What Would Lizzy Bennet Do? (35 page)

Hugh frowned. ‘I believe you. It’s obvious that the photographer cropped that picture to cast things in the most improper light possible. The question is – who took it, and why?’

‘That’s easy – it was Imogen’s friend, Oliver. He’s a writer, and he’s staying at Rosings. I saw him taking snaps in a boat not far from ours. I’m sure he did it for the money; tabloids pay well for that sort of thing, don’t they? Ciaran’s a famous film star, after all.’

‘Yes. Odd that he happened to be in the harbour with his camera yesterday afternoon, though, don’t you think?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘The race was Saturday. The media left after the winner was announced. It seems more than coincidental that this particular photographer stayed on until the next day, waiting on a boat with his camera at the ready, until Ciaran’s yacht returned and anchored in the bay.’

‘Well, when you put it like that,’ Lizzy agreed, ‘it is a bit odd.’ She went to pour their tea and carried the mugs to the table. ‘He must’ve known about our cruise with Ciaran beforehand.’

He nodded. ‘Let me have a look at the paper, if you don’t mind.’

Lizzy got up and retrieved the
Tattler
from the dining room table where Mr Bennet had tossed it and carried it back into the kitchen.

Hugh drew it towards him and glanced down at the article. ‘Let’s have a look and see if Imogen’s friend wrote this scurrilous piece of crap, then, shall we?’ He frowned. ‘Where’s the byline? I don’t see it.’

‘Perhaps it’s not attributed,’ Lizzy suggested. ‘Or perhaps it’s at the end of the article.’

He turned to the story’s continuation page. ‘Ah, here we are.’

Lizzy leaned forward, her head nearly touching his. Why hadn’t she thought to look and see who’d written the piece?

He looked up and met her eyes with a grim expression. ‘You were right.’

‘Oh, God.’ Lizzy looked at him in dismay.

‘Oliver Slade wrote this article.’ He lifted his gaze to hers. ‘Lady Georgina’s houseguest is a tabloid reporter for the
Mirror
.’

Chapter 41

‘Where are you going?’ Lizzy asked with no small amount of alarm as Hugh flung the newspaper aside and pushed his chair back.

He went to the kitchen door and threw it open. ‘To Rosings, of course. I mean to confront this Mr Slade and have it out with him.’

‘It won’t do any good,’ she pointed out. ‘The damage is done.’

‘I’ll force him to print a retraction. And if he refuses…’ He pressed his lips together. ‘Then I’ll threaten to sue him – and his sensationalist rag as well – for libel.’

He was already out the door and halfway down the back steps when Lizzy grabbed her mobile and called out, ‘Wait, Hugh! I’m going with you.’

***

‘Mr Slade isn’t here at present,’ Banks told Hugh and Lizzy when they arrived at Rosings a short time later. ‘He left this morning and has yet to return.’

‘Where did he go?’ Hugh demanded.

‘He did not tell me,’ Banks informed him with a sniff, ‘and I did not ask.’

Lady de Byrne descended the staircase. ‘Mr Darcy, and Miss Bennet! What a pleasant surprise. What brings you to Rosings?’

Hugh and Lizzy exchanged glances. Briefly, Hugh told her about the story in the morning’s newspapers. ‘It’s all a pack of scurrilous lies.’

‘Indeed, no one who knows the Bennet girls will believe it,’ she agreed. ‘I haven’t read the papers yet, I usually peruse them after breakfast.’ She frowned. ‘But what has this story to do with me?’

‘Nothing,’ he assured her. ‘But it has everything to do with your house guest, Oliver Slade.’

‘Well, I can’t say I’m surprised. He did mention he was a writer.’ She sniffed. ‘A writer of fiction, it seems!’ She turned towards the drawing room. ‘Come in, please, and join me for tea.’

‘Thank you, Lady Georgina,’ Hugh said. ‘But if Mr Slade isn’t here, we won’t take up any more of your time.’

‘Oh, nonsense.’ Her voice was crisp and brooked no argument. ‘It’s a lovely day and I’m guessing that neither of you has a thing to do. I was about to go down to the
Rosings
, my late husband’s yacht. Why don’t you both come along? I can give you a tour. It was built in 1903 and it’s really quite a remarkable piece of workmanship.’

Before Hugh could refuse, Lizzy said quickly, ‘We’d love to see it, wouldn’t we, Hugh?’

He had little choice but to muster a smile and a nod. ‘Of course.’

‘Splendid,’ his godmother said. ‘We’ll have lunch here at Rosings afterwards.’ She paused. ‘Let me just see if Imogen and Billy want to come along.’

‘Well,’ Lizzy said in a low voice as Lady de Byrne marched back upstairs, ‘that’s our morning sorted, then. Sorry. I hope you don’t mind.’

Hugh sighed. ‘I’ve a million other things I should be doing, but… no, I don’t mind.’ He smiled. ‘Lady Georgina’s obviously looking forward to it.’

Lady de Byrne returned with Billy. ‘Imogen isn’t feeling well, I’m afraid. But my grandson is more than ready to get out of the house and join us.’

As the three of them arrived at the marina and climbed aboard the
Rosings
a short time later, Mac greeted them with a grin.

‘Well, well, if it isn’t my old first mate, Billy,’ he said, and grabbed the boy up and swung him around. ‘How’s life up in that posh house with your granny and your mum, eh?’

‘S’all right,’ Billy mumbled, and wriggled free. ‘Here’s more fun. Can I go in the galley for a biscuit?’

‘May I, lad, may I,’ he reminded him. ‘And aye, go ahead down. Mind you don’t make a mess.’

As the boy darted off down the steps that led to the sailboat’s interior, Mac took them on a quick tour above deck, pointing out the teak fittings and the excellent craftsmanship with pride.

‘It’s beautiful,’ Hugh said, impressed. ‘A true classic.’

‘Might we see the salon?’ Lizzy asked. ‘I’m dying to have a peek below.’

‘It’s not as big, nor as fancy as some,’ Mac warned them as they went down the steps into the lounge, ‘but every inch of the
Rosings
is put to good use.’

Lizzy admired the original light fixtures bracketed to the walls, and the recently reupholstered blue velvet sofas on either side of the salon. An antique rug silenced their steps as Mac led them to a small but functional galley, a tiny bathroom, and two surprisingly spacious sleeping cabins, as well as a berth in the bow fitted out with blue and yellow cushions.

‘It’s lovely,’ Lizzy exclaimed, impressed. ‘
So
romantic.’

Lady de Byrne glanced around. ‘Alfred and I honeymooned on this boat. We were so young then, and so much in love.’

‘Where did you go on your honeymoon?’ Lizzy asked.

‘Oh, not far. We sailed down the coast to Cornwall and stayed at a little cottage on the beach. It was perfect.’ Her eyes grew moist. ‘It seems like only yesterday.’

Lizzy hesitated, then slipped her hand into Lady de Byrne’s and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Hugh’s mobile phone buzzed, and he took it out. ‘Excuse me,’ he said as he glanced at the screen. ‘It’s chambers. I need to take this.’ And with an apologetic smile, he turned and went back above.

‘If you’ll excuse me as well, ladies,’ Mac said, ‘I need to go back above and see where that little scamp’s got off to.’

Lady de Byrne nodded distractedly. ‘Thank you, Mac.’

‘Are you all right?’ Lizzy asked the older woman when Mac had left. ‘Is it too much for you, reliving all of those old memories? Perhaps we should go.’

‘No, I’m fine.’ She fumbled in her handbag for a tissue and blew her nose. ‘I want to remember, it’s comforting. We had such a good life together, Alfie and I. We were what you’d call “lucky in love”, I suppose.’

‘It must’ve been wonderful,’ Lizzy agreed, and went to one of the sofas in the salon and sat down. ‘To fall in love and find that special person, and spend the rest of your life together.’ Her words were wistful.

‘Oh, it wasn’t always perfect.’ Hugh’s godmother sat down next to her. ‘No relationship ever is. We had our disagreements, some of them quite serious. At one point, Alfred and I even separated.’ She paused. ‘But he returned two days later with the most enormous bouquet of roses and the biggest box of chocolates you’ve ever seen, begging me to forgive him and take him back.’

‘And did you?’ Lizzy asked. ‘Or did you send him packing?’

‘Oh, no, I took him back. There was never any question that I wouldn’t, and I expect he knew it. But I made him sleep in one of the guest rooms for two nights as punishment.’ She laughed. ‘He wasn’t happy about
that
, I can tell you.’

‘I envy you. I don’t think I’ll ever have a love like that.’ The words slipped out of Lizzy’s mouth before she could stop them. ‘I’ll probably end up like my sister Emma, living at home and running my father’s life, instead of l-living my own.’ To her embarrassment, she felt tears well up.

‘Oh, but you
do
have a love like that.’ Lady de Byrne unearthed another tissue and thrust it at her. ‘Or am I the only one who sees it?’

‘What do you mean?’ Lizzy asked, and stared at the older woman in surprise.

‘Tell me,’ Lady Georgina said carefully. ‘Where is Holly? Where is Hugh’s fiancée just now?’

‘I – I don’t know. At Cleremont, I suppose.’

‘And why is he here with you, and not at Cleremont with Holly?’

Lizzy blinked. ‘Because,’ she said, choosing her words with care and wondering if Lady de Byrne wasn’t becoming forgetful, ‘we came to Rosings to confront Oliver about his story in the newspapers…’

‘Yes, you told me all about that.’ She gave a dismissive sniff. ‘Trumped-up nonsense.’

‘Hugh wanted to have it out with Oliver. He was furious.’

‘Indeed.’ Lady de Byrne regarded her with those shrewd, jackdaw’s eyes. ‘And why do you suppose he was so angry?’

‘He didn’t want to see me and my sisters unfairly maligned in the newspapers, I suppose.’

‘No, my dear girl. Hugh is angry because someone has maligned
you
– Elizabeth Bennet – the woman he’s in love with… whether he – or you – realises it or not.’

For some moments, Lizzy could do nothing more than stare at Hugh’s godmother in mute disbelief.

‘No,’ Lizzy said finally, and shook her head. ‘With respect, Lady de Byrne, you’re wrong. Hugh and I are good friends, but that’s all. He doesn’t love me! He loves Holly. They’ll be married soon.’

‘It won’t happen, mark my words.’ Lady de Byrne made a dismissive gesture with her hand. ‘Holly is a charming girl, but she and Hugh are not suited. Anyone can see it. His own mother sees it! Darcy faces a huge responsibility once his father dies. Holly’s a dear girl, with a great many wonderful qualities; but she isn’t cut out to manage an estate like Cleremont, and all that entails. She won’t prove equal to the task.’

‘I thought you liked Holly.’

‘I do like her, very much. But that doesn’t change the fact that she isn’t remotely suited to marry Hugh.’ She reached out to grasp Lizzy’s hand. ‘You, however, are.’

‘
Me
? But I know nothing of stately homes and hunt balls!’ Lizzy sputtered. ‘I grew up in a
vicarage
. We scrimped and saved and made do, and have done for as long as I can remember.’

‘But that’s exactly the sort of woman Hugh needs,’ Lady Georgina insisted. ‘Someone clever and sensible, someone who can haggle with tradesmen and host a dinner for fifty with equal aplomb.’

The two of them looked up as shouts and the sound of running feet above made them rise.

‘What on earth…?’ Lady de Byrne exclaimed, and hurried to the steps that led to the deck with Lizzy close behind.

All was pandemonium as they emerged, blinking, back into the sunshine.

‘Billy’s fallen overboard!’ Mac cried hoarsely. ‘Young Mr Darcy just dived in to get ‘im!’

Lizzy and Lady Georgina rushed to the railing and stared down in shock as Harry hit the water with a splash and swam out to the boy, who was flailing and choking up mouthfuls of water in panic. Harry reached out and grabbed Billy, who clung to him, shivering and crying.

By now several people had gathered on the dock, drawn by the boy’s shouts. Ciaran, Lizzy noted in surprise, was one of them.

‘Is he all right?’ the actor called out.

Harry patted Billy’s back and murmured comforting words until he coughed up seawater and began, gradually, to calm down. ‘A little waterlogged at present, but he’ll be okay, I reckon.’

‘What happened?’ Hugh asked in alarm as he joined Lizzy.

Briefly she explained that Billy had fallen in, and his brother, Harry, had appeared and jumped in to save him.

‘Thank God he did,’ Hugh muttered, and turned to Mac. ‘I didn’t even know he was here! Go and fetch some towels, the boy’s bound to be in shock.’

‘I’ll call the paramedics,’ Ciaran offered, and reached for his mobile phone.

‘No need.’ Harry handed Billy up to another man waiting on the dock. ‘He gulped down a bit of sea water. Other than that, he’s fine.’ He turned a stern expression on the boy. ‘What have I told you about running on the docks and climbing round like a monkey?’

Billy hung his head. ‘I won’t ever do it again,’ he mumbled, and sniffled. ‘I promise.’

Harry knelt down to face the boy. ‘Never mind. Right now, let’s just get you dry.’ He took one of the fluffy white towels Mac held out to him and wrapped it around Billy. ‘Off you go.’

He watched as the boy took Mac’s hand and headed back to the
Rosings
, and glanced up to see Hugh and Lizzy standing by the sailboat’s railing. Surprise skimmed over his face. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘I was about to ask you the same thing,’ Hugh said.

‘I had a meeting with the regatta committee,’ Harry explained, ‘and I saw what happened when I was coming back from the marina office.’

‘Good thing you were here.’ Hugh smiled. ‘Well done.’

‘All in a day’s work.’ Harry grinned. ‘And I’ve got some good news to share, as well.’ Harry slanted a glance at Ciaran. ‘Well, whether it’s good news or not depends on your point of view, I suppose.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ the film star asked. ‘Still sulking because the
Pemberley
lost the race, are you? Better luck next year.’ With a smirk, he turned to go.