(A/N:)
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Jane Austen Works RP:
www.f anfiction forum/Regency-Roleplay/176463/
Finding a Killer:
Denny road up to Colonel Fitzwilliam's castle. It was here that Lydia's attacker had been found, living right under everyone's noses, as stable hand.
The Colonel was waiting for Denny. He had been expecting his arrival ever since Jane sent the letter, explaining what had happened, though the letter had not arrived until after his stable hand was found by Bingly's own carriage driver, which of course had caused some amount of confusion at first.
After the fact, however, The Colonel had ordered for the stable hand to be locked away in a room, until Denny could arrive and question the man. "Captain Denny, how good to see you once more, I am terribly sorry for the circumstances" The Colonel greeted Denny, who he had once fought beside in battle.
"And you as well Colonel, thank you for holding him." Denny said as he handed the reigns of his horse over to the horse master. "Please, show me to him, I want this cleared up as soon as possible" Denny stated. The Colonel nodded and led Denny into his home, then went straight for the servants halls, until finally they were in the men's quarters on the servants rooms.
They came to a stop at a door that was being watched by one of the other servants. "Thank you William, you are excused for the time being" The Colonel excused the young servant as he unlocked the door to let Denny inside.
Denny stepped inside, to see a chubby dark haired man sitting on the edge of his bed. The man looked up, he was dirtier then most stable hands Denny had ever seen.
"Are You the one them sent to arrests my?" The man asked. Denny shook his head.
"No, I am only the one they have sent to get the truth from you" Denny stated as he sat down in the wooden chair.
"What is your name?" Denny asked, staring the man down, the man gave him a bad feeling, and of course the possibility of that this man was the very one that had attacked Lydia, of course angered Denny.
"Johnson Wellin, sir, ain't gots no middle name, sir"
"What happened on the night that Lydia Wickham was attacked?" Denny asked harshly, and almost instantly the man broke.
"I did it sir, I did, I knew I should not have killed that women, But Mista Wickham, He paid me, he paid me lots, I didn't want ta kill er'!" The man exclaimed and even began to cry.
As pathetic as the man was, Denny could not bring himself to pity such a man.
"Why did Wickham want Lydia killed?" Denny asked now.
"I don't knows sir! Honestly I don'ts!" The man exclaimed.
Denny scowled and stood. "You will be arrested for such crimes as you have committed against that woman, she lived, but the damage you have caused her is irreparable, and letting her be separated from her child for such a length of time, have you no heart?!" Denny yelled, the man shrunk back, but did not answer. Denny turned and left the room. He nodded at The Colonel. "He did it alright. I'll send word for officers to come and take him, then I'll be riding back to Netherfield to speak with Jane and Bingly. We'll need to figure out what to do from there" Denny told the Colonel then began to leave.
"Denny, surely you might stay till morning at least, it is getting Late" The Colonel informed him, but Denny only kept walking.
"I'll leave now, I have to be back as soon as I can" Denny told the Colonel over his shoulder. "Thank you for all your help" Denny told Colonel Fitzwilliam before his horse was brought back around.
...
"What a dreadful man" Jane said after Denny had told she and Bingly what happened at the Colonel's.
"How had he gotten away with it for so long?" Bingly asked, how had The Colonel not know he had such a character under his roof?
"I fear that the coward of a man had gained some amount of ...pity from those around him, as well as that Wickham is a clever yet deceitful character" Denny replied.
"Why hadn't you fools told me he was back?!" Lydia yelled as she rushed down the steps of Netherfield from her own room. "I've been worried sick! And not one person thought to tell me he was here! How selfish of you all!" Clearly upset no one had even mentioned to her if he was safe or not.
"Ma'm! wait! you are indecent!" A ladies maid called after Lydia as she attempted to catch the young woman in the hall.
"I don't care about indecency!" Lydia exclaimed as she stopped in the doorway of the parlor, her long dark curls hung loose, she only wore a simple white nightgown. She stared at Denny for a moment, the man clearly hadn't washed in several days. But still Lydia ran forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Denny, much to the Captain's surprise.
"You shouldn't have gone! How horribly foolish of you! Are you hurt at all?!" Lydia demanded as she attempted to look over him for injury, before settling back into her hug, which Denny was now aware enough of himself to return.
"Yes, I'm fine" Denny stated, though he wondered how she had found out.
"I heard the servants talking of it all, did you find him?!" Lydia asked looking up at Denny.
Denny nodded a bit. "Yes, your attacker is now behind bars, and I will be leaving again shortly in pursuit of Wickham"
"Not today, surely you don't mean to leave today Denny! You've only just return! You must be exhausted!" Lydia exclaimed sadly.
Denny looked over at Jane, and Bingly before speaking. "I should like to rest a night before I go, if it would not be too imposing upon our hosts?" Denny asked.
"None sense Denny, you are welcome as long as you need" Bingly replied with a generous smile.
"I am very grateful for your kindness" Denny bowed to the Binglys before being pulled along by Lydia.
"come along then! I should like to help my hero settle in!" Lydia could be heard from from the hall as she led Denny up the large and beautiful stairs.