“You are joking, surely. Evenyoucould not –“
“I am not joking, no. She also accused me of having separated Bingley from her sister.”
“Her sister?” The Colonel winced. “Ouch! It was I who told her of your role in that situation, Darcy; I did not realise that the woman in question was her sister.”
“Ah, I wondered how she had learnt it. Then you owe me, Richard, as your words certainly did not help my cause. In any case, she also accused me of harming Wickham.”
“So he had told her his old tale about having been cheated of his inheritance?”
“Precisely. I wrote her a letter explaining the situation with Wickham, and I apologised for my role in separating her sister from Bingley.”
“Hold on; did you tell her about Georgiana?”
“I did, but I believe entirely in her ability to keep that to herself.”
The Colonel scowled at that, but asked, “Have you some reason to hope that her feelings about you have changed?”
Mr. Darcy told his cousin about finding Miss Elizabeth at Pemberley, and how she had seemed everything friendly. “I was on the verge of asking her for a courtship when the letter arrived from Miss Bennet bearing the news of Miss Lydia’s elopement; Miss Elizabeth and the Gardiners left at once. Richard, I should have told everyone in Meryton about Wickham, but I did not. This is as much my fault as anyone’s.”
The Colonel considered this. “If it becomes known that Miss Lydia ran away and is not married, your Miss Elizabeth is ruined.”
“That is true. I would marry her anyway, but it…” Mr. Darcy hesitated. “Well, it would complicate things if her family’s reputation was in question.”
“Complicate things? Yes, I should think so!” The Colonel was incredulous. “I cannot imagine what my parents would have to say about it, and it would do Georgiana’s reputation no good at all. Have you considered that?!”
“Which is why it is an urgent family matter, just as I wrote you.”
“Damn it, Darcy!”
“I am sorry, Richard, but I truly do need your help. Miss Lydia must be found. Her family has put it about that she is ill in Brighton, but that story cannot hold for long. Also, I recently learnt from Bingley – who is now at Netherfield hoping to win back his beloved Miss Bennet – that Mrs. Bennet passed away while we were all together at Pemberley.”
“Another tragedy visited upon this poor family! Well, Darcy, I will help if I can, though I must say that it sounds futile. What have you done so far?”
Mr. Darcy described his efforts in speaking with innkeepers and hiring Bow Street Runners. “My man of business is attempting to find Mrs. Younge’s boarding house, but I have received no word from him as yet. It is difficult, as I have no pictures of her, just a name.”
“Difficult? Impossible, I should say. Can you not have drawings of her made by someone who knows her? That would help, I do not doubt.”
Mr. Darcy’s face froze for an instant and then he muttered a curse under his breath.
“What is it?”
“Her aunt and uncle, the Gardiners, live here in Town. I should have visited them long ago. Perhaps Mrs. Gardiner can draw pictures of Miss Lydia for us to pass about.”
“She has relatives in Town and you have not seen them? You are an idiot, Darcy. For all you know, this Lydia has landed safe and sound in her relatives’ home.”
“I would surely have heard of it from Bingley, but in any case, I owe the Gardiners a condolence call. Mrs. Bennet was Mr. Gardiner’s sister.”
“And they live…?”
“On Gracechurch Street.”
“Not a fashionable address, Darcy. My mother would not approve of the connection.”
“I am not asking your mother to make the connection, Richard; it is my connection, not hers.”
Chapter Eighteen
Iam happy to see you, son, of course,” the Earl of Matlock said. “But I confess myself astonished! Are you quite certain that this is why Darcy asked for you?”
