Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
Once the ladies had gone, Elizabeth glanced at the rest of her party before breaking into quiet laughter.
“Well, that was certainly interesting,” she remarked, her voice still laced with amusement.
“I have not been to London in years, but I cannot imagine anyone would find such behaviour acceptable, no matter their standing in society.”
Georgiana smiled shyly, and Anne allowed herself a small, satisfied smirk. Elizabeth’s laughter had broken the tension, and the three women seemed to relax in the absence of Lady Blackwell’s overbearing presence.
Mrs. Gardiner, who remained quiet during the exchange, shook her head with a bemused smile.
“Interesting is one way to put it, my dear,” she said, her tone mild but edged with disapproval.
“I daresay Lady Blackwell's conduct is not something to aspire to, regardless of how entrenched she believes herself in society. That kind of arrogance is more often mocked than admired behind closed doors.”
Elizabeth grinned at her aunt’s words. “Rightly so,” she agreed. “If this is what passes for respectable society, then I think I will not regret missing more of it.”
Anne, who had maintained a composed facade throughout, finally allowed herself a soft laugh. “I cannot say I am surprised. Lady Blackwell seems to act much as my mother does, believing that others must view her pronouncements as absolute truth.”
They kept the conversation light while they finished their tea and cakes. No one else approached them, but they did notice that eyes were constantly on them. Soon, they finished and made their exit.
As the ladies stepped out of the tea shop, Elizabeth felt a sudden unease.
The atmosphere seemed to shift, and she glanced over her shoulder, noticing two men lingering in an alleyway, their eyes fixed on the group.
Their presence struck her as odd for the middle of the afternoon, and an instinctive sense of danger crept over her.
"Do not look now, but I believe we are being followed," Elizabeth whispered to Mrs. Gardiner, her voice low and cautious.
Mrs. Gardiner immediately tensed, her gaze sweeping the street.
Anne, sensing the change in mood, glanced towards Georgiana protectively.
Instinctively, she stepped closer to the younger girl, signalling to the four footmen who were walking discreetly behind them to move closer and keep a watchful eye on the men trailing them.
The footmen, alert and well-trained, responded quickly.
Two of them subtly shifted their positions: one walked a few paces ahead, blending into the crowd but keeping a sharp lookout, while the other moved slightly to the rear, ensuring no one could approach from behind.
The remaining two kept their watchful positions, flanking the group to the sides.
Though their presence was unassuming, it offered a layer of protection that went unnoticed by the general public.
Mrs. Gardiner kept her voice steady, masking her concern. "Let us continue as if nothing is amiss. We should make our way to the carriage quickly, but without drawing attention."
As the group quickened their pace through the bustling streets, the two men behind them mirrored their movements, narrowing the gap.
The crowded thoroughfare offered some cover, but the men were closing in with alarming speed.
Just as they neared the corner, a third man stepped forward, blocking their path.
“Excuse me, ladies,” he said, his voice dripping with false politeness, “but I believe you have dropped something back there.” He gestured to the empty ground behind them.
Mrs. Gardiner stiffened, and Anne instinctively gripped Georgiana’s arm protectively. “Leave us be, sir,” Mrs. Gardiner said firmly, attempting to step around him. “We have not dropped anything.”
The other two men emerged from behind, cutting off their escape.
“Now, now, no need to make a fuss,” the first man sneered.
“We’ve been sent to escort two of you ladies somewhere a bit more…
private.” He pointed towards Elizabeth and Georgiana.
“You two are to come with me. Someone wishes to speak with you,” he growled, and the men moved closer.
At that moment, the footmen found their path blocked by a cart passing through the street. Though they were still aware of the situation, the brief obstruction delayed their immediate response.
Before the men could make another move, a commotion erupted behind them.
Darcy and Mr. Hargrove, having completed their business and eager to rejoin the women, appeared just in time to see the men closing in.
The footmen manoeuvred around the cart, positioning themselves on the opposite side of the group to create a protective barrier.
Two footmen subtly blocked the path of the men in front, while the others ensured no one could approach from behind.
Without hesitation, Darcy stepped forward, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “Unhand the ladies,” he commanded, his voice low but filled with authority.
The man blocking the women’s path turned to face Darcy, a sneer on his lips.
“This does not concern you, sir,” he said, clearly underestimating the fury simmering in Darcy’s eyes.
The other men, startled by the sudden appearance of the gentlemen and guards, hesitated, glancing between them all as if calculating whether this scheme was worth continuing.
Darcy was not one to waste time on threats. With lightning speed, he grabbed the nearest man by the collar, yanking him away from the ladies and throwing him off balance. “I will not repeat myself,” Darcy growled, his fists clenched, prepared to do far worse if necessary.
Mr. Hargrove, observing the escalating situation with a determined expression, intervened decisively.
His imposing stature and resolute demeanour signalled that the women were under his protection.
Seizing the second man’s arm, he twisted it firmly behind his back, eliciting a cry of pain.
Meanwhile, the third man’s attempts to flee were thwarted as the footmen, having cleared a path through the chaos, arrived to reinforce the others, ensuring that order was restored.
Two of the footmen stepped forward and took charge of the would-be kidnappers from the gentlemen.
“You chose your targets unwisely,” Hargrove warned, glaring at the men.
“I am uncertain that is true,” Darcy replied. “Did you not hear what was said? Bowers, Sinclair, escort these men to my townhouse and guard them. Richard is due to arrive this afternoon, and he will be most interested in learning what he can from these men.”
All the ladies, particularly Georgiana, paled upon hearing this.
The fact that they had been targeted had escaped her notice until that moment as she replayed what had been said.
Mrs. Gardiner put her arm around Georgiana’s waist, keeping her upright.
“There, there,” she said quietly. “We will be in the carriage soon.” Raising her voice, she continued.
“It is best that the rest of this conversation occurs in private, gentlemen. Perhaps we ought to return to our carriage.”
Darcy and Hargrove both nodded, with Darcy taking his wife’s arm and Hargrove doing the same.
The two remaining footmen flanked the group, assisting each of the ladies into the carriage once they arrived at its side.
Darcy had a quick conversation with the men before climbing in after Hargrove and sitting in between his wife and sister.
“Are you well, Sprite?” he asked his sister, returning to the nickname he had used when she was a girl.
Shakily, Georgiana replied. “I am, Brother. Just a little… shocked, I suppose. I know you have always insisted that a footman go with me, and I knew such things did happen, but I am astounded that it happened to us, in broad daylight, in full view of everyone on a city street. I could be wrong, but other than you and our guards, I am not certain anyone else even reacted.”
“I am not certain that the interaction went unnoticed, but everything was done in a relatively discreet fashion to avoid notice by the crowds,” Mr. Hargrove replied.
“Had you raised your voice, you would have drawn more attention to yourself. Fortunately, your brother and others arrived before that became necessary.”
Elizabeth gripped Darcy’s hand a little more tightly. “Who were they? What did they want? The one man mentioned someone else wanting to have a talk with us—do you think that Lady Catherine could have sent someone after us again?”
Darcy shook his head. “It is difficult to say at this moment, but their intent was clear enough. They wanted to separate you from the crowd, perhaps for ransom, or worse. It was a poorly planned attempt, but dangerous nonetheless.”
Anne, still visibly shaken but trying to remain composed, looked from her husband to Darcy. "Do you truly think Mother had anything to do with this?"
Darcy’s expression darkened, his mind turning over the possibilities. “It is difficult to know for certain. We know she is unhappy and promised retribution. I do know that she left our house to go to her brother’s house, but I waited for Richard to arrive before I spoke with my uncle.”
He paused, thinking. “We will see you ladies safely back to Darcy House, and I will begin to make inquiries into who might be behind this. As I said earlier, Richard will arrive today, and I have little doubt that he will be able to learn more from these men, but for now, I want to see what they will reveal when I question them. Hargrove, you will join me?”
Hargrove nodded, and the carriage fell into a heavy silence for the brief ride back to Darcy House. The joy they shared earlier was now overshadowed by the gravity of the situation and the realisation that there was more trouble yet to come.