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“I asked you to return the moment you found something.” Darcy paced the length of the drawing room, looking frustrated.
When Lizzy and Georgiana had arrived back at the house, it was obvious he had been waiting for them by the worried set of his brow.
“It was my decision to walk a little further and see if we could find the farmhouse,” Lizzy spoke up, not wanting his sister to get into any trouble.
“I thought you had better sense than that.” Darcy halted and raked a hand through his hair.
“I did not think we would come to any harm,” Lizzy replied. “And we had a footman with us.”
“Instead, I had to wonder why the two of you had not returned,” he replied. “I was just about to send the men out to look for you when you strolled into this room, acting as if you did not have a care in the world.” He scowled.
“Fitzwilliam, please don’t be cross,” Georgiana said. “We have found an important clue!” She held out the scrap of ribbon to him.
He raised his eyebrow in surprise as he studied the yellow strand.
“Sally’s mother said she thinks it belongs to her,” Lizzy said. “Apparently it was a bonnet trimming.”
“Where did you find this?” His eyes sharpened.
“On a bush on the way to the farmhouse,” Lizzy explained.
“We did not go any further than the farm,” Georgiana added. “Although we were sorely tempted to keep exploring.”
“We did not want to cause you any anxiety,” Lizzy said, feeling a twinge of guilt that she had wanted to keep searching the area after speaking to Sally’s mama.
“Hmm.” He looked at her a trifle doubtfully, and she blushed.
“We must go back there tomorrow,” Georgiana said eagerly. “Lizzy is right – obviously something happened to her on the way to the farm.”
“Yes.” He nodded. “Especially since the men did not find any trace of Sally in the forest. We shall set out first thing after breakfast tomorrow. And this time, we will take the carriage. It will be faster, and I will accompany you both.”
Lizzy opened her mouth to protest but he forestalled her.
“Once we reach the area where you found this ribbon, we can get out and search.”
“Thank you, Fitzwilliam.” Georgiana did an excited hop. “I hope we will find Sally tomorrow.”
“So do I,” Darcy replied – with feeling.
***
THE FOLLOWING DAY AFTER a hurried breakfast, Darcy directed Lizzy and his sister into the waiting carriage. Mrs. Annesley remained at the house, wishing them good luck.
“I wonder what could have happened to Sally?” Georgiana posed the question.
“Remember the fells her mother told us about yesterday?” Lizzy spoke.
“What about them?” Darcy stared at her keenly.
“Only – only that she did not know what lay on the other side,” Lizzy replied, wondering why his gaze disturbed her so. Sometimes he flustered her enough that she worried she would not speak coherently.
“And she has lived here all her life,” Georgiana piped up. “What if Sally is trapped on the other side of a mountain?” She shivered.
“Let us hope she is not that far away,” Darcy replied. “Otherwise it will take days to find her – if she is there.”
“You do not believe in our search for her?” Lizzy quizzed.
“I believe in your search for her,” he told her gravely. “I just wish the servants had seen fit to bring it to my attention before now.”
“They did not think it important enough to inform you,” Lizzy said.
“I shall be having a word with Fursby and Beldon when we return,” Darcy said grimly. Lizzy felt a little sorry for the steward and butler, but did not approve of the servants brushing the matter aside.
Before long they arrived at the start of the cart tracks.
“It was a little further along where I found the ribbon,” Lizzy said as she poked her head out of the carriage window.
The carriage swayed and jolted along the ruts, until Darcy told the driver to stop.
“I think we should walk from here.” He helped Lizzy out of the carriage. She blushed as her gloved hands touched his.
After Darcy helped his sister out of the conveyance, Lizzy gestured to the track.
“Just along here,” she said.
Darcy held out his arms to both ladies, and they walked along the farm track.
“Here!” Lizzy darted to the side and touched the bush. “This is where I found the piece of ribbon. It was caught up here.”
Darcy scanned the area. Grass and bracken-covered moorland and fells in the distance.
“Why don’t we go this way?” Georgiana motioned to the left, beyond the bush. “Lizzy and I did not find any further clues between here and the farmhouse.”
“Very well,” Darcy acquiesced. He looked at both of them in concern. “Will your footwear be adequate to the task?”
“I have walked many miles in these half boots,” Lizzy told him.
“So have I,” Georgiana added.
He nodded, and held out his arms to them again. As Lizzy rested her hand on his coat sleeve, she could not stop the riot of butterflies in her stomach. Why did she react to him in this way?
She peeked up at him but he stared straight ahead, the touch of her hand on his arm not seeming to affect him a jot.
They walked in silence for several minutes.
“I see something!” Georgiana darted in front of them, bending to pick something up. “A button!”
“You are very observant,” Lizzy praised with a smile, studying the small bone button in Georgiana’s outstretched hand.
“This must belong to Sally, must it not?” Georgiana asked. “It is quite plain.”
“Good find,” Darcy said, picking it up and scrutinizing it.
Georgiana beamed.
“What was she doing away from the cart tracks?” Lizzy frowned. “You cannot even guess there is a farmhouse over there.” She pointed in the direction of Sally’s parents’ farm.
“To that, I cannot say. But it looks as if you are both right,” Darcy told them. “I think we should keeping walking in this direction and see what else we can find.”
“I am amazed that none of the servants – or her mother – found the piece of ribbon that we discovered yesterday,” Lizzy remarked as they continued to walk, her gaze on the ground.
“Perhaps that strand of ribbon was not always on that shrub,” Georgiana said eagerly. “Perhaps it came loose from her bonnet and blew away. We have had some windy weather recently.”
“You are right.” Lizzy nodded, looking at the younger girl with respect.
“But it does not excuse the fact that a proper search was not undertaken in the first instance.” Darcy frowned. “Once we return to the house, I shall implement new procedures so that if a servant goes missing again, no stone will be unturned until they are found.”
“That’s wonderful, Fitzwilliam!” Georgiana looked at her brother in admiration.
The pressed on, walking further away from the cart tracks, until they were in the middle of the moor. Darcy cast a glance over his shoulder, a frown on his face, and Lizzy wondered if he was wondering how far they should go before returning to Pemberley.
“Oh!” Lizzy nearly stumbled over a small fragment. “Another button!”
“They are the same!” Georgiana pulled the button out of her pocket and studied them. “Look, Lizzy.”
“Then we are going in the right direction,” Darcy said.
“What do you think is behind that small hill?” Georgiana gestured to an incline covered with heather. A hare hopped in the distance.
“Sally,” Lizzy breathed.
“We cannot be sure,” Darcy said. “And it is quite a distance.” He looked at them in concern. “Perhaps we should go back to the carriage and I shall send men out this afternoon.”
“No.” Georgiana shook her head. “Lizzy and I outpaced that footman yesterday. The poor man – I thought he would have an apoplexy from keeping up with us. Lizzy and I are used to walking miles every day, aren’t we?” She turned an appealing face to Lizzy.
“Yes indeed,” Lizzy replied. “I usually walk for a few miles before breakfast at Longbourn.”
“But this is not Hertfordshire,” Darcy pointed out. “And we have already walked a few miles. It might take us most of the day to reach the other side of that hill.”
“Then we should set out immediately,” Lizzy answered.
“Yes!” Georgiana agreed.
He still looked dubious. “I am responsible for your safety – both of you. I think it is foolhardy to continue like this.”
Lizzy looked at him, disappointed in his reasoning. Here was the Mr. Darcy of Meryton. She was sure they were close to finding Sally, but he seemed to want to turn back and leave the search to someone else.
“Please, Fitzwilliam,” Georgiana begged.
“I am happy to continue alone,” Lizzy said, straightening her spine. “You are perfectly welcome to take your sister back to Pemberley. I assure you, I shall be fine on my own.”
“Ah, Miss Bennet of Longbourn.” He grimaced.
Her eyes widened. Surely he could not be thinking along the same lines as herself in regard to their personalities!
“I shall not allow you to go on your own.” Georgiana linked her arm with Lizzy’s. “You may come if you wish, Fitzwilliam,” she told her brother sweetly.
He muttered something under his breath and then strode along with them as they walked across the moor.
“I shall catch up with you.” He halted, turned around, and waved toward the carriage, a mere black speck in the distance.
Lizzy looked to see what he was up to. She fancied she saw something bob near the carriage – was it the driver waving back to his master?
No matter. She was determined to press on, despite Darcy’s objections.
“Won’t Sally be delighted to see us?” Georgiana chattered as they came closer to the hill. “Darcy and I will have to apologize that it has taken us so long to find her.”
“I am sure she will be most grateful,” Lizzy replied. “But I do not want to see you disappointed if she is not somehow behind this fell.”
“But can’t you feel it, Lizzy?” Georgiana asked. “I am certain we have nearly discovered her.”
“Yes,” Lizzy replied. “I am sensing it too. I just hope it is not wishful thinking on our parts.”
“If it were not for you, we wouldn’t be out here right now,” Georgiana continued. “I shall tell Sally as soon as we see her that it’s because of you that we have rescued her.”
Lizzy was aware of Darcy’s keen glance in her direction as he caught up with them, and wondered at it. Did he disapprove of her determination to continue today’s search?
But she felt she could do nothing else. It had been too long since Sally had disappeared – over a month! She was worried that the longer they left it, the harder it would be to find the housemaid.
They reached the bottom of the hill.
“We must climb it,” Georgiana said.
“Yes.” Lizzy looked dubiously at the younger girl. “Will you be able to do so?”
“Of course!” Georgiana said stoutly. “This is just like something out of a gothic novel!”
Lizzy noticed Darcy stifling a smile before he sobered.
“If at any time you do not feel you can continue, we can stop,” he said. “And I will send men to climb this hill and search the other side.”
“Then they will be the ones to discover Sally,” Georgiana said, disappointment in her voice.
“We have not given up yet,” Lizzy said encouragingly.
She started up the hill, the ground firm and a little rocky underneath the grass. It was not quite as steep as she feared. She could not back out now, not after she had told Darcy that she was quite capable of searching for Sally on her own.
Georgiana climbed beside her. Lizzy was conscious of Darcy behind them – no doubt expecting them to stumble – or perhaps fall. That thought made her renew her efforts to climb the hill without nary a misstep.
Lizzy finally reached the top. The view stretched for miles – and was magnificent. Bleak, desolate moorland with the occasional tiny hut in the distance – which Lizzy assumed was actually a farmhouse.
“Over there!” Georgiana pointed to a small building on the opposite side of the fell, nestled in a small valley.
Lizzy and Georgiana looked at each other.
“Do you think—” they both spoke at once.
“If you are determined to investigate, I think we should proceed at once,” Darcy said. “We do not want to be out here when night approaches.”
“You’re right,” Lizzy replied, after a quick look at his expression, realizing he had his sister’s safety to think of.
“Then let us go immediately!” Georgiana set off down the hill.