Chapter 26 #2
“Then he will see that and put us all at ease,” Elizabeth concluded gently.
She hoped the girl had regained a bit of calmness, but suddenly she began to cry, fat tears rolling down her cheeks.
She sobbed, harder and harder, her tears falling faster, and Elizabeth, pained for her, moved closer and embraced her gently, silently.
Words came much later, when the tears had dried and her heart had lightened.
“I cannot believe he is dead. I never thought… He said I would return home today…but I did not quite expect that…”
“I cannot imagine how much you suffer,” Elizabeth whispered. “It must be shocking to lose your husband. But I am sure the pain will pass, eventually…”
The girl lifted her eyes, moist with tears, and gazed at Elizabeth for a long moment, then said, with a sigh coming from the depths of her soul, “It is not pain. It is just relief. Utter relief.”
Then she leant back and turned her head, closing her eyes. Elizabeth remained still, barely moving or breathing, watching the girl as she drifted off to sleep.
***
It was close to midnight when Elizabeth heard Darcy return. She hurried to knock on the adjoining door, but he did so first, and they met in the doorway.
He looked as if he had grown older and thinner in just one day; the dark shadow of a beard had appeared on his handsome face, which was always neatly shaved.
“Mrs Green told me Georgiana is asleep. She said you have just left her room.”
“Yes, she seems reasonably well. A maid is with her. I shall go and look in on her soon.”
“There is no need,” he said, gently caressing her face. “I hear the doctor was pleased with the examination, that she is unharmed.”
“She is, thank goodness. Just exhausted, very thin, and in much anguish. I pray she will recover soon.”
“You look exhausted, too, Elizabeth. You need to rest.”
“So do you. Is everything resolved now?”
“I believe so. The man who shot Wickham has been identified and is in jail. He hardly remembers what happened, the drunken fool. The funeral is arranged. It will be a private and very brief service, with only me, Mr Gardiner, and my cousin Richard in attendance.”
Elizabeth wondered whether she should tell her husband about his sister’s shocking confession.
The conversation with Georgiana had been intense and heartbreaking, but its unexpected conclusion had left Elizabeth stunned.
The girl’s state of mind, her despair, her suffering, was of a different nature from what Elizabeth — and probably Darcy — had assumed.
Behind Georgiana’s torment must be a truth that she was not ready to reveal yet, and perhaps the others were not ready to discover.
For the moment, Elizabeth’s heart whispered that she should not disclose to Darcy anything that his sister was not willing to share with him directly.
“Good. However, we expect the scandal will spread, despite our best efforts. Some rumours have already reached my uncle and aunt, and I imagine in a day or two they will spread across town.”
“As I said, that is my last concern.”
“Elizabeth, the rumours might bother your cousin. He might be less willing to be connected with your family.”
“Why?” Elizabeth enquired, genuinely puzzled. “Because my sister in law’s husband was killed? That would be surprising, to say the least. If my cousin possesses such a delicate nature, there is not much I can do, is there?”
Darcy smiled and caressed her face again.
“Let us hope you have not taken all the bravery on your mother’s side, Mrs Darcy.
Oh, I almost forgot. Earlier we left Mr Bennet and Miss Bennet to entertain Bingley.
I am afraid they have now retired, but I should have apologised and, at the very least, offered an explanation.
Is your father still planning to leave tomorrow? I shall talk to him in the morning.”
“Oh, this is…with all the trouble today, I forgot to mention it. I told them, briefly, about Georgiana and the circumstances of her return home. As for my father, he will not return to Longbourn tomorrow, only to the Gardiners. My stepmother…she sent a note that she will come to London tomorrow, with my youngest sisters.”
“I see…” he replied, clearly hiding his surprise with politeness.
“We were all shocked by the news, but you must not be concerned — I have already told my father they cannot stay here.”
“But, Elizabeth, if you wish—”
“I certainly do not! I do not want my stepmother to just turn up, without any consideration, when least expected. She must wait for a proper invitation before she plans a visit.”
“Be it as you wish. You are the mistress of the house.”
“Thank you. We should go to sleep now as we have another difficult day ahead tomorrow. But I wish to know first whether you are well.”
At his tired nod, she insisted, touching his arm, “And your wound?”
He kissed her hand, reassuring her he was well, then bowed and returned to his room, while Elizabeth sighed a soft, “Goodnight,” to his back, trying to escape the weight that pressed over her chest. Glancing at the closed door, she reflected on how stirring was the sensation of his fingers caressing her face and of his lips touching her bare hands.
She finally nestled into her bed, pulling the sheets around her, wondering whether her husband was already asleep. She was exhausted, but her mind and her senses found no rest — quite the opposite.