Carrie Bebris - Pride and Prescience

Parrish looked at his wife in disgust. “Why else would I have settled for Caroline Bingley? She was an easy mark — licking her wounds over your engagement and unprotected by her brother’s distraction over his. She would have given herself to anyone in breeches.”

“Swine.” Caroline pushed herself to her feet and went to stand before him. “I can’t fathom how I ever believed your lies.”

“Because you wanted to. Just like I tolerated your company because I wanted to — and because I didn’t think I would have to endure it for long. But you just wouldn’t die. You were too damned lucky! I send you out on Bow Street at midnight with a bulging reticule, and instead of a cutthroat, the Darcys find you. I send you down to the kitchen for some late-night slicing, and you take so long to bleed out that the cook discovers you in time. I couldn’t get rid of you! So when Mrs. Bennet let slip how much money your brother really had, I figured I’d kill off your family first to gain a larger inheritance for my trouble — and do it before Bingley went and tied it all up in land.” His lips curved into a smug grin. “Or rather, I’d have you do it.”

“Monster! You directed me to loosen the bolt on that wheel.” Caroline’s voice shook. “ You had me don servants’ clothes and sneak into my brother’s chamber to set the fire.”

“And you couldn’t even do those things right, you dumb—”

She slapped him. “And you!” She spun round to accost Randolph. “You stood by and watched him do it!”

“Indeed I did not, madam! I assure you, I had no idea he planned to use those rings until he produced them at the wedding ceremony. And even then, I didn’t realize he intended to kill you. When you were found in the kitchen, I thought your spirit was acting toward its own destruction rather than allow itself to be subverted to Parrish’s will.” He turned to Elizabeth. “Mr. Parrish asked me to suggest taking his wife back to America, saying he thought her family would be more disposed to agree if the recommendation came from me. But the idea of consulting Dr. Lancaster was mine. I truly did want to help her! Later, I tried to use my amulet to weaken the ring’s hold on her. That’s what I was doing the day you walked in on our session.”

“The day of the winter solstice?”

“A coincidence, that.”

“I remember now,” Caroline said vaguely, as if recalling a dream. “All along I could see what was happening to me, but as if I were witnessing it happen to someone else. At first, I didn’t realize what was making me act so strangely. Frederick would suggest things, and I would just do them. After I went riding with Miss Kendall, I started to suspect something strange was afoot — Hecate shied from my touch all morning, and spooked when I laid my hand on her neck. The animal knew before I did that I wore an evil ring! But I was powerless to act in my own defense.

“Then Frederick’s commands became more direct, and I noticed him manipulating his own ring when he gave them. I understood then. But the more I attempted to resist, the more mad I appeared to all of you. And the more time I spent in his proximity, the more the ring overpowered my will.” She met Bingley’s sorrowful gaze. “I am sorry, brother, for the injuries I did you.”

He crossed to her and took her hands. “You could not help yourself.”

“I tried! I tried to draw attention to the ring, but my efforts failed. Only once since my wedding day did I feel I had any control at all — after my last meeting with Professor Randolph. When I left, I felt strong enough to confront Frederick. I told him I knew what he was doing, and that I would reveal his treachery if he didn’t remove my ring. He refused, and we fought. Then he drugged me, and when I awoke, I was weak again.”

“Why didn’t you simply remove the ring?” Elizabeth asked.

“I could not. I even burned my hand intentionally, hoping someone else would take off the cursed thing.”

“I was also unable to slide it off,” said Randolph. “It was magically bound to her. That’s why I had to return to London for this rod — to break the bond.”

Elizabeth frowned. “But I removed the ring myself, this morning.”

Randolph regarded her in amazement. “You did? That’s — why, that’s extraordinary, Mrs. Darcy! In the long history of that ring, only the wearer of its companion band has been able to remove it without supernatural aid. You must—” His gaze flickered to the others present. He lowered his voice. “We must speak more at a later time.”

Elizabeth held out the pocketwatch. “Meanwhile, you deserve to have this back. I’m sorry I withheld it from you.”

To her surprise, he shook his head. “Keep it. Despite popular belief, the pentagram is not a symbol of evil, but of protection. That amulet kept you safe from harm today — may it continue to do so.”

“It did not keep Mr. Kendall safe,” she pointed out.

“Because it was planted in his hand after his death, just as the symbols were inscribed after the murder took place. Mr. Kendall was stabbed in the back by a common thief”—he cast a derisive look at Parrish—“who also snatched my watch right out of my pocket just after I tried to use it to help Mrs. Parrish. I didn’t notice its absence until dinnertime, and it was the next day before I realized how I’d lost it.” He addressed Parrish. “You stole it before the murder. Did you intend to frame me then? Or merely prevent me from using the amulet again?”

Parrish shrugged insolently. A prod from Darcy opened his mouth. “The latter. Leaving it in Kendall’s hand was a lastminute stroke of inspiration.”

“When the watch was found, I knew the killer had tried to implicate me,” Randolph continued. “And I knew the murderer must have been Mr. Parrish. He was familiar with my amulet, had seen it many times, but had taken little interest in passive, guardian magics — he wanted to learn only of devices that enable one to act upon others. Had I been a better teacher, I would have realized his malicious intentions sooner. But had he been a better student, he would have chosen a more appropriate symbol to aid his crime.”

The sound of footfalls on the stairs soon led to the entrance of Miss Kendall and the constable. The snow-covered peace officer had not even paused to leave his greatcoat with a servant. “I hear you’ve found the murderer?” His eyes widened as they took in the image of Frederick Parrish bound to the bedpost. He turned to Darcy. “It was Mr. Parrish? Are you certain, sir?”

“Mr. Kendall knew that Parrish wasn’t who he claimed to be,” Darcy said. “He has no plantation in America, and he is wanted under the name Jack Diamond for murder and other crimes there.” Darcy helped the constable handcuff Parrish. “Mr. Kendall threatened to expose you to us, did he not?”

“Kendall was a greedy bastard,” said Parrish. “He got what he deserved.”

“So will you.”

When all the others had exited the room, Darcy drew Elizabeth to him and kissed her.

“I hope you will forgive me,” he said. “Else it will be a long ride to Derbyshire.”

“With sufficient atonement, I may be persuaded,” she said lightly, her expression revealing that he’d already been acquitted.

“How can I make amends?”

She pretended to think a moment. “If you produce a nice enough gift on Christmas morning, perhaps I shan’t make you ride the full distance in silence.”

“But by Christmas morning we already will have made the journey.” He smiled as her look of puzzlement was quickly overcome by one of hopeful anticipation. “Can you be ready to depart by this afternoon?”

“I am ready this instant.”