Chapter 61

Darcy felt little relief at the dawning of a new day; the sense of newness and hope that comes with rest entirely alluded him. He had spent the better part of the evening with his man of business; hiring runners, investigators, anyone who could be had or obtained with any skill to help locate the renegade couple. Time was of the essence and he was of not of a mind to allow the laborers to do the heavy lifting; he had accompanied them in an old carriage, often used for his servants, to evade notice as a gentleman of consequence. His mind was reeling from the weight of what was at stake, he could not be made to sit at home and wait upon news; the activity kept his mind from going mad, dwelling on what could not be prevented.

He had returned home, empty-handed, just before dawn. After but a few hours of rest, Darcy was back in his study, ready to receive the morsels of rumor or news that could be had of the wayward couple in his short absence from the investigation. His focus was blighted, he felt the wear and tear of little rest and no reward, nothing to give him hope, no message to spur him further. He took out his pen and reached out to the only person he knew who could sympathize with his secret and the Bennet sisters' suffering; the colonel. He knew what it was like to feel sorrow and the near loss of a loved one at the hands of Wickham. As Georiannia's co-guardian, he had felt the failure and remorse as well.

Richard,

I apologize for the alarm this letter will naturally provoke, but it must be done. Wickham has struck again, further revenging himself upon me. He has absconded with the youngest sister of a family I am certain you shall have no trouble in guessing. I will not trifle with your understanding; his aim could not have been better had he struck my own connections.

Time has proven you in the right and my methods as foolish; often believing myself to be free of him (on more than one occasion), only to suffer the same fate yet again. I believed it because I wished it; thinking that if he were in no way provoked, a certain young lady's reputation would be less likely to suffer for it.

I have allowed myself to be at his mercy for too long and the worst folly of it has proved to be the young women who bear the burden of my poor decisions in my stead. I cannot say how they hold no grudge, but the error is mine, and so must the remedy be. Had I allowed justice to run its course in the past, and had not intervened, those young ladies would not suffer what they do now.

I dare not say more; lest this letter somehow falls into the wrong hands. I pray you would assist me; as the man is currently under the purview of his majesty's army, I may not be able to seek redress through civil measures. For that reason, I must beg you to come to my side.

I beseech you to come swiftly,

Fitzwilliam Darcy

As he signed and sealed the letter, he gestured for a footman, issuing orders for it to be sent express, with extra coin for the carrier if he arrived back at Darcy House with a reply, or the recipient, before the following morning. Richard was only a few hours North, with a little luck and good roads, his cousin may reach him that evening or the following morning. Wickham, as a member of his majesty's armed forces, may very well escape justice during a time of war, yet again failing to end up in a debtors' prison. Hanging may very well be the punishment for abandoning one's post, but given the war, it was more likely he'd be reassigned. As his only military connection, he needed his cousin's influence in the army to prevent Wickham from spewing his vitriol when he realized he was outside Darcy's influence.

He dipped his pen yet again, hoping to ascertain if Mr. Gardiner had more success. After but a few strokes of his pen, his butler announced his Uncle; inwardly he recoiled, this was hardly the time for an unannounced visit. His uncle could learn more than he liked while being about Darcy House at such a time, with a constant flurry of messengers in and out as it was. He gave strict instructions that he was, under no circumstances, to endure an interruption while shooting his butler a meaningful look, they may not know the particulars but the staff knew something was afoot.

He offered his uncle coffee and inquired as to what he owed the pleasure of his company. He hoped the duration of his relation's visit would be brief enough that he would not have to account for the goings-on at Darcy House. His uncle was level-headed enough if a bit stubborn, but a run-away sister of a potential bride would be enough to remove the support of even the most liberal in society, which his uncle was not. His uncle held with tradition were practicalities did not push him in a new direction. Like most of the aristocratic set, he held fast to notions that maintained his superiority, unless there was some benefit to doing otherwise.

"You damn well know Darcy; your aunt has been to see me." He held up his hand to belay his nephew's response. "I'm not of a mind to intervene unless it's necessary. I daresay she'd object to any connection that was not Anne. I must inquire though; what is this business she is spewing about your intended jilting her parson, and her own father's heir, and having relations in trade. Catherine insists she's not fit to be your mistress; though what she knows of the business I cannot say. Her husband certainly kept plenty of wives in watercolors, though I doubt he discussed the criteria with her. I know well I won't convince you to take the girl as a mistress, so I'll endure what I must, so long as she is of the same sphere, and respectable - though I do expect an heir to Pemberley to be your first order of business, if I am to lend my support to such a match.``

Darcy damn near blushed, his uncle spoke of such matters with no sense of delicacy, his habits being far different from his nephews. Darcy, knowing he would lose an objection to his uncle's insinuations, but glad he had already won the battle to not allow his uncle's influence on his habits, merely said, "I am a gentleman; she is a gentleman's daughter. Her father is the principal landowner in the region, Master of Longbourn, though it is smaller than Pemberley. She is the second of five sisters, as explains her small dowry; her behavior is perfectly proper. She has never been engaged to my aunt's parson, she refused his proposal, her father supported her though the estate is entailed to the same man. I understand that my aunt insists they should marry, likely in order that she is removed from my notice, with no avenue by which we could wed." Darcy knew he was provocating; he neither lied, nor told the truth, at least not the whole of it. This business with Lydia must be resolved before it became known, and the less said about his future mother in law the better.

His uncle, understanding his sister's scheme insisting her parson was jilted, nodded and asked, "This business with relations in trade, are they likely to be an embarrassment? How near is the connection? I suppose it can always be cut."

"It will not be cut," said Darcy adamantly. "Her aunt was the daughter of my father's parson, we've been acquainted my entire life, my own mother was quite fond of her; her uncle, though in upper trade, is fashionable, of excellent manners, income, and standing, and in no way is he an embarrassment. He is in every way respectable, and will likely be an asset in my business arrangements. You know my mind on the matter, I won't allow Pemberley to become impoverished; like my father, I see to it that her holdings are diversified so that she endures and thrives, even when the grain is wilting."

His uncle, knowing for himself the value of investments aside from land, nodded, "Very well, you shall make an introduction, though they can hardly expect society invites from our relations." He rose and took his leave, saying nothing else of the matter.

Darcy breathed a sigh of relief as his uncle existed; he could not have stopped his wedding to Elizabeth, but he could have made things very difficult for them in society. His father, years ago, had rescued his uncle from the poverty caused by aristocratic incompetence, fueled by vanity. Darcy's grandfather, though having no other bad habits, had left the estate in debt after paying his daughter's dowries, thinking himself above investments in trade, though they were permissible in the eyes of the Ton, so long as one did not labor for the profits. That sort of arrogance could do an estate as much damage as gambling his father had taught him; one could not pay for the luxury of fine cloth and large dowries without prudent investments. So many in the Ton lived near ruin, determined to incite the envy of those around them through luxuries they could not afford, all the while scorning the means to pay for them.

He didn't wonder where his aunt inherited her arrogance; it was the product of generations of being told one was better than those beneath her. He had always thought it foolish and vain, having no idea that he had displayed it himself, only to a lesser degree. He was grateful again for how his Elizabeth had opened his eyes; never provocating for the purpose of pursuing him. He had to earn her, and the happy consequence was she would not allow him to turn into those he thought foolish, slowly becoming what he loathed, unable to see it himself. She would continue to hold him to account, making him better, not allowing him to slide into a life built on what was worthless in the end. He sat in silent gratitude for a moment, looking forward to the life he would have with Elizabeth.

Darcy attempted to remove his mind from his relations and focus on the situation at hand. Remembering an acquaintance from Cambridge; he may very well have hit on a solution for Lydia that would not tie her to a man that would be cruel to her. The gentleman had just inherited a modest estate from his elder brother, along with his debts. Colonel Parker, being a second son, was not given to being a wastrel, he was intelligent and determined to right his inheritance. Parker's brother had been a profligate gambler and a wastrel; he was far wiser, always looking towards the long term. Lydia may very well succumb to his charms; as he wore a red coat.

He had written to Darcy nearly fourteen months ago, begging advice on finding a suitable Stewart, intending to use the income from the estate to pay off the debt while continuing to live off of his meager military rations. He wished to right his family's legacy, and fast. At the pace his determination had him going, it would be grueling; all of the responsibility and no of the benefit. His discipline and determination may be just what Lydia needed to become the best version of herself. The man was capable and kind. He loved his brother too much to look down upon him, truly hoping he would repent before his life was forfeit to his vices. When he had inherited, he neither celebrated his good fortune nor disparaged his brother for the debt left; he had mourned his brother in spirit and in truth, setting about his task without recrimination or blame.

Aside from the necessity of the situation, they may very well be a good match for each other, he was steady; she was lively. He needed to right his estate before he could attract a respectable bride; she was in need of a husband. His estate was worth nearly two thousand per year. If he had managed to pay most of the income back into the estate, minus what it needed to turn higher profits, it was likely the man owed only four or five thousand pounds now. Wickham would demand a king's ransom upfront and then abandon or refuse her even basic needs if his demands did not continue to be met. The law would be on his side as her husband, he could beat her, starve her, refuse to allow her to stay with relations if he saw fit to encourage generosity from her more affluent relations. He hoped for her sake she would reject a future with Wickham.

Darcy jotted a note to Mr. Gardener, requesting permission to meet with himself and Mr. Bennet to outlay the solution, hoping his friend would be amenable to an agreement as well. If so, it would all rest on Lydia's desires, hopefully, a few days at his mercy had taught her a great deal - at least enough to wish to avoid being bound to him for a lifetime. He dispatched a note, indicating to expect his company so soon as he had met with the men he had engaged to handle the matter.