Imperative: Volume 2, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice by Linda Wells Read Free Book Online Page B

hired him to search for Wickham and to listen in on the servants to see if there was any speculation about Georgiana’s whereabouts.” 
    “While deceitful, I do not see anything criminal in that act.”  Richard folded his arms to keep his hands busy.  “Spill it judge, I have no desire to dance with you.”
    “He found him . . . not long after Fitzwilliam married Elizabeth.  I . . . I was quite out of control, I hardly know what I was doing, I just remember . . . No I do not remember.  I kept Wickham in a prison of sorts.  I wanted to kill him.  I . . . I was furious, by then we knew that Georgiana was pregnant and I was extremely unhappy that Fitzwilliam married Elizabeth. I was furious that he planned to pass off Wickham’s child as his own, and . . . the thought of his blood possibly inheriting Pemberley threw me over the edge of sanity for a time.   And Carson was dosing me with the laudanum by his own precription; I was insane then withdrawing, over and over . . .”
    “What did you do, Judge Darcy?”  Richard said in a cold tight voice.   “Are you the reason why Wickham and Christmas were in that cabin?”
    “Yes.” 
    “Why?” 
    He stood straight with his hands to his sides.  “I believe that I ordered them to kill Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth.”
    “ YOU BELIEVE! ” Richard roared. 
    “It happened when I was so ill, I must have told them and then . . . I was told that I was confined to my bed for weeks.  When I woke I went straight to the place where I had Wickham and they were gone . . . I rushed here and . . . well, you know what happened.”  He stared down at his hands and was completely taken by surprise when Richard’s fist drove into his stomach.  He collapsed to the floor and Richard stood over him with his chest heaving, attempting to regain control. 
    “And why was Georgiana to live?”  He said through gritted teeth.  “Let me guess, to have her married to Samuel, and making him the Master of Pemberley.  What was to happen to Wickham’s child?  It would have been legitimate then.  Would you kill it, too?”
    “I do not know.”  Gasping, he sat up and leaned against his desk. 
    “You disgust me.”  He paced to the opposite end of the room and stared back at him.  “You were a judge, respected, admired, famous for your decisions.  What sentence do you suppose would be appropriate for a bastard like you?  Swing by the neck until dead?  Perhaps a turn at Bedlam, you could put on a show for the tourists.” 
    “I will confess to Fitzwilliam.”
    “No you bloody well will not!”  Richard strode back across the room and knelt before him and stuck his finger in his face.  “If you dare speak another word of this to anyone, ANYONE, I will kill you.  The only reason you do not have my sword in your gullet right now is because I love my brother and I know what he is suffering, and I know what my family is suffering because of him.  Darcy is suffering deeply, but I believe in my heart that Wickham would have harmed him again somehow, and that Georgiana was ripe for him or some other cad, even without your aid.  To tell him that the one man he could count on nearly took his life . . . I will not allow it.  I will not see this family torn apart because of your madness.” 
    Judge Darcy swallowed and nodded.  “Very well.  A confession would serve only myself.”  
    “Do not for a moment believe that you are free from reproach because you are not bleeding out over this fine carpet right now.  I promise you, I will serve as your personal judge and jury for the remainder of your days.” 
    “I told you that I mean to dedicate those days to my family.”
    “If you had any other plan in mind I would have set you straight.”  Richard stood when there was a cautious knock on the door. 
    “Harding, the post has come, would you like it?” Susan asked, and both men heard the trepidation in her voice. 
    Judge Darcy struggled to his feet and swearing