Chapter Twenty-One #2
Darcy shook his head, almost wishing she hadn’t given him the opening he required to impart his news.
“No one seems able to locate her but, I’m afraid, I have other news.
” Alone, the disappearance of Mrs. Clegg wouldn’t trouble him unduly, but Darcy didn’t like what he must now impart.
“I sent a man to the address you secured for me from your sister, to check on Wickham, but I’m afraid he’s already departed. ”
“Is that truly so odd? You look very glum.”
“It would not be so odd, except that, the day after you left London, while Mr. and Mrs. Hurst were out, Miss Bingley packed her possessions and disappeared. She left a note arranging to correspond with her sister through a friend from school, who will not reveal her location. She made similar arrangements with her bank.”
Elizabeth grew contemplative. “That is odd. Away from London, she has no chance to mix with the society she craves, and word of her disappearance, on top of the scandal of intercepting Lady Catherine’s letters and forging my name, will make her far less accepted if she returns.
A subdued season would have done her far more good than vanishing.
Could she feel too ashamed to remain in London? ”
“That, or she feels she has something to gain by her departure,” Darcy said grimly.
“You do not think it is a coincidence that you cannot now locate any of them?”
Darcy shook his head. He didn’t wish to worry Elizabeth unduly, but he wouldn’t prevaricate. “That they’ve all gone missing, and all around the same time, worries me.” To the best of his knowledge, the only connection the three shared was Elizabeth.
“Surely, there’s no connection between the three,” Elizabeth said, as if reading his thoughts.
“Lydia most likely shared my request for his address with Mr. Wickham, who subsequently moved to avoid you, and Miss Bingley is somewhere sulking. Likely with the very friend to whom she directed her correspondence.”
“That is possible,” Darcy allowed, wanting to let Elizabeth be reassured. That didn’t account for Mrs. Clegg, however, or the unease that filled Darcy whenever he contemplated the missing trio.
Rounding the curve in the roadway to come back within sight of the others, Darcy contemplated Elizabeth’s belief that if Wickham learned Elizabeth wanted his address, he’d run.
She based that assumption on Wickham knowing she’d give the address to Darcy.
Did that mean that Elizabeth guessed that someone who knew him as well as Wickham did would have noted a connection between them?
Clearly, Miss Bingley had noted something of that nature, and before Darcy had even realized the connection existed.
The real question was, what did Elizabeth make of their shared bond?
Did she feel he held her in friendship? Or believe his assertion that he simply stepped in for Bingley during his friend’s distraction? Or did Elizabeth know that Darcy’s regard for her was something…more?
He studied her out of the corner of his eye as they walked. If Elizabeth guessed his feelings, should he take her amiability as encouragement? He longed to believe so, but also feared his hopes clouded his thinking.
“They selected correctly,” Elizabeth said, gesturing up the path.
Darcy looked to see they neared a cottage.
Squat and thatch roofed, it appeared nearly as large as Goldfinch Cottage, though older.
The Murphys’ wagon stood out front, Gavin Murphy seated in the back, a slate resting on his knees, sketching rapidly with a piece of chalk.
His father and brothers, Douglas and Tyrone, worked in the yard, two sawing boards and one sanding.
Anne called out and all four men looked up to wave, but only Gavin stopped working.
Putting his slate aside, he jumped down from the wagon bed and came forward to meet them.
With the permission of the lady of the house, Gavin took them about the cottage, showing them the improvements Lady Catherine was allowing.
Darcy saw his aunt’s hand in every detail and recognized from Gavin’s polite phrasing that the Murphys had learned the lesson he’d hoped they would; it wouldn’t be enjoyable to work for Lady Catherine de Bourgh on a permanent basis.
The cottage was quite crowded with its inhabitants, five people touring, a guide and the other Murphys coming and going. When the tour finished, they gathered outside beside the wagon once more.
“I can see why Lady Catherine wanted your services,” Richard said. “You and your family do top rate work.”
Taking in the gleam in his cousin’s eyes, Darcy realized that while Lady Catherine might not be pleasant to work for, Richard certainly would be and, if he had his way, he might also be in charge of Rosings in the not so distant future.
Darcy might need to have a talk with his cousin about poaching his carpenters.
Miss Mary asked Gavin, “What were you working on when we arrived? On the slate?”
“I’m trying to settle on a design for a sideboard,” Gavin said. He cast Darcy a quick look and continued, “For Lady Catherine. She said I could present designs to her. If I can get a piece into her household, that would be a good recommendation for me.”
“My father is very pleased with the table you made for him,” Elizabeth said. “He wrote that the way the leaves are stored and the mechanism for making the table smaller and larger is ingenious.”
“He was kind to trust me to make it. I know my sketches aren’t what they should be.
” Gavin shrugged, beseeching them to understand.
“I can’t afford a drawing master, nor the time to study with one.
My father and brothers already tolerate as much of me sitting about or working on carefully crafted pieces as I can ask of them.
After my designs are approved, they do most of the work, yet they split the earnings equally with me. ”
“A good design is worth every bit as much as a competent execution,” Miss Mary said with surprising fervor.
“Yes, well, fortunately they still agree with you. For the time being.”
“And a sideboard for my mother is not your only opportunity,” Anne said. “I’m certain Darcy will commission a piece from you.”
Gavin gave him a sheepish look, saying, “I wouldn’t want to presume.”
Realizing Gavin had been waiting for him to ask, likely for some time, Darcy quickly sought about for what he could commission. “Have you any ideas for a writing desk?”
Eager, Gavin nodded. “I have. Several.”
“Draw up your favorite three and I will look them over.”
Gavin nodded. “For you, Mr. Darcy, or someone of a different height?”
Working hard not to look at Elizabeth, Darcy tried to give the appearance of deep thought.
“I imagine he’s thinking of a desk for someone more Miss Mary’s height,” Richard said blandly.
Gavin cast Miss Mary a quick look.
Miss Mary’s face betrayed confusion, but Darcy understood his cousin’s suggestion. Though Miss Mary was stockier, she and Elizabeth were very near the same height. “Yes,” Darcy agreed. “Miss Mary’s height is a good measure.”
Anne’s gaze narrowed. “Georgiana is much taller than Miss Mary.”
“It is not for Georgiana,” Darcy said.
“It is for Pemberley?” Gavin asked hopefully.
“Yes.” Darcy made the word clipped. In his experience, a single syllable spoken a touch harshly was enough to end a conversation he deemed worth ending.
“I’ll work up some sketches for you right away, Mr. Darcy,” Gavin said.
“If you show them to me, I can perhaps repeat some of the techniques our drawing master taught us,” Miss Mary offered.
Gavin smiled at her. “That would be very helpful.”
“Everything is settled, then,” Anne said.
Her smugness, coupled with a newfound roundness to her cheeks, made her appear suddenly and startlingly like her mother.
Darcy had never noted the resemblance before.
He could tell from Richard’s speculative look that he did, as well, and wondered what his cousin thought of the change.
Would Richard willingly wed a woman who would transform into Lady Catherine after the marriage?
With another spark of possessiveness, well aware that Richard planned to marry for money now that he knew the truth of his heritage, Darcy quickly offered his arm to Elizabeth for the walk back to Rosings.