Chapter 13 #2
“We are all very content,” Lady Lucas continued, while Charlotte still looked at Elizabeth with embarrassment.
“Mr Collins hurried to inform Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and he will write to Sir William about his plans. We should have a wedding soon! What can be more satisfying for a mother than to know her daughter is settled with a happy, safe future?”
“Well, we should not speak of happy events when Mr Darcy is so ill. We are all too worried to think of anything else,” Mrs Bennet spoke sharply, red-faced with envy.
The guests did not stay longer than half an hour, but the visit distressed Mrs Bennet so profoundly that she needed to retire and rest. She chose Mary’s room, who was banished with Lydia and Kitty. None of them was content, but they did not dare to argue with their mother either.
Elizabeth checked on Darcy several times. With particular embarrassment, she assisted Mr Jones while he cooled Darcy’s face, forehead, torso, and hands with cold water and vinegar. But the patient never moved, nor showed any sign of recovery, much to their mutual despair.
Almost two hours after Lady Lucas left, a more pleasant and less bothersome call was received at Longbourn: Mr Wickham and two other officers came, also brought by the news of Mr Darcy’s accident.
Mrs Bennet and her younger daughters welcomed the distraction and invited the gentlemen to stay for dinner.
Elizabeth found the visit intrusive and their repeatedly expressed regrets inappropriate, but tried to remain calm and polite. She feared that every family from Meryton would come to ask about Mr Darcy, as his accident had already turned into a subject of gossip and entertainment.
Elizabeth was in no disposition to dine, but neither did she have any strength to reject her mother’s insistence on having a proper meal. So she bore the lively conversations and the lengthy courses stoically for a while.
“It is very kind of you to take the trouble of nursing Mr Darcy,” Lieutenant Denny said.
“Well, he took care of us too, as I am sure you remember. Besides, he is Mr Bingley’s friend and Mr Bingley is like family to us,” Mrs Bennet declared, making Jane blush with embarrassment.
“I wonder what could have happened to Darcy,” Wickham added. “He used to be a skilful rider.”
“We do not know, but it matters little,” Mr Bennet declared. “Even the most proficient riders suffer accidents.”
“And how long will he stay at Longbourn?” Wickham continued.
“That depends on his improvement or his family’s decision,” Mr Bennet replied. “We have informed them and we await their answer.”
“Well, you should expect someone from his family to come and fetch him soon. They are all proud people who loathe being involved with anyone outside their circle. My godfather was different, but the Fitzwilliams all share the same repulsive arrogance and haughtiness.”
“Is Miss Darcy the same?” Lydia asked.
“Very much so. She was a sweet, gentle child but she has grown up to be more and more like her brother.”
“I have heard Miss Darcy is a very accomplished lady, and exceedingly talented at the pianoforte; everybody who knows her praises her character and qualities,” Jane said, with a slight pallor and trembling voice.
“I know she is very talented at music and very well educated. But that is different. She inherited some good qualities from her father, but the Fitzwilliam traits appear to be stronger,” Wickham concluded.
“Well, if they do come to take him, even better for us. But I doubt he is in any state to be moved for the time being,” Mrs Bennet said, taking offence as she felt her efforts were unappreciated.
The conversation became more animated, and Elizabeth found it impossible to listen any longer. She apologised, and addressed her sister. “Jane, will you come with me to watch Mr Darcy? I am sure Peter and Mr Jones need to eat properly and to rest for a little while.”
“Yes, of course,” Jane replied, slightly surprised.
“Miss Bennet, is it not too much trouble for you to watch Darcy? Can you not get a servant to do it?” Wickham enquired officiously.
Elizabeth turned to him. “It is no trouble at all to sit in a chair and watch a wounded man who only a few days ago put himself in danger to save us. Please excuse us,” she ended, taking Jane’s hand and leaving.
“He is annoying,” Elizabeth whispered to Jane. “And impertinent!”
“Lizzy, I think he means well. He was only worried for you,” Jane tried to temper her.
“He might have been worried for me, but I sense he is somehow content with Mr Darcy’s accident.”
“Lizzy! Do not even think such a horrible thing! Why would you suspect him of something so odious?”
Elizabeth knocked on the door and avoided answering her sister. She was in no disposition to contradict Jane’s tendency to see only the good in people.
Mr Jones and Peter readily accepted the offered break and welcomed the invitation to join the family for dinner. They left, leaving Elizabeth and Jane standing in the middle of the room, staring at the still pale and unmoving Darcy.
Elizabeth stepped closer and sat on the edge of the bed.
She looked at him as though she were seeing his features for the first time.
Without his usual arrogant countenance, he looked younger and more handsome.
Oblivious to her sister’s presence, she touched Darcy’s hands, then his forehead then took his hand in hers.
She stayed there for a few long moments, with Jane gazing at her in wonder, until she startled and gasped at a soft whisper.
“Miss Bennet…”
“Yes! I am here,” Elizabeth murmured, leaning closer to his face. She squeezed his hands tighter, calling his name.
“Mr Darcy, can you open your eyes?”
“Elizabeth…” he whispered again. Elizabeth blushed and caressed his hand.
“I am here. How are you feeling? Mr Darcy?”
But he said nothing else and fell back into a deep, frightening sleep.
∞∞∞
Darcy felt trapped in a block of ice, shivering from the coldness that froze his senses.
He tried to wrap his arms around himself, but could not move.
Then, a moment later, a fire started nearby, surrounding him until the heat became unbearable.
He tried to run, but his feet obeyed his will just as little as his hands.
He was a prisoner, oblivious to his whereabouts or to his oppressor.
He tried to breathe, but that was no easier. He needed help but could not beg for it; was no one there to look for him, to set him free?
A final effort exhausted the last of his strength and he abandoned any struggle.
He was neither too cold, nor too warm any longer.
Overwhelming tiredness enveloped him and he abandoned himself to it.
Until his senses stirred and he became aware of a well known and much-desired fragrance that he immediately recognised.
She was there. She must be. The soft touch that warmed his skin could not be but hers and the voice which spoke through his dreams belonged to no other than Elizabeth.
He had dreamed of her so many times that he could not be wrong.
She was more alive and real in his fantasies than she was in reality.
He could feel her, smell her, touch her. He almost felt her flavour on his lips. If only she could come a little closer. If only he could tell her that he wanted her to come closer.
“Miss Bennet…” he heard himself saying. And she answered, but he could not comprehend the words. She kept repeating his name, so he called hers again.
“Elizabeth …”
Then the cage closed around him again and everything turned black. And his senses slowly lost the trace of her closeness: her scent, her flavour, her touch–were all gone.
∞∞∞
“Lizzy, he is sleeping again,” Jane gently said, taking a chair and sitting by her sister. Elizabeth glanced at her, still holding Darcy’s hand.
“I held his hand earlier in the grove, and he spoke to me. I hoped now it would happen again–and it did. But only for a short while.”
“It is good that he woke up, if only for a moment,” Jane replied. “Now we have greater hopes that he will recover.”
“I hope his family arrives soon. I dread the notion that he might take a turn for the worse overnight, in a strange house, with no relatives around. It must be horrible.”
“But Lizzy, he is not among strangers. He and Papa are quite close and you are being such a good friend to him too,” Jane offered.
“He does not look arrogant and aloof at all, does he?” Elizabeth smiled. “I wonder why I thought so ill of him for such a long while.”
“You cannot blame yourself, Lizzy. Your acquaintance was rather challenging in the beginning. But I am sure he knows how much we appreciate him and how grateful we were for his brave intervention when we most needed it.”
“He was unwilling to accept any gratitude, Jane. He is such a strange man, so difficult to understand and to sketch. He seemed unwilling to reveal his true character.”
“But his actions speak for him eloquently enough,” Jane declared.
Elizabeth laughed nervously. “Yes, they do. Even when he refuses to dance with tolerable ladies at a public ball.”
“Lizzy, come now,” Jane’s laughter escaped in her relief. “You surely have forgotten that incident, since you so deeply care for his health.”
“I have not forgotten it, but I have forgiven his rudeness. He has suffered enough to compensate for it. I only wish that my care would do him some good.”
“Lizzy, do you think Miss Darcy will come here?” Jane suddenly asked, hesitantly.
Elizabeth looked at her. “I imagine as much. If her affection for him is as strong as his is for her, she will come soon.”
“And Mr Bingley? Will he come with her, do you think?”
“Oh, dearest, I am not sure what to say. Probably.”
“Dear Lizzy, I do not think I can bear to see them together…” Jane confessed. “It will be so hard…”
“Jane, we have already discussed this. I truly believe you have no reason for such concern. Anyone who has seen you together cannot doubt his admiration for you. Do not torment yourself over nothing, my dear. And surely not for something that Caroline Bingley said!”
“But Lizzy, I am not jealous, trust me. I mean–I might be, but if Miss Darcy is such a perfect young lady, she may be the proper wife for him. I only wish him happiness.”
“You are the proper wife for him, Jane; and if he fails to see that, he does not deserve to be happy, with Miss Darcy or anyone else. And speaking of happiness, what do you think of Charlotte? Married to Mr Collins? How horrible this is!”
The sisters continued to speak and to comfort each other for a while, until Mr Jones returned.
Elizabeth hastily rose from the bed, releasing Darcy’s hand and explained to Mr Jones that the patient had briefly spoken a few words.
“This is excellent news, Miss Lizzy! Excellent! You know, the guests have left already. I am sorry if you missed their company for my sake.”
“Please do not apologise, sir, we are in no disposition for company anyway.”
“Oh, I forgot, do you know this man?”
To the sisters’ utter shock they saw Mr Darcy’s valet, looking around in apparent distress.
“Yes, I have seen him several times with Mr Darcy,” Elizabeth answered. “Stevens, where have you been?”
The servant explained that he had waited for his master at an inn, as they planned, and since he did not appear, he returned to search for him. Stevens immediately took his position next to his master, asking how he could help.
With so many men around, Elizabeth and Jane turned to leave, when the apothecary said, “We were wondering: John found a deep cut on the horse’s flank and under the saddle.
And the same cut is on Mr Darcy’s leg. We just cannot imagine how that happened.
The cut must have scared the horse and it threw him.
Do you remember if you heard or saw anything that might help us solve this mystery?
Or should we go and look around tomorrow, perhaps? ”
“No, I do not recollect anything of the sort,” Elizabeth replied, dumbfounded by the new details. “Do you think someone hurt Mr Darcy deliberately?”
“We do not know and cannot suspect as much. But we were wondering.”
“My master would never fall from a horse for no reason.” Stevens declared, and Elizabeth remembered when she first met Darcy in the woods and he pointed out that he was an excellent rider.
Back then, she had mocked him for such a conceited statement.
But in truth, he did not seem the sort of man to simply fall from a horse, even if he suffered from a cold. A serious, not a trifling one.
“Well, good night, Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth.”
“Good night, Mr Jones. Please keep us informed if anything new occurs.”
“We will. I only hope his family will arrive soon.”
“As do I, Mr Jones. As do I,” Elizabeth answered, closing the door behind her with a last glance at Darcy.