Elizabeth stood beside her youngest sister, staring at the hand. It had obviously been taken by animals, as much of the flesh was ripped off it and there were tooth marks on the bone.
"Mr. Darcy? I think you should come and look at this," she said.
He ran to them, sensing something was wrong. "Oh my god," he whispered, upon seeing the hand.
Jane saw the appendage only from afar and had no wish to approach any closer. Instead, she ran as fast as she could back to Netherfield, with Lydia close at her heels.
"Is it his?" whispered Elizabeth.
"I don't know," answered Darcy.
The sound of conversation and laughter reached them in the garden as the servants returned from their half day off. Elizabeth and Darcy ignored the sound, and even the few exclamations about there being people in the garden. Let Dinah and Mrs. Nichols answer those questions later.
Lydia returned in a moment with Mrs. Nichols. It had been decided that Dinah ought not to see the hand, as her aunt feared her reaction. Instead, Dinah had been sent to the stables to order a carriage to be sent for Mr. Goulding, the magistrate. Up until now, Mr. Goulding had been content to let Mr. Darcy look for the missing servant, but the severed hand might change his perspective.
It was not long before the garden was swarming with servants, as they all had known Mr. Witting and were interested to know if the hand was his. Mrs. Nichols ordered them all back inside, for their ghoulish curiosity helped nothing. She asked the Bennets and Mr. Darcy also into the house, serving them tea in the upper servants' sitting room.
Mr. Goulding arrived a half hour later, and after inspecting the hand and having a servant wrap it up in paper and send it to Mr. Jones, he joined them. He asked them each their accounts of the day, frowning as they heard about their unauthorised search. He said nothing though, as Mr. Darcy told him that he had been given use of Netherfield by his friend.
"Was the hand the right or the left?" asked Elizabeth the magistrate, for she had not taken note of that fact.
"The left," the magistrate answered. "And it was missing a finger, although that is likely due to the animals."
"What happens now?" asked Jane.
"Well, we will conduct a search of the property, and likely the neighbouring ones as well. We will look for loose dirt in particular, where a body might have been buried and dug up by animals."
"You believe Mr. Witting is dead?" asked Mr. Darcy.
"I do not know if he is or is not. All I know is a man is missing, and a hand turned up in the garden. It seems likely that the two events are related."
They had to agree with Mr. Goulding's reasoning. Lydia had, at first, thought it certain that Mr. Witting was dead, until Elizabeth pointed out that a man can survive losing a hand.
Not knowing what else to do, their party returned to Longbourn. Mr. Darcy went to his chambers, as he had many expresses that needed to be sent. He tried to distract himself after this task was done, but could not think of anything but the sight of the hand, gnawed on by animals. This image kept him awake long into the night until he finally gave up the attempt at sleeping all together.
Taking up a book, he tried to read, thankful for the comfortable furnishings in the room. He was unsuccessful at this, despite the vast variety of literature available to him. He dare not leave his room, for in a house with five women, the chance of even an unintentional compromise was too high. Thus, he spent much of his might going over the facts of the situation in his mind. He hoped that Colonel Fitzwilliam would receive his express and arrive soon, along with the investigators. More than anything, he hoped that Mr. Witting was well and a grave would not be found.
As the sky lightened and the servants began their work, the birds chirping outside brought Mr. Darcy out of sleep. He reached for the bell to call for Jenson's assistance in getting dressed. His neck ached from sleeping in the chair, but he suspected the chair might often be his bed if he could not find Mr. Witting soon.
It was already the second of December, so there were only two days until the money was due. He had arranged for the funds to be sent to Mr. Phillips, the Meryton solicitor, and he expected them to arrive that afternoon. If only he could be certain that Mr. Witting would be found alive and well — even if he might be short a hand — he would pay without any hesitation.
Despite the arrival of winter, the air was not yet bitterly cold. While he enjoyed brisk morning walks, he hoped the warm temperatures would not continue too long. The fields needed the wet from the snow. He shook his head, reminding himself that this was not his land and that his steward had already written that snow had fallen in Derbyshire.
"Good morning, Mr. Darcy," greeted Elizabeth warmly. She looked adorable, with a scarf wrapped tightly around her neck, a fur-lined bonnet, and a thick woollen coat to protect herself from the morning chill.
"Good morning, Miss Elizabeth."
"Mr. Goulding has been busy already," said she. "He has been canvassing Netherfield and Longbourn's lands with the help of his servants. I do not think he has found anything, however."
"I am glad that he has not."
"I am as well."
They walked along in silence, with only the sound of their footsteps in the crisp morning air, alert for any signs of anything unusual. It seemed neither of them wished to speak any more about the missing servant, but the subject loomed too large to allow other conversation.
"Dinah said Mrs. Nichols received orders to have the house open to receive the Bingleys tomorrow," Elizabeth said, breaking the silence.
"I heard," said Mr. Darcy with a smile. "I was there."
"Oh, yes. I forgot. What do you think of it?"
"I do not know. I like to think that my friend is returning to see to my comfort, but I cannot help but think there may be another reason."
"You suspect Mr. Bingley?" Elizabeth was greatly surprised, given how much Mr. Darcy had protested the idea that Mr. Bingley might have anything to do with Mr. Witting's disappearance.
"I suspect nearly everyone not currently residing at Longbourn. I cannot afford not to. Particularly with their returning the day before the money is asked for, well, my suspicions are raised."
"Are all four family members returning?" Elizabeth thought he was right to be suspicious, but if all four returned, where would Mr. Witting be? Did they have other associates?
"I do not know."
Neither seemed much inclined to speak further about the topic. They spoke a little of Mr. Darcy's family, for he had received a letter from his younger sister the previous day. Elizabeth was surprised to learn that she was exceptionally shy. Although she believed Mr. Darcy's account of his dealings with Mr. Wickham, the idea of Miss Darcy as a proud, spoiled child had stuck in her mind. She felt terrible for harbouring such thoughts about an innocent girl.
"I hope, when you meet her, you will be a good influence on her," said Mr. Darcy. "She is much in need of friends, and I think she would benefit from your vivacity."
"I would be honoured," Elizabeth replied. "Although I do not know if I should be a good influence or not. I may return her to you with her petticoats six inches deep in mud."
"I do not think I should mind it, but I do insist that she take a male servant everywhere she goes. I would be most displeased if she walked three miles alone, or even with a female friend."
"I understand. If such is the result for your valet, you must be quite protective of your sister. I am amazed that you and she ever leave Pemberley."
"It is tempting to lock her away like a maiden in a tower, but I cannot. It does not work out well from the guardian's perspective in the story, if you recall, for one thing. For another, she would likely become a recluse entirely if I allowed it. She blames herself still for what happened with Mr. Wickham and punishes herself more than I ever would."
"Is she punishing herself, or is she heartbroken?"
"Heartbroken over Mr. Wickham?" Darcy exclaimed.
"It may seem very odd to a man who knows all he is and has known it for some time, but she learned it quite suddenly, did she not? She believed herself in love with him. Although I do not know her and therefore cannot say, mayhap she was in love with him. The falseness of his affection does not preclude hers from being genuine."
"I had not considered that, I suppose," said Mr. Darcy. "Thank you, Elizabeth."
Elizabeth felt the heat rise in her cheeks and dropped her head at hearing him use her given name was used without the honourific. He did not notice his mistake, as he often referred to her as Elizabeth in his mind. They walked in companionable silence, the only sound the occasional chirping of birds, until they were near again to Longbourn House. He stopped their progress and lead her a little off the path into the shrubbery.
"Miss Elizabeth, I know the circumstances have not been ideal, with my valet missing and the threats to you as a result," he began. "But I know you were told the reason for the threat to yourself. It is true that I admire you greatly. I hope, in the coming days, that you will take great care. I could not bear it if anything were to happen to you."
Elizabeth was amazed at his expression and could not meet his eyes. She had suspected that he felt something towards her, but did not imagine that he would ever speak of it. He must be expected to marry very high, if he was not engaged to his cousin as Mr. Wickham had claimed. "I will take care," was all she could think of to say in response.
"While my courage has not yet deserted me, I must tell you that while there scarcely has been a moment adequate to come to know each other properly, but I find that my admiration of you has increased tenfold in the last few days. I wonder if you would agree to a courtship when circumstances have improved, hopefully in just a few days."
Mr. Darcy's embarrassed countenance was rather handsome, with his ears slightly flushed and a tinge of insecurity in his normally confident demeanour. With any other woman, he would be confident of her acceptance, but not with Elizabeth. She cared not for his fortune or position, but only his character. Thus, it brought him great pleasure to hear her whisper, "I would like that very well," in response to his inquiry.
"Thank you, Miss Elizabeth," he said, bringing one of her hands to his lips for a moment before tucking it into his elbow. He led her back to the path and to Longbourn, where they breakfasted with the rest of the family.