Christmas at Pemberley

such, upon Lady Catherine’s death, Rosings Park would belong to Anne, and, ultimately, as her husband, to him. Their children would inherit a great estate. He’d accomplished much with his choice. With Anne’s acceptance, he’d moved up in society. “We’ll do well together,” he promised. They stared into each other’s countenances for a prolonged minute. “Anne,” he said with a rasp. “Would you allow me to kiss you?”

She blushed thoroughly. “I’d like that very much, Roman.”

It was well after midnight when he entered her bedchamber. He had scaled an icy terrace and the metal claws of the ivy wall to reach an empty chamber in the U-shaped wing. Earlier, he had lowered his trunk to the ground with strips of cloth he’d made from torn bedding. From the empty bedroom, he’d made his way to her suite. Slowly, he opened her door and slid into the darkness. Using the fireplace’s faint light, he moved stealthily across the room. Reaching her bed, he placed a knee on the edge and reached for her shoulder. Giving it a slight shake, he prepared for her awakening startlement.

With a gasp, her eyes sprang open. Searching the darkness, she frantically identified him as she clutched the bed linens to her chest. “What are you doing here?” she haughtily demanded.

“Saying my farewells,” he replied. “I’m leaving tonight.”

She scooted up higher in the bed. “Can you not wait until tomorrow?”

“It must be now,” he said softly. “I’d like you to accompany me.”

Darcy couldn’t remember a more confusing night. As his cousin had predicted, the Regent’s soldiers had arrived at Pemberley a little short of six in the morning. Mr. Nathan had roused him from his sleep, and Darcy had immediately sent for his cousin, only to discover that they’d lost their “prisoner.” Although, in Darcy’s estimation, the man they’d known as Beauford Manneville had committed no actual crime, the colonel and the lieutenant had accompanied the Regent’s men in their attempt to recover Manneville. True, the American had once held in his possession the intimate letters of Princess Charlotte to her supposed lover, and it had also been true that said lover had intended to use those letters for his own benefit; but intention and execution were different issues. However, it wasn’t likely that the Prince would see it that way. At least, Edward had secured the letters and the princess’s mementos in Darcy’s household safe.

“And Mr. Manneville climbed down his bedding to make his escape?” Lady Catherine asked incredulously. She and the Collinses and Anne would depart for Kent after breakfast.

He’d not wanted to share the details with the others, but Manneville’s trickery and the presence of the Prince’s men couldn’t be kept secret. Darcy filled his plate from the morning’s offerings. “Evidently. With the staff still enjoying the evening’s celebration, Manneville hitched up one of the smaller coaches and drove away into the night.”

“He’s a cad and a thief,” Lady Catherine declared.

Anne poured fresh tea for her mother. “Can you imagine living constantly with such scandal? I’m thankful at moments such as these that I never mastered the ton’s attentions.”

Elizabeth explained, “According to Edward, on Christmas, Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte finally decided to quit fighting the Regent. Prince George convinced his daughter that his wife would replace Charlotte on the throne with Princess Caroline’s adopted son William Austin if our Prince should meet an untimely demise.”

Darcy smiled cautiously. “We don’t know those to be the facts, Elizabeth.You gossip about His Royal Highness.”

“Everyone gossips about the Prince,” she retorted. “What else are we to do in the trenches of Derbyshire?”

Lady Catherine added, “Or in Kent?”

This new agreement between his wife and his aunt still perplexed Darcy, but he knew Elizabeth would explain it eventually. Something of significance had brought these two different women into accord. “Then gossip on,” he said wryly. “It’s not as if I can stop you.”

“As my husband, you could forbid it,” Elizabeth countered.

“I could, but you have an uncanny way of defying me and then convincing me that it was my idea.”

Lady Catherine snorted. “Your dear father used to claim the same about my sister.”

Darcy’s eyebrow rose in curiosity, but Elizabeth went on with her tale. “Anyway, Edward suspected something troublesome with Mr. Manneville so he sent a casual letter to Viscount Keith marking Edward’s return.”

“Mercer Elphinstone’s father?”The story held Lady Catherine’s attention. “How very daring of the colonel!”

“The viscount was in Scotland, but the Regent’s men intercepted our cousin’s letter,” Elizabeth continued. “The Prince sent Edward orders to detain Manneville.”

Georgiana gasped, “You knew of this, Fitzwilliam, and you told no one?”

“Of course, I knew. When Mr. Nathan answers Pemberley’s door in the night’s middle to find the Prince’s courier, he had better report to me first or lose his position.” His masked warning had landed squarely on his butler’s shoulders. “Of course, Mr. Nathan is a superior servant. He understands the need to protect Pemberley first.”

Elizabeth took up her tale again. “It’s long been assumed that Lady Elphinstone holds great sway over Princess Charlotte.”

“For a woman who spends little time in London, you seem well versed in the Prince’s court,” Darcy challenged.

“I have an aunt who devours the gossip pages,” she reminded him.

Darcy chuckled. “I hadn’t considered your Aunt Gardiner’s influence.”

“Why do you suppose her letters are so thick?” Elizabeth taunted. “One can only describe a child’s latest sniffle or accomplishment so many times without being bland.”

“Then finish your story, my dear.” Elizabeth smiled prettily at him, and Darcy’s heart took flight. He loved seeing her animated and challenging once again.

“Lady Elphinstone reportedly encouraged Princess Charlotte’s relationship with Captain Hesse.The princess’s correspondence with the captain is what Edward recovered from Manneville’s room.”

Her Ladyship chortled. “How delightful for Edward. He’ll earn a promotion for his efforts.”

Darcy warned, “As long as the Prince isn’t upset that Manneville escaped.”

“Maybe the Regent can finally convince Charlotte to accept Orange,” Lady Catherine observed.With that, she stood to take her leave. “The Collinses have seen to my coaches.”

The Darcys followed her to their feet. “We’ll see you out,Your Ladyship.” Darcy came around the table to place his aunt’s hand on his arm. Only then did he notice how Her Ladyship’s hand trembled uncontrollably. He started to say something, but a staying glare and a slight shake of his wife’s head stopped him. Instead, he locked her hand into place with his free one. Slowly, he walked his aunt to the main door where Mr. Nathan awaited with her outerwear. Lady Catherine’s domineering spirit overshadowed how frail she appeared. Why had he not noticed this before? “You’ll no longer be a stranger to Pemberley,” he said dutifully.

“And you and Mrs. Darcy shall witness Anne’s marriage,” Lady Catherine announced.

“Depending on Mrs. Darcy’s lying-in,” he reminded her.

A quarter hour later, the Rosings coaches departed for Kent.“Come, Mrs. Darcy. You may retell your tale,” he said. “The Bingleys and your parents have yet to hear the latest. I expect they slept through the fracas.”

When they reentered the morning room, the Bennets, Mr. and Mrs. Bingley, and Mr. Grange were helping themselves to breakfast. “Her Ladyship found safe roads?” Mr. Bennet asked as he scooped jam onto his toast.

“We certainly hope so,” Darcy said as he resumed his breakfast.

Mrs. Bennet took the chair beside Elizabeth. “I cannot imagine Mr. Collins’s consequence once he pronounces Miss De Bourgh’s vows.You’ll suffer another of the man’s odious letters, Mr. Bennet,” she