Chapter Sixteen
THE DOOR TO THE EDWARD STREET ADDRESS STOOD AJAR, AND THEY slipped in unnoticed. Darcy had hired a hack rather than taking his private coach to avoid being noticed by Mrs.Younge’s neighbors. Elizabeth called out to servants, but none responded as she and Darcy made their way from room to room.
“Someone is in the kitchen,” Darcy whispered into her hair. “Let us see whom.”
He pushed open the door, and the smell of porridge filled the air.
An old woman with white hair stood with her back to them, fussing over the food preparation.
Darcy cleared his throat, and she turned quickly.
“Oh, goodness gracious me.” The woman wiped her hands on her apron. “He’p you, Sir? Ma’am?”
“We are acquaintances of Mrs. Younge. Might the lady be about?” Darcy kept his tone amiable.
He had no idea whether the woman was a vampire.
He would take no chances with Elizabeth present.
He moved to shield his wife. Elizabeth had shared part of her dream with him, and after Mrs. Annesley’s words of advice, Darcy knew not which “reality” to trust.
“Have yet to see her, Sir. Mrs. Younge come and go as she pleases. I he’ps out here couple days a week with cleanin’ and cookin’.” The woman adjusted the lid of the soup pot. “She be havin’ guests later. I fix soup for ’em.”
“Are there guests in the house now?” Elizabeth ventured from off Darcy’s right shoulder.
“Mr. George left hours ago. He be it.”
Darcy shot a quick glance to Elizabeth. “Mr. George?”
“He be an ole friend of Amelia’s. My, Mr. George kin sleep—sleep for two days straight and quite a bit after that, he did recently.” She chuckled as she turned out a flour mixture upon the work table. “You be stayin’ tonight, Sir?”
“We are considering it.” He took Elizabeth’s hand to edge her back through the door. “Would you mind if we looked around?”
The woman looked up suspiciously. “How be you know Amelia?”
Elizabeth responded casually, “She and I knew each other at Mrs. Lawson’s school for girls. She became a governess, and I taught school for a few years before I met with my mister.”
“This be you mister?” The old woman eyed Darcy appreciatively.
“Yes, he is. We just arrived in London. I thought Amelia might have a place we could afford until we got a little set by.” Elizabeth snuggled into Darcy’s arm in a possessive way.
“Well, seein’ as how you know Amelia, I be supposin’ you could choose yer room of those empty ones. All be clean ’ceptin’ Mr. George’s.”
“We will not bother anything,” Elizabeth assured the woman, “just look around.”
“That be fine, Ma’am.” The woman turned back to her work.
Darcy and Elizabeth slipped from the room and headed to the main staircase. “Does this resemble your dream?” Darcy wondered aloud.
“More than a bit,” she said tentatively.
“The old woman said Wickham is no longer above.”
Elizabeth murmured, “What if she was wrong?”
“She is not.” Darcy touched the knob of the only closed door in the hallway. “I can sense Wickham, and I hold no premonition.”
Elizabeth sighed audibly. “I despise it when you are reasonable.”
“You must accustom yourself to it, my love. I am rarely illogical.”
“Let us be at it, Mr. Darcy. I wish to be quickly from this place.”
Darcy turned the knob slowly and let the wood swing open to reveal a darkened room. Cautiously, he crossed the room to open the drapes to the natural light.
Nothing appeared from place. The water pitcher. The glass. The hairbrush. The folded towel. He surveyed every inch of the room. At length, Elizabeth edged into the room. “What is that?” She pointed to dark streaks on the pale-yellow cloth of the chintz bed cover.
They cautiously approached the four-poster. “I do not know.” He touched the black streaks spread in a curving pattern across the flat surface. He brought the mixture to his nose and sniffed. “I think it is earth.”
“Earth?” Elizabeth questioned. “Why would there be dirt all over the coverings? It makes no sense. Even if Wickham had mud on his jacket, it would not be in a definite pattern. Step to the foot of the bed. Can you not see that it is an outline of someone lying here?”
Darcy did as she suggested. “It is indeed.”
“Did Wickham sleep here on this earth-streaked bed?”
Darcy walked away to examine the remainder of the room. “As clean as the other rooms appeared. It must have something to do with him.”
“Is there anything more of importance? This room is most unwelcoming.” Elizabeth closed her eyes and shivered. “Wickham slept here after both of his attacks on us.”
“The only other thing that appears from place is the hand towel. All the others are neatly folded. It has a smear, as if someone wiped their soiled fingers on it.” Darcy held the towel aloft.
Elizabeth moved closer to have a look. “This does not look like the same dirt as is on the bed. It is greyer and has an odd smell—more like ashes.”
“Earth and ashes,” Darcy summarized. “I suppose we will add them to our growing list of vampire theories.”
“Our observations must fit together somehow,” Elizabeth warranted.
“Let us depart. We have seen enough.”
Entering Darcy’s Town house some thirty minutes later, Elizabeth quickly slipped away to freshen up and add their findings to their growing list.
“Mr. Darcy,” Mr. Thacker cleared his throat. “You have a visitor.”
“A visitor?” Darcy asked, annoyed.
“It is Mr. Bingley, Sir. I assumed you would wish me to admit him.”
“You are correct, Thacker. Where is Mr. Bingley?”
“The gentleman waits in your study, Sir. I took the liberty of ordering tea upon your return. I will serve it momentarily.”
“Thank you.” The inevitable moment had arrived.
He walked quickly towards his private room, a sense of guilt claiming each step.
He should have sent Bingley word of his marriage, but he avoided acknowledging his obsession with Elizabeth.
Would Bingley understand? “Bingley,” he called as he entered the room. “I thought you were in Hampshire!”
Bingley sprang to his feet and shook Darcy’s hand. “We heard nothing since we left you along the London Road. I came to assure myself you suffered no harm.”
Darcy motioned his friend to return to his chair and then took the one opposite. “I am ashamed to have put you through such trouble, Bingley. As you can see, I am well.”
“I am relieved, Darcy.” Bingley shot a quick glance at his friend before adding, “You were in some distress when we parted.”
Darcy cleared his throat, preparing to confess everything, but before he could speak, Mr. Thacker carried in a tray of tea and cakes. Both men waited for the butler to deposit the refreshments on a nearby table. “Thank you, Thacker, I will pour,” Darcy said.
“May I pour instead?” Elizabeth stood framed in the doorway. She had changed into a deep green day dress, which complemented her eyes.
Bingley sprang to his feet and bowed. He stammered, “Miss … Miss Elizabeth! I did not expect to see you at Darcy House.”
Darcy slowly rose from the chair. His whole body responded to her entrance. Like the flame and the moth, she enticed him simply by walking into the room. Speaking softly but firmly, he said, “Bingley, may I present my wife.”
“Your wife?” Bingley exclaimed. Before he could recover from the shock, he asked, “When?”
“Three days ago,” Elizabeth said sweetly, a hint of amusement playing across her face as she moved to where Darcy stood. “Please return to your seats, gentlemen. I simply came to welcome you to our home, Mr. Bingley.” She stood beside Darcy as Bingley sat down quickly.
Darcy took her hand and brought the back of it to his lips. “I was just about to divulge our surprise to Bingley when you joined us, my dear.”
“I apologize for interrupting you, my husband.”
“Please join us, Elizabeth.” He seated her beside Bingley.
Elizabeth poured the tea as Darcy began his explanation.
“Bingley, I should have shared my situation with you before we departed Netherfield, but under the circumstances of two deaths, I could not speak of it. I presented my plight to Elizabeth the night of your ball. However, because of the gruesome discovery of Miss King’s body, Elizabeth could not provide me with an answer.
” He paused to accept the tea Elizabeth offered him.
“Knowing I was leaving with you, she sent her response by courier. Fortunately, the man she dispatched met Lucas along the road. Lucas, sent on another task, brought me news from Georgiana of the Earl of Matlock’s arrival in London on family business.
She had no idea we had departed Netherfield on the same morning.
As fate would have it, coincidentally, we all met on the road to London.
When I read Elizabeth’s message, I immediately returned to claim her hand.
Once I held Mr. Bennet’s permission, I moved heaven and earth to make the wedding happen before Christmas.
Mrs. Darcy’s aunt and uncle graciously arranged for her to marry in their home parish, and the Matlocks witnessed our joining. ”
Elizabeth said with a customary teasing tone, “As you well know, Sir, Mr. Darcy can be very persuasive.”
Bingley regained his composure. “Permit me to wish you happy. You have claimed a fortuitous match.”
“It is fortunate, Mr. Bingley,” Elizabeth said calmly, “that my dear William and I hold each other in deep affection.”
Bingley flushed in embarrassment. “I meant no offense.”
“No offense is taken,” Elizabeth reassured him. “I expect you are simply surprised by the speed of our courtship.”
Darcy explained, “I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation of my affection. I was in the middle before I knew I had begun.” He sipped his tea.
“After you and William saved me from my attacker, I became dependent on him. I think his tender care eliminated any doubts I held.” Elizabeth added.