Read Online The Phantom of Pemberley by Regina Jeffers - Free Book Online
Authors: Regina Jeffers
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of a few extra people for the pleasure of seeing you enjoying your family.”
“But Lydia is so uncontrollable,” she protested.
He countered, “And Lady Catherine is not?”
She wound her arms about his neck as she confessed, “Well, perhaps we are even.” Elizabeth lifted her chin to look at him. Darcy tightened his hold on her, drawing Elizabeth closer to him. “You are my heart,” she whispered as her lips parted in anticipation of his kiss.
“No, Mrs. Darcy. I never found the candleholder,” Megs reported. “I searched all the nearby rooms to be seein’ if it be there, and I askt’ Margie and Lilly to be checkin’ Her Ladyship’s room like ye be sayin’, but it be not there either.” She appeared more than a bit upset.
Elizabeth puzzled over this mystery. “It certainly makes no sense,” she muttered. “I thought surely it would turn up by now.”
“I be sorry, Mrs. Darcy.”Tears began to fill the woman’s eyes.
Elizabeth heard the trembling in the maid’s voice. “My goodness, Megs. Do not do that. No one is blaming you.The candelabra will reappear, just as I said this morning.”
“I would not want ye to be thinkin’ poorly of me, ma’am—like me did not do me job. I like it at Pemberley. So much better than at the Johnsons’.” She blurted out the words in a rush of emotions.
“I assure you, Megs,” Elizabeth said calmly, “that we have no complaints regarding your work. The holder will reappear. In a house the size of Pemberley, it could be anywhere. We will continue to search for it.”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank ye, Mistress.” The woman bobbed a curtsy before leaving to do her duties.
Without thinking about what she did, Elizabeth began to search the rooms along the hallway leading to Georgiana’s private chambers. Even as a child, Elizabeth had hated an unsolved puzzle, and although she knew it would reappear, she wanted to find the
candleholder to solve this particular mystery. However, after thoroughly going through three bedchambers, she realized the futility of such a search. There were just too many places at Pemberley to look. She would alert Mrs. Reynolds and Mr. Baldwin—have everyone on the lookout for the missing item.
“Mr. Baldwin, I was wondering if we had men working in the east wing today?” Darcy, as he always did when he hosted guests at Pemberley, was double-checking all the details for the evening’s entertainment.
“Not of which I am aware, sir.” The butler lit the wall sconces in the main hallway. “Should I inquire, sir?”
Darcy glanced toward the main staircase.“I thought I saw someone in the window when we returned from Lambton. I may be wrong, but I would like to know for sure.”
“I will check with Murray, sir.”
“Be discreet, Mr. Baldwin. If one of our men is shirking his duties and hiding out in the unoccupied rooms, I wish to catch him in the act.”The more he considered those brief seconds of eye contact the more convinced Darcy was of actually seeing someone in the darkened room. A footman being where he did not belong was the most logical explanation.
“I will see to it personally, Mr. Darcy.”
Elizabeth tapped lightly on Lydia’s chamber door. “Lydia,” she said as she opened it just a crack, “may I help you dress?” Elizabeth wanted a few minutes alone with her sister. She had not seen Lydia since the day her youngest sister and George Wickham had left Longbourn for Newcastle. That had been before Darcy’s second proposal—before her double wedding with their oldest sister, Jane, to Charles Bingley. Of course, the Wickhams claimed that his military duties and the great distance prevented their attending the wedding, but Elizabeth knew the real reason to be the unspoken feud between Darcy and Mr.Wickham.
“Come in!” Lydia called from behind the screen where she dressed.
“I thought we might have some time together.” Elizabeth came closer to the screen. “It has been more than a year
“But Lydia is so uncontrollable,” she protested.
He countered, “And Lady Catherine is not?”
She wound her arms about his neck as she confessed, “Well, perhaps we are even.” Elizabeth lifted her chin to look at him. Darcy tightened his hold on her, drawing Elizabeth closer to him. “You are my heart,” she whispered as her lips parted in anticipation of his kiss.
“No, Mrs. Darcy. I never found the candleholder,” Megs reported. “I searched all the nearby rooms to be seein’ if it be there, and I askt’ Margie and Lilly to be checkin’ Her Ladyship’s room like ye be sayin’, but it be not there either.” She appeared more than a bit upset.
Elizabeth puzzled over this mystery. “It certainly makes no sense,” she muttered. “I thought surely it would turn up by now.”
“I be sorry, Mrs. Darcy.”Tears began to fill the woman’s eyes.
Elizabeth heard the trembling in the maid’s voice. “My goodness, Megs. Do not do that. No one is blaming you.The candelabra will reappear, just as I said this morning.”
“I would not want ye to be thinkin’ poorly of me, ma’am—like me did not do me job. I like it at Pemberley. So much better than at the Johnsons’.” She blurted out the words in a rush of emotions.
“I assure you, Megs,” Elizabeth said calmly, “that we have no complaints regarding your work. The holder will reappear. In a house the size of Pemberley, it could be anywhere. We will continue to search for it.”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank ye, Mistress.” The woman bobbed a curtsy before leaving to do her duties.
Without thinking about what she did, Elizabeth began to search the rooms along the hallway leading to Georgiana’s private chambers. Even as a child, Elizabeth had hated an unsolved puzzle, and although she knew it would reappear, she wanted to find the
candleholder to solve this particular mystery. However, after thoroughly going through three bedchambers, she realized the futility of such a search. There were just too many places at Pemberley to look. She would alert Mrs. Reynolds and Mr. Baldwin—have everyone on the lookout for the missing item.
“Mr. Baldwin, I was wondering if we had men working in the east wing today?” Darcy, as he always did when he hosted guests at Pemberley, was double-checking all the details for the evening’s entertainment.
“Not of which I am aware, sir.” The butler lit the wall sconces in the main hallway. “Should I inquire, sir?”
Darcy glanced toward the main staircase.“I thought I saw someone in the window when we returned from Lambton. I may be wrong, but I would like to know for sure.”
“I will check with Murray, sir.”
“Be discreet, Mr. Baldwin. If one of our men is shirking his duties and hiding out in the unoccupied rooms, I wish to catch him in the act.”The more he considered those brief seconds of eye contact the more convinced Darcy was of actually seeing someone in the darkened room. A footman being where he did not belong was the most logical explanation.
“I will see to it personally, Mr. Darcy.”
Elizabeth tapped lightly on Lydia’s chamber door. “Lydia,” she said as she opened it just a crack, “may I help you dress?” Elizabeth wanted a few minutes alone with her sister. She had not seen Lydia since the day her youngest sister and George Wickham had left Longbourn for Newcastle. That had been before Darcy’s second proposal—before her double wedding with their oldest sister, Jane, to Charles Bingley. Of course, the Wickhams claimed that his military duties and the great distance prevented their attending the wedding, but Elizabeth knew the real reason to be the unspoken feud between Darcy and Mr.Wickham.
“Come in!” Lydia called from behind the screen where she dressed.
“I thought we might have some time together.” Elizabeth came closer to the screen. “It has been more than a year
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