Chapter 42 #2
“I have. I have interviewed everybody involved, and my findings are that on three separate occasions, between the day that Mrs Reynolds left and the day that I arrived, you were given money and charged with the task of settling outstanding bills. Mrs Fairlight, Mr Matthis, and Hannah all recorded that they gave you cash from the safe.” She pointed to an open book on the table.
“You recorded that you paid those bills. It was also recorded that Mr Ferguson gave you money to purchase supplies for the stillroom. None of the suppliers you claim to have paid had received a penny when I spoke to them. And these supplies are not in the stillroom.”
“I’ve used them, an’t I!”
“You could not have, because according to the shop keepers, you never bought them. And according to your own brother, you gave the money to him. On his own testimony, and that of his friends, he has received more money from you than you could save in a year. You stole it, did you not?”
Darcy was furious, though as much with himself as the maid.
A thief in the house was something about which he would never object to being kept informed, yet he had berated Mrs Lovell for bringing the girl to Elizabeth’s attention.
Would that he had taken half as much trouble as she had to ensure his charges were founded!
“You had an excellent position here,” the housekeeper continued in an unshakeable voice.
“There are girls who would give their eye teeth to work at Pemberley, but rather than be thankful, you have chosen to steal, and at a time when savings are already having to be made to pay for the work on the house.”
Edna screwed up her face in disdain. “They wouldn’t need to save money if the master han’t married a commoner, would they?”
A gasp ran around the hall that drowned the furious breath Darcy sucked in through his nose. Only his wish to see what the housekeeper would do prevented him from revealing himself, though his entire frame thrummed with the tension of remaining still.
Mrs Lovell closed the account book. “And that, Edna, has sealed your fate. Mrs Darcy asked me not to dismiss you until I had definitive proof of your crime. She hoped, at the very least, to be able to send you on your way with a good character. You will leave now with nothing. And to ensure it really is nothing, you will sit here while I have your room searched.”
“You can’t do that!” After a panicked glance around the room, Edna skirted around the table, but Matthis flicked a hand at one of the hall boys, who stepped into her path.
Edna swung her foot at his shin and darted for the door.
Darcy stepped out of the shadows. One of the boys swore and somebody dropped something that clanged loudly on the flagstones.
Edna almost ran headlong into him, but she came up short, the words ‘get out of my way’ frozen on her lips when she looked up and saw who was blocking her escape.
She backed away until she was pressed against the table.
Darcy continued to glower at her until she scrambled into a chair, where she sat, shaking her head as though she might yet persuade him of her innocence.
He transferred his gaze to the housekeeper.
“Do not let me interrupt, Mrs Lovell. You appear to have the matter in hand. Come and see me in the Argyll room when you are done.” With a last, dark glare at Edna, he left, walking quickly lest the temptation to drag the insolent wretch all the way to the magistrate’s door by her ear grew too strong to resist. He halted mid-stride when he espied his manservant in the boot room and, on a whim, stepped inside and closed the door.
“Tell me, Vaughan, how is Mrs Lovell settling in?”
Vaughan put down the shoe he was polishing. “Finding her feet, sir. She is certainly very competent, but she ought to be, coming from Chisholm Park.”
“Is she well regarded?”
“In general, yes. It has taken some of the servants time to accustom themselves to a housekeeper who answers to the mistress of the house before the master. Mrs Reynolds was very much your creature, sir. Mrs Lovell is very much Mrs Darcy’s.”
“That is natural, given that Mrs Darcy was not here when Mrs Reynolds was in post.”
Vaughan inclined his head and resumed his polishing in a way that gave Darcy the distinct impression he had missed the point. It irritated him and with a grudging mumble of thanks, he left to await Mrs Lovell in the Argyll room.
“I am sorry you had to witness that, Mr Darcy,” she said when she eventually joined him there.
“Was anything found in her room?”
“Yes, sir. Ten guineas, a dozen beeswax candles, a large pouch of tea leaves, and some fine soap bars that were recorded as gifts given to Mrs Reynolds. She evidently took advantage of the period when there was no one in charge to make some money on the side.”
“What have you done with her?”
“One of the grooms is escorting her off the estate. If it pleases you, Mr Darcy, I thought it better not to send for the magistrate. If Edna were to be prosecuted, it would likely be reported in the papers, and I cannot see that such attention would help repair our reputation with suppliers, as Mrs Darcy has asked me to try and do.”
“A sensible decision, Mrs Lovell, thank you.” He took a deep breath. “I must apologise for the incident on Thursday. Mrs Darcy has explained the situation to me. I ought not to have questioned your competence. I hope I did not make you feel as though your position at Pemberley was in question.”
She observably struggled to decide upon her answer, settling at length for, “I am glad to hear you confirm it is not, sir.”
He had, then. That was regrettable. “I would not have you concern yourself a moment longer. You have more than proved your loyalty to this house today.”
“I am honoured you should think so. I have grown excessively fond of working here in a very short time. Mrs Darcy is an exceedingly kind and judicious mistress. I have learnt much from her already. Would that all mistresses could understand their houses so well.”
Darcy had no wish to deny Elizabeth her due, but this was nevertheless surprising praise, given that her tenure at Pemberley barely exceeded Mrs Lovell’s.
He thanked and dismissed her, frowning at the closed door after she was gone.
It was preposterous that he should be in any way affected by his housekeeper’s opinion of his wife.
Yet, he could not deny that he liked Mrs Lovell better for hearing her speak so well of Elizabeth.
And that only made him angrier with Mrs Reynolds for never recognising her worth.