To his credit, Theophilus appeared startled by this information. “That I did not know.” He sighed and raked his hands through his hair.
Despite his own anger and desire for vengeance, Darcy felt he must take into account that his great-uncle Horatio had loved his brother until the end of his life, even after he had stopped trusting him.
“Very well. You shall have the money.”
“I need it now.”
“There are conditions.”
Theophilus was growing more anxious with each passing moment. “I will abide by them, but I require the funds.”
“You will sign a contract stating that you will never approach me or mine again,” Darcy said firmly. “You will return to York and stay there. You will no longer gamble or speculate. If you abide, I will not only pay your debts but also give you a sum to live on which you shall have to manage.”
Theophilus Darcy’s eyes widened. Darcy hated to do it, but he could not in good conscience leave the old man penniless. Besides, the thought of losing that additional money might be of use in controlling the man’s behaviour. Darcy would not, however, give him funds enough to gamble.
“In return for my assistance, you will agree that you will never request another shilling from the Darcy coffers.”
“I accept,” Theophilus said.
“I am not done. If you fail to comply with any of these conditions, you will be required to return the entire two thousand pounds to my account, plus interest, and I will have you sent to the Marshalsea until and unless it is paid. And should you have the audacity to try to do harm to me or anyone I care for,” he said, leaning close and staring straight into those eyes that were so much like his own, “I will simply tell my cousin where to find you and ask him no questions upon his return. Do I make myself clear?”
Theophilus coughed uneasily and nodded. “I shall sign. May I tell my creditors you will pay?”
Darcy nodded once. The sky was dark outside. “Connors and the banks will be closed now. I shall arrive there first thing in the morning.” He grimaced before asking, “Do you have a place to stay?”
“I have a room at a hotel not far off.”
How he could afford to stay in this neighbourhood was not something Darcy wished to know. “I will meet you at Connors’s at the start of business, then.” The man swiped his hat against this thigh.
Mentioning the solicitor’s name made him realise something. “Connors is how you found me in Hertfordshire.”
The man shrugged. “I am a family member and until recently, a client. I merely told them I must correspond with you. The clerk wrote out your direction in Hertfordshire.”
He would have to speak with Connors about his clerks. “I will be there at start of business.”
“Thank you.”
Darcy snarled. “Do not thank me. I should as soon allow these men to find you. Was not that what you had planned for me? I do this for your brother, who was kind to me long before he made me his heir. Had you simply come to me, I would have gladly shared what I have. But do not take me for a fool. I will not assist you in any way again.”
Theophilus nodded. “Good night.”
The man departed, and Darcy squared his shoulders. Without a confession, something his great-uncle would of course refuse to give to a constable, Theophilus Darcy would never be brought to account. For the cost of two thousand pounds, he could at least control the man, and so he had done it. He drew out a sheet of paper to draft the points of the contract Connors would need to include.
Darcy knew it was no more than stalling, for now that he had made his decision, he would have to defend it to Fitzwilliam.
The conversation went as poorly as he had expected, and when Fitzwilliam woke him in the middle of the night, Darcy thought for a moment he wished to renew his arguments.
“Really, cousin,” Darcy grumbled as he sat up, “you must allow me to sleep through to morning more than twice a week.”
“Theophilus Darcy is dead.”
That startled Darcy to wakefulness. “What?”
“He went back to his hotel and was killed there sometime after. According to the man in the room next door, there was some loud arguing suggesting your great-uncle was lying about having the funds in the morning. Apparently, he had said as much before.” He paused. “They need you to identify him.”
Darcy sighed. Had he not met the man a few hours earlier, he would not have been able to do the office. “Is it Hardiman who is here to fetch me?”
Fitzwilliam nodded. “I will accompany you.”