She did not know his character. He would always consult his wife’s wishes, never open her to criticism before others, take care of her for as long as she lived, and love her with undying devotion. He could not alter his broken heart, or conquer his fear over what would happen to them here, or lessen his anger at Wickham, but he could show her that he had heard her reproofs.
His letter still sat in his greatcoat pocket. He ought not to have lost his temper yesterday when she mentioned Wickham’s name. Darcy pushed aside the fear that their time was short, that their captors would kill them, and that he would rather have Elizabeth die not hating him and not holding Wickham dear to her heart. She did not think that he was the man best suited to make her happy, but was there enough time for her opinion of him to improve?
He turned from the dusty mirror with a scoff. Here he was, in the midst of a kidnapping, wondering if there was any chance she could love him. When this was over and they were safe, he would tell her what Wickham was truly capable of and disabuse every lie that man had told her.
Elizabeth was still asleep, and as quietly as he could he scoured the room. It was cluttered with things that appearedto be cast off or dumped from other places, but Darcy looked for anything that could be used to overpower their captors. However, he found not even a pencil.
Darcy sighed and sat on the bed, leaning his head against the headboard.Not that it matters, because even if I found a weapon, Elizabeth thinks appeasing these villains is the way to get home.
He dozed for a while until the sound of a carriage jolted him awake. He heard the front door open and voices downstairs. Darcy reached out and shook Elizabeth’s shoulder. She woke instantly, looking all round and then fixing on him.
“I think Markle is here.”
Elizabeth gave him a nervous look before nodding determinedly and sitting up. She had only to put on her shoes, but he still refused to watch, and pointed vaguely at the washstand. There was not much there, but he heard water splashing as he looked at the window no one could see out of.
“Have you been awake for long?” she asked, her voice still thick with sleep.
He checked his pocket watch. “An hour, maybe. I thought it best to be ready for whatever happens when they unlock the door.”
“I am prepared to be your cousin,” she said. He looked over his shoulder and saw that she was pinning her hair so he turned back around. “Let us hope they do not expect me to drink more laudanum.”
“That would not do at all.” Elizabeth would have to be alert for this to work. “We should try to learn what we can about these men and what they want.”
When he heard her move from the washstand he turned. “What do you think this Markle’s connexion is to Lady Catherine?” she asked, now standing next to him.
Darcy shrugged. “Steamer seemed to believe she had wronged him, and there is some connexion with that boy’s father being in prison. If they do not know that Anne is sullen and silent, perhaps you can draw Markle out and learn what his alleged grievances are.”
“I am uncertain I can do that,” she said, lowering her eyes.
This surprised him. “You are possessed of a lively humour and a sweetness of temper that make your personal charms only a secondary object to your sensibility. Despite how afraid you must be, I think you very capable of getting Markle to talk.”
She looked taken aback, and while she blushed at first, her expression then became drawn. “You are kind, very kind to say so, but I am not accustomed to anyone relying on me, certainly not when I am pretending to be someone else while I am kidnapped.” She bit her lip. “What if I cannot get him to admit to anything, and what if I cannot keep up the pretence that I am Miss de Bourgh?”
“Do not worry about that,” he said, laying a hand on her arm. He started when he realised what he had done and was embarrassingly glad that, after their conversation before bed, she did not pull away. “Like you said, be silent if you cannot answer about being Anne. And we will both do our best to learn what we can.”
“I suppose my fear only makes you eager to press your point to attempt an escape.”
Drawing his hand down her arm, he hesitantly took her hand. “We have to rely on each other, completely,” he said. “The only thing we can trust in this affair is each other. Whatever we do, we do it together. You don’t want to risk escape, so we stay and comply.”
She squeezed his hand, and sat on the end of the bed, facing the door, pulling him down next to her. Still holding his hand,she added, “Besides, now there is another man here, and it would be harder to escape.”
“So, now we wait.”
“Now we wait.”
Remaining in silence normally was nothing to trouble him, but today was not an ordinary day. After a few tense moments, Darcy could no longer bear the silence and asked, “What will your friend Mrs Collins be thinking by this time?”
“She must have been beside herself when I never returned from my walk.”
“I hope Mr Collins did not give her a glass of Rosings’s brandy to calm her nerves.”
Elizabeth laughed as though she could not help it. “That would not make her feel any better.” She took a slow breath and let it out. “I am sure she worried for me until she was told that you were also missing. What is the likely reason for a single man and woman to be absent overnight? She would keep her thoughts to herself, but I am sure Mrs Collins is feeling quite smug in her conclusions.”
“How do you mean?”
Looking down at their joined hands, she said, “She once or twice suggested the possibility of your being partial to me, but I always laughed at the idea.”
He considered this for a while. Elizabeth had not been wishing for his addresses, certainly not expecting them. He had been a terrible suitor. “Well, the truth will become apparent soon.”
