Chapter Twenty-One
“Sir William Lucas, Mr Darcy, Mr Bingley, and Miss Elizabeth Bennet,” the butler of Flitwick Hall announced the following morning shortly after breakfast.
“Will!” Georgiana cried, jumping up from the settee once introductions had been made. “Will, you came!”
“Of course I came, Georgie, what else would I do?” Darcy embraced his sister and kissed her on top of the head. “I am exceedingly grateful to see you unharmed, Sister. From now on, you are not to leave my sight without an armed guard fit for a princess.”
“Darcy is to stay behind with the men to learn what will happen next, and to help find the other men involved, if possible.” Elizabeth put an arm around Georgiana.
“Mr Bingley has come to escort us ladies and Papa back to Meryton. I am only here because I am vain enough to think my attendance has merit.”
“Of course it does!” Georgiana exclaimed.
“Lucas, I am happy indeed that you have come, and I hope you brought more men. There is a search to be conducted.” Sir Gregory bowed to the new arrivals.
“We have identified who the other men are. However, they expected that, and fled. One of their neighbours says one of them got a letter about a fortnight ago from a relation about a job in Manchester. It would be worth sending a party of men to search in that direction. They have no horses, they will keep to the trails, and off of the roads, but they have money and stolen goods, and they will have to turn up somewhere along the journey to buy food and possibly transport, once they are out of the vicinity.”
“You will have as many men at your disposal as you require, Sir Gregory,” Darcy promised.
“Between me and Bingley, we have brought twelve, including local men who volunteered for the task. The men in Meryton do not want these fiends to find their way there, nor to prey upon another village. But we can send for more men from London. I hope you will not object that four of the men will accompany the ladies back to Meryton before returning to the search. We have also brought a great number of arms.”
“Of course, the ladies must have protection, they have been through enough,” Sir Gregory agreed.
“And eight men will be a tremendous help, especially if some can head north to search the roads. Our local men are already searching the area. But first, let us discuss another, more pleasant subject. Miss Lydia, the families of those robbed have offered a great sum as a reward for information about the highwaymen’s identity.
A great number of family heirlooms and valuable jewels have been stolen, in addition to a lot of money, and there is one terribly irate father whose ransomed daughter returned home with child and in love with one of her captors, I presume that is Mr Wickham. ”
“Good heavens!” Elizabeth exclaimed.
“That is not the pleasant bit, Sir Gregory, tell them properly,” chided his wife.
“Of course, Lady Sayles, you are only too right.” Sir Gregory chuckled good-naturedly.
“Miss Lydia, it has been decided that since it was you who first identified Mr Wickham, and also who brought him down single handedly, preventing Miss Darcy from being taken, and since your assistance provided us with the identity of the last two, a local man and his young son, that you must receive the reward, which is, if all of the families pay what they have promised, over two thousand pounds.”
“Two thousand, five hundred, and fifty,” Lady Sayles supplied the number.
“What a sum! Congratulations, Lyddie!” Elizabeth cried excitedly.
“I suppose that this will put paid to your dreams of education and accomplishment,” jested Mr Bennet.
“Why should it?” Lydia asked curiously.
“Well, I doubt that you will be interested in books and accomplishments with such a sum at your fingers.” Mr Bennet looked triumphant. Jane wished that she could box his ears. Why was he wishing that his daughter would not improve herself?
“Miss Darcy is rich, and she is interested in books and accomplishments,” Lydia replied pointedly. “Why should I not still wish to learn?”
“It is obvious that you will lose interest once you have purchased a few hundred bonnets to trim.” Kitty looked disdainful.
“I cannot believe we are having this conversation here.” Elizabeth appeared to be mortified. “Can we not discuss the matter at home?”
“Would such a thing even be allowed?” Lydia asked in surprise, ignoring Elizabeth.
“Surely, the funds will be added to my dowry. Papa would never let me spend so much.” She looked at her father who looked completely disinterested, and realised that he would let her and probably her mother, spend all of it in order to prove what he believed was true about her.
Jane saw Lydia’s resolve harden. “Sir Gregory?”
“Yes, Miss Lydia?”
“Could you pay the reward to the care of my brother, Mr Bingley? I trust him to invest it safely for my future.” Lydia tossed her curls. “Charles, if the full amount is paid, I would like the fifty pounds to be held back for me to spend, and the rest to please be invested however you see fit.”
Sir Gregory looked nervously at Mr Bennet, who shrugged disinterestedly, and then answered, “Certainly, Miss Lydia, if that is your preference.”
“I have no objection, Sister.” Mr Bingley bowed. “I shall be honoured to safeguard your funds for you.”
“As soon as she learns how difficult it is to be accomplished, she will lose interest and start pestering you for ribbons, Charles.” Kitty looked at Bingley. “You will never have a moment’s peace.”
“I am certain it cannot be so hard to be accomplished and perfect, and I could prove it if only Lizzy and Mary would not be so mean! Lizzy is so smug, and Mary is downright self-righteous. They never help me.”
“Why would anyone wish to help you, when you only wish to show up Miss Darcy, and prove that her efforts are insignificant?” Kitty challenged.
“As if it should matter why I have decided to improve myself! Miss Jane, will you help me?”
“I will help you,” interrupted Georgiana.
“Why would you help me when according to Kitty, I am only trying to best you?” Lydia faltered.
“Because I am not interested in a rival. I would prefer to be your friend, and support you in your endeavours.” Georgiana was extremely gentle in her speech.
“I would be happy to see you best me at anything, I am certain. I am not competitive. It is of no use challenging me, I wish for you to win too.”
“How lovely! I do enjoy it when young ladies get along and help one another!” Lady Sayles clasped her hands.
“I believe we ought to get on the road.” Mr Bingley rose and clasped his hands. “Mr Bridges is still predicting bad weather–more likely tomorrow than today–but we do not wish to get caught out in it, just in case it comes earlier.”
“Is Mr Bridges on your estate, Mr Bingley? We follow his predictions even here.” Sir Gregory rose. “His advice travels faster and farther than you might imagine.”
“He is at Netherfield, Sir Gregory! All of Meryton regards him as an authority on the weather.” Bingley bowed. “I am certain he will be gratified to hear of it.”
“Miss Lydia, I regret to say that your souvenir–the puddingstone–must be held as evidence,” the magistrate informed her regretfully.
“But I wish to make you a present of this one, which I found on a visit to Amwell as a boy.” The stone was more than four times the size of the one Lydia had used to bring down Wickham.
It would be a mighty trophy to return with her to Meryton.
And it was not covered in Mr Wickham’s blood, which was a mark in the relic’s favour.
“Thank you, Sir Gregory,” Lydia thanked him. “You are very kind.”
“We are the ones who must express gratitude, Miss Lydia, you have rid our area of a terrible villain who has plagued us these five months.” Sir Gregory tilted his head. “We thank you, most sincerely.”
“Miss Lydia, would you care to join us in my carriage on our way back to Meryton?” begged Georgiana. “My cousin will remain behind with my brother to help here, so there will be room for you.”
“Thank you, Miss Darcy, that is very kind,” Lydia accepted. “Oh! But what about Miss Jane?”
“I shall be very happy with Elizabeth, your father, and Mr Bingley,” Jane promised as the women all rose and began to collect their belongings and take leave of their hosts.
“Lydia, my dear!” Mrs Bennet cried as her daughters were handed down from the carriage in front of Netherfield. “My darling child, let me look at you! I was certain that you had been killed!”
“Mama!” Lydia threw herself into her mother’s arms.
“Oh!” Kitty huffed as she was duly ignored by her mother. “I am glad to know everyone is happy to see that dear Lydia is unharmed!”
“Oh hush, Kitty, Lydia has triumphed over a dangerous criminal! She could have been killed!” Mrs Bennet dismissed her fourth daughter.
“I am the one who had a pistol pointed at my head!” Kitty objected.
“And Lydia saved you, so I hear, and Miss Darcy, and the rest of you as well. You ought to be grateful.” Mrs Bennet herded her youngest daughter past Mrs Bingley, who was quite deprived of greeting her youngest sister, so determined was Fanny Bennet to sit down and hear all.
“Now Lydia, sit in the drawing room by me while your sister Jane pours you a cup of tea, and tell me every little detail.” The two ladies disappeared into the house.
Mrs Bingley turned to the other ladies with a wry grin. “Well, it seems we are now to hear every little detail, unless any of you feel unequal to it. I am so relieved to know none of you were harmed! Would you all like to join us in the drawing room?”
The ladies followed her indoors, Jane clutching Elizabeth’s sewing bag closely.
She did not know why the boy had not taken it, it must be worth something, and everything else that could have been taken, was.
Perhaps it was the unfinished or feminine nature of the contents that made him leave it behind.
Whatever the reason the lad had not found the contents of interest, Jane was exceedingly thankful that all of her hard work was not lost, and she had made a great deal of progress on the wrap during their journey.
Another day or two, and she could start working the beaded fringe she intended for the garment.
“Mrs Bennet, Mrs Bingley, I wonder if I might beg a favour, I fear I am being unpardonably rude, but I must ask. Might Miss Lydia, Miss Mary, and Miss Kitty stay here at Netherfield with me for a few days?” Georgiana inquired hopefully.
“I confess that I have not had such kind friends before, and we have made so many engaging plans for the next few afternoons. With the threat of poor weather, I fear I might be obliged to do without them if the elements turn, as we are warned that they might.”
“Of course, Miss Darcy,” Mrs Bingley assured her.
“It is indeed, no trouble at all. If my mother agrees that they may stay, I shall have the rooms close to yours prepared for them at once.” Mrs Bingley signalled to Elizabeth, who rang for Mrs Nicholls as Mrs Bingley began to pour tea and pass out plates of sandwiches and cakes.
“Of course they may stay and amuse you, Miss Darcy, though I do hope the weather will be fine on Saturday, that we may attend the party at the Lucases. Their son, John, has written something, and there is to be a reading of his work that is to be published in Ainsworth’s Magazine next month.
And, of course, we are to farewell the Collinses.
” Mrs Bennet had finally begun to warm up to Mr and Mrs Collins, now that Elizabeth was to be married so well.
“Now, Lydia.” She turned and patted her youngest daughter’s hand. “Tell me everything that happened. Leave nothing out, my dear.”