“Let us return to the house so that we might invite Anne and Georgiana to join in planning our wedding. I shall need all the help I can get as there is so much to think about, including when and how to tell your aunt Catherine that we are engaged.”
On their way back to the house, Darcy and Lizzy roughed out some of the details of their wedding breakfast. Because of the colder temperatures, it would be necessary to have the reception inside, but Darcy assured her that his staff would go to Hertfordshire to take charge of ordering and preparing everything necessary to host such a celebration.
As they entered the drive leading to the house, they had to give way to an express rider. Darcy looked puzzled. He could not imagine what message was so important that it necessitated hiring an express rider, and he wondered if it was another of his aunt Catherine’s ploys to have Anne return to Kent. The last time his cousin had been away for any length of time, his aunt had written a letter stating that there had been a disaster at Rosings. When Anne returned to Kent, she found that the drains had backed up after a storm and the kitchen was flooded, which, of course, she could do nothing about. Aunt Catherine was never happy when Anne was away, and not just because of the obvious selfish reason of not wanting to be alone in that large house, but also because she genuinely feared that she would outlive her daughter. Despite her shortcomings, Darcy’s aunt loved her daughter and worried more about Anne’s health than anything else.
When they arrived at the entrance, Jackson was talking to the rider, and he immediately handed the letter to Mr. Darcy, who opened it as soon as he stepped into the foyer.
“Dear God!” he said as all of the color drained out of his face.
“What is the matter, Mr. Darcy? Is someone ill?” Elizabeth asked, and when he did not answer, she continued to question him. “Is there a death in the family?” What else could account for his shocked countenance?
After handing the post to Mr. Jackson, he explained, “This is a letter from Mr. Underhill. He is the manager of the Council operations on the estate in Scotland where Rupert and Teddy have been staying. Apparently, they were found running around in the woods unclothed.”
Lizzy let out a sigh of relief. “Oh, that is not so very bad. They are both lads, and this can easily be explained as the antics of two foolish young men.”
“I wish it were that simple, but there is more. Rupert was shot in the arm. He is not seriously injured, but the man who shot him insists that he was shooting at a wolf.” Lizzy felt her heart drop into her stomach. “I must leave for Scotland immediately.”
Chapter 15
Darcy had handed Uphill’s letter to Jackson because his butler would know exactly what to do, and once he had informed Mercer of events in Scotland, his manservant began packing for what would be an arduous and lengthy journey. When Darcy had banished Rupert to the wilds of Scotland, he had sent Teddy and Mercer with him. It had taken the trio six days to get there. Even if the roads were in good repair and the weather cooperated, he would be gone a minimum of three weeks. There was no time to lose because they were racing against the rising of the next full moon.
Darcy pulled off his neckcloth and threw it on the bed before quickly discarding his linen shirt, fine leather boots, and tan breeches, exchanging the clothes of a gentleman for a man who would be spending his nights at a string of coaching inns paralleling the Great North Road to Edinburgh.
After giving Mercer some final instructions, he went downstairs to find Elizabeth. What the devil was he going to say to her? She already understood some of the dangers that wolves faced, but this episode threw a harsh light on just how vulnerable they were on a daily basis. The irresponsible actions of one wolf hundreds of miles away might put others in jeopardy, including his own family. Until he knew what Rupert had said to those who had found him, he could not rest because if that idiot had panicked and blurted something out, the trail would lead directly to Pemberley. And what right did he have to ask Elizabeth to join him in sharing such a life? He should have heeded the advice of the Council to take a she wolf as a bride from among the German or French wolves who had settled in Herefordshire near the Welsh border after fleeing the Continent because of Napoleon’s endless wars. But when he had set out in search of a wife, he had stopped at Netherfield Park to visit Charles Bingley at his new country estate and had been coerced into attending a local assembly, and the rest, as they say, is history.
In order to make sure that their conversation could not be overheard, when Darcy went downstairs, he gestured for Georgiana, Anne, and Elizabeth to follow him into his study, and he quickly assessed the situation. His sister had been crying, Anne looked gaunt, and Elizabeth had such a look of bewilderment on her face that it hurt to look at her. Addressing the three ladies, he summed up his plan, which was simple. He must get to the Underhill estate as quickly as possible, recover Rupert and Teddy, and return to Pemberley before the next full moon.
“After I am on the road, Jackson will send word to Lord Granyard detailing what I know of the events in Scotland and ask that he have his men keep watch for any unusual activity near Pemberley. I am not anticipating any trouble, but since we do not know what Rupert might have revealed when questioned, I will err on the side of caution.”
Both ladies nodded, signaling that they understood the possible consequences of Rupert’s actions, but Lizzy remained silent. It was only her eyes that revealed how alarmed she was and that she comprehended the gravity of the situation.
“Georgie and Anne, I would like to speak to Elizabeth alone.” After the pair had left the study, Darcy sat on a chair across from Lizzy, but he made no effort to reach out to take her hand or to console her in any way. It was as if some fault in the earth had opened up, creating a chasm between them.
“Elizabeth, I am in a race against the lunar calendar,” he explained, “so I must leave now.”
Lizzy, who was trying hard to keep the fear out of her voice, asked him how long he would be gone.
“If all goes well, three weeks. We will need at least a week to get there, plus however long it takes to resolve the situation. Then, I must allow for a few days’ rest before returning to Pemberley, and everything depends on road conditions and the weather.”
“It seems to me that you are racing headlong into danger. Is there no one who can go to Scotland to deal with this matter who is less easily recognized?”
“No. I must take care of this myself because Teddy is a member of my pack, and it was at my direction that he went with Rupert to Scotland. I will not rest until I know that he is safe. Rupert does not have an ounce of common sense, but I am hoping that his being shot has so frightened him that he has kept his mouth shut. However, there are no guaranties, so I must go.
“As for our discussion this morning, we did not have time to put our plans into action. No announcement was made; therefore, no explanation is required. In the next few weeks, you will have ample time to reconsider, and please know that you owe me nothing. You are not bound to me. But I really must go.”
After he left, Lizzy went to the window in the drawing room and watched as he made his way to the stables with David and Goliath at his heels. He never looked back.
Lizzy did not know how long she had been staring out the window when Anne came and put a shawl around her shoulders. What she saw when she turned around and gazed into the face of the daughter of Lady Catherine de Bourgh was a steely resolve. Anne would stand watch until her cousin returned and resumed his role as master of Pemberley.
“Until today, I never understood why the Darcy crest was not emblazoned on the carriages. Because it is necessary to respond to emergencies such as this, William does not want anyone to know who is in the carriage.”
“Yes, William must travel anonymously. However, he does want people to know that he is a gentleman. Because of his rank, as evidenced by the quality of his conveyance, he will not be approached by strangers, and no one will ask questions.”
“Where is Georgiana?” Lizzy asked.
“She is with Mrs. Brotherton. Because Teddy is a member of William’s pack, Georgiana has developed an affection for him that is, to say the least, unusual between a mistress and one of her servants.”
