The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Mystery (35 page)

Remaining in the shadows, Darcy had paused at the bottom of the steps. He did not want Lieutenant Wickham to bolt before the Alpin staff could corner the man in the open foyer. When the knocker sounded, he nodded solemnly for Mr. Jacks to respond, and then he aimed the gun in the door's direction. From the semi-darkness, an eyebrow rose in surprise as he looked upon a familiar face.

The door had swung wide, and Edward had breathed relief's sigh. He was home. Not his actual home. Not Matley Manor. Not Yadkin Hall. Yet, home, nevertheless. Wherever Georgiana resided was his home. The girl whose skinned knees he had once bandaged now held his heart in her delicate hand. He had returned to England from the American war to find a woman where a child had once stood. He still could not understand how it had happened.

He had stepped into Pemberley's foyer that December evening, very much as he had done a hundred times prior where he had
expected to find his cousin and Mrs. Darcy and his ward. Instead, a blizzard, which had blanketed the northern shires, had waylaid Darcy and Elizabeth at an out-of-the-way inn, and the young girl he had expected to find had transformed into the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. And from the moment that Georgiana had propelled herself into his welcoming arms, everything had changed. He could not resist Georgiana's allure. One look. One soft pout of her lips, and Edward had lost the battle.

They had married in March before he had shipped out to join Wellington's forces. In fact, out of the seven months since that eventful night in December when he had discovered the love of his life, they had spent less than four days together as man and wife. Edward was looking forward to making up for lost time.

“Mr. Jacks,” he said as he stepped into the dimly lit hallway. “Do you remember me, Sir?” Then Edward's eyes fell on the gun pointed at his chest. An eyebrow rose in surprise. “I know you never totally accepted my marrying your sister, Darcy, but your objections are a bit late.” He casually handed his hat, gloves, and crop to Jacks. Then he looked over the caretaker's shoulder at Georgiana's inscrutable brother. “Well, Darcy?”

Before his cousin could respond, someone shoved Darcy out of the way and launched herself into Edward's waiting embrace. “Thank God, you have returned to us!”

Elizabeth had silently crept closer so she would be able to hear everything her husband said to Lieutenant Wickham, but the voice she heard did not belong to her sister's husband, at least, not the husband of her natural sister, but her sister in marriage would know happiness again.

“I know you never totally accepted my marrying your sister, Darcy, but your objections are a bit late,” the voice said. And then Elizabeth was on the move. In a panic, she realized Darcy pointed a gun at his cousin and best friend, and something bad could happen. Therefore, Elizabeth put herself between the two men. She rushed past her husband, shoving Darcy to the side and springing into the Major General's open arms. “Thank God, you have returned to us!”

“Now, that is more in the nature of the welcome I had expected.” Edward lifted Elizabeth from the floor and swung her joyously about in a circle. “Embracing a lovely woman.” The Major General laughed aloud and placed a wet kiss on Elizabeth's equally happy mouth.

Darcy cleared his throat with intent. “That lovely woman belongs to me, Cousin.” He had not lowered the pistol.

Elizabeth laughed breathlessly as Edward settled her to the ground. She slid her arms around Edward's waist, but she spoke over her shoulder to her husband. “Mr. Darcy speaks in the Parliamentary sense of possession rather than of my willingly giving the man my heart.”

Edward smiled down at her. “Absolutely, Mrs. Darcy. Even a relic such as my cousin knows better than to exercise his territorial rights with a man who has just returned from history's worst battle.”

Darcy slid the gun into his waistband. “I assure you, Cousin, that I would not hesitate to confront any man who dares to place an inappropriate hold on Mrs. Darcy.”

Elizabeth gave Edward's cheek a gentle pat. “I adore it when men posture like lions in the wild. It makes a woman feel very desirable. Much more flattering than words of poetry or jewelry.”

The Major General winked at Darcy. “You have a most insensible mate. Yet, I would imagine you the most fortunate of men.”

Darcy reached for her and brought Elizabeth into his own loose embrace. “‘Fortunate' does not come close to describing my marital bliss.”

Elizabeth maintained a hold on Edward's hand. “Come,” she said. “You must be exhausted. Mr. Jacks, might you secure refreshments for the Major General?”

“Yes, Ma'am.” The servant disappeared into a side hallway.

Edward's gaze slid to the staircase. “Is my wife such a sound sleeper?” Elizabeth felt him tug on her hand to free his, but she tightened her hold.

“Come,” she said again. “We will explain all. You should know that Georgiana is not at Alpin. My sister needs your expertise to bring her home.”

Edward's heart clinched in protest. Surely Mrs. Darcy made a poor jest. Georgiana was to wait for him. Her last letter had told him such. It was the reason he had raced to Kirkconnel from Kent. The reason he had slept but a few hours each night. So he might reach her more quickly. “Georgiana,” he groaned. “It cannot be.”

Darcy had reached for Edward's arm in a sign of support. “Mrs. Darcy is correct. This will take some time to explain. Come along. As we have always done, we will solve this together. I am heartened by your presence, Edward.”

He allowed Elizabeth to lead him to a room of which he was completely unaware, but he did not resist. His mind remained on the truth of what Elizabeth had said: Georgiana was not at Alpin Hall.

When he had first experienced Elizabeth's happiness at his return, Edward had rejoiced in her very feminine response. He had survived an extraordinary battle—a battle where thousands had fallen—a battle of blood and rain and mud and the screams of the
dying. He had survived Waterloo because his demise would have killed his mother and father. Because he wanted to see his nephew grow into a man. Because he needed to be available for his godson Bennet. Because without him, Roman Southland would have lain on a rain-soaked battlefield and bled to death. Because Anne's hopes and dreams deserved fruition; and mostly, he had survived for her–for Georgiana. Because only in her arms had he found peace, and a balm for the loneliness that had plagued him through more than a decade of war.

If exhaustion had not rattled his thinking, he would have known that Darcy had no reason to be at Alpin Hall, and his cousin's presence should have set Edward on alert. But it had seemed so natural to find Darcy wherever Georgiana was that Edward had not considered how the “welcome home” portrait in his mind hung askew. Edward shook his head to clear his thinking: Darcy had held a gun on him. Edward stopped suddenly. “Why did you greet me with a loaded gun, Darcy?” He spoke in hushed tones although it was not necessary. “Surely, you did not expect trouble. Did you expect an intruder to knock on the front door?”

Darcy's lips set in a grim line. “Actually, Cousin, I had thought the sound of the door signaled Lieutenant Wickham's return.”

“Are you certain the girl is not free to come and go as she pleases?” At a secondary inn close to Normanna Hall, Wickham had stumbled across a man related to several of the MacBethan servants. In finding the man, his luck had held. Of late, the cards had treated him well, and he had a few extra coins to buy this Scotsman's allegiance.

“Like I says before, me cousin told me so himself. Blane carried the gel from the cells and puts her in one of the smaller rooms. He say the laird's mother had saved the gel for the yanger boy, but
Aulay, he not be ret in the head. Now, the laird has set his eye on the gel. Domhnall's wife, she died deliverin' his bairn. The babe didnae survive either. The new gel be with child or so the missus tells Blane. Lady Wotherspoon be thinkin' to wed the gel to Aulay and then collect the dowry. Domhnall has different plans, tho. At least, that be what Blane be sayin'.”

“Did your cousin describe this woman?” Wickham asked cautiously.

“Dinnae say much exceptin' that she be very fair. Light hair and very small in frame. He dinnae say more of her looks, but she must be pretty because Blane be tongue-tied around pretty gels.”

Feeling dreadful presentiments, Edward demanded, “What the hell would Wickham be doing at Alpin Hall?”

Darcy nodded toward the drawing room. “What else? Pretending to be something he is not.”

Elizabeth softly added, “And, of course, pilfering the silver.”

Edward shot a knowing glance at Darcy. The glance said that he understood how much Darcy must truly love Elizabeth to have aligned himself with a scoundrel such as George Wickham. Indirectly, he, too, was part of Wickham's extended family. However, ice would blanket Hell's fires before he would allow the man anywhere near Georgiana.