As much as he hated questioning Fitz’s judgement, there was something about employing this companion which was gnawing at Richard’s gut. One thing he had learnt in his years in the Dragoons was not to ignore his gut feelings.
He had duties at the training grounds, which would not allow him to get away for a sennight, but on the first day he was able to do so, Richard jumped onto Invictus and rode for Grosvenor Square. He stopped at Darcy House, right across the green from Matlock House. A Darcy stable boy appeared and took his horse. Richard climbed the stone steps two at a time and banged on the door with his gloved hand.
Mr Killion, the butler, opened it a crack, and then all the way when he saw the master’s cousin without. “Is my cousin home?” Richard enquired urgently.
“No, Colonel, he is not here. I believe Mr Darcy is travelling into Hertfordshire with Mr Bingley to inspect an estate, the name of which I do not know,” the Butler informed the Colonel.
Richard had a good idea what the name of the estate was, but he had other concerns now. “I need to find something in the study,” he stated.
The butler stood back, knowing full well Colonel Fitzwilliam was allowed anywhere in the house he chose to go.
Once in the study, Richard thanked goodness that Fitz was so fastidious. He opened the drawer where his cousin kept information on those he employed. It was not too many minutes before he discovered the pages with Mrs Younge’s past employment listed, as well as three ladies who would stand character for her. He made a note of the family names and returned the papers—minus the characters—to where Fitz had placed them. Thankfully, two of the names listed did not leave London until the end of June.
In front of Jersey House on Berkeley Square, Richard handed the reins to a groom and used the knocker on the front door. The butler, knowing the caller was always welcome, showed him into the drawing room.
“Lady Jersey, I thank you for seeing me. A Mrs Younge has applied to be my ward’s companion, and she listed you as a character. In fact, she used this one, ostensibly from you,” Richard stated after he bowed. He had no time for niceties as he handed the character to the lady.
“I never employed any Mrs Younge,” Lady Jersey stated after cogitating for some moments. “There was aMissKaren Younge who was employed briefly. As soon as she arrived, items started to disappear. She was never caught, but once we dismissed her, nothing more was taken.” She looked at the page she was supposed to have written. “I never wrote this fiction.”
“I suspected you did not write it. The woman calls herself Mrs Karen Younge now, one of many of her lies.” Richard had his answer in a matter of minutes, something Fitz would have known had his improper pride not gotten in the way. After thanking the Countess, he bowed and left the house.
It was already past eleven in the morning, and Richard had more than seventy miles to ride. Given how hard he had pushed his stallion to Darcy House, and then to Jersey House,he knew he needed to keep to a pace not above a canter. With rest stops every hour or so, he planned to take longer breaks if needed. Thanks to the full moon, he would ride through the night and arrive at his destination at a reasonable hour in the morning on the morrow, unless he needed to rest his stallion for longer.
Sensing his horse was tired, Richard stopped for about six hours at an inn. With his horse well rested, he was off at four in the morning. He would arrive a little later, but it had to be done.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Darcy was not surprised, given that his friend never thought about things for long; Bingley had wanted to sign the lease on Netherfield Park without further consideration. What did shock him was the landlord’s agent when Bingley was told he would have an answer within a fortnight as the owner had to give his approval before any lease was signed. Mr Phillips had assured Bingley that until there was a negative answer—if there was one—from the landlord, no other candidate for the lease would be considered.
The house and estate were impressive. Everything spoke of care, and even though the lease covered only the manse and home farm, the tenant dwellings they saw were all sturdy structures and very well maintained. If Bingley was granted the lease, he would be free to hunt anywhere on the estate’s land.
Mr Phillips informed them there were several unique clauses in the lease, which could be studied if Mr Bingley was chosen as a tenant. One he told them of was that the tenant could not dismiss any existing servants. However, they were free to bring their personal servants and had full control over them. Bingley was aware Caroline would not be happy about that, but it was what it was.
Just before Mr Phillips took his leave, Bingley had a question. “Is Netherfield Park the largest estate in the area?” Bingley queried. He knew Caroline would want that information.
“It is not. It is second to the largest estate,” Phillips replied. He was on his way to his gig before Bingley could ask which was the largest estate.
Chapter 11
George Wickham was frustrated that Georgiana Darcy had demurred at his every mention of an elopement. He had not known how to answer when the solution to his monetary problems asked him why they had to elope if he and Fitz were such good friends.
He was thankful he had manipulated old Mr Darcy to pay for the ivory teeth which replaced the ones he had lost, so his winning smile was still intact. Much to his chagrin, his prey was not swayed by that smile.
It was her refusal to bend to his will that had led to his plan with Karen Younge to take Miss Darcy for a drive that morning. The first stop, would be rather secluded; the plan was to tie the coachman up at the end of a pistol and afterward drive for Scotland. Karen would keep her charge drugged with laudanum, and when she realised where they were, she would be married to him. He would try one more time to get her to agree to an elopement that morning.
When he arrived at the prig’s house, he was pleased to note that the carriage was ready and waiting in front of the house. Wickham noticed nothing else out of the ordinary, so he sauntered up to the front door, where he was met by Karen, who gifted him a quick kiss before they made for the drawing room.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Richard had arrived just in time to see Mrs Younge, or, as he now knew, Miss Younge, instructing the coachman to wait for her, Miss Darcy, and a friend. She informed the loyal Darcy man they would be making for the forest near Ramsgate. Next, as he watched, Richard noted all the staff and servants, including the footmen making their way out from the rear of the house.
He kept out of sight until he reached the group just before they went their separate ways. “Mrs Innes, is it not?” Richard verified Fitz’s housekeeper’s name.
The lady recognised the master’s cousin. “Aye, Colonel Fitzwilliam. Are you here to visit with Miss Darcy?” the housekeeper responded. “She has been very busy, and we,” she indicated the servants and herself, “have been given much time to ourselves by Mrs Younge. The Master told us she was in charge, so we had to obey her.”
“I ‘eard Mrs Younge tell the young mistress, it be lucky such a charming man ‘as fallen in love wiff ‘er,” one of the footmen reported.
He had to fight his inclination to rush into the house and wring the woman’s neck. Richard needed more information before he dealt with the situation. “Mrs Innes, you and the servants return in two hours, and you two,” Richard cocked his head to the two footmen, “with me.” As would be expected, no one questioned the Colonel’s authority.
