PP AU NON-CANON GENERAL REGENCY

Ties That Bind

Previously:

"Maybe..." Mr. Lee shook his head. "He just never came across as that type, there had to be a stronger reason for him to stay away to keep him away from anyone trespassing on his lands than that."

William had not planned on going to Rochester, but after what Mr. Lee had just said, he was considering it. It was not as if he could not afford to step away from Morgan Hall. The estate manager from Bow Street was exceptional, so Mr. Collins making a trip to Rochester seemed entirely feasible.

Collin's Shocking discoveries

Ch. 29

Collins had gotten up, eaten breakfast, and headed out. He knew people would call him crazy, but he honestly had the strongest pull to head out to Rochester earlier than planned. There was a need to go to visit Lord de Bourgh's property, though he doubted the man would be at the place and to visit that old barn. What the parson expected to find, William could not have told you. He only knew the Holy Spirit was telling him to go, so he was.

He had gotten to Battle when his stomach began to growl, so he stopped by a small inn, got out of the coach, and went inside. The smell of what had to be roast beef, carrots, and fresh bread filled the air. Sitting down, he waited for someone to serve him. Knowing no one in Battle, other than Mrs. Morgan whom he had no intentions of embarrassing, the parson sat quietly. It was that willingness not to make himself known that caused him to overhear two men talking.

"It is Mr. Fairfield's fault I lost my job, had to deal with those stupid guards and courts. I am fortunate not still be behind bars. Could not even visit my sister on time. Lord de Bourgh would have been none the wiser if it were not for that man. He has friends, so I cannot pay him back personally."

"Is that why you have been causing his own sister problems?"

"But of course. And tonight, there will be more trouble for her and that school of hers. But I will only be watching. Cannot have my hands involved in that one."

What he said next William did not bother repeating. He simply took the drink offered to him by the waiter as not to draw attention and asked for a plain piece of bread and butter, claiming he had a parishioner to attend to. It was the only believable excuse the parson could think of that would not sound odd for him to say and would explain such a hasty departure. Hence, when Mr. Collins walked out the door, no one blinked an eye, not even Mr. Baxter.

Mr. Collins's coachman was ordered to go straight to Rose Manor with no detours and as quickly -but as safely- as possible. The coach went past multiple stores, children bundled up going to school, men to work, and other such places. His mind was only going to one place: Mrs. Morgan's school. It was only when the wheels of his coach stopped that William alighted and went up the stairs. Soon enough, he was informing Mr. Bennet, Mr. Fairchild, and Mrs. Morgan of the plot to set fire to the school.

"I knew the man had no courage, but this is beyond despicable. To direct his spite towards my sister and her students, who have done nothing but foster goodwill and learning, is cowardice beyond belief," Mr. Fairfield said.

"You will beg my pardon," William made a slight bow. "I do not mean to appear a coward myself, but I really do have another pressing matter to attend to in Rochester. I must beg leave."

"Of course, we thank you for stopping to warn us."

"You are welcome." With that, he turned and left, leaving Mr. Bennet stunned that the man had not filled the air with more words.

Mr. Collins, however, spent the next three and a half days staying as dry as possible and only staying in inns long enough to get a few hours of sleep. He could not have explained the urgency which had come upon him; other than -perhaps- it was to beat Mr. Baxter to the barn. Therefore, by mid-afternoon of the fourth day, he was knocking on the door of the Davis' home.

"Hello, how may I help you?" the butler for the Davis estate replied as he opened the door.

"Is Lord de Bourghs available?" When told he was not but that his butler, Mr. Davis was, Mr. Collins asked to see him.

Shortly the gentleman appeared, the parson explained why he had come with such haste. "I confess I do not know what I expect to find, but may I look?"

"If you came all this way with such haste under the influence of a prompting, I certainly am not going to say no and I doubt Lord de Bourgh would wish me to stop you."

"Thank you."

It was not long before William was standing in an old, empty barn, unsure why he had felt impressed to come. "I suppose I should not think of this place as barren," he looked upward. "However, why did you have me come here? There is nothing but old, smelly hay in that corner, a few barrels off to my side, and maybe a dozen boxes piled next to them in two spaces trying to pass themselves off as rooms." Just then, a small piece of what appeared to be cloth under the corner of a box caught his eye. The parson walked to the right corner just to the right of the door and knelt down. Lifting the box just enough to get the cloth out from under it, he was not shocked to see it was yellowish-brown but not as worn as it would have been had it been exposed to more of the weather.

"Well, well. That name is not one I have heard since I was a child, and it was only spoken once," he spoke the words as his eyes fell on the name Barbara J. Marshall. "Come to think of it, I have heard that name once before. That being the case..." His eye at that moment caught sight of another item that shocked him. It was a small silver chain, small enough to fit around a baby's wrist. Picking it up and, seeing what was engraved upon the item, he did not have to be told who likely had belonged to. His blood boiled. Standing up, he put both items in his pocket.

William figured these items had to be why he had felt pressed to come. So, he started to head towards the door only to feel a pull to stay.

"Mind telling me what else is here?" He glanced upward. "I know who to take these items to; what else can possibly be here?"

A picture flashed into his mind, and the parson walked straight through the "door" and up to the boxes stacked into a "bookshelf" and knelt down once again. Running his hand along the front of the boxes, he found a latch. Once he did, William moved the boxes and lifted the latch, pulling out a thin book. Opening it and reading inside made him sad for the person who had written the words, unsure now how to feel about Miss Marshall, and furious at Mr. Baxter. Putting the thin book inside his jacket, he headed back towards the house.

'Do not show the items to anyone' the thought came very clearly to his mind, so crystal clear he could not deny it. So, the parson dwelt on different ways that would be truthful yet not allow anyone to realize anything of interest had been found.

His feet soon took him from any dirt path to a gravel one and up the steps of the main house. His knock brought a footman to the door, and when shown into a rather dark, boring drawing room with furniture of no colors but various shades of brown, he was asked, as Mr. Collins had expected, "Did the barn hold anything of interest?"

"The barn held what was to be expected: old items, long neglected. I am sorry to have bothered you."

"No bother, sit down and at least eat some biscuits and drink some tea with us. This is Mr. Baxter, from Battle. He arrived shortly after you. He too seemed interested in the barn. He was just getting ready to search it. I told him you would soon be up from there." Mr. Davis did not tell either men, and he was relieved Mr. Collins said nothing about his boss . The reason was simple... Lord de Bourgh had given orders that if Mr. Baxter were to show up for Mr. Davis to pretend to be the owner, entertain him for a very short time but not to allow him to spend the night and then to send him word of what he had wanted.

"Are you sure you found nothing?" Mr. Baxter asked a little to vested in the question. "Old barns often hold old mysteries wishing to be uncovered."

"There are boxes, barrels, hay, even a latch to some hidden storage, but there is nothing to find there." William was answering as honestly as he dared. He was not about to say a word about items in which he had found. Plus, he had no idea if this man had indeed caused trouble for the school in Battle or not. "Of course, it is in a very dark corner that is not very well lit, and I did not have a lantern or even a candle with me."

Mr. Collins was not surprised to see Mr. Baxter stand up and excuse himself. However, it was hard for while what was written in the book did not make the man guilty of any crime, it did shout he had been in a position to prevent one being committed. The parson would eat lunch and then would head to Rosings Park. Longbourn was out because, as he had turned to leave Mrs. Morgan's school, he could have sworn Mr. Bennet mention it being a good time to head back home and that Mr. Darcy say he needed to go check on his aunt's place before heading back to Pemberly.

Mr. Davis, with a sharper eye than most would have given him credit for, knew Mr. Colins had found something. However, instinctively, he knew whose side he was on. So, he kept his mouth shut and simply pass information on to Lord de Bourgh.