Chapter 3 #2
“I-I, oh you will think that it is my imagination,” an embarrassed Jane looked anywhere but at her father.
“How can you judge what my thoughts will be if you do not let me hear what it is that you have been dreaming about?” Bennet asked reasonably.
“I-I believe that I have been dreaming about Lizzy,” she got out before looking at her feet.
“Why would I feel that you are imagining that Jane?” Bennet was curious as he remembered the feeling that he had some days ago.
“I could not see her face, but she kept repeating ‘Help me ‘aney, help me.’ You remember that she could not say my name properly when we saw her last, before… well you know before the evil took her.” Jane was feeling more confident because contrary to her belief, her father was extremely interested in what she was saying.
“You say that they have stopped, Janey?” he asked gently.
“Yes, Papa. In my last one she smiled at me, waved, and then was gone and I just knew that meant that it would be well with her,” Jane was feeling confident now.
“When I asked you and you said you could not remember, was this what you were dreaming of?” Tammy asked.
“Yes Mama, it was. I did not want you to think me silly or making it up,” she stated.
“Janey, why would we ever think that of you? You are the most sensible and caring of girls.” Tammy reached to her left and squeezed her daughter’s hand. “I have no idea what your nightmare meant, if anything, and I pray that it means that Lizzy is well.”
“I miss her too Janey,” John said from across the table.
“And I know that I speak for those of us who have never met her, that one day we get the chance,” William relished his role of oldest brother.
Not long after, the family finished their morning repast. Tammy went to spend time with her twins while the three older boys left with their father to ride to each estate to meet its steward.
Jane prepared to visit Lucas Lodge where she intended to spend the morning with her exceptionally good friend Charlotte.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
William was reading to Lizzy from The Sofa, the first book of William Cowper’s six book masterpiece, The Task.
Lizzy enjoyed poetry, one of the subjects that they debated often.
How he wished that she were able to do so at that moment!
Elaine was sitting next to her working on some embroidery while Anne de Bourgh was sitting on Lizzy’s uninjured side.
“Oh!” Anne exclaimed excitedly, “Lizzy moved her hand!” William put his book down on the table, almost dropping it in his excitement; as his aunt stood, her embroidery accoutrements fell on the floor.
The three watched in wonderment as Lizzy’s eyelid fluttered.
“Anne dear,” Elaine said softly, not taking her eyes off her daughter, “Please find Uncle Reggie and Mr Harrison.” Anne did not have to be asked twice.
When those luminous eyes of her daughter’s fluttered open, Elaine thought that she would pass out from joy she was so excited.
Slowly her little head moved from one side of the bed to the other as she saw her beloved mother and then William.
She tried to speak but nothing more than a croak was heard.
Without being told, William poured a small amount of water in a glass and passed it to his aunt.
Slowly Elaine lifted her daughter’s head and put the glass at her parched lips.
Lizzy wanted to gulp the water down, but knowing that could make her sick, her mother allowed her to drink only a few drops at a time.
As she was drinking there was the sound of running feet.
Just ahead of their father, Andrew and Richard came to a halt as they saw their sister’s eyes staring back at them, a sight they had dreamed of.
Just behind the brothers, the Earl entered at a more sedate pace, although truth be told he had walked at a speed nearly running.
The doctor followed her father into the sickroom.
Lastly, the master and mistress of Pemberley entered, with Georgiana between them.
Seeing her cousin’s eyes open, Georgiana would have flung herself at Lizzy if she had not been restrained.
“W-what h-happened t-to m-me?” Lizzy croaked out and her mother promptly let her take some more water.
“Mr Harrison needs to examine you, sweetling,” her father indicated fighting back tears of joy.
“Once your examination is complete, we will answer your questions my beloved daughter.” With that a very reluctant group made their way to the parlour, leaving Ladies Anne and Elaine with Lizzy while the doctor checked her.
The excitement was palpable among the group waiting for word that they may return.
“As much as I understand that you all want to see Lizzy right away, I do not want her to feel overwhelmed. Your mother and I,” Reggie said looking at his boys, “will talk to her and then if she is not too tired, we can allow two or three in at a time to see her.” Although disappointed, the brothers and cousins understood that it was the way that it had to be.
About ten minutes later, Mr Harrison beckoned for the Earl to join him.
“From what I can tell, your Lordship, your daughter is on the mend. I agree with Mr Finch that it should be another fortnight before any attempt to move her to her own chamber should be undertaken; that will be at least three weeks since the attack.” Lord Reggie nodded and promptly walked towards the sick room.
He joined his wife. As Anne was about to leave, he shook his head indicating that his sister should stay. He asked the maid to request that the Master join them. Once all four adults were seated, Lizzy was told what happened to her.
“Why would George Wickham want to hurt me? I barely said a word to him and always…” her mother let her sip some water, “…always kept away from him since he was not nice to me.” Lizzy managed to rasp out.
“You did nothing to deserve this sweetling,” her father said vehemently.
“I was blind to it at first, but it seems that George Wickham always wanted that which he did not have nor deserved,” Uncle George explained.
“It could be when my eyes were opened, that he placed the blame on you rather than himself, who actually caused the issue. If you remember,” he said more to the other adults, “it was after what he said to Lizzy that the scales fell from my eyes, and I saw him for what he was.”
“I think that Uncle George has the right of it, Lizzy,” her aunt agreed, “you represented everything that he wanted and could not have, and I am sure that he could not understand why you and not him.”
“Did your late steward not tell us that his wife had filled George’s head with a mountain of lies?” Reggie asked to which George nodded.
“As usual, men like to make things more complicated, but young Wickham is simply evil. What he hoped to achieve by hurting you, only he and the Lord know,” Elaine responded simply, “All I know is this, your father and I, all of us will make sure that you are as protected as much as possible and if the dastard ever comes near you again, that will be his last mistake!” she emphasised the last with vehemence.
“Hear hear,” Reggie, Anne, and George all chorused.
“What happened to me exactly? The last thing I remember is riding Astraea, and then nothing until I woke today,” Elizabeth asked, then after a moment added, “I do remember a blond angel that looked after me while I was asleep.”
The adults looked at one another in question, Lady Anne was blond, but they were not sure who Lizzy meant.
They gently explained that the bullet meant for her had found Astraea’s neck and she was no more.
Hearing that her beloved cob had been killed caused Lizzy to cry silently.
Once she was ready, they explained how she had been saved by the little indentation and the fact that she was small enough to fit into it, and then they enumerated her broken bones for her.
Once she had cried for her horse, Lizzy remained silent while her injuries, the operation, and her recovery to date was discussed.
She was not happy that her recovery would be long and there was no guarantee that she would be whole again.
Somehow, she was sure that her blond angel would not have left her if she would not be well, but she did not verbalise that thought to her parents, aunt, and uncle.
When all was told, Lizzy was thoughtful.
“Was William reading Cowper to me today?” she asked as her eyelids began to get heavy.
“Yes, my darling daughter, he was sitting with me and reading to you when you started to wake up. Your cousin Anne was holding your uninjured hand and was the one who alerted us that you were starting to wake,” Elaine informed her daughter.
“I feel tired now, Mama…” None of them knew if she wanted to say more to them as she slipped into the arms of Morpheus.
Her long eyelashes were closed and resting on her cheek and her breathing even.
Anne called the maid back in to sit with her niece while the four adults went to inform the waiting group in the parlour of the conversation that they had just had with Lizzy.
There was understandable disappointment that they could not see Lizzy right away, especially from Georgiana, but it was understood, albeit reluctantly, that they would have to wait for her to be awake again. William was especially pleased that she had heard him reading to her.
The pall of sadness that had descended over Pemberley started to lift rapidly as word of the beginning of the recovery of the child who was loved by all of them was disseminated.