Page 154 of Near Pemberley

Darcy looked at the two girls, who refused to leave his side.

“Very well,” he finally said, and went back to the armchair and sat down very slowly.

Lydia took her place at the desk with great seriousness, dipping the pen carefully before looking up.

Darcy began to dictate. The first note was to Richard to make sure he saw to Wickham’s arrest. Then he asked that another note should be sent.

“Dear Miss Bennet, I regret that I must write to inform you that I shall be unable to attend the musicale this evening as we had intended. An unexpected circumstance has arisen which requires my attention, and I must apologise for the inconvenience.”

Lydia wrote every word with admirable concentration.

“Anything else?”

“No. That will suffice.”

She nodded, folded the paper, and sealed it.

“Thank you, Miss Lydia.”

“It is quite all right.”

She carried the note towards the waiting footman. Only when her back was turned did a small smile appear upon her face.

Mr. Darcy’s message was perfectly proper, perfectly composed, and perfectly uninformative. It did not, however, remain entirely as he had dictated.

At the bottom of the page, in a hurried hand, Lydia had added:

Lizzy, please come quickly. Mr. Darcy has fought Wickham, and he is hurt.

She sealed the note with complete satisfaction and handed it to the servant.

Darcy, entirely unaware that his carefully measured explanation had been improved upon considerably, merely thanked her once again.

***

The physician arrived soon and confirmed what Mrs. Barnes had already suspected.

“No broken bones,” he pronounced at last, after examining Darcy’s ribs with professional thoroughness that his patient endured with dignity under the scrutiny of his housekeeper.

“Several severe bruises. A cut lip. One swollen hand. You have been fortunate.”

The doctor bandaged his ribs with a salve and, talking over his patient’s head, instructed Mrs. Barnes to apply the bandage again when he retired. “I recommend rest,” he finally said.

When the doctor had finally departed, leaving behind bandages, ointments and a remarkable number of instructions, Darcy thought to move into his study, hoping his two ladies would be satisfied with his promise that he would take a nap on his couch.

After he took sustenance from the tray provided for him, Darcy leaned back, closing his eyes for a moment. The house had at last grown quiet.

“I suspect,” he murmured, “that I have entirely lost command of my own household.”

For the first time since entering the house, he believed the afternoon might finally settle into peace.

He was mistaken.

Several streets away, a visitor had already set out in great haste.

***

Darcy had almost drifted into an uneasy doze when a quiet knock sounded at the door.