He scoffed. “We met where it was convenient forme, not for her. Or at the distillery. Do not labour under the impression that she was doing me any favours.”
“What do you want with Nan, now that you have her?” Darcy asked.
She wished he would stop talking, but at least Steamer did not show any indication he was going to stab them. Perhaps he would not lash out in violence with his superior here.
“She will write a letter to her mother, calling her to task for her offence and demanding that she pay for your release.” Markle beckoned, and the man who had ridden postilion, Conway, came with a travel writing box. “Sit,” he said, pointing to a chair on the opposite side of the table from Darcy.
Elizabeth dipped the quill in the ink, and after writing, ‘My dear mother,’ she asked, “What would you have me write?”
“Tell her ladyship about your abduction, and that since she chose to alter our deal and Ramer got arrested and the load was lost, she owes us recompense.”
She did not know what this meant, and could not comprehend Lady Catherine’s connexion to any of this. She added that she was sorry that she had missed supper Thursday evening because of her headache, to leave Lady Catherine in no doubt as to who was taken. After succinctly describing theabduction yesterday, she said, “Will my mother be able to make sense of this? Will she even believe it?”
“She will if I include your finger with the letter,” Steamer said around his pipe.
Elizabeth clenched her fingers on instinct, dropping the quill, but Markle said, “No need for that. Nan here is eager to do as she is bid. Maybe I will give you a bottle of laudanum if you are a good girl.”
“That will make it easier for her cousin to have his fun with her later,” replied Steamer.
The men all chuckled, and Elizabeth refused to look at Darcy. Although they were as far apart as the table allowed, she could feel his fury. As though Darcy would countenance such a thing. She hoped he kept his patience.I cannot allow it to show how deeply their comments bother me.Darcy would act foolishly to defend her, or the men would see how their words affected her and do far worse.
When she had to reference Markle’s lost load, she hesitated. Darcy wanted to know what had happened, and she could admit her own curiosity. “Should I say anything about these lost goods so my mother knows what you mean?”
“Is anyone else running brandy for your mother?” He barked a laugh. “Anyone else she defrauded shall have to wait their turn.”
This made no sense to her, but Darcy cried, “You are smugglers?”
Markle fixed his eye on him. “Free traders,” he said pointedly. “And you had best not look at me with that so high and so conceited manner. All households purchase contraband—tea, sugar, tobacco, spirits—even if they don’t know it.”
Darcy looked about to argue, so Elizabeth quickly said, “Why would my mother need to smuggle anything into England? She is a wealthy woman who can afford to pay duties on?—”
“Stop talking about things of which you know nothing, Nan,” Markle said.
Elizabeth stared at her paper. Lady Catherine could not be involved in a smuggling gang. There had to be another explanation. “I would not wish for my mother to claim she has no knowledge of what you say,” she said carefully. “If I lay it plain in this letter, she cannot deny it, especially if she must show it to anyone in order to raise the funds for our release.”
“Want to help me shame your own mother, do you?” Markle asked, laughing again.
“I only want Darcy and me returned safely.”
“That is up to Lady Catherine.” After a pause, he said, “Kent is a prime location for smuggling, always has been. Proximity to Europe, good roads to London. Tidal waterways in the north, coves in the east, shingle beaches and marshes in the south—all good places for a landing to bring goods ashore. Britain is a market for wine, brandy, silk, and France needs raw materials and gold.” He pointed at her. “And your mother needs money.”
Elizabeth refused to look at Darcy to see if this was true. Miss de Bourgh might refute such an accusation, but she thought it best to be silent.
“I cannot believe it,” Darcy whispered. In a louder voice he said, “How did you convince my aunt to enter into a smuggling scheme?”
Markle laughed. “Sheapproachedme. You can leave off that shocked expression, Mr Darcy. I am in a secure enough position to conduct business in broad daylight.” He opened his hands wide and gave a chilling grin, full of pride. “There are free traders conducting business in towns across Kent, without a word of contest from the constables and villagers. I have business with great houses across the county, and she learnt my name and arranged a meeting.”
He sounded pleased with himself, and Darcy clearly had no idea what to say. Elizabeth poised the pen over the paper as though eager to write and asked, “What was your arrangement with my mother?”
“Lady Catherine’s role was to provide watered-down brandy from Rosings and arrange for it to be cleared to be shipped to another English port. After taking it on board, my crew would actually go to Dunkirk or Gravelines, with Bonaparte’s blessing, unload her awful brandy, take on French brandy in equal quantity, and then take that valuable cargo to the cleared port.”
Elizabeth dutifully wrote, not understanding any of this. She understood how import duties on goods led to a clandestine market, but she did not comprehend what this had to do with Lady Catherine’s cherry brandy. Darcy, however, seemed to realise it all.
“She provided the filled containers as a decoy, and she financed your initial purchase of the French brandy?”
“Paid in guineas. And she paid for the bribes and permits for the excise officers, too. Those permits are often fifty guineas a piece.”
“Guineas?” Darcy repeated. “She paid the French in guineas, through you? You are accusing my aunt of treason.” He shook his head. “You are guilty of the same yourself.”
