Chapter 26 The Free Trade
The Darcys stood at the door when Mary opened it.
“Mrs. Collins, may we take Elizabeth out on the balcony today?”
Mary stepped aside to admit them. “Lizzy, dear, are you well enough to join the Darcys outdoors?”
Elizabeth was lowering her feet from the fainting couch where she had been reclining. “Sir, I should be very grateful if you would escort me into the garden. I long to be outdoors.”
“Miss Elizabeth, I am certain my cousin would lend us her phaeton. I could drive you and my sister to the folly.”
“Sir, could you drive us to the tower? I wish to see again the place where I sought shelter during that cloudburst.”
His eyes softened at once. “I shall go and make the arrangements.”
Twenty minutes later, Georgiana exclaimed as the old ruin emerged from the surrounding woods. Elizabeth felt a warm flush as she remembered how it had felt to lie in the embrace of the man seated beside her.
And then she remembered with painful clarity how deathly cold she had been.
Her wet gown had clung to her body, and the wind had seemed to pierce all the way to her bones.
Yet today felt more like a warm afternoon in late summer than a day in late October.
Before they began their drive, Mr. Darcy had wrapped a blanket securely about her shoulders and tucked another over her knees lest she suffer any relapse.
During the drive, she caught sight of the brook she had followed on that fateful day, winding beside the line of trees. Beyond it stretched a meadow thick with tall grass, and at last the ruined tower rose in the distance.
When the phaeton passed beneath the arched shelter at the base of the ruin, Elizabeth looked about her with interest. Thick, gnarled ivy vines covered nearly the entire outer wall and had crept inward as well, trailing through the ruined structure itself. Then her eyes found the narrow stair.
“Would you care to walk through the tower, Miss Elizabeth?”
“I would, sir, if we have sufficient time.”
“We do.” He stepped down from the phaeton and then turned to assist both ladies to the ground.
“Are you warm enough, ma’am, or shall I secure the blanket more closely about your shoulders?”
“If I may keep the blanket about me, sir, I believe I shall remain comfortable. It is considerably colder here in the shade of the stone walls.”
“Yes, it is. Do you wish to go up?”
“Yes, sir.”
Georgiana hurried eagerly ahead of them, climbing all the way to the third floor.
Elizabeth placed her hand upon the arm Mr. Darcy offered and followed more slowly behind.
She could feel his attention upon her, watchful and concerned.
She smiled up at him reassuringly. “I am quite well, sir. I no longer tire so easily, nor do I suffer shortness of breath when I walk. Even the lightheadedness has greatly improved. I scarcely experience it now.”
“I am very glad to hear it, ma’am.”
His eyes seemed to look straight into her heart. Could he perceive that she loved him? That she longed to lie once more in his arms, to feel his embrace about her, to kiss him?
She saw color rise slowly along his cheekbones and even reach the tips of his ears. Perhaps he could read her feelings in her eyes.
Elizabeth turned away from him and instead fixed her attention upon the stair.
They soon reached the second floor, where she paused briefly to recover her breath. Then she said, “I should like to see the room, sir.”
“Of course, Miss Elizabeth.”
He guided her a short distance to the left, and the small chamber opened before them. Elizabeth looked slowly about it.
“There are no windows. I had not realized the floor was so dirty.”
“Yes, ma’am. And the stone floor was both hard and bitterly cold, though we were at least sheltered from the pelting rain and the violent gusts sweeping through the valley.”
After a moment, he asked, “Do you often think of that night, Miss Elizabeth?”
She lifted her eyes to his. “I do, sir.”
His expression grew intent, earnest. “And what do you think of it, ma’am? Do you remember it with horror?”
Her eyes widened. “No, sir. I was frightened when I found myself alone in the tower with the storm raging outside. I was still more frightened when I heard the echo of a horse’s hooves rising through the stairwell. But then I saw it was you, and I felt only relief. I knew all would be well.”
“And later, ma’am, when you lay in my arms?”
Her eyes lowered, and she felt heat rush up her neck to flood her cheeks. She would be honest with him. She would tell him the truth and let him think of it what he pleased.
“Mr. Darcy, I was grateful to be held in your arms and sheltered by your warmth. I was so cold and miserable.” She paused, searching for the proper words. “Sir, I wished the night would continue forever, so that I need never be parted from you.”
At that moment, Georgiana hurried into the room.
“Brother, there are stacks of barrels stored upstairs behind a fallen pile of stones.”
Elizabeth watched as the flicker of irritation upon his face vanished at once, replaced by concern as he heard Georgiana’s excited report.
“Come and see, Fitzwilliam. Is it pirates’ treasure? Smugglers’ contraband? Are we in danger of finding ourselves in a smugglers’ lair?”
Darcy looked down at Elizabeth. “I must go up and see what Georgiana has discovered. Do you wish to accompany me?”
“No, sir. I shall remain here while you investigate.”
Georgiana seized his hand and tugged eagerly upon it. “Come, Fitzwilliam. Hurry before we are discovered.”
He followed after her, taking the stairs two at a time as she hurried to the third floor.
She pointed excitedly toward what at first appeared to be nothing more than a collapsed heap of stones.
Upon closer inspection, however, he realized it was a carefully constructed wall, cleverly disguised with loose rubble so as to resemble part of the ruin.
Georgiana slipped around the concealed corner, and Darcy followed. A large chamber occupying nearly the entire length and breadth of the upper floor opened before him, filled with barrels stacked three high.
He moved toward several of them and examined them carefully, but none bore any marking whatsoever. There was nothing to indicate where they had originated, where they were bound, or to whom they belonged.
His gaze swept across the rows, and he quickly estimated their number.
“There must be at least three hundred barrels here, Georgie.” His expression darkened. “We had best leave this place at once. It would not do for us to be discovered here. Someone may fear their secret will be exposed. Come.”
They hurried back down the stair, where he found Elizabeth waiting, leaning lightly against the wall.
“Come, Miss Bennet. Georgiana has discovered a smugglers’ cache, and it may prove dangerous for us to be found here. I am grateful the phaeton bears no de Bourgh crest, or else anyone protecting this contraband might know precisely where to seek us.”
As he spoke, he assisted Elizabeth down the stair and into the carriage. Georgiana scrambled up after him, and Darcy urged the horses forward as swiftly as prudence allowed.
“Keep watch, ladies. Tell me if either of you observes anyone watching the tower.”
Georgiana said, “I looked from all three windows because I wished to admire the view. I noticed no equipage, horse, or person in the surrounding wood, and there are no buildings nearby. I could see Westerham in the distance.”
His gaze swept the road and surrounding woods.
“Help me keep watch and ensure we are not followed. Georgiana, I need not remind you that you are not to speak of this discovery to anyone. I shall discuss the matter with Richard, but no one else must know. When it comes to smuggling, walls often have ears. You must remember that some of the servants at Rosings may hire themselves out to move contraband under cover of night.”
“Yes, brother. I shall not speak of it.”
The little party remained grave and unusually silent for the remainder of the drive, keeping careful watch all the way back to Rosings Park.
Upon arriving, Darcy handed both ladies down from the phaeton at the entrance and then excused himself to seek out Richard. Before entering the house, he turned briefly to the stable boy.
“I shall require Rowan saddled and ready for me at three o’clock this afternoon.”
“Yes, sir.”