Chapter 32

The next day after leaving the ladies to their plans of shopping and finishing up more of Elizabeth and Jane's wardrobes, Darcy, Col. Fitzwilliam and Littleton prepared to corner Matthew De Bough at his club. It was decided that the younger generation would go without the earl and attempt to speak with Matthew alone.

When the three gentleman approached Matthew and requested a private word, Matthew nervously agreed. He had considered attempting to go after Elizabeth's fortune via marriage, but had realized he would never be allowed the opportunity to get near enough to compromise her after he had started rumors that Darcy was considering betrothing her to him. It had seemed an easy scheme, plant the suggestion to society and compromise her to make her guardian agree to a marriage. With the idea of a marriage between the two in place he had assumed it would be a fait accompli. Then he had seen the way Darcy watched over her. It was not that of a gentleman keeping a stern eye on his ward, it was a powerful man who regarded her as his, and his alone. No one would believe after the Richmond Ball that Darcy was considering betrothing his ward to another. Darcy, it was obvious, would never accept a compromise by another man to her. If his ward was compromised, Darcy would give her the protection of the Darcy name in marriage and stare down any of the ton that attempted to object. It was only the fact that Darcy was such a proper gentleman and put so much store in his own honor that he had not simply announced his betrothal to her and instead appeared to be allowing the ton to accept the way things stood before doing so.

"I now hold your most reccent debts. I will also soon hold any lingering debts as well," Darcy said cooly.

"We have some questions for you and I recommend you answer honestly, rather then try and make a sorry attempt to save your own skin," Col. Fitzwilliam said grimly.

"Look I started the rumor that you were considering betrothing your ward to me," Matthew said in a nervous rush, directing his words to Darcy. The three men staring him down were formidable and he had no wish to be on the wrong side of their ire over what he considered a simple matter. If Darcy had been incensed enough to buy up his debts over it, he knew it was best to come clean and assure him he did not intend to act on his previous plan. "I decided against following through on it. I'm not stupid. Once I realized you would not marry her off to another man, compromise or not, I decided to find myself an easier heiress to target. It was clear you have your eye on her and her fortune for yourself. The only reason I stopped by your box last night was to show that the de Boughs also support her claim to the Fitzwilliam name. Isn't a show of support from all the close Fitzwilliam connections what the Earl wanted? In the eyes of society she has a connection to the de Boughs through Sir Lewis de Bough. Well that and my father has a match lined up for Anne and her suitor needed to see she was on terms with your families. But I swear that was all."

"Interesting as that is," Littleton said, "that isn't why we are here today. We are more concerned about your involvement fourteen years ago."

"Fourteen years ago?" Matthew de Bough said frowning.

"We know Sir Lewis orchestrated her disappearance and that shortly afterwards a financial connection to you surfaced in his accounts," Col. Fitzwilliam said baring his teeth at the man while the others glared at him.

Seeing the three looked prepared to do him bodily harm, Matthew de Bough said, "You think I had something to do with her disappearance?" eyes widening in shock. "You've got it all wrong. Sir Lewis definitly had a large role in it but, I had nothing to do with it. The money was payment for my silence. I had run into a spot of bother with some of my creditors and Sir Lewis provided me the funds to pay them back."

"Blackmail," Littleton said in disgust.

"I swear that was all I had to do with it. I overheard him talking to someone and just decided to use the information to help myself," Matthew said starting to panic.

"What did you hear?" Col. Fitzwilliam asked with a growl to his tone.

"Some gentlelman met with him. I don't know who, but Sir Lewis always had a distinctive voice, so I recognized it. He asked if he had taken care of the girl. The man said he had and that he expected a larger payment since he had expected it to be a kidnapping for ransom, not a murder scheme. Then he mentioned that Sir Lewis would have to find another way to pay back the gentleman's father, but he had better have his funds to him within the week, even if he had to sell his estate or he would not be around to pay back his father. Sir Lewis swore he would have the money, that he knew how to get what he owed him and his father. The stranger had laughed and said his father wanted Glenwood and the connections that went with the chit, that Sir Lewis's debt could not be paid back in cash anymore now then before. Then the fellow left and I realized if Sir Lewis had a way to pay this fellow and the fellow's father did not want cash payments for whatever he owed him, he surely could find just a few more pounds to give me in exchange for my silence so I could hold off the loan shark I had met with, just until I could pay off my debt. Then after the first payment it was clear that Sir Lewis had a ready source of cash and so I ask for a little more. And well whenever it seemed that my lender was getting to demanding, I applied to Sir Lewis amd he provided me the funds to pay the debt off."

"Where did this supposed meeting take place?" Darcy demanded.

"London. Seedy little place. I was only there because the fellow I owed money to demanded I meet him there. It was the type of place a fellow does not pay to close of attention to the other patrons. I only did because I was so surprised to hear Sir Lewis's voice."

"Did you see his companion?

"No the place was pretty dim and they were out of my viewpoint. My back was to them, but I knew Sir Lewis's voice. I swear, That is all I know."

"And naturally you are the kind of scum that rather then alert the Earl, you choose to use what you overheard for your own gain."

"It sounded like she was dead, what use was it to tell?"

"Justice. Honor. Integrity," Darcy said coldly. "Not concepts you appear familiar with."

Col. Fitzwilliam, who given his time in the army was quick to perceive if someone was lying of not, shook his head in disgust and said, "This rat doesn't know anything else."

"The question is what to do with him?" Darcy said in a cold tone. "I dislike the idea of letting him go about his business of hunting for an innocent heiress."

"If he needs himself an heiress so bad, why not dear cousin Anne," Littleton said with a wicked smirk.

"If she cannot have Darcy here, she wants a title. My father does too," Matthew de Bough said nervously as Darcy continued to stare at him coldly.

"For the sake of your own skin, I suggest you vacate town for now," Col. Fitzwilliam said grimly. "I recommend going up north, say Scarabough."

Recognizing his brother's devious suggestion, and also seeing the same opportunity, Littleton added, "And if I where you, I would not return until you are married. I suggest you find yourself an heiress there before it is too late."

Darcy knew exactly what his cousins were about, but said nothing. It was likely Miss Bingley would have the largest dowry of the heiresses in Scarborough during the season, and therefore Matthew de Bough's most likely target. Matthew de Bough was a spineless scum with a shaky moral compass. Darcy would not wish him on any lady, but he felt the same helpless anger about Miss Bingley's slander of Elizabeth that his cousins did. Miss Bingley was by no means an innocent heiress. She was shrill and managing. If Matthew de Bough successfully secured her, it would be far worse of a punishment for him then Miss Bingley, especially since Bingley could be warned to tie her dowry up tight so her husband could not run through it all.

Matthew de Bough swallowed nervously and agreed to their suggestions. He was relieved that it appeared he might be able to escape this meeting uninjured.

...

Deciding he needed to see Elizabeth, to remind himself she was alive and well, Darcy directed his mount to Bond Street. Col. Fitzwilliam and Littleton, exchanged a glance and wordlessly did likewise. Col. Fitzwilliam was frustrated that they could find no clear villan to appropriate the blame too and seek vengeance on. Sir Lewis was dead, and it appeared while he committed the crime, it was at the instigation of another. Matthew de Bough had seemed a likeky accomplice, but turned out to be nothing more then a blackmailer who took advantage of the situation. The only thing they had learned, Col. Fitzwilliam mulled over thoughtfully, was that Lissy and Glenwood were at the heart of the scheme. Controlling both her and Glenwood appeared to have been the goal. George Darcy had been named guardian of Lissy and trustee of Glenwood, not Sir Lewis, as would have been expected given that Lady Catherine was godmother to her and Lady Catherine's children could inherit Glenwood.

Recalling that Matthew de Bough had claimed the man that had disposed of Lissy had said cash could not be used to pay off the debt, that the man's father wanted Glenwood and the connections that went with Lissy had Col. Fitzwilliam's mind rapidly making connections. "He wanted connections and an estate," Col. Fitzwilliam said outloud.

Littleton and Darcy both glanced at him questioningly, but ignoring them he continued. "Lissy was at the heart of it. Her guardian had the right to sign a betrothal contract. With her parents deceased, her husband could become master of her estate as soon as she married. Which could have happened in a decade or so. Sir Lewis would have had access to Glenwoods profits for one decade, allowing him to pay off the debts he had, including the ones to Uncle George. It was not a monetary debt he owed the stranger's father, cash could not pay it off. We need to figure out who all knew of his two marriages. Likely a wealthy tradesman, afterall who is more likely to want high connections and an estate that has been possessed by the peerage. It is hard to imagine him planning on waiting a decade to marry his son off that met with Sir Lewis and was atleast University age, but possible. The other possibility is a younger son. One that would have been marriageable in a decade or so. We need to find a wealthy tradesman who was on the fringes of society with atleast two sons about a decade apart in age."

"Gardiner might be able to help us if a tradesman is involved, " Littleton said.

"It also might be time for Darcy to hire a few private investigators. My contacts don't specialize in a decade and a half old gossip," Col. Fitzwilliam said.

"Aunt Catherine might know if Sir Lewis associated with any tradesmen. Or Mrs. Jenkinson might know who knew of her sister's marriage to Sir Lewis," Darcy said.

"The connection is most likely through Mrs. Jenkinson. Either where she and her sister were residing when Sir Lewis met her sister, or in Scotland where he married her," Col. Fitzwilliam said. "Aunt Catherine already told father she did not recall who Sir Lewis's associates were, other then the neighbors. We can ask her about any tradesmen, but I suspect that might be a dead end."

Spotting the Matlock carriage Darcy reigned in his horse, dismounted and finding a boy to hold his horse, flipped him a coin and inquired of the coachman what shop the ladies were in. His cousin's followed him as he entered the milliners, smirks on their faces. The other shoppers looked stunned to see the three gentlemen enter, but Darcy ignored them and his eyes zeroed in on Elizabeth, who was looking at some ribbons with Priscilla and Georgiana, He quickly strode toward her. Littleton stopped to greet and assure his mother, Mrs. Annsley and Jane that nothing was wrong.

Darcy stopped in front of Elizabeth and greeted her He lightly grasped Elizabeth's hand and raised it to his lips, then rather then release it, he settled it onto his arm and announced his intention to join them.

Georgiana looked surprised since her brother did not frequently join her and her aunt for shopping trips, but said nothing about it. Priscilla smiled knowingly but also did not comment on his behavior. Elizabeth asked Darcy playfully, "Do you often shop for gloves and other feminine accessories, William?"

"No," Darcy responded with a smile, "But today felt like a good day to make an acception."

As Col. Fitzwilliam joined them she said, "And are you joining us today as well, Richard?"

"Afraid not Lissy, my dear. Good to see you again Miss Thinwiste. Georgiana you are looking like you have been enjoying yourself. I have some business I need to attend to, but thought I would at least stop in and greet my favorite cousins while here. Have you found any ribbons to your liking?" Col. Fitzwilliam asked.

"Do I ever not find ribbons to my liking?" Georgiana returned happily, having regained much of her sunny disposition since spending time with Elizabeth and Jane.

"Is your business related to your meeting earlier today?" Elizabeth asked lowering her voice.

"And what do you know about that?" Littleton asked as he and Jane joined them.

"You cannot possibly believe she outgrew her curiosity," Jane said with a smile. "Georgiana can you give your opinion on some lace?"

"Of course," Georgiana said and headed back toward her aunt and Mrs. Annsley with Jane.

"And I expect to be filled in on it," Elizabeth said steel in her tone. "Whatever it was you learned was clearly enough to send all three of you scurrying here. Georgiana might be willing to believe you were in the area, but I was under the impression Mr. de Bough's club was not on Bond Street."

"Lissy, you need not worry about that man," Col. Fitzwilliam said sternly with a glance toward Priscilla.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at this and said, "Seeing as how your investigation concerns me, I do believe I prefer to worry about it. And you need not worry about Priscilla gossiping. I trust her to keep our conversation in confidence and she is not at an age or of a temperament to be unduly distressed. I am not a simpleton. Do not treat me like one." Seeing their grimaces she said quietly,"Sir Lewis is dead but it was not Sir Lewis that pushed me out of a carriage. That person knew exactly who I was, and I doubt they are resting easy now that I have returned. I have though about it, and he was not a hardened criminal, meaning he likely remembers me and his crime. It does not take a man to determine that if I remembered more or could recognize him, he would be in danger of being exposed. Therefore unless he can be certian I am not a danger to him, he is a danger to me."

"I will not allow anyone to harm you," Darcy said tightly.

"I did not think you would. None the less, I would still like to know," she said softly.

"It is hardly the type of thing you need to know," Littleton argued.

"Trust us to see to this, Lissy," Col. Fitzwilliam said with a scowl at her.

"Very well, but not here," Darcy agreed ignoring his male cousins. "I will tell you later."

"Thank you William," Elizabeth said. She knew that they considered investigating what happened fourteen years ago to be a male domain, and she had no intentions of attempting to do her own investigating, but she felt she had a right to know what they had learned. She was pleased that Darcy seemed to, if not understand that fact, respect her wishes enough to inform her.

Darcy swallowed as he looked down at Elizabeth. He had felt an overwhelming need to see her after meeting with Matthew de Bough. Hearing Matthed de Bough's recounting of some stranger callously recounting to Sir Lewis that she was gone, had made him desperate to look at her, feel the warmth of her hand on his arm and breath in the scent of her. It had taken considerable control not to crush her to him when he laid eyes on her. For his own sanity he intended to stick close to her. He would rather not burden Elizabeth with what they had learned, but he respected her to much to deny that if she wished to know, she had a right too.