A Spy at Pemberley (7 page)

The sun was out – a perfect day to be outside. She had never enjoyed riding, that pastime was left to her sister Jane. Thinking of her brought tears to her eyes and she blinked them away. She would not be a watering pot but remain calm and dignified and not allow her innermost feelings to influence her behaviour.

A warm cloak, gloves and stout boots were required for this venture. Suitably attired she hurried downstairs and slipped out through one of the many side doors without being seen by anyone. She took a little-used path that led past the home meadows where the house cows grazed.

Once she was a mile away from the house she began to relax, to enjoy the early spring sunshine and notice wildflowers growing in the hedgerows. This narrow track wasn't one she had taken before – but then this wasn't surprising as the grounds of Pemberley were so vast she doubted that even Fitzwilliam had traversed it all.

The sound of the birds singing was soothing and soon she was striding out enjoying the walk and able to forget about the catastrophic events that had taken place earlier. There was nothing she liked more than an invigorating walk in the countryside. Her lips curved as she remembered several years ago when she had walked across the fields from Longbourn to Netherfield. Caroline Bingley and her equally unpleasant sister Mrs Hurst had been so shocked by her appearance.

She paused midstride as something struck her. Jane would take Caroline's side – she could hardly do anything else when she was living under her roof. Perhaps things weren't as bad as they appeared and she might be able to speak privately to her sister and persuade her that the love between them was too important to be put at risk by Caroline Bingley.

The walk had done her good and she was ready to return. This was the first time since her marriage that she and Fitzwilliam had fallen out. It must not be allowed to continue so she would do her best to reach a compromise with him before things escalated.

After the vigorous exercise she was hungry and more than ready for her midday repast. That her skirt hem and petticoats were an inch deep in mud bothered her not one jot. She was mistress here and could be as dishevelled as she wished and nobody was in a position to comment.

The route she had taken brought her out just below the ha-ha. She ran up the steps and began the long trek across the grass to the terrace. A movement in one of the windows on the ground floor of the East Wing caught her eye. Was that someone waving to her? She was in a quandary, not sure if she should respond. If it was Caroline then she had no wish to acknowledge her – but if the person waving was anyone else living in the house then she must respond.

Perhaps she could pretend she hadn't noticed – yes – that was the best option. She continued on her way keeping her eyes lowered as if admiring the daffodils and crocuses blooming around the trees.

'Mrs Darcy, I beg your pardon, but could you spare me a few moments of your time?'

Her head shot up. Mr Forsyth was bounding towards her and she had no alternative but to stop and talk to him. She nodded but didn't speak uncertain what to say to the betrothed of the woman whose malevolence had caused the rift between herself and her beloved sister will stop

He slithered to a halt beside her and half-bowed. 'My Caroline is desperately upset about what happened between you. She considers Pemberley almost like a second home as she has spent so much time here over the years. Also, Mr Darcy is more than a friend to her…'

She had heard quite enough of this nonsense and interrupted him midflow. 'Mr Forsyth, Miss Bingley has never been more than the sister of his close friend, Mr Bingley. She was an acquaintance allowed to visit because of her relationship to my husband's closest friend. I believe you have been sadly misled on this subject.'

She set off towards the house indicating that the conversation was over, but he followed her and had the temerity to grasp her elbow.

'Mrs Darcy, I beg you to reconsider your position and apologise to Caroline so matters can be put right between you.'

This was the outside of enough. 'I have no intention of discussing this with you. You are a stranger to me.' She was about to step around him when he laid his hand on her arm.

'If you do not do as I ask then you will lose your sister. She will not go against her husband's wishes.'

Chapter Seven

Lizzy shook off Mr Forsyth's hand. 'I think, sir, that you and Miss Bingley must leave Pemberley at once. When I speak to Mr Darcy I can assure you he will not be pleased. Making an enemy of him will be something you will both regret.'

She didn't linger to hear his response. Fitzwilliam must hear of this latest threat. Her heart was pounding and she was relieved to return to the sanctuary of her own abode. Once inside she leaned against the wall for a few moments to recover her equilibrium.

How had it come to this? Was it possible that the elopement had just been a ploy to get Charles to invite the couple to Pemberley? Why would the wretched woman have given Mrs Hurst the route she intended to take unless she wished to be found by her brother?

Fitzwilliam would be able to make sense of this. The fact that they had parted on bad terms an hour or so ago made no difference. She must speak to him immediately. His study was empty. She sent for Peterson and the butler told her that her husband had gone out.

She would wait for him here – he would be informed of her whereabouts when he returned and they could be guaranteed privacy in this room. Pacing the carpet only made her more distressed. She slumped onto a chair and sat watching the flames flickering hoping these would calm her. Her eyes slowly closed and she drifted off into a light doze.

*

Darcy returned from his ride determined to put matters right between him and Lizzy immediately. He tossed the reins of his hunter to a waiting stableboy and strode into the house.

He was accosted by the butler. 'Mr Darcy, Mrs Darcy is in the study waiting to speak to you.'

Thank the good Lord! She too had decided this rift could not be allowed to continue a moment longer. His study door was ajar and he stepped in. She was curled up in a chair fast asleep. He walked softly to her side and dropped to his knees. 'Lizzy, my love, we must talk.'

Her eyes opened and she sat up immediately. 'I've been waiting this age, Fitzwilliam. There's something I must tell you.'

She pointed to a chair opposite and he did as she suggested. This was not to be the rapprochement he had hoped for – but any communication was better than none.

'What is it that has caused you so much agitation?'

He listened with incredulity to her story. 'I should have realised that a young lady taking part in a genuine elopement would never reveal their destination, let alone the exact route she intended to take.' There was something else that had been said that was pertinent. He frowned in concentration and then remembered what it was. 'Forsyth told me he reaches his majority next month. All he had to do was remain incommunicado until then. There was no need for the two of them to make a dash for Scotland and involve both Bingley and I in this charade.'

'The whole escapade was a ruse to get Miss Bingley to Pemberley. She knew that Charles and you would immediately ride to her rescue and would invite her here.' She stood up and shook out her gown.

'Good God, Lizzy, look at your skirts! You should have changed and then come down here.'

Her expression changed from friendly to aloof. 'I beg your pardon, sir, for offending your sensibilities. I shall go at once and change into something that meets with your approval.'

'I didn't mean…'

'There's no need to apologise. I have said what I came here to say and will now leave you to take whatever action you think appropriate.' She stalked to the door but he called her back.

'There's little I can do as Bingley has as much right to entertain his family next door as we do. I cannot dictate to him on this matter. However, you can be very sure they will not set foot here. Neither will they marry in the chapel.'

'Even if matters between Jane and I are restored I shall not leave here whilst they are still in residence. So if you intend for me to accompany you to London you had better come up with a way of removing them.'

Then she was gone. He snatched up a ledger from his desk, was about to hurl it at the wall, but managed to restrain himself in time. God's teeth! She was pushing him too far. He was master here and she should not issue him with an ultimatum.

There was no option open to him apart from sending a message to Bingley in the hope that he wouldn't ignore it. His friend was well aware of his sister's shortcomings – after all had not her interference caused his beloved Jane untold heartache before they were finally reunited?

He slammed his hands down on the desk making the inkpot and documents jump into the air. At that time he had behaved far worse than Caroline Bingley and had persuaded his friend to abandon Jane as he'd considered the whole family beneath his notice.

He thought his proud behaviour behind him. Falling in love with Lizzy had opened his eyes to a better way of doing things. Why then was he reverting to his previous character?

He eyed the decanter of brandy on a side table and was sorely tempted to pour himself a large measure. Drowning his sorrows wasn't a sensible option – he must keep a clear head and come up with a solution to these apparently insoluble problems.

As he was writing the note to Bingley he changed his mind. He would go next door himself – the staff there had been employed by him before they'd moved into the East Wing. They would not refuse him entry whatever Bingley or his wife might think.

His boots were muddy, his breeches not much better; he had better smarten himself up before he left. His valet had already laid out an array of clean raiment and soon he was ready to venture out on his mission.

The communicating door was still locked. No doubt it would remain so until this matter was resolved. If he was going to persuade Bingley to eject his sister and her paramour then he must come up with a reasonable alternative. There was a small estate presently unoccupied as his tenant had died the previous month. This would be ideal. The fact that sending them to live together without the benefit of clergy would be considered scandalous was of little import.

Caroline and Forsyth had already stepped outside the rigid rules of Society and would be ostracised if they appeared in Town at the moment. After they had been married for a year or two the
ton
would have moved on and their behaviour would be forgotten.

It would be better if he made his approach formal so he sent a footman ahead of him to announce his arrival at the front entrance to the East Wing.

He stood a few yards from the door where he was clearly visible to anyone who cared to look from the drawing room window. The door opened and a brief conversation ensued between the servant and Bingley's butler. Darcy strode forward and marched in as if he owned the place – which technically he still did.

'Darcy, come with me to my study. It wouldn't be wise for the ladies to see you here.' Bingley grabbed his arm and all but dragged him from the entrance hall.

'Enough. Please release my arm, Bingley.' He spoke quietly but it had the desired effect.

'You shouldn't have come here; it will only exacerbate matters when Caroline discovers I've spoken to you.'

'I don't intend to hold a discussion in the passageway. Shall we keep our thoughts to ourselves until we can be private?'

They walked in uncomfortable silence until they were safely ensconced in the study. He didn't wait for Bingley to speak again but immediately told him what he and Lizzy had concluded about the elopement, as well as telling him how Forsyth had accosted her on the terrace.

'I didn't think things could get any worse, but they have. I don't know what Caroline was hoping to gain by her machinations. Is she so jealous of our happiness that she wishes to destroy it? I don't wish her to remain here anymore than you do but I can hardly send her packing with no destination.'

'I have a solution for you.' Darcy explained about the estate and Bingley looked less fraught by the time he'd finished.

'If the place has been empty for several months it will hardly be fit to live in. How long do you think it will take your people to make it ready for occupation?'

'A few days at the most, I should think. I will have to find extra staff as most of those that were employed by my tenant have now retired. There are but a handful taking care of things at the moment.'

'Although Caroline's reputation is already in tatters, I'm reluctant to make matters worse by sending her without a chaperone. I shall write immediately to my other sister and ask her and her husband to go there.'

'If you send a letter by express they will have it tomorrow and can set out the next day. This means they will be there within the week. That will be ample time to prepare the house. Although the estate is small, the house is handsome enough and might well do as a permanent home for Forsyth once they are wed. I'd be prepared to sell it to him.'

His mission accomplished, he stood up to leave. 'I'm relying on you to speak to Jane. I shall expect her to visit Lizzy this afternoon and put matters right between them.'

He nodded and Bingley reciprocated. Satisfied he'd set things in motion to bring this unpleasant incident to a close Darcy returned to his side of Pemberley. Perhaps it would be the best if the East Wing was returned to him – things would never be quite the same between him and his erstwhile friend.

*

The afternoon dragged by and even the pleasure of spending time with her precious babies couldn't raise Lizzy's spirits. Being at odds with her beloved wasn't something she enjoyed and she was now regretting the fact that the dinner party tonight had been cancelled. It would have been so much easier to spend the evening with Fitzwilliam if Georgiana and Jonathan had been present.

Changing for dinner had been abandoned, unless they had guests, so there was no need for her to return to her room before going downstairs. Would this evening be an opportunity to mend fences or would things get worse?

The drawing room was unoccupied. She looked at the clock and saw she was five minutes past the appointed time and he was always here before her. She wandered around disconsolately picking up objects and putting them down again.

Then the sound of raised voices alerted her. Fitzwilliam was arguing with someone on the terrace. She hurried to the long windows in order to see who he was talking to. Not wishing to be seen she remained out of sight behind the curtain.

The other voice was Mr Forsyth and he sounded most agitated.

'Look here, Darcy, that won't do at all. We are comfortable here and have no intention of removing to some dismal little estate of yours. Caroline will not budge until we are safely married and can buy a substantial place of our own.'

'Bingley wishes you both to leave so it would be polite to do as he requests.'

'Bingley is a great fellow, he's not going to insist that his dearest sister goes if she isn't inclined to.'

'He might not, sir, but I do. Bingley is my tenant and must follow my instructions if he doesn't intend to be evicted too.'

Lizzy clutched the curtain. Surely Fitzwilliam didn't intend to send Jane away as well? This must be an empty threat just spoken to push Forsyth into leaving.

Forsyth replied immediately. 'I've no desire to be at daggers drawn with you, sir, but I warned Mrs Darcy how it would be if things were not resolved…'

Fitzwilliam had obviously had enough and forcefully interrupted. 'I'll hear no more from you, Forsyth. If you and your future wife require to be accepted in any drawing rooms then you would do well not to make an enemy of me. You will leave Pemberley tomorrow morning at the latest. If you have not gone by the time I rise I shall send my men in to remove you by force.'

She staggered to the nearest chair and collapsed upon it. If her husband attempted to carry out his threat then Charles could hardly stand by and do nothing. Her brother-in-law might barricade himself and his family into the East Wing or he could take Jane and baby Charlotte away when his sister left.

Either option did not bear thinking of. A few days ago her life had been well-ordered and without incident and now things were in ruination. The arrival of the hateful Miss Bingley, and her equally obnoxious betrothed, had smashed the family apart.

It wouldn't be long before the rest of the family was dragged into this appalling situation. Georgiana and Jonathan would naturally side with Fitzwilliam – but she wasn't sure if Kitty and Adam would do so as well.

Holding the summer house party would be all but impossible if things had not been resolved. They could hardly have an influx of guests if their own family refused to attend the event. The colonel would have to wait until next year to find himself a bride – he was five and thirty – but another year could hardly matter. It wasn't as if he was in his dotage or had a title and vast estate to protect.

She was still gathering her thoughts when Fitzwilliam strode in. As soon as he saw her huddled by the windows he understood that she had overheard his argument. His expression changed from grim to concerned and he was at her side before she had time to speak.

'Lizzy, I wish you hadn't heard that. Forsyth is an imbecile and has allowed himself to be manipulated by Bingley's sister. I cannot have them here – you must understand that.'