A.N. Thank you, Happy Lizzy, Gemma, Liysyl, Joan, Nanciellen, Gabyhyatt, Colleen, for your constant support! Big hugs to you. I was deliberate, Happy Lizzy, to bring Darcy back to 1812, without explaining too much. But hopefully you will get the answers in the later chapters. Happy reading and remember to review!
Chapter 24
"Sir William, for impugning Miss Elizabeth's reputation, I demand satisfaction," Darcy stood up. "Pistol or sword, at dawn tomorrow?"
"Mr. Darcy," Lusington interfered. "be calm. I will not allow illegal dueling on my watch. Sir William, you must apologize to Mr. Darcy now and promise not to spurt out inflammatory words of anyone. It does not befit an officer of the law to do so. We will continue to read the letter. Should the letter or its content proved to be a fabrication by Mr. Darcy, I promise I will put the full force of the law on him. I shall also make sure you receive the necessary monetary compensation as well."
"I apologize." Sir William gritted out the words in a shaky whisper, without looking directly at Darcy. "But I demand that the letter not to be readout. My reputation is at stake here and I do not want anyone to eavesdrop and then spread the falsehood."
"Then I shall read it on my own," Lusington waved Manders away. Sir William objected again but the military lawyer invited him to read by his side without touching the letter. Lusington read the remainder of the confession silently. At the same time, Sir William stood by his side, clenching his fists, with his face getting redder and redder.
"If the letter is genuine," Lusington said. "I recommend you, Sir William, as the magistrate of Meryton, to accept the confession of Paul Mitford, now Paul Fisher, and return a verdict of unlawful killing of William Collins. You can then close this case and reassure the people in the area of their safety. When Paul Mitford and the murder weapon are found, he could be advised to plea for self-defence if he ever returns from the New World."
"If the letter is not a fabrication," Sir William murmured.
"That can be proven when Lord Metcalf and Peter Mitford arrive either today or tomorrow. Now Mr. Darcy, let us move onto the murder of George Wickham. While Sir William seemed to have forgotten what he wanted to ask you, I have a few questions."
Darcy had sat down with his arms folded across his chest. He was still growling at Sir William with his eyes. He nodded for the military lawyer to proceed.
"Sir William's arrest of Miss Mary Bennet was based on the fact that she stood near the table where the poisonous wine was placed. Miss Mary and Miss Elizabeth were seen arguing with the deceased by a witness. As suggested by you, I tasked Captain Carter, lent to me by Colonel Forster, who is skilled in painting to dust the poisonous wine glass. I shall call it 'wine glass P'. He dusted it for patterns using powdered charcoal and made an impression of Miss Mary's fingers to compare. He believes the patterns are totally different."
"I know it!" Colonel Fitzwilliam cried out joyfully. "My Mary is innocent."
"This is rubbish!" Sir William argued. "Lusington, I opposed earlier to the use of this fingerprinting method and I object to it now. It is too flimsy to prove Mary Bennet's innocence. She could have wiped away any evidence of her holding the wine glass."
"There are two sets of prints on the poisonous glass P. If Miss Mary had wiped off her prints, why would there still be two more sets? It was a crowded party, the movement of Miss Mary traced by your interviews did not allow her to do so without anyone seeing her. Now, pray remain silent, Sir William, or Colonel Fitzwilliam may demand satisfaction from you for insulting the gentlewoman he is courting!" Lusington stared at Sir William until the latter clamped his mouth shut. Then he turned to Darcy again. "Captain Carter was able to compare it to George Wickham's finger pattern and confirmed that one of them was the deceased."
"What about the patterns on the two other glasses?" Darcy asked Lusington. "I understand that three glasses were collected on the table the day of the murder."
"Wickham's print was also found in another glass. I shall name it 'wine glass T' to stand for treble prints. It had two more prints. The last wine glass, which I shall call S for a single print, only had one set of print and it was not that of Wickham. That led to the purpose of my visit to Charles Bingley today. I would like to get Captain Carter to obtain prints from everyone who had attended the Netherfield party, including the servants. I need a guests list from him."
"That will take weeks!" Sir William mumbled. "And some of the guests have already left Hertfordshire."
"We can rule out the wine glass S, with a single print on it. We can assume the murderer is not such a simpleton as to wipe Wickham's print off but leave his own print," Darcy commented. "Hmm, Miss Elizabeth told me Miss Bingley had handed her a glass which Mr. Wickham took from her. We can safely assume that glass T contained the print of Miss Bingley and Miss Elizabeth."
"Is that right?" Lusington arched his eyes but did not look Darcy in the eyes. Darcy glanced at the military lawyer and wondered what additional information he had and did not wish to disclose at the moment. Darcy's eyes narrowed as he stared at Lusington with sudden understanding.
Right at this moment, Bingley asked to join the party in the study. He bounced into the room and exclaimed with his usual exuberant. "Colonel, Lusington, how did your business go? I heard you need my study to discuss some business. Sir William, you are here too! The footman did not mention about it. Oh, Darcy! What a surprise! You are back from London. Caroline will be happy to hear it."
"Yes, Darcy brought good news for Sir William," The Colonel jested. "He completed Sir William's job successfully and helped the brilliant magistrate solve the murder of evil Collins."
"Marvellous!" Bingley went to shake Sir William's hands, totally unaware of Sir William's red face. "Congratulations! So who did it? I must thank that person for getting rid of someone as vicious as William Collins from this world!"
Sir William did not reply. Richard continued cheerfully, "Darcy's man found a letter of confession by the brother of one of Collins's captives at Oakham Mount. Paul Mitford followed Collins from Kent and killed the monster in self-defence."
"Mr. Mitford was badly injured and saved by a servant girl from the unspeakable alley of Meryton," Darcy added. "They have left for America as Mr. and Mrs. Paul Fisher."
"I am relieved that he is not someone from here, although I am not sure if he is entirely wrong to do such a thing. Sir William, will you be sending out a warrant for this person's arrest?"
"If the confession was not a fab…if the letter is proved to be genuine," Sir William blurted out his usual rant against Darcy. He then changed his words when he remembered Darcy's threat to call him out.
"But Darcy will never fabricate anything. He is the most honest man I have ever known."
"Thank you, Bingley, for your vote of confidence," Darcy said, ignoring Sir William. "I have already requested Lord Metcalf, the magistrate from Kent, to help to confirm the authenticity of the letter. But we have moved our discussion to the murder of George Wickham. I believe Lusington may have proof that either Miss Bingley or Miss Elizabeth is the murderess of Wickham."
"What!" Bingley cried out. "It cannot be true. I thought Sir William suspected and arrested Miss Mary. Why does the investigation suddenly turn to Caroline? Why would my sister want to murder Wickham? And Miss Elizabeth? She may have a similar motivation as Miss Mary, but I cannot believe that Jane's sister can commit such an act. Lusington, you are wrong!"
"Well done, Mr. Darcy," Lusington said, finally looking at Darcy in the eyes again. "for figuring out the information we obtained by examining the three glasses. I was going to keep it confidential to surprise the suspects."
"I do not understand," Sir William murmured.
"Wine glass S contained one fingerprint pattern and it was not Wickham's" The Colonel frowned as he tried to work out the mystery. "So this one can be ruled out to have any relevance to the murder." He murmured and continued. "Wine glass T had three fingerprint patterns, one of that was Wickham's. Miss Elizabeth said Miss Bingley gave her a glass of wine, which Wickham took it and drank from it. Oh, wine glass P with the poison in it only contained Wickham and one more fingerprint. Carter found that the unknown print on wine glass P matches that of one of wine glass T?"
"Indeed!" Lusington confirmed. "The wine from Miss Bingley did not kill Wickham. It was the wine in glass P."
"If that is the case, either Miss Bingley or Miss Elizabeth poisoned George Wickham. Why did you want to obtain finger patterns from all the guests of the party?" Sir William asked Lusington.
"I wanted to throw off the murderess at first, not to let her know that we have already narrowed down to two suspects. But since Mr. Darcy has worked it out, he, Colonel and Mr. Bingley are all related or friendly with both ladies, I will not need to distract any more. May I request the presence of Miss Caroline Bingley and Miss Elizabeth Bennet? Captain Carter is waiting outside to take their fingerprint patterns. And I caution you, gentlemen, not to say a word to the two suspects of my investigation."
"I do not understand. What is this fingerprint?" Bingley said, confused. The Colonel explained it to Bingley in more detail, but continued to glance at Darcy with worries. Did Miss Elizabeth come back from the cave with Darcy together? If Lusington could not interview her today, he might believe Miss Elizabeth to be the murderess.
"My wife and Caroline went to town to visit the modiste while I was there. Caroline does not find the modiste here in Meryton good enough, but she said she was bored. They are now upstairs, changing for tea. Should I send a carriage to Longbourn for Miss Elizabeth before we all go to the parlour?" Bingley asked glumly, not believing that Caroline or Elizabeth would do such a thing.
"I thought Miss Elizabeth has disappeared to Dover, in the name of doing some errands for Mr. Bennet," Sir William sneered.
"Jane told me she received a note from Kitty this morning that Elizabeth returned home late last night."
"Oh, Miss Lucas gave you the wrong information," Colonel Fitzwilliam grinned and taunted at Sir William. "You better not get your daughter involved in your official investigation in the future, Sir William. I demand that you send a note to release Miss Mary now."
"Yes, that can be arranged," Sir William retorted. "after I arrest her sister."
Darcy stood up and stepped towards the magistrate until Sir William shrank behind Lusington, who called for everyone to behave calmly.
A moment later, Bingley wrote a note, which Sir William read and approved before it was sent off to Longbourn. Sir William said he did not want Bingley to give Miss Elizabeth any clue about the possible arrest. Darcy would have hit the magistrate if not for Richard restraining him.
The five gentlemen, together with Captain Carter, who had a portfolio in his hands, sans Manders, moved to the parlour. They sat in two groups talking awkwardly about nothing until Miss and Mrs. Bingley entered a quarter of an hour later.
"Mr. Darcy! How we despair about your company!" Miss Bingley exclaimed and sauntered to where the gentleman sat. Darcy had the foresight to sit with Colonel on a sofa for two. All the gentlemen rose to greet the ladies. Miss Bingley tried to squeeze Richard away from the chaise but the Colonel elbowed her back. Miss Bingley had no choice but went to sit next to Sir William. She ignored other men and pouted. "You have been gone for five days, Mr. Darcy. Surely your steward did not have so many problems for you to resolve. How is our dear Georgiana? Did you go to Lady Harrington's ball in town three days ago? I heard that it was well attended by all the exalted company."
"Thank you for your enquiry, Miss Bingley," Darcy replied politely. He nodded for Bingley to make the introduction.
"Oh, right," Bingley said nervously. "Mrs. Bingley, Caroline, you have met Lusington, the military lawyer from London, who is collaborating with Sir William on George Wickham's murder? This is Captain Carter, assisting in the investigation."
"Why are we still troubled with this annoying matter?" Miss Bingley scrunched her nose. "I thought Sir William has arrested Miss Mary and is waiting for the trial. What did you say that will be?"
"The Lent assize court will be at Hertfordshire in summer," Miss Bingley's faithful supporter Sir William explained. "Still a few months away."
"That must have stretched your resources, Sir William, to feed one more mouth in your house. And I heard your daughters are taking care of the prisoner. How very generous of you! If it were up to me, I will lock up the criminal, woman or not, in the stables and only throw her some stale bread from time to time."
Sir William nodded while Colonel Fitzwilliam growled. Darcy put his hand on Richard's arm to calm him.
"Caroline, that is most unkind. Mary is innocent, I am sure of it!" Bingley said.
"Thank you, Charles, for speaking up for Mary. My sister will not harm anyone." Jane added.
"Oh, I am sure Miss Mary is usually kind, but Mr. Wickham was threatening and blackmailing her beloved sister and Father. I am sure Miss Mary killed Mr. Wickham in a moment of desperation."
"No matter," Lusington interjected. "There is new evidence that Miss Mary is not the culprit. I am here to take the fingerprint of the guests at the party."
"Not the culprit! How can that be? I told Sir William Miss Mary was the one…"
"It was you who implicated Mary?" Jane shouted angrily, it was the first time she had been seen in a rage.
"It was Mr. Boulanger, who saw your two lovely sisters argued with the handsome Mr. Wickham. I only enlightened Sir William of what the argument was about." Miss Bingley retorted with her nose up in the air.
"I thought you were my friend," Jane jerked up from her seat and lunged to tear at Miss Bingley's hair.
"Your friend? I scoffed at you to my friends in London in every letter I wrote," Miss Bingley shoved Jane away, showing her ugly teeth. She advanced forward, pointing the finger at Jane. "You stupid nobody who thought yourself a sweet princess? You are living on our Bingley fortune. You should let me direct the servants and handle the money. You are nothing but a pretentious money-grubber!"
"Caroline, stop it!" Bingley came between the two women. "Apologize to my wife this instant!"
"I shall never grovel in front of any Bennets! If you truly fulfill your promise to Father, Charles, you would not have let a weasel like Eliza Bennet to tempt Mr. Darcy away from me. And to let a church rat like Jane invade this family, it is unforgivable!"
"Darcy never likes you. He will never marry you even if you had a hundred thousand pounds dowry."
"Mr. Darcy and Pemberley belong to me. I shall not let Elizabeth Bennet jeopardize my grand plan or George Wickham to put his hand into my husband's wealth!" Caroline yelled at the top of her voice at Jane and Bingley.
"Did you kill Wickham?" Darcy asked suddenly.
"What if I killed him? It was not intentional and even if I did, what does it matter?" She swung around to face Darcy, eyes red with anger.
"Who matters to you, Miss Bingley?"
"Me, of course! I am Caroline Bingley, soon to be your elegant wife. I soiled Wickham's plan with Elizabeth Bennet. That chit was going to compromise you and force you to marry her. She was going to take my position as Mrs. Darcy! A position I have been vying for five long years. Then Wickham would get your money through her. He was going to sleep with that slut and give you a bastard. I saved you. You should thank me by marrying me now!"
"Why did you implicate Miss Mary then?" Darcy continued his questions, seeing that Miss Bingley seemed to be out of her senses and revealing her crime without prompting.
"Sir William was asking too many questions. Mary, the church mouse served my purpose by standing right next to the wine glass. I pointed her out to Sir William and even told him the sister was acting on the directive of Eliza Bennet. But he was so useless and did not arrest that chit! He should have just sent the two women to Newgate the same day. Then they would have died in prison and the murder case of George Wickham would have been closed!"
"I, useless?" Sir William exclaimed. "I made my fortune from my shop. What did you do? You live on your Father's hard work from trade. I was knighted for my extraordinary service for a Duke. What did you do your entire life? You status-seeker!"
"Fortune? How much dowry have you saved for your daughters? How much money will you leave for your sons? And a Sir in this savage place! Who cares about it?"
"You had all the education from a fine London seminary and you do not even realize that the haughty man tolerates you like mud on his boots. And are you a simpleton? To admit to killing George Wickham without even an interrogation by an officer of the law."
"I did not kill George Wickham. I have only put some sleeping draughts in the wine glass. It was meant for Eliza Bennet. I was going to take her to a guest room, and guide Mr. Wickham there, to have a wicked way with her. Then Mr. Darcy will not marry that chit. How could I know that Wickham would drink from both glasses?"
"Did you not procure arsenic from the herb woman in Walthamstow?" Lusington jumped in. "Your lady maid was recognized as the one who bought a large amount of sleeping draughts from Mrs. Worting."
"My lady maid will confirm with you that I have not bought any arsenic. You cannot pin that militiaman's death on me! All of you are against me!"
"I may know where the arsenic came from," Elizabeth said, as she was shown into the parlour.
