Chapter 10


Elizabeth's surprise upon finding Charlotte in Maria's room matched that of her friends for having her knocking on the door at such late hour and in the company of Mr. Darcy. Of course, the situation demanded an explanation and when the initial shock was overcome, the questions began.

"Lizzy, where on earth have you been?" cried Charlotte, "we knocked at your door several times and we did not find you! We were about to start a search!"

"I was downstairs, in the library," Elizabeth attempted to calm her friend. "I went for a book and happened upon Mr. Darcy. But …" only then she realized the oddity of her friends' sleeping accommodations, "why are you not in your room, Charlotte?"

Mrs. Collins took her sister's hand. "Maria was afraid of sleeping alone and I decided to keep her company."

"Yes, Lizzy," said Miss Lucas, "there is a murderer in this house and we thought it would be best if we stayed together."

"I cannot deny the wisdom of that decision, Maria. Too many things have happened in this house to dare to stay alone."

The young girls walked towards the bed. They sat on it, Maria and Charlotte sliding inside the covers while Elizabeth removed the pins from her hair. 

"Why was Mr. Darcy with you? Did he wake you up?" asked Charlotte.

"No, as I told you, I went to the library and I found him there. We conversed in the study until a moment ago. He was escorting me to my chambers when a servant came to inform him of an accident downstairs. Like you, he also thought that it would be better if I did not stay alone for the night so he accompanied me to Maria's room."

Mrs. Collins was quite surprised with that information. She glanced at the clock on mantelpiece and then at her friend. "You stayed with him, in the study until this hour? Lizzy! You know that is not to be done! If your father learns about this, God knows what will happen!" 

"I know, I know. Nothing inappropriate happened, I grant you. We only talked."

"About what? Lizzy, it is almost dawn!" cried Maria.

Elizabeth knew she could not tell her friends the truth of what she discussed with the gentleman and was too tired to come up with a something that would justify being alone with him until so late in the night. "Maria, it is late and I am very tired. I will tell you everything in the morning."

Miss Lucas nodded and so did Charlotte, although she appeared to be very eager to discuss the matter a little further. Elizabeth changed into her nightclothes and the three young ladies accommodated themselves in the large bed.

 

---

Darcy glanced up at the structure that spiralled several floors above him. He could not discern the end, barely the few yards that the light of his lantern allowed him to see, but if his memories of his young explorations of Rosings manor were correct, these stairs went from the pantry to the attic, passing behind the master chambers of the mansion, which were four floors above. The steps were narrow, without rests, as he recalled, and the wooden railing, like many other things at Rosigns, appeared to be poorly kept. For years, these stairs had been only for the use of the family's personal servants, as it was the shortest way of accessing the dressing rooms of the master apartments. 

At his feet lay Mrs. Jenkinson's lifeless body. Darcy had never had a stomach for the dead, and this one, was not a pleasant sight. The old woman lay partially on her side, with her head twisted in a very unnatural position, her eyes glassy and wide open, her mouth contorted in a horrid grimace of surprise. Her skin was already deprived of colour save for the bruises and cuts that might have been produced during her fall. One of her legs was bent in an odd position, broken surely, her arms rigid and spread. Not far away there was a tray and several pieces of broken china that told him of the task in which she was involved when she rolled down the stairs. 

"When was she found?" Darcy asked his manservant.

"A few moments before I went in search of you, sir. We try not to use these stairs during the night. They are poorly lit."

"I see." The gentleman looked up again, attempting to calculate the height from which Mrs. Jenkinson fell. "Why do you think she ventured to use them?"

"Lady Catherine did not allow servants to carry trays to the upper rooms through the main staircase so Mrs. Jenkinson used these ones when serving Miss de Bourgh's tea in her chambers. She did it almost every night."

Darcy heard footsteps approaching them and turned to see Col. Fitzwilliam coming in the company of a servant that was lighting the way for him.

"I thought the servant was joking," The colonel said somberly. "I cannot believe we have another corpse."

"How long do you think she has been dead?" Darcy asked his cousin.

Fitzwilliam crouched near the body and touched it with his hand. He tried to move an arm, but to no avail. "She's already cold and very stiff. At least five or six hours."

Darcy checked the time in his fob watch. "It's three in the morning. She might have been pushed after supper."

"Pushed? Do you think she was pushed?" Though this was asked with certain degree of astonishment, the Colonel could not but share his cousin's suspicions.

"That would be my guess. There is a tray over there and pieces of broken china, though I did not find a candle or lantern that would light her way up or down the stairs. There is no way she could navigate these steps in the darkness."

"Let me see if I can find something." Fitzwilliam took one of the candles from the servant's hand and climbed up the stairs. 

"Be careful, Fitzwilliam!" Darcy told his cousin. His eyes followed his ascent until he was out of sight, only the light of his candle telling that he was still in motion. 

"I found something!" he shouted from where he was, at least two floors above Darcy. "There is a candle on one of the steps … and a cloth and … pieces of china."

"Leave them where they are. The bailiff may want to see them when he arrives."

Fitzwilliam began the descent, careful not to step on several things that were apparently dropped during Mrs. Jenkinson's fall. A few steps lower but still at a good height, he slipped on something and only his quickness to secure himself from the railing prevented him from suffering Mrs. Jenkinson's fate.

"Blast!" cried the colonel with one leg hanging outside the stairs. One of his arms was wrapped around the pole and the candle he was carrying fell down the hole, almost crashing on Darcy's his head.

"Richard! Are you all right?" shouted Darcy with concern. He hurried up the stairs.

The Colonel manoeuvred his body to extricate himself from the precarious position in which he was. Once he was standing on firmer ground, he waited for Darcy and they began their descent, carefully watching every step.

"So they are dangerous." reasoned Darcy when they reached the landing.

"The railing is broken at one point. She probably rolled several steps before breaking the pole and falling down the hole. This certainly increases my respect for the servants that have to carry our baths up to our rooms." 

"Indeed. It doesn't appear to be steady, though." Darcy shook the wooden railing. "So you think there is a chance that she might have fallen?"

"It is probable, though I cannot tell. Too many things are happening lately to believe it is only an accident," replied the colonel. 

"There have been many accidents on these stairs during the past months, sir," the servant interjected. "Sarah, one of the maids, broke her leg last year and several other servants were injured when fetching things from the upper rooms. I had a couple of tumbles myself."

Darcy then instructed the manservant to take Mrs. Jenkinson's body to the cellar, the less humid and coldest room of the mansion, where she would be kept until the bailiff arrived and they could decide what to do. The servants left and the cousins returned to the family's room.

"Do you think it's wise to inform Ann of Mrs. Jenkinson's death?" Fitzwilliam served himself a glass of port. With a gesture of his hand, he offered one to his cousin, but he refused.

"Perhaps it would be better if we spare her the pain for another day, until the constable is here. She lost two people that were very dear to her in a very short time."

"What are we going to tell her? She'll ask for Mrs. Jenkinson as soon as she is up."

"That she has taken ill. I will speak with the housekeeper and instruct her to what the servants must say in case Ann enquires after her." Darcy walked towards the window while running his hand through his hair. "I will also ask Miss Bennet and Mrs. Collins to keep her entertained."

"Yes, that would be best." The colonel turned towards the fireplace and rested his boot on the stone step. 

Darcy looked out of window and scrutinized the exterior. The rain had eased and there were signs that the wind was finally decreasing. The storm was coming to an end.

"I will ask the servants to prepare the vessel to depart after noon, if the weather allows it. We cannot delay the report of this crime any longer."

Fitzwilliam stared pensively at his glass, "I'll go. You are more used to running a household than I will ever be." 

The cousin's looked at each other, both wanting to say something that would put an end to the distance that had grown between them after their argument of the previous night but neither trusting the other enough to take the first step. Darcy walked towards the door but stopped to have one last word with his cousin.

"Richard, I am sorry for what I said yesterday evening. I fear I allowed myself to be overwhelmed by the circumstances."

Fitzwilliam studied his cousin and was not completely certain of the sincerity of his apology. "Think no more of it. I also said things that I now regret."

They both bowed their heads at each other, leaving the misunderstanding behind for the moment. The trust they have always felt for each other was gone, yet they still needed to remain allied in this crusade.

---

 

It was rather late when the ladies of the Hunsford party reached the morning room and after having a quick breakfast, with all possible activities discarded because of the weather, they headed towards the sitting room where they would spend the rest of the morning. Not much later they were joined by Col. Fitzwilliam, who immediately engaged Ann in conversation, and then came Mr. Darcy, who had been busy elsewhere.

Having seen the gentleman only a few hours ago, Elizabeth was quite anxious to speak to him and learn more about the 'accident' that had driven him away from her so abruptly on the previous night and that had aroused such protective feelings over her. Not a word about this supposed incident was said among the rest of the party, in fact, they appeared to be completely ignorant of disgraces of any sort and Elizabeth was left to wonder about what could have been so urgent as to require Darcy's presence in the middle of the night but that had remained a secret for the rest of the family. 

Darcy greeted everyone with a curt 'good morning' upon his entry but, as was his custom, did not join them directly and remained standing near the windows. In general, he was not one to sit when there was a large party so his conduct did not call anyone's attention. Only Elizabeth perceived the distress present in his features and a general tiredness which she attributed to the little sleep he had had on the previous night, if he had had any. 

Had she not been aware of his true character, Elizabeth would have otherwise found his detachment irritating, as she would have considered it just another demonstration of his rudeness. But now that her original prejudices against him were gone, she knew that this conduct that would appear unsocial and taciturn to everyone -it was to her, once- was in fact the exteriorisation of the concerns of a noble man that carried a heavy weight over his shoulders. For the first time since she met him, she would have preferred to stand by him instead of having to listen to the colonel's chat or to agree to one of Charlotte's uninteresting remarks and so troubled she was by Darcy's apparent aloofness that she missed the fact that the gentleman, with every move he made, was only trying to capture her attention without raising the suspicions of the rest of the party. Twice she had been oblivious to his signs but the third time she saw the slight inclination of his head and the meaningful look in his eyes that were telling her to join him at his post by the window. She excused herself from the rest and walked in his direction. 

Darcy merely acknowledged her presence with a nod and continued his scrutiny of the cloudy skies. "The weather is improving."

"It is still windy but at least the rain has stopped." Elizabeth was a bit disconcerted by his indifference to her presence. Perhaps she misunderstood him. 

With his hand, he indicated the way and they both walked towards the other window, where there was little chance the others would hear them. He remained silent for a moment, then said, "Miss Bennet, I need your help on a matter of delicate nature."

"Pray, go ahead." 

The gentleman cast a glance at the rest of the party before speaking and proceeded only when he was certain that no one was paying attention to them. "As you already know, there was an accident last night. Unfortunately, it was more serious than that. Mrs. Jenkinson …" he swallowed, "… she fell down the stairs."

Elizabeth felt a chill running down her spine. If Darcy was being so guarded about this 'accident' surely it was more serious than she could imagine. "Is she hurt?"

He lowered his voice even more. "She died."

Elizabeth gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Noticing her discomposure, Darcy took her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm and guided her to a painting on the wall. Pretending he was telling her about it, he proceeded. 

"The others are not aware of this. I agreed with my cousin that we would keep this from Miss de Bourgh for a little longer. She had suffered enough with her mother's loss to inform her of this tragedy so quickly."

"But, what will I tell her?" Elizabeth whispered. "She will ask for her at any moment!"

"That she is indisposed, a cold will be a good excuse. The servants are already instructed of what to say in case Ann asks. If she is distracted, there is very little chance that she would inquire after her." With a nod, Elizabeth agreed to his suggestion. "The colonel will sail to the mainland this afternoon and fetch the bailiff. We will wait till his arrival to inform Ann of her companion's death."

"Are you going too?" Elizabeth looked up at him, concern evident on her features. Even though it was not raining, the wind was still blowing intently and she was very concerned that he would embark on such a perilous journey.

"No, I will stay here. I must attend to some matters."

Elizabeth could not describe the relief she felt at that moment. Not only because he would not have to face the dangerous tides of Rosings in this weather but because she felt much safer knowing that he was in the house. "You can count with my help, sir. I will do my best to entertain her."

"Thank you."

"What an unfortunate accident. Mrs. Jenkinson was a very agreeable lady." said Elizabeth, pointing at one particular section of the picture. 

"I am not certain it was an accident," he murmured.

"Do you think she was …"

Darcy nodded before she said the word 'murdered', less that someone would hear her. 

"But how …"

"She was found at the bottom of the stairs that connect the kitchen with the master chambers. In appearance, it looks like an accident, though, given the latest events, I cannot completely be assured that she had not been pushed."

"If that were the case, do you think her death is somehow connected with Lady Catherine's?"

"I cannot discharge that possibility. It is a very suspicious coincidence." Darcy resumed their walk. 

"I agree with you, sir. But this certainly serves to the resolution of the crime. Only the servants have access to those stairs, which means that all of us who are not acquainted with that part of the house can be excluded as possible suspects."

Darcy smiled down at her, admired by her curiosity and cleverness. "Yes, but it surely makes all the suspicions fall upon those of us who are acquainted with that part of the house." 

Elizabeth looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. She had not imagined that this would be even more incriminating for him. He was still in a very delicate position as the first murder was concerned. "But at least you cannot be blamed for this second crime, sir, you were in my company for a good part of the night."

His smile broadened, "Would you allow me to use that as my alibi?" 

"Why not, sir?" Elizabeth was puzzled. "It is the truth!"

In jest, he added. "Surely it might save me from the gallows, madam, but it will put me face to face with your father's shotgun."

"Oh." Elizabeth had not considered the implications of their late chat and how it would be interpreted by the others. The gentleman did not appear threatened by the possibility, merely teasing her, so she replied in the same manner. "Will that be such a terrible fate? Are you so afraid of my father?"

Darcy raised an eyebrow, if not amused, puzzled by the turn the conversation was taking. Had he not been so tired, he would have sworn that Elizabeth was flirting with him. "No, madam, I do not fear him, neither I am afraid of the …"

" … seen Mrs. Jenkinson? How odd, I rang for her this morning and she did not come," came Ann's voice from the other end of the room. "I will ask a servant to fetch her."

The couple exchanged a short glance of understanding and headed towards the sofa to join the others. There Darcy mentioned that he was told earlier in the morning of Mrs. Jenkinson's illness, that it did not appear a matter of concern but nonetheless he recommended Ann to let her rest for a couple of days. Elizabeth quickly suggested they play cards, the gentlemen excused themselves soon after and the ladies remained thus entertained until lunchtime.

Chapter 11

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