Chapter Ten

The next morning started early for Darcy. He performed an aerial reconnaissance of the neighborhood, looking for anything out of place. In particular, he was searching for any signs of another ambush, or the preparations for one. He saw two other flyers in the air, one a royal messenger paralleling the Great North Road, and one a scout for the militia regiment. He spotted a band of Strangefellows on Longbourn lands. Circling closer, the Derbyshireman discovered the travelers were working to repair a broken axel on one of their wagons. He spotted several obvious grotesques and wondered if any of the band might be fire or lightning elementals. He had dealt with numerous groups of Strangefellows over the years. Some had proven troublesome, while most were peaceful, if left unmolested. Few were above taking any opportunity offered them to enrich themselves. He determined he would return to question the group, though given that they were on Bennet property, it would be proper to inform Miss Elizabeth or Mr. Bennet of his intentions.

Finding no other circumstances out of the ordinary, Darcy returned to Netherfield in time to join his hosts for their morning repast. Bingley’s sisters were palpably frightened. The violence perpetrated so near their home and to an acquaintance on her way to visit them made the possibility of their own danger more real.

“Mr. Darcy, surely we should remove to Town,” Miss Bingley stated. “There is no reason to embroil ourselves in this turmoil.”

“We would assuredly be safer in the metropolis if the French, or some revolutionary group, is beginning to rampage through the country,” Mrs. Hurst agreed.

“I cannot disagree that we are facing an unknown threat,” Darcy replied. “I would suggest that the roads are not yet secure enough to ensure your safe return. And even if they were, you could not leave. Bingley has a responsibility to this estate, and you have a responsibility to your guests. Surely you were not thinking of moving Miss Bennet at this time.”

“The Housekeeper and her sister can see to Miss Bennet. For all we know the assailants are after her in particular and her presence in this house is endangering us all!” Miss Bingley said.

“Caroline! Surely you do not mean that!” Bingley protested.

“You cannot prove me wrong in this, Charles. She is a delightful creature and I wish her no ill, but this attack could well be personal and by harboring her we may make targets of ourselves.”

“Either way it would be safer to leave this place forthwith!” Mrs. Hurst stressed.

“But that means no shooting,” Mr. Hurst murmured. Darcy suspected the fellow was a trifle disguised, even at this early hour.

“No!” Bingley raised his voice. “We are not abandoning our guests, or fleeing from this crisis. You wanted to be landed gentry, sister. This is part of what holding that station means. I suggest you and Louisa see to our guests and prepare the household for further casualties. I should rather be prepared than found wanting.”

This unaccustomed outburst brought a hush to the room that endured until the arrival of Miss Elizabeth. Darcy saw she was dressed simply, yet with a certain innate elegance that contrasted favorably with Miss Bingley’s measured ostentation. “Good morning, Miss Elizabeth.” Bingley’s tone was once more friendly and solicitous. “May I inquire after your sister’s recovery?”

“She is somewhat better. Though it will be several days before she will be well enough to remove to Longbourn.”

“Please don’t think of that,” Bingley replied. “You are both welcome here as long as you would like. I … feel somewhat responsible for her misfortune. She was injured on my property.”

“Perhaps, though that has not been fully determined.” She served herself a light meal and joined the group at the table. “More to the point, the safety of the area was my responsibility, as the de facto sheriff for the Sturbridges and for my father. You have not been in residence long enough yet to be able to effectively patrol the estate. If this is not a transitory difficulty then it is I that has missed the sowing of the seeds of this disaster.” She picked at her food, then pushed it away. Darcy was struck by her discouraged mien. He detested seeing such bright eyes dimmed with sorrow or concern.

“I found a band of Strangefellows on your land this morning.” Darcy began. Miss Elizabeth’s eyes came up and met his. “I would like to question them.”

“Yes, of course,” Miss Bingley cried. “It must be those ruffians. They should all be driven into the sea. But surely you should send the Militia on such a hazardous task. You cannot risk yourself with such filth.”

Darcy watched Miss Elizabeth’s eyes flash as she turned to her hostess. Before she could cast such aspersions as were obviously on her tongue, he interrupted. “I strongly doubt that there is any danger in speaking to these unfortunates. But all avenues must be investigated.”

Miss Elizabeth and Miss Bingley both turned to look at him in some disbelief. “I shall accompany you to speak with them. I know this band, and it is I that gave them permission to camp in those woods.”

“As you wish,” Darcy agreed. He admired her sense of duty in this. It stood out in bright relief beside the actions of Bingley’s sisters. He contemplated for a moment on which example he would rather this sister follow.

An hour later Darcy and Elizabeth landed near the encampment. A canid hybrid woman, her advanced age apparent from the grey on her muzzle, approached them cautiously. She offered Miss Elizabeth a shallow bow. Her eyes settled warily on Darcy. “Nana Hound. May I introduce Mr. Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire. Mr. Darcy, this is Nana Hound, the matriarch of the Red Top band of Strangers.”

Darcy found Strangers, or Strangefellows as he had been introduced to them as a boy, uncomfortably outside the norms of class and propriety. They were disconcerting as they could not be easily adjudged by class or birth. This woman might have been born the daughter of a duke, but her grotesquery would have forced her family to banish her. Usually such unfortunates were sent to the Isle of Mann, where it was rumored that an exile from the Royal family ruled over a society of aberrations. As was often the case Darcy employed a demeanor of distant courtesy. A nod, no different from the one the stranger had offered, was his response to the introduction.

“I gave you leave to stay a week complete,” Miss Elizabeth said. “But that was almost a month ago.”

“Yes,” they hybrid answered slowly. “But it turned out the work needed on our wagons were much more extensive than anticipated. As we were preparing to leave two weeks ago, the axels on two of our wagons broke. It has taken us this long to get replacements and effect repairs. As you can see we are almost ready. We expect to move on today or tomorrow.”

“Have you any elementals in your band?” Darcy asked bluntly. It was the information most urgently needed to determine their culpability in the attacks. Nothing but natural lightning or an electrical elemental could have caused the damage to Miss Bennet or Mr. Goulding’s horse.

The old woman stared at him blankly for a moment. “Florence has a bit of plant speaking and Rocky a bit of earth control. Other than that, no.”

“No fire or electrical powers?”

“None.”

Darcy had no means of discerning the truth. There were special augers who could read a person’s gift. They were often employed in cases where gifts were subtle or hidden. They were also used to detect hollows or confirm wilders. Such a person could perceive the nature of a person’s gift and would be able to corroborate the Strangefellow’s claim.

Miss Elizabeth nodded subtlety to him. He assumed that meant she had the auger’s ability as part of her broader somatic gifts. She turned to address the traveler. “There were two attacks yesterday. Both carried out by a group of armed and gifted assailants. Both fire and lightning attacks were used. In your time in the neighborhood, have you heard of any groups that might have been able to perpetrate these attacks?”

The old hybrid scratched her chin and glanced at one of her band. A large young man with broad shoulders and long hair stepped away from his wife and children. He wore a hammer amulet on a leather thong around his neck. When he spoke his voice was deep and slow.

“I am Sigmund. When our fellows came to deliver the axels some days ago, one of my cousins mentioned that there had been a number of attacks on the roads between St. Albans’s and Meryton. I was stopping for a pint at Miller’s flash-house. There were some ragged lobsters on the cut. One, more jug-bitten than the others, said something about going out on the high-toby. His trusty trojans got him outside quicklike, but I figure they’s bothering the highway trade.”

Darcy had to consider the man’s story from a moment, working to decipher his cant. “Do I understand you to say that there are some soldiers that may be occupied as highwaymen to be found at this Miller’s tavern?”

The man nodded. “More likely deserters. I seen them there thrice.”

“I know where Miller’s is.” Miss Elizabeth revealed in a quiet aside to Darcy. He was surprised that a lady of quality would be familiar with what sounded like an establishment of low repute. But, he realized, he was aware of such places on or near his property as well. It was part of the duty of a magistrate or sheriff occasionally to deal with such riffraff.

“There’s more,” said the hybrid leader. She gestured for a green skinned woman. “This is Florence. She had word from her brother recently.”

“I got a letter that said that an infamous blackguard named Black Tom Tolland recently moved from Tottenham to near Hatfield. I am certain I saw him near Purvis Lodge. There is a vacant farm house by the grey thorn oak and the honey rose field. I think he is hiding there. He is so frightening. The grass will not grow near him.”

Darcy again looked at Miss Elizabeth. She thought for a minute. “Near the glade with the triple tree?” she clarified, making a sign with her hand signifying a tree with three trunks. The plant speaker agreed. “I know where it is.”

“Have you heard or seen anything else that might help us find the perpetrators?” Darcy asked.

“We will listen, but we leave tomorrow.” The leader said.

“With Miss Elizabeth’s permission, I would ask that you stay until the investigation is complete. The roads may not be safe.” Darcy said.

“He’s right. Please take another few days here.” Miss Elizabeth confirmed.

“Nowhere is really safe, but we will stay.”

“What shall we do?” Darcy asked his companion as they walked from the camp.

“I think we need to investigate these leads. Miller’s is on crown land and Purvis Lodge is vacant, so in neither case is there a landowner with whom we would need to coordinate. I have heard whispers of this Black Tom. While it is said he works alone, that may have changed.”

“The deserters may have gained a fallen officer or two in their ranks. That would explain the use of gifts in the attacks.”

“Purvis Lodge is closer to Haye-Park. I suggest we look there first.”

“Very well. Please lead the way.” Darcy assumed this firebrand would not be willing to stay safely aside while he confronted this brigand and his cronies. But he felt that he could keep her safe if she was in front of him, so he could see any threats or attacks on her and respond in time to prevent any harm from coming to her.