Windswept: A Pride & Prejudice Variation

Chapter 13

Before the strains of the first song ended, a light tap on his shoulder interrupted him. It was his valet, Parker.

“Mr. Darcy, sir, your coachman is worried about the weather. It blew fiercely the past hour. At present, the wind has abated. Many of Mr. Bingley’s neighbors are already leaving the ball. Only a few families remain who have not called for their carriages. We cannot guess how long this calm will last.”

Immediately, Darcy surveyed the scene. Parker was correct. Mrs. Hammond, Lady Lucas, Mrs. Long, and Mrs. Bennet were the only matrons seated by the musicians. A few others stood by the door, already gathering their outer garments in preparation to leave. Bingley’s servants were ushering them down the grand staircase. A handful of officers loitered around the room. His mind began arranging all that needed to be done as he wondered at his not noticing the other families leaving. Had Miss Elizabeth been that much of a distraction? Apparently.

Miss Elizabeth said, “Pray tell your coachman that we appreciate his warning. I shall gather my family if our carriage could be called.”

As she hurried off, Darcy requested that his coach be made ready. Then he found Bingley. “You shall need to close the ball due to the weather.”

His shoulders drooped. “Your coachman sought me out not an hour ago to express concern about the safety of those who will be driving home. When he asked for you, I assured him I would pass the message along. I was hoping the wind would die down.”

Darcy was incensed. “And you chose to keep this information to yourself?”

Bingley’s face flushed further as his chin dipped almost to his chin. “I did not want to miss the final dance with Miss Bennet.”

“Of all the…” Darcy rubbed his hand over his jaw. “Act with expediency, Bingley, or you might have the loss of lives on your hands as well as possible damage to this property. Go! Now!”

As Bingley hurried to the musicians, Darcy informed Mrs. Hammond of the situation. Unruffled, she quickly took his arm and headed toward the door.

He heard Bingley’s voice as soon as the instruments were silenced. “Ladies and gentlemen, a storm has been raging outside while we have been making merry. Currently, the wind has quietened. For your safety, orders have been given to have your carriages made ready. Please gather by the door to be called as soon as your conveyance is at the front. If you feel unsafe driving home, you are welcome to shelter here. Do not delay in making your choice. We need to hurry, my friends.”

Panic ensued. A woman screamed. Mrs. Bennet. A few of the others looked like they would swoon out of terror, although they quickly regained their composure and pushed and shoved themselves ahead of their neighbors.

When the front doors were thrown open, Darcy was distressed to see several of the officers, followed by a young lady, run into the darkness. The girl looked like Miss Lydia, although he could not be certain. He only hoped that if it were her, Mr. Bennet would take charge.

For the moment, the weather held as, one by one, carriages pulled to the front. Mrs. Hammond clutched his arm so the surge of neighbors did not separate them. He looked for Miss Elizabeth and found her attempting to reason with her mother, Miss Mary, and Miss Kitty to no avail, if the stubbornness of their posture was any indication.

By the time his conveyance arrived, twenty-three of the twenty-four families in the neighborhood were already headed down the road for the two-mile journey to Meryton and beyond.

Over the hustle and bustle, he heard Mrs. Bennet’s shrill voice: “We cannot leave, Lizzy. Impossible! With this weather we might not make it home in one piece. We cannot leave the shelter of Netherfield Park and the company of Mr. Bingley. How will he ask Jane to marry him if we are gone? If you want to return to Longbourn, then go!”

Darcy ground his teeth. What a stupid, stupid woman.

Miss Elizabeth tugged at her middle sister’s arm. The girl resisted.

“I have yet to perform. There were too many others who displayed after supper. I did not get a turn. I did not practice all those hours for nothing.”

Darcy rolled his eyes. Finally, he tasked Mrs. Hammond’s care to his valet, hurrying to Miss Elizabeth.

“Come. Mrs. Hammond is ready to leave. We will take you to Longbourn. Bingley will care for those remaining.”

After one final glance at her mother, Miss Mary, and Miss Kitty, Miss Elizabeth looked at him. Her eyes reflected her misery.

“Jane will join us.” Miss Elizabeth scanned the crowd. Turning back to him, she said, “Surely, my father is still reading in the card room. And I cannot find Lydia.”

His conscience pricked him for assuming Mr. Bennet would act. “I shall try to locate them, but we will need to leave when the carriage is in front. I shall search once I return, reuniting them with your mother,” he willingly promised just to see the relief it brought her.

Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, and Darcy joined Mrs. Hammond in time to step into his carriage. At the last moment, Mr. Collins pushed his way into the conveyance, stomping on toes and bumping knees as he squeezed alongside Miss Elizabeth.

With a flick of the reins, they were off. Clouds covered the moon, so the only lights were from the carriage lanterns, the flames flickering in the wind. Seated across from Miss Elizabeth, the lamplight reflected in a single tear that trailed down her cheek.

“Bingley will treat your family as his own.” His reassurance rang false in his ears. “I have no doubt that he will find Miss Lydia and your father.”

Jane Bennet stared at him. “You have taken our care upon you, Mr. Darcy, and I am grateful. You should know that before the announcement of the termination of the ball was barely out of Mr. Bingley’s mouth, Lydia told me that the militia was in Meryton to offer us protection, so there was no safer place for her to be in a storm than with Mr. Wickham. She must still be searching for Mr. Wickham.”

“Imbecile!” Miss Elizabeth’s hand covered her mouth as she gasped for breath.

Mr. Collins said, “The licentiousness of Miss Lydia’s behavior proceeds from a faulty degree of indulgence. That child is naturally bad. I noted it immediately upon my arrival. Her disrespect for my position and the good counsel offered by my Patroness have paved the way for the false steps she is destined by her flawed character to take. This will be injurious to the family as a whole. My patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who I have learned this evening is your aunt, sir, routinely expounds on the evils of young ladies who prance and preen, drawing undue attention to themselves. This is not to say that my fair cousins with us now follow the same pattern. I admit to having pride that I can call them my relatives.”

“Silence!” Darcy roared. “I do not know who you are, but to speak of a young lady in this way to her family is outlandish.”

Miss Elizabeth followed with, “Mr. Collins, how dare you! You know nothing about my sister. You know nothing of any of us. Your condemnation speaks of an arrogant ignorance unlike anything I have ever witnessed.”

“Why, Miss Elizabeth, your attitude is as unseemly as Lydia”s,” said Mr. Collins.

The clergyman affronted Darcy at every level. “Enough! You will not utter one more word, or I will have this carriage stopped and put you out where you may walk or crawl back to Kent.”

“Mr. Collins! She is Miss Lydia to you.” Miss Elizabeth bit back.

Miss Bennet placed her hand on her sister’s arm. “What is of utmost importance is that she is safe.”

Before Darcy could add his support, the carriage jolted to a stop, almost tumbling him into Miss Elizabeth’s lap.

The carriage door flung open.

Colonel Fitzwilliam yelled, “Turn back! Trees have blown across the road between here and Meryton. All but two other carriages got through. You need to turn back.”

The carriage lanterns revealed that Richard was soaked to the skin. His hat was gone, and his horse quivered from exertion.

Colonel Fitzwilliam is here!

Her mind spun with the implications of the colonel’s command. Who knew how long it would take to clear the road? They would need to shelter at Netherfield Park.

Fortunately, they were still close enough to the house to take advantage of the grassy areas before the pond turned them back, or their circumstances would have been much more difficult. As it was, the movement of the equipage combined with gale-force winds rocked them precariously.

Mr. Darcy had to yell over the roaring wind and the cursing driver. “Miss Elizabeth, Miss Bennet, pray move to this side of the carriage so the four of us can wedge ourselves on the bench. Sir, there is a strap above your left shoulder that you may use to hang on.”

“But…” Mr. Collins moved to join them where they were pressed tightly together.

“Sir!” Mr. Darcy barked. “We must protect the ladies at all costs.”

“I suppose.” Mr. Collins grunted as the wind jolted their transport. “However, had this been Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s carriage, our journey would have been smooth. She would never put a lady in danger. In fact, she would have called a halt to the ball hours ago, such is her concern for my parishioners.”

“Be that as it may, we cannot go back in time.” Mr. Darcy threaded Mrs. Hammond’s arm through his. “Let us join ourselves together. Ladies, I suggest that you place your feet against the seat across from you until we arrive.”

Immediately, Elizabeth felt the stability of his suggestion. The carriage, while extremely comfortable, was not made for four people on one bench. Yet, being pressed between the wall and Jane offered security. Knowing the colonel was now on the property increased Elizabeth’s confidence that they would survive unscathed. When they arrived at Netherfield without damage, she knew that her confidence in the man was fully warranted. Except…it was Mr. Darcy who protected them, not his cousin.

Mr. Darcy said, “Once inside, we will need a count of everyone in the house. If you ladies tally the guests, including ourselves, then I will consult with Bingley, his housekeeper, and butler. Mrs. Hammond, I believe that your calming presence will be best suited by reassuring the ladies that you lived through much worse and thrived.”

The silence of Mr. Collins was noteworthy. He was likely to need help rather than provide it. What a fool!

Mr. Darcy quickly escorted Mrs. Hammond into the great house before returning for Jane. By then, the rain fell in torrents. As Elizabeth reached for Mr. Darcy’s arm to step down from the coach, lightning ripped across the sky, with thunder pealing less than a second later. It was close. Too close.

Elizabeth caught a wisp of the colonel’s voice on the wind. “Get the horses in the barns and the carriages in the carriage house.” Turning in his direction, she caught the look of his horse when another bolt of lightning struck, immediately followed by booming thunder. The animal’s tail was up, his ears were pinned back, and his eyes were crazy as he pranced in place. The colonel’s lips continued moving, although she could not hear any sound. He was soothing his horse, staying in control.

Clasping her hand over her pounding heart, her admiration escalated.

“Come, Miss Elizabeth,” Mr. Darcy said.

Oh, good lord!What did she truly know of the colonel? That he was friendly and Mr. Darcy’s cousin. What did she know of the man whose arm offered her protection and safety? That Mr. Darcy was far more than she ever expected him to be.And that he was standing in the rain with his hand extended, waiting to help her inside. Lizzy, you are a dunce.