Major Wickham rode to an abandoned tenant’s cottage on Mr. Bennet’s property. He had seen it several times while riding the fields between Netherfield and Longbourn. It seemed a good place to plan his next step. He meant to have money from the Fitzwilliam family.
Elizabeth could have married him and he would not have had to resort to kidnapping for that money. The boy had fought him but a good slap had settled him down. He did not want to hurt the child but it was best he know who was in charge.
A young lady stood in the cottage doorway and covered her mouth when she saw the young boy with the major. He had vowed to marry her as soon as they got to Gretna Green. He had not mentioned bringing along a child and certainly not the young master who lived at Netherfield.
Major Wickham got the boy inside the cottage without much trouble, but the child made a run for the door as soon as he took a hand off his shoulder.
The major grabbed him again and shoved him at the young lady. “Miss Davies, tie him to that chair over there and keep a watch. I must see to some business before we leave town.”
Young Richard looked at Miss Davies with curiosity. “I have seen you at Netherfield before. Mr. Darcy will come for me, you know. He will be most angry with you for causing my mother to worry. He loves her.”
Major Wickham looked at the boy and laughed. “Of course he loves your mother. That must be why she refused to marry me. Darcy is always ruining my plans. But not this time. You are worth more money than Darcy has or will ever have.”
Miss Davies turned to Major Wickham. “You never said a thing about this, this kidnapping. We are supposed to be married, not stealing children!”
Major Wickham looked at the young lady as though she were simple. “Oh my darling, I do love you so but what shall we live on? Your dowry is generous but it is not enough for the life I desire. Just keep watch over the boy. I won’t be long. Once a ransom is paid, we will turn him loose and be on our way.”
Richard did not care for the man but he hoped he had brought food. It was long past tea time in the nursery. “I am hungry. Did you bring anything to eat Major Highwayman?”
Wickham laughed at the name the boy had given him. “I may have something in my saddle bag. I did not plan on a picnic though, so do not expect anything like that.”
Mr. Bingley rode to alert the magistrate, Mr. Darcy rode the Netherfield lands, and Elizabeth and Mr. Bennet took the Bingley gig to ride about and ask the tenants of Longbourn whether they had seen young Richard or the major.
“Father, what if we cannot find him?” Elizabeth asked as she allowed herself to despair. All through the hurried preparations at Netherfield to begin the search, she had remained strong. But now, with only her father to witness, she began to worry in earnest.
“He will not go far, Lizzy, nor harm the lad. I am sure of it. What is it the major wants? Money. Only money. He proposed to you to get your fortune since Miss King would not have him. We will find Richard or pay the ransom. You must not worry. He is a smart lad.”
Elizabeth knew her father was right. All the men at Netherfield had agreed. But her heart ached to think of her son with Major Wickham. If only she had listened to Mr. Darcy!
Lady Matlock had been furious with Mr. Harley and Mr. Bennet, but her wrath for Elizabeth was overwhelming. She had threatened to remove Richard from her care as soon as he was found but the earl had taken her in hand.
“Now is not the time, Margaret,” he had said as he pulled her away from the party gathered to search for her grandson.
“Father, do you think the earl will take Richard? He only told Lady Matlock that now was not the time. He could take him and what might I say or do to stop him?”
Mr. Bennet knew the Matlocks could take Richard. They could have done so even before the kidnapping.
“He is a sensible man, Lizzy. I believe if his interest was to take the boy, he would have done so when he found out about him at Christmas time. It is my understanding, for we have spent many hours in the library together this summer, that he and Lady Matlock are not of the same mind. Perhaps they shall never be. He blames himself for allowing her to drive the colonel away. I do not think he wants her to raise young Richard for fear she might one day do the same with him.”
Elizabeth had not thought of the earl in such a manner. He seemed to ignore Lady Matlock until she pushed him too far. Theirs was a complicated marriage. She did not wish to interfere in it, but she would have to appeal to the earl once Richard was safe at home.
“I will beg him if I must, offer him whatever he might wish to keep Richard with me. I could not bear to lose him. The colonel would never have wanted his mother to raise his only son.”
“Let us find the boy first and deal with the Matlocks later. If it comes to it, you and I and Richard shall escape in the dead of night to Scotland or some such place. I cannot bear to lose him, either. He is my grandson too.”