The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy by Regina Jeffers Page B

Darcy,” he said sincerely. His arms snaked about her to hold his wife to him.
    â€œAnd I you, my husband.”
    They remained in the embrace for an elongated moment. Finally, Darcy kissed her forehead. “We should have a quick look around before we return to the library. Surely someone will take note of our absence soon.” He reluctantly released her.
    Circling the room’s perimeter, each went a separate direction. They peered quickly into the glass display cases and pulled at the locks to be certain of their security. Along the back wall, Darcy’s toe caught on a loose floorboard, and he tapped it in place with his heel. Cursing under his breath at the mark on his favorite pair of boots, he grumbled, “Personally, I have had enough mystery and mayhem for one day.” He raised his candle higher for additional lighting. Turning to his wife, he said, “Lead the way, Mrs. Darcy. We may explore Samuel’s sanctuary in more leisure in the near future.” Within seconds, they emerged into the draped afternoon light. As Elizabeth extinguished the candles, Darcy placed his shoulder to the shelf to return it to a locked position. “Hand me The Demon Necromancer. I will replace it to cover the lever.”
    Elizabeth busied herself with smoothing away their dusty footprints on the carpet as Darcy balanced on the stool to slide the book’s cover over the protruding lever to disguise the secret latch. Just as he stepped down and reached for his wife to bring her into another embrace, the library door latch turned, and the door swung wide. Darcy spun to see Samuel Darcy’s housekeeper framed by the hall’s backlight.
    â€œMr. Darcy!” The woman said in obvious surprise.
    Darcy placed Elizabeth behind him in a protective manner. “How dare you?” he growled. “How dare you intrude upon my private time with my wife!”
    â€œWe...we thought...we thought something amiss,” Mrs. Ridgeway stammered. “We heard no sound from within.”
    Darcy lorded over her. “And why should you have? Have you set the household to spy on us? I must say that I find your interference in my efforts to bring a resolution to the mystery of my cousin’s death and disappearance beyond the pale. You have taken upon yourself too many liberties, Ma’am. With my cousin’s absence you have assumed this household to be yours, but you have erred greatly, Mrs. Ridgeway.” Darcy glanced to his wife, who now stood beside him and who clutched his flexed arm. “If this manor is to have a Mistress, it shall be Mrs. Darcy. From this point forward, you will take your orders from her. Is that understood, Mrs. Ridgeway?”
    â€œAbsolutely, Mr. Darcy,” she said with feigned resignation.
    Darcy stepped around the woman. His voice carried through the supposedly empty passageway. “Mr. Barriton, I want to see you and the rest of the household staff immediately in the library.” Without waiting to see if his wish would be attended to, Darcy returned to Elizabeth’s side. From nowhere and everywhere at once, the room filled with servants dressed in his cousin’s livery.
    Eyes refused to meet his, but Darcy was accustomed to such deference. He spoke in hard tones. “Mrs. Darcy and I came to Dorset to pay our respects to my late cousin’s memory. Unfortunately, because of the bizarre events surrounding Samuel Darcy’s death, our journey’s purpose has changed. Yet, never once did we consider that we would be treated with complete disregard by my cousin’s staff. By my staff,” Darcy said with emphasis. “Along with the Earl and Countess of Rardin, I am your current employer.”
    Darcy paused to allow the reality of what he had just announced to settle. “If any of you wish to leave my employment, I will reconcile your wages immediately.” As suspected, no one spoke. Darcy placed Elizabeth’s hand on his arm.