Twixt Two Equal Armies (18 page)

“Well now,” she said. “How’s things at Rosefarm these days?”

Her cousin, Mrs Higgins, concentrated on her turnips a moment longer before looking up with a shrewd smile.

“Same as here I should think.”

Mrs McLaughlin returned the smile and said casually, “She asked aboot him, then?”

“Aye. Just as he did aboot her?”

The two women shared a quiet laugh.

“Nosy folk these southerners,” Mrs Higgins said. “And always in need of a bit of help with the snooping, aye? I tell ye, I could have burst out laughing when the gentlemen walked through that door. And to think, just the day before, Mrs Tournier was asking me about his lairdship”

“His lairdship asked most especially about Miss Bennet though.”

“Well, I know why she is of such interest. It’s that friend o’ his. The way he gaups at her . . . ”

“Mr Darcy?”

Mrs Higgins proudly wiped her knife on her apron and nodded.

“Like he wants to eat her and give her a set-down at the same time.”

The women burst out laughing.

“Aye, well, then there’s nothing else for it, is there?”

“No, indeed. Only cure for that particular trouble is marriage, aye?”

F
IRST
H
OLLY LOOKED CAREFULLY UP
and down the lanes leading from Rosefarm Cottage out of the village and into the countryside. Nothing.

Then she returned to Clanough and canvassed the central, and then the peripheral streets for any sign of them. Nothing.

Then, with a hurried pace, as evening was drawing near and the sun was close to setting, Holly turned up the road that led from Clanough toward Clyne Cottage. The further along she walked the dimmer the light grew — as the sun began to sink her feelings of fear increased. Soon she felt as if she was on the verge of a panic and her pace quickened so that she was nearly running. In no time she was on the grounds of Clyne itself, but once there she stood frozen, not knowing where to go next. To her great relief she saw someone crossing the fields, a lone gentleman making his way straight through the fields in long, unhurried strides. It was Lord Baugham, obviously just returned from a day of hunting. Recognising someone whom she could involve in her desperate search and mounting worries, she ran up to him.

“My lord,” she gasped. “Please . . . I must beg for your assistance.”

Baugham’s eyes registered first shock and then strangely narrowed into something resembling suspicion. He looked her up and down in the dusky light and although he wore a friendly smile, it did not quite reach his eyes.

“Why, Miss Tournier, don’t tell me you’re out trespassing again. That would be slightly disconcerting, wouldn’t you say, considering your promises of just yesterday.” Fighting to keep his voice on a courteous level he looked at her a little closer. “Or have you come across any more interesting sights on my land that you believe I should familiarise myself with?”

“What?” was Holly’s confused reply. “Trespassing . . . no, please do not think — oh, for heaven’s sake, there is no time for this . . . we must find them! He is
your
friend!”

“I am sorry, Miss Tournier, but find who? What is it you would like me to do for you?”

Exasperated, Holly stomped her foot. “You must come and help me! Mr Darcy has made off with my cousin and we must find them. Now. Hurry!”

His lordship resumed his slow and steady walk toward the house. “Made off? I am sure there is no need to worry, Miss Tournier. But if it will make you feel better, I’ll send Mr McLaughlin out. He can see you safely home and then — ”

“No!” her determined insistence surprised him. “It is getting dark, we must find her now!”

They stood watching each other, though Holly kept looking around her hoping she could catch a glimpse of Elizabeth and even hoping Lord Baugham might tell her he had seen them or knew where they were heading or . . . anything! Without realising it, she drew her breath and it came out again as a quiet, distressed whimper.

“Now please don’t concern yourself,” his lordship finally said. “Of course I will help you but . . . well, this is a bit extraordinary and I am sure Mr Darcy and Miss Bennet — ”

“Sir!” Holly said, exasperated. “It will very soon be dark and my cousin is unfamiliar with the grounds around here. I have looked everywhere else I know she likes to walk except here. Do you wish to have that on your conscience?”

Baugham was not quite sure what Miss Bennet’s ill-advised outings with or without his friend at this time of the day had to do with him, but he found himself mumbling something about being glad to be of assistance.

“Oh, I hope she hasn’t gone to the bit of everwood down east,” Holly suddenly said impulsively. “She would, though, she was fascinated by that last time she was here.”

“What?
My
bit of everwood? That patch north of Kye?”

Holly rolled her eyes at him and set off eastwards towards the even darker sky. “Before it was yours this and yours that, my lord, it was mine too. All of ours. I have lived here since I was eight years old and I have as much affection and right to wander here as you have. Maybe more.”

“Well, if that is so, it is only because the previous owner was too lax to enforce his property lines! Or take care of the place, I should add. It certainly did not do any of the local inhabitants proud, the way it was mismanaged.”

“It was enjoyed all the same.”

As they reached the thickening growth of the wooded patches, they stopped, both of them realising how dark it was fast becoming. The trees were already heavily shadowing the path, obscuring the colours and textures of the thick undergrowth.

“Oh, I hope she didn’t consent to venture off the path . . . ” Holly muttered. “She so loves that patch by the stream . . . ”

“Truly, Miss Tournier,” he protested, “all this concern is quite unnecessary. Miss Bennet is a grown, capable woman and Mr Darcy will be sure to see her home safely. If she is with him she is in no danger I can assure you.”

“
If
she is with Mr Darcy! If she is with him she is very much in danger — I don’t trust him and I don’t trust his motives concerning my cousin. I don’t know what your scheme was in bringing him here to harass Elizabeth, but you can be sure that I will not let it go unchallenged.”

“Harass? My dear Miss Tournier, you are speaking nonsense! My friend is utterly reliable and if they have been foolish enough to wander off the path at this hour, I am sure they have only Miss Bennet’s ‘love of nature’ to blame.”

She turned on him and gave him a vicious look.

“Yes, you would say that, wouldn’t you? You men all plead female folly to excuse your own licentious motives and then pretend you were led into situations that presented no alternative. I need to find my cousin. Now.”

“And I am not surprised to hear
you
say that,” Lord Baugham shot back. “After all, it is
never
a woman’s intention to deliberately lead a man into a compromising situation and so to force his hand in order to satisfy her own
avaricious
motives. Is it, Miss Tournier?”

Holly gasped, “What are you implying, sir? She is not thinking clearly when it comes to him, that is true, but by no means is she intending such — she only sought him out to ascertain his . . . ” she stopped abruptly, angry at his lordship for goading her in to admitting that Elizabeth had set out to deliberately meet Mr Darcy, however innocent she knew her intentions to be. “How can you possibly think — ”

Baugham knew he was being unreasonable, but the way she kept directing fierce comments at him, obviously expecting him to cower before her either out of gentlemanly sentiments or fear, caused him to want to lash out, to make her as angry as she was making him.

“Quite easily, my dear Miss Tournier. I begin to wonder just what exactly is Miss Bennet’s reason for seeking out my friend, in the waning light and in such an out of the way location. I think you must try to persuade her that daylight and respect for one’s neighbour’s territory are good and prudent means to prevent such a predicament in the future.”

“
Her
reasons? I think you would do better to ask
his
reasons for his year-long campaign to destroy her peace and comfort. Why does he follow her here, only to stare at her like a mute and disapproving schoolmaster? I cannot blame her for wanting to find out what he is about, though I must say that
I
don’t think him worth the trouble.”

Steadying herself so as not to trip over the tangled brush, Holly pulled at her hem as it caught in a bramble.

“But you really ought to think a little less about your own feelings of ill-use and concern yourself with others a little more. I see now that I was in error asking for your assistance. Please, don’t trouble yourself further.
I
will find her out.”

The smallest smirk appeared on his face. “Are you able to find your way home from here? If not, I would be happy to point you toward the shortest route.”

“I know the way, sir! I know things about this place that you could never imagine, even if you made it your home for the next twenty years! And if I need your help, it is only to keep that friend of yours a respectable distance from — ”

Suddenly his lordship shushed her, stopping her short. Before she could take proper offence, Holly followed his gaze and saw the object of her frantic search walking arm in arm with Mr Darcy, turning through the wood to reach the field just beyond it. She stood as if rooted to the ground when she saw Elizabeth’s head lift up and the sound of her laughter ring through the damp evening air. To her great surprise, Mr Darcy’s rich, deep laugh joined with her cousin’s and in that moment it was quite obvious to her that Elizabeth was exactly where she wanted to be at the moment, in no danger and extremely content with her companion.

All she could do was turn to her own companion with a look of deep relief mixed with utter confusion on her face and say, “Oh . . . ”

Baugham watched as Miss Tournier seemed to lose all her energy and go limp beside him. Suddenly, she looked vulnerable and any impulse he had had to answer her with an “I told you so” vanished.

“Well,” he said gently. “All’s well that ends well, then.”

“Yes.” She was still looking at him with a frown, but then turned her head to catch the last glimpse of her cousin and Mr Darcy turning down the slope towards the village in the dying light. They looked magical, somehow, against the gathering evening fog at their feet, Mr Darcy slightly bent towards Elizabeth in explanation of something.

Before the silence between them threatened to turn embarrassing, Lord Baugham cleared his throat.

“So may I escort you home now, Miss Tournier?”

“No,” Holly said absently, still looking after the oblivious couple down the slope, “that won’t be necessary.”

Baugham’s smile was a little warmer this time. “But my dear Miss Tournier, a moment ago you were concerned for your cousin’s safety and worried about the coming dark, and you don’t even have a suspicious gentleman to add to your protection. Please let me perform that function. You can hardly want for less comfort than your cousin. What is good for the goose, and so on.”

Now she looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“No,” she said calmly. “It will be all right. You forget, I know these lanes like the back of my hand. And I am not like my cousin.”

With that she left him standing and made her way towards the village too. Baugham looked after her a while as she slowly followed the previous walkers. Then he shrugged, picked up his things and made his way home again.

H
OLLY ARRIVED ONLY A FEW
minutes after Elizabeth, causing her to suspect Mr Darcy had taken his time getting her home. She had taken her own time, sauntering the longest way she could contrive without leaving the safer lanes and paths.

Elizabeth sat in the parlour with her mother and Holly could instantly see she was happy. One glance at her mother also told her Elizabeth had seen fit to share with her the reasons for her long walk and sparkling eyes.

“So, Holly!” she cheerfully greeted her and rubbed her hands against the small fire in the grate. “Were you as lucky as your cousin here, to meet a protective gentleman who allowed you to stay out far too long and talk far too much as well?”

“No,” Holly said carefully, “but Elizabeth did?”

“Yes, I did,” her cousin answered cheerfully. “And Mr Darcy was kind enough to indulge my incessant love of the scenery and he took me up to the Pillidon Cave. Remember, we went there once determined to live the glamorous life of a highway man, but were chased home again by the bats? We must have been no more than thirteen, I think. And oh! the scolding we got, even though we thought my dear aunt would appreciate the female courage in our career choice!”

Despite herself, Holly had to laugh. “Yes, I do remember that. The stones in the cave were cold too. And you had forgotten to bring the butteries left over from breakfast so we would really have been forced to rob and pillage if we had stayed any longer.”