Page 99

“Explain please.”

“The gamekeepers have seen no bodies. Only the six of us have seen them, and dealt with them. We will have them weighted down at the bottom of the canal before the sun rises tomorrow. And we are all your men, loyal to our dying breath. No one will say anything. The gamekeepers do not have that bond of loyalty. I am 99 per centum sure they are reliable, but I cannot guarantee it. I want to tell them that you had me drop them off on the outskirts of Bristol. You did not wish to see them hang.”

Elizabeth had never thought of herself as bloodthirsty and had to laugh at her outraged reaction. She shook her head, of course this was the right course.

Justice might have been served, but the law had been well and truly ignored.

“That is good thinking. Was there much noise?”

“No. The walls in that part of the stable block are thick.”

“Tell me about this elopement.”

“It took a while to get the full picture. It happened over the Spring of the year ’11. This Miss Darcy was on her own at Ramsgate and Wickham knew the companion. He got her to agree to elope. He was either 27 or 28 and she was 15. The brother that you had trouble with, he turned up unexpectedly and the plan fell apart. The young Miss heard this Wickham mock her to her brother, calling her nothing but a dowry. What amazes me is that Darcy did not have Wickham arrested and hanged.

“The Colonel, who frightened Wickham a couple of days ago, would have run him through. And still would, which is why they were here last night.”

Thomas Jones waited for Elizabeth to say something. But he knew what she was thinking. There were now only three people alive who knew the truth, the full story. And the only other had been her husband. Lawrence the lawyer, Miss Harriet the companion and secretary, and himself, Thomas Jones the head of her little security squad.

Fitzwilliam Darcy had been in the corridor that fateful night. Less than six months after his own sister had agreed to an elopement several magnitudes more scandalous. And he had stood there, silently censorious, and let Caroline Bingley kill, verbally, Elizabeth Bennet.

He had no idea what she was going to do, but he knew she was going to do something. But all their thoughts were swept away as Thompson approached.

“Your Ladyship, Colonel Fitzwilliam is in the parlour.”

Chapter 31

“Thank you Thompson. Please let my guest know I will be there presently.”

She still had not risen from the seat.

“May I ask what you intend to do, my Lady?”

“It is why I am still sitting here Mr. Jones. I am unsure.”

She rose slowly and he followed her back to the Manor House.

“Remain close Mr. Jones. I do not like being unprepared.”

Two minutes later she was in the parlour, the Colonel sat opposite her. Harriet off to the side, not nearly as close as usual.

“I was not expecting to receive a visit today Colonel.”

“I was informed that a villain of the first order, known to me, had been seen watching your carriage.”

“Thank you for bringing this to my attention, have you mentioned this to the authorities.”

He shook his head.

“No Lady Napier, I have not.”

“May I ask why not?”

The pause was just long enough to seal the fate of their possible courtship. Elizabeth had already made the decision but to see the Colonel act like Darcy? Rather than be upset, it vindicated her decision.

“It is a family matter.”

Elizabeth looked at her guest, wondering how she had managed to get embroiled in this family drama. She was unsure how to move the conversation forward and sat there in silence. She could see the Colonel was equally unsure.