Bingley nodded, distracted. “Then the woman is an enigma.”
“An enigma who appears to be concealing significant secrets,” agreed Darcy.
“True.”
WHEN THE SUMMONS ARRIVED, unlike Darcy, Fitzwilliam’s thoughts turned to the drama surrounding Mrs. Younge’s removal from Darcy’s house. Darcy was not deficient and, indeed, Fitzwilliam considered him among the cleverest of men, but he was also inexperienced in such skullduggery as the family had endured of late. Fitzwilliam was not experienced himself, but his involvement with the detested George Wickham and his time in the army, investigating incidents in the various regiments in which he had served, had honed his sense of when something was amiss.
“An intruder was discovered in the upstairs apartments, you say?” asked his father when the footman bearing the summons delivered his message.
“Yes, my lord. Barnes was on duty and discovered the man, but he fled before we could capture him.”
Lord Matlock exchanged a look with Fitzwilliam and offered a nod to the footman. “You may tell Darcy that we shall come at once.”
Neither man spoke much of their suspicions, for the distance to Darcy’s house was not great. Upon entering the house, they presented themselves to the butler, who directed them toward the study where Darcy and Mr. Bennet were waiting. Bingley’s presence was a surprise, though not an unwelcome one.
“I might have expected to find you at my father’s house, Bingley,” said Fitzwilliam in greeting to the other man. “Darcy here is not so pretty as Miss Bennet.”
An effervescent grin was Bingley’s response. “No, I dare say he is not, but I esteem him nonetheless.”
“Perhaps we should focus on the task at hand,” said Lord Matlock, dry humor coloring his tone. “What can you tell us of last night, Darcy?”
“Little more than my footmen already conveyed,” replied Darcy. “The man on duty last night discovered a man invading the house, but he fled before anyone could apprehend him. Given his direct flight to the east door, it seems reasonable to suppose he had some knowledge of the house.”
Darcy paused and gestured to Bingley. “It was not until Bingley suggested a connection to Mrs. Younge and Georgiana that I realized why someone might enter the house and go to the family wing rather than the study.”
“Were there any doors left open?” asked Fitzwilliam, putting his jovial persona aside in favor of that of the seasoned campaigner. “Do you know how he entered the house?”
“The only door that might have been left open was the door through which our assailant fled. Mr. Monroe advised me that he had locked that door himself.”
“Good man, Monroe,” said Lord Matlock. “If he says the door was locked, I am inclined to believe him.”
Darcy nodded. “As am I. When I realized the possible connection, I had Mrs. Mayfield search Mrs. Younge’s rooms, but they discovered nothing. Though Mrs. Younge received and sent correspondence, nothing remains in her rooms but her personal effects.”
“Where does that leave us?” asked Mr. Bennet.
Fitzwilliam sat back in his chair and considered. “A typical burglar would go where he thought he would find valuables, notthe family apartments. Thus, it seems likely your invader had another purpose in mind.”
With a curt nod, Darcy said: “That is what I thought.”
“Then it is possible whoever entered the house was in league with Mrs. Younge. The question is, what did they hope to accomplish?”
Lord Matlock directed a sharp look at him. “Are you suggesting his goal was to spirit Georgiana out of the house?”
“Consider the facts, Father.” Fitzwilliam ticked each point on his fingers. “Mrs. Younge forged her references and obtained the position by deceit. Then she attempted to remove Georgiana from our immediate oversight. If she had succeeded, she could have handed our girl to anyone, and we would not have known it until too late. Then you have an intruder in the house where one should not go. All this adds up to a man who wished to hold Georgiana for ransom and became desperate when his confederate was exposed.”
“I had considered the possibility of a wish to retrieve damning letters from Mrs. Younge’s room,” said Darcy.
Fitzwilliam regarded his friend and offered a slow nod. “Yes, that is a possibility, though your housekeeper’s search seems to rule that out. As I am aware of Mrs. Mayfield’s competence, I suppose she was thorough.”
Darcy nodded but did not speak.
“All this presupposes there is a man in league with Mrs. Younge,” said Lord Matlock.
“That seems all but certain now, Father,” said Fitzwilliam. “If you consider it, that was a missing link in Mrs. Younge’s attempts to spirit Georgiana away. Acting alone, how could she manage it when there would be at least a pair of footmen on hand traveling with Georgiana? An accomplice makes much more sense.”
“Where does that leave us?” asked Darcy.
“With a renewed need to learn what Mrs. Younge knows,” said Fitzwilliam. “For that, I pledge myself.”
