Darcy reached across the desk and gave Georgiana’s hand a gentle squeeze. “And what did you think of Elizabeth? I mean, Miss Bennet?”
“I did like her. Just in that small amount of time I spent with her, I came to like her very much.” She looked at him and smiled. “She is so very unlike any other woman I have seen you with.”
Darcy looked down, feeling somewhat embarrassed. “Now you know very well, Georgiana, that I have never really taken a strong liking to any particular woman. Usually the association was out of duty or obligation or some familial obligation. There may have been a few whose company I enjoyed, but none I would have sought as my wife.”
“Oh, but there were certainly many who wanted you to take a liking to them and who would have, without the slightest hesitation, consented to being your wife!”
“Yes, and I can remember all your comments after I would introduce one of those women to you.”
Georgiana looked down, displaying a childlike pout for her brother. “I was not that bad, was I, Fitzwilliam?”
Darcy laughed. “I quickly discovered, Georgiana, that the quieter you were around the lady, the more vocal you would be to me after she left!”
Darcy smiled at his sister. He had wondered over the years if she would have approved of any lady. He often speculated that his sister would be more reticent to give her approval of a woman than his mother would have been. “And how did you find Elizabeth?”
She smiled. “I enjoyed her company. I felt as though I could talk to her easily. As a matter of fact, Fitzwilliam, I felt perfectly comfortable around her.”
Darcy stood up, guiding Georgiana’s hand around the desk until she was by his side and pulled her close in a hug. “I could not be any happier, knowing my two favourite ladies enjoy one another’s company.”
“Did she say anything about me ?”
Darcy nodded. “As a matter of fact she did. She likes you very much.”
Georgiana sighed, and Darcy knew it was a sigh of contentment.
***
The following day, Darcy concluded that Wickham was nowhere in the vicinity and became suspicious as to the origins of the note. He fixed on departing the following morning to return to Netherfield and determined to spend the rest of the afternoon with Georgiana.
He returned just after midday and after eating a light meal, they walked together around the grounds.
“Who do you believe wrote the letter, Fitzwilliam?” inquired Georgiana as they approached the lake.
“I really do not know. I could not decipher the signature.”
“Perhaps I can. If you still have it, I might look at it when we return.”
“I have it here,” Darcy said, as he reached into a pocket and pulled it out.
Georgiana took it, and Darcy watched as her eyes narrowed.
“What is it, Georgiana?”
“Well, overall, the handwriting does not look familiar, but…”
“Yes?”
“But the way the ‘W’ is made in Wickham’s name. There is only one person I know who makes a ‘W’ like that.”
“Who is that?”
Georgiana looked up with a serious look on her face. “Mr. Wickham.”
A cold chill swept through Darcy as he began to ask himself all of kinds of questions. “Wickham! But why would he…?”
Darcy turned and grabbed Georgiana by the shoulders. “Are you sure of this?”
Georgiana nodded, frightened by the look in his eyes.
“We must get back to Hertfordshire right away!”
“What is it, Fitzwilliam? Why would Wickham want you to come here?”
“The bigger question is why did he want me to leave Netherfield? And how did he even know I was there?”
The two began walking briskly toward the house, Darcy bringing his hand up to rake his fingers through his hair. “The theft!”
“What theft?”
“Someone broke into my room the night of the ball. I just assumed it was someone who wanted some small items that he could easily grab and sell for some easy money.”
“Do you think it was Wickham?”
“I have no doubt it was him.”
They rushed into the house, and Darcy ordered his bag packed as well as a trunk packed for Georgiana as quickly as possible. He was not sure how long they would be gone.
Durnham returned with Darcy’s bag. “It is a full day’s journey, sir. We will not make it there before dark.”
“I know. We will travel as far as we can today and then make the rest of the distance in the morning.”
Darcy paced the floor waiting for Georgiana’s things to be packed. He was confident that the man who broke into his room was Wickham. He shook his head. Is he that desperate for money? There seemed to be something else that he was not seeing. What was it?
Darcy thought back to that night, how Durnham had searched the room after the theft for any missing valuables. Darcy had sensed that he was missing something. He thought back to his room. He kept most of his valuables in the armoire, and they had searched all the drawers in it. Just a few things were gone. There was the closet, but apart from his hanging clothes, nothing really of value that would be easy to lift.
His mind’s eye travelled to the bed and the small table next to it. Normally, he just kept his book…
Suddenly Darcy stopped in his tracks. His eyes widened as he considered what he had neglected to check for that night. The marriage certificate! His heart lurched as he realized with great anguish that he had not looked in that drawer. And if Durnham checked it, he would not have been aware of its presence there, let alone its absence. If Wickham discovered his and Elizabeth’s marriage certificate, what damage had he been doing with it these past few days?
What a fool I am! How did I not think of it?
Darcy restlessly waited for everything to be readied for their departure, and then he rushed through a farewell to the Pemberley staff.
When Darcy and Georgiana were settled in the carriage, the two travelled in silence for quite a distance. At length, after observing her brother’s demeanour for some time, she stated, “I suspect, dear brother, that you have determined what Wickham’s reasons were for ensuring you leave Netherfield.”
Darcy turned sharply and looked at his sister, seeing something in her for the very first time. “How do you know me so well, Georgiana?”
Georgiana smiled. “You wear your great depth of feeling on your face, Fitzwilliam. Over the years, I learned to read your face when you refused to tell me what you were feeling.”
“I never wanted to burden you.”
“I am old enough now. Tell me, what do you think Wickham is up to?”
“Before I tell you what I think Wickham is doing, Georgiana, I must tell you something first, that ultimately I believe will please you, but initially it will confound you. I fear at first you will not understand.”
“I am listening.”
Darcy began rubbing his hands nervously together, while Georgiana waited patiently.
“It is a long story.”
“We have a long ride ahead of us.”
“Yes.” She watched as he turned to look out the window and then turned back and faced her directly. “I told you that Elizabeth and I had been on the ship together that took us to America.”
Georgiana nodded.
“Yes… well…” Darcy took a deep breath. “What I did not tell you… was that she and I…” He reached over and took his sister’s hands. “Georgiana, Elizabeth and I are married. We got married on the ship.”
Georgiana’s jaw dropped and her eyes opened wide. Darcy held on to her hands tightly as she began to pull them away.