“And yet you felt no such tender concern for your sister when you seduced me!” Elizabeth placed her fists on her hip, glaring at Darcy. As she felt a laugh trembling on her lips, she had to drop her gaze.
“I am afraid, Darcy, you left us rather worse off than we found you. I lost my men and my goods, and Mrs Darcy is ruined and turned out by her family. They will not accept her. She will live and die in a brothel if she is lucky and your child will be forced into a similar line of work. I thought you considered yourself an honourable man.” A sly smile crossed Jerry’s face. “Or at least you are concerned with appearing as an honourable man.”
Darcy straightened, looking as proud and arrogant as he had when he first arrived in Hertfordshire. “I cannot feel too much remorse in your case. You abducted me and tried to blackmail my family if you recall. If your men deserted you afterwards, that is not my doing. Perhaps you are not a man who can command loyalty.”
That struck home. Jerry’s face tightened. “They did not abandon me. There was a fire not long after you left. Jameson perished in it.”
The colour drained from Darcy’s face. He glanced at Elizabeth, who nodded discreetly. Darcy swallowed.
“I am sorry to hear that. How did it happen that you escaped it and he did not? You were in the same room.”
“Jerry used him to help himself escape,” said Elizabeth with a look of disgust at the man in question.
“It is not my fault,” snapped Jerry as Darcy recoiled. “He should have roused himself faster and tried harder to climb.”
“I am sure that was hard to do with you on his back.”
Jerry glared at her. “It was your fault. You and Mr Darcy. You encouraged us to keep drinking, and then you both ran away and left us unconscious beside a candle. Anything might have happened, and it did!” His eyes narrowed. “I am sure you shall feel more responsibility when I tell you it is likely George Wickham also died in the fire. Was he not your boyhood friend?” He looked at Darcy, who dropped his eyes. “And was he not a favourite of yours once?” he demanded of Elizabeth.
Elizabeth and Darcy exchanged another glance. If the people Jerry knew believed Wickham had died in a fire, perhaps there was a chance for him after all? Elizabeth could only hope he was safe wherever he was.
“You demanded I pour you more wine,” said Elizabeth. “I did not empty it down your throat. And I certainly did not add laudanum to your cups. Do not blame me for your condition that night.”
Darcy shook his head. “I am sorry for Jameson, but you can see that it is your fault. I cannot find it in my heart to pity you.”
“And in Mrs Darcy’s case?”
Darcy hesitated. “We all know she is not Mrs Darcy.”
“But you agree you ruined her. You agree you turned her away and left her to carry your child alone.”
“All alone,” said Elizabeth with a tragic expression.
Darcy’s eyes narrowed. “I agree with nothing. No one knows what happened between Miss Bennet and I. And why are you so concerned with her welfare? What is it to you what I have done?”
Jerry’s smile was sly. “Because I think you need to reimburse us for the trouble you caused us. You will pay us both a handsome sum that will allow me to start somewhere new and will allow Mrs Darcy to do whatever she wants. Once we have the money, I do not care what happens to her and the child, but you will pay.”
“And why would I do that?”
“Because I have two things that would make it inconvenient for you if we released them. And I can promise you if you do not agree, we will release them.” Jerry’s grin widened. “Your marriage certificate…”
“You sent that to my uncle.”
“I had a second one made just in case your uncle lost it.”
Darcy’s face tightened. “And the other?”
“The ring you gave Mrs Darcy for her wedding ring. It will be easy for us to prove you married her. As her husband, you will be found to be the father of the child she carries. It will be very hard for you to make a fortunate alliance with such a shadow hanging over you.”
“No one would believe it. I am well known. No one would ever believe I married a woman like Miss Bennet.”
Jerry grinned. “They will. At least Mr Bingley will. You said he knows you proposed to Mrs Darcy at the ball. What will he think when Mrs Darcy turns up at his door, ruined and disgraced, with your marriage certificate and wedding ring in her hand and your child in her belly? Do you think he will not believe her? Do you think the servants in his house will not be listening when she tells him everything? Do you believe the news of what you have done will not be all over London in a matter of days?”
“Mr Bingley is a good man. He will not turn me away,” said Elizabeth. She sighed and placed a hand over her belly, leaning back as though she carried an enormous burden there. “As easy as he is, he will stand by and allow such a wrong to happen.”
Darcy swallowed and shifted nervously. He paced to the window and looked out. Jerry grinned at Elizabeth. Finally, Darcy turned to them again.
“Where are these possessions? The ring and the marriage certificate?”
Jerry laughed. “I do not have them with me. I am not that simple. No, they are in safekeeping. If you do not pay us the sum of ten thousand pounds, three of which will go to Mrs Darcy for the care of your brat, I shall go to Mr Bingley and then the papers with the story. How they will love gossip about you! The proud and proper Mr Darcy laid low! Mrs Darcy is a gentlewoman. Many people can vouch for her name and family. The shame alone will be enough to put a black mark against your name.”
He turned to Elizabeth and nodded at her smugly. Elizabeth glared at him indignantly.
“Why do I only get three thousand?” she demanded. “I have a child to support.”
Jerry glanced away with an indifferent shrug. “Three hundred, not three thousand. A year. It is all you require.”
“I never agreed to so little —“
“You never agreed to anything, and that is your mistake.” Elizabeth could see his arrogance growing by the moment. “Well, Mr Darcy? What do you say?”
Darcy played with a pen between his fingers, his face dark. “I can deny it. Say you forged the certificate and stole the ring.”
“But everyone will know you were taken with Mrs Darcy. I had not been in Kingston for half an hour when I heard someone mention it. She was at the ball at Netherfield Park. Your friend, Mr Bingley, will vouch for her. Society will wonder why you are not prepared to marry her even if you were not already engaged.”
Darcy folded his arms and said nothing. Jerry gave an exaggerated sigh.
“I suppose there is nothing to it then. We still have enough money to take us to Hertfordshire, don’t we, Mrs Darcy? It is time we revisited Netherfield Park. It will be nice to see it in daylight.”
Elizabeth still glared at him.
“Three hundred a year?” she said in an outraged tone. “You get everything, and even though you ruined me and I am left with child, I get almost nothing?”
“It will be less than that if you do not shut up,” said Jerry. “Well, Mr Darcy? Your servants, and I am sure, some neighbours, saw us enter here. Gossip will spread already. Are you going to pay us and save us the journey to Hertfordshire?”
“Three hundred is not enough for the necessities of life,” said Elizabeth indignantly. “You think that is all I deserve after all you put me through?”
Jerry rounded on her. Darcy started towards them, but Elizabeth stopped him with a look.
“I think you deserve nothing,” Jerry snapped. “Count yourself fortunate you are useful to me, or you would not have liked what you should have received from me instead. Once you have your first payment, the devil may take you and your child for all I care. I would advise you not to try my patience any further.”
Elizabeth folded her arms. “You know, I am growing a little tired of your threats. I have endured a constant stream of them for the past few weeks. I think I have had enough.” Sh
e turned to Darcy and smiled. “I think Mr Dawson has had enough, too. What do you think, Mr Darcy? Do you agree that I deserve nothing but a paltry sum a year?”
Darcy stretched and flashed Elizabeth a smile. He strolled over to her and wrapped his arm around her before Jerry’s astonished eyes. “I think you deserve far more than that. You deserve all I have and more.”
Jerry stared at them in amazement.
“What the devil is happening?” he demanded. “What are you doing?”
“Did you get all that, Mr Dawson,” Darcy called out, his arms still firmly locked about Elizabeth.
The study door opened and Dawson walked in with another man.
“We did. I must thank you both for everything. It was as good as a confession.”
Jerry stiffened, the colour draining from his face. He spun around like a cornered animal. He glanced toward the window and took a step in that direction.
“I would not recommend it, sir,” said Darcy. “You may try if you like, but we are quite high on this floor, and the railings outside are unforgiving.”
Jerry rounded again and swallowed. He threw Elizabeth a look of pure hatred.
“You tricked me,” he said.
“I did,” Elizabeth agreed pleasantly. “And you threatened me. I would say you deserve it. Oh, and Mr Dawson? You will find the marriage certificate and Mr Darcy’s ring in his waistcoat pocket. Jerry has no one else he can trust to leave them with.”
Dawson discovered the ring and the marriage certificate and handed them to Darcy. Jerry was led away, alternating between protesting that there had been a misunderstanding, to threatening Darcy and Elizabeth with revenge
“Keep speaking, Mr Shaw,” said Mr Dawson with grim satisfaction. “The more threats you make, the easier you will make matters for us.”
Jerry slumped into a sullen silence. He threw one last poisonous look at Darcy and Elizabeth then he disappeared from view.
As soon as they were gone, Elizabeth slipped out of Darcy’s arms to her room and did not emerge until she was clean. Darcy smiled when he saw her and wrapped his arms around her.
“I trust that is where it ends? I think I grew several decades older when I saw him take you into that place. There are no other thieves you intend to capture, are there? I do not think I could take the worry.”
Elizabeth tilted her head and pretended to think about it.
“I think that is enough for now. Perhaps there will be more at a later date, but I am happy to say we do not need to think about it for now. We are free to enjoy ourselves. At least until we face the most fearsome creature of them all.”
“Who are you talking about?” said Darcy.
Elizabeth’s smile was bright with mischief. “My mother, sir. We need to return to Longbourn and tell her we must marry at once. I am afraid her response may be your most trying challenge yet.
Chapter 42
Elizabeth slipped her hand inside Darcy’s as the carriage rolled down the lane towards Longbourn. If Aunt and Uncle Gardiner noticed, they did not remark on it. The previous few days had been painful for the young couple. Aunt and Uncle Gardiner had insisted Elizabeth come to stay with them while the status of her marriage to Darcy was uncertain. It had been trying for them to be apart after so long together. Aunt and Uncle Gardiner smiled indulgently when Darcy appeared in their parlour first thing every morning before breakfast and did not leave until late at night, but they were firm that, no matter how unconventional their courtship had been, matters should at least try to move forward respectably from now on.
But they were not unsympathetic to the young people’s plight, and there had been many occasions where they turned a blind eye to a touch, or a brush of the hand, or even on one occasion, a kiss when Aunt Gardiner backed out of the room and pretended she had seen nothing.
“Your parents and sisters will be thrilled to see you,” said Aunt Gardiner. “Your father will have missed you exceedingly.”
“Dear Father. I wonder how he has endured the previous few weeks. It cannot have been easy for him.”
“I assure you, I have never seen a man more distraught,” said Uncle Gardiner. “I thought if he found Wickham, he would call him out. We were worried about what he might do. I was relieved when I convinced him to return home and wait for news there.”
Elizabeth glanced at Darcy. He caressed her fingers with his thumb to reassure her.
“Think of his joy when he sees you. He will never have known happiness like it,” he said.
“Mr Darcy is correct. Bennet will be overjoyed.”
Overjoyed was putting it mildly. When the Gardiners wrote to tell them Elizabeth had returned, Mr Bennet had written at once to tell them he would come to London to see her. Knowing that would almost certainly mean Mrs Bennet and the younger daughters insisting on joining him, the Gardiners had persuaded him out of it, and they arranged to bring Elizabeth home earlier than they originally planned. Considering Elizabeth and Darcy were wild to marry with the comfort of knowing it was official this time, they eagerly accepted any plan that brought that day closer.
Mr Bennet’s eyes were red when he came forward to meet the carriage. When Elizabeth stepped out, he looked at her for a long moment, then pulled her into his arms and held her very close without speaking. Elizabeth felt a rush of emotion as he held her. Perhaps it had been wrong of her to wish to stay in London when her family must have suffered so much in her absence.
“Oh, let me hold her. I am the mother, you know. My feelings have been the most brutalised throughout this dreadful ordeal!”
Elizabeth winced as she heard her mother’s voice. She drew back from her father with a rueful smile. He touched her face for a moment before releasing her to her mother’s assault.
“Oh, you foolish girl. What were you about, allowing yourself to be kidnapped like that? Did you spare no thought for my nerves and what I might endure in your absence?” Mrs Bennet licked her thumb and wiped at an imaginary mark on Elizabeth’s cheek. She looked at her critically.
“I suppose you look rather well, considering. I was afraid you might have lost your beauty. You are miserably thin, but I am sure Mr Collins will not mind that.”
Elizabeth’s mind was too full to notice her mother’s words.
“Thank you, Mama,” she said. “Look, Aunt and Uncle came with me. Aunt brought the new fashion plates…”
Elizabeth did not need to say any more. The tender mother pushed her to one side to greet her sister and lay claim to the treats she had bought.
“Lizzy!” cried Lydia. She hauled herself into her sister’s arms. “We all thought you had run away with Wickham. I said it would be a fine joke if you returned months later with him as your husband and a baby in your arms. I should have died laughing. But Uncle says he kidnapped you. Is Uncle correct? I am sure he must be mad to say such a thing. Wickham would never do such a thing.”
“Good morning, Lydia,” said Elizabeth. She was already feeling exhausted. Perhaps the thieves had been easier to manage after all?
Kitty and Mary crowded around her and demanded details, but Elizabeth had seen Jane. She moved through her younger sisters to throw her arms around her.
“Thank god you have come back,” Jane whispered as she locked her arms around Elizabeth’s neck with an urgency that suggested she might never release her. “These few weeks have been the worst of my life. I knew you would never elope with Wickham so I was so afraid of what must have happened to you. Kidnapped! Oh, my poor, dear sister. I cannot bear thinking about it.”
Elizabeth hugged her tighter. “It was not all bad. I escaped, did I not? And here I am, safe and sound.” At the sound of a muffled sob, Elizabeth smiled and squeezed her sister playfully. “Please do not cry. I home now. All is well again.”
When Jane released her, Elizabeth looked around for Mr Darcy. She almost collided with Mr Collins, who stood directly behind her. She flinched at his closeness.
“Ah. Good morning, sir. I did not realise you would still be
here. Are you not required in your parish?”
Mr Collins drew himself up, bristling with self-importance. “I explained the situation to Lady Catherine. Of course, I would not leave my family at such an important time.”
“That is good of you,” said Elizabeth.
“It was an honour for me to offer such comfort that I could. And, naturally, I had my particular reason to wish to be here. Of course, I lent no credence to certain rumours…”
“You are all goodness, Mr Collins,” said Elizabeth. She glanced around him to look for Darcy. He stood to one side, looking slightly lost. Kitty and Lydia giggled as they looked at him. Elizabeth stepped around Mr Collins and hurried towards him with a smile.
“I am sorry this is so chaotic,” she said.
“I expected nothing else,” said Darcy. “They are excited to have you home.”
“And how did anyone abduct you, Mr Darcy?” Lydia demanded. “A powerful man like you must have made three of any other men. I am sure only Wickham could have bested you.”
Elizabeth winced.
“Lydia…”
Darcy looked over Elizabeth’s head as the servants spilt out of the house to greet their missing lady.
“They will all want you to themselves for a time. I cannot blame them. Would you mind if I made my way to Netherfield? Bingley will be eager to see me.”
“Of course,” said Elizabeth. She felt a pang of dismay at losing him again so soon, but she could not be selfish. Darcy also had people waiting for him so they could see for themselves he was safe. The day was still early. There was plenty of time for him to return later. “I will miss you,” she whispered. She was about to pull him around to the other side of the carriage for a swift goodbye kiss when someone behind them cleared their throat. Darcy’s eyes narrowed at the interruption. Elizabeth turned.
“Mr Collins,” she said. “I am sure you remember Mr Darcy?”
Mr Collins bowed low. “How could I forget such an illustrious gentleman; the nephew of my patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, no less. I assure you I have written to Lady Catherine at once to tell her of your fortunate recovery. She has been most anxious for you. I am sure no one feels more for their family than Lady Catherine. She is all benevolence, and…”
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