Page 54 of Lord Lonbourn's Daughter
Elizabeth peered out of the window to see, and she was right. Her father was striding towards the house with Jane, Mary, and Kitty trailing behind him.
She waited patiently until the butler announced her family. Kitty was obviously distressed, so Elizabeth half expected Jane to ask for a private meeting.
“Let us adjourn to the master’s chamber. Darcy would not want to miss this,” the colonel advised.
“I believe Mr Darcy is in his study at the moment, Colonel.”
Elizabeth guided her family in that direction, where they found her husband sitting at his desk, rummaging through his papers. He looked tired and had a strain about his eyes that bespoke a severe headache. Once everyone was apprised, he should rest.
“Before I relate my news, do you have anything new to report, Colonel?” Lord Longbourn enquired.
“Mrs Younge has escaped. She was gone when I returned to Lady Catherine’s townhouse. The servants thought and still do that nothing is amiss. In their mind, Georgiana came to visit to afford her newly married brother privacy. I saw no reason to disabuse them of that notion. From what I have gathered so far, there is no reason to believe that Lady Catherine hadanything to do with the abduction, although I suspect they may have used her barouche box in the kidnapping. It is currently in London being reupholstered. What do you have to relate, Lord Longbourn?”
“We have had another extortion letter. It is obvious that the kidnappers are very well informed of the goings-on in the Longbourn and Darcy households. It leads to the conclusion that whoever they are, they are stationed in London and most likely in Mayfair. This was found in my garden on a swing that my daughters still use on occasion. By the content, I doubt that it had been there long, but it is a little damp from the morning dew. My guess is that it was put there late last evening or during the night. Let me read it aloud, and you may comment when I have finished.
I am laughing at your discovery of Georgiana’s whereabouts, hidden right under your noses in her aunt’s home.
As you have realised by now, I have no use for Georgiana after she was so obliging as to write me a compromising letter that will become even more scandalous upon my impending marriage.
I imagine you are eager to have your youngest daughter and sister returned, but, on that account, you may have to wait a while. I have changed my mind.
Lady Jane will no longer marry her beau, Mr Bingley, but Colonel Fitzwilliam. They may both perceive this modification as punishment for failing to follow my instructions.
Lady Jane and Colonel Fitzwilliam may have the banns read. I am in no hurry to dispose of dear Lady Lydia.
Bear in mind that I have returned Georgiana and Kitty unscathed, so you may trust that I shall do the same with Lydia, but first I have an additional demand.
Lord Longbourn and Mr Darcy will both write a letter forfeiting the right to any future inheritance.
If these demands are not met, I shall marry Lydia and treat her fittingly as the wife of a rake.
GW
“Are you in line to inherit, Lord Longbourn?” Mr Darcy enquired.
“No, not that I am aware. I am the last living Bennet, and my heir presumptive, Mr Collins, might have some meagre savings, but he is much younger than me. I doubt I shall outlive the twenty-five-year-old parson. He is a man of mean understanding and not whom I would have chosen as my heir.”
“You may still remarry and produce a son,” Mr Darcy suggested.
“I shall not dignify that with an answer, Mr Darcy. When you have been married for more than a week and have had little newborn miracles handed to you by a midwife, I dare you to suggest such a preposterous notion. What about your own prospects for a substantial sum?”
“I know of nothing. Lord Matlock has an heir and a spare. I am the head of the Darcy family with one distant cousin living, but he is not wealthy.”
“No, but you ought to listen to my daughter. I have reason to believe we may be too late. Kitty!”
Kitty responded to her father’s request by caterwauling, a manoeuvre she applied when she did not want to reveal something.
Elizabeth noticed Mr Darcy flinch and touch his temples.
“Kitty! Compose yourself!”
Elizabeth’s sharp voice and tight grip on her arm quieted her sister. Kitty knew Elizabeth was capable of a highly effective pinch should she keep up her act.
“Tell them, Kitty,” Jane gently prodded, and Kitty stepped forwards, wringing her hands.
“Lydia has written to me, begging me to send her some money.”
The entire room gasped before Lord Longbourn gently urged Kitty to continue.
