A/N OMG I am so sorry. I have been battling to upload this chapter for like two days. I ended up splitting it in to two small chapters just to get it up. so sorry I know two chapters is annoying.
Thank you all for the reviews and support. (Jansfamily4 as always thanks!) I don't mind people that don't like the story but I don't want to upload something that isn't allowed to be uploaded. I think this site is amazing and have had hours of reading everyone else stories and wouldn't want to risk that. I will have a think how to proceed from here. I am still going to finish the story of course. Hopefully the rest should be done this week. :)
Chapter 36
Ten days after waving Elizabeth off he arrived at the Gardiner residence. A butler opened the door and he asked to see either Mr. or Mrs. Gardiner to be told they were from home.
"Where might I find them?"
"I am not at liberty to say sir" replied the stoic butler. He did not know this gentleman and was not about to divulge details of his employer's whereabouts.
"Is Miss Elizabeth Bennet here?"
"No sir"
"Mrs Elizabeth Wickham?"
"I have never met a lady by that name sir"
Darcy frowned "you must know Miss Elizabeth Bennet"
The butler remained silent, Darcy pressed on "she is now Mrs Wickham and I am trying to locate her"
"I am unaware of her whereabouts sir"
"Was she here about a week back?"
"I am not at liberty to say sir"
Darcy was equal parts impressed and annoyed by the very stoic footman. He continued this line of questioning but did not receive any reasonable intelligence.
He returned to Darcy house to fill in Georgiana who was worried for her friend and held a tentative hope for her brother's happiness.
Darcy decided to ride to Longborn to seek out either the Gardiners or Elizabeth.
He called in on Mr and Mrs Bingley and asked if either of them had heard from Elizabeth. They both expressed concern but Jane admitted that she hadn't yet replied to her last letter.
"When was the last time she wrote?"
"I wrote to say we had arrived home safely and she had written after that, I have not replied yet. About a month ago"
Darcy managed to hide the frown, so Jane must be completely unaware of how unhappy Elizabeth had been. His silence was telling. Bingley could see the pain on his friend's face.
"Is something the matter friend?"
"No, Elizabeth travelled to see her aunt and uncle with my sister. Unfortunately," It took will power to grind out the word "Mr Wickham has met with an accident and we cannot find her to pass on the news. She is most likely visiting a friend"
He did not want to spread her secrets. If she had chosen not to share her situation with Jane, he did not want to do so for her. His last statement, though false gave him and idea. He wrote a letter to Mrs. Collins and one to Georgiana asking her to write to Anne.