“You are a coward,” Fitz added.
The man’s breathing quickened, but he grasped the arms of his chair and nodded. “So it appears, yes. Nothing came of it in the end, thank God.”
“Do not forgive yourself so easily, Howard,” Darcy said coldly. “I shall not.”
Henry folded his arms across his chest. “Darcy,” he said coolly, “once Mr. Howard leaves here, what would you like done with him?”
“I have a few ideas,” Fitz muttered.
“There is no need, gentlemen,” Howard said firmly, pushing himself up. He swayed a little before steadying himself and addressing Darcy. “I fully intended to wound you today, Darcy. I wanted you hurt. I wanted you humiliated. It was the best I could hope for now that all my plans had been laid to ruin. You showed up early at Ramsgate, Miss Bennet appeared from nowhere at Netherfield, and Henderson and Baker failed to compromise either of you. You were married, happily by the look of things. The foil was all I had left to me, and you did not wait for my challenge.” He sighed tiredly. “What man of honor refuses to duel? It is illegal in word, but not in practice.”
“It is a ridiculous practice,” Darcy replied impatiently. “How is it honorable to settle an argument by trying to kill one another? I have too many people who depend on me to give way to anything so wholly reckless.”
“How did you learn it was me?” Howard asked quietly. “Did Bingley tell you? Wickham?”
“Henderson and Baker were captured by Darcy’s staff when they broke into his home to finish the job you set them,” Fitz informed Howard. “They told us you hired them.”
Howard paled so thoroughly that Darcy thought he might faint. He rather hoped the man would.
“They are both in Newgate now,” Henry informed them. “My brother saw to that.” He flashed a grin at Fitz. “And they were so very anxious about leaving town that I asked around. You will be thrilled to learn that there is more.” He waited, but no one said anything. “Well, this is disappointing. Will no one ask?”
Darcy pinched the bridge of his nose. “What did you learn, Henry?”
“Well, Darcy,” Henry said, rubbing his hands together, “It turns out that Mr. Howard hired two men with a colorful history of criminal actions. They had been doing rather well for themselves until they crippled the Earl of Wright’s butler in an aborted attempt to pilfer the dowager countess’s jewels. He is a friend of my father’s, you know, and was very pleased to hear that these men were in prison.” Henry examined his fingernails. “I believe we can all guess how they will end.”
Howard’s expression was tortured as he met Darcy’s gaze. “I know it is not enough, but my deepest apologies are yours. My honor, as tattered as it may be, demands that I make amends.” He closed his eyes briefly before opening them to address Darcy. “There is no future here for my sister or me, now.”
“I should think not.” Henry’s voice was suddenly very cold. “You must not remain within a thousand miles of my family, Mr. Howard, or I shall tell the earl who it was that gave these criminals the clothes of gentlemen and money enough to leave London. I believe his wrath would be considerable.”
Howard held up a hand. “There is no need to threaten me with the earl. I know what I have done. None of you . . .” He swallowed. “None of you could possibly detest me as much as I detest myself.”
“Entirely untrue,” Fitz replied.
Darcy said nothing. He just stared at Howard with all the anger that was still in his heart—and waited.
“As much as I deserved to have you run me through, Darcy, I am grateful you stayed your hand.” Howard swallowed. “I still have a sister to protect. I have failed in that once—I cannot fail again. Please, allow me to truly apologize.” Howard met Darcy’s eyes, and Darcy saw a broken man. He hoped it was sincere repentance, if for no other reason than it would offer Elizabeth some comfort.
“I have some small holdings in Upper Canada,” Howard continued, after a moment. “I shall secure passage to Nova Scotia for my sister and myself as soon as I am able to purchase a berth, and when the St. Lawrence thaws in the spring, we shall travel there. If I promise you that we shall never return to England, never attempt to contact you or your family in any way—will this satisfy?”
“You have more than one estate,” Darcy replied. “How can I believe you will never return to England?”
“I suppose . . . I could sell them. There is no entail.” Howard’s color was not improving. “It will be a difficult thing to sell our family home. It is a large property and not many could afford it. I admit it would be difficult for other reasons as well.” He was silent for a time. “What if I were to leave it to my cousins in trust for Amelia’s child?” he asked at last. “At least the boy is of Howard blood, and my cousins are excellent people. They would be good stewards of the property.” He glanced up at Darcy. “It would allow us to sail sooner.”
Darcy considered the notion, thinking of the pain he would endure were he required to sign Pemberley over to someone else. After a moment, he nodded. “I insist on seeing the signed contract when it is available. The transfer must be immediate and irrevocable.”
“And you will sign a contract detailing a substantial financial penalty to my cousin or his wife should you ever return to England,” Henry added stonily. “Let us say thirty thousand pounds?”
Howard nodded. “I have no intention of returning, so such a contract would be no imposition.”
“Understand this, Mr. Howard,” Fitz added levelly. “It will not only be a financial penalty you will incur should you dare to go back on your word.”
Darcy thought such insistence unnecessary. Howard had been laboring under a mistaken premise that had now been rectified. But he had no desire to meet with Howard ever again, and understood his cousins’ need to be excruciatingly clear. Howard’s actions had been despicable, and they were protecting their family.
Howard did not flinch. “It will take time to prepare the papers,” he said. “If you can bear my presence in London, Mr. Darcy, I would have it all completed before we depart. I shall not enter society at all, not that I would be welcomed—you shall only see me by appointment, in order to conclude our business.”
“Hardly enough,” Fitz said. “You will still be a rich man.”
Howard grimaced. “I will need money to begin again abroad,” he said quietly. “But I shall never again be a truly wealthy man.”