Page 21 of Losing Lizzy
“William,” she pleaded as she sagged against him. “Make this stop.”
“I will,” he said softly as he caressed her cheek. To the man, he said, “Is there anything else you can tell us of Mr. Townsend? Did he receive letters? Did he have visitors?”
“No letters, I knows of,” the man shared, “and his only visitor was a man called ‘Hardy.’”
“First or last name?” Darcy asked.
“Not certain, sir, but you might ask of the man atThe Dingy Rose. Mr. Townsend favored the place.”
Darcy handed the man several coins and walked Elizabeth outside into the encroaching night. He pulled her pelisse tighter about her. “I want you to return to the store.”
“I would prefer to go with you,” she protested.
“I doubt a place calledThe Dingy Roseis a place for a lady,” he countered. “Moreover, you must be at the store in case someone sends a note requiring a ransom.”
“A ransom?” she gasped. “But—”
His thumb made small circles upon her wrist. “I have thought upon the possibilities of why someone would steal away our daughter. Either someone thinks Mr. Sheffield would pay for the return of his grand-niece or someone has determined Elizabeth Anne is my daughter,” he explained in calmer tones than he felt. He blamed himself for not arriving in Brighton earlier.
“But how?” she questioned. “No one knows of my being with Sheffield other than my father, and even he was not made privy to where we would settle.”
Darcy attempted to keep his expression natural so as not to frighten her further. “When I called upon your father to beg for information of your whereabouts, Miss Bennet stopped me as I exited Longbourn’s main gate. During our conversation, I asked if she knew the identity of the ‘stranger’ who reportedly called upon Mr. Bennet shortly before you departed Longbourn. Your sister told me she had recognized a man she identified as Sheffield, obviously from our time at Netherfield, when he arrived at Longbourn.”
“So more than Mr. Bennet knew of Mr. Sheffield’s offer?”she reasoned.
“I do not think the others knew what Sheffield had done for you; Miss Bennet assumed he had delivered a message or some sort of settlement from my family,” he explained, “but your sister had seen Sheffield from her rooms facing the main drive. Likely, others also had seen him. Most assuredly, one of the house servants let him into the house or a groom assisted in attending Sheffield’s coach, which would have drawn attention.”
“If Jane was at Longbourn, that means Mr. Bingley never returned to Netherfield,” she said sadly. “I left my home and family so my sisters would have a future. It was all for nothing.”
“I asked to see Bingley when I first arrived in London, and I was quite shocked he had not shown more fortitude than he did. I have essentially cut ties with him.”
“I am sorry for it. Sorry for your loss of a friend, and sorry Jane has suffered so. My sister deserved a better life than to be a spinster. All that beauty and goodness wasted because she placed her trust in a man too weak to make his own decisions.” Tears formed in her eyes. “Perhaps it was best to learn her lesson now than after she agreed to marry him.” She shook her head in obvious remorse. “But as to my traveling with Mr. Sheffield, even Mr. Bennet did not know of my final destination, and we did not come to Brighton until after Elizabeth Anne was born. How could anyone learn of our whereabouts? As far as I know, other than the occasional letter from one of his brothers, no one is aware Sheffield is in Brighton, and, according to your former valet, even his brothers do not know we have traveled here together.”
“Sheffield receives a pension from me,” he told her. “Such is how I located him. Please know that before my return to England, Lord Matlock made himself the ‘master’ of my business affairs. He is likely to be aware of where Sheffield can be found. And then there is the matter of what those in your family told Lady Catherine.”
“Lady Catherine? Why has Lady Catherine called upon my family?” Anger again returned to Elizabeth’s tone.
He disclosed, “Both Lady Catherine and Lord Matlockhave called upon Mr. Bennet over the last month, each offering several thousand pounds to be used for your remaining sisters’ dowries in exchange for information on your whereabouts.”
“Because of my connection to you,” she reasoned aloud.
“Yes,” he said simply, despising the idea of his late mother’s family harming those he affected.
“But surely Jane would not tell Lady Catherine of her suspicions of my being with Mr. Sheffield.”
“No, but I fear your mother is not so circumspect. Mrs. Bennet told Lady Catherine that Mr. Sheffield had been more well-mannered than her ladyship when he called upon the household.” He fastened the top two buttons on the pelisse. “I do not like to think either you or our daughter will suffer because of your connection to me, but, know, someone paid for me to disappear—my abduction was not simply a matter of opportunity—and I fear they are now attempting to cover their manipulations. I had hoped to reach you before anyone else did.”
“Will they harm Lizzy?” she pleaded.
“I do not think it will come to that. Whoever staged our daughter’s disappearance will use her to force our compliance.” He snagged her chin to lift it so he might watch the dawn of realization arrive upon her features.
“Someone means to keep us apart?”
“I believe our relationship has caused others to react without caution,” he confessed.
“I want our daughter safe,” she ordered. “You will keep her safe, William. You will allow no harm to mark her.”
“I will do everything within my power to secure Elizabeth Anne’s return to your waiting arms.” He kissed her forehead. “Permit Jasper to escort you to Mr. Sheffield. I will come to you as quickly as I learn anything.”
