Chapter Thirty Five
Elizabeth woke once again. She still couldn't open her eyes. The gag had been removed from her mouth and she tried to speak, but her lips and tongue were dry. No words came out. What had happened to her? She was no longer outside but lying on the floor, trussed up and unable to move. Tiny stones were sticking into her. She wriggled her nose. She was sure she was in some kind of outbuilding. She could smell hay and there was dampness in the air. Someone was moving around, but she couldn't tell whether it was a man or a woman. Where was she? She tried to speak again, but still no words would come.
Suddenly she was aware of someone being close to her. Someone reached out and grabbed her hair, pulling so hard it made her wince.
"He's going to pay."
The voice was male and rough and she didn't recognise it. She tried to speak, but her attempts made the man laugh. He let her go and her head banged on the floor. Elizabeth felt sick. The next moment she started falling asleep as a cloth was placed over her mouth and nose. She tried to fight, but it was no good and she quickly slipped back into a deep sleep.
Two days and two nights passed and there was still no sign of Elizabeth. As each hour passed Mr. Darcy became more and more distraught at her disappearance. Once it was known that Mrs. Darcy had gone missing people had come from far and wide and had been searching well beyond the boundaries of Pemberley, but still nothing. No one had really slept, the tension in the house was palpable and even the servants were moving around quietly and talking in whispers. Outwardly Mr. Darcy tried to stay calm, but he spent a great deal of time berating himself for his treatment of Elizabeth. He loved his wife and she had changed his world for the best with her laughter, her forthright views, her intelligence, her ability to see frivolity in the most serious of situations, but also her compassion. He missed her so very greatly. He would blame himself for the rest of his life if she was not returned to him.
Mrs. Reynolds had come to him with disturbing news. "I wondered, sir, if Mrs. Darcy's disappearance was connected to the accident."
"What accident?" asked Mr. Darcy.
"Sir, Mrs. Darcy went to Lambton with Miss Kitty when you were in London in the gig. There was an accident on the way home when their horse bolted."
"And why was I not told of this?"
"Mrs. Darcy preferred you were not told. Some noise disturbed the horse. James was with them and he, like Mrs. Darcy, was certain someone had done it deliberately. Mr. Harlow went with James to rescue the damaged gig. There were signs someone had been in the scrub, but nothing more. It's just a thought."
"Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds." Darcy cut her off. He needed to think. Who would deliberately try and hurt Elizabeth? It made no sense.
"This is my fault," he had said to Mr. Gardiner as he took a walk in the grounds with Mr. Darcy. "I have put my wife in danger."
"Darcy, you take too much upon yourself. This is not your fault. Whatever has happened to my niece it is clear now she did not walk away of her own free will. Even if she was angry with you, she would not have stayed away so long."
Darcy rubbed his tired eyes. He too had come to the conclusion that Elizabeth had been kidnapped. He was also beginning to think that Lord Wilmington had something to do with her disappearance. But what could he do? Harlow, his estate manager, had sent some men to make some discreet enquiries. One had even managed to get on Lord Wilmington's land without being spotted, but he came back with nothing. No one had seen or heard of Elizabeth.
"The longer this goes on…" Darcy could not say what he was thinking.
Mr. Gardiner was equally worried though he did his best not to show it. "It is a testament to you both, that so many people have been out looking for her. Mr. Darcy, you must not lose hope. Elizabeth will be returned to you, I am absolutely sure of it."
Darcy wished he felt more optimistic, but with every hour that passed he was beginning to lose hope. "There must be something else we can do, somewhere else we can search."
"You must be patient."
Darcy nearly snapped at him. Patience was a virtue that he had always struggled with.
They turned back towards the house. Someone was waving at them, calling.
"Is that Mr. Bingley?" asked Mr. Gardiner.
"It is." Mr. Darcy's heart was thumping hard as he watched Bingley running down the steps, and into the garden to join them.
"Have you news?" asked Mr. Darcy.
"You have a visitor," explained Mr. Bingley.
Darcy's heart sank with disappointment. "Send them away. I have no wish to see anyone."
"Mrs. Reynolds urged me to come and find you. It's Lady Wilmington."
Darcy was furious. Selina here? How dare she! He would throw her out himself. He pushed past Bingley.
"Darcy, be careful," called Bingley after him.
Darcy was in no mood to listen. He could not believe that Selina had shown up at Pemberley. She knew she was not welcome. He rushed back to the front of the house taking the steps two at a time.
"Where is she?" he asked Mrs. Reynolds who was waiting for him in the hallway.
"I put her in the Library, sir. I left young Thomas with her."
Darcy hurried towards the library, trying to quell his anger.
Lady Wilmington was standing by the window with her back towards him. Darcy nodded at the footman and he left them alone shutting the door firmly behind him.
"Lady Wilmington."
"Fitzwilliam." She turned towards him. "I need to talk to you."
"You have no right to be here. We have nothing to say to each other," said Mr. Darcy firmly, noting she was not looking her usual flamboyant self. "I want you to leave now. You are never to step foot on my land again."
"I will leave," she said quietly, "But I have brought you news."
Mr. Darcy looked sceptical. "I want no more of your lies, Lady Wilmington."
"It is not a lie. I have news of Mrs. Darcy."
"What?" He hoped this was not one of her many attempts to deceive him. "Tell me now. What do you know?"
Selina Wilmington started to sob. "I never expected him to go this far. He did it just to scare you."
Darcy found it difficult not to shake her. He had no idea what she was talking about. "Do you know where Elizabeth is?"
"Yes. Edgar has her. She is in an old barn on his land."
So it was Lord Wilmington. He could not believe he had defended him to Mr. Gardiner. What an utter fool he had been.
"He's mad," said Selina. "He's completely mad. He says that he will kill us both. It's why I came."
Darcy looked at her in disgust. He opened the door and shouted. "Bingley, Mr. Gardiner…"
The two men quickly joined them. "We've found her. We must leave at once."
"Where?" asked Mr. Gardiner.
"On Lord Wilmington's land."
"Are you sure?" asked Bingley.
Darcy nodded grimly, pointing at Lady Wilmington.
"Then she's in danger," said Mr. Gardiner. "I would urge you to proceed with caution."
Darcy paid no heed. Now he knew where Elizabeth was, nothing was going to stop him from rescuing her.
"Bingley…"
"I am with you," said Charles Bingley, who would never let his friend down.
"Do not go alone," urged Mr. Gardiner.
"We won't."
Although Mr. Darcy wanted to set off immediately the two men were able to persuade him to gather some men who could go with them. It would not be easy to get onto Lord Wilmington's land when nearly every yard was guarded. They agreed they would need to approach from different directions. Harlow, his estate manager, agreed they would take a group of men to create a diversion.
Mr. Darcy was worried. He wanted to rescue Elizabeth, but he was concerned for the other workers. "I don't want to put anyone else in danger," he told Harlow. "I hear Lord Wilmington brought some men up from London.
"Don't you worry, sir. I won't let any of them come to harm. We only want to make sure they follow us rather than you."
Darcy knew they had no choice, but it didn't stop him worrying for their welfare.
Frank Burns, a worker who had lived in Little Heaton and lost his home, was leading another group from the west side of the estate. He knew it well. "We know it better than they do. We will light some scrub, they will soon come to investigate. "
"Be careful, Burns," said Mr. Harlow.
Franks Burns smiled. "Don't you worry. I know the land. We'll be in and out. You must find Mrs. Darcy."
It was nearly an hour before Darcy and Bingley set off on horseback with a dozen men and Lady Wilmington who was to be their guide. The other two groups had left on foot. Mr. Gardiner was charged with staying at Pemberley. "I think we should alert your constable, Darcy."
Darcy agreed though he knew there was little point. Constable May had only been appointed a few months ago and he didn't know the area well. And what could one man do him by himself? This was business they had to handle for themselves. Darcy could only hope they were not too late.