Page 54 of Undone

Fitzwilliam reached into his coat and withdrew a folded memorandum. “A Mrs. Vane.”

The name struck Darcy with such force that, for an instant, every other thought deserted him.

Mrs. Vane.

Where had he heard...

His breath caught.

Ashcombe.

The lady who had stepped between himself and Lady Catherine.

His knees weakened, and he lowered himself heavily onto the settee.

“You appear more astonished than I expected,” Fitzwilliam observed.

Darcy lifted his eyes to his cousin.

“Unless Providence has resolved to drive me mad with coincidences,” he said after a long silence, “I met a Mrs. Vane five days ago.”

Fitzwilliam straightened.

“Where?”

“At Hathersage.” Darcy drew a slow breath. “She was the lady who intervened when matters between Lady Catherine and myself became...heated.”

For several moments, neither man spoke. Fitzwilliam seemed content to allow the revelation its proper weight before he broke the silence.

“Have you ever met this woman before?”

Darcy shook his head. His mind searched desperately for some forgotten acquaintance, some fleeting introduction, but found nothing.

“Never. I had not seen her before last week.”

“You must think carefully, Darcy.” Fitzwilliam pressed. “The name may not belong to one woman alone, yet I cannot believe it chance that the woman who interrupted your quarrel with my aunt should bear the same name as the widow connected with Mrs. Younge.”

"When she heard my name," Darcy replied, "she said she was glad at last to make the acquaintance of Pemberley's master. Had I met her before, she would not have said so."

His cousin gave a reluctant nod.

“I have already written to Colonel Forster to have Wickham discreetly detained. My men should, by now, have seized Mrs. Younge too.”

Darcy frowned.

“What grounds have we? None of this proves anything.”

“Wickham remains answerable for debts you discharged on his behalf.” Fitzwilliam's voice was steady. “As for Mrs. Younge, she knowingly assisted him in his attempted elopement with Georgiana. That alone may answer before a magistrate. There is also reason to believe the testimonials by which she obtained employment with you were forged. That is conspiracy.”

Darcy inclined his head, though his thoughts remained elsewhere.

“I thank God you did not pursue the matter then,” Fitzwilliam continued. “It may now prove our greatest advantage. Faced with examination, I doubt either of them will preserve the other's secrets for long.”

“What do we do now?”

“We remain here today. Tomorrow, you return to Hertfordshire.”

“Hertfordshire?”