“What is the meaning of this?” Elizabeth demanded, shielding Anna from the men.
“The meaning, my dear?” Wickham laughed. “The meaning is Colonel Fitzwilliam and his men are getting far too close for my liking. My initial plan was to move you at dusk. I have since changed my mind, however, and deem that now is the perfect time for us to depart.”
“Surely you do not mean to take us in these crates. It is inhumane!”
“Inhumane, but convenient, and you shall be none the wiser once the two of you drink this elixir.”
“And just where do you intend to take us?”
“The less said the better, my dear. Let us just say somewhere where your husband and the good colonel cannot so easily find you until I am paid in full.”
“Mama,” Anna began to whimper as one of the men moved towards her, reaching for her arm.
“Stay away from my daughter; you will NOT touch her!” She swatted at the man, who in turn forcibly grabbed Elizabeth’s hand and twisted it, causing her to wince under the pain and Anna to cry out in alarm.
“Now, now, Mrs. Darcy,” chided Wickham, waving off his man. “As soon as the two of you drink from this bottle, weshall pack you up and be on our way. Our ship leaves later tonight, and I will not have you spoil my plans.Est-ce que vous comprenez?”
“Your ship?! Are you mad? Of course I understand! Surely you do not intend to take us to France, and in these crates of all things? We are at war!”
“True, some of us ARE at war. Still, there are many who are in the profession of smuggling so we need not worry. Now, you and the child drink this, or I shall force it down your pretty throats.”
Wickham handed Elizabeth the bottle. Removing the stopper, she took a whiff of the contents and exclaimed, “This is laudanum! My daughter shall not drink this vile stuff! Too much and it might kill her.” With that she threw the bottle to the floor where it immediately shattered.
“What have you done?!” Wickham shouted, pushing Elizabeth into the wall, causing Anna to scream and cling tightly to her mother’s side. Wickham pulled his knife from his boot. “I have killed others with this weapon, and if you do not behave, Mrs. Darcy, I shall be forced to use it on you and this child.” He pointed the sharp edge at Elizabeth’s neck and his expression grew wild when he scraped it along her skin and drew blood. “As you see, I am not averse to using this weapon.” Then pointing it at Anna he said, “It is a sweet face, is it not? Tell me, how would you like to see her scarred for life? I doubt her father would.”
“No, please, please, I promise you we shall cooperate. Only please, I beg of you, do not separate us. It will be much easier for me to keep her quiet if we are together.”
“That is more like it.” Wickham laughed as he returned the knife to his boot and said to his men, “Since we have no more laudanum, bind and gag them. Use the sheets from the bed. Put them in the larger crate and load it onto the wagon behind the house. The two of you will act as though nothing is amiss.Since it is loaded with refuse, pretend as though you are going to dispose of the waste. After you leave, take the crate to the docks and meet me at the storage shed near The Rotterdam. I have a few things to take care of once I leave here, but expect to be there no later than eight o’clock. Mind you, my ship sets sails shortly after midnight, and I intend to be aboard with my wife and daughter well before that time if you want to be paid.”
Elizabeth eyes went wild at this statement. If the men had not already gagged and bound her, she would not have held back her retort.
“Can you imagine what Darcy will say, my dear, when I take you as my own and return you to him with the French disease?” Wickham laughed out loud. “Now that will be a good joke! Not to mention the colonel and his men will have a merry chase of it when they see my decoys leave this place at dusk.”
Pressed against the wall outside of the room, Jenny could not believe what she was hearing. She had to get word to Mr. Darcy at all cost or his wife and child would be lost. Tip-toeing away from the room and towards the stairwell, she quickly disposed of the things she was carrying and descended the three flights as fast as she could. Leaving by a side entrance, she began running for Cheapside and did not look back.
It was almost six o’clock by the time Jenny arrived at 6 Gracechurch Street. A light rain had started not long after she left the boarding house, making her run more difficult. Out of breath and knocking frantically on the door, she nearly collided with Daniels when he answered.
“Mr. Gardiner, Mr. Gardiner, please, there be no time to lose. Mr. George be takin’ Mrs. Darcy and the little one to the wharf!”
Mrs. Gardiner was in the parlour and heard the commotion. As soon as she learned what Jenny had said, she instructed Daniels to make haste and take Jenny directly to her husband’s warehouse. Mr. Gardiner had sent word that the men would allbe there by now. Since there was no time to send for a carriage, she anxiously watched Daniels and Jenny run down the street, around the corner and out of sight.
It was half an hour later when Daniels and Jenny arrived at the warehouse, weary and completely out of breath. Once Jenny’s information was imparted, arrangements were made to take the girl home, and Richard sent one of his men to alert the Wharf police and another to recall most of those who were at the boarding house. Everyone else rushed ahead to the area where The Rotterdam was docked, taking cover in anticipation of what was to come. In Richard’s estimation, unless Wickham had a substantial force of men stationed there, he should have no problem executing his plans.
Wapping
The Wharf
Unknown to William’s rescue party, Wickham had again changed the meeting place where he was to retrieve Elizabeth and Anna. Instead of meeting close to the ship, at the last minute he had instructed his men to wait several blocks away from the dock at an abandoned shack. There, Wickham and his two men would disguise themselves as dock workers and Elizabeth as a cabin boy. With her hair braided and tucked in a cap, a little dirt on her face and a bandana around her neck, no one would be the wiser. Anna, being so little, was bundled up into a small storage trunk made of waxed canvas and wood and bound with three leather straps to hold it shut since the locks were broken. The worn trunk was loaded onto a cart with other parcels and items to be brought on board as soon as it was dusk. Elizabeth had begged that her little girl not be bound and gagged this time. She insisted that walking next to the cart where she couldquietly talk with Anna would keep her calm. If Elizabeth had any opportunity to release Anna, she would do so without hesitation and the two of them would flee. Hopefully, Jenny had heard Wickham’s plan and was able to get word to William and the colonel. It was imperative they be rescued before leaving for France.
Less than two hours later, William, the colonel, and all of their men were in position at the docks. The Wharf police had been alerted and were patrolling the area for any suspicious activity. Learning that Elizabeth and Anna would be imprisoned in an old crate filled William with anger and more worry. He desperately prayed for the two of them to remain unharmed until he could recover them.
By this time, the rain had intensified and workers were hustling to get the ship fully loaded with its cargo. Earlier, many of the larger crates had already been bundled and hoisted aboard. Since this part of the wharf was in disrepair, it was impossible for the ship to dock adjacent to the landing to complete the loading. The remainder of the cargo was currently being taken on board by means of a long boarding plank. Thus far, William’s party had not seen anything like the description of the crates Jenny had given them, nor had they seen any sign of Wickham and his men.
As the hour pressed on towards dusk, William said to Richard in frustration, “Where the devil are they? Suppose we have missed them or what if Wickham has changed his plan?”
“Patience, man. This ship does not leave for a few more hours, and they are bound to be here soon.”
Fifteen minutes later, William finally noticed something. “Richard, do you see that rickety cart being pushed up the plank? I would bet money that the dock worker is Wickham. Good God! He is holding a knife on the cabin boy! It mustbe Elizabeth!” Without waiting for Richard to sound the alarm, William ran out of hiding and charged up the crowded plank.
