“They were going to kill her.” Darcy’s voice broke as disappointment filled him. “Could you have lived with that?”
No matter what Elizabeth believed about Wickham, Darcy could never tolerate any harm coming to her. She could even marry the dreadful man, and Darcy would still do anything for her. Not that he believed she had any affection for Wickham. No, she was simply a loyal friend, one who believed a lie that the man had suffered a grave injustice at his hands.
“It would be a waste of money for me to pay for an unconnected girl, but I did not leave Miss Bennet to a dismal fate,” she said comfortingly. “I told them they had the wrong girl, and that with their permission I would contact her family, who would undoubtedly pay for her release.”
His aunt’s selfishness knew no bounds, and worse, she was so certain of how right she was. “You risked her life,” he said sharply. “If we had still been their captives when Markle got that letter, he would have just killed her.”
Darcy looked around the ornate room, at the jewels on her neck, at her stylish gown. He thought of the many servants, the horses and carriages. Lady Catherine was born into and married into so much wealth, but somehow it all went wrong.
“All of this will fall around you,” he whispered. She wanted to appear as wealthy as ever, but now she had no money at all.
“That is histrionic, Darcy,” she said in an angry tone. “I shall have money again when you marry Anne, and we can secure the family fortunes in such a way that?—”
“I am not marrying Anne.” He enunciated every word. “I have told you and her, but you both refuse to hear me. Your salvation is not coming from Pemberley’s coffers.”
He would never allow himself to be at the mercy of an insolent, unscrupulous woman even if he did not love someone else. Even though Elizabeth had lacked discernment about Wickham, he still loved her and wanted to marry her.
“I am leaving now, madam. I wish, I wish that I could have helped you before it was too late. I am telling the magistrate what happened, and I will tell him the entire story, including your involvement. Maybe they will not pursue charging you, but I will do what I must to sleep at night.” He took a long, deep breath. “And that includes breaking with you.”
Lady Catherine stood, her frame shaking with rage. “How dare you implicate your own family in a scandal!”
Darcy threw up his hands. “What has happened to your morality?”
“What has happened to your good sense?” she shot back. “What has happened to your sense of duty to your family?”
“I have a greater duty to my future wife and to my own conscience.” If he could resolve everything with Elizabeth, she could never bear to hear mention of Lady Catherine after knowing that her ladyship’s selfishness caused her abduction.
“Do you blame me for what those miscreants did?” His aunt looked wounded. “You think I was behind your abduction?”
He shook his head. “You would never have countenanced such cruelty.” He fixed his eye on her. “But I do blame you for your choice to go into business with criminals, and then think you could cross them without consequence.”
He had turned his back when she called after him. “I need your help to save Rosings. It pains me to admit it.” The words came out as though she were choking on them. “But the truth is that I need your help.”
“The only help you want is for me to marry Anne so you can close up this house and make it my problem to shore up Rosings for a second son.” He saw the truth in her eyes. “I am not marrying Anne, and I have lost all respect for you.”
“I am shocked at how you have turned your back on your own family and would sully my name in front of the magistrate by mentioning my brandy.”
“You left Elizabeth to die!”
Lady Catherine looked startled. “I told Markle I would arrange for her family to pay for her return.”
“Do you think that if we had not escaped before Markle received your letter, he would have kept her alive? And do you honestly think that I would have let a ransom be paid formeand just leave her?”
“I will not be lectured for not understanding the inner workings of a criminal’s mind.” She pursed her lips and exhaled through her nose. “And…I require assistance.”
“Ask it of anyone else. I will throw you upon your own resources, force you into responsibilities of economy.” He gave a bitter laugh. “Brace yourself for the work. You are a sensible woman, but deficient in the power of organisation, stubborn and arrogant to the point of foolishness, and do not know the details of estate management. But worse than that is your greed, and that you refused to seek advice. You saw a quick way to fill your coffers, but you crossed the wrong people. These smugglers would never simply defer to your rank, and Miss Bennet and I could have died.”
As he walked to the door, he heard her stride after him, and he turned round, keeping a thin hold on his patience.
“You cannot make any mention of my arrangements with those smugglers to the magistrate.” Her ladyship was highly incensed. “Good society will whisper about me, and I shall be received nowhere. I will not have your misguided sense of duty damage my position.”
Darcy gave Lady Catherine a pitying look. “It is not my responsibility to save you from your pride and selfishness.” Then he left, hoping he would eventually feel like he had done the right thing by turning his back on his mother’s sister.
Chapter Fifteen
It felt strange to Elizabeth to have no one else present in her bedroom in Gracechurch Street on Monday. Sleeping alone, waking alone,beingalone was peculiar after having Darcy always by her side during their harrowing experience. Here, it was quiet and she was safe; there was no threat of immediate or future harm. But it was odd to have nothing to consult with Darcy about, not being able to talk with him whenever she wanted.
There was a knock on the door, and she flinched before she realised how foolish she was to be afraid. Steamer or Markle would not be on the other side of it. She hoped she recovered her expression before Jane entered.
