17. A Large Cast of Characters

Our Lady of Longbourn

Chapter Seventeen – A Large Cast of Characters

Recap: She grabbed her cloak and bonnet, donned these, and scanned the room for Toliver. When she didn't see him, she naturally assumed that he was with the trap. Nodding her goodbye to Charlotte from across the room, she walked out into the cold night air.

I hope that Mr. Darcy is warm enough, was her last thought before strong hands grabbed her and dragged her to the side of the building. Then a hand gripped her throat and Wickham's glaring face leaned close. "You either know where Mr. Darcy is or you know this family who live by Oakham Mount… and you are going to take me to where they have him hidden, Miss Lizzy."

oOoOOoOo

Elizabeth looked at the man in terror as his hand tightened on her throat. Her eyes searched for Toliver and she saw his body slumped on the ground.

"Don't worry, Miss Lizzy. Your guard-dog isn't dead. He's just going to have a very bad headache when he awakes. I can't promise the same for you if you don't tell me where to find my old friend Darcy."

He released her neck just enough to allow her to speak. Determination sparked in her eyes as she answered, "I don't know what you're talking about. Mr. Darcy is at Netherfield Par…"

Wickham tightened his grip again and snarled, "Don't try that with me, you little chit. I've heard the rumors that my old friend has taken an interest in you. He may have insulted you, but then he apologized and danced with you. Now the man follows you around like a man in love. Don't fool yourself, he's engaged to his cousin and Lady Catherine de Bourg, his aunt, won't allow anyone else to horn in on her daughter's future. Now, tell me where to…"

Suddenly he was jerked away. As his hand released her neck, Elizabeth collapsed against the wall. She watched as two shadows fought in the darkness. One was tall and slender, the other shorter and stout, but it soon became clear that the shorter man was a formidable fighter. After blocking a roundhouse from Wickham, the other figure delivered a blow to the taller man's neck that ended the fight.

Elizabeth flinched as the stout figure approached, but then another familiar female voice intervened, "I'll help Miss Bennet, Hubert. You check on Mr. Toliver."

Louisa Hurst stepped out of the darkness, "Are you all right, Miss Bennet? Don't worry, I will explain, but for now we need to get you, your footman, and Mr. Wickham away from here before anyone else steps out."

Other men stepped out of the shadows and helped Mr. Hurst lift Toliver into the trap. Then she could see a man tying Wickham's hands and the men returned to load him on as well. One of the anonymous figures stepped into the driver's seat of the trap, slapped the reins, and drove away.

"Come, Elizabeth," Louisa prompted. "We'll explain as we ride to Netherfield."

Mr. Hurst stepped in, rubbing his jaw with a bloody-knuckled hand. Louisa exclaimed over him and produced bandages as if this were a common occurrence. "Did you have to fight him yourself, Dear? You have five men who could have helped."

Mr. Hurst grinned and it made him look almost boylike to Elizabeth, "Don't get any good scraps nowadays. Not that he was much of a challenge."

Though Elizabeth was bewildered, she felt the need to say, "Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Hurst… Mrs. Hurst as well… but I don't understand…"

Mr. Hurst nodded, "I apologize, Lady Elizabeth." When Elizabeth made to protest, he continued, "My name is Hubert Reginald Hurst… Sir Hurst, to be more precise… and my wife and I work for the Royal Family."

Elizabeth stiffened at this, remembering Wickham's words from the morning. Her reaction was noted and Hurst raised an eyebrow in concern. "Allow me to explain: Louisa and I were sent here for two purposes. The first was to ascertain Mr. Darcy's suitability to inherit a prominent title. The second was to find you."

"Find me?" Elizabeth repeated in consternation.

"Yes. You see, Queen Charlotte was unconvinced that they were receiving the whole story when Sir William Lucas was knighted, so she wanted me to find out the true story… which led me to you."

"The… Queen…?" Elizabeth felt her world closing in at the edges. The other issue took precedence though, so she fought off her confusion, "And what conclusion did you arrive at concerning Mr. Darcy?"

Mr. Darcy will be the next Duke of Carlisle… probably within the month at the rate that the current Duke is declining."

"Then you don't want him dead?"

"How did you arrive at that question, Miss Bennet? Queen Charlotte is very determined that Darcy be elevated… though the other candidate for the title might wish him dead."

Elizabeth decided to trust the couple. She couldn't say why, but their assertions seemed genuine. If they were working with Mr. Wickham, then he wouldn't be tied up in my carriage. Taking a deep breath, she replied, "When Mr. Wickham and the other man… a Mr. Lowry… shot Mr. Darcy this morning…" The couple sat straight in alarm and Elizabeth continued, "I heard them talking. They were searching for his body, but I had already hidden him. They said that the 'Baron' would be upset if they couldn't find Mr. Darcy, and they mentioned 'Royal Sanction.'"

"The Baron they were talking about must be Baron Stafford. He has a weaker claim to the title, and I can assure you, though he may claim the Prince Regent's support, even Prinny wouldn't dare go that far. His hold on the seat is too tenuous at this time."

Suddenly there were shouts and the carriage jerked to a stop. Mr. Hurst instantly had a pistol in hand, though Elizabeth hadn't seen where it had been concealed. A deep voice demanded, "Halt and present yourselves, by order of the Crown!"

Mr. Hurst nodded to Louisa and set his weapon aside. Elizabeth saw moonlight glint off of something as Louisa Hurst also put something back in a hiding place. Mr. Hurst stepped out and then turned assist first his wife and then Elizabeth.

A very familiar voice said, "Elizabeth, thank God! When we saw the Bosun and another man lying in the trap, I thought the worst!"

"Stephen! I mean, Lord Archer! This night just keeps getting more and more odd."

The Royal Guard recognized Mr. Hurst and the commander called, "Stand down. Order Arms! Good evening, Reginald."

This confirmed Elizabeth's trust, so she made introductions. The Earl explained, "I received your express and immediately went to speak with Her Majesty. She had commissioned me to come and speak with Mr. Darcy concerning an issue, so when I showed her your message, she sent me with her personal troops. Mr. Bingley has already led a group to find him. I brought a Royal physician along as well, just in case."

"What will happen now?"

"If Mr. Darcy can be moved, we will either take him to Netherfield or to London. If he cannot be moved, then he will remain where he is… under Royal Guard and with the physician."

"And me?"

"Mr. Bingley has invited Jane and I to stay at Netherfield for now. Ironic that," Elizabeth started to raise a hand in warning, but Louisa only laughed. "Miss Bennet, we figure out who owned Netherfield Park within two days. I think that it took Mr. Darcy longer, but then he wasn't pursuing the matter. Relax, my sister and brother know nothing."

Elizabeth could only nod. Mr. Hurst spoke up, "It is a cold night and I would like a nice glass of brandy. Perhaps we can adjourn this meeting back to Netherfield?"

All agreed and the caravan proceeded in that direction. The apothecary was sent for since his nephew was currently at a cave looking after another patient. He checked Toliver and was happy to report that the poor man was awake, but very angry… mostly with himself for failing to hear Wickham sneak up on him. Once he knew that Elizabeth was unharmed, he relaxed… until she checked on him and he saw the bruising on her neck. Then it was only the presence of the Royal Guards that kept Wickham alive.

Caroline was up in arms with the presence of both an Earl and the Royal Guards. She didn't know what was going on, but her brother did know and wasn't sharing the information. What she did know was that it concerned her Mr. Darcy and that he was somehow injured, thus the presence of a Royal physician! Caroline knew that Mr. Darcy was wealthy and influential, but she couldn't understand why the Crown was involved. And nobody would tell her anything!

When Lord Archer was first introduced, Caroline was excited. Her second thought was that she needed to get those two mushrooms, the Bennet girls, out of the house before they embarrassed her. But Lord Archer asked to see Miss Bennet! And when she informed him that she had attended a card party at the Phillips residence, he immediately left with half of the Royal Guard! And then her brother left with the other half and the physician.

Caroline wanted to scream!

The Earl returned only thirty minutes later with the Hurst carriage and that Elizabeth Bennet's little trap. She watched out of the window as men unloaded two bodies! For a moment, Caroline hoped that one of those bodies was Elizabeth Bennet, but she saw her being handed out of the carriage by the Earl!

She stood there, bewildered, when the Earl led Miss Bennet up the steps. They were talking familiarly about Miss Kitty and her condition. How does this man even know Kitty Bennet? She heard him say, "I'll go up and visit Kitty in a few minutes, after we get everything squared away. I'll send for Jane first thing in the morning."

"That sounds good, Stephen. I miss Jane." Caroline blanched. Miss Bennet called an Earl by his given name?

Elizabeth saw Caroline and politely said, "Stephen, I believe that you've already met Miss Caroline Bingley? Miss Bingley, allow me to formally introduce you to Lord Stephen Archer, the Earl of Kirby, and my brother-in-law. You'll be hosting my sister Jane, the Countess, when she arrives tomorrow… Stephen, will you send for Benjamin as well? Please?"

"As if I would dare to leave him behind; your mother would kill me."

Caroline felt her world shift as it all became too much and she fainted. Nobody was fast enough to catch her.

Louisa, who had just stepped in with Mr. Hurst, shook her head. "It must have been all too much for her." She instructed two footmen. "Please take her up to her room and send her personal maid to take care of her. Thank you."

oOoOOoOo

Mr. Bingley returned with only the Captain of the Guard later in the evening. "The physician concurs with Doctor Jone's diagnosis: he can't be moved for now," Bingley informed everyone. "Captain Fellowes is dispatching a rider to update Buckingham House. I suspect that Baron Stafford will be arrested in London."

By this point everyone was exhausted, so they went to their beds.

Elizabeth was up bright and early. She found a Royal Guard standing outside of her door, but he made no move to hinder her as she proceeded down the stairs to the dining room. Captain Fellowes, Lord Archer, and another man were already enjoying breakfast. After serving herself at the sideboard, Elizabeth walked to the table. All three men stood, and Stephen made the introductions, "Elizabeth, allow me to introduce Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, Mr. Darcy's cousin. Colonel Fitzwilliam, this is my sister, Elizabeth Bennet."

Colonel Fitzwilliam shared some features with his cousin, but he was nowhere near as handsome. Still, he exuded a certain charm. "So this is the young lady who my cousin wrote about," the Colonel said. When Elizabeth flushed, he gave her a boyish grin, "Oops, I wasn't supposed to say that." Elizabeth knew that he wasn't remorseful in the slightest. "I am honored to meet you, Lady Elizabeth."

Elizabeth scowled, "Is that what he wrote about? I assure you, Colonel, that I had nothing to do with that ridiculous title. It was the product of a child's words and an overzealous populace."

The Colonel, Captain, and Earl exchanged glances. It was Lord Archer who spoke, "Elizabeth, the people here love you and they wish to honor you. I realize that it has caused you some concern, but you needn't worry that it is giving us a poor impression. I can vouch that the sailors of the fleet, if they knew the truth, would carry you up to the steps of St. James Palace to demand knighthood for you. What you did was noteworthy."

She sighed, "I will be happy when it is forgotten."

Captain Fellowes stood up and extracted a letter from the satchel hanging on his seat, "Miss Bennet, that may not happen very soon. This is a letter for you from Her Majesty. She would like to take tea with you in two days' time."

Now it was Elizabeth's turn to feel like fainting.