Page 114 of Mr. Darcy’s Diamonds

“Did you at any time leave my sister alone with that man?”

Again, she nodded.

“It was only for a few minutes in this room, Brother. She had to use the necessary, you know, or retrieve an item from her bedchamber. We were never alone for long.” Her red face perhaps told another story.

Alice walked in then and gasped, causing Darcy to turn toward her. He was surprised to see her beaming.

“Alice?”

“I’m so pleased to see you’ve come, Mr. Darcy. Right pleased. I been right worried, sir.”

He nodded his appreciation of her loyalty.

“Alice, go pack Mrs. Younge’s belongings. She will remain here. If you need help carrying her valise down, I will bring it.” He did not trust anyone in this household aside from his sister’s personal maid. A footman might help the former governess pilfer additional items from the house.

Alice curtsied and obeyed.

“Mrs. Younge, I will pay for one night’s lodgings for you. Are you aware of a place?”

“Yes, sir. May I retrieve some items from my room?”

“No. Alice can manage. You will answer my questions until I have sent you away.”

Once he had dispensed with the despicable woman a quarter of an hour later, he wrote a letter to Wickham, addressing it with the direction Mrs. Younge had given him.

He then turned to his sister, who was now alone in the room with him.

“You must be tired, Georgiana. Why do you not retire? We shall go to London as soon as my carriage arrives tomorrow.”

“What did you write to George? Have you invited him to Pemberley for the wedding?”

“That man will never be invited to Pemberley. Do you not understand what kind of…” Darcy took a deep breath and exhaled, then another.

“We are to be married. I will not return to London without him.”

Darcy sat beside her and put his arm around her. “Georgie, I am so sorry he deceived you.”

“Deceived me? No, only wait until tomorrow. He will come speak to you in the morning.”

Darcy sighed. “Did he tell you that when he discovered I was here? Before he escaped through the back door?”

“He was not escaping. He only knew I wished to greet you myself and tell you of our news.”

Darcy held his sister more tightly in his arms and kissed the top of her head.

“Would you like to remain here another day? The horses will need to rest, but we should leave Saturday morning.”

“George will come tomorrow, and I will show you my favorite places here. But let us stay until Monday, Brother. I wish to attend services together on Sunday.”

“Very well.” He had hoped to get back to Elizabeth immediately, but he could do this for his sister.

“Thank you, Brother.”

Darcy had no more strength that night to explain to his sister the kind of man Wickham was. Tomorrow would be soon enough to shatter her childish belief in people.

Rather than sleeping once he had retired, he pulled out his sister’s letters and read them all again. He had worried that he had been too focused on Elizabeth lately to have noticed his sister’s plight, but he found nothing in the letters that would have alerted him to a man’s presence in her life. Was he so blind, or was his sister deliberately deceiving him? She had made no mention of any friends in Ramsgate. Her letters were full of Mrs. Younge keeping up her French conversation and discussing literature and of shopping and walks along the beach. Her letters had appeared entirely innocent.

After sleeping not more than two or three hours, the early sunrise prompted Darcy to leave his bedchamber. He wandered about the house, wondering whether Wickham had entered any rooms besides the drawing room and dining room and feeling sick at the thought. He reached the bedchamber that had been Mrs. Younge’s and walked inside. It was a comfortable room. He had paid Mrs. Younge well. Why would she betray her employer and her charge?