered about the nature of their previous acquaintance.
When the play came to an end, the applause was loud and prolonged. The players, flushed with success, mingled with the audience to accept individual congratulation—his cousin Anne included. He was probably not the only person to notice she never strayed far from Asquith’s side, or the long probing glances they shared.
Joshua had the pleasure of escorting Celia into dinner, which was a rowdy affair and presented no opportunity for them to speak in private. And speak in private they must since Joshua had been charged with securing her agreement to prosecute Sheffield.
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