Regina Jeffers: The Phantom of Pemberley: A Pride and Prejudice Murder Mystery

“Yes, ma’am. Miss Darcy—she likes having it close by. When Miss Georgiana cannot sleep, she goes to the music room and plays until she feels more peaceful like. That be why we leave it there for her. Even when Miss Darcy returns to her room, she leaves the candle stand in the hall so we can change out the wax for the next time. Miss Darcy says she has not used the candleholder for nearly a fortnight. It be there earlier today.”The woman looked frightened of being accused of taking the item.

“I am sure there is a logical reason.” Elizabeth reached out and lightly touched the woman’s arm.“When do you recall seeing it last?”

Meg closed her eyes to remember. “I suppose it be when I first came on—before I changed the bed linens.”

Elizabeth heard Darcy’s footsteps on the lower level.“Megs, Mr. Darcy waits for me. We must retrieve my sister at the Lambton inn. I will make it part of my afternoon duties to help you locate the holder. Possibly, Mr. Darcy’s aunt or his cousin took it to their rooms without realizing Miss Darcy’s nocturnal habits. We will laugh when it reappears in some very obvious place.”

“Yes, ma’am.” She curtsied again. “You be right about that.” The maid glanced toward the stairs. “Mr. Darcy seems impatient, ma’am,” Megs ventured.

Elizabeth chuckled. “What man is not so?”

“None I know of, Mrs. Darcy, but ye better hurry. I would not want to be the source of Mr. Darcy’s fluster.”

“Neither would I, Megs.” Elizabeth smiled as she slipped her left hand into her muff.Then she hurried down the stairs to meet her husband.

The five miles from Pemberley to the Rose and Crown took much longer than either she or Darcy had anticipated. The earlier pounding rain had turned bitter cold and become icy. Small pellets were accumulating in the ditches and on the dried grassy patches. The temperature had dropped quickly, and a thin layer of ice skimmed the tops of the mud holes.

Darcy kept the information to himself, not wishing to alarm Elizabeth, but he could not remember conditions ever changing so suddenly.The coach’s wheels still easily broke the icy crusts over the brown puddles, but if they had to wait long for Mrs.Wickham’s coach, the return trip could be a different story. Instead of sitting across from Elizabeth in the rear-facing seat he usually occupied, Darcy chose to sit beside her—to keep her warmer and to protect her if Mr. Stalling lost control of the coach.

Adam Lawrence’s temper rose quickly. He and Cathleen had made it to Lambton’s inn, but found it full because of the quickly deteriorating road conditions. “And where do you suggest I find a room for the evening?” he demanded in his best aristocratic voice.

“I am most apologetic,Your Lordship.”The innkeeper mopped his brow.“I have already doubled people in rooms. I suppose that I could convince some of our more esteemed citizens to offer you a room, my Lord.” Cautiously, the man shot a glance at Cathleen. “I might have more difficulty convincing them to also accept your cousin .”

Adam hissed, “So you would send my cousin and me back out into the storm?”

“I would not wish to do so, Your Lordship.” However, before the innkeeper could continue his back-door apology, Darcy and Elizabeth entered to look for Lydia Wickham. Leaving Adam with a swallowed curse still on his lips, Mr. Lawill quickly greeted Darcy. Most of those in town depended on Pemberley directly or indirectly for their well-being.The inhabitants of a small market town knew to whom they owed allegiance.

“Mr. Darcy, sir,” the man said as he offered a bow, “how may I serve you?” The first time Elizabeth had stayed at this inn, she had discovered Darcy’s true value. Now, entering on his arm, she appreciated how people admired and respected him.The locals knew her husband to be a liberal man, one who did much good among the poor, and they rushed to meet his needs.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Lawill.We were to meet Mrs. Darcy’s sister on the afternoon coach.” Darcy purposely did not refer to Lydia Bennet Wickham by her name. He wished to keep the memory of her husband, George Wickham, at a psychological distance. The man had left a trail of bad debts in the area when he had suddenly left Pemberley with three thousand pounds, a pecuniary advantage in lieu of the preferment of taking his orders. Like so many other times, Darcy had covered the debts rather than have the Pemberley name besmirched by association.

“Mr. Buckley deposited his passengers thirty minutes ago, sir. I am at my wit’s end trying to find accommodations for all the travelers the storm has driven our way.”

Elizabeth touched Darcy’s arm.“I will see to Lydia,” she whispered.

Darcy nodded before returning his attention to the innkeeper. “You will prevail, Mr. Lawill.” Then Darcy’s eyes fell on Viscount Stafford, a man he knew casually through his cousin Charles Fitzwilliam, Edward’s older brother and the future Earl of Matlock. “Stafford, fancy meeting you on this side of Leicestershire,” he called as he stepped around Lawill to greet the viscount.

“Darcy!” Adam Lawrence offered a bow before extending his hand. “I had forgotten of your being in Derbyshire.”

They exchanged a few pleasantries before reaching the situation’s crux.“I was to go to Cheshire.” Lawrence glanced quickly to where Cathleen stood watching the storm out the window. “ My cousin rushes to her uncle’s beside at her family’s request.” Adam guided Darcy to the side where others could not hear. “However, the storm has delayed us, and now we find no rooms available. I suppose I will have Mr. Johnson press on.”

“That would be unwise,” Darcy insisted. “The rain has frozen. I do not imagine even the best coachman could traverse another twenty miles without incident. And who is to say that you would not find a similar development there?”

Lawrence took in Cathleen’s profile.“What do you suggest I do, Darcy? I cannot abandon the lady. It would be unfair to leave her to the locals’ censure. Mr. Lawill has already expressed his displeasure. Even if I chose to accept the hospitality of one of Lambton’s citizens, no one would extend Miss Donnel such a courtesy. If it were for but one evening, she and I could simply spend the night at Mr. Lawill’s tables, but you and I both know the conditions of country roads.We will be lucky to be here less than three days.”

Darcy thought about what he should do. Propriety demanded that he extend an invitation to Stafford but, like Lambton’s citizens, he could not take the viscount’s mistress to his own home. “Unfortunately, Stafford, my aunt Lady Catherine de Bourgh and her daughter are at Pemberley, and my sister…” Darcy felt the shame of being inhospitable.

Adam pleaded,“But if Miss Donnel plays the part of my cousin? The lady is an actress. I will stay away from her, Darcy—be the perfect gentleman—and charm your aunt and your sister.”

Darcy snapped, “You will avoid my sister, Lord Stafford.” He glanced at the woman waiting patiently by the window.“If I extend what society demands, you will create a story through which even my aunt will not see. I will allow this, Stafford, but if Miss Donnel cannot play the role, I will claim that I was deceived by you and turn you out, no matter what the conditions. Miss Donnel will be a lady, and you will act a gentleman’s part around my wife, my sister, my family, and my staff.”

“My reputation precedes me,” Lawrence murmured.

Darcy spoke in hushed tones.“I do not wish to offend you, Stafford. I barely know you, and under normal circumstances, I would gladly open my door to you at any time. As my cousin Matlock’s friend, I owe you as much.Yet, I have a sister to whom I serve as guardian, and I will not have her exposed to your arrangement with Miss Donnel. You may assume me full of pride and full of prejudice, but I will protect Georgiana.”