Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam rested uneasily in a chair in the library at Netherfield. Miss Elizabeth and Georgiana had been returned. Wickham had been thwarted, and both he and Mrs. Younge were on their way, bound, to London. They would be disposed of quietly.
He took a sip of the port in his glass.
Disposed of was the right term. Wickham and Mrs. Younge were not the first ne’er-do-wells to have been apprehended by the network.
More than one had been found to have died in their sleep at Newgate before a proper trial had even been sought. They had not died of natural causes, of course, but they had found their just end.
And many others had found themselves passengers with an escort to various parts of the world. Far, far, away from England proper. More than a few of these individuals had been “lost” at sea.
It was all done quietly and in as tidy a fashion as could be done. One day there was a troublemaker in society. The next, there was not.
He had no part in that. His role was merely to sort out the victims from the perpetrators. He wasn’t even sure who decided what happened to the men and women they caught. It wasn’t Lillesley. That much he knew. Someone with more power sat above his friend.
He sipped his port again. Truth be told, he did not want to know.
“I hear you are leaving soon?” Richard’s mother said as she entered the library.
He nodded and smiled. “I only need to speak to Darcy and Father.”
“It is good to see your smile.” She tousled his hair as she was wont to do all his life. It was her way of letting him know that he was still her little scamp. “It is a relief to have this ordeal over with.” She took a seat across from him.
“It is.” His blew out a breath. “I did not know Mrs. Younge knew Wickham.”
She smiled sadly and nodded. “I know you did not, and so does Darcy. We all know you would never knowingly put Georgie in danger.”
He nodded slowly. That was true, but despite that fact, he had, in fact, put his cousin and charge in grave danger. Of course, he doubted that such a thing would ever happen again. He would ask far more questions about his assignments going forward. Lillesley was a good friend, but even a good friend had to earn back his trust once it had been broken.
Besides, he had read the letter that Darcy had received from Lillesley. Therefore, he knew that his friend had felt his part in the kidnapping of Elizabeth and Georgiana fully.
The library door opened, and both his father and Darcy entered. He stood.
“I am off in an hour,” he said. “However, I did not want to leave without once again apologizing for not checking Mrs. Younge’s credentials as you wanted to do.”
Darcy shook his head. “You have apologized for that five times now – or is it six? I think we have canvassed it enough. It will not happen again.”
“No. It will not.”
“Is that all you needed to tell me?” Darcy asked. “If so, you have waited for nothing.”
Richard chuckled. “I had another reason. I have finally received permission to ask Miss Phillips to marry me.”
“Oh! That is wonderful news, is it not, dear?” His mother’s cry of delight was directed at his father.
“It is, indeed,” his father replied. “It is about time. I said she would be perfect for you years ago. What finally convinced her brother to see reason?”
Richard chuckled. “He did not tell me, but according to Harriet, he wishes to for me to have to deal with her instead of him. She apparently took it upon herself to prove to him that he did not need to worry about her marrying someone with a somewhat dangerous profession.”
His smile grew tight as he remembered her telling him about finding her brother’s watch. Her older brother, Andrew, had gotten too close to finding answers that someone wanted to keep hidden, and it had ended his life.
“She is a smart lady,” his mother said. She always seemed to know when he was troubled.
“I have extracted a promise from her to keep herself safe for my sake.”
“Then, she will do it,” Darcy inserted. “You were the only one she would never cross when you were younger, was she not?”
Darcy had heard many of the tales about the adventures Richard had gone on as a young lad while in company with Edmund Phillips – now Lord Lillesley. They had rarely ever adventured without a little shadow following them. Sometimes with permission. Other times secretively.
Harriet was born to be a spy. She had a natural bent for deciphering things, reading the lay of the land, and staying hidden – or almost so. He had often known she as there before anyone else had. That did not mean, however, that she was not good at going unseen.
“We will have a dinner in your honour upon our return,” Richard’s father said. “Whenever you are available to join us.”
“I will tell Harriet.” He drained the rest of the port from his glass.
“And when I am returned to town, we will go over all the papers necessary.” His father held up a finger. “Do not leave without the note I am about to write.” He opened the drawer of the desk that stood in front of one of the windows and took out a sheet of paper.
“There is a ring that my mother left for you to give to your wife if you wish to do so. Do not think you do. It is only an option. Take this…” He paused as he started writing. “Take this to my solicitor, and then, go to my dressing room. There is a hidden drawer in the top right hand of my wardrobe. I believe you know where that is.”
His pen stopped as he gave Richard a pointed look. “There is only one ring in there. It is not extravagant, but it is lovely. It has a ring of pearls with a small diamond in the center, and there are golden flowers on each side where the band joins the stones.” He put his pen away. “Everything else in that drawer is for after you are married.” Again, he favoured Richard with a pointed look.
“I am no longer eight, Father. I believe I can be trusted to not use what I find a pirate treasure.” That is how he had used what he had found there those many years ago.
“No, no, you are not, but I am still your father. Therefore, some instructions bear repeating.” He folded the missive he had just written. “Will you tell Lawrence of your good fortune before you leave?”
Richard nodded. “Is he in the house?”
“He went for a ride to the south,” his mother replied. “Look for the biggest tree, and you will likely find him under it.”
“And please say your farewells to both Georgiana and Elizabeth,” Darcy said. “They will both want to know your happy news, and no, I will not tell them for you.”
Richard sighed but nodded his agreement. “You can tell Bingley.”
“I will. And I will also walk you out.”
“I am going to my room first.”
“I figured as much,” Darcy said with a grin as he held open the door to the library so that Richard to exit in front of him.
