~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Just like Jones had said to do before the detour to London, when her footman checked the place where notes were left seven days after Twelfth Night the missive was waiting for him. He pushed his mount as hard as he could to get the note to his mistress as he knew that this was more than likely the note that she was wanting above all others.
He vaulted off his horse at Mrs Fitzpatrick’s house before the animal had made a complete stop, pushed his way past the housekeeper, and placed the note into his mistress’hands as if it were the most precious thing in the world. She gave him a dismissive wave as she told him to close the door to make sure that she was not disturbed until she rang her bell.
She opened the note and read:
Both families leave Pem. 2 April to Lakes by route described previously. 2 outriders per family coach.
If she had been one of her low-class servants, Mrs Fitzpatrick would have jumped for joy. Her victory was almost at hand! A scant three months, no more than that, and she would watch them die, all of them, especially the foundling. She knew that Wickham would like to be the one to kill the so-called‘Lady Elizabeth’and she might even allow him to have his sport with her.
She wrote a note for McLamb and rang her bell.“Take this to McLamb,” she instructed her footman and waved him away. She felt as close to euphoric as she had in many a year. She then wrote another note that she would have the footman place in the knothole on the morrow.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Two days later, the guard keeping watch on the tree saw a man open the cover and place a note inside. He retrieved it once he was certain that the rider had left, and had a boy run it to Branch at Pemberley. Branch took the note to the master who read it.
Lay low, leave on the second of April after the fools depart Pemberley. When you get to me, I will gladly pay you the balance I owe you for your work.
Mrs F.
Mrs F. meant nothing to George Darcy, but after she had written so many vitriol-laced letters to Pemberley, he was sure that he recognised the writing. He asked Douglas to request that his wife join him in the study. When Anne entered, he handed her the note.
“Catherine!” was the only word she uttered, which confirmed what he knew.
After his wife departed, the master turned to Branch.“Wait a few days and then tell Jones you checked the hole and found this.” He handed the note to the faithful guard who placed it in his pocket.
Chapter 17
April 1808
Richard had requested and was granted leave from the end of March. He was sorry to have missed Lizzy’s seventeenth birthday, but he had been required to choose what days he most wanted off and being there when they confronted the villains was imperative. He would be part of the group traveling; of that there was no question. Still, he could not believe that she was already so grown. In less than a year his baby sister would come out into society. As much as he would have liked to be present at Georgie’s and her joint celebration, it was much more important that he be here now. And as hard as it was to grasp his sister’s age, it was just as hard to think that their‘little’Georgie had just turned fourteen.
The well of love and the need to protect them turned his thoughts to the upcoming confrontation. They were now certain Lady Catherine de Bourgh was involved, and Richard was hoping that Wickham was somehow connected to the insane lady and would be present when the criminals were apprehended. He dearly hoped that the murderer would give him the slightest provocation, as he had a debt to repay after the miscreant had tried to murder his little sister.
The Bennets were at Snowhaven, having arrived some days before the celebration of Elizabeth’s birthday. Bennet had used any excuse that he could conjure to call at Pemberley and lose himself among the shelves of his friend’s library, but his true reason for being present was to offer whatever support he could in the upcoming endeavour.
On the final day of March, the men met in Andrew’s study to go over their plans again, making sure that they had taken every possible contingency into account. Richard confirmed that a group of ex-soldiers who were experienced in the art of camouflage had been hidden in the woods around the suspected ambush site for more than a sennight and had since reported that four men had scouted the area in question. More men had returned the day before and cut down two trees, placing them on either side of the carriage trail to be moved into place on the day of the attack.
Branch reported that Jones was still oblivious to the fact that he had been under observation, and Forester confirmed that his men were ready. He would command a combined force of both Pemberley’s and Snowhaven’s guards of close to fifty men not counting additional ex-soldiers that Richard had hired. But as the criminals had been led to expect, there would only be two outriders beside each coach.
Elizabeth wished that she could be more involved in the development and execution of the plan, but she accepted that the men would not allow any women or children in the vicinity of the ambush area. She sat in an armchair in her sitting room with Aggie’s head in her lap as she scratched her behind her ears. She listened to pleasurable grunts from her dog as her tail thumped the carpet. Each time Elizabeth would stop her ministrations, Aggie would put her head under one of her mistress’hands, indicating her desire for more petting.
Elizabeth considered the significance of her being seventeen. In ten months, ten short months, she would come out, and she was hoping, becoming more and more certain, that Will would ask for the two significant sets after the first which she would dance with Andrew and then Richard. She was as sure as she had ever been about anything in her feelings for Will; he was the only one that she would ever agree to marry. Wes had thankfully reduced his attentions, she surmised after reading the obvious signs that her affections were not engaged by him.
After the participants of the meeting had dispersed, Will had taken a ride on Jupiter to expend some pent-up energy. His thoughts were firmly directed to his exquisite cousin Elizabeth. When he was not busy with some occupation, and even sometimes when he was, she completely inhabited his thoughts. There was nothing he could or desired to do to evict her from being so, for she was as beautiful inside as she was outside, and he could imagine naught but a lifetime of her challenging him and correcting him in long debates.
He could also see them on a sable throw in front of a roaring fire not wearing anything… He stopped himself before the oft-repeated fantasy again went too far and this would not be enough. Less than ten months’worth of days to cross off and she would be out. Even though he knew that Andrew would not allow him to request an official courtship for some months after, he was determined that she would have no doubt of his intentions. If the looks and smiles she gave him were any indication, his affections were returned in full measure, and thinking about that made his heart race.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Jones was already imagining what he would be spending his money on. He was also planning how he would disappear once he received his reward from Mrs Fitzpatrick—before he paid the promised amount to Branch. Why should he share his hard-earned bounty?
He would follow the instructions and depart once the carriages left Pemberley on the second. Branch would be assisting one of the coachmen, so it was possible that, depending on her plan, he may not have to worry about Branch after the morrow anyway.
Jones was right about one thing, Branch would be with the carriages; not on one, but with an additional twenty men inside them, and not the woman and children that were expected. He gave strict instructions that as soon as the convoy was no longer visible from the stables that Jones be taken into custody. He had no doubt that had he truly been working with him; Jones would have double-crossed him.
He was confident that the master and the Lieutenant-Colonel’s plan was sound. There was always a chance of things not going according to plan in the heat of battle, but it was also true that every possible contingency had been covered. If Branch had still been in the army, the younger Fitzwilliam brother was the kind of officer that he would have followed anywhere.
