Chapter 7
Darcy tried to respond to everyone’s questions, yet his answers were hesitant.
There was little to tell them, except that he had found Elizabeth and escorted her home.
He felt so uncomfortable and was looking for an opportunity to escape, yet he felt trapped between Mrs Bennet and Mr Collins and had to bear Mr Bennet’s silent, sceptical scrutiny.
“Lizzy was always a wild child! It is not the first time she has brought home a wounded animal. She is so thoughtless, so neglectful of decorum!” Mrs Bennet complained. “That girl will be the death of me. I tell you that!”
“I cannot but agree, Mrs Bennet. Cousin Elizabeth’s actions are certainly not what is expected from a young lady. Thank goodness Lady Catherine is not here to witness this!”
“I am sorry you had to see my daughter in such a poor state. I am sure it was appalling to you. I cannot even imagine what the admiral would say. Or Mr Bingley. I hope they will not avoid us because of Lizzy’s imprudence.”
“I see no lack of decorum in Miss Elizabeth’s actions,” Darcy intervened.
“She is kind-hearted and generous, and she saved some poor souls in need, even at the expense of her own comfort and safety. I find it to be a commendable gesture, and I am quite sure the admiral and Bingley would agree, regardless of other opinions.”
“How generous of you, Mr Darcy!” Mrs Bennet said. “But where was she? How did you meet? Where did you find her?”
“Ma’am, I believe Miss Elizabeth would be better placed to answer these questions. I was just taking a ride, following the road between Netherfield and Longbourn, when I saw her. I am not certain of the precise location, but I am sure she will be.”
“Regardless, it was very fortunate that you happened to be there at the perfect time, sir,” Miss Lucas interjected. “I believe Mr Jones should be fetched to examine Eliza and perhaps provide something to put on her scratches.”
“Yes, yes, I shall send for him right away,” Mrs Bennet replied impatiently. “But there is no need to make a fuss out of this incident, since Lizzy is not hurt. I hope to keep it private.”
Darcy glanced at Charlotte Lucas and at Mr Collins, then at Mr Bennet, who was rolling his eyes. Mr Collins’s agitation was a clear indication of his incapacity to keep anything private.
“Let us make sure Lizzy is unharmed,” Mr Bennet suggested. “Privacy is the least of my concerns.”
“Lizzy is well,” Miss Jane Bennet answered, entering the room. “She has some scratches, and she might have caught a cold. I have already asked John to fetch Mr Jones.”
“Good,” Mr Bennet agreed. “That is my Jane — little talk and more action.”
“I shall take her some warm milk, some soup, and some tea and stay with her for the rest of the day,” Miss Bennet continued. “Thank you for your assistance, Mr Darcy. Charlotte, Maria, please excuse me.”
With that, the young lady left, and Darcy smiled to himself watching her. It was the first time he had seen the eldest Miss Bennet so determined and taking charge in front of her family.
“Mr Darcy, would you care for a drink?” Mr Bennet asked. “It is raining. I can offer you my carriage as soon as John returns.”
“A drink would be perfect. Then I must return to Netherfield. I am expected.”
“I would gladly join you, but I promised Miss Lucas and Miss Maria that I would escort them home,” Mr Collins said.
“Then by all means, do not change your plans, sir,” Darcy immediately replied. “I would not want to cause any discomfort to the ladies for the benefit of a mere drink.”
Mr Collins still seemed undecided, but Darcy followed Mr Bennet into the library, where the host closed the door.
“I am glad you can enjoy a drink in peace, Mr Darcy,” Mr Bennet said, filling his glass. “I assume you have borne enough bustle and annoyance for today. I am sure you are not accustomed to this sort of din, which is rather usual in our family.”
“That is not my concern, sir, I assure you. I hope to hear good news after Mr Jones’s examination. Although Miss Elizabeth is not harmed, a cold is a real threat.”
“It might be, but nobody dies from a mere cold. Mrs Bennet says so all the time. And certainly not my Lizzy.”
“It was brave and kind-hearted of her to save the puppies, though I am not sure they will survive.”
“Yes. That is Lizzy. Such small puppies will surely not survive without being nurtured by their mother, and Lizzy will suffer for it, but she will certainly save others again, if the occasion arises. She is stubborn, even headstrong,” he ended with loving reproach.
“I would call it determination and kindness. As I said, it is commendable.”
“Well, your aunt would certainly not approve, and I am sure Mr Collins will inform her immediately.”
“I wonder whether Miss Elizabeth is concerned about my aunt’s approval.”
“Not at all, I am sure. But Mr Collins intends to… Oh well, I shall not bother you any longer with our family’s problems.”
“The rain has ceased somewhat. I shall leave you now.”
“Please convey my best regards to Mr Bingley and the admiral.”
“I shall,” Darcy said, and minutes later, after a brief good-bye to the ladies, he left.
The ride was short, but the rain started to pour again, making it unpleasant.
He thought of Elizabeth, remembering his fright the moment he saw her and assumed she was injured, then his relief when he understood she was unharmed.
Well, almost unharmed, as her hands were covered in scratches, and several marred her pretty face too.
Also, her thin gown provided little protection, and she might still fall ill.
He imagined her disappointment if the puppies did not survive. There was little he could do to help her, but the few minutes of riding in the bad weather gave him an idea.
∞∞∞
Elizabeth spent the following hours in her room, with Jane, trying to nurture the puppies. They did not eat, not even a few drops of milk, despite their attempts. They tried with a teaspoon, drop by drop, but the result was discouraging.
The apothecary examined Elizabeth and recommended some tea to prevent a cold and some herbal cream for the scratches. As for the puppies, Mr Jones believed they had no chance of survival.
“Unless you find a female dog to accept and feed them, they are as good as dead. They are too young to eat and drink, as much as you may try.”
“I shall ask around tomorrow. Perhaps someone has a dog with puppies,” Elizabeth said.
“Well, I do not know of anybody,” the apothecary replied. “But I shall let you know if I hear of any.”
Discouraged and disappointed, Elizabeth finally joined her family for dinner. She had to bear her mother’s scolding and even a lecture from Mr Collins until she lost patience.
“Mama, if I do not look well enough, I shall not attend the ball. It is truly not much of a loss for me. And Mr Collins, please know that I am perfectly aware of your disapproval, which is unfortunate but bearable to me. We all have things we disapprove of in others, and somehow, we survive.”
Her outburst did not impress Mrs Bennet but stunned Mr Collins, who remained bewildered and less talkative for the rest of dinner.
As dessert was being served, a servant informed them that somebody from Netherfield had come, asking for Mr Bennet, and on that gentleman’s bewildered nod, he ushered a man inside.
“Mr Darcy sent me with this note, sir,” the man said, holding out a piece of paper. Mr Bennet took it, looking at it for just a few seconds before handing it to Elizabeth. She took it tentatively, aware of the curious glances of her family, and read it quickly.
Sir,
I apologise for interrupting your dinner; however, the reason is a rather urgent one. I hope you might pass the following information to your daughter Miss Elizabeth.
I took it upon myself to make some enquiries, and one of the maids has a brother who owns a female dog which had three puppies a month ago. I truly believe the two little souls you found have a better chance this way.
If you agree, please give the puppies to the man, and we shall make sure they are united with the mother dog tonight. Have no worries; they will be well taken care of and supervised to be sure they are accepted and fed properly.
I hope you will forgive my presumptuousness. If you have found another solution, I wish you good luck with it.
F Darcy
She stared at the letter, then at her family, whose eyes were all focused on her, waiting for an explanation.
“Mr Darcy has found a female dog to nurture the puppies. This is by far their best chance. He said I can send them tonight.”
“So, send them,” Mrs Bennet said. “We have enough other things to worry about.”
“I shall send them,” Elizabeth said. “Mr Darcy has promised they will be well taken care of. I shall go and visit them tomorrow.”
“You are wasting your time,” Mrs Bennet interjected. “You should be concerned by your future, not by some stray puppies.”
“Please wait a moment. I shall fetch them now,” she told the servant, then hurried and returned with a small bundle wrapped in a blanket.
“Where are you taking them?” she asked while handing it to the servant. “I would like to see them tomorrow.”
“To Netherfield, miss. The dog and her puppies have been taken there and will be kept there until they all grow up. Mr Darcy said so, and Janey’s brother Tom agreed.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, and the servant left.
She returned to the table, and the family resumed their dinner.
“How kind of Mr Darcy to take so much trouble,” Jane said.
“Well, when one has enough money, one can do whatever he pleases,” Mrs Bennet said, annoyed by the interruption. “And when one has not enough money, one should be more guarded with her behaviour,” she continued, glaring at Elizabeth.
“Mama, I understand you are upset with me, though I do not know why. Can we please eat, so I can return to my chamber and sleep?”
“Well, Lizzy, you may do whatever you want. You always do, in any case.”
The conversation was scarce for the rest of the evening, and as soon as dinner ended, Elizabeth excused herself, claiming she had a headache.
In truth, she felt perfectly well yet bewildered by Mr Darcy’s gesture.
To make the effort to search for a dog and find one in such a short time only revealed more of his character.
Her opinion of him had improved slightly in the last few days, but she would never have expected him to have a tender heart and care so much for anything or anyone outside his circle.
He had been thoughtful with her when they met, offered his company and protection for the puppies, then escorted her home.
And then, he had taken his endeavour further to find the best chance of survival for the little ones.
Yes, he had all the money he wanted, to do whatever he pleased, and he could pay people for their involvement.
But that did not diminish his merit; very few men, if any, would have done that for a woman they did not like well enough to dance with, and for some dying, stray puppies.
She was determined to thank him the next day; if only his effort was not in vain, and the little souls would survive.
∞∞∞
“Miss Elizabeth’s habit of wandering in the woods alone is not to be encouraged, though her gesture was admirable,” the admiral said, sipping from his glass.
“What if she had met another man, with less honourable intentions? If someone attacked her? I might sound ridiculous, but I have heard enough reports about young ladies being attacked, even in Hyde Park, not to mention in secluded woods. And not just women but men too.”
“You seem very concerned by this, Admiral,” Bingley said.
“I am. As I said, I have lived long enough to see and hear worrisome reports. I am glad Miss Elizabeth is unharmed.”
“She is,” Darcy said. “I am glad she agreed to allow the puppies to be brought here. Perhaps she will not have to bear a disappointment.”
“You seem concerned too, Darcy. About Miss Elizabeth and her feelings,” Bingley added.
“I only did what any man of honour would. Nothing more,” Darcy said, gulping his wine.
“I am glad you did not mention anything during dinner. Caroline would have surely found more to disapprove of in Miss Elizabeth’s actions, and I have no disposition to argue with her again.”
“Mrs Bennet disapproved too, and so did the clergyman.”
“I imagine as much,” the admiral said. “Tomorrow, we should pay them another visit.”
“The servant told me Miss Elizabeth would like to see the puppies tomorrow.”
“She would? Even better. Bingley, you should send Mr Bennet a note in the morning and invite him for a drink, with all the ladies. You owe him as much after he hosted us for dinner.”
“All the Bennet family?” Bingley asked, slightly panicked. “That will surely enrage Louisa and Caroline, especially if they are unaware of it.”
“You may inform them at breakfast and tell them the Bennets are my personal guests. If they are displeased, they may retire to their rooms.”
Bingley emptied his glass and filled it again. He could not contradict the admiral but was concerned about his sisters’ responses too.
For Darcy, the day had been so strange that he needed some more time to reflect upon it. After returning to his room, he assumed another sleepless night was ahead of him.
The previous night he had slept little too, as he had had a long-awaited conversation with the admiral about Wickham.
He had revealed all their financial dealings, the offering and refusal of the living, the debts he had covered several times, the disloyalty, the deceptions over the years.
Of the incident with Georgiana at Ramsgate, he mentioned nothing, except that Wickham had met Georgiana and tried to take advantage of her friendship too.
Except for Colonel Fitzwilliam, nobody knew of his sister’s attempted elopement, and he intended to keep it that way.
The narration had angered the admiral so much that his first impulse had been to confront Wickham immediately.
That a scoundrel had taken advantage of George Darcy’s generosity and attempted to defraud his children challenged the admiral’s frail patience.
It was quite an effort for Darcy to calm the man, and he expected a rather violent outburst at the gentleman’s next encounter with the scoundrel.
He knew Elizabeth — and the rest of the Bennets — were friends of Wickham and wondered whose side Elizabeth would take and whom she would trust.
Once Elizabeth filled his mind, her image remained there for a long time. Lying in his bed, he mused on what would have happened if she had agreed to ride with him and he had held her in his arms. Or if he had taken her hands in his and touched her scratches. And perhaps pressed his lips to them.
He tried to dismiss such thoughts, but he failed, and they followed him even when he finally fell asleep, turning into a tormenting and delicious dream, which he would not ever dare to share with anyone.