Chapter 2.4
Elizabeth was walking back towards the Parsonage when she was startled by a horse’s neigh.
She looked around and saw nobody so she kept to her path, which soon took her inside a beautiful grove she had never seen before. While she wondered at the sight, her attention was diverted by an object in the grass. She moved closer and, to her fright and astonishment, she found a man.
She stood still for a moment, then touched his shoulder, speaking to him, but he made no response and no movement.
Carefully, she knelt and turned him slowly, and she immediately gasped, jumping to her feet.
Then she knelt again.
“Mr. Darcy,” she whispered. She gently removed his hat.
On his right temple there was a nasty bruise and bleeding.
Near him, there was a branch that appeared to have been recently ripped from a tree.
The ground was still muddy after the storm, and so were his clothes.
He looked pale, helpless, and much younger.
“Mr. Darcy,” she called again. She took off her gloves, then gently touched his bruise.
He moaned and moved his head, his eyes still closed. Then, to her alarm and embarrassment, his cold fingers held her hand and pressed it to his lips.
She withdrew it rather abruptly but he held it tightly and, as she tried to free her hand without hurting him, she fell upon him.
For as brief a moment as a heartbeat, her face brushed over his and his arms closed around her back, entrapping her into an embrace.
She sighed with distress and irritation, then pulled back against his chest and finally separated from him.
Still kneeling at his side, she called again, louder and more severely. “Mr. Darcy!”
Finally, he opened his eyes and his moves were more rational. He seemed lost for a moment, then gazed at her, frowning in puzzlement.
“Miss Bennet? What are you doing here? And what on Earth I am doing here?” His voice was severe and reproachful and Elizabeth’s irritation increased.
“I cannot answer that question, sir. Regarding your situation, I mean. I was taking a walk and found you. It appears your horse threw you off.”
“No horse has ever thrown me off, Miss Bennet,” he replied arrogantly, and she rolled her eyes in exasperation. All her other feelings were gone; he was the most annoying man in the world and nothing else mattered.
“Well, it seems to be a premiere which I witnessed most unwillingly. Are you well? Can you stand up? How may I help you?”
He looked at her again and touched his temple, realising it was bleeding.
“I hope my horse is fine, I must look for it. Thank you for your assistance, Miss Bennet, I am sure I will manage to return home. Oh, please forgive me, it seems you ruined your clothes because of me.”
His apologies, his worry for his horse and his slightly friendlier tone did not go unnoticed. She looked at her dress—her spencer, her shoes, her petticoat, were all muddy and wet. She shrugged and smiled.
“Do not worry, my dirty clothes are my last concern. Try to stand,” she suggested, offering her hand.
He did so, but a grimace of pain twisted his face.
“I think something is wrong with my left foot.” He sat down on the grass and ripped the trousers from his left leg, lowering his socks.
His revealed bare leg made Elizabeth blush with embarrassment, but it was rather clear that his ankle was sprained, swollen and dark blue.
“Sir, you should not walk. I shall go to Rosings and send help. I will not be long. I will also tell someone to look for your horse.”
She expected some opposition but there was none. Their eyes met and locked briefly, then he lowered his glance and nodded.
“Thank you, Miss Bennet, you are very kind.”
“No need to thank me,” she said, her cheeks burning. She turned to leave, and only then noticed the sudden darkness.
“I am afraid the rain will start again soon,” she said. “You cannot remain here, with no shelter.”
“Do not worry about me, Miss Bennet. I will crawl under a tree and wait. I will surely not die from a trifling shower. But I am more worried for you—you should stop at the Parsonage and send a servant to Rosings. You might catch a cold if you remain with those wet clothes on you.”
She felt his gaze upon her and his penetrating eyes made her shudder. She knew he was only being thoughtful now, but she could not avoid wondering if there were any less proper thoughts crossing his mind.
“I will send help right away,” she repeated, then turned and hurried her steps. She had barely departed when the rain and the wind began.
So preoccupied was she that she did not observe the wagon with two horses and several people in it until it stopped near her and a voice called out to her.
“Miss? Are you hurt?”
She stopped and looked at the people—two men, two women and three children.
“Are you the Miss who lives with Mrs. Collins?” one of the women asked. “I have seen you in the village, ma’am. Are you hurt?”
“Yes, I am. I mean, no, I am not hurt. I am begging you, could you help me, please? I am well, but Mr. Darcy, Lady Catherine’s nephew, has suffered an accident. He is hurt and cannot walk. He must be taken to Rosings as soon as possible.”
“Mr. Darcy? He is hurt? What accident?” shouted one of the men. “Come miss, up here. Mr. Darcy is out in this rain?”
Elizabeth answered while her companions looked agitated, asking countless questions. The notion that they were responsible for Lady Catherine’s nephew appeared overwhelming to them.
They arrived at the place of the accident; Darcy was indeed sitting under a tree, all wet.
The two men helped him into the carriage; he thanked them, assured them he was not so badly harmed and expressed his thanks.
During the ride, Darcy and Elizabeth exchanged a few glances.
Mr. Darcy’s presence among them was intimidating and puzzling for the others.
What had happened to the gentleman—who was known as an excellent rider—and especially what was Miss Bennet doing in the same place, were questions that remained unasked.
In a short while, Elizabeth was dropped in front of the Parsonage, and Mr. Darcy taken on to Rosings. Both of them were content that the incident had come to a happy ending and not much harm had come of it.
Or so it appeared.
That night, defeated by the tiredness of all the events of the day, Elizabeth finally fell asleep, and the storm that lasted until dawn did not disturb her in the slightest. Only briefly she found herself wondering if Mr. Darcy’s horse had arrived home safely and if the gentleman’s foot would heal soon.
Then she realised she had never seen a strange man’s bare leg before.
∞∞∞
“Well, this has all happened because of Darcy’s recklessness!” Lady Catherine declared. “Who ever heard of going riding after a storm, on wet grass?! How fortunate that Mr. Thomson was there with his family! Otherwise, God knows what could have happened!”
“Mama, I found it fortunate that Miss Bennet was there to find him,” Anne intervened. “Doctor Jarvis said that Miss Bennet revived him.”
“It was fortunate indeed, although I would never agree to you or any other lady of my acquaintance wandering by herself along the lanes. Not to mention in the rain,” Lady Catherine said severely.
“I find Miss Bennet’s independence quite charming,” the colonel said.
“You always find improper manners charming, nephew!”
“Propriety is often boring, my dear Aunt,” Colonel Fitzwilliam declared, only half in jest. “But Miss Bennet’s manners are not to be censured—quite the opposite! She is a very honourable, lovely young woman, even if her preferences for books and walking are slightly peculiar.”
“Are we going to talk about Miss Bennet all day?” Lady Catherine enquired with apparent vexation.
“I would gladly discuss any other subject that pleases your ladyship,” the colonel answered with mock formality.
“Until dinner. Then, since Darcy is confined to his bed these days, I shall leave you, ladies alone and take a ride to the village inn. Perhaps I can find someone for a manly game of cards.”
“I am quite appalled by your tendency to enjoy inferior company, Robert. Rather peculiar for an earl’s son and a colonel.”
“Life in the army teaches you to enjoy any company you can get, Aunt. I could never be as fastidious as you and Darcy.”
“We are simply mindful of society’s rules, Robert. This is helpful if one does not want to mingle with people outside one’s circle.”
“I shall not argue with you any longer, Aunt. I will only say that such circles might be too tight and need to be broken at times.”
“Nonsense, Robert. Nonsense.”