A Mutual Accord

Chapter 50

CHAPTER 50

S mothering a shriek, Elizabeth nearly jumped out other skin to find the comte standing right next to her. “Do not follow, mademoiselle . There is another way.” She followed him down the hall, then another, then another. Then suddenly they were back in the great hall.

“Excuse me, I must go,” Elizabeth said in agitation, desperate to find Ashley and Lady Catherine.

“Wait, mademoiselle ,” the comte advised. “I heard the same conversation that you did. Do not run off without your head.”

“You? How?” Elizabeth asked in surprise.

“There is a grate in the wall on the other side of the room,” the comte answered. “Now, you have the answer, do you not, about your beau?”

Elizabeth considered. “He is still alive,” she said.

“The traitor’s targets are his family. The children are at Bourne House, the rest of them are here, save one?” the comte said, reminding her of Wickham’s words.

Wickham is going to attack Bourne House! Who is there besides the children and Arabella?” she gasped. “Why would they do such a thing? And where is Wickham keeping Darcy?”

“That colonel knows,” said the comte . “He is planning to attack the caves near Beachy Head – your young man is there. That is where that Wickham came from tonight. I saw him near there this afternoon. The locals never go there, the caves can be dangerous.”

“Colonel Allen? But he is one of them!” exclaimed Elizabeth.

“Not Colonel Allen. The other colonel. Her ladyship’s nephew,” said St Germain.

“But Colonel Fitzwilliam is away on a mission for the war office!” said Elizabeth in confusion.

“We must go to the little sister,” St Germain said decidedly. Elizabeth followed him back into the ballroom as he made a beeline for Georgiana and Lydia, who were waiting worriedly with Mrs Annesley.

“Georgiana, do you know where to find Colonel Fitzwilliam?” asked Elizabeth directly as she approached the younger girl.

Georgiana started in surprise at the unexpected question. “Do not delay, for the sake of your brother, ma petite ,” St Germain said sternly. “The need for secrecy has passed. Your brother’s time is near.”

Georgiana squeaked in terror, and looked at Elizabeth in fear. “You must tell me, immediately, Georgie. There is not a single moment to lose,” Elizabeth encouraged.

Georgiana composed herself, and said, “There is a forgotten shack on the far end of Peas Hill. It is just past the giant oak, set back far from the lane, you can hardly tell that it is there, but a cluster of poppies marks the entrance to the path that leads to it. Lizzy, he is hardly ever there, and once you go there he will not be able to return.”

“It cannot be helped, Georgie. Darcy is being held in some caves by Beachy Head, and someone must tell Richard immediately,” Elizabeth said firmly. She then looked about her and realised that the comte had disappeared. “How am I to manage all of this on my own!” she stamped her foot in frustration, then told Georgiana and Lydia to stay put, and left them.

Elizabeth approached Lady Gordon when the lady happened to be alone. “Lady Gordon, I have a serious problem, and I know not who to turn to for assistance,” she began.

“My dear girl, I told you the very day we met that if you ever need anything , that I am your grateful servant!” exclaimed Lady Gordon.

As much as Elizabeth was far too well bred to ever call in a favour, she had no choice. “Lady Gordon, I am certain you heard about the incident with Lord Carlisle’s carriage two days ago?” When that lady nodded, Elizabeth took a breath and said in a low rush, “I have just learned that they may be in danger again. Lady Carlisle is alone at Bourne House with the children and servants, and I must find a secret haven for them for the night.”

“My dear, you must have them taken to Gordon Lodge immediately!” the lady gasped, ready to leap into action.

“Wait! Lady Gordon, we still know not where the threat comes from! It must be a complete secret! I have a suspicion that the villain is here in this very ballroom, and that the other members of Lord Carlisle’s family are in danger as well,” Elizabeth begged.

“A plot against the foreign secretary’s family !” Lady Gordon breathed. “Miss Elizabeth, the Gordons of Eastbourne will do our duty! What do you need?”

“Could you please send one of your servants to your estate with all haste, informing them to expect the occupants of Bourne House, and that your manor must be completely surrounded by lit torches. As many as possible. It may keep the house safe this night,” Elizabeth said. “You should find an excuse to call for your carriage as quickly as possible. You and Sir Charles must either stay here at the ball until the very end, or leave immediately, I fear the streets may not be safe within the hour, perhaps two.”

“I will do it my dear, of course, but whatever do you mean?” asked the lady.

“I am sure I do not know at all what I mean, Lady Gordon, but you will have my gratitude for your help,” Elizabeth said earnestly.

“I shall not even send a servant,” Lady Gordon declared. “I shall turn my ankle, and demand my carriage forthwith. It will not be unbelievable. I am not known for being graceful on the dance floor.”

Next, Elizabeth went to Ashley. “Lord Carlisle, I cannot spend the time confiding everything I have just learned, but there is to be an invasion by sea tonight, and your family, as the relations of the foreign secretary, seem to be the target of a plot,” she attempted to explain in a rush.

“That seems to be nothing new considering what happened two days ago, but is there some new particular threat to my family, Miss Elizabeth?” he asked sharply.

“I have just learned that Bourne House is to be attacked tonight, and that Colonel Allen and Lord Amesbury are involved,” said Elizabeth. “I have arranged in secret for everyone to be given refuge for the night at Gordon Lodge. You must go to Bourne House immediately and move Lady Carlisle and the children as quickly as possible. Take Priscilla with you, I am not certain, but I believe the family here is a target as well. I will have William round up the rest and follow you. Lord Carlisle, Gordon Lodge must be surrounded by as many lit torches as possible, that is some sort of signal devised by Wickham to make some houses safe. You must ensure it as soon as you get there.”

Ashley thanked Elizabeth profusely for his family, and went in search of Priscilla. Elizabeth went in search of her cousin. “William, I have learned something about Darcy, and I have also learnt that Bourne House and its occupants are to be attacked tonight, and that we may not even be safe here in Lord Amesbury’s House.”

“Cousin!” said William in shock. “What are we to do?”

“William, this must be a complete secret. You must not betray anything. I am to go with Lord Carlisle and Priscilla to move Arabella and the children. You must persuade Lady Catherine to feign a collapse, and have the family make their goodbyes immediately. You will go straight to Gordon Lodge. Lady Gordon is going ahead, they will expect you. Once you are there, none of you must leave. Cousin, there is going to be an invasion of the French by sea tonight. They are coming to look for something. You must make certain that the family stays inside Gordon House, and that it is surrounded by as many lit torches as can be found as quickly as possible when you get there. The men said the torches are a signal not to attack.”

William’s mouth worked up and down in shock, “But, Cousin!”

“William, there is no time! I must go!” Elizabeth’s cousin stood slack jawed as she left him, and a few moments later, when he had gone to do her bidding, she snuck out the French doors, into the garden, and away from the house, heading in the direction of Peas Hill. She had done her best, and warned who she could, but now, she must help Mr Darcy.

When Elizabeth reached the small cluster of poppies on Peas Hill, she turned into the barely discernible path, and made her way through the darkened overgrowth to the tiny shack that Georgiana had described. She knocked lightly on the door, then after a moment, pushed it open. It was not much of a place to sleep; Elizabeth cringed to think that Richard had been obliged to stay there.

“Lookin’ fer the colonel, miss?” came a familiar voice in the dark.

Elizabeth let out a small scream; it really was too much to ask that she be silent, no matter the risk. Her nerves were not at their best. Her courage might rise at every attempt to intimidate her, but her sensibilities were sorely tried this night.

“Tom,” she breathed. “Tom, is that you?

“Yes, miss.” Tom melted out of the shadows. “I be keepin’ watch fer the colonel, and Mr Croucher, in case Miss Darcy needs em.”

“Will your father not be angry?” ask Elizabeth in concern.

“‘E up an’ lef’ yesterday, miss,” Tom informed her. “When he takes ‘is bag wi’ ‘im, ‘e ain’t like to come back fer months.”

“Where is Colonel Fitzwilliam, Tom?” asked Elizabeth. “We need him desperately.”

“The colonel ‘ad word from someone ‘e been waitin’ fer, miss. ‘E went out to meet ‘em,” answered Tom. “Another man, a grand officer, come lookin’ awhile ago. Never seen ‘im afore. He went inside an’ left a packet, but din’t show meself to ‘im. I’m only to wait for the folks in Bourne ‘ouse. I can run yer colonel a message faster’n anything, miss. What ye need ‘im fer?”

“You must tell Colonel Fitzwilliam that Mr Darcy is being held in some caves near Beachy Head, and that he will be eliminated tonight if we do not save him,” Elizabeth explained. “And Tom, there is to be a landing party of the French with the low tide. They are to march on the castle, they want something there. The fireworks are a signal that the town suspects nothing, and they can land!”

“I’ll go right now!” exclaimed Tom. “You wait ‘ere, miss.”

Elizabeth watched as the boy tore off into the darkness, then turned and began running in the other direction, as fast as she could, into the night.

The exodus of Lady Catherine’s party and the Gordons from the ball did not attract as much attention as one might have thought. Lady Catherine was known to have an illness, and had collapsed in Eastbourne before, and someone or other always turned an ankle at a ball. Colonel Allen thought to himself that Wickham’s loose ends might be easier than he thought to tie up, since the whole family was returning home to Bourne House.

The Colonel had done his bit for the plot by assuring the mayor and others that he and his men had personally searched the caves for Darcy, ensuring that others did not go exploring the usually isolated caves. For that, and for ensuring that his regiment were doing anything but their duties when the French landed, and were instead, all dancing at the ball, Allen had received enough to pay his gambling debts and keep him until the miserly relation that he would one day inherit from expired.

It was not until Georgiana went to find Elizabeth once everyone had begun to settle in at Gordon Lodge that she realised that she was not there. William said that Elizabeth said she was going with Ashley, Ashley said that Elizabeth meant to find William and Lady Catherine, and return with the family. When Georgiana told William that she believed Elizabeth had gone to find Colonel Fitzwilliam, and the location of the shack, he kissed Mary on the forehead, and ran, heedless of invasions, or the French, or danger, out into the night, as fast as he could. Before he reached the shack, he was collared by Croucher, who stepped out of a shadow in the lane.

“I cannot stop, I must find my Cousin Elizabeth!” William cried.

“And how will you help her, you know nothing of fighting,” said Croucher, as Tom stepped out of the shadows behind him. “Colonel Fitzwilliam has gone to get the dragoons, who are waiting a few miles away. I am going to the caves to assist Miss Bennet, and he is to follow. Your country has another duty for you and young Mr Tyler tonight.”

Croucher explained that there were fireworks to be lit that evening, ostensibly as part of the celebration of Lady Amesbury’s ball, but in truth, as a signal to the French that they should land. There was also a beacon at the top of the Martello Tower, which needed to be lit, to alert the rest of the coast that there was an invasion impending, and there was also a bell on the tower that must be rung to alert the town that something was wrong? 1 .

William Bennet and Tom Tyler accepted their orders, and ran in opposite directions with all speed to carry them out.

1 ? It is unknown if there was a bell on the Wish Tower or how the town of Eastbourne alerted its residents to danger, but we will assume one for the purposes of this story.