Colonel Fitzwilliam's Dilemma Page 24

  “No, I dare say she will not.” Lizzy felt terribly sorry for Anne. She had changed from a timid mouse into a lively, independent woman with character and determination. Lizzy didn’t doubt that she would marry Asquith as soon as she was of age, regardless of her mother’s feelings, forfeiting her fortune for the man she adored. Even so, it could not be an easy decision to have to make, choosing between one’s mother–no matter how dictatorial–and one’s heart’s desire. “Presumably the liaison in the maze was arranged by Mr. Asquith so he could propose.”

  Anne’s permanent smile widened. “Yes.” She gave her head a defiant toss. “And I have accepted him.”

  “I am very glad to hear it. I hope you will be very happy.”

  “You approve?” Anne looked both surprised and relieved. “I hoped you might but I thought you would caution me against giving up Rosings. I am perfectly sure I shall have to, and everyone will think I am out of my senses. But to tell you the truth, it feels as though a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I know Mr. Asquith wants me for myself and not for Rosings you see, because he is aware Mama will disinherit me and he doesn’t care. Well of course he would much prefer to be master of Rosings, but he is sensible enough to know that cannot be.”

  Lizzy smiled. It was the longest speech she had ever heard Anne make. Being in love, and defiant, had made her loquacious.

  “You never know.”

  “Oh, I know. Believe me, I know only too well. Mama hates to be defied. She will never tolerate it from me.”

  “Yes, there is that.”

  “Mr. Asquith declared himself now because he is convinced he will be dismissed the moment Mama learns the colonel and I do not plan to wed. He wanted to know how I felt, but can you believe this?” Anne stopped walking and turned to face Lizzy, her eyes glowing with animation. “He really thought I would reject his suit. How silly!”

  “I am very glad you had the good sense not to do so. Mr. Asquith is a fine young man and worth fighting for. I am sure you will be very happy.”

  “Yes, I am sure of that too, although I expect I shall feel guilty about Mama for a long time. She will be very lonely in that big house without me, but she would never admit it.”

  “Will Mr. Asquith start looking for a new position?”

  “Yes, he plans to do so.”

  “Then I shall have a word with Mr. Darcy. He has a lot of influence around these parts, and if anyone is in need of a tutor then I am sure he will be happy to recommend to Mr. Asquith.”

  “Oh, thank you. That is very kind. I should like to be close to Pemberley.” Anne looked startled. “Who would have imagined me ever saying that?”

  “Times and circumstances change.”

  “That is certainly true. Speaking of which, please make sure any positions on offer allow for a wife to remain with her husband. I do not intend to cross swords with Mama only to be separated from Mr. Asquith.”

  Lizzy laughed. “As if I could overlook anything so important.”

  They strolled along the treeline, enjoying the array of colours above their heads. With the arrival of autumn, the leaves had started to turn glorious shades of red, russet, and brown. Because they were both looking up, they did not see a man emerge from the tree line until they almost bumped into him.

  “Miss de Bourgh?” the man asked, sweeping off his hat and executing an elegant bow.

  Fear trickled down Lizzy’s spine. She had never met this man but knew at once who he must be. His nose was swollen and crooked as though it had recently been broken. She recalled seeing scratches on Colonel Fitzwilliam’s knuckles last night. It did not take a genius to put the two things together. This was Percival Sheffield and he had sneaked onto the Pemberley estate to extract revenge in some way.

  Before Lizzy could turn and call for help, Anne spoke.

  “Yes, I am Anne de Bourgh. Who are you and what do you want of me?”

  “Anne, run!”

  Anne turned to look at Lizzy with a quizzical expression, but didn’t move. “Why?”

  Perdition, Anne. Just run. You are in danger. Anne still didn’t move. What to do? With seconds to react, Lizzy could do nothing more than thrust herself between Anne and Sheffield.

  “Leave this property at once,” she said. “You are trespassing.”

  “Gladly, but I won’t be leaving alone. Stand aside.”

  Lizzy spread her arms in a futile attempt to hide Anne from his view, as if by not seeing her, he would forget she was there. “Certainly not.”

  “Very well then. Have it your way.”

  Sheffield gave Lizzy a vicious shove, causing her to lose her balance. She gave a startled cry as she fell heavily to the ground, badly winded. Her head swirled, and her first thought was for the baby she carried. Please God, don’t let it be harmed. She was conscious of Anne crouching beside her, her brow creased with concern. Lizzy wanted to shake her, tell her to flee while she still could, but it was too late now to do anything. She watched, helpless as Sheffield bent down, scooped Anne from the ground, threw her bodily over his shoulder, and disappeared into the trees.

  ***

  Joshua caught Darcy’s eye across the table. This was purgatory, attempting a serious game of billiards with Collins, who could barely strike the ball cleanly. Joshua could see that Darcy had reached the end of his patience. Following his example, he replaced his cue in the rack. Bingley did so too, claiming the need to check on his wife. Darcy disappeared in the direction of the estate office and Joshua made a hasty exit also, leaving Collins standing beside the table looking rather stupid, with a cue still in his hand.

  Joshua strode away from the room, mentally rehearsing what he planned to say to Lady Catherine when the time came and encountered Asquith crossing the vestibule.

  “A perfectly good game of billiards was brought to an end by Collins,” he explained by way of greeting.

  Asquith expressed sympathy. “Does he even know how to play?”

  “Barely. His cueing was so uncoordinated that we feared for Darcy’s baize and brought the game to an early end.”

  Asquith chuckled. “Very wise.”

  He glanced out the window, smiling at the sight of Mrs. Darcy and Anne arm in arm on the farthest edge of the lawn. His smile turned into a frown when it occurred to him that something wasn’t quite right. The ladies were talking to a man who approached them from the trees. At first, Joshua thought it must be one of the estate’s keepers, but soon realised his mistake when the rogue knocked Mrs. Darcy violently to the ground.

  “Asquith, look!”

  Asquith took in the scene in a second, and both men headed for the door at a run. Joshua paused to tell a footman to summon Darcy from the estate office. They raced across the expanse of grass, not wasting breath by speaking. Joshua groaned as they got closer and he recognised the man. It was Sheffield. Damnation, Cox had put him on the London coach but he had obviously got off at the first stop and doubled back, bent on revenge. Deuce take it, Joshua should have considered that possibility.

  They reached Mrs. Darcy, who was attempting to sit up.

  “I think it was Sheffield. He took Anne,” she said, gasping. “Someone has to stop him.”

  “Stay with Mrs. Darcy, Asquith.”

  “No, you stay. I shall get Anne back.” Asquith’s tone brooked no argument. “Which is the most likely direction for him to have taken?”

  “There’s a path directly through the woods to the perimeter of the estate,” Joshua replied. “He probably has a horse tethered there. Go! I shall send others after you as soon as they get here.”

  “You go too, Colonel. You know the estate. I shall be fine.”

  Asquith disappeared. Much as Joshua would have liked to go with him, he could not leave Mrs. Darcy. She was in a delicate condition, and Darcy would crucify him when he saw her like this, pale and trembling. And so he should. This was all Joshua’s fault. He had been told Sheffield was devious and intelligent but he had not given those factors suitable consideration
. When a man loses all expectation he can become desperate, rather like a cornered wild animal.

  Darcy came racing across the lawn, several footmen in his wake.

  “Lizzy!” he cried, crouching down and cradling his wife’s head. “Are you hurt?”

  ***

  Anne could not believe her own stupidity. This oaf had no business being on the Pemberley estate, springing out of the woods and accosting them. She ought to have heeded Lizzy’s warning and taken to her heels instead of standing there like a fool. But even if she had reacted quicker and understood the danger, she still would not have done that and left Lizzy to face this brute alone. She was in a delicate condition and could not run. Lord above, the man knocked her down! If she or the baby were hurt, Mr. Darcy’s fury would know no bounds.

  Don’t think about that now, she told herself. There was nothing she could do to help Lizzy. Instead, she concentrated on her own situation. Her head bumped repeatedly against the man’s back as he clutched her legs and moved through the trees at a rapid pace. She was unable to kick him because he had too tight a hold on her calves. The impudent brute! But she refused to be kidnapped without making a fight of it. She tried wriggling around. If Sheffield—for she realised now that was who he must be—was inconvenienced by her movement, it didn’t slow him down. She didn’t weigh very much and he appeared to be discouragingly strong.

  Even so there must be something she could do to help herself or at least delay him until reinforcements arrived.

  “Where are you taking me?”

  “Be quiet or it will be the worse for you.”

  Nothing could be worse than this. This had proven to be the very best morning of her entire life and the very worst. She had accepted a proposal of marriage from a man who had demonstrated his absolute love for her in the most romantic fashion imaginable, and then was careless enough to allow herself to be kidnapped by a desperate fiend. She had once thought her life dull and tedious. At that particular moment she would not complain about a little tedium.

  He would have a horse somewhere, she thought. She could not allow him to get her on its back and take her off the estate. If that happened, she might never be found. Either way, her reputation would be in tatters. In some respects, that might work in her favour. If she was looked upon as having been compromised it would be social suicide. All her money and position would be insufficient to restore her to society’s good graces, and Mama could hardly object to her marrying Mr. Asquith. Even so, she would infinitely prefer to be rescued before Mama returned from her mysterious outing, then she need know nothing about it.

  Her hopes improved when her abductor turned off the path and took a narrow fork, reminding her of her earlier journey through the maze. Was that only an hour or so ago? Clearly he meant to hide her on the estate until the search went wider. Anne tugged one of the yellow ribbons from her hair and dropped it at the juncture of the main path and the fork Sheffield had taken. It would be impossible for her pursuers to miss. Impossible for Sheffield to miss as well if he happened to look back. Fortunately that did not happen. He seemed too intent upon reaching his destination before anyone caught up with him. He must know he wouldn’t have much of a head start.

  They reached a ramshackle building. Anne thought it was probably an abandoned woodsman’s cottage. Even from her undignified upside down position over Sheffield’s shoulder she could see the roof had collapsed and the entire structure looked on the point of falling in on itself. This man had chosen well, especially given what little time he must have had to reconnoitre. But for her ribbon, she doubted whether anyone would think to look in this direction.

  Sheffield ducked his head as he carried her through the crooked doorway and threw her, none too gently, onto some foul-smelling sacking. She sent him a murderous glare as she rubbed her sore limbs, but he didn’t appear to notice. Satisfied that she was uninjured, Anne took a good look around the place, intent upon escape. It exuded an aroma of damp and decay, and had only one way in and out through the doorway Sheffield was blocking with his bulk. The walls were of flimsy timber, and looked as though a strong male shoulder would be able to knock them down. A male shoulder. That was the problem. One as feeble as her own would never do the job.

  She looked up at her abductor, adopting one of her mother’s most aloof expressions.

  “What is the meaning of this outrage?” she asked imperiously, astonished she was furious rather than afraid.

  “Blame your friend Fitzwilliam.” Sheffield spoke with difficulty, his voice nasal thanks to his broken nose. “He took what was mine and I’m returning the favour.”

  “If you think you will get away with this then you are deluded.”

  “I got you this far, didn’t I?”

  “And they will find you.”

  “Nah, they’ll go straight for the perimeter. I didn’t have long to plan this. Thanks to Fitzwilliam, I knew you was likely to leave here tomorrow, once your loving Mama realised the two of you ain’t set on marrying. Still, Percival Sheffield don’t need long to make plans. I have an accomplice who will collect us at nightfall and take us somewhere safe. That will give Mama time to get really worried. Then, when I make my demands tomorrow, she will fall over herself to pay me. From what I hear, she will hardly notice the loss.”

  “You seem to forget, they know who you are. It is hard to disguise oneself with a broken nose.”

  Sheffield snarled at her. “I shall be long gone, back to Jamaica, by the time they think to hunt me down. Besides, they won’t want to make a fuss for fear of damaging your precious reputation.”

  Yes, very likely, but Anne remained silent rather than giving the odious man the satisfaction of knowing he was right.

  ***

  “Is Mrs. Darcy all right?” Asquith asked when Joshua and two footmen caught up with him.

  Joshua’s lips tightened. “She says she is. Darcy is not so sure. Any sign of Sheffield?”

  “Not so far, but he must have taken this path.”

  “Make haste,” Joshua said. “There is no profit in stealth. We must stop him taking her off the estate at all costs.”

  Asquith led the way, moving fast but keeping a close eye on the ground. It had rained heavily a few days ago and footprints made by a man bearing the weight of a young lady over his shoulder, damn his impudence, had sunk into the loamy leaf mould. Joshua continuously glanced ahead but saw no movement, heard no unnatural sounds. Why wasn’t Anne screaming as loud as she could? She must know they would be immediately on her trail. Although perhaps she did not. She and Mrs. Darcy had been some distance from the house and it was pure chance that Asquith and Joshua happened to observe the abduction.

  “If anything happens to Miss de Bourgh, if Sheffield harms so much as one hair on her head, I will not be held responsible for my actions,” Asquith muttered, his expression murderous.

  Ah, so that was the way things were. Joshua slapped his shoulder. “Fear not, Asquith, she is too important to him to risk harming her.”

  “That had damned well better be the case. I am responsible for her welfare, but instead of putting her interests first, I agreed to go along with your plan, indirectly placing her in danger.” He ground his jaw. “Worse yet, I was not there to protect her when she needed me the most.” He shook his head in disgust. “I am a miserable failure, a sorry excuse for a man.”

  “Don’t waste time on regrets,” Fitzwilliam replied. “Besides, Anne herself agreed to go along with the scheme. I doubt anything you said would have stopped her.”

  “I could have told Lady Catherine.”

  “For which Anne would never have forgiven you.” Although part of Joshua now wished he had done so anyway.

  “Here, what is this?”

  Asquith stopped abruptly, and Fitzwilliam almost cannoned into his back. He held a finger to his lips, advising caution.

  “This is the ribbon Anne had in her hair earlier,” he whispered, glancing further along the main path. “The footsteps end here. They only go o
ne way, which is towards Pemberley, so Sheffield must have taken this path to try and fool us. Miss de Bourgh kept her wits about her. I told her leaving signs was a good way not to get lost in a maze. Do we know what’s down here?”

  “There used to be a woodsman’s cottage, but it was abandoned years ago when I was still a boy,” Joshua whispered back.

  “A perfect hiding place,” Asquith said softly. “We never would have thought to look there without Miss de Bourgh’s quick thinking.”

  “How did he find it?” Joshua mused. “He hasn’t had much time.”

  “He must have an accomplice, someone he met at the inn, who worked here at one time and holds a grudge. I can’t think how else he can have done it. He would not risk trying to get back to the perimeter in case we caught up with him. Besides, being mounted on a horse in broad daylight with an unwilling lady would attract attention.”

  “Right, this is what we ought to do.” Joshua took control because he was a soldier accustomed to doing so. “There are four of us against one, but we don’t know if Sheffield is armed. If he is, you can be sure he will hurt Miss de Bourgh if that’s what it takes to get away. He won’t be expecting us to find him but he will still be alert.”

  “What do you have in mind, sir?” Asquith asked.

  “A ruse,” Joshua replied. “He knows me and wants to revenge himself against me. I suggest I walk right up to the door, without using any stealth. I will tell him others are searching farther into the woods, but I plan to take Anne back from him then and there. Of course he will decline that invitation.”

  “And in the meantime we will have crept to all sides of the building,” Asquith said. “While you two argue, we swoop in and get Anne.”

  “Precisely, but only when I give you the signal. Are we ready?”

  Everyone nodded, and Joshua, his expression grim and resolute, strode purposefully up the path.

  ***

  Anne thought Sheffield had probably been a handsome man before the colonel broke his nose, but there was also a petulance about him. He was the sort of man who assumed life owed him a living simply because he had been blessed with good looks. His indolent nature and what she had been told about his disinclination for honest work, implied he traded on his looks and charm to get what he wanted. Anne could well understand why Mrs. Sheffield wanted nothing to do with him. Unfortunately, Anne currently had a great deal to do with him and was powerless to stop him from harming her if that was his intention. She didn’t think he would actually kill her. If he did that, his financial expectations would die with her. She suppressed a shudder when she considered there were worse things he could do to her.