The Last of the Wine

by DJ Clawson

This is the last story in my series that began with "A Bit of Advice." At this point you should not be starting with this story, unless you really like a challenge. You should go to my profile page for links to the stories in order.

Author's note: This chapter is rated M for mature.

And now, back to our story:

Chapter 36 - First Sight

As they were packing to leave, their trip nearly completed, the Turners received word from Pemberley of Cassandra's disappearance. Fortunately, Charles was present when the letter arrived. After a brief discussion, he took tea in the sitting room while they packed and Matthew tried to soothe Eliza's fears. When they returned to the room, Charles was more composed.

"I hope you will understand when I say I think it is best for me to stay in Paris." It was not an easy decision for him. His voice made it clear, unsteady as it was. "I do not think I will be much help in Derbyshire, not knowing Mr. Hyde at all, if he is indeed the culprit. If Cassandra flees to Paris, I will be here to find her. And I don't want to leave Paul." He guiltily looked away from his sister's gaze, however non-accusatory it was. "I cannot go to join my family when he is forbidden to speak to his, and give him the impression he is someone I keep in France. Had I not just been to England I would more eagerly go, but I am not doing my duty to him by so constantly leaving him alone, when he has no one else. Please forgive me."

"You are forgiven," Eliza said. There was no hesitation. "If we write that you are needed, you will come."

"Of course."

"But until then, you are right, I think, to stay in Paris. Is he not?" She turned to her husband, who knew it was time to nod. "So stay in the inn here and we will write you with updates. And we will give everyone your regards."

Charles composed a few long letters of comfort to take back with them, and they departed. It was more somber than planned, and they watched him waving from the street as the carriage departed for the coast.

"He would come," Eliza said, "if he thought he had to. It must be a terrible decision for him."

"Paul is not a new wife."

"But he is his friend, more than a friend, and he is suffering on his own. If Charles feels this is not the time to leave him, he is likely correct. He knows him best."

Matthew Turner held his wife's hand. "Hopefully we will return and by the time we have made our way to Derbyshire, your cousin will be found."

"Hopefully, yes." She leaned into him to fight the chill the words brought her, and he put his arms around her until she stopped shivering.

*******************************************

"Was it right? I cannot settle this."

Paul Watts now was officially in residence in Charles' room at the inn, instead of going back and forth between Paris and the coast. He did not yet know about the pianoforte, as it was still being prepared for delivery to their estate. "If you want to go, you can."

"If I'm needed, I will. To be honest, I don't think I am, beyond manning Paris in case she flees here. Cassandra and I were not close – no more than I was to the other Darcy sisters. Perhaps less, as I was in Cambridge when she was younger, and after she went out, I was either in Italy or drinking myself into a stupor in London."

"Why would she run?"

"My Uncle Darcy can be very intimidating, and to say he is overprotective of his daughters is not a strong enough phrasing to describe it. But inside he is kind and loving, and he would forgive her the moment she returned. Perhaps she can't see that."

Paul softened. "It was so hard for you to imagine your parents ever speaking to you again, much less what they have done to support your decision. If she has done something to ruin her reputation, she must feel a similar way."

"But I cannot comfort her if I do not know where she is!"

Paul leaned over and kissed him on the head. "Together, we will be the most unstoppable watchmen Paris has ever seen. It is all I can do for your family, so I ought as well give it my best, no?"

"I am grateful." It soothed his mind, and Paul's touch did the same. "I love you."

"You did not leave me because you thought it would hurt me," Paul replied, "and even if you had, I would still love you as much as I do now."

*******************************************

Back in Harrogate, the doctor visited just before lunch, while Georgie and Danny were still sleeping. The doctor was not pleased that Darcy's fever was still raging despite the constant application of cold towels to his forehead, and his patient had developed a cough. Still, this time Darcy was awake, though his mind addled by his fever.

"I must find her," he said. "I must find my daughter. I am her father."

"Mr. Darcy, you need to rest," the doctor said, closing his bag. "You have no infection, so for the moment you are safe, but I would not recommend even leaving your bed. Others are searching for your daughter."

Darcy shook his head. "This is my daughter."

The doctor did not argue, only turned to Elizabeth and Bingley. "Though I do not think he is strong enough to try anything, keep him in bed. If he sweats out the fever and it soaks the sheets, change them. Don't let him get another chill. If his cough continues, or worsens, send for me."

They thanked him most gratefully, but Darcy was indignant and did not speak again until the doctor left the room. Elizabeth sat down on the bed beside him. "Darcy, everyone is looking for her. They will find her."

"I cannot – "

"Danny said he has reason to believe Mr. Hyde is in Harrogate."

This stopped him from replying. He was too weak to conjure something so immediately.

"If he is in hiding, he will be found," Bingley said. "It is not a large town, so it is only a matter of time. She will be here soon."

Elizabeth applied a new cloth to his forehead, which was burning. "Anne and Sarah are on their way."

"I will not have my daughters searching the streets for me."

"My daughter is searching the streets for you, and she is no doubt doing an excellent job," Bingley said. "Please try to sleep a little. They will be here tonight or tomorrow."

Darcy found he could not disobey.

*******************************************

The party shared a late lunch in the main room, so Elizabeth would not be far if Darcy rang for her. Mr. Reed was a bit ill himself and they rented a room and a servant for him, which he weakly protested was too much before giving in and sleeping.

Danny and Georgie shared their news, though how they got their information was not a subject for discussion, and a plan was set upon. The investigations into the location of Mr. Hyde and the possible location of Cassandra (if she was there and not with him) would not be halted, but done much more quietly than Bingley and Jane going to and fro about the town in broad daylight. Mr. Hyde was already in hiding, and he might flee if he received word he was being sought here, taking Cassandra with him. Georgie and Danny would push their more circumspect contacts and make new ones instead, and Bingley would do a few investigations of his own, but nothing public. Elizabeth would leave Darcy's side only if she had to, and at the moment, they saw no reason.

Before returning to bed to rest before another long night, Danny knocked on Georgie's chamber door. "Georgiana?"

"Come."

He entered, one hand against the wall of the unfamiliar room. "Please shut the door."

Georgie did so. "What is it?"

"I want to disappear for a day or two," Danny said. "I will entrust my location to you and Uncle Bingley."

"You have someone to help you."

He just nodded.

"I will not insult you by voicing my worries. I will only order you to take care of yourself." She put a hand on his shoulder.

"You seek Mr. Hyde and I will seek someone hiding a young woman, and we may end up in the same place."

"I wish I could say I hope so, but I'm not sure I do."

*******************************************

Not long after Danny woke from his nap and departed, new Darcy carriages arrived, baring Geoffrey, Anne, Sarah, and Mr. Jameson. Elizabeth welcomed her daughter's embrace in turn. "Go to your father. If he is sleeping, do not disturb him."

As they obeyed, Anne's husband Mr. Jameson greeted his mother-in-law, and Geoffrey embraced his mother, then his wife. "Dr. Maddox and Lady Maddox are at Pemberley, relaying correspondences. Otherwise, we came as soon as we heard."

"It is only a cold," Elizabeth said. "Or so the doctor keeps telling me. But he has a fever and it will not relent, and it is draining him. Perhaps seeing Anne and Sarah will cheer him."

"I did not want to bring the grandchildren, and complicate things." He turned to his wife. "They send their love."

"You did the right thing." Though it did not sound like Georgie was happy about not having her children arrive, though she could not have expected it. "How are they?"

"Alison knows that Cassandra is missing, and she is trying to be brave, but she is worried. William was full of questions I couldn't answer, but he does know something is wrong. There was no avoiding it. Brian is happy with Mala and Monkey, but he cried when you left and he was crying when I left. He will recover. And they have Elliot Turner to play with, something I'm not sure our nephew agrees with the notion of." He was happy with her so close to him, even if they had no privacy. "How is my father, truly?"

"It is a cold. If he were a young man, he might be recovering. Instead, he is getting worse."

"How much worse?"

Georgie did not mince words. "He will be fine unless it develops into something else, but he is so weakened that it could. He cries out for Cassandra in his sleep and will not listen to reason. The only thing keeping him in bed is his inability to get out of it."

It was not what he wanted to hear, but he was still glad she told him. "We will find her and he will recover."

"That is the plan."

"Speaking of plans, what is yours?"

*******************************************

It took Danny the rest of the remaining day to find all the equipment he would need, unescorted in various stores, and he had to assume he was not being cheated (beyond the prices). With his little package he met up with Mirela, who caught him on the street before he even reached their meeting place, and guided him to an inn. Two flights up the stairs from the tavern, she showed him around the room. He liked to feel everything before he made a place his home, as it would be for a brief but crucial time.

By the time they made it back to the tavern, it was much later, Danny was moving slowly and deliberately, and Mirela was a little frightened – of what would come later, not of Tom. She expressed it in the way she took his arm, and tonight could not play the flirting mistress. He did not ask it of her.

Tom showed after a few watery drinks. "You won't like it, but I have it."

Danny slipped his hand into his coat pocket and removed precisely twenty-five pounds, placing them down hard on the table so the coins made a noise.

"His name is Ian Bower. He protects women, in a fashion."

"In a fashion?"

"If say, a man and woman come but don't want to live together openly, he hides the woman for a price. Or say, a man and woman come together and the man wants to hide the woman in case her family comes round looking for him, that's another price. If the woman is to be offed, there is a whole 'nother price sheet."

"He'll hold women against their will?"

"I hear he makes a good living off it."

Danny put his hand down on the table, the other gripping his cane, but the coins were gone, of course. "Where is he?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know!" Danny nearly tore into his pocket again to get more coins. "How much?"

"I said, I don't know. I need a day." Tom added with some sympathy in his voice, "I will do it without cost. Fifty is enough."

Danny knew it was time to settle down, but he had trouble doing it. "Thank you. Is this man violent or can he be bribed?"

"Depending on the situation, it could go either way."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Mr. Maddox."

Danny shuddered as they left, waiting until they were back on the street to speak. "I did not tell him my name."

"He is the man who knows everything. What do you expect?" Yet her voice was sympathetic. "He will know tomorrow. It can wait until tomorrow."

"I hope to G-d it can. Take me back."

She obliged him, and they returned to their room, where he removed his waistcoat and began setting the things on the dresser. "Are you ready?"

"I don't want to do this."

"But can you? You said you are good with a knife."

"If you die – "

"I won't."

"If you do," she insisted.

He sat down in the chair, removing his cravat. "If I do, say you work at the inn and you found me. You know where my family is staying."

"Yes."

"You can leave it anonymously. Now, can you hand me the green bottle and the spoon." She did, and he poured a triple dose of laudanum for himself and swallowed, followed by a shot of whiskey to help it go down well. He freed his Buddhist rosary, usually so tightly wound around his arm, and clasped his hands together. "Namu Amida butsu. Namu Amida butsu. Namu Amida butsu."

"What does that mean?" Only with urging did Mirela tie his arms to the chair.

"It means, I put my faith in the compassion of the Amitābhabuddha." He felt a little giddy from the drug. "I'm ready."

"I'm not."

"I have faith in you." He added without thinking, "I love you."

"I know," was the last thing he heard before she began.

*******************************************

Mrs. Arbela did not have Georgie's information – not yet – and Georgie returned early and angrily to the inn. She was so angry at her own incompetence at finding Cassandra, a woman who had never run before and should be easy to find. Geoffrey was waiting for her. "Lie down."

"No."

"Then at least sit." He was used to her stubborn streak, brutal when it appeared. He had to push her down into the chair himself. "Have something to drink." There was hot tea, and when in front of her, it did smell appealing, especially when it was spiced with cinnamon the way she liked. "There is someone who wishes to see you."

"Who?"

"The Vicar. He has just arrived."

She nodded and called her maid for her robe, which she put over her Jack outfit before she bid him to enter and stood to curtsey. "Mr. Emerson."

He bowed. "Mrs. Darcy. Mr. Darcy."

"Can you be of some assistance?"

"Maybe. I hope to be. I thought if you find him, maybe Trenton will see me, and I can distract him for others to get to him."

"You would put yourself in some danger," Geoffrey said.

"Mr. Darcy, with all respect, your father had a rifle to my chest but a few days ago. How much more danger can I be in this week?" He had a weak smile for them. "I am responsible for this, and I will see it through to the end."

Georgie's admiration for the Vicar was slowly but steadily rising. "I suspect my husband wants to go out himself this evening. Do people in town know you?"

"No. I have never been here before."

"Then perhaps you should go with him." She added, "You will be safe. He used to be a Japanese constable."

"I'm glad you give me that credit," Geoffrey chuckled.

*******************************************

Despite the presence of his other daughters and his wife, Darcy had fallen into a delirium. It could not be unexpected after two days of unrelenting fever on top of the cold and exhaustion, but it was disturbing nonetheless. "Cassie, I did not mean it. I did not mean it."

"Papa," Anne pleaded, holding his hand.

He turned to her, his eyes unfocused. "Cassie, I will not punish you, I promise. I love you."

"Papa, it's me. Anne." She wiped his forehead again.

"'My darling Anne.'" But he still didn't seem to recognize her. He was quoting from her bracelet, which his eyes found, and he remembered the inscription that was too small for him to read from that distance. "Mother, you would have liked Lizzy. You would have loved her." He was not talking directly to Anne, or did not appear to be.

"Darcy, come back to us." Elizabeth was near tears again. She did not want to cry in front of Anne, or in front of Sarah, who had an arm around her because she needed steadying. "Cassandra will be here soon, I promise."

"I want to hold her." He held his arms out, expecting a baby. "I need to hold her. It's so dark."

Elizabeth put a hand on his cheek and pointed his face in her direction, so he had to meet her eyes. "Darcy, look at me. Remember me. Talk to me."

"I remember those fine eyes. Miss Bingley made fun of them but I always loved them." He had a deranged smile. "My Elizabeth."

For the moment, she would accept that much. "My Darcy."

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