Chapter 22 #2
To Elizabeth, the waiting was torture; her worry for Georgiana mixed with her torment regarding Mr Darcy.
As much as she tried, she could no longer deny the strength of her feelings for him, nor dismiss them.
He had never shown her anything but the utmost respect.
Except of course for his disapproval of her appearance, which was clearly expressed at the Meryton assembly the first time they met.
It was absurd for her to imagine anything more than a mere friendship with Mr Darcy, which he had already kindly offered to her and her family.
Any other feelings she might have entertained had to remain buried.
Eventually, the door opened, and Mrs Gardiner appeared. Her aunt’s serene expression soothed some of Elizabeth’s distress.
“You may enter, Lizzy.”
She did so and found Georgiana on the same chair, at the small table near the window. Mrs Gardiner took a seat; Elizabeth sat too, hoping for explanations she did not dare ask about.
“So, my dear, I shall repeat what I have already told Miss Darcy. I am not a physician, and I cannot claim medical knowledge, but I have carried five children, including one I tragically lost before she was even born. I have also witnessed your mother and other friends carry and give birth to several healthy children. I would say that it seems impossible to me that Miss Darcy has been expecting for five months. At this stage, a child should already be moving inside its mother, and a woman’s body undergoes several obvious changes, even if she is exceedingly thin. ”
Elizabeth watched both her companions, too fearful to be overjoyed at such good news, especially since Georgiana was as silent and grave as usual.
“Mrs Gardiner said it cannot be,” Georgiana repeated in a whisper. “I do not doubt her, but I find it so hard to believe…”
“I can understand that. Therefore, I have offered Miss Darcy the chance to obtain a second opinion. Might you ask Mr Darcy to allow you two to visit me? I shall invite my physician, Dr Talbot, to come and kindly ask him to examine my niece who has recently married and come to visit me in London. Dr Talbot has been our doctor for more than ten years. He cannot possibly be wrong.”
“That would mean deceiving Mr Darcy,” Elizabeth said thoughtfully.
“Only in regard to the doctor’s examination,” Mrs Gardiner admitted. “You will visit me, and we shall have a cup of tea together. In that, you are telling the truth.”
“Am I not deceiving my brother already, Lizzy?” Georgiana whispered.
“I would rather do as Mrs Gardiner suggests as soon as possible. But I shall not tell Fitzwilliam about visiting your aunt, or else he will want to join us. I shall ask him for the carriage so the two of us can take a ride around London. I am sure he will agree.”
The girl sounded so animated that it surprised Elizabeth.
“Now that I have a chance to discover the truth, I cannot wait any longer, Lizzy. I never before imagined ever talking to anyone about my suffering, and here you are — both of you listening and supporting me. Please help me to end this uncertainty, Lizzy.”
“Very well,” Elizabeth agreed after some more reflection and doubts. She felt somehow disloyal to Mr Darcy, but in the end, his purpose in bringing her to his house had been to help Georgiana. All her actions were serving that goal.
“However, we must tell Mr Darcy that we visited my aunt, at least when we return home. I do not wish to have the coachman inform him and reveal our deception.”
“Of course, Lizzy. Forgive me for placing you in such a delicate situation. Thank you both,” Georgiana said tearfully.
“I must leave you now,” Mrs Gardiner declared. “I shall wait for you tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. In the meantime, I shall inform Dr Talbot about the upcoming arrival of my niece, so he will be prepared.”
“I shall walk you out,” Elizabeth offered.
“Elizabeth, you may stay downstairs for a while. I shall rest a little,” Georgiana suggested. The girl looked exhausted, but her countenance was brighter than before, and the little smile on her lips seemed genuine. The light of hope was tentatively dissipating the shadow of grief.
Elizabeth walked arm in arm with Mrs Gardiner, and she finally dared to ask what had taken place in Georgiana’s chamber.
“I have not the smallest doubt that she is not with child, Lizzy. However, her state is worrisome. My greatest fear is that she has inherited Lady Anne’s illness.”
“Their physician has examined her many times and has dismissed such a supposition. I believe it is only the torment, the suffering, the shame that has damaged her health and her spirits all these months.”
“If so, that Wickham man together with that Mrs Younge should rot in jail, if not worse! My assumption is that Miss Darcy has not even…you know. From the answers I received from her in regard to that night, to the state of her clothes, her discomfort, her recollections…I suspect he only pretended to have shared her bed in order to scare and shame her and force her to accept the elopement. And Mrs Younge must have been an accomplice!”
“Dear Lord, could he have been so cruel to her? To allow her to be tortured by doubts all these months? And he even ‘happened’ upon her in Hyde Park a few times! I am sure he did that on purpose too.”
“I fear it is very likely. Eloping with a young woman out of reckless love and passion is one thing. But the cruelty of such a plan is entirely different, and he must be severely punished!”
“I hope he will be! In such case, Mr Darcy must show no mercy.”
“I agree, my dear, but it would be delicate to reveal such a discovery to Mr Darcy. Regardless, Dr Talbot’s examination will confirm the truth.”
In the drawing-room, the first thing Elizabeth observed was Mr Darcy’s dark gaze upon her. She struggled not to look at his face, in order to avoid a single glimpse of his lips, which she could still feel against her fingers.
Fortunately, the presence of the new gentleman — Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam — proved to be joyful and entertaining.
Within a few moments after the introductions, the colonel proved to be an amiable man with impeccable manners, friendly and unassuming.
He declared he had heard so much about Elizabeth and the Gardiners and looked forward to knowing them better.
The conversation flowed easily, and Elizabeth found herself pulled into it. However, Mr Darcy remained silent and withdrawn, and although she rarely dared to meet his eyes, Elizabeth felt his stare on her all the time.
When the Gardiners and her father left, Elizabeth excused herself and returned to Georgiana. She found Mrs Annesley there, and they entertained themselves for a few hours until Mr Darcy came to see them.
Georgiana welcomed him and invited him to sit with a liveliness that puzzled him.
“Brother,” the girl addressed him after a short while, “I have a great favour to ask you.”
“Of course,” he replied, his puzzlement evidently increasing.
“Tomorrow I would like to spend some more time alone with Elizabeth, to better know each other. I am sure Mrs Annesley will not mind. Would you be so kind as to have a carriage prepared for us, so we can take a ride around the town?”
The request seemed to stun both Mr Darcy and Mrs Annesley, leaving them speechless and dumbfounded. Mr Darcy glanced at Elizabeth, but she could hold his gaze only for a moment, enough to notice his complete astonishment.
“Certainly,” he finally replied. “You may ask for anything you want, my dear. I am exceedingly happy to hear you wish to go out. But are you sure you do not want Mrs Annesley or even me to join you?”
“Oh no, there will be no need. The coachman will suffice for such a ride. Lizzy and I shall share memories and talk about the past, that is all.”
“Very well…” Darcy agreed, though Elizabeth could hear the reluctance in his voice.
“Thank you,” Georgiana whispered. She stretched out her arms to embrace him, which seemed to complete his utter disbelief.
Elizabeth easily understood Mr Darcy’s puzzlement.
Georgiana’s state had changed so much from earlier that day, that it would have surprised anyone.
Mr Darcy was worried as much as astounded, that was obvious, and he looked at Elizabeth in search of an explanation that she was not ready to provide yet.
“Will you join me for dinner tonight?” he eventually asked Georgiana.
“Not tonight. But I have great hopes that I shall do so tomorrow. I hope you do not mind.”
“As you wish, my dear. Mr Bennet will return home by the end of the week, so I have planned a dinner in two days. I trust you will feel well enough to attend that too.”
“I shall, Brother,” the girl promised, and only Elizabeth understood the slight uncertainty that was still present in her voice.
Several minutes later, Mr Darcy left, and they did not see him again that evening. Elizabeth had dinner with Georgiana and Mrs Annesley, then retired to her chamber.
She rested in her bed with her eyes closed, reflecting on the extraordinary events of the day and worrying about tomorrow.
As she was falling asleep, at the edge between reality and imagination, the last question she tried to answer was how Darcy’s lips would feel on her skin if he willingly touched it. The thrill she felt followed her deep into her dreams and troubled her sleep till morning.