Elizabeth stopped walking. “Yes. Why are you asking all these questions, Mr. Darcy?”
He sighed. “I am wondering whether this man is loyal to your father. We should perhaps discuss this with the general.”
She nodded. “Very well.” She began to walk again. “The Todd family has not been with us long, but they have been well treated. I cannot imagine Mr. Todd would have any complaints. The cottage is small, but clean and dry. It has a room for the girls and another for Mr. Todd. He makes enough to employ an older girl to watch his daughters when needed.”
“How old are the girls?”
“Molly is five. Nora is two.” She paused. “Mary will sometimes visit whilst their father works, and Mrs. Keller walks over with Kitty and Lydia at least once a week. They are very charming little girls.”
Mr. Darcy was silent, but he did appear to be considering all that she said with the kind of seriousness she expected from him.
They arrived at Longbourn a quarter of an hour later. Lydia and Kitty hurried upstairs to put away their books and new ribbons. Mary wandered off to practice the pianoforte.
Mr. Fitzwilliam and Jane remained with them as they all approached Papa’s study.
“Come,” Papa answered to Elizabeth’s knock.
They were all startled to discover that he already had a visitor. Standing before Papa’s desk with his hat in his hand was Mr. Todd. Papa was also standing.
“Mr. Todd,” Jane said kindly as she stepped inside, “are your daughters well?”
“I am so very sorry, sir,” Mr. Todd mumbled, ignoring Jane. Although his head was down, Elizabeth could see that he was ashen. His hands trembled as his fingers kneaded the brim.
“Come in, everyone,” Papa said solemnly. “Mr. Todd here was just telling me something very interesting.” He looked at Elizabeth. “Close the door, Lizzy.”
She did so.
“Mr. Todd, if you would.” Papa’s words were shot through with steel. “Explain again what you have told me.”
“Miss Bennet,” the man said, facing Jane but not lifting his eyes to hers, “I am more sorry than I can say. The accident, it were my fault, Miss.”
“I do not see how that is possible,” Jane said, but Mr. Todd shook his head.
“He jest offered so much money, and I knew Mr. Bennet had been wanting a new coach anyway,” Mr. Todd said. “’E asked me to pull one of the lynchpins to the wheel, and I done it.”
“Who offered the money, Mr. Todd?” Mr. Fitzwilliam inquired.
Mr. Todd shrugged. “I never met ’im before. “’E were not as young as the two ’er you,” he said, nodding at Mr. Darcy and Mr. Fitzwilliam, “but not as old as Mr. Bennet. After, ’e met me ’ere again. I told ’im I done it and he should pay me so I could take my girls to the sea.”
Mr. Jones must have suggested that he take Molly to a more congenial environment for her health. “To join your family in Cornwall?” Elizabeth asked.
Mr. Todd nodded. “My people can take us in, but I ’ave no money to travel there.” He closed his eyes. “And I am sorry to say I wished to be gone when the wheel finally give way. ’E said he would pay, but then after the accident, he said ’e wouldn’t because it didn’t do what it were supposed to.”
“Which was what?” Mr. Darcy asked.
“’Wouldn’t say, and I figured it were nothing I wanted to hear. I had naught to do with that. I jest replaced the pin, that was all I were to do. But then you came to my house, Miss Elizabeth, and yer were so good to my girls.” He blinked hard. “You ’n yer sisters always been so good to them, and what I done, it jest eats me up. My wife, she would be very angry with me and no mistake. So I come to tell the master, and to ask for a few weeks until I can find us another place to live.”
“Mr. Todd, you cannot remain here,” her father said slowly. “You have demonstrated remarkably poor judgment and a lack of loyalty I cannot excuse. You have injured my child. You might have killed her.”
“Papa,” Jane remonstrated, but he held up his hand.
“That does not mean that your daughters deserve to suffer for your sins.” He sighed heavily, and Elizabeth could sense how deeply angry he was. He leaned forward, both hands flat on the surface of his desk. “Have I ever appeared a hard man to you? I gave you a place for your family and a way to take care of them. My own family has been involved in tending to your daughters. Why would you not simply come to me and ask for the money?”
Mr. Todd mumbled something that Elizabeth could not hear.
“You have your pride,” her father said disbelievingly. “But your pride does not extend to protecting those of us who have protected you and yours? You ought to have come to me immediately when you were approached!” One hand slammed down on his desk to punctuate his exclamation.
Elizabeth and Jane flinched, but so did Mr. Todd.