“It would have to be convincing.” Elizabeth could not begin to imagine why or how that could happen.
They all fell silent, contemplating the possibilities. The germ of an idea began to form inside her.
“We could ask Emily for assistance.”
“Tell her the truth?” Darcy looked doubtful. “Are you certain you can trust her? She was appointed by Lady Alice, after all.”
Elizabeth considered this.
“Who else would I trust?” She was feeling the net tightening around her. “The only other option I can think of is the one you mentioned earlier. I fell asleep in the stables. Except that I am sure it would be difficult for that to happen without anyone noticing me. Without Emily’s help, I am not sure I can come up with a believable excuse. I know very little about the workings of servants in this kind of establishment. I do not know who would have the keys, or what kind of cupboard might fit me. Think how foolish it would be if I came up with a story about a cupboard which did not even have a lock.”
Darcy laughed. The sculptured look disappeared, and he was once again the man she had fallen in love with.
“It would not be that funny.” Elizabeth quirked her eyebrow at him.
“You made me remember my aunt Catherine. You had the misfortune of meeting her. She could have told you the exact content of every cupboard, not only in her home, Rosings Park, but in every house in the neighborhood.”
She looked at him in puzzlement.
“Never mind,” he said dismissively. “One day you will discover what I mean. Let us just say she likes to interfere in other people’s business. If she were here, she would have given you an answer immediately.”
He was struck by an idea. “Come to think of it, my uncle is much the same. Perhapshecan come up with a solution. What do you think, Elizabeth? Would you trust my uncle with this, or would you prefer not to tell him?”
“I do not trust anyone at this point, but I do not suppose we can keep this information from him. He has the right to know what is going on. If he is one of the people working against me, then heaven help me. I stand no chance at all.”
“Let us hope not.”
In the end, it was Darcy who came up with a solution after all.
“We may need to consult with Matlock, but I believe I have a solution. Remember the old conservatory, the one we went to when we first arrived?”
Elizabeth’s eyes brightened up. “Of course!”
“This may involve a little subterfuge, but it is workable. I can ask for Evan’s help. He is good at fixing things. In this case, he will be doing the opposite. I will arrange for the handle to be broken from the inside. That way, you will be stuck there until we find you.”
“I am not sure I like the idea of being trapped again.”
“I know, my sweet, but you will have to endure it.”
She nodded.
“Are you certain no one searched the conservatory?”
“It looks so old and neglected, no one thought of it. I am ashamed to say that I did not think of it, either.”
She turned the idea over in her mind. It was plausible. “What do you think, Jane? Will it work?”
“I have not been there. My first question would be, if nobody ever goes there, why would you have done so?”
“Elizabeth could explain it by saying you wanted to be alone after quarrelling with me. Or she could say that she wanted to salvage the plants.”
“It makes sense to me,” said Jane, “but I am not a good judge of these things.”
Elizabeth nodded. “I like it, but I prefer the second excuse. If we decide to do this, our biggest difficulty will be how to get there without being seen.”
“We could ask Riquer to transport you there.”
Darcy laughed at the idea, but Elizabeth took it seriously.
