“Why do I have to…”
A click finally caught their attention. They turned to see Elizabeth holding a pistol aimed at them. They stared at her in shock before Platt burst out laughing.
“Where did you get that? Come, give it over.”
Elizabeth aimed it at his head.
“Do not take another step toward either of us. Move to the back of the room.” When they hesitated, Elizabeth barked “Now!”
The men jumped and sidled to the back of the room, as far away from the door as they could get.
“Elizabeth, where did you get that?” Darcy whispered.
“Jameson was careless enough to leave it on the table. I had an idea it might come in useful at some point,” said Elizabeth through gritted teeth.
“Come now, you’re a lady. You do not have it in you to fire that thing,” said Smith in a cajoling tone.
“Oh, do I not? I was a lady, sir. Before I was kidnapped and held and married against my will and had to see my husband threatened to ensure my good behaviour. If I have to choose between your lives and being a prisoner again, do not make the mistake of thinking I will choose you.” Elizabeth’s tone was so sharp the men dropped their eyes. “Darcy,” she said.
Darcy moved closer to her. His eyes were wide with astonishment.
“I will leave you here to hold them while I go downstairs and fetch the rope they were so obliging to tell us they had,” she said. She handed Darcy the gun. She glanced back at the two highwaymen. “If they try anything, shoot them.”
In the faint flicker of the candlelight, Elizabeth could see the faces of the two men pale. The faces of the three men if she included Darcy. She smiled to herself as she hurried downstairs and found the rope on the table. When she returned with it, she held the gun on them while Darcy tied them to the bedpost.
“You cannot leave us here,” Platt protested. “It is freezing. We shall die.”
“You are beside one another. Keep each other warm,” said Elizabeth. She smiled. “Besides, you shall not be here for very long. We shall be sure to send someone to you as soon as we are in London.”
“I told you we should have gone to The Bell,” said Platt in a sullen tone.
“Not now, Platt,” snapped Smith.
Elizabeth and Darcy hurried out onto the freezing heath. Darcy shook his head as he stared at Elizabeth in astonishment.
“Out of all the things we have experienced over the past few weeks, this one astonishes me the most,” he said. “I did not know you had a gun on you. I felt something heavy in your pocket a few times, but I assumed it was some cherished possession you managed to hide from Shaw. I cannot believe you threatened those men. What would you have done if they did not listen to you? You would not have shot them?”
“Oh, wouldn’t I?” Elizabeth tried to look fierce, but she could not prevent herself from laughing. Darcy raised an eyebrow as she giggled. “To tell the truth, if they decided not to listen to me, there was precious little I could have done. The pistol is empty.” She opened it to show Darcy.
“I do not know whether I am alarmed at you for taking such a risk with an unloaded weapon, or relieved you were not about to soil your hands in murdering two such worthless wretches,” said Darcy. “But I will say I could not be happier that my wife is the bravest, fiercest and most accomplished woman I know.” He wrapped her in his arms.
“Accomplished?” said Elizabeth. She pressed her face against his chest. Her spirits still soared from their near adventure. “But I cannot draw, or net purses, or play the harp, or…”
Darcy was too busy kissing her for her to tease him any further. When he released her, he looked back at the house. There was a very faint lightening in the sky behind it. Darcy sighed.
“I suppose we had better put as much distance between them and us as we can in case they work themselves free,” he said.
Elizabeth’s smile was mischievous. “It is not as though it would do them much good if they did,” she said. She reached into her coat pockets and drew out two other weapons. “Jameson is not the only one to leave his pistol in careless places where anyone might take it.”
Chapter 30
Heads turned as Darcy and Elizabeth walked down the streets of Mayfair. A fashionably dressed man and woman stared at them aghast as they came towards them, taking in their ragged clothes and unruly hair. Darcy’s beard had grown out, making Elizabeth think he looked like a handsome pirate she’d seen in a book she had as a child. He looked rather disreputable, she thought proudly. No wonder the couple crossed the street, averting their eyes for fear of bringing these wild-looking interlopers on them. Darcy’s teeth flashed through his beard, and his eyes twinkled with amusement.
“Are you enjoying frightening these good people, sir?” asked Elizabeth with mock outrage.
“A little,” he said. His smile broadened. “Those two in particular. They are my neighbours and a more unpleasant, tiresome pair I have rarely beheld. They have a daughter that they… well, there is no need to get into all that,” he added as Elizabeth gave him an arch look.
“Perhaps you should speak to them,” she suggested. “Introduce them to the lady who has displaced their daughter.”
“The wild, fey thing I would take over Annabelle Dennings a thousand times and more,” said Darcy, raising her hand to his lips. “You look like a wood nymph.”
“You look like a pirate.”
“I do?” Darcy looked rather taken with the idea.
“Do not allow it to make you vain,” said Elizabeth. “In a little while, you will be shaven and dressed and horribly presentable again. I am not sure I shall be able to endure the sight or the smell of clean soap. You will be horrific to me.”
“Spare a thought for me who shall have to see you in a new dress with clean and brushed hair.” Darcy gave her a look of mock disgust, prompting Elizabeth to laugh.
“We shall have to learn to endure one another as best we can. It will be a hard road, but we shall manage.”
“We shall. A much harder road than the one we have just travelled, but we shall endure.”
“There’s my brave pirate.”
Darcy’s townhouse was a tall, handsome building overlooking Grosvenor Square. Though their humour had eased her spirits, Elizabeth felt nervous as she imagined entering such a place and being introduced as its future mistress when she was in such a state.
“Perhaps we should have gone to Gracechurch Street,” she said. “We might have caused less of a stir.”
In response, Darcy grasped her hand. He brought it to his lips again, then caressed it. “I can promise you my staff shall survive the sight of you as you are now. Though you are frightful, I think they shall take to you very well once they have stopped screaming. Besides, I think I look the far more terrifying of the two.”
“I cannot argue with that. They will think a werewolf has invaded their home.”
“Oh, is it a werewolf now? What happened to a pirate?”
“You are disintegrating by the minute,” said Elizabeth. She looked at the imposing house and sighed. “I suppose there is nothing for it.”
Darcy walked up to the house, still holding Elizabeth’s hand. “This should be interesting,” he murmured after he had knocked.
The door opened, and a man stared at them aghast.
“I beg your pardon. This is not — if you go around to the kitchen entrance, you shall find food here.”
“I am not looking for food,” said Darcy. “Well, I am, but that can wait. Is Georgiana home?”
The butler started and looked between Darcy and Elizabeth carefully.
“What do you want with Miss Darcy?” he asked. “Why do you refer to her by her name?” He looked at Darcy again and went still. “Do you have information about Mr Darcy?” he demanded suddenly. “Have you news of him?”
Darcy grinned. “I do.”
“You know where he is?” The butler’s face looked so achingly hopeful that Elizabeth nudged Darcy in the ribs. Darcy re
lented.
“I know I have changed, Jones, but surely not that much. Does my voice at least not ring any bells?”
Jones’s face blanched. He narrowed his eyes and looked as though he would like to shut the door in their faces.
“Is this a jest?” he asked. “If you have news of Mr Darcy, I ask that you give it to me at once. We are most anxious for him, and we do not have time for cruel games.”
“He is telling the truth,” said Elizabeth. Though she was worried he would shut them out, she found it hard to keep serious. “This is Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy.”
“Mr Darcy would never…”
“He would if he had just spent several days walking through woods and cold to get home,” said Darcy. “And we are not getting any less cold standing here. Come, Jones, do not allow your eyes to deceive you. I see your expression when I speak. You have worked for my family for thirty-five years, serving my father before me. You married Mrs Jennifer Jones when I was a small boy and gave me sugared biscuits from your wedding. You have two sons, Mark and Tom, who also work for me at Pemberley. Tom is gifted with horses and the finest driver I have ever known. How would I know all this if I am not who I say I am?”
“You might have gotten this information from…” began Jones, though there was a flicker of doubt in his eyes. He looked closer at Darcy.
“Perhaps he looks too humble,” said Elizabeth, glancing at Darcy with a mischievous smile. “Several nights of rough living will do that to a man. Show him your usual haughty demeanour. He will not mistake you for anyone else.”
“I would not have said I was haughty,” said Darcy a little indignantly.
“William? William?” The voice from the hall rose in volume, and a flurry of footsteps came towards them. Elizabeth had the brief impression of curling blonde hair before the owner sprung past Jones to fling herself in Darcy’s arms. She tightened her arms around his neck while he held her to him. After a long moment, he released her, but she flung herself at him again.
“William,” she cried. Her tears flowed. “I cannot believe it. You are alive. I was so afraid. You cannot imagine how much. I prayed every night, but there was never any news in the morning, and now, here you are and…” Her expression changed as her nose twitched. “Good lord,” she said. “You need a bath.”
“I do. But before we do that, may I introduce you to…” He glanced at Elizabeth. She shook her head and gave Georgiana a meaningful look. He nodded. “May I introduce you to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. She has travelled with me.”
“Miss Elizabeth Bennet.” Georgiana’s eyes widened. “Is that the lady you wrote and told me of in your letters?”
“The very one, though I never imagined the two of you meeting under such circumstances.”
Georgiana turned to Elizabeth and dropped a curtsey. Elizabeth responded though she flushed with embarrassment. She knew she must look and smell every bit as bad as Darcy. What a way for her to meet her future sister.
“I am so sorry, sir,” said Jones, his eyes wide with horror. “I did not know you. I thought it was some poor trick…”
“That is quite alright, Jones. You were doing your job. But now, may we come inside? I have half a forest on me, and Miss Bennet wears the other half. I think I speak for both of us when I say we are anxious to bathe.”
Chapter 31
A maid was summoned to take Elizabeth to a guest room. Darcy had quietly offered her the mistress suites. “They are yours now,” he murmured. Elizabeth refused. “I would rather be clean and presentable when I am introduced as your wife,” she said with a smile. “There is plenty of time for me to move to the mistress’s rooms after.”
“The rest of our lives,” said Darcy with a smile of contentment. Seeing that everyone else’s attention was elsewhere as they hurried about to prepare the house for the master’s return, he raised Elizabeth’s fingers to his lips. “I will miss you.”
“I will miss you too,” Elizabeth whispered. And it was true. Though she would only be apart from Darcy for a short while, she felt the separation like an ache. She felt a throb of anxiety as the maid led her away from him. She looked back at him one last time to see he still watched her with that smile over his face that made her heart skip. He winked at her, and she smiled as she left the room.
“I hope this is to your liking, Miss,” said the maid. “It is the finest guest room. Mr Darcy was most particular that you should have it.”
Elizabeth looked about at the cool shades of green and cream with a smile. To think she was surrounded by green once again.
“Thank you. It is beautiful.”
“I have ordered a bath for you, and Mr Darcy says I can choose some of Miss Darcy’s old dresses. No disrespect by that, Miss, it’s just that she is taller than you so her older dresses would fit you better.”
“That sounds wonderful.” Elizabeth tore her eyes away from admiring the plush, poster bed to see the maid still staring at her. She put a hand to her hair and winced as she felt a twig. “I know. I must look a fright.”
“Oh, it is not that,” said the maid hurriedly. “Beg your pardon. I meant no offence. I was only wondering — what happened? The master disappeared for weeks, and we all thought he was dead. Colonel Fitzwilliam has been out morning to night in search of information. Poor Miss Darcy has been inconsolable. We are all in shock.”
“I know,” said Elizabeth. “We have often thought of what our families and friends must have been going through in our absence. And I assure you we shall tell you everything later. But right now, I am rather tired. It is a long story and requires some rest before we share it.”
“Of course,” said the maid quickly. There was a knock on the door, and she went to open it. Elizabeth smiled when she saw the heavy bath carried in by two footmen. After weeks of washing in streams and from jugs when she was lucky, the idea of soaking in a hot bath felt exceedingly indulgent.
After Elizabeth had bathed and dressed in one of Georgiana’s old gowns, she lay back on the bed and stared at the canopy overhead. The maid told her dinner would be ready in a few hours, and she might join them or ask for dinner to be brought to her as per Darcy’s instructions. Elizabeth elected to join everyone. Though she might have liked a few hours of sleep, she was too eager to see Darcy again to tolerate a long separation. How strange it felt to be without him. He had been at her side constantly, and now she found it difficult to imagine anything else. She spread her fingers over the bed coverings where he might have slept if he were there. It felt peculiar to lie alone without him by her side. She missed the sound of his breathing and his warmth. The loss of their conversations as his voice dropped to a sleepy growl ached at her. Elizabeth could not imagine how she would sleep that night without him. The bed, already enormous, felt far too big. Exhausted as she was, she could not drop off to sleep.
She sat up and leaned back on her elbows. Perhaps a book might help. No doubt Darcy was fast asleep, so there was little point in going in search of him. But a book might help calm her mind and send her off to sleep. Darcy was a great reader. There was bound to be something about.
Elizabeth opened the door just as Darcy turned away from it. He turned back to face her, looking a little distracted. He relaxed with relief when he saw her. He was shaved and dressed, his dark hair still damp. He smiled at her.
“Are you well?”
“I am. Clean and smelling of human for the first time in days. Did you look for me?”
“No, I…” Darcy rubbed at his jaw and sighed. “Yes,” he admitted. “I thought to get some sleep before dinner, but I found I could not. I came here because — well — I did not think. I forgot there are certain rules we must abide by now. It cannot be as it was before, at least until we know where we stand, and…”
Elizabeth nodded gravely. She leaned against the doorframe with a sigh. “Yes, I suppose that is true. We shall have to become accustomed to sleeping without one another again. It would not be right for us to share a bed now we no longer have a reason.”
Darcy took a step towards her. “Yes. It is best if we proceed properly from now on.
“Absolutely for the best.”
Elizabeth smiled as she nestled into Darcy’s chest, feeling his arms around her. Though his breathing was steady, she knew the signs by now that he was awake.
“What time is it?” she asked sleepily as he caressed the curls away from her face.
“I forgot my watch,” said Darcy. “But we cannot have been asleep that long. It must be…”
A knock came on the door.
“Miss Elizabeth,” called the maid. Elizabeth and Darcy froze and looked at one another.
“Just a minute,” called Elizabeth. With a swift kiss, she disentangled herself from Darcy’s arms and climbed down from the bed. She turned back to kiss him again, then tried not to laugh. “What shall we do? If she catches us together…”
“Your reputation is ruined, and I am forced to marry you. What a horrendous outcome.”
Elizabeth made a face at him as he grinned, then pulled him from the bed as the maid knocked again.
“Miss Elizabeth, is everything well? You are not ill, are you?”
“Not at all,” Elizabeth called in a cheerful voice. She pushed Darcy toward the dressing screen then ran to the bed and sat on it, trying to look casual. She glanced toward the screen. She could see Darcy’s feet and the top of his head, but that part of the room was in shadow, and she could only hope the maid would not notice. “Come in.”
The maid bustled into the room, looking at Elizabeth in concern. Elizabeth waved a hand. “I am well. I am just — ah — a little irritable when I wake suddenly, so I wished for a moment alone.”
“My sister is just the same,” said the maid as she went to the closet to pull out a new dress. “My Da says she is like a ferocious beast. Heaven help the person who wakes her. We all draw straws and…”
Elizabeth nodded and smiled as the maid chattered. As the maid moved toward the screen, Elizabeth jumped up from the bed and cried out. The maid spun around and hurried toward her.
Follies and Vices Page 17