(There’s a new part of this story dropping Saturday in the Broadsheet, so it’s time to give last month’s part it’s own post so it can be found more easily.)
Find previous chapters (to previous Harriet and the Colonel stories) here.
Chapter 3 (Part 2)
Four hours later, the various aspects of travel had been sorted, dinner had been eaten, and a fire crackled in the hearth of the drawing room where Harriet sat snuggled into Richard’s side on a sofa, while Julian softly read a story to his wife on the opposite side of the room.
“This is lovely,” Harriet whispered. It was cozy and tranquil with a distinct domestic air. In her opinion, it was perfect and a lovely glimpse of the future. “The only piece that is missing is Edmund,” she continued, “and someone with whom he can share a quiet evening.”
“Perhaps that should be your next assignment,” Richard teased.
Harriet laughed softly. “It has crossed my mind, but I would not have liked for him to have pushed me at anyone –”
“And yet, he did attempt to do so,” Richard interrupted. “How many times did he mention this gentleman or that one to you before some soiree?”
This was true. Her brother had put in a valiant effort to find her someone to marry who was not Richard. “He mentioned and suggested, but he did not force me to dance with them or go on drives or anything like that.”
“Yes, well… I am still somewhat put out with him about his refusing to let me court you for so long. Not that I do not understand why he chose to do as he did, but I did not appreciate being kept from you.” He lifted her hand and placed a kiss in her palm. “I might still be waiting if it were not for your interference. And that is why, I think perhaps it might not be so bad a thing to offer some assistance to your brother in this – maybe not to the point of concocting schemes that put anyone or their reputation in danger, but surely, you could discover someone who might fit nicely into his life.”
“I cannot believe you are suggesting that I play at matchmaking. You have always despised such things, or at least that is what you have said in the past.”
“I have never been so happily matched as I am now, and I find that I very much wish for my dearest friend – for you brother is still that to me – to be as content as I am.” Here, he pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head before punctuating his point with a contented sigh.
“I would like for him to be loved as I am and you are,” she agreed.
“I would assist you if needed,” he offered.
“And I would be happy for the help,” she said. “But first, we must marry, and that cannot happen until our current assignment is done.” Hopefully, it would be over soon. While she thoroughly enjoyed figuring out puzzles and the prospect of helping her brother and his men rid the world of horrid people, she was rather eager to be Mrs. Fitzwilliam and settled into a life with the man at her side.
He hummed his agreement, while tightening his hold on her for a moment, but said no more. Harriet also did not feel a pressing need for conversation, so the two of them sat in silence, just listening to the lilt of Julian’s voice and the snapping and crackling of the fire.
Lack of conversation did not mean that all was quiet, however. In her mind, Harriet was busy going over all the pieces of the investigation as things had transpired so far. Of course, she was not certain she knew all the details. It would not surprise her to learn that Edmund had withheld some information from her. After all, he had withheld information from Richard about Mrs. Younge’s relationship with Mr. Wickham. And if he would withhold information from his best man and friend, he would definitely withhold it from his sister.
“Are Mrs. Darcy and her maid, as well as Miss Darcy recovering well from their ordeal?” she asked as her thoughts had brought them to mind.
Richard nodded. “They seem to be. I think being able to vent her spleen on your brother did Mrs. Darcy much good.”
“I am glad to hear it. I still cannot believe he did not tell you about Mrs. Younge.”
“He will not make that mistake again,” Richard assured her.
“I hope not,” she muttered.
“I read the letter he wrote to Darcy about his part in the ordeal,” he added. “It will not happen again. I believe any chance that it might have, was removed when Mrs. Darcy put her bit of theatre into action at that inn.” He chuckled softly. “You would have enjoyed it.”
“I am certain I would, and it makes me anxious to meet her.” With this said, the pair once again lapsed into silence as Harriet turned her mind to Mr. Wickham.
She had never met him, but she had heard about him. He was charming – dangerously so, according to Miss Cooper. Of course, Miss Cooper was speaking about the fellow’s ability to charm a lady into ruin, but Harriet knew that the danger in his charming ways extended further than that – to life itself. He had orchestrated an abduction that was quite bold and well-crafted to cause pain and financial distress to someone he had once counted as a friend.
What still boggled her mind was why was someone, who could charm his way through life and diabolically scheme his way nearly into substantial wealth, suddenly fearful? If she had to guess – and truly, that was all she could do – she would say that Mr. [name] had something to do with it. But what? And how did Mr. Wickham, who had known Mr. [name] for many years, not know that he was the one for whom they were looking until recently?
Samuels visit before Edmund went to town played again in her memory, and it still did not sit right. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she knew that Mr. Wickham was playing out some sort of scheme.
“What do you think Mr. Wickham’s scheme is?” she whispered to Richard.
He simply shook his head and said, “I wish I knew, but I do not. Perhaps we will know more when we get to London.” She felt him draw a deep breath before he added, “Your brother would not be the first to underestimate that miscreant.”
She sucked in a quick breath as a terrible thought entered her mind.
“What is wrong?” Richard asked.
She swallowed and whispered as softly as she could, for she most certainly did not want her sister to hear this. Indeed, she did not wish to hear the thought outside of her head. But if anyone needed to hear it besides herself, it was Richard. “What if Edmund is being led into a trap?”
All the Harriet and the Colonel stories such as On the Way to a Wedding are Oxford Cottage companion stories.
