26. Missing Person

Our Lady of Longbourn

AN: My story isn't over, yet, so don't worry, but I would like to take a few minutes to thank all of the reviewers who have helped me. At the end I may try to list everyone who took the time to help with specific issues. Irina, thank you very much for your comprehensive explanation on the proper orders, titles, honors, etc. of the nobility in the United Kingdoms. I will go back and attempt to clean up all of my numerous errors in that department. Hopefully I'll be able to finish out my story without too manyerrors. It is no fun when the mistakes distract from the storyline.

Sir Hubert Hurst's mission concerning the dukedom was not to choose the best successor, but rather to find proof of someone with a better claim to the title. And while it is true that a Duke didn't have overwhelming political power, at the time of the King's madness the nobility was very aggressively jockeying for power and control over the crown, with many factions at play. In this story Queen Charlotte was attempting to stack the deck with decent men and avoid giving power to a known rat. I hope this explains my reasoning and allows everyone to enjoy the story.

I did want to address one statement though: I am not trying to create a superwoman and I don't believe that I have. This actually goes back to point-of-reference. I come from a long line of people-who-do-things. By this I mean that I was raised with the ideas like: "If you see a problem, don't complain about it. Find a way to fix it" and "The only insurmountable obstacle is our own negativity." In other words, I believed, and raised my own children to be problem solvers. I served in the military and quickly became involved in a elite organization full of people who thought just the same. When I left the military, I worked with several start-ups, two of which became global entitities... so I am proud to have spent a my life around People-who-do-things instead of just complaining about them. In this story, as in my other stories, I am simply writing characters who are like the people who I've been privileged to know, serve with, and work with.

So then, on to the story.

Chapter Twenty-Six – Missing Person

November Twenty-seventh saw a caravan of carriages traveling south from Meryton towards London. The residents of the little villages along the way must have thought that they might be seeing a parade, so numerous were the fine carriages, ornate liveries, and beautiful horses. The Carlisle coach could comfortably carry six inside, so with Lord Carlisle and Colonel Fitzwilliam, Georgiana, Mrs. Annesley, and Lady Longbourn traveled quite comfortably and within acceptable decorum.

Georgiana had truly grown to love Elizabeth, even in such a short time, so she lost her shyness and carried on an animated conversation with her soon-to-be sister. Richard, comfortable in any company, made a third and there was much talk and laughter on the ride. Darcy was content for the most part just sitting back and watching the people he loved most as they conversed. His greatest pleasure was seeing the way that Georgiana had finally overcome both childhood shyness and the trials of Ramsgate to become the bright and cheerful young woman who was riding in the coach at this moment.

He wasn't entirely silent of course. He often had to intervene during one of Richard's numerous tales, especially the ones concerning their shared childhood antics. Richard, with great intentionality, often skewed the stories in his own favor, mostly to draw out a protest from his much more taciturn cousin. This led to many debates on particulars and much laughter. Darcy didn't mind, mostly because of his sister's laughter and the enticing sparkle in his beloved's eyes.

As they neared London proper, the various conveyances began to peel off on the particular routes that would take them to their destinations. On the previous evening the ladies had all managed to arrange visits, dinners, and even events and pass on invitations, so there was the expectation of being in company regularly. Of course the Darcys and Bennets would be mostly absent while preparations were completed for the big event.

The Darcys had agreed to continue at Dover House, both due to its current anonymity as the abode of the new duke and due to its proximity to Archer House, where Catherine would also be. She and Georgiana had all manner of activities planned for when they weren't needed, but for the moment Catherine was helping with Benjamin in the Archer carriage.

At their final stop before their destination, Georgiana made a request, "Brother, before we continue on to Dover House, could we stop at our home? There are a few items that I was hoping to collect."

Darcy nodded as he handed his sister up into the carriage, "Of course, dear. Let me talk to Stephen so that he knows and then we'll be on our way... Ummm... Elizabeth, do you mind? If you would rather, you can finish your journey with your sister?"

Elizabeth smiled back, "That will not be necessary, Fitzwilliam. Among other things she wanted, Georgiana and I wanted to search through her music scores in order to have practice music during the week."

"Very well. I shall return shortly."

Another hour saw them pulling in front of Darcy House. When the footman handed their passengers down, Mrs. Annesly noted a valise sitting in the shadows on the top landing. "Miss Darcy, do you recognize this valise?"

Darcy, meanwhile, reached for his key, but the door opened and Mr. Jarvis welcomed them, "Hello, Your Grace, and welcome home. I and a small staff are collecting several items to make your stay at Dover House more convenient."

He was preparing to extend his greeting to the others, but Georgiana spoke first, "Mr. Jarvis, might you know who this valise belongs to? It was left here on the landing."

Jarvis looked down at the item while the others filed in, his brow furrowed, "I am afraid that I do not. We only arrived here twenty minutes ago and we entered through the service entrance. Have you looked inside, Miss Darcy?"

"No, I shall do that now. It is clearly a lady's bag, so it would be proper for examine the contents in private. Elizabeth, would you be willing to assist?"

Elizabeth nodded, "Of course." Because Georgiana already intended to collect items from her room, the two ladies proceeded up the stairs. Once in, they set the luggage on her bed and respectfully began extracting the contents. It was the third item that told the tale: it was a stylish but over-embellished dress... and it was distinctly orange in color.

oOoOOoOo

Annabeth walked triumphantly into the dank basement where three men stood with crossed arms. In a rough wooden chair in the center of the room a tall, slender figure with a feed sack over her head was groggily shaking her head and trying to understand what was happening through the intense pain in her head. "Excellent job, gentlemen. Now let us all meet Lady Longbourn." She stepped forward and yanked the hood off of the woman's head. In the dim light it took a moment, but then the bewildered face became familiar to Annabeth.

Prior to their trip to Ramsgate, this annoying creature had presented herself several times at Darcy House... what was her name? Bingley... Caroline Bingley! "You Fools! This is not Elizabeth Bennet!" She remembered the condescension and outright rudeness that she had been forced to endure from this annoying woman. In a fit, she took out her rage on the woman, first slapping her and then kicking her so hard that the chair fell over before whipping around to yell at the three men. "Idiots! You grabbed the wrong woman! And this one knows me!

Then she shrieked in frustration, "I already sent out the note! They have alerted now! We may never get close to her or to Darcy!"

Wyatte was not used to being yelled at by anyone, much less a woman. He glared at the figure weeping on the floor, a young woman with a fine figure, and he growled, "We will get the lady. But what should we do about that'n?" He licked his lips, clearly forming his own ideas.

A shrill, terrified voice spoke out, "I can help you! I know Eliza Bennet! She's just some country nobody! I will help you find her! Please, I know what she looks like and I know who she stays with in London! Please!?"

oOoOOoOo

Sir Hubert Hurst tried to settle his wife as she paced the drawing room of Dover House and wrung her hands. None of the others, Bingley, Darcy, Elizabeth, Georgiana, or the Archers had any more to offer. The colonel had gone on his own search of the neighborhood, so far with no results. Bingley had sent notice to the Hursts as soon as he received the information that Caroline had left their aunt's home, but nobody knew where she might be now.

Hurst tried to provide direction by listing his own actions, "I sent a note seeking Caroline at the homes all of the usual compatriots. I also have men posted outside of each, just in case she makes an appearance. We've located the coach she commissioned, but the driver could only say that he dropped Caroline at the door of Darcy house. He didn't linger. Nobody in the neighborhood saw or heard anything, including her arrival and departure. There doesn't seem to be much more that we can do."

"But... where could she be?" Louisa worried, her eyes on her brother as well as on her husband. Nobody had any answers.

Then Mr. Jarvis stepped in and cleared his throat, "Your Grace, a messenger boy just delivered this." He offered a silver tray with a note. The quality of the paper was cheap and the wax had no seal. Darcy took the note and broke the seal. The he cursed softly and and glanced up at Elizabeth with confusion. Finally he read it out loud for all to hear:

Darcy,

Now that you are a Duke, perhaps you think that you can do whatever you want without consequences. Now you will know that you are wrong. You, your sister, and your woman shall all pay dearly for your hubris. No place is safe from us. We have your lady. If you want her back, then be prepared to pay twenty-thousand pounds. Do not try to gain any information from the messenger. He cannot help you. Another messenger will come this evening with instructions. Do not delay. My men are not well behaved and they might seek their entertainment from Lady Longbourn.

Your enemy

"They think that they have me," Elizabeth said softly. Jane stepped over and laid a comforting hand on her sister's arm.

"They dare!" Darcy growled in fury, "When I find them..."

"The point, at the moment," Stephen intervened, "Is that they have Miss Bingley and they think that they have Elizabeth. When they discover their error..." Both Louisa and Bingley blanched at the words the earl left unspoken.

"They think they have Elizabeth," Hurst mused, more to himself than anyone else, but Elizabeth spoke up, "That suggests that they don't know me or Miss Bingley."

"Not necessarily," Darcy replied, "Yes, the ones who grabbed her didn't know her, but that doesn't necessarily mean that none of them know. This letter..." he shook the paper as if it were a snake, "... has a feeling of familiarity. This is about revenge, not money. It is someone who believes he has something against me."

Elizabeth turned her head to the side to get a better angle on the note in Darcy's hand. Darcy, noting her action, extended it to her. "I believe that a woman wrote this. It is definitely a woman's hand... and someone who is well educated. The script is clean, neat, and even... one might venture to say elegant." She looked up at Darcy as Hurst stepped over and also looked the note over, "Do you recognize the handwriting?"

Darcy closed his eyes and considered, then he shook his head, "It has a hint of the familiar, but nothing definite."

"Perhaps Georgiana?"

"No! I don't wish..." He stopped when Elizabeth gently touched his hand, "You cannot shield her all of her life, my love."

Darcy met his lady's eyes and calmed, "Jarvis, could you please ask Georgiana to step in?"

A few minutes later, Georgiana and Catherine stepped in, looking worried, "Brother? Is there any news?"

"Yes dear..." he led her to a seat. "We have received a note. It is... unpleasant... there... Elizabeth suggested that you might recognize the handwriting?" He extended the note to her. She turned white as she read the message, then gasped and her hands began shaking.

"My dear?" Darcy prompted. Georgiana looked up at her brother and almost whispered, "That is Mrs. Younge's handwriting, Brother."

oOoOOoOo

Bosun Toliver and several footmen stood guard over the ladies while the other men headed off towards the boarding house that was Mrs. Younge's last known location, according to Darcy and Richard. Hughes had tried to insist that the search be conducted by himself and Richard, but neither Darcy nor Bingley were in a mood to listen. Stephen remained behind, but stepped out when contacted concerning a matter at Admiralty House.

As the Earl rode away, Caroline Bingley pointed, "There! I know him! He's the Earl, Eliza's brother-in-law."

"You said they'd be at Archer House. What's the name of that place?" Wilbur Wyatte demanded, his face too close.

Caroline cringed back, frightened of his dangerous aura, the way he leered at her and the liberties he kept taking. His horrid breath and missing teeth only added to the disgust and fear that she felt. Yet he, his mates, and that crazy woman might be the solution she needed to rid herself and her duke of that hateful little country usurper. "I don't know, but I recognized the man at the door as the Darcy's butler, Mr. Jasper. This must be one of the Duke's new homes."

"Fair enough," Wyatte growled. He turned to his two men, "Go around the building. See if there are other ways to get in. I'll jes' sit here wit' the lady." He grinned an ugly grin and the two men scoffed before heading off on their assignments."

Caroline shrunk back into her seat as Wyatte looked her over, but then the door opened and Annabeth stepped in, "I just spoke with the scullery maid at Archer House. It seems that this other house," She pointed to the one that the others had already identified, "Is Dover House, one of the Duke's new residences. He gets richer and my poor George gets the hangman's noose."

Wyatte growled out, "This'n saw Archer steppin' out of that house. That means they's in there. All'v em."

Annabeth cackled. That was the only way Caroline could describe that laugh. Then she smiled an evil smile, "Not the Duke, or the Colonel, or this one's brother, or another one I don't know. They all took off in a hurry. Unless I miss my guess, they are heading over to _ Street."

Wyatte nodded knowingly, "So they think to catch you there. That means that all the menfolk are out'n the womenfolk are home."

While the two pondered this and Caroline tried to think of a way to escape, the two other men returned. "Thar's two other doors. T'servant's door and a big'n fer goods n'the like. The bign' is old an' needs fix'n... we could get in that way an' nobody'd know."

Annabeth looked at the three men for a moment, then grinned balefully, "Do it."

oOoOOoOo

Darcy searched through the room with frustration. Mrs. Younge wasn't there and, from the coldness in the hearth, it didn't seem that she'd been there at all that day. A tickle in his spine gave him pause and he looked over at the others. "We need to get back to the ladies."

Bingley protested, "But what about Caroline?"

Hughes grunted, rubbing his neck, "I agree with Darcy. Somehow I have the feeling that leaving them there was a mistake. We won't find Caroline here anyway, Charles."

Minutes later the four men were hurtling back towards Dover House, over forty-minutes away at their best speed.

oOoOOoOo

Bosun Toliver looked up and lifted his lamp from where he was investigating the layout of the basement floor. Hethought he heard the wrenching of wood. Thinking quickly, he extinguished his lamp and allowed his eyes to adjustto the dark.

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