Chapter Fifty-Nine
I t was an entire week before Mr. Darcy received a reply from Bingley. By that time, he had all but torn his hair out in his fear; the servants had learnt to tiptoe around him.
While he waited, he set his house in order. He ferreted out every servant who had accepted Lady Anne’s guinea and dismissed them on the spot. Abby he tossed out on her ear, but not before learning from her what she had reported to Lady Anne. He was speechless with horror. No wonder Elizabeth had left!
And then Bingley’s message arrived.
Darcy,
Elizabeth is not ***, and Jane seems to know nothing **** occurred at Pemberley. Is there ******* I might do to help? You have but to ask.
Bingley
Parts of the letter were unintelligible, as was usual with Bingley’s letters, but the gist was plain enough. Elizabeth was not at Longbourn.
Georgiana came in as he sat with his head in his hands. “No news, Brother?”
“Bingley says she is not at Longbourn.”
Georgiana sat in silence for a minute before saying, “Might she have gone to the seaside, Brother? She spoke often about how she looked forward to going to Bath next year. It is not the season for sea-bathing, but perhaps…”
Mr. Darcy looked up. “That is a very good thought, Georgiana. Bath is a large city, but there cannot be more than a dozen good hotels. I will send out riders to ask if a Mrs. Darcy or a Miss Bennet is registered at any of them.”
“Brother, wait. What if she is using a different name.”
Mr. Darcy groaned. “Then I do not know how we will find her!”
“You know I am fond of sketching; I think I can make a recognisable sketch of her.”
“Can you make half a dozen of them, Georgiana?”
The girl nodded firmly, happy to be of use. “I will begin at once.”
Buoyed by this new hope, Mr. Darcy rang for Barton. He would send out a half-dozen riders with Georgiana’s sketches in hand first thing in the morning.