Page 20 of Losing Lizzy
“We will find her, love,” he promised. “For now, you must assist me by doing what I asked. Do you understand.” He spoke to her in clear, concise tones, although his heart was aching to take her again into his embrace. Darcy knew he must be strong for both of them. “I will remain with Mrs. Harris until the doctor appears, and then I will call personally on Mr. Townsend.”
“Do not kill him, William,” she pleaded. “I want my daughter back.”
“Trust me, Mr. Townsend will see reason,” he said. “Now hurry. Lizzy is probably waiting for you at the bookstore and is frightened her mother is not there to provide her comfort.”
She nodded her agreement. “If Lizzy is there, I shall have Jasper bring you word.” Then she was gone, running across the yard to the streets beyond.
Darcy watched her go—his emotions still reeling. He wished to follow to make certain no one brought harm to her ever again. Yet, there were more pressing matters hanging over his head. “Might I assist you to a chair, ma’am?”
“Who are you?” Mrs. Harris asked while struggling to her feet.
“I am Lizzy Anne’s father,” he said with a genuine smile, the idea of having a child had found purchase in his heart.
“Lieutenant Dartmore?” the woman asked.
He did not enjoy the pretense of using another’s name, real or not; yet, if he did not comply, his daughter would be named a “bastard” by Society. “One and the same.” He pulled a nearby chair closer to the lady.
“Everyone thought you dead,” Mrs. Harris said as she hobbled the few steps to be seated.
“At times, I thought such was to be my fate.” He knelt before her. “Might I fetch you something, ma’am?”
She shook off the idea, but winced from the movement. “I can certainly see your daughter in your features, lieutenant. You shall never be able to deny the child.”
Darcy wished to ask more of his child, but he would learn it all soon enough on his own. The idea of his blood flowing through another was satisfying in so many ways, but it was also frightening in a manner he had never considered. The only other time he had known such fury as was coursing through him now was when Wickham had attempted to seduce Georgiana. Although he knew better than to allow his mind to think on the possibilities, he realized if someone, likely Lady Catherine or Matlock, had been bold enough to have him kidnapped to prevent his marriage to Elizabeth, the person would not hesitate to force Darcy’s hand by taking his child. Making himself concentrate on the task at hand, he asked, “Might you tell me what occurred with Mr. Townsend?”
The woman appeared weak; yet, she related the tale. “Mrs. Dartmore was to retrieve Miss Lizzy after the bookstore closed for the day. Mr. Sheffield has been ill, and neither of us thought it was appropriate to expect the gentleman to tend the child while in his condition. In truth, although he says otherwise, Mr. Sheffield is too kind to his niece.”
Darcy swallowed the words rushing to his lip. He wished to defend his former valet, but he set his instant anger aside for the time being. “What of Mr. Townsend, ma’am?”
“Right,” she said. “We, meaning Lizzy and I, heard a knock at the backdoor and thought it was Mrs. Dartmore, but it proved to be Mr. Townsend. The gentleman said Mrs. Dartmore had sent him to bring Lizzy to the bookstore. He said Mr. Sheffield had taken a turn for the worse, and Mrs. Dartmore could not come herself. I told him I would come with them, for I wished to tend Mr. Sheffield myself. It was then Mr. Townsend insisted he and Lizzy go ahead, and I could follow. He appeared most eager to be gone.”
“You said something about telling Lizzy to run,” Darcy prompted. “Did Townsend do something to frighten the child?”
Mrs. Harris looked at the still opened kitchen door. “I should have known something was amiss when Townsend did not call at the front door.” She frowned deeply. “When I turned to retrieve my cloak and bonnet from the hook, Mr. Townsend must have made some sort of grab for Miss Lizzy, for the child screamed and ran behind me for protection.” The woman pulled herself up straighter. “Naturally, I chastised Townsend for being so foolish. After all, he has two sons of his own. Unfortunately, he ignored my protest and again moved to catch your daughter. When I stepped before him to order him from my house and to say I would return Lizzy Anne to her mother and he should consider his duty to Mrs. Dartmore complete, he struck out against me.”
Darcy felt his hand forming a fist. Mr. Townsend would know Darcy’s wrath.
The woman continued, “It was then Mr. Townsend shoved me from his way, and I struck my head against the china chest. I recall warning Lizzy to run, but not much after that. I must have lost consciousness.”
A light tap at the door announced the arrival of the physician and Jasper. “I will leave you, ma’am,” he said as he stood. “Thank you for your attempts to protect Elizabeth Anne.” He briefly explained what he and Elizabeth had discovered regarding Mrs. Harris to the doctor and slipped a few coins into the man’s hand. “If there are additional expenses, send a note around to Mrs. Dartmore at the bookstore, and I will see to thecosts.”
Then he joined Jasper in the yard, “Did Miss Elizabeth provide you Mr. Townsend’s directions?” he asked softly.
“She did, sir.” He handed Darcy a slip of paper. “The lady says this is the one the man provided when he first ordered books from the shop.” As Darcy studied the address, Jasper continued, “I assisted the lady in searching the shop and the area surrounding it before I fetched the physician. Miss Elizabeth planned to retrace her steps before joining you at Mr. Townsend’s home. She will meet you at the man’s residence.”
Darcy had hoped Elizabeth would have discovered the child at home, although he realized the half mile or so between Mrs. Harris’s cottage and the bookstore would be difficult for a child of three or less to cover alone. The idea he did not know exactly when Elizabeth Anne had been born made him sad. He had missed so much of her life while he was imprisoned onThe Lost Sparrow. First smile. First tooth. First steps. So many firsts of which he had been robbed.
* * *
“You are certain Mr. Townsend left Brighton a fortnight prior?” Darcy asked the man who ran the boarding house where Townsend had stayed. “Mrs. Dartmore is certain she observed him on the streets less than a week removed.”
“The rooms be let to another these last ten days,” the man said. “I kin show yous the register if’n you like.”
Darcy waved off the idea. “We are simply attempting to make sense of what Townsend has told us.”
“What of his sons? Emerson and Tobias?” Elizabeth demanded. She was obviously again very agitated by this turn of events.
The man looked upon her in sympathy. “Ma’am, to the best of me knowledge, Mr. Townsend had no children, at least, none that be residing with him under me roof. I don’t let to families. Too noisy.”
