Page 42 of The Colonel's Ungovernable Governess
Jocelyn placed her hand on the girl’s back “No one is angry with you, but I do require the truth. Otherwise, we will claim a room at this inn and wait until the colonel comes to fetch us.”
Vincent implored, “What did Annabelle tell you, Victoria?”
Tears skirted down the girl’s cheeks. “Annabelle said—Lord Lindale was going—to die soon,” Victoria said through her sobs. “She said she—was going to—Babbington Hall—to reclaim it—for all of us.”
“The problem with that explanation is Annabelle is not old enough to serve as Vincent’s guardian. She cannot reclaim the family estate. Only Vincent and his appointed guardian can do so.” Jocelyn remained silent for several minutes, choosing what was best for them to do. “If the innkeeper will let us a room, we will remain here tonight and make our decision on how to proceed in the morning. We are all exhausted by the miles and the unknown. Mr. Jessie requires rest, as do the horses. With rest, we shall have clearer minds. Perhaps the colonel will discover us and make the appropriate decisions for us.”
Chapter Sixteen
“Miss Lambert!” Someone knocked on the room’s door. Jocelyn did not know how long she had slept, but it was not long enough. She had made herself a nest before the weak fire, permitting the twins to share the bed, though they both protested they were too old to share one, but when she lost her temper, they dropped their objections.
“Miss Lambert!” The knock was more persistent.
Still groggy, she rose from her pallet to stagger towards the door. “Who is it?” she asked against the wood, where her head rested, still begging her to return to slumber. She would not release the lock until she knew who or what awaited her on the other side.
“Mr. Darcy,” the voice announced.
She had her hand on the lock to free it, but did not immediately permit him entrance. As foolish as it might sound to others, Jocelyn worried for Vincent’s life. This venture had told her the child was in serious danger. “What is your wife’s maiden name?” she asked as a testing of the stranger’s identity.
“Bennet,” the man responded.
“How many sisters does Mrs. Darcy possess?” she continued her questions, thinking others might know Mrs. Darcy’s maiden name.
“Jane Bingley is the eldest,” he said with what sounded of a chuckle. “Next is Mrs. Darcy, then Mrs. Ericks, followed by Kitty, who is not yet married, and Mrs. Lydia Wickham.” Jocelyn released the bolt and opened the door far enough for him to step into the room. “I have been following you for hours.”
“Where is the colonel?” she asked. In some ways, she knew sorrow that Edward Fitzwilliam was not the one to overtake her. She wished with all her heart to bury herself in his arms and never come out. Jocelyn was as genuinely shaken by this experience as were the twins. Moreover, she knew heart-breaking guilt at having worried her own parents in a like manner. Who would her mother trust with a search for her during her father’s absence?
He glanced to where the twins had sat up in the bed. “The colonel sent me word of what occurred, but I was already on my way to catch up with him. We have determined ‘Mr. Bartholomew’ is a relation of Mr. Jennings’s wife.”
“We have recently discovered much of the same. It seems Lady Annabelle confided in Victoria, but I am of the persuasion to believe all this was a scheme to lure Vincent to the Babcock estate so his relations might convince him to permit them to be his guardian so they might ‘assist’ him as the earl.” She glanced to where Victoria clutched the blanket to her. “Supposedly, Annabelle staged this escapade to draw Vincent home, for Annabelle believes Lord Lindale is dying.”
Mr. Darcy’s brow tightened. “The Lindales erred by not discussing my cousin’s condition. Perhaps,” he said as he approached the bed to speak to the children’s fears, “they thought you too young to understand, but I do not. My cousin Lindale has a condition where if he gets the simplest of cuts, his body bleeds and bleeds. However, if he practices caution, which he has done most of his life and which you have viewed for yourself, but did not understand, he could live another twenty or more years. If he suffers a major accident, his days on this earth will be numbered; yet, such could be true for any of us. His lordship recently experienced a small accident. He is now practicing caution and enjoying the island air as he recovers.”
He paused before saying, “I understand Lindale and your mother choosing not to speak of this when you were much younger, but your not knowing is creating your belief in Lindale’s immediate demise.” He sat on the bed’s edge and took a hand of each child. “Lindale chose not to marry another and produce children of his own because those in the medical profession, and who study such things, assume he could pass his condition on to his children.”
“Just as Bennet looks like you?” Vincent asked.
“Yes, much in the same way. And as you are said to favor your father,” Mr. Darcy said. “Lindale showed great courage with his decision, one that speaks well of his character to protect others. However, he did not wish to spend his whole life alone. Therefore, as your mother and you required a safe place to reside, an arrangement was made to join the Fitzwilliam family with yours. So that all involved might be protected.” Mr. Darcy touched the cheek of each child. “Lord Lindale wished to make you his family, and family protects each other. Therefore, we cannot speak of this with those outside the family, for it could bring harm to each of us in its own way. People would look upon Lindale as if he was too weak to run his estate and do business with others. Unscrupulous people would attempt to take advantage of him or actually do him harm if they disagreed with his decision. Your mother would lose her protection as Lindale’s wife. When he passes, she will receive a substantial allotment upon which to live. That planned future for her could disappear if others learned of their marriage arrangement, for someone would use the unusual circumstances against her.
“All families protect one another, even when the venture is an unpleasant one. I once protected one of Elizabeth’s sisters, though those involved did not deserve my attention, but my most cherished wife would have known great sorrow otherwise. My actions were necessary to save both Elizabeth’s family and mine. We serve each other in that manner, for Elizabeth once saved a member of my family from ruin. Such is the way of all blessed with loved ones. Victoria, you protected Vincent when your previous governess disciplined him unfairly, and, despite her method jeopardizing all, including herself, Lady Annabelle believes she protects her family.”
“Should we return to William’s Wood?” Jocelyn asked.
“I cannot personally see to your safe return, though, I suppose, I could send Mr. Farrin to assist your Mr. Jessie. The colonel has traveled to Babbington Hall to fetch Lady Annabelle back to William’s Wood. I cannot permit him to face Mr. Jennings alone. I admire my cousin greatly, but he can be a bit ‘unreasonable’ when people do not follow his orders the first time they are issued. I imagine the Honorable Mr. Jennings may ‘object’ to the colonel issuing demands at the manor.”
Vincent said quietly. “Could I not order Annabelle’s return?”
“You are the earl, though not yet officially recognized as such by the House of Lords,” Mr. Darcy assured. “Yet, I would not suggest you do so. We cannot ignore the fact the Jennings family has been involved in convincing Lady Annabelle that what she has executed is the best for your family. Now, your uncle could force your mother’s hand and demand your eldest sister marry Jennings’s nephew. If so, you will never be in a position to create a ‘friendly’ division of the Babcock assets. Jennings will fight you and bully you every day of your life if it means he has access to your father’s fortune.”
“I wish I had not kept Annabelle’s secret,” Lady Victoria said in sorrowful tones.
“Like Annabelle, you acted without rancor,” Jocelyn assured, though she thought Annabelle required a good dose of reality, as well as did her brother and sister. Jocelyn asked Mr. Darcy, “We must decide, are we to return to William’s Wood or follow you to Babbington Hall?”
“Though I am frightened . . . I would prefer . . . to travel to . . . our family home,” Vincent declared.
“We cannot leave Annabelle alone,” his sister said.
Mr. Darcy explained, “You could be traveling into danger. We have no assurances Mr. Jennings has not designed this escapade to lure you to the manor and bring down harm upon your head.”
