Chapter 31 #2
Darcy rose from the edge of the bed. “Well,” he said, glancing toward the still-prone figure of Lady Catherine, “my services have been volunteered.”
He bent and lifted his aunt carefully from the floor.
Lady Catherine, even unconscious, maintained an impressive air of offended dignity.
Darcy carried her toward the door. “I shall return shortly,” he promised Elizabeth.
Richard followed behind him, though not before offering Elizabeth another cheerful nod.
Lady Anne paused in the doorway and glanced back at her daughter. “Georgiana—”
“I do not mind the company,” Elizabeth said quickly. “Especially as I appear to be in a place I have never seen before.”
Lady Anne considered this, then inclined her head. “Very well. Georgiana may remain until the doctor arrives.”
With that she disappeared into the corridor after the men.
The door closed softly behind them.
For a moment the room grew quiet.
Georgiana turned back to Elizabeth, her face bright with relief. “How are you feeling?”
Elizabeth shifted slightly against the pillows. “Like someone who has been asleep for an entire age.”
Georgiana giggled at that—then immediately looked worried again.
Elizabeth smiled faintly. “Perhaps,” she said, “you could tell me what has happened during my… nap.”
Georgiana laughed again despite herself. Then the laughter faded as the memory of the night returned. “Oh, Elizabeth,” she said softly. “You have missed quite a great deal.”
∞∞∞
Darcy carried Lady Catherine carefully down the corridor, mindful of her height and the rather formidable arrangement of her skirts, which seemed determined to slide from his arms.
Even unconscious, his aunt possessed a remarkable capacity for making herself difficult.
He nudged open the door to her bedchamber with his shoulder and crossed to the bed.
Richard moved ahead of him and pulled back the coverlet while Lady Anne followed quietly behind.
Darcy lowered Lady Catherine gently onto the mattress.
For a moment the three of them simply stood there.
Lady Catherine remained entirely still, her formidable presence somewhat diminished by the rather inelegant position in which she had been laid.
Darcy straightened slowly and turned toward his stepmother.
Lady Anne’s expression was unusually grave.
“Do you know what that was about?” he asked quietly. “How she knows Elizabeth’s family?”
Lady Anne shook her head. “No,” she said slowly. “I do not.”
She moved toward the small writing desk near the window, resting one hand lightly against the back of the chair as she spoke.
“I was only sixteen when Catherine married,” she continued, “but even before that, we were never close. Our mother died when I was born, and our father had very little use for us girls. We were sent away to finishing school when we were each ten years of age. By the time I arrived, she was with the older girls preparing for their debut.”
Darcy frowned slightly. “You rarely saw her?”
“Very rarely.” Lady Anne gave a faint, thoughtful smile that did not quite reach her eyes.
“Catherine always had a forceful personality—even as a girl. She kept very much to herself, and she did not often invite company she did not require… and a sister four years her junior whom she had not seen since I was six was not her first choice in companion.”
Richard leaned one shoulder against the bedpost, listening.
“I imagine my grandmother’s elopement did little to improve your father’s opinions of females and their behavior,” Darcy remarked.
“He certainly was very strict with me,” she replied quietly. “Catherine was strong enough to insist on what she wanted, but in the end, it did her little good.”
Darcy was about to reply when a knock sounded at the door. “Enter.”
A servant appeared. “The doctor has arrived, sir.”
“I will speak with him,” Darcy told Richard and Lady Anne, who nodded their agreement.
He left the room and went downstairs, finding the physician already removing his gloves in the entrance hall. The man was middle-aged, with the calm, unhurried demeanor of someone accustomed to being summoned for every possible ailment.
“Doctor Adams,” Darcy said, stepping forward. “Thank you for coming so quickly.”
“Of course, Mr. Darcy.”
Darcy gestured toward the stairs. “I am afraid I have two patients for you this afternoon.”
The doctor raised an eyebrow, and Darcy summarized briefly. “A young lady who was drugged last evening and has only just awakened after many hours of unconsciousness. She has taken a little water but has not yet eaten.”
“And the second?”
“My aunt. She was awake and quite well a short while ago, but fainted suddenly.”
The physician considered this. “I should see the young lady first,” he said at last. “If she has gone without food and water for that long, it must be addressed immediately.”
Darcy nodded and led him upstairs. When they entered the Rose Room they found Elizabeth sitting up in bed, speaking animatedly with Georgiana. The color had returned faintly to her cheeks, though she still looked pale and rather fragile against the pillows.
Darcy paused for a moment in the doorway.
The sight of her awake—truly awake—sent a quiet wave of relief through him. He went to her side and took her hand.
“Elizabeth, this is Dr. Adams. He has cared for my aunt and step-cousin for many years. Doctor, this is my betrothed, Elizabeth Bennet.”
“Miss Bennet,” the doctor said pleasantly.
“Pleased to meet you, sir,” Elizabeth replied with a faint smile. “As I have told Georgiana here, I am well enough. I simply need some rest and food.”
Darcy stepped forward and gently touched his sister’s shoulder. “Come, Georgiana,” he said quietly. “Let us give them some privacy.”
Elizabeth looked suddenly alarmed. “No,” she said quickly.
Darcy stopped and turned to look back at her. She glanced at the physician. “You will not be doing anything too… delicate, will you?”
The doctor smiled reassuringly. “No, miss. I shall examine your pulse at your wrist, your eyes, and ask you several questions. Nothing that requires privacy.”
Elizabeth relaxed slightly. “Then I would prefer Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy remain.”
Darcy exchanged a brief glance with the doctor, who simply nodded. “As you wish.”
The physician moved to the bedside and took Elizabeth’s wrist gently. Her pulse was counted in silence for several moments. Then he examined her eyes, asked her to open her mouth, and inspected her tongue.
“How do you feel?” he asked.
Elizabeth considered the question. “Very hungry,” she admitted. “And my head aches dreadfully. I feel weak… and rather sick to my stomach, in spite of my hunger.”
The doctor nodded thoughtfully and stepped back to his case. “That is quite to be expected,” he said as he withdrew a small notebook. “Your body has been under considerable strain.”
He wrote several items on a paper, then tore it off and handed it to Darcy. “Here are the receipts for several different herbal tonics. They will restore your strength and ease your headache.”
“I shall have the housekeeper prepare them right away,” Darcy said, beckoning to a maid at the doorway. He handed her the paper, and with a quick curtsy, she dashed away.
“In the meantime,” the doctor continued, “you are to remain in bed today and take only light nourishment. Broth and simple toast will be best. No heavy foods.”
Elizabeth hesitated, then nodded. “Normally I would argue you with you, sir, and declare my intention to go for a walk to restore my spirits… but I am afraid I am quite fatigued and must agree with you.”
Dr. Adams hesitated slightly. “I could also bleed you,” he added. “It would help purge the drug from your system.”
Elizabeth visibly blanched, which the physician observed with mild amusement.
“To be perfectly honest,” he said with a gentle smile, “I have found frequent bleedings often produce more weakness than improvement.”
Darcy looked grateful for that opinion.
“However,” the doctor continued, “if tomorrow you continue to feel as weak—or should your condition worsen—then we may consider it.”
Elizabeth nodded quickly. “I will follow your instructions.”
“Very good,” the doctor said, closing his notebook and returning it to his pocket. “Rest will do far more good than anything else I might prescribe today.”
“Thank you, sir,” Elizabeth said.
Dr. Adams nodded, then turned his attention to Darcy. “Now, I believe there is still one more patient left for me to see?”
Darcy nodded and led the physician down the corridor toward Lady Catherine’s chambers. As they approached, the sharp, unmistakable tones of Lady Catherine de Bourgh could already be heard through the door.
“…perfectly ridiculous notion!” she was declaring. “Summoning a physician for a mere faint! I assure you, I am of a much stronger constitution than that.”
Darcy knocked softly and pushed the door open.
Lady Catherine was sitting upright in the bed, propped against a formidable arrangement of pillows.
A small crystal bottle of smelling salts rested on the bedside table.
Lady Anne stood nearby with quiet concern, while Richard leaned casually against the mantel, doing his best to look both respectful and entertained at once.
The moment Lady Catherine saw Darcy enter with the physician, she drew herself up even straighter.
“There is no need whatsoever to have summoned Mr. Adams,” she announced in a tone that suggested the entire matter had been grossly exaggerated by lesser minds. “I assure you I am perfectly recovered.”
Richard stepped forward with an easy smile. “Naturally, Aunt Catherine. But since the poor man has already been dragged all the way here, it would be rather uncharitable not to allow him to justify the journey.”
Lady Catherine sniffed. “I require no justification for my health, Colonel.”
Richard clasped his hands behind his back and leaned forward slightly, his tone coaxing. “Then consider it an act of mercy for the rest of us. If the doctor confirms you are perfectly well, we shall all be able to stop worrying.”
Lady Catherine looked unimpressed. “I have never in my life required reassurance regarding my constitution.”
There was a brief pause.
Then Lady Anne stepped quietly closer to the bed. “Please, Cathy.”
The effect was immediate.
Lady Catherine turned toward her younger sister, and though her expression remained stern, something softened just enough to break the stalemate.
“Oh, very well,” she said with a heavy sigh. “If it will end this absurd fuss.”
Dr. Adams stepped forward and took her wrist. After a brief examination he nodded respectfully. “Your heart rate is excellent, madam. I see no cause for concern.”
Lady Catherine lifted her chin triumphantly. “Of course it is.”
The doctor closed his case. “I would merely recommend a short period of rest.”
“That will not be necessary,” she replied briskly.
Nevertheless, she settled back slightly against the pillows.
Then she waved one hand dismissively toward the gathered company. “I require a little time to myself.”
Her eyes swept over them all in one commanding glance.
“In the meantime, you may all find your rooms with the assistance of the housekeeper. Lunch can be sent up on trays. I expect you will wish to wash and make yourselves presentable before appearing again.”
Her gaze lingered pointedly on Darcy and Richard. “You all look quite terrible and thoroughly rumpled, which is beneath the dignity of an earl’s offspring.”
Richard looked faintly amused. Darcy simply inclined his head. “Yes, Aunt Catherine.”
She gave a satisfied nod. “I will speak with you all later, once you have restored yourselves to something resembling civilization.”
Darcy left the room with the others, though he could not help a small shake of his head at the familiar force of Lady Catherine’s authority. Whatever shock she had suffered earlier, it had clearly done nothing to diminish her command of the household.
Lady Anne paused as she left the room and rang for the housekeeper.
Darcy turned toward the wing where his usual guest chamber at Rosings was located. As he walked down the familiar hall, exhaustion began to settle into his bones now that the immediate crisis had passed.
Yet even as he reached his room and pushed open the door, his thoughts remained fixed elsewhere.
How the devil does she know about Elizabeth’s family? And what is in their history that would have caused her to react in such a way?
Until he knew the answers, he suspected none of them would find much peace.