Chapter Fifteen #3
A maid entered. “Emily!” cried Elizabeth, recognizing the girl who had entered the library in search of something to read.
The girl took a step back. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Darcy. The other girls were already busy, so Mrs. Spencer sent me up. I have been trained as a lady’s maid.”
Elizabeth scolded herself. She had arrived with William after the wedding breakfast, and both Mr. Slipworth and Mrs. Spencer had behaved as though they were meeting her for the first time.
No doubt she was the subject of speculation among the few servants in the house, but she should not have known Emily’s name.
“Yes, Mrs. Spencer mentioned you might assist me for a few days,” Elizabeth said calmly. “I am in a bit of a hurry just now. Might you help me become presentable?”
“Of course, Mrs. Darcy,” Emily said, and set to it.
Less than half an hour later, Elizabeth was more than presentable.
Her hair was done up in a simple but elegant style suitable for morning calls, and Emily had selected one of her aunt’s gowns, ivory trimmed with a deep green velvet.
There was a matching hat and gloves, and Emily stared at the contents of the wardrobe briefly before withdrawing a Pomona pelisse that, while not as elegant as the silk robe of her wedding gown, complemented the dress perfectly.
She would be a credit to her husband, dressed so smartly.
She would have to consider Emily for the position of lady’s maid when she had a moment to turn her mind to it.
There was no time for that now. She thanked Emily, sure the girl did not know what to make of her eccentric mistress, and rushed down the stairs.
“Mr. Pratt,” she addressed the butler, “please call the carriage. I wish to visit Matlock House.”
“Very good, madam,” Mr. Pratt said. He opened the door for her and stepped out after her to speak with the coachman.
Elizabeth noticed that two large men with dark skin were riding atop the carriage with Anders, one in the front and one on the back.
They were huge, with broad shoulders and bulging biceps, making Anders appear tiny in comparison.
She herself might have been a Lilliputian.
She gave each a smile and a nod before she was handed into the conveyance and they began to move over the cobblestone streets.
The journey to Matlock House was a short one—a quarter of an hour at most. When a footman from the earl’s staff handed her out, Elizabeth turned to Anders.
“Please wait for me, Anders,” she instructed the man, “I shall not be long.” Anders tipped his hat, but his cousins had already climbed down from the carriage and escorted her into the house itself.
The butler welcomed her in his staid manner. “I am afraid the countess had an engagement this morning,” he said. “You are welcome to wait, of course, but it may be some time before she returns.”
“Truthfully,” Elizabeth replied, “I was hoping to speak with Miss Darcy.”
“She is engaged at present, Mrs. Darcy,” the man said.
She did not have time to wait. “Is Colonel Fitzwilliam here, perhaps?” He was Georgiana’s other guardian. He would help.
“Oh, I am sorry, Mrs. Darcy,“ he told her. “The only member of the family at home to callers this morning is Viscount Milton.”
Before she could reply, Henry emerged into the hall. “Elizabeth!” he cried, removing a napkin from his collar. “I thought that was your voice. Have you left my dull, dour cousin already? Shall we take his carriage and abscond to warmer climes?”
Elizabeth lifted her eyebrows and treated him to an icy stare. She would not allow him to goad her. “I am here on business, Henry,” she told him. “Will you hear me out, or shall I travel to Angelo’s and speak with your brother?”
He eyed her closely. “Why would you not simply speak to your husband?”
“Because he was already out of the house when I woke. Now he is about to face Mr. Howard, and I do not want him distracted.”
Henry was quiet for a moment before he motioned to the room he had just exited. “And you believe arriving at Angelo’s in his carriage would not distract?”
Elizabeth just stared at him.
He tipped his head in the direction of the room from which he had emerged. “Come in.”
Before she sat, Elizabeth asked, “I was hoping to speak to Georgiana.”
“She is upstairs in a music lesson,” Henry said slowly. “I was going to ride over to Angelo’s myself. The bout is set for later this morning, but I thought to lay a wager on William. Have you ever seen him fence?”
“Will you call for her?” Elizabeth asked, ignoring Henry’s question. “It is important.”
Henry stood slowly and sent a maid in search of Georgiana. They sat together silently as they awaited her arrival.
“Elizabeth,” her new sister said, rushing into the room and taking her by the hands. “It is wonderful to see you. I am in a lesson just now . . .”
“My apologies, Georgiana,” Elizabeth said. “I have a question for you, and I am afraid it cannot wait.”
Georgiana sat down on the settee with Elizabeth. “Very well. What is it?”
Henry sat in the chair opposite and gave her an expectant look.
“When we spoke about Amelia Howard,” she began, “you told your brother and I that you were not intimate friends with her.”
“That is true,” Georgiana said. Henry straightened suddenly, his eyes fixed on Elizabeth’s face.
“Did she have one?” Elizabeth inquired. “An intimate friend, I mean.”
Georgiana’s brow wrinkled. “Well, I have not seen any of them since the summer,” she answered softly. “But last March, before Miss Howard removed from town, Miss Harriet Dixon was her very good friend.”
“Miss Harriet Dixon,” Elizabeth repeated. “You are sure?”
Georgiana nodded.
Elizabeth reached over and gave Georgiana’s hand a squeeze. “Thank you. I will not keep you from your lesson any longer. Please apologize to the master on my behalf.”
The girl nodded and stood. She seemed puzzled, but she did not ask any questions, simply made her way out of the room.
Elizabeth turned to Henry, who gave her a knowing look.
“I will take care of it, cousin,” he told her, and for once, he sounded serious.
“Do you know Mr. Dixon?” she asked, surprised.
“I know everyone,” Henry replied with a shrug. “I really ought to have considered this myself, but we none of us think too much about girls not yet out, do we?”
Elizabeth shrugged. “I have four sisters.”
Henry nodded, though he appeared preoccupied. “Will you wait here for Darcy?”
“No,” she said. “I will return home and await him there. Please give your parents and the colonel my regards when you see them.” She worried her bottom lip before asking, “Will you tell me what you find?”
“I will,” Henry said and offered her his arm. After an initial hesitation, Elizabeth took it. He gathered his outerwear as he walked her back to the carriage.
“Mr. Anders,” she called warmly, casting a glance behind her as Henry prepared to hand her back into the carriage, “I was in a hurry before, but now that my errand is complete, would you please introduce me to your cousins?” As Anders drew nearer to comply, she added, “I am told that you have all done me a great service.”
“We are all Anders, Mrs. Darcy,” the coachman replied with a grin. He nodded first at the man whose facial features were much like his own. The man had a scar over his right eye and close-cut hair. “This is Mr. Josiah Anders.”
Elizabeth smiled. “Thank you for your help, Mr. Anders,” she said sincerely. The man nodded once.
Anders then motioned to the second man, who bore only a passing resemblance to his two relations. He had lighter skin, longer hair, and an earring in one ear. “And this is Mr. Isaac Anders.”
“I thank you as well, Mr. Anders,” Elizabeth said warmly, and he gave her a smile and a nod. She glanced at them both. “I feel a great deal safer with all of you accompanying me.”
“You are welcome, Mrs. Darcy,” Mr. Josiah Anders answered gravely.
Henry handed Elizabeth in and closed the carriage door. Henry was already mounting his horse and heading in the opposite direction.
Well, she had accomplished what she could. Soon she was back home. Acknowledging the weariness of her restless night, Elizabeth dragged herself up to her chambers to await William.
Henry might be the right man for this job after all. She certainly hoped so.