Page 62 of Until My Last Breath

After reading his letter, Lord Matlock’s large body sank in the armchair as he sighed. Good news at last: young ladies rescued, criminals arrested, Darcy’s safe arrival, and the involvement of Captain Walker and his crew in pursuit of those damned pirates.

His eyes returned to the part where Richard tells him about his feelings for Miss Bennet, and his audacious request to pass a note to her. Lord Matlock thought about having two of his dear boys falling for the power of the Bennet sisters and smiled. He had always tried to be a good man, fair and just, and could see the same desire in his brave younger son. God knew where they were and whether they would succeed. If he could give his son this small comfort, he would. But was Miss Bennet returning Richard’s feelings in the same way? By the way they were interacting in the last few days, it was quite likely, but yet to be confirmed.

He stood and returned to the drawing room.

Captain Owen was upstairs refreshing himself after briefly informing the ladies about what had occurred. Lord Matlock approached Miss Bennet and asked her to follow him to the library.

Firstly, he confirmed the good news and then added, “Miss Bennet, Richard has made me an unusual request. He asked me to give you a small letter. I hope you do not consider it improper. I also hope you can understand his reasons. If you cannot, I beg you to disregard his request and forgive him, ignoring his letter.”

Jane, who was now crimson, nodded shyly. “I would be happy to receive his letter, if this is acceptable to you, my lord.”

Lord Matlock smiled. His doubts were put to rest. He extended his hand with the letter in it.

Giving him a quick glance, Jane took the letter and thanked him.

“You can stay here, if you wish. You will have more privacy to read your letter.”

Jane thanked him again. As soon as Lord Matlock closed the door behind him, she broke the seal.

My dear Miss Bennet,

I hope the pain of knowing I was not able to rescue your sister was not too overwhelming. I cannot blame you for being disappointed with me, and for that I can only beg your forgiveness. Your feelings now cannot be too different from what mine have been.

However, with the arrival of my cousin and the excellent news that Captain Walker and his warship are engaged in our endeavour, I can tell you my hopes are restored, and I humbly renew my promise to bring your sister back. With Darcy at my side, I have a new incentive. The man is courage and determination itself, and absolutely in love with your sister.

And talking about love, please, allow me a few more words. The token you have given me is hanging close to my heart. If for any reason I cannot return to give it back to you, I would like you to remember me as one who admired you deeply, although this would be just part of the truth.

The whole truth is that, since the first moment I saw you, your beauty surprised me. But after spending some time with you, I found that your caring nature, kindness and gentleness are, in fact, your strongest qualities. The beauty of youth vanishes, but the steadiness of a kind heart is timeless and as precious as a treasure.

Please, never change it.

I do not have much to offer beyond the heart of a man who found someone special to admire, respect, and love. I only pray to God this can be enough.

Your humble servant,

Richard

His written words were a balm for her sore heart. Jane pressed his letter against her chest after reading it again a couple of times, and wept. Lowering her head, she raised a desperate prayer, begging the Lord to bring them all safely back home.

~ ♥~

About seven o’clock that evening, Captain Walker and his guests went to his cabin for their meal, where they started discussing the last details of their endeavour.

“Gentlemen, if my calculations are correct,” Captain Walker began, opening a map on the table, “we should arrive at Saint Anne in about two hours, much sooner than I thought. Fortunately, we will still be covered by darkness. The element of surprise will give us a huge advantage. I am planning to anchor the ship in this hidden part of the island, at the north-east area, here, at Corblet Bay,” he said, pointing at the map. “With small waves and sandy beaches, it is the perfect point to reach land by rowboats. We just need to be aware of possible sentinels. As the island is very small, no more than a mile long, we can cover the distance on foot. As soon as we arrive at the village, we can divide into two groups, one heading towards the back of the village and the other to the port. In this way, we can surround them, and guarantee no one will escape—”

“Excuse me, Captain. What if they have already set sail?” Darcy asked, anxiety dripping from his words.

“We gather as much information as possible and go after them,” Captain Walker replied. “Few ships are faster than theUlysses, Mr Darcy, and we have enough supplies to last for a whole month without docking. But, if my instincts are correct, the pirate ship will not leave until tomorrow. The whole operation in Portsmouth was conducted with great success. All the men involved in the kidnappings were arrested — at least in that port. No boat or ship has left Portsmouth without a thorough inspection, which means no one has warned them about our arrival. Considering the bad storm we had yesterday, and the twelve ladies the pirates should be still expecting, I believe they will risk waiting a little longer.”

Darcy released a long breath and nodded.

Once the plan was revised and settled, Captain Walker excused himself to pass the final instructions to his men, suggesting Richard andDarcy to get some rest before disembarking.

On his way back to the cabin, Darcy paused on the deck. The wind was strong and fresh, and the night clear and silent. The arch of the Milky Way divided the sky into two halves and made Darcy reflect on what was to come: two groups of men; just one would succeed.

He opened the door to their cabin and stopped. Richard was kneeling by his berth, his sword in hand.

“Richard, is something wrong?”

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