Page 68 of The Heroic Mr Darcy's Bad Manners
“Nevertheless, I must make every effort to clear Catherine’s name. We are going out into society with our heads held high, and no one will ever again disparage our name without facing severe consequences.”
“Lord Matlock!” Elizabeth cried. “Will he be tried at court for slander?”
“I very much doubt it,” her father mused. “His title is likely to protect him. But he will be the subject of derision and censure, which I suspect will be of shorter duration than he deserves.”
Poor Mr Darcy! His name would be tainted by association.
“I must go to Gardiner at once and interview the maid. Pray the court will accept our case, dear Lizzy. I shall compose a panegyric of Catherine to present to the judge.”
Chapter 22 Redemption
The atmosphere at Limerick House was much improved, even though speculations ran rampant in every newspaper, and they were still not certain whether there would be a new trial. The shocking revelation was the talk of town. The Matlocks received the brunt of the public ire, widening the chasm between Elizabeth and Mr Darcy. He would never reacquaint himself with the Limericks and Glentworths when his own family were disgraced by their actions. His pride would never allow it.
It was a good thing that the colonel was their second son. Yet in a moment of dark despair, he offered Jane the opportunity to withdraw from their engagement.
Jane would hear none of it and more or less demanded that the banns be read as soon as possible. She was not about to abandon him in his time of need when he had remained by her side through her family’s fall from grace. “For better or for worse,” she gently reminded her dear colonel.
Everything was proceeding in their favour until one day, when her father came home sporting an expression of consternation.
“Pray! What is the matter? Did the court deny us a new trial?” Elizabeth hastened to her father’s side and offered to fetch him a glass of port.
He accepted and requested that Elizabeth join him in the study. He sat down at Limerick’s desk, steepled his fingers, and glanced unseeingly into the air. Dread settled in Elizabeth’s stomach as her father’s contemplations lasted much longer than she was comfortable with. At last, his eyes seemed to settle on her.
“The strangest thing happened at my attorney’s office today,” her father admitted, sending another frisson of unease down her spine. “A Scottish gentleman, the owner of Stonehaven Castle, has written to Mr Gardiner. He asserts that he bought a forged scarab from the Campbells no more than five years ago.”
Elizabeth nodded; this was good news. “Was it one of our Banchory cousins?” she asked. It may not be helpful if the witness was a relation, even a remote one, because his integrity might be called into question.
“No. I am certain it was not one of our relations. The gentleman wished to remain anonymous, and we both know that it is not in any Bennet’s nature to allow anyone else to take credit for our accomplishments.”
“As it should be.” She smiled wryly.
“Further investigations have proved that they are still producing counterfeits to this day. They only changed their market. A shipment has been discovered, destined for France. I dare say the Prince Regent would wish it would continue as he harbours no qualms against fooling the French.
“I am stunned that after nigh on twenty-three years I have a decent chance of clearing Catherine’s name. I know it will not bring her back, yet I cannot help but think that I should have done more at the time…”
Elizabeth was about to excuse him. At the time he had been a young man of barely one-and-twenty. Too young to be burdened with such a task. Then she remembered that was almost the same age as Mr Darcy had come into his inheritance, with the responsibility of not only a vast estate but also a grieving young sister. She loved her father dearly—enough to realise he was not without faults, of which some were more grievous than others, but love was unconditional in its purest form. Instead of offering him empty platitudes, she rose, circled his desk to give him a warm hug, and left him to his thoughts.
The court accepted their petition to reopen the trial, which was set to be held on the fifteenth of May. Jane was determined to wed very soon after it ended. She was only willing to postpone it for that long to allow her father and Uncle Henry to participate. The last day of May was finally agreed upon.
#
The Old Bailey, Friday 15thMay 1812, before The Right Hon. Claudius Stephen Hunter, Lord-Mayor of the city of London.
Elizabeth followed a vexed Lord Glentworth elbowing and pushing his way forwards through the staring mass of simpletons and doorway idlers gathered before the Justice-Hall. The trial of John Bellingham, who had shot the prime minister two days earlier, was to begin later in the day. The aggravated spectators had assembled at the Old Bailey for hours in advance for a chance to spit, curse, and scowl at the perpetrator. A frightened Elizabeth kept her head low whilst trying not to lose sight of her family.
The crush was no less unbearable inside, and the next moment she stood face to face with the Mr Campbell who had accosted her at Lady Jersey’s Christmas ball.
Mr Campbell effectively blocked her path and hissed, “Your father is delusional if he supposes this travesty of a court case will clear his name. The only advantage will be the name of Campbell resurrected to its former veneration. Your treasonous aunt is burning in hell, as she deserves.” He paused and raised his chin. “You may quote me to your father.”
“I certainly shall not deign to repeat such rubbish,” Elizabeth cried.
“Eilís?” Grandmother Bennet was at her side and laced their arms in a broad but short united front. “What is the meaning of this? You are blocking the entrance.”
“He!” Elizabeth exclaimed and glared at the interloper. “He would not let me pass and has been spouting nonsense.”
Her grandmother stepped forwards, but the nincompoop moved to stop her when Elizabeth felt a comforting hand on her back.
“Move!” the Marquess of Limerick shouted so loudly the entire hall quieted.
