Chapter 49
CHAPTER 49
T he night of Lady Amesbury’s ball was a magnificent evening. It was not too hot, although Elizabeth was certain that the ballroom would be steaming later, even with a cool breeze coming off of the coast. She boarded Darcy’s coach with Lydia, Georgiana, and Priscilla. The others crowded into Lady Catherine’s and Lord Carlisle’s carriages, and the party set off for the ball. Arabella understandably still had not stirred from her rooms, nor left her children, so she remained behind at Bourne House. Anne and Priscilla were equally in no mood for dancing, but they consented to join the others, for Darcy’s sake. Anne thought the locals were abominable and barbaric, throwing lavish affairs and celebrating when there was a man missing, and there were men in their town attempting to kidnap or murder people.
Elizabeth dreaded the event. She knew Lady Catherine was correct, the locals had given up on Mr Darcy far too easily. Elizabeth saw the sense to join them in their revelries, all the while reminding them that the search must resume tomorrow. But where to search? They had searched every inch of Eastbourne. Every estate had been combed, all of the outbuildings, the woods, the beaches, the caves that were safe enough to enter. The mayor and the local men were hard put to know where to look next.
Elizabeth had never seen so many officers at one entertainment, not even Mr Bingley’s ball. Mr Bingley had invited the entire regiment, but Colonel Forster had understandably left a large number of men on duty at the camp. It did not look as if Colonel Allen had done that tonight. The young ladies on Lady Amesbury’s guest list would not want for partners.
Each member of their party wore a blue ribbon tied about their arm. Georgiana and Lydia had gone and purchased every inch of blue ribbon at Johnson’s, cutting them into appropriate lengths, and each young lady carried a large handful in her reticule.
“Good evening, Lady Catherine, we are so grateful that your party joined us,” said Lady Amesbury in the receiving line. “Oh look, everyone in your party is wearing a blue ribbon! Whatever for?”
“We wear our blue ribbons to remind everyone to keep looking for my poor brother, Lady Amesbury,” said Georgiana forwardly, turning beet red as she did so. “Would you like to wear one as well?”
“Indeed, we brought enough to share,” Lady Catherine, as she opened her reticule and pulled out a ribbon, and the ladies proceeded to boldly tie ribbons on the arms of their hosts and the family.
“What an interesting idea,” Lady Amesbury said tolerantly as she allowed Georgiana to tie the blue ribbon, which clashed terribly with the lady’s gown, to her upper arm. The rest of their party was tight lipped as they entered the ballroom, whereupon the ladies all burst into giggles.
“How bold you have become, Georgie!” Priscilla laughed. “And here she is, afraid to go into society in London!”
“I believe you could tie a blue ribbon on the arm of Lady Jersey in the middle of Almack’s with a straight face and get away with it, little cousin,” Ashley teased a blushing Georgiana. “You will do very well indeed when you go to London.”
The party split up, Jane and Mary to stroll on the arms of their suitors, Lady Catherine to speak to the dowagers and other guests, while Anne, Priscilla and Caroline were besieged with requests to dance. Elizabeth was also mobbed by gentlemen and officers, but she accepted no dances, and stayed with Georgiana, Lydia, and Mrs Annesley. Their party strolled the room, spoke with their friends, and passed out blue ribbons to everyone who wished for one.
By the time the first dance started, more than two thirds of the guests had blue ribbons tied to their arms. Most of those without were officers, who were not permitted to alter their uniforms in any way. Elizabeth was wistful and did her best not to weep a bit as the ladies and gentlemen spun about the floor, but it did give her joy to see her sisters dancing with their gentlemen. Jane had confessed to Elizabeth that she and Bingley agreed that they could not take joy in becoming engaged while Mr Darcy’s fate was unknown, and they had agreed to wait, at least for now, before entering an engagement. Elizabeth knew that Jane was making the sacrifice for her, and she loved her sister for it.
The Woodhouses attended the ball, and Miss Woodhouse danced the first with her father, the second with Lord Carlisle, who wished to show his gratitude for her assistance to his sister and cousin. The young lady was in excellent looks, and credited her recovery to the fine air of Eastbourne. Thankfully, the young lady good-naturedly accepted her blue ribbon from Georgiana without complaint, and made no mention of any kind of Mr Darcy all evening, even when the other women were speaking of the search to other guests. Miss Woodhouse rightfully guessed that Elizabeth’s patience was hanging by a thread, and thankfully said nothing indelicate to upset her.
The marvel of the ball was the magnificent ruby that Lady Gordon wore. Her husband, Sir Charles Gordon, was a local baronet whose grandfather had made a fortune in iron mines several decades before. It was rumoured that Sir Charles had engaged the comte to enlarge the jewel by some method of alchemy, and the endeavour had been successful.
Elizabeth sat between Lydia and a captain from the regiment at dinner, where the main topic was many discussions as to the authenticity of the enormous stone in Lady Gordon’s pendant.
“Poor Lady Amesbury,” said Lydia privately to her sister. “Between Lady Gordon’s jewel, and Mr Darcy’s blue ribbons, our hostess has been quite eclipsed this evening.”
Lydia was not wrong, Elizabeth thought as she watched Lady Amesbury shoot daggers at Lady Gordon with her eyes from across the room. The ladies of their party had been appallingly direct about stealing the focus of the night for Mr Darcy with their ribbons, and the excitement and speculation about the blood red jewel had put an end to any notice or talk of the party arrangements. At least there would still be the fireworks later, Elizabeth thought. Lady Amesbury ought to still receive a certain amount of acclaim for that. Everyone at the party was looking forward to them. However, Lord Amesbury said they were to be set off very late, after the rest of the town was likely in their beds.
When they returned to the ballrooms, Elizabeth and the younger ladies took seats by the side of the room. “Eliza,” said Caroline Bingley, coming up alongside them. When she used the appellation now, it was with sincere affection, and as a private joke between the ladies, Elizabeth now used the name Caro when referring to her friend in all sincerity “Eliza, is that not the officer everyone made a fuss over in Meryton?”
Elizabeth looked up in time to see Wickham skirt through the edge of the room, and out one of the doors leading to the hall. “Where did he come from?” she gasped.
“He came in the French doors from the gardens only moments ago,” answered Caroline, “He was looking across the room at Lord Amesbury, who nodded to him, and then left by that same door with Colonel Allen.”
“Do not leave this spot,” Elizabeth commanded Georgiana and Lydia. She rose and left the young ladies with Caroline and Mrs Annesley as she followed Lieutenant Wickham into the great hall. As she entered the hall, she looked down to her left, and saw Wickham go down another hall. She followed the man down two darkened halls, obviously part of the house that guests were not meant to visit tonight, and stopped in front of the door that Wickham had entered.
“I cannot believe the night has arrived,” she heard Lord Amesbury say. “Huggins says that the castle has been watched enough to be certain that there are few servants, and they are all very old. I do not know what they seek there, but the fireworks will cover enough of the sound of the landing, and create enough of a distraction for the French to get at least most of the way to the castle before the residents realise what is happening. The fireworks are the signal that nothing is suspected and it is safe to come ashore. Even once it is realised, once the landing is achieved, the sheer numbers of the landing party will prevent the townspeople or even the militia posing too much of a challenge. You are certain that they will not attack this house?”
“They will not attack any house completely surrounded with well lit torches,” promised Wickham. “That is the signal Huggins gave you. The other great houses in the area will be lit, of course, but yours will be the only one completely surrounded with torches. They will have been told to look for that, and they will leave at least two or three other houses nearby untouched, in order to ensure you are not suspected.”
“What is the situation at the tower, Allen?” asked Lord Amesbury.
“There is always a sentry at the top, watching the waters, and ready to light the beacon if there is any sign of invasion. The man I placed there tonight is a drunkard; I ensured that he would gain access to a bottle earlier this evening, and that another would magically appear at his post. He is notoriously weak willed; I assure you he will be unconscious by the landing, and he is incredibly difficult to wake when he is in his cups, I have experienced. He should sleep through the entire event. When are we expecting our visitors?”
“Within two hours, I would say,” answered Wickham. “They will want to come in on the low tide, so they can see any obstacles, and the men can wade ashore.”
“Have you received your payment?” asked Colonel Allen.
“Huggins delivered it today. More than enough to solve my present difficulties, and save my heir from marrying that sickly heiress out there,” answered Lord Amesbury.
“He should marry her anyway,” Wickham advised. “I have known her since childhood, and it is certain that she will not live to a great age. Childbirth would certainly finish her off. He could have a possible heir, an estate, a fortune, and be widowed and as rich as Croesus in a few short years.”
“But if she had a sickly child,” considered Lord Amesbury.
“She has not always been ill,” said Wickham. “Her heart was weakened by scarlet fever. No reason her child might not be healthy.”
“Hmmm… I will tell Bexley to take that under advisement,” said Lord Amesbury. “Have you taken care of everything on your end?”
“I have several loose ends that must be tied up yet, and they are scattered all over town,” spat Wickham. “I have been given a rather difficult task and there really doesn’t seem to be any way to manage it. I have to lead a great deal of the French to Bourne House and attack it, and while some of my targets are there, the rest of them are here, save one.”
“Have you not done away with him yet?” said Allen scathingly. “And you said Bexley was squeamish.”
“Bexley is squeamish, I should know,” said the man in question’s father.
“You never know when Darcy could come in handy,” scoffed Wickham. “I am not one to squander my resources.”
Suddenly there was scuffing of wood across the floor, the sound of chairs being pulled back. Elizabeth rushed several feet down the hall, in the opposite way from which she had come, and hid in a convenient alcove. The door opened, and she surreptitiously watched the men leave Lord Amesbury’s study and return back down the hall to the party. Before she could move to follow them back, a warm hand grasped her arm.