“Sir, the colonel left about an hour ago.”
Darcy’s expression tightened. “He has already departed for Nottinghamshire?”
“Yes, sir. He packed lightly, taking only what would fit into his saddlebags.”
“I see. Is my uncle within?”
“Yes, sir. He is also making preparations. He hopes to return to Matlock in the morning. You will find him in his study.”
“Thank you, Martin. I shall see myself in.”
He strode to the study, tapped once, and entered.
Henry Fitzwilliam rose as soon as he saw him, his gaze sharpening upon the troubled look in his nephew’s face.
“What is it, nephew?”
Darcy lifted a hand. “Nothing immediate, Uncle Henry. I had hoped to catch Richard before he left. I spent the last three hours at White’s. I learned a great deal from Harcourt.”
He relayed what he had heard, then concluded,
“Uncle, I fear Richard may come to harm unless we can warn him. Manvers is desperate. He will lose everything unless he secures a fortune through marriage, and I believe he has fixed his attention upon one of the Earl of Harrington’s daughters. If he murdered the earl and nearly murdered Philip, he faces prison.”
Henry Fitzwilliam began to pace, saying, “He will stop at nothing now.” He paced back to his desk. “Richard should have taken his batman with him. I insisted upon it, but he refused me.”
“I will go after Richard, Uncle Henry. I shall pay his batman to accompany me, and I will take my two footmen. They are good men in a fight. Martin says he is only an hour ahead of me.”
He paced to the window.
“Unfortunately, I shall not be able to depart London until tomorrow. If the batman cannot join me in time, I shall go without him.”
“You should catch him upon the road,” Henry replied. “Elvaston is near one hundred and twenty miles from here. Richard expects to arrive in three days on horseback. He will stop to change horses on the second day. But you, in a carriage and four, could make it in two days, perhaps two and a half.”
Frowning, the elder man said, “You must travel anonymously, nephew.”
“Yes, sir. I shall hire a carriage and fresh horses, and I will dress as a farmer. I do not wish to draw attention to myself.”
Darcy rose. “I will leave you now. I must pack and attend to some business.”
“Wait. I will send you a pair of flintlock pistols. I purchased them for Richard, though I intended to have them engraved first.”
He glanced toward the door.
“Ring for a servant, will you, son?”
Darcy rang the bell. When the footman entered, his uncle spoke.
“Bring me the new pair of flintlock pistols, the carbine, and the spadroon.”
“Yes, sir.”
The servant withdrew, and the earl turned back to Darcy.
“The carbine is shorter than most designs, and will be easier to manage in a fight. The spadroon allows for greater speed and agility. I purchased them for Richard. Perhaps they may proveuseful to one or both of you. Richard has only his own pistols with him.”
When the footman returned with the case, Darcy examined the weapons and the box of ammunition, then turned to his uncle.
“I pray we shall have no need of them, but I am grateful. I shall come in the hired carriage and collect them. I arrived here in a hackney.”
