Page 43 of The Blackmail of Mr. Darcy
“I promise you that the bookroom is the one room in Longbourn that is soundproof,” she responded. “I will ask my father if we can use it.”
Soon, Jane and Mr. Bingley, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy sat in the bookroom, three in the relatively comfortable chairs, and Elizabeth perched on the corner of her father’s desk. Ignoring the three offers by Mr. Bingley that she take his chair and the four grumpy demands by Mr. Darcy that she take her father’s leather armchair, in his place, Elizabeth asked, “What did the colonel write that has both of you looking so dismayed?”
Mr. Darcy briefly let Jane know that his cousin had been investigating Mr. Wickham and the connection between Mr. Wickham and Miss Bingley.
Jane said, “But Mr. Wickham is dead. He cannot harm anyone ever again; is it necessary to know more than that?”
Elizabeth said, “Jane, dear, do you not see that Colonel Fitzwilliam had hired trusted associates to keep track of Mr. Wickham’s movements; but somehow they failed to alert him to his changed location. The colonel ought to find out if anyone he hired was disloyal or incompetent, because he would not want to trust such a one again, some other time, with some other problem.”
Jane listened carefully and nodded. “Yes, I see that you are correct. Forgive me for misunderstanding the situation.”
Bingley said in a low voice, “As for me, I have been extremely remiss in understanding situations, in the past, and I am attempting to do better now. I am concerned about the colonel’s findings because I need to know if anyone working for Netherfield cooperated with my sister or possibly Wickham. Once again, even though Wickham is dead and gone, if I am toremain at Netherfield, I need to know if someone I employ is disloyal.”
“And what is in those papers?” Elizabeth asked.
“Well, first of all, the good news,” Mr. Darcy said. “Obviously, this entire morass is unpalatable, so I should say therelativelygood news. The gossip about my Aunt Helen, the Countess of Matlock, did indeed spring up from several of Miss Bingley’s correspondents, but it met with immediate derision because high-ranking individuals had been with her on the date of her supposed tryst with a duke. Richard reports that his mother is utterly delighted with the fun she has had in various parlours and drawing rooms, being the wronged victim who has been swiftly vindicated.” He shook his head a little as he reported her enjoyment of the drama.
“And is Miss Bingley’s reputation in tatters?” Elizabeth asked. She had worked for that goal, but she now felt dissatisfied with the possibility of its attainment, and she looked at Mr. Bingley with concern.
“According to Richard, those that spread the gossip were horribly embarrassed, but my aunt, knowing very well how the rumour started, has apparently been endlessly gracious in her forgiveness, and Richard said that it seems that Miss Bingley’s connection to the gossip had not yet emerged at the time he wrote the report.”
Mr. Bingley interjected, “Yesterday, I not only started the process of legally cutting ties with my sister and arranging her care, but I also penned a statement declaring my family’s sorrow that Caroline is ill, explaining her removal from society, and expressing our apologies for any harm that may have been done by her hand.” He nodded to Darcy, saying, “Darcy approved the message, and it will appear in today’s papers. It should help me preserve my own reputation, and although Louisa’s was not as much at risk, it will help her as well.”
Mr. Darcy nodded. “I imagine that Miss Bingley’s connection to the countess-and-duke story will emerge, but this announcement should contain the damage to just Miss Bingley.”
Jane said softly, “And yet Mr. Bingley looks quite worried.”
“Yes.” Mr. Darcy said, “Richard still has faith in a man called Smithers, although Richard continues to do a separate investigation—along the same lines as Smithers’ investigation, but run by Richard himself—just in case he is wrong to trust him. Smithers discovered that a man he had hired, James Clinton, betrayed Smithers’ trust.” He spread one of the pages of Richard’s report before him and read aloud, “‘Smithers has discovered a note from Wickham to Clinton. This note specifies that, when he reaches Netherfield, Clinton must use the message tree to indicate his arrival to ‘Caro B.’ and that he should separately contact M. B. at Netherfield. The note makes it clear that Clinton cannot allude to M. B.’s alliance to Wickham in Miss Bingley’s presence; she must continue to believe that she is the one calling the tune.’”
“So there is a disloyal servant at Netherfield!” Elizabeth said.
“But who is M. B.?” Mr. Bingley asked. “I immediately asked for a comprehensive list of everyone employed in the house, the stables, the yard. There was nobody with those initials.”
“And obviously, Wickham does not refer to Mr. Bingley,” Elizabeth said, her eyes far away. One finger tapped her lips as she thought.
“Good God,” Mr. Bingley said. “I should hope not!”
Elizabeth asked, “I assume that Clinton is not available for questioning.”
Mr. Darcy said, “He has disappeared. Smithers was apparently extremely vexed that he could have been fooled and has put some effort into locating him, so far to no avail. Smithers even wonders if the man is dead, and his body has been buried or otherwise disposed of.”
Elizabeth shivered.
Mr. Bingley said, “I should report to you ladies, as I already have to Darcy, that I had my valet carefully go through Caroline’s room, and every dustbin and wastepaper basket and hearth, in search of any notes or partially-burned notes. My valet has been with me since I was sixteen years old, and I trust him with my life. He has found no evidence of any kind, and he assumes that Caroline was careful to fully incinerate any notes she received.”
“Did you check the message tree?” Elizabeth asked. “Just in case there was a note she had not seen yet?”
Both men turned to her. “Do you know where the ‘message tree’ is?” Mr. Darcy asked.
“Well, of course I do not know with any certainty which tree Mr. Wickham was referring to, but I thought he may have meant a particular oak tree?—”
She turned to Jane, who nodded and said, “That was my immediate thought, as well, Lizzy.”
“That is something I will wish to check on today, Miss Elizabeth,” Mr. Darcy said. “I think that we should plan on such an outing later this morning; do you have the time to show me this tree?”
“I do.”
“But for now, you ladies have lived in the area your entire life. Do you have knowledge of a name, or perhaps a nickname, to which M. B. could refer?”
