Chapter 42 Interrupted #3
After winning the first game, Lizzy did not do so well in the second. She seemed distracted.
"Is something wrong, Miss Elizabeth?" Darcy quietly asked.
"I suppose I have just been thinking too much about what happened yesterday. You told me Lt. Brickham, or Wickham, will be court-martialed, but he was only one of Lady Catherine's agents. What if Mr. Collins tries to harm me or one of my sisters on his own?"
"Before we went out to find Wickham's horse yesterday afternoon - I am not sure I mentioned he had left a horse in the woods – I sent my two footmen off to the inn where Richard learned Collins is staying.
" Darcy replied. "They will identify the man and keep track of his movements.
If he seems to be taking any actions that might harm you or this family, they will stop him. "
"That was a good move," Bennet said, opening his eyes and stretching a little. He examined the game in play on the board between them. "A far better move than any played in this game," he added.
"Yes, I think we ought to just call this one a draw," Darcy agreed.
Lizzy said, "Papa. This morning Colonel Fitzwilliam asked Charlotte to marry him and Sir William gave them his blessing."
Bennet yawned slightly and shifted in his chair. "About time," he said. "Rand and I both expected it to happen when he was back for that visit two years ago. Instead, he accepted his colonel's commission from Lady Catherine and headed back to Portugal."
"I think Charlotte was starting to lose hope," Lizzy said. "She was absolutely radiant with joy this morning, though, despite the pain from her injuries."
"How are you doing, my dear?" Bennet asked.
"Well enough," she said, "but Mama keeps telling me that I must stop talking."
Bennet chuckled and Darcy explained, "Your father wanted to keep your mother from overwhelming you with questions yesterday. He told her Mr. Jones had said that if you strained your voice talking, you might lose it entirely, with the result that you would never be able to find a husband."
"That certainly explains her vehemence," Lizzy replied. "Well, I appreciate not having to talk yesterday's events to death, but I am going to have to make a recovery soon or she will drive me distracted."
"Give it until this afternoon when Mr. Jones comes back to check on you," Bennet said, "Unless it is already afternoon and he has come and gone?" he asked, trying to judge the time by the light.
"Not yet, Papa. It is still early in the day."
Bennet nodded and motioned for them to reset the board. "I noticed when I came in this morning that my board and table had been moved from where I thought I had left them," he said.
"We borrowed the board after dinner so we could have two in play at the same time," Darcy explained.
"Remembering you said your youngest daughters enjoyed playing on my father's small chessboard, I challenged Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia to games with the promise that if they each won a game against me I would have Georgiana bring two more of my father's boards with her to present to them as their own.
While my games were on, Richard played against the other girl. "
Did you have to let Kitty win one?" Bennet asked, with the air of one who already knew the answer.
"I passed up an option that probably would have ended the game in my favor," Darcy admitted.
"She still needs some practice. With your gift, I am sure she will make opportunities to do so," Bennet said.
"Lydia is quicker to see the possibilities of her moves, surprising for someone who was not very good at connecting actions with consequences a few years past. Learning chess has been good for her. "
"Perhaps you should play a game against Mr. Darcy," Lizzy suggested as they completed resetting the board.
"Perhaps I should," Bennet agreed with a twinkle in his eye that said he would not go easy on his opponent.
They had only gotten a few moves into the game when Mrs. Hill knocked at the door.
"My lad came back from the village and confirmed your expresses are on their way, Mr. Darcy," she said, "but this one just arrived for Mr. Bennet.
The messenger said he was told to wait for a reply.
" She entered the room and handed the sealed message to Bennet.
He opened it quickly and scanned the contents. Looking up, he said, "Thank you, Mrs. Hill. See that the messenger gets a meal and his horse is tended to. It will be a little while before my response is ready."
After she left, he addressed Darcy. "Mr. Darcy, this letter is from your uncle and contains some very important information. Would you please find Richard and bring him here? That will save going over the contents twice."
Darcy nodded and stood. Before he left the room, he heard Bennet murmur, "It would appear even more change is in the air."
The unfinished game forgotten, Darcy went off in search of his cousin. He worried about what the message contained and what effect it would have on all of them. It certainly had been a morning filled with interruptions, and he had a feeling he was about to perpetrate another one.