Bennet felt around the inside of the garment and stopped when he found something. “Johns, your knife, please,” he requested. He inclined his head to the big man when the knife was handed to him, handle first. Bennet used the tipof the knife to pick at the stitching and separated the lining from the scarlet fabric behind it. Inside he found a small oilskin pouch. He extracted the sheet from within and opened it, smoothing it out as best he could. He recognised the script before he saw the name signed below the writing.
“It is from Collins. The idiot wrote his explicit instructions to this waste of a human being.” Bennet handed the page to Matlock.
The other men crowded around the Earl so they too could read Collins’s instructions. “I agree that this man is delusional,” Matlock stated. “However, that will not save him from the fate the law will assign him.” He paused. “How far is the Blue Bull Inn in Hatfield?”
“Two hours or so in a carriage, at least a half hour less on horseback,” Bennet replied. “Biggs and Johns, that halfwit has seen you two and by the way he was shaking, he would not have forgotten you. Send three of the men he has never seen to discover if he has arrived already. If not, have them watch the inn and have one of them come to notify us as soon as he arrives. If he attempts to leave the inn before we arrive, the men have my permission to detain him by any means necessary.” Bennet turned to the groom. “Peter, ride to Lucas Lodge and tell Sir William I request his presence for a matter of extreme urgency.”
The groom doffed his cap and was away while Biggs selected three men after reminding them what the former parson looked like, they were sent to Hatfield. Within minutes, three geldings and their riders were on their way to the town.
“What about him?” Fitzwilliam asked as he inclined his head towards the very securely tied-up Wickham.
“Biggs and Johns, take him to that room in the cellar which has no windows. Make sure one of the men is guarding the door at all times. He will remain there untilthat murderous cousin of mine is in our custody. Thereafter, Matlock, he is yours to do with as you please.”
“Unlike him, I am a man of honour. He will be on the first transport to Van Diemen’s Land once he has been branded.” Matlock looked at the beaten man disdainfully. “If you survive your extremely long voyage and your hard labour and attempt to return to the United Kingdom, you know what will occur, do you not?”
Although he was in the most pain he had been in for a long time, Wickham managed a small nod. He had thought that joining the militia would be so easy and such a good idea. It turned out to be the worst decision of his life.
Without a look back at the captive while the two big men got him ready to move to the cellar, the men who had borne witness to what had occurred in the stables returned to the house. Keeping with his determination not to hide anything from his wife, Bennet told the ladies what they had learnt and the steps being taken.
“If that man hangs, he has no one to blame but himself,” Mary said firmly.
No one in the drawing room disagreed with her. All they could do was wait until one of the footmen guards returned with the news that William Collins had arrived in Hatfield.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As Collins had commanded, the coachman bypassed Meryton. He did not want to be seen in the town until after Lieutenant Wickham gave him confirmation of the one with the devil’s mark being dead. He was ready to arrive at the Blue Bull Inn and enjoy a good meal.
They had made three stops along the way, and he had eaten, but that had been sandwiches and the like. Hence, he was ready for a full meal where there would not be a limit onhow much he could enjoy.
It was after four that afternoon before Collins felt the carriage slow down to arrive in Hatfield. When he alighted, he stretched his large body as best he was able. He was about to make his way into the inn when he remembered the small strongbox. He clambered back inside and lifted the rear-facing seat. The box was not there.
“Who stole my money?” Collins screeched.
“Guv, wat be the problem?” The coachman asked disinterestedly. “Did ya lose som’in?”
“I did not lose anything! My money was stolen. The box was right here beneath this seat. I put it in there before we departed Reading. How dare someone rob me?” Collins burbled.
“We stopped free times. Did ya take yir money wif ya each time?” The coachman enquired.
Collins was about to set the man down for being rude to his betters, but before he spoke, he closed his mouth. He had not removed the box containing his money at any stop. “Why was the carriage not guarded when we stopped to rest and have the horses tended?”
“That be ‘cause, Mr Collins, ya not tell me ya ‘ave valuables inside. ‘Oo in ‘is right mind leaves ‘is money in a carriage an’ goes off wifout it?”
He could not admit it to the coachman, but Collins knew what the man said was the truth. How could he have forgotten to keep the box with him at all times? He thanked his lucky stars he had removed a few banknotes before the rest were put away. That Wickham man would have to be satisfied with what he could pay. After all, once the evil lady was dead, he could not undo it because he did not receive all of his money.
His next thought was, how could he also have his cousindispatched without the additional funds? He would have to find a way to do the deed himself.
Once his passenger’s belongings were offloaded, the coachman was on his way and much wealthier than he had been when he departed Reading that morning. He patted the wood below his seat, knowing exactly where the little box was hidden. Not having the key was not a problem for the man.
The men from Longbourn who had been watching the inn after first verifying Mr Collins had not arrived yet, had heard the name spoken by the coachman. One of the men was on his horse within minutes, while the other two would station themselves so that one would be able to watch the front door and the other to keep an eye on the servants’ door near the kitchen at the back of the inn. Now all they had to do was wait for orders.
Chapter 35
Sir William arrived within the hour of being summoned. He was a man who felt the compliment of his elevated rank very keenly, but that was when he was the only titled man in the area. He was awed at meeting an earl, a countess, a viscount, and a viscountess, the latter of whom was the daughter of a duke. It brought home like nothing else how low he was on the ladder of titled personages in the land.
But, he had been called to Longbourn in his role as the magistrate of the area. Hence, he stiffened his spine and concentrated on that and not all the titles present.
“Your man told me you needed my services as magistrate?” Sir William enquired of his old friend. “Has someone committed a crime against you or yours? If so, you know I will punish them with the full weight of the law.”
