“But, dearest, could you not have come to me? I could have arranged for you to stay with Lizzie at Rushmore Farm, as before.”
“And expose all the business with Hartley-Brown to the scrutiny of your family? I do not think so, Darcy. They may never have understood. Believe me, this was the best way. Besides, I needed to get away and think of a way to defeat them. It is not enough to hide from them, we have to fight them.”
“And how do we do that? These men are ruthless, Kathryn, and persistent as well, they will resort to anything,” he said, and he did not sound very confident at all.
But Kathryn was adamant, though Darcy could not yet see upon what foundation her determination was based.
“Indeed, and they are greedy as well. That is exactly their weakness—let me explain, and you will understand, I think. Mrs Ellis has some very useful information which, if judiciously used, can put them back where they belong very quickly.”
“In jail, I hope?” said Darcy quite viciously, and she laughed, a low merry laugh, for the first time in days, delighting him as he heard it.
“Not at first, perhaps, but yes, eventually when all the facts are known and they are brought to justice, Mrs Ellis is confident they will both be in deep trouble. You see, Darcy, not only is Hartley-Brown Lady Denny's lover, he is also purloining many valuable trinkets and silverware that lie around the rooms of Lindfield Towers and selling them through a well-known fence in London. And who do you suppose takes them to London and returns with the proceeds?”
“Not Bellamy?”
“The very same—he is his friend's bagman and partner in crime. Mrs Ellis has a long list of missing items, taken from the bedrooms and cabinets upstairs— snuff boxes, silver salvers, candlesticks, and hair brushes—all missing in the last year, during which time Hartley-Brown has been frequenting the house, often staying there for long periods when Lord Denny was from home.”
“And Mrs Ellis is prepared to expose him?”
“She is, and that is how they can be foiled. We have to get a message to the chief constable and also send a letter enclosing Mrs Ellis' list to Lord Denny, who is currently in Scotland. Mrs Ellis, with our help, will do this. Lord Denny trusts her implicitly—she has served his family for almost thirty years. Indeed, he does not know that she has left Lindfield, nor the reason for her departure. When he learns the truth, he will not be best pleased.”
Darcy agreed that this was certainly a good scheme and would, if it were successfully carried through, help put the pair in jail or have them transported to the colonies for a considerable period. But before he would proceed with it, there was something he insisted upon; Kathryn had to return to Derbyshire, with him.
He put his case with strength and conviction, “Dearest Kathryn, it is of no use for you to stay here, for the longer you stay away, the worse it will get. People will begin to ask where you are and why you have gone away, and very soon the entire county will be gossiping about you. I urge you instead to return with me,” he pleaded. “If Mrs Ellis will be so good as to accompany you, it will be perfectly proper for you to travel with us, when we return tomorrow,” he argued.
Seeing some doubt in her eyes, he went on, “We could go directly to Colley Dale and put your parents' minds at rest.
“I know your mother is exceedingly anxious, no doubt your father is too, and Elena was in tears when I saw her last. You owe it to them to let them see you are safe and well.”
This argument seemed to convince Kathryn, and Darcy continued, more certain now of her agreement.
“Once you are safely home, I shall proceed to Rushmore Farm and ask my brother-in-law to alert his contacts in the constabulary and have Bellamy apprehended. With him in custody and Mrs Ellis' evidence, they will probably get Hartley-Brown as well. They can both be brought to book and will trouble us no longer,” he said, and though Kathryn still seemed doubtful, she had to agree that she had no better plan.
Mrs Ellis came downstairs to ask if the gentlemen would stay to supper.
Her son was not back from the market at Pickering, she said, and if they could wait, he could take them back to the inn by the main road on his cart. But Darcy and Watson declined, saying they had to be back at the inn before nightfall. However, they promised to return very early on the morrow, having persuaded Mrs Ellis to accompany them, and arranged that they would be ready to leave for Derbyshire.
Back at the inn, Darcy was weary. It had been an excessively long day.
But before retiring for the night, he revealed to Watson some of the information he had gained from Kathryn. Watson was quite hopeful that with the evidence of Mrs Ellis, both Bellamy and Hartley-Brown could be arrested, but warned that they were both “toffs” and likely to use every possible advantage at their disposal to evade punishment.
“They will deny everything and lay the blame upon one of their servants,” he said, and sadly, Darcy knew this to be true.
Too often had he seen cases in which the rich and infamous got away with far more heinous crimes than the indigent or the petty thief, who was inevitably less likely to be believed.
“If Mrs Ellis is supported in her story by Lord Denny or one of his men, then justice might be done!” said Watson, and Darcy was inclined to agree.
“Unless, of course, they are caught red-handed!”
At which both men laughed, knowing that was not very likely.
Darcy slept well that night, despite the fact that his bed was hard and the blankets rougher than he was accustomed to. Tiredness and relief worked together to induce a deeper sleep than any pill or potion.
He was awakened shortly before dawn by the sounds of early preparations in the yard below. Watson had already gone downstairs and procured a tray with tea and breakfast for Darcy, which arrived as he was shaving.
He opened the windows to a morning that was fresh and air that was cool and bracing. A veil of mist clothed the ridges of the distant hills, and damp grayish lumps of it lay all over the moorland.
But the sky was clear and presaged a fine day to follow.
Darcy hastened to finish his meal and went downstairs to find Watson waiting for him, eager to get started on the business of the day. They set off at once for Mrs Ellis' cottage, where both women were ready and waiting. Kathryn was impeccably attired in a sober travelling gown, and Mrs Ellis looked a most respectable chaperone indeed.
This time they took a larger hired vehicle, which the landlord had procured for them, and made the journey in half the time. Taking the train to Sheffield, they travelled in comfort, since there were very few other passengers in their first-class compartment.
Kathryn took the opportunity afforded her by their proximity, as well as the discretion of Mr Watson and Mrs Ellis, who allowed them as much privacy as was possible, to reassure Darcy of her feelings and apologise for the haste with which she had left Derbyshire, while he, as lovers often do, resisted the temptation to reproach her in any way for what had occurred, choosing instead, to lay the blame upon the villains, of whose culpability he had no doubt and vowing that they would be brought to justice.
In so doing, they avoided any recriminations and swiftly restored the trust that had been such an important part of their association. Throughout their journey, though they conducted themselves with perfect decorum, their affection for one another and their relief to be together again were plain to both their companions, who, sympathising with their predicament, left them mostly alone
By the time they were at the end of their journey, there were no further issues of contention between them. Mrs Ellis, who had seen and heard the sadness and sighs of Miss O'Hare during the past week, saw with pleasure the return of her good spirits. Watson, on the other hand, was simply content that the mission on which Mr Carr had sent him had been successfully accomplished, with hardly any aggravation at all. He hoped his master would be well pleased.
Hiring a vehicle at the station, they directed the driver to Colley Dale. It was late evening and they had expected the ho
use to be quiet, but to their amazement, they found it all lit up, with two members of the local constabulary in the hall, while Mrs O'Hare, attended by her maid, wept in the parlour. Seeing signs of confusion and alarm, Kathryn rushed indoors to her mother, believing it was all on her account. She was mistaken.
To her horror she discovered that the news was much worse than she had imagined. Elena, her young sister, was missing!
Hearing her exclamations of fear and dismay, Mrs Ellis and Darcy had followed her into the house and found Mrs O'Hare weeping, as she told how her younger daughter had set off as usual for the local library at Kympton, and when, after several hours, she had not returned, her father had insisted on sending for the police.
Meanwhile the servants had searched the surrounding area and sent a party as far as Kympton and back, but to no avail. No one had seen her.
Elena had disappeared without trace.
Darcy could think of no rational explanation.
The O'Hares, who lived soberly and quietly, were well respected in the area, and Elena was a popular young lady, whose love of reading and regular attendance at the local church and library was well known. How was it possible for her to have disappeared in an area with which she was so familiar? What could possibly have happened?
Darcy was completely mystified.
Though he was loathe to leave Kathryn, he decided that the only sensible thing he could do was to go to Rushmore with Watson and consult Mr Carr. Making his excuses to the O'Hares and assuring Kathryn he would do everything in his power to find her sister, he returned to the vehicle, and leaving the kindly Mrs Ellis to assist the family, they made with speed for Rushmore Farm.
There, a strange scene met their astonished eyes.
In the main yard, to the left of the house, stood a police wagon and several members of the local constabulary, who appeared to be guarding two men. One was a rough-looking young man in country clothes who had been handcuffed and was being guarded by a policeman with a vicious-looking dog on a lead. The other, standing at some distance from the first, was well attired in the best city style, yet he too was being restrained and guarded, though without the aid of a dog, by an officer carrying a heavy truncheon.
Neither Darcy nor Watson knew who the men were.
As they alighted and went indoors, they were greeted in the hall by Mr Carr, whose first question concerned Kathryn.
“Have you found Kathryn? Is she safe?” he asked.
Darcy greeted his friend warmly, assuring him that indeed they had found Miss O'Hare and brought her home with them.
“She is quite safe, but presently very anxious about her sister Elena, who has unaccountably disappeared! Michael, please tell me, what on earth is afoot here? Who are those men, and what is half the constabulary of Derbyshire doing in your yard?”
Mr Carr laughed and then hastened to explain.
“That at least I can explain—but before I do, let me go to Lizzie and tell her that Kathryn is safe at home in Colley Dale. Her sister Elena will be greatly relieved to hear it, too.”
Darcy frowned, confusion now worse confounded.
“Did you say Elena? What is she doing here? We have just come from Colley Dale, where her poor mother is well nigh demented with fear, because Elena has not been back from Kympton and Mr O'Hare has called in the police. How is she here?”
“That,” said Mr Carr, “is a long story, but I must tell Lizzie and Elena the good news first.”
He ran briskly up the stairs and was gone but a few minutes, during which Darcy went out again to take another look at the two men. He had never seen them in his life before, but something like recognition moved in his mind as he looked at the man who now stood in the shadows, sullen and silent, beside his guard. There was something about him that led Darcy to believe that this was Mr Bellamy, who'd come from Lindfield to do his friend's bidding and take Kathryn back with him.
He went back indoors just as Mr Carr came downstairs.
“Michael, there is something I must know. Do those two men out there have anything to do with Elena's disappearance?”
“Indeed they do—or should I say they would have done, had not their plans gone badly awry. Darcy, do sit down and let me get you a drink while I explain; you are plainly exhausted from your journey.”
Darcy admitted that he was and did as his brother-in-law suggested.
“Well?” he prompted, and his friend detailed a most extraordinary tale.
“Those two men are Bellamy, friend of Mr Hartley-Brown, and his accessory, Hodges, a petty thief from Bakewell, only recently returned from the penal colony of Van Dieman's Land. They attempted this afternoon to abduct Miss Elena O'Hare as she was arriving at Rushmore Farm.”
“What? Abduct Elena?” Darcy was so shocked, he could not say another word until he had heard more of Mr Carr's explanation.
“Exactly,” said Mr Carr, continuing his story. “The man Bellamy is a fool. He had obviously been sent here by Hartley-Brown to persuade Miss Kathryn O'Hare, by whatever means, to leave her home and return to Lindfield. However, it transpires that Bellamy, when he failed to find the elder sister, because she had already left for Yorkshire, decided on an impulse to take the younger one instead.”
“Good God!” Darcy exclaimed, so astounded, he could scarce believe a word of what he was hearing, yet Mr Carr was quite serious.
“He had stalked Elena for two days, presumably hoping to catch her alone and unattended and then to abduct her. Perhaps he intended to take her to Lindfield and use her to blackmail Kathryn into following them there herself. Who knows what vile plans he may have had—the police are yet to question him; when they do, we shall know more.”
“The villain!” Darcy exclaimed, then asked, “How was he foiled?”
“Well, as I promised you I would, I had Bellamy watched and followed every time he left the inn,” Mr Carr explained, enjoying the telling of it.
“The landlord has been most helpful; each time he went walking or hired a gig or a pony cart, we had him in our sights.
“When Elena, unaware of the threat posed by Bellamy to herself and her sister, decided on her way home from Kympton to call on Lizzie and ask if there was any news of Kathryn, she quite unwittingly set a trap for him, making herself the bait.”
As Darcy listened, speechless, Carr explained how Bellamy, having hired the man Hodges from Bakewell to drive a small closed vehicle, had followed Elena at some distance as she walked home from Kympton; then when she turned off the main road into the private lane leading to Rushmore Farm, he had closed in upon her, leapt out, and attempted to seize her and force her into the vehicle.
“Needless to say, she struggled and screamed in terror, alerting two of our workmen and bringing my man, who had been following Bellamy on horseback at a discreet distance, to her assistance at once. Bellamy alone was no match for all of them, and they soon had him overpowered and bound—an indignity he resented very much and complained of quite loudly, I have to say,” said Carr laughing as he recalled Bellamy's indignant protests at his mistreatment.
“He tried to make out that Elena had stolen his watch, when he laid it on the counter in the library, where he had followed her that afternoon. A likely story indeed! Well, he was taken into a barn, restrained, and held there, until the police were fetched. I must say his partner in crime was far more forthcoming and willing to tell all. As you saw, they are now in police custody and will presently be taken to Matlock, to be produced before the magistrate and charged.”
“And Elena? Is she well?” asked Darcy anxiously.
“Well enough, though she was very frightened—almost hysterical, the poor girl. She must have been startled out of her wits. But she has suffered no injuries; indeed, she inflicted some upon Bellamy, I believe, when she struggled with him—his face and hands are deeply scratched. She has been with Lizzie since and is much better for knowing that Kathryn is safe.
“Now, Darcy, you must go to her and reassure her that her sister is well and b
ack at home. It has been her constant anxiety all week, she says.”
“I can well believe it.” said Darcy, “I have had not an hour's peace of mind since I learned she had gone. Thank God, and you, Michael, for your help, else I never would have found her. Watson was excellent. I am completely unfamiliar with Yorkshire, but I did not have to worry about anything at all. He is a treasure.”
“He certainly is that and very discreet, too,” Mr Carr agreed as Darcy went upstairs to Elena and Lizzie.
In the yard, the police officers were preparing to take their prisoners away to be held in confinement and produced before the magistrate. They would take statements from Miss O'Hare and Mrs Ellis on the morrow, they said.
A short while later, Darcy came downstairs with Elena, who, even though she had recovered from the shock of her ordeal, was still pale and shaking.
“May I use your carriage to take Elena home to her family? They will be relieved to see she is well,” Darcy asked.
Mr Carr smiled, “They will indeed. I have already sent word that she is here with Lizzie, so they will know she is safe, but I have said nothing of her terrible experience. I thought it best to let Elena tell her sister first and decide together how much they will reveal to her parents. There was nothing to be gained by alarming them, now the man Bellamy is locked up. You can certainly use my carriage, and you may return to Pemberley in it afterwards. I must be in Matlock about mid morning to make my statement to the magistrate.”
Darcy thanked his brother-in-law again for his discretion as well as his help in saving Elena from a dreadful fate. He shuddered at the very thought of what might have been. The man Bellamy must have taken leave of his senses to have attempted such a crass outrage!
Darcy did not wish to think further about the consequences that would flow from the strange events of this day. He was glad it was finally over and both Kathryn and her young sister were safely back at home.
Postscript from Pemberley Page 25