“As for you, Miss Bennet, I have had enough of your company.” Thrusting the letter across the desk, she said, “Leave me.”
“As you wish.”
Ramsgate
Earlier in the Day
The de Bourgh Summer Cottage
William and Richard were no longer riding in the carriage but had forged ahead on horseback, along with several of their men. Arriving at the cottage, one could easily perceive that few servants were about. For all practical purposes, it looked as though the house had been shut up for the unforeseeable future. While William went into the house to look around and ask questions of the few remaining servants, Richard instructed his men to take care of the horses and made straight for the mews.
“You say Miss Darcy and her companions left early yesterday morning for an extended tour up the coast?”
“Yes, Colonel. Mrs. Younge insisted that the house be closed up and gave no indication as to when they would return.”
“And was George Wickham with the women?”
“Yes, sir.” The man rubbed his chin. “It looked to us like Miss Darcy was not well when they left since Mr. Wickham was holding her up as they walked to the carriage. We understood him to be a close relation.”
“Relation, my arse,” the colonel cursed under his breath. “Wait here. Mr. Darcy is in the house and I shall bring him directly. Meanwhile, give my man over there the description of the coach and the direction it took as best as you are able.”
“Yes, sir.”
Once inside, Richard called out, “Darcy, where the devil are you?”
“Up here,” he called out from one of the bedrooms on the second floor.
Taking the stairs two at a time, Richard was quick to join William. “Well?”
“Richard, there is no message to be found, no ransom, nothing! Not to mention all of Georgiana’s things are gone. According to the maid, she says a note was received from ME two days ago requesting that Georgiana’s music masterbe dismissed and that the house be shut up. Apparently, Mrs. Younge arranged everything.”
“I heard something similar from the worker in the mews. He says they left early yesterday. It seems Wickham must have had our girl drugged, since she could not walk on her own to the carriage. Although they are under the impression that Wickham is a close relation, you will need to pay some coin for their silence. Supposedly, the plan was to take an extended tour up the coast for the next week.”
“Over my dead body!”
“I left Bowden to get all of the particulars. We can send two of our men ahead to follow the trail and ask questions, but you do realise it shall be a tedious trip. Going up the coast is hardly a direct route to Gretna Green.”
“We will do what we must. I asked the maid to see what she could find in the kitchen for the men to eat. As soon as the carriage arrives, let us change out the horses and be on our way. Meanwhile, I should send an express back to Elizabeth and our aunt.”
As for Lady Catherine’s express rider, he did not arrive until well after William and the colonel had left the cottage. Needless to say, there was no sign of Mrs. Younge. Since the rider returned to Rosings Park with very little information, Her Ladyship was not satisfied in the least.
A Posting Inn
The Stables
“What do you mean it will be another two hours before the carriage is serviceable? We have been here since yesterday afternoon. A broken axle should not be that hard to repair and I am losing my patience.”
“Yes, but this carriage is not your standard size, and I have had to craft the part from scratch. Not to mention two of the spokes had to be replaced and I needed to make those as well.”
“Even so, any smithy worth his salt would have had this travesty fixed by now.” After cursing he continued, “Be quick about it. I shall be inside waiting!”
George Wickham was on edge. He had not been himself for the past year, maybe longer. His disease not only affected him physically, but his mind was not what it once was. He had become short-tempered and trusted no one. At times he had been unable to differentiate between what was real and what was not. Thus it was when Wickham re-entered the rented rooms at the inn, looking half wild with rage and muttering to himself.
“How much longer?” Mrs. Younge asked. “We cannot keep Miss Darcy drugged indefinitely. It is unhealthy. She is beginning to wake, and her maid insists that she must have something to eat and drink before we continue our journey.”
“Her maid?! Ha! We never should have brought that chit with us. I say we leave her behind and you can see to our dear girl yourself. All I care about is leaving this place before Darcy gets wind of the elopement and follows us with his annoying cousin. The repair has set us back, and once we leave here it will take us another five or six days to reach Gretna Green. I need to marry Georgiana and bed her if I am to thwart Darcy and collect her dowry.”
At that moment Georgiana had staggered through the door of the adjoining room, and overhearing the last of Wickham’s statements said, “Of what do you speak, Mr. Wickham? I never agreed to go to Gretna Green, and I refuse to marry you.”
