Mrs. Darcy and the Well of Wishes

An Elizabeth Darcy Adventure #11

By: Carrie Mollenkopf

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Length: 4 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

When a Darcy family heirloom is discovered alongside a dead body, mayhem ensues as the residents of Pemberley, and the surrounding Derbyshire countryside try desperately to find not only a thief, but also a murderer. With the assistance of Elizabeth Darcy, more than just a thief will be found, but also old scandal, thought to be safely buried. Read an excerpt from Mrs. Darcy and the Well of Wishes:
“Maeve? Have you seen my pearl earrings?” Elizabeth queried.
“No, not since you packed them to take to your Mama’s house," the maid replied, not looking up from the pile of darning upon her lap.
Elizabeth grimaced, for that had been several months ago and the prospect of having lost such a valuable thing was daunting. It was not the cost that caused the distress, but the prospect of telling Darcy. Of course, he would never be angry with her, but the hurt that he would try to conceal would be painful. She simply must find them, and quickly, or wear something else until they were found. Unfortunately, time was not on her side, and the hall clock chimed the hour before the missing gems could be found.
Elizabeth nodded, and rushed from the chamber, leaving the pearl necklace where it lay in the still open case. She would find the earrings later, even if she had to turn the chamber wrong ways out. Running through the gallery, she almost felt accusatory eyes upon her. The portraits of generations of Darcy women, all wore the cherished pearls and seemed to be chastising her carelessness.
“I’ll find them, I promise,” she uttered, as a puzzled Darcy stared up at her from the hall.
“Find what?”
“Oh nothing…. Are the children ready?”
“Indeed, and if we do not join them, they may depart without us,” Darcy jested.
Nodding in agreement, Elizabeth joined her children in the midst of an argument.
“Tell him Mama! Tell him it is true!”
“What is true?”
Helena Darcy, at the precocious age of eight, was rather bossy and believed herself the expert in many a matter. Holding a penny in her gloved hands for all to see, she dared contradiction.
“The well, the wishing well. Is it not true that on Mayday, if a person tosses a penny into the well and makes a wish, it will come true?”
“Oh, I have known that to be so, but only if the wish is made by one who is pure of heart. And….it must not be a selfish wish.”
Elizabeth smiled as her daughter’s face fell into a most unladylike scowl. It was obvious that Helena’s wish was going to be for some sort of trivial thing, but just as quickly, she brightened.
“I shall wish for something pleasant… for Maeve’s baby.”
“That is a good wish indeed!”
To this, Duncan rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue. He was eldest and hated to be bested. What did he want with some silly old wish when there was serious business to be had, and that was tormenting his sister.
“I heard that you also must drink the water, and everyone knows that well water is full of worms! Evil fairies live down there.”
To this, Darcy gave his son a stern look of censure, immediately silencing the outburst. However, he had lived near Lambton all his life, and knew the superstition by heart.
“Yes, that is true, one must drink, but I do not believe there is anything in the water. Before we had pipes running into the house, all our water was from wells. And I am perfectly healthy. Never once, did I see any worms or fairies, evil or otherwise.”
Relieved, the child tucked the penny in her pocket and was silent. It was Mayday, the first of the warm months of the year. Birds were singing in the trees and a pleasant breeze carried the scent of spring flowers. To Elizabeth, it seemed that nothing could ruin the day.