Who Shot Mr Darcy? digital evidence
Hello detective! Here you can find a scan of each page from the evidence booklet and, below each page, a more readable version of the text. Good luck cracking the case!
In this booklet you will find some of the evidence you need to solve The mystery. You can get the rest of the evidence from the suspects – if you ask them the right questions!
Read everything carefully. Some evidence includes puzzles that need solving and, again, you might need to turn to the suspects for help with these…
Once you think you have solved the mystery please complete the form on the back cover of the booklet!
A) LETTER FROM MR WICKHAM TO MR DARCY
Darcy,
Whatever you may view as my transgressions, my mistakes, I have spent my whole life either attempting to avoid your influence or trapped within it, reeling to your tune. But now this endless dance has become too much to bear. I believe you have wronged me as much I have wronged you and now I demand satisfaction, sir. I shall allow you, as my better, to choose a date and place for the duel. My pistol shall be at the ready, sir.
Yours threateningly, George Wickham
B) LETTER FROM LYDIA WICKHAM TO LIZZY DARCY
I hope, my dearest sister Lizzy, that you will excuse the hurried nature of this letter. It is with some urgency that you must talk to your Mr Darcy and persuade him to restore payments to my poor husband Mr Wickham. Darcy vowed, I know, to cease supporting George if he continued to get into gaming debts but I fear we shall soon become destitute. From one who has nothing to you who have everything, I ask merely that you make our case to your too proud and too prejudiced husband.
Yours beggingly, Lydia Wickham
C) LETTER FROM LADY CATHERINE’S LAWYER 1
Dear Lady Catherine de Bourgh,
I have unhappy tidings and happy tidings. First the unfortunate news: following your previous letter I can confirm that the entailment of Rosings Park is such that you will lose your home if your daughter, Miss Anne de Bourgh, dies before you. We understand from Miss de Bourgh that she has a very short time left. The fortunate news is that I have discovered very unusual terms in the entailment of Pemberley House: if Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy were to die without an heir, then the estate would pass back through the maternal line to the next sibling of Mr Darcy’s mother – you, Lady Catherine, would inherit the entirety of the Pemberley Estate. Please reply to arrange a time and we will be glad to show you the relevant documents.
Yours legally, J Knightley
D) LLETTER FROM LADY CATHERINE’S LAWYER 2
Dear Lady Catherine de Bourgh,
I have unhappy tidings and happy tidings. First the unfortunate news: following your previous letter I can confirm that the entailment of Rosings Park is such that you will lose your home if your daughter, Miss Anne de Bourgh, dies before you. The fortunate news is that her physicians have written to us to confirm that her health has mildly improved and she is now very likely to outlive you. Therefore you will be able to pass the rest of your life, with her, in the comfort of Rosings Park.
Yours legally, J Knightley
E) LETTER FROM MR COLLINS TO MR DARCY
Dear Sir,
I hope you will overlook the impertinence of my sending this letter unbidden; but I feel, as a Rector, as the humble recipient of Lady De Bourgh’s patronage and, dare I say, as a friend to the Darcy family, that something must be said on the matter of your wife’s somewhat uncivilised behaviour. You must concede now you are married that her inferiority reflects more poorly on you than when your lowly connection was first formed. I respectfully maintain that someone from my own sphere would have been a more appropriate match for Elizabeth. I do have some suggestions for improving cousin Eliza that I would gladly share. Perhaps that might stop people talking; the gossiping about your union is simply intolerable.
Yours ingratiatingly, Mr Collins
F) LETTER FROM MISS BINGLEY TO MR DARCY
My dear Mr Darcy,
I am writing to let you know how welcome were your attentions at the Pemberley ball last month – however inappropriate they may have been as a married man. If only circumstances had been different! Do you remember how my brother and your sister fell in love? Drenched in the rain, she caught a cold and was confined to bed in our house. How we both might imagine what could have happened had I the chance to nurse you back from some illness or terrible injury…
Yours discretely, Caroline Bingley
G) NOTE FROM A FRIEND
I have hidden a message on the keys of the pianoforte,. Simply “play” the right chords in the right order to reveal the message. The chords you need are the ones used in Anne de Bourgh’s favourite practice piece…
H) NOTE FROM A MAID TO ANOTHER MAID
Elsie, I don’t know who to tell – I think this is important, but it may cause embarrassment – or worse – so I have written it in our usual code. To solve it you need to use the name of Mr Wickham’s childhood dog…
8 14 12 7 1 6 14 7 14 2 11 11 8 9 13
8 9 11 12 3 4 6 2 2 1 12 14 14 4 2 3
4 5 12 6 10 14 2 8 3 7 12 14 9 2 3 4 5 6
I) TORN NOTE FROM MR BINGLEY TO MR DARCY
Darcy, my friend –
I have sent this small gift with my sister, Caroline. This flintlock rifle is very special. But [here the note is torn…]
