The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy
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Authors: Regina Jeffers
M
YSTERIOUS
D
EATH
of
M
R
. D
ARCY
A PRIDE & PREJUDICE MYSTERY
Regina Jeffers
Text copyright © 2013 Regina Jeffers. Design © 2013 Ulysses Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Published in the United States by
Ulysses Press
P.O. Box 3440
Berkeley, CA 94703
ISBN:978-1-61243-204-5
Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2013930884
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Characters from Jane Austen's
Pride and Prejudice
F
ITZWILLIAM
D
ARCY
â the Master of Pemberley
E
LIZABETH
B
ENNET
D
ARCY
â Darcy's wife of six months
G
EORGIANA
D
ARCY
â Darcy's seventeen-year-old sister; Darcy serves as her guardian
C
OLONEL
E
DWARD
F
ITZWILLIAM
â Darcy's cousin; second son of the Earl of Matlock; shares Georgiana's guardianship with Darcy
M
RS
. R
EYNOLDS
â Darcy's housekeeper
M
R. AND
M
RS
. B
ENNET
â Elizabeth's parents
M
ARY AND
K
ITTY
B
ENNET
â Elizabeth's middle sisters
L
YDIA
B
ENNET
W
ICKHAM
â Elizabeth's youngest sister
G
EORGE
W
ICKHAM
â Darcy's former friend; now his worst enemy
J
ANE
B
ENNET
B
INGLEY
â Elizabeth's older sister
C
HARLES
B
INGLEY
â Darcy's dearest friend; Jane's husband
C
AROLINE
B
INGLEY
â Charles's sister
L
ADY
C
ATHERINE
D
E
B
OURGH
â Darcy's aunt
A
NNE
D
E
B
OURGH
â Lady Catherine's daughter
Characters Unique to This Story
S
AMUEL
K
INGSLEY
D
ARCY
â George Darcy's cousin; lives at Woodvine Hall in Dorset
G
EORGE
D
ARCY
â Darcy's father
L
ADY
A
NNE
F
ITZWILLIAM
D
ARCY
â Darcy's mother
M
R
. S
TALLING
â Darcy's coachman
M
URRAY AND
J
ATSON
â Darcy's footmen
M
R
. H
ENRY
S
HEFFIELD
â Darcy's valet
H
ANNAH
â Elizabeth's maid
M
R
. T
HOMAS
C
OWAN
â a former Bow Street Runner; served under Colonel Fitzwilliam during the war
T
HE
E
ARL AND
C
OUNTESS OF
M
ATLOCK
â Edward's parents
R
OWLAND
F
ITZWILLIAM
, V
ISCOUNT
L
INDALE
â Edward's older brother
M
R
. P
EIFFER
â Samuel Darcy's man of business
M
R
. F
RANKLYN
, M
R
. S
EDGELOCK, AND
M
R
. C
HETLEY
â members of the British Antiquarian Society
M
R
. M
C
K
YE
, M
R
. P
OORE
, M
R
. C
ASTLE
, M
R
. M
AXTON, AND
M
R
. D
OUGLAS
â men hired to protect Samuel Darcy's house from intruders
M
R
. B
ARRITON
, M
RS
. R
IDGEWAY
, E
LS
, M
RS
. J
ACOBS
, M
RS
. H
OLBROOK, AND
M
R
. H
OLBROOK
â servants in Samuel Darcy's employ
S
TEWART AND
P
ERDITA
D
ARCY
â Samuel's elder brother and sister-in-law
B
ARTHOLOMEW AND
C
YNTHIA
S
ANDERSON
â the Earl and Countess of Rardin; Samuel's niece and heir to his property
M
R
. T
OBIAS
C
RESCENT
â Samuel Darcy's valet
M
R
. L
OUIS
S
TOWBRIDGE
â the local magistrate; a squire in Wimborne
M
R
. G
EOFFREY
G
LOVER
â a local surgeon
M
R
. W
ILLIAMSON
â the local curate
C
APTAIN
L
EWIS
T
REGONWELL
â the real-life founder of Bournemouth
A
NDRZEJ
G
RY
â the leader of the gypsy band
Chapter 1
“Fitzwilliam, Mrs. Reynolds said you wished to speak to me.”
Darcy looked up from the letter he clutched tightly in his grasp. It never ceased to amaze himâthe effect her beguiling smile had on him. A moment earlier, he had read the Dorset-based solicitor's letter and had known immediate sorrow, but the moment the former Elizabeth Bennet had walked into the room, light returned to his heart. They had married a little over six months prior, and Darcy had not known one day of regret. For her regard, he would dare anything. Despite her poor connections,
his
Elizabeth was worth more than a hundred of Society's debutantes.
Darcy stood to greet her. “Yes, my dear.” He extended his hand to her. “Please join me.” When her fingers slid into his, Darcy automatically brought them to his lips. His self-control was sadly lacking when it came to his wife. He meant the kiss as a token of his affection, but Elizabeth caressed his jaw line; and one thing had led to another. Within seconds, he had forgotten the odious letter. Instead, Darcy had drawn her into his embrace. He inhaled her essence.
Months before, with her first raised eyebrow as he had entered the Meryton assembly, Elizabeth had claimed him. At the time, she had not realized the effect of her impudence toward a man exhausted by feigned regard from Society's overanxious mamas. Unknowingly, she had marked him as hers. Now, to his delight, Elizabeth lifted her chin and accepted his kiss. If it were not the middle of the afternoon, Darcy would lock his study door and enjoy the exquisite intimacy of his marriage.
Yet, Darcy realized that although Elizabeth had accepted his constant desire for her, she was still an innocent in many ways. As his lips released her, Darcy sighed with satisfaction. For months during their acquaintance, he had thought this moment might never be possible. From the first time he laid eyes on her across that crowded assembly hall, the woman's sheer force had possessed him. Uncharacteristically, Darcy had found himself on marshy footing when it came to their relationship: completely out of control. Elizabeth Bennet eclipsed every woman Darcy had ever encountered.
Elizabeth snuggled into his chest. “I hold no objection to knowing your regard, Mr. Darcy,” she said on a rasp. “Yet, I find it hard to believe you sent for me in order to share this moment.”
Darcy's lips trailed heat down the column of her neck. He whispered huskily against the creamy softness of her skin, “I can think of no better way to spend my day.”