Chapter 39
Elizabeth had been too preoccupied with her own thoughts to pay any attention to the weather outside; thus, she had completely missed the storm that was brewing. It was only when her maid brought her attention to it that she looked out.
“Miss Bennet, we must not be very far from Willowmere; should we not turn back?”
“Turn back? Whatever do you mean?” Elizabeth asked, perplexed and was surprised to see the weather outside.
Strong winds were blowing and rain looked imminent.
Thinking the coachman to be the best guide, she knocked on the carriage roof.
The coach stopped as soon as possible and the coachman was quick to attend.
“Jack, will it be safe to continue? I do not wish to turn back if at all possible,” Elizabeth asked, no matter how much she wished to talk to Darcy one last time before leaving Hampshire, she had no wish to engage her aunt again.
She was deeply hurt by her accusations and such a low opinion of her character and judgement.
Elizabeth had compassion for her aunt’s loss but she also had her own pride and wished to be back at Longbourn where she may explain all the details to her father.
“Miss Bennet, I understand that there is a coaching inn only a few miles ahead. We can stop there. It would be better than turning back,” the coachman replied, much to her relief and soon they were on their way.
Elizabeth took a deep breath as she stared outside thinking of all that had happened in the last couple of months.
Time had flown swiftly and so had her grievances against Darcy.
The insult at the Meryton assembly, the proposal at Hunsford, all appeared so distant, her antagonism towards the gentleman now felt childish and uninformed compared to the admiration she now held for him.
Mr. Darcy was a man of action; he might be abrupt in his manner and proud in his bearing, but he was honourable to a fault and the most upright gentleman she had ever met.
As they slowly rode towards the inn, Elizabeth thought about Jane and her still unposted letter.
How surprised Jane would be by her change in feelings and all that had occurred.
She had meant to ask Mr. Darcy about his relatives and their attention towards her family but that conversation had never happened.
She hoped Mrs. Ashcombe would give him her letter explaining her departure and he would journey to Longbourn at the earliest.
The coach soon stopped, and the coachman came to inform that the inn did not have much room, “I was able to secure a decent room for you, Miss Bennet but no private parlour.”
“I understand, I will be fine in the public room with Sally for company and she may stay with me in my room. I hope you and the footman have some accommodation, Jack.”
“Yes Ma’am, they have room in the stables for us.”
Thus the carriage was unloaded and Elizabeth walked into the bustling inn to take a seat in the public room.
The crowd appeared quite genteel and was probably stranded by the unexpected storm.
Elizabeth took a seat by the fire as one of the servant girls brought her some tea.
She sat warming herself as she again thought of the conversation she would need to have with her family and the reaction of all regarding her attachment to Mr. Darcy.
She was sorry to have been so vocal about her dislike of the gentleman in Meryton, her engagement would surely come across as a mercenary to her neighbours.
As she sat lost in thought, the gentleman in question was busy in his study without any inkling of his beloved’s whereabouts.
He wanted to be prepared for when he met Mr. Bennet thus was writing to his solicitor to prepare a draft settlement.
Then there was a letter to his sister, Georgiana was shy and timid and he did not want to alarm her with his unexpected news as such, his letter required a lot of deliberation and a detailed recounting of his acquaintance with Elizabeth.
He then wrote to Richard and Bingley for he did not wish for either gentlemen to be surprised.
He considered it better to write to the rest of his family only after he had obtained Mr. Bennet’s consent.
He was thus labouring at his desk when he was interrupted by his aunt’s arrival.
Mrs. Ashcombe had been sitting alone in the parlour for nearly an hour ruminating about all that Mrs. Hardwicke had spoken.
She was ashamed that she had never before insisted on meeting the lady and now when she had finally come it had been only for her own entertainment.
Frederick had been a good man and called on her whenever he was in town, his widow had deserved much more sympathy.
Elizabeth’s departure was unfortunate and so was Sarah’s suspicion of Darcy but she could no longer call it unwarranted.
She finally got up to retire to her rooms to further ruminate on all that she had learnt but was met by the harried governess of Miss Margaret.
“Miss Partridge, whatever is the matter?”
“It is Miss Margaret, she cannot be found anywhere in the house or the park?”
“What? How can that be possible? Wherever could she have gone?”
“I am at a loss for she has never before disappeared in such a manner. I have asked the footman to search in the fields and I am going up to inform Mrs. Hardwicke.”
“The poor lady hardly needs more trouble. I will go to my nephew and see if he knows of anything, Miss Margaret is quite fond of him,” Mrs. Ashcombe got up and made her way towards the dower house.
Darcy was alarmed at his aunt’s expression, and even more worried when he heard about Margaret’s disappearance.
“What is being done to find her?”
“Her governess had asked a few footmen to search in the fields and was on the way to inform Mrs. Hardwicke when I was leaving. The storm has picked up and I fear for the girl.”
“I will myself ride out to see if I can find her,” Darcy rang for a servant and gave orders to prepare his horse immediately.
Darcy rode out towards the fields as the rain picked up. He questioned the tenants and requested some of them to look about. The steward was likewise sent to ride and check for the young girl. It was when he was talking to one of the tenant wives that a young girl piped up.
“Miss Margaret was crying and running and I saw Mr. Harrison calling out to her. But I did not wait to see anything more as it started raining,” The girl pointed in the direction she had seen Margaret.
“You did well,” Darcy quickly mounted his horse and rode as fast as he could.
The girl had pointed towards the area where the drainage work had been done, and he was alarmed to see the area dug up and the ditch quite muddy.
He dismounted and rushed towards the ditch and to his horror Margaret lay inside completely still.
Darcy quickly jumped inside and was relieved to see the pulse on the girl, but she was burning.
Darcy gently cradled her in his arms and lifted her up.
Some of the nearby tenants had gathered and they quickly helped get her out of the ditch.
Once she was out, a donkey cart was fetched for her to be carried.
Darcy rode with the tenant driving the donkey cart to the main house.
It was a sobbing Mrs. Hardwicke, who first saw Margaret carried into the house from the window and rushed out.
“Mrs. Hardwicke we need to send for the apothecary immediately, she is burning up,” Darcy shouted as he saw the lady and rushed inside.
The house was in a state of commotion at the unexpected incident but Mrs. Ashcombe was quick to take charge and soon had cold compresses applied to the girl.
By the time the apothecary arrived Margaret had regained consciousness but seemed delirious. The apothecary was certain that had she remained exposed for a little more time, it would have been much worse.
“Mr. Darcy, I might have made the worst mistake of my life,” Mrs. Hardwicke said between sobs.
“I am sure no blame lies on you, madam, there are others here who are much more responsible,” Mr. Harrison responded from the corner.
Darcy had not registered the man’s presence and was startled at his words. “Mr. Harrison, whatever are you doing here? For that matter, why did you not stop Miss Margaret when you saw her running towards the drainage or at least fetch some help.”
“Mr. Darcy, I am not sure what you are accusing me of, sir?” The man straightened himself. “If anything, it was your misjudgement with the drainage that caused the accident.”
“You were observed chasing Miss Margaret, sir and how do you even know about the drainage?” Darcy asked worried if it was truly a misjudgement on his part. He had not recently visited the area and had not realised the damage near the drain.
“Mr. Harrison, please do me a favour and leave the house before I call the magistrate,” Mrs. Hardwicke spoke in a steely voice.
“I—Whatever do you mean, madam?” Harrison stammered.
“You were the one who got the area dug up hoping for an accident to blame Mr. Darcy. I was perplexed by your presence in the fields of Willowmere and then around the house. The servants did mention your curious questions but I had not fully understood their purpose till now. Elizabeth even mentioned seeing labourers near the drainage but we were all preoccupied by family matters and did not pay heed. I hope for your sake that you did not guide my daughter to her peril, for I will tear you limb by limb if that is the case.” Mrs. Hardwicke’s tone was deathly soft, and for the first time, Harrison realised that he may have bitten more than he could chew and quietly left the house.
The apothecary came to them in a few minutes mentioning that Margaret was asking for Elizabeth. “I think Miss Bennet’s presence by her side will help calm the girl,” The apothecary observed as he instructed the housekeeper on the various remedies.
“Wherever is Elizabeth? I am surprised she is not already here,” Darcy asked the ladies, worried that Elizabeth may herself be out looking for Margaret.
“Elizabeth departed for her home a few hours ago, that was what provoked Margaret’s escapade,” Mrs. Hardwicke replied in a trembling voice.
“Departed! But she never mentioned anything about leaving Willowmere,” Darcy replied confused.
“Fitzwilliam, this is hardly the time for questions. I can let you know that she did not leave willingly,” Mrs. Ashcombe answered.