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“So, this dinner party is to introduce your … her to me and to our aunt and uncle, as well as a select few of their acquaintances?”

“It is.”

“Does it not bother you that she is near to delivering another man’s child?”

“Lady Morgan cannot help what her present situation entails, and, unfortunately, the courts do not look favourably on a woman who is not under a man’s protection.”

“Whatever the case, you cannot know her well enough to marry. After all, I have never heard you mention her name before.”

“Actually, I met Lady Morgan over two years ago. I think you will recall I mentioned the Bennet family often when I wrote to you from Netherfield the summer I visited Bingley.”

“I recall you mentioning only one Bennet—Miss Elizabeth. You touted her dark hair, ebony eyes and quick wit so often in your letters that I expected to call her my sister before the summer was over. In fact, for the very first time, I had begun to entertain the idea that you had fallen in love.”

William was glad for the darkness now. Praying Georgiana would not see the despondency that covered him like a heavy woollen cloak whenever his thoughts turned to Elizabeth, he forced his voice to sound cheerful as he pretended his attachment to her meant nothing.

“I-I suppose you could say I was infatuated with her, but the more we learned about each other, the more we seemed not to fit. You see, I saw Elizabeth again when I went to Rosings the following spring. She happened to be visiting her close friend who had married Lady Catherine’s rector, Mr. Collins.”

Georgiana pulled a face at the mention of that odious man, though William failed to notice, for he was focused on trying to describe his indifference towards Elizabeth. “We were in each other’s company almost daily whilst at Rosings, and eventually we had a horrid disagreement. It was so distressing that, unfortunately, we never spoke privately again.”

“What was the disagreement about?”

“As I recall, we were discussing what we each wanted in the future, and she let me know that her future plans definitely did not include me.”

“So, what do the Bennets of Hertfordshire have to do with Lady Morgan? I do not recall you ever mentioning any Morgans in your letters.”

“Lady Morgan is Elizabeth’s older sister; she was Jane Bennet at that time. She married Lord Morgan after … well, truthfully, after her youngest sister ruined the family by running away with a cad who never intended to marry her.”

Preferring to keep secret the name of the man Lydia ran away with, lest it upset his sister even more, William did not mention Wickham’s name.

“Lord Morgan was kind enough not to hold her sister’s actions against Miss Jane Bennet; thus, they married not long after Charles Bingley vacated Netherfield.”

“It seems odd that you would engage yourself to someone whose sister you once ardently admired.” When William’s brows knit as if poised to argue more, she added, “Do not try to convince me that you never loved Elizabeth Bennet, for I know in my heart that you did. Never had you extolled any woman’s beauty or intelligence in your letters as you did hers.”

William decided he could not successfully argue with the truth. “I cannot deny it; however, my infatuation with Elizabeth Bennet ended long ago.”

Whilst Georgiana seemed to be contemplating that, William pressed the issue. “May I count on your presence at the dinner party? I can assure you that I have never met a kinder, gentler person than she. Moreover, Lady Morgan is in a very vulnerable position at present and would appreciate your approbation more than you know.”

“I-I will attend,” Georgiana replied, making William let go a breath he had unwittingly held before she added, “However, after what Anne did to you … to us, I will never again trust anyone until I am convinced of their sincerity, and that trust will not result from one meeting or even a short acquaintance. That is the best I can offer.”

“That is all I ask,” William said, leaning in to place a kiss atop Georgiana’s head. “I am certain you can trust Lady Morgan, else I would never ask this of you. Still, I understand that she must earn your trust.”

“I-I pray she will.”

Sheffield

Elizabeth had no idea that two men had followed her and Mr. Hill to Sheffield, nor that they had taken rooms at the same inn. Masters of disguise, Drago and Sully looked nothing like they had when they robbed and murdered Lord Morgan, except for the fact that one was tall and thin, the other short and stout. In any case, their plan was to stay hidden in their room, whilst still being aware of Miss Bennet’s activities by using their contact in the constable’s employ, Sully’s half-brother, Tom Miller.

Sully had tasked Tom with listening for any talk of the murders of Lord Morgan’s party, so his brother rushed to their room at the only inn just as soon as Elizabeth left the constable’s presence. Eager to be thought useful, he explained that he had tried to hear what was being said between Miss Bennet and Constable Stone, but that had proved impossible, as the door was too sturdy. Moreover, had he put his ear to the door, Mr. Hill would certainly have noticed. Still, he did inform them that Miss Bennet had stated she wished to speak to the constable regarding her brother’s death, and after locating Harry Wilburn, he had heard the constable instruct that man to accompany Miss Bennet as she interviewed those living near the bridge where the murders occurred.

Naturally, Drago and Sully were not happy to learn the woman was going to get involved by interviewing those families closest to the scene of the murders.

“We had best kill her now,” Sully decreed, “lest she discovers us, and we hang for committing murder.”

“And let all the money we can wring from Lord Addison’s greedy hands slip through our fingers?” Drago asked.

“I do not take your meaning,” Sully replied.

“If anyone had witnessed the murders, surely they would have come forward before now, and the constable would already be searching for men who resemble us. Tom says that is not the case. Besides that, I have been pondering the best way to get a great deal of money from his lordship—enough that we will never have to work for him, or anyone else, again.”