The Open Gate #3
“No,” Richard said. “You remain at the house.”
“That was not a request,” Lady Catherine said.
Richard took his gloves from his pocket.
“Alexander remains with Anne and the boys. Darcy remains inside. No one leaves the house or gardens until I return.”
“The house will already be secured,” Lady Catherine said, and began walking towards Rosings at her usual pace. “Do try to keep up.”
Richard followed.
The front doors stood open. Mrs Mercer waited inside with two footmen behind her.
“Nothing disturbed in the principal rooms, your ladyship. The upper floor is being checked now.”
“The nursery?” Anne asked.
“Empty and secure, my lady.”
Sir Alexander took the children towards the stairs. Anthony went without protest. Lewis remained twisted in his father’s arms, watching Darcy until the turn of the staircase hid them both.
Lady Catherine removed her gloves.
“Miss Bennet. Tell us exactly what you saw.”
Elizabeth still held her bonnet.
“He was standing to the left of the gate, close to the tree line. Brown coat, dark hat. He watched the path from Rosings.”
“And during the service?”
“I saw him through the window during the first hymn. He was still there.”
“Afterwards?”
“Gone.”
“Miss Stourton?”
“The same,” she said. “I lost sight of him before the service ended.”
Lady Catherine walked towards the drawing room.
“Come. Both of you.”
The drawing room doors closed behind them. Lady Catherine crossed to the windows.
“You are certain he watched the path from Rosings?”
“Yes,” Elizabeth said.
“And not the church?”
“No.”
“You agree, Clara?”
“I do.”
Darcy remained near the door.
“He knew the family would walk down together,” he said.
“Or he wished to know whether we did,” Lady Catherine replied.
Elizabeth set her bonnet on the nearest chair. “What would he learn from that?”
Lady Catherine glanced towards the staircase.
“Who remained behind.”
“The boys,” Elizabeth said.
“Were with us,” Lady Catherine said. “As were Darcy and Alexander and Richard. He watched the party leave. He counted who went. He needed to know whether the house was left with anyone worth finding inside.”
“And was it?” Darcy asked.
“Mrs Mercer, the indoor servants and three of Richard’s men. No one he was looking for.”
“Then he will come back,” Elizabeth said.
“Or he has already sent word,” Darcy said. “To whoever is waiting for it.”
Lady Catherine moved to the bell pull.
“I am going to send for Richard, and then I am going to have the south fields watched from the upper windows until he returns. You will both remain inside. You will not go near the windows that face the south approach. And you will tell me immediately if either of you remembers anything further about what you saw.”
“Yes, your ladyship,” Miss Stourton said.
Elizabeth nodded.
Lady Catherine pulled the bell.
“Good. Now sit down. Standing in the middle of a room is not useful to anyone.”
A footman entered almost at once.
“Send word to Colonel Fitzwilliam. He is to return immediately.”
The man bowed and withdrew. Miss Stourton sat beside Elizabeth. Darcy remained near the door.
“You may sit as well,” Lady Catherine told him.
“I am comfortable.”
“You are guarding a drawing-room door in a house with armed footmen.”
Darcy took the nearest chair. Elizabeth’s mouth moved slightly. Before Lady Catherine could remark upon it, footsteps sounded in the hall. Richard entered without removing his gloves.
“The tracks divide at the stream,” he said. “One rider turned south. The other came back towards Rosings.”
“How far back?” Lady Catherine asked.
“As far as the south gate. He did not come further. The ground is soft enough. We would have seen it.”
“Then he stopped at the gate,” Darcy said.
“Or was stopped.”
“By what?”
“By seeing the house was not empty.” Richard pulled off his gloves. “Henderson has two men at the gate now. The stream is watched. If he comes back along the south path, we will know before he reaches the grounds.”
Lady Catherine looked towards the ceiling, in the direction of the nursery.
“Alexander must be told.”
“I will go up,” Richard said.
“You will stay here.” Lady Catherine moved towards the door herself. “Alexander is calm and he is sensible and he will receive the information better from me than from a soldier arriving in his children’s nursery with mud on his boots.”
Richard looked at his boots. Lady Catherine went out.
“One came back,” Elizabeth said.
“Yes.”
“To watch the house.”
“To confirm something,” Richard said. “Whether we had returned from church. Whether the house was defended.”
Lady Catherine returned a few minutes later.
“Alexander knows.”
“And?” Richard asked.
“He informs me that Anthony has waited for his pony since breakfast.”
“And?”
“The pony will be brought to the west lawn.”
“The grounds are watched,” Richard said.
“Will they remain so?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” Lady Catherine crossed to her chair. “Then we shall proceed with Easter Sunday.”
She addressed Darcy. “Anthony believes you intend to admire his seat.”
“Does he?”
“He has spoken of little else since seven o’clock.”
Darcy stood. “I should not like to disappoint him.”