A.N. Happy New Year! I wish all of you have a healthy and fruitful 2022. Thank you for the lovely reviews and following the story! You feed my muse.
Also thanks everyone for the birthday wishes at Facebook. I had a ball! We have some new developments in this chapter. Happy reading!
Chapter Fourteen
"Richard was like a brother to me. I feel as though I am losing another family member, Elizabeth," Darcy sighed, running his hands through his hair.
"I understand well how you feel," Elizabeth replied.
Darcy looked at her, embarrassed at the memory of treating Elizabeth as coldly as Richard had treated him. "I am so sorry, Elizabeth."
"That is not what I meant, Fitzwilliam. Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure. What has happened in our past must remain there—all is forgiven," she said, giving him a smile of encouragement. "I only mean to say that I understand your grief."
Darcy tried to smile back at her, but failed, overwhelmed by his emotion. Elizabeth continued, holding his hand tightly in hers. "You should confront Richard in the morning—we must know what is behind all of this behaviour. We may even get closer to finding out what happened to my mother and Lord Radbourne."
"You are right, dearest. I am so thankful that I have you in my life," Darcy appreciated.
"You shan't get rid of me again, Fitzwilliam," Elizabeth said with a laugh, hoping to brighten his spirits.
Darcy chuckled back. "Is that so? You will not even allow me to court you."
Elizabeth looked at him more seriously then, replying, "I believe I will, Fitzwilliam."
"Do you mean that?" Darcy asked, surprised. "You wish for me to court you?"
"I do," Elizabeth said with a frown. "I couldn't get over how sudden Mother was killed. Life can be so short. What are scandals or society rules to me? Over the past days, since you confessed to me, I realised that I cannot part from you. I have felt this way for so many years and now that we are back in each other's lives, I wish for it to be for good. Or at the very least to attempt such. I don't want to lose the chance of loving you again."
Darcy pressed her into his arms, overjoyed with relief and pleased to have momentary distraction from his anger. "Oh Elizabeth, you have made me the happiest man walking upon this earth."
"Surely you could not be happier than I," she said, smiling into his embrace. "Yet, Fitzwilliam, it would be sensible to not rush matters. I do not think that we need to bring more attention to our families at present."
"I understand, darling. We shall take our time," Darcy said, bending down to kiss her. "Elizabeth, I love you so."
"I love you, Fitzwilliam," Elizabeth replied with a smile. Their kisses turned much more passionate then as Darcy pressed himself into her. There was a hardness that Elizabeth felt against her stomach, which made her gasp. "Oh dear, what is that?" she giggled.
Darcy groaned. "The very scent of you rouses me, my love. I can scarcely bear to be this close."
"Nor can I. I said we should not rush matters, but how shall either of us be able to stand such a wait?" Elizabeth whispered.
"Allow me to distract you, then. We may visit a museum at the week's end?" Darcy teased, brushing hair from her flushed face.
Elizabeth laughed. "Oh, rather not. I'm still in mourning. I would much rather you call for me at my grandparent's home—perhaps we may sneak out to the garden," she said in a teasing way, batting her eyelashes playfully.
"How you tease me, you minx," Darcy said, bending down to kiss her once more. "You shan't make this time easy for me."
"Never," Elizabeth said, grinning fiendishly.
~P&P~P&P~P&P~
The following day, after ensuring that Georgiana felt more recovered and well-rested, and with Mary keeping her company, Fitzwilliam knocked upon the door of Richard's suite, Elizabeth close by his side. While she had been successful in convincing him not to rush down here immediately, the mere sight of the door to Richard's suite renewed his anger.
"Good day, sir," a maid greeted.
Fitzwilliam quickly greeted the girl, stepping quickly into the suite and past the maid, much to the servant's dismay.
"Richard!" Darcy bellowed, stomping his way down the hall.
Darcy and Elizabeth searched the rooms of the apartment until they found his cousin—his head bent over the day's newspaper. Richard looked up at him, a cold countenance upon his face.
"Why ever are you shouting, cousin?" Richard said frostily.
"Why am I shouting? Do you forget that less than one day ago you attempted to assault my sister, to force her into a marriage with you?" Darcy exclaimed, swiping the newspaper from his hands.
"There was a misunderstanding," Richard said coolly. "Miss Mary merely stumbled upon me helping Miss Darcy—whom I did not even know was your sister, as you never told me about her."
"Do not play daft with me! Georgiana told me everything. She was in tears all evening, you lout!" Darcy shouted.
"My sister also told us what she saw—and she is not a liar," Elizabeth added sternly.
"Is she not? She must be too young to understand what she saw, then," Richard retorted.
"My sister is even younger than Miss Mary, you scoundrel. How could you do this, Richard? I counted you as a brother!" Darcy demanded.
"I scarcely know why," Richard scoffed at him.
"You scarcely know? We were thick as thieves! How could I be so blind to your true nature?" Darcy said, furious with confusion.
Richard stood up, face red with anger now. "Thieves, you say. Yes, a thief is exactly what you are!"
"What?" Darcy asked, confounded. He looked at Elizabeth, who was equally surprised at Richard's outburst.
"You very well know! I spent years as your father's heir, and he treated me as a son—my own father scarcely treated me as such. Then you came along and took everything from me!" Richard said in quiet, icy anger.
"Cousin," Darcy said, hurt and confused at the accusation. "I could hardly choose to be born. You cannot truly be upset over this!"
"I am furious over it, cousin," Richard spit at him. "George Darcy treated me better than anyone. He acknowledged me like his own and I have not had that since! I have always played second-best to everyone, and I am tired of it!"
"Richard, you are now heir to Wigston Hall, surely—"
"Do you see this?" Richard interrupted, holding up a pocket-watch. "Your father gave this to me the Christmas before you were born, telling me that I would grow into it one day. It says here, 'son of my heart'—do you know what it feels like to have that ripped away? To have promises that are never, ever kept!"
"Of course, I do, Richard. He was my father, and I shall never see him again," Darcy replied sadly, trying to have his cousin understand.
"He never should have been!" Richard yelled.
"How dare you!" Darcy cried. "You are nothing but a fool and a scoundrel!"
As the men went back and forth in their argument, Elizabeth looked more closely at the pocket-watch, which had the same inter-looping designs as the knife they found in Mrs. Bennet's trunk. That meant that the knife belonged not to her father, but to George Darcy. And the designs on the watch and the dagger were not loops, but M's in Greek lowercase.
"You do not understand the pressure I am under now—I am being blackmailed, for an inheritance I do not yet have!" Richard shouted.
"That is no excuse. You could have come to me or to Kingsway," Darcy said, stunned at his cousin's madness.
"I could not risk being revealed," Richard replied.
"What would have been revealed?" Darcy asked, confused.
"It is none of your business," Richard said wretchedly. "But I cannot I lose my inheritance!"
"And it made it right for you to compromise my sister!" Darcy said in frustration.
"I did what I have to do! I will never play second to anyone, ever again!" Richard yelled.
"I do not recognise you," Darcy said with disgust.
"Fitzwilliam, we must leave," Elizabeth said loudly over the shouting voices.
"I would do anything to get what is rightfully mine," Richard said, stepping closer to Darcy, ready for anything.
"Yet you fail—every time," Darcy rebutted.
"If given the proper time, I would not have failed," Richard said with a smirk. Darcy saw red then, throwing a swift punch into his cousin's nose.
"Fitzwilliam! Stop!" Elizabeth said as she ran in front of Darcy before he inflicted more damage upon his cousin.
"You will never, ever get your hands on my sister or my father's money," Darcy said, walking away while Richard groaned behind him. "If you so much as even dare to approach my sister again, I shall gladly hang for what I will do."
~P&P~P&P~P&P~
As they left Richard's apartment, Elizabeth told Darcy about the pocket-watch, how it matched the pattern of the knife, and that the design must be personal to the family.
"This must mean that your father gave the weapon to the Matlocks as a gift," Elizabeth speculated.
"I agree. It is possible that my father had a special insignia made for the Matlocks, which he then had applied to the gifts," Darcy considered.
"Right," Elizabeth said, pausing. "Richard was so viciously angry with you. Do you believe he might have had those feelings for your father?"
"I am unsure—we must speak with Kingsway," Darcy said. He called to the driver of their carriage to bring them to the solicitor's office instead of the townhouse, so they might apprise him of their discoveries.
They arrived rather quickly, telling Kingsway of the situation with Richard, his feelings regarding George Darcy, and what Elizabeth discovered of the dagger.
"Do you concur that the weapon belonged to my father?" Darcy asked.
"It could be," Kingsway said, considering. "Your father loved gift-giving, as he thought it was a much better way to use his money rather than on himself. It is possible that the dagger was given by him to Richard…"
"That is a rather precocious present for a young boy. Perhaps Lord Matlock?" Elizabeth offered.
Kingsway considered. "It certainly is possible. Do you truly feel that Richard could have acted out of jealousy and ordered the murders?"
"His true nature is quite different from what he presented to us over the years," Elizabeth stated.
"But Richard was a young man at the time, I doubt that he could be responsible for the murders of two men," Darcy replied. "But he could have been blackmailed by the murderer he hired."
"If Richard was so distraught about no longer being Mr. Darcy's heir, that could mean Lord Matlock might have felt similarly," Elizabeth offered.
"Quite right, Miss Bennet. I do recall there being some tension between Mr. Darcy and Lord Matlock, even more so after it was revealed that Lord Matlock was in a bit of financial distress," Kingsway said.
"Did my father arrange to help him?" Darcy asked.
"No, he did not, in fact. He believed Lord Matlock should take responsibility and handle it himself. I also recall your father being quite wounded at the icy reception of your birth and the changing of his will—he did not wish to be treated solely as a commodity," Mr. Kingsway answered.
Darcy looked at Elizabeth, his eyes wide with suspicion. "That could mean that Lord Matlock was behind the murders."
"Can we be sure?" asked Elizabeth.
"The dagger was given to your mother, likely around the night of the murders," Darcy explained. "We assumed the weapon belonged to your father, but what if it was simply found on your father's person? What if the assassin left the blade at the scene of the crime on accident? Your mother was no friend of the Matlocks, nor did she have any contact with them until she met Radbourne—thus she could not have been involved."
"Indeed. Besides, my mother would never have willingly removed herself from Longbourn, no matter how unsuitable it was for her aspirations. It could only have been Lord Matlock."
"I say," said Mr. Kingsway, looking shocked. "That could be quite right. Matlock very well could have been behind this."
"He too could have been trying to get more money through you and the estate," Elizabeth said, placing her hand on Darcy's.
I believe we ought to make a visit to Lord Matlock—he is in London, helping arrange Lord Radbourne's estate," Mr. Kingsway said, tactfully avoiding the display of affection
"I concur," Darcy said, standing to take his leave. "We shall meet you here tomorrow."
~P&P~P&P~P&P~
As Mr. Kingsway watched Darcy and Elizabeth take their leave, he was delighted that they were showing signs of reception to the marriage contract. The two were the perfect match— Darcy's sense and education and Elizabeth's passionate and fiery nature balanced each other well and would make the marriage a happy one.
I only wish that their fathers were here to see that they were right, after all, Kingsway thought. He still dearly missed his friend, Darcy. It was painful to know that such good souls such as he and Thomas Bennet were taken from the world, when foul beings like Morris, Richard, or Lady Anne were left to wreak havoc.
Yet Darcy and Elizabeth were here— ready to do whatever they must to bring justice into their small corner of the world. And Kingsway was ready to help them fight—to finally avenge their fathers and discover the truth behind everything. He poured over his notes and tried to recall if he assisted George Darcy with the procurement of those gifts.
"Yes, that is right," Kingsway said aloud to himself. He remembered that Darcy mentioning that Lady Matlock loved the annual game hunt that the Matlocks hosted. She wanted a hunting knife fit for a lady, George Darcy mentioned. But George Darcy hadn't purchase such a gift. Kingsway would wait until the very best moment to bring this to the attention of Darcy, tomorrow.
Still, one of the Matlocks was behind this, undoubtedly. He would not rest until he helped Darcy and Elizabeth uncover exactly who it was.
~P&P~P&P~P&P~
Lord Matlock's house was a dark apparition as Darcy, Elizabeth, and Mr. Kingsway approached it, ready to confront His Lordship. They spent the day before planning, pouring over Mrs. Bennet's journals, and correspondences from George Darcy that Mr. Kingsway had kept. Lord Matlock was undoubtedly inside, very likely with Lady Matlock, as they finalised preparations for her father's estate.
Darcy knocked on the door loudly, bringing a surprised servant to the door.
"I am here to see my uncle, Lord Matlock," Darcy said sternly. The servant nodded obediently and led them to the sitting room where Lord Matlock was being presented with legal documents.
"Fitzwilliam? What are you doing here?" Lord Matlock asked in his aged voice.
"I have no time for pretense, uncle. Two days ago, Richard attempted to compromise my sister. After confronting him, we discovered that he has held a grudge against me and my family since my birth. What do you know about this? Did he have anything to do with my father's murder?" Darcy asked, feeling angry at the Matlocks, as Mr. Kingsway and Elizabeth stood behind him.
Lord Matlock's face turned red, and he sputtered, saying, "Murder? Wasn't George killed in a carriage accident? I-I had no idea! I cannot believe that Richard would attempt such a villainous act. Surely your father… Well, he was…"
"Uncle, I have no more patience for this family's secrecy," Darcy said firmly.
"I do have record of there being a rift between the families after Mr. Darcy removed Colonel from his will," Mr. Kingsway said, looking pointedly at Lord Matlock. He had known the Matlocks for years, but he could not support all of their schemes and buried secrets any longer.
"What are you implying?" Lord Matlock asked angrily.
"We have been investigating the circumstances surrounding our fathers' deaths," Darcy said, looking at Elizabeth, who took his hand. "As well as the deaths of Lord Radbourne and Mrs. Bennet. We are convinced that there is something behind this and that they are connected. What do you know?"
"I do not know anything," Lord Matlock shouted, obviously irritated.
"Then why was there a dagger found amongst the personal effects of my mother with the same pattern of M?" Elizabeth questioned.
"I suppose you ought to ask your dead mother, girl," Lord Matlock said acridly.
Darcy stepped forward to the man. "Do not speak to Miss Bennet in that manner, Uncle," Darcy said, face stern. "We have reason to believe that your family is involved. Richard was too young to have contributed to the murders of our fathers, but I have become aware that you were offended that my father would not help you financially."
"Indeed," Mr. Kingsway added. "I recall very well Mr. Darcy informing me that you wished for him to aid you, but he could not."
"Would not, rather!" Lord Matlock shouted. "He would not help me, though we had been friends for nearly our entire lives. It burned me, but I had nothing to do with his death, nor the deaths of anyone else."
"If I am to believe that, then how did this dagger come to be found with Mrs. Bennet's belongings?" Darcy demanded, bringing the knife out of its sheath, which Darcy had hidden in his pocket.
"I do not know!" Lord Matlock shouted, flustered. "How am I to know if that was even mine? It has been ages!"
"I recall George Darcy telling me that your family, especially Lady Matlock, enjoying the annual game hunt your family holds. She wanted a hunting knife well-suited for a lady, I believe. Take a closer look at that pattern, also," Kingsway said, pleased by the stupefied look on the lord's face.
"My wife was always going on about that foolish hunt!" His face deepened with rage. "But this belong to Cathy, I believe."
"Lady Catherine, not Lady Matlock?" Elizabeth asked, her mind drawing the conclusion that Lady Catherine was likely behind all of this madness. But why would Lady Catherine want Fitzwilliam and her fathers dead?