Chapter Six #2
She jumped over stumps and broken branches, raced against the cruel wind that sent debris flying.
Unfortunately, an unexpected turn of her ankle sent her windmilling through the air.
She smacked the ground hard, and the impact knocked the air from her lungs.
Something shoved her face into the hard soil.
Valiantly, she struggled to rise—to run again.
Yet her foot remained trapped in muck. Elizabeth pulled frantically to free her half boot.
But the worst of her fears were yet to come.
What she thought to be tangled weeds and clumps of fur from a dead animal rolled away from her, and the shriveled face of a brown-skinned woman stared blankly up at the dark sky.
Elizabeth heard someone scream hysterically as she pushed herself away from the figure, scrambling backwards on all fours to place distance between her and the brown-skinned woman.
The blood-curdling scream continued, and then she realized it came from her.
As Darcy and Bingley rode across the outskirts of Bingley’s property, a scattering of birds attracted their notice, but it was the sound of the whirlwind that Darcy insisted they chase.
He knew the sound intimately— it was George Wickham’s calling card—but to hear it in the daylight shook Darcy’s composure.
Then, in the distance, he saw her. Elizabeth was running over the crest of the hill.
He could barely breathe, but he dug his heels into the flanks of the horse and rode after her.
Urgency drove him. Just as he hit the swell of the hill, a scream—her scream—ripped at his heart.
Elizabeth cried out hysterically, and each note of the lament pierced him.
Could Wickham have harmed her? Anger coursed through him: He should never have left her yesterday.
Some way, somehow, he must kill Wickham!
Then he saw her crawling, scrambling across the rough ground.
Horror marked her features. Before the horse stopped, Darcy was on the ground, running to where she was.
When he reached her, Elizabeth fought him at first, but Darcy caught her in his embrace, holding her to him and cooing endearments into her ear.
He heard Bingley ride up, but he did not turn around.
Instead, he stood and scooped Elizabeth into his arms, cradling her to him.
“Darcy, is she well?” Bingley implored.
All he did was shake his head as he turned towards his friend. Her arms clung to Darcy’s neck. “Elizabeth? I have you. I am here,” he whispered to her ear. He wanted to kiss her, but Bingley stood too close.
“The—The woman,” she whimpered.
Darcy adjusted her in his hold. “What woman?”
“The woman.” Her voice held more strength, but she still did not look at anything but him. Elizabeth flung her arm out in the direction of the body.
Darcy followed her motion with his eyes, and then he realized her fear. Lying in a crevice where two hills met rested what appeared to be the mangled body of a woman. Her face and neck displayed the telltale signs of mutilation.
“Elizabeth,” he whispered, “may I place you down so I might see to the woman?”
“I am afraid”
“I will protect you,” he assured her. “But I must see if she lives.”
Elizabeth nodded, and he put her down gently under a tree. He cupped her chin with his palm. “I will be right back.” Tears formed in her eyes, and her bottom lip trembled, but she sat quietly and waited for him.
Darcy and Bingley moved quickly to where the woman lay. “Do you know her?” he asked as they examined the quickly decomposing body.
“I have never seen her.” Bingley was pale with terror. “My God, Darcy, what kind of animal creates such wounds?”
“None you have ever seen.” A thud reverberated in his chest. “Bingley, I must see Miss Elizabeth home. You must ride to Meryton and inform the constable and perhaps even Colonel Forster. Please be careful.”
“Assuredly, Darcy. Tell Miss Elizabeth I will call once everything is settled.” Bingley stood and headed to his horse, but Darcy stopped him with just a clearing of his throat.
Darcy looked back at Elizabeth. “Retrieve Miss Elizabeth’s cloak. It is at the top of the hill. Cover the body with that.”
Bingley mounted and rode off in the direction of the black cloak.
Darcy hurried back to where Elizabeth sat. “Come, Love.” He pulled off his greatcoat and wrapped it around her. He hid her in the security of his shoulder as he led her to where his horse nibbled on grass. “I will take you up with me.”
He mounted the horse and then reached down for her hand, pulling her up into his lap. Settling her comfortably in his arms, he touched the horse’s flanks with his heels, and the animal set off at a brisk pace.
Once they crested the hill and turned towards Longbourn, Darcy leaned into her and kissed the side of Elizabeth’s neck. “Can you tell me what occurred?”
Again, Elizabeth’s eyes misted over and her lips trembled. “Must I?”
“The constable will ask, Elizabeth. What will we tell him?” Darcy recognized her fear.
“I became frightened and I ran. There was nothing there, but all the same, something was there. Oh, William, that woman’s face!” She buried her head into his chest, covering her eyes with her hands.
Darcy kissed the side of her head and made the necessary promises to protect her. “Bingley has gone for the authorities.”
“You will stay with me when we reach Longbourn?” She appeared so vulnerable.
“If you wish.” Darcy would protect her, but he required information. “I do not wish to upset you further, my darling, but I must ask, did you speak to George Wickham about me?”
Elizabeth looked up in surprise. “I knew you would not tell me, William. I did not mean to go behind your back. I am so sorry. He told such lies about you. I could not understand why or how you two were connected. I saw the way you snubbed him yesterday.”
“All is well, Love. Later, you will tell me exactly what was said, so together we can determine how to proceed, but none of that is what really matters.” Darcy kissed her upturned nose and presented her with a smile of assurance.
He tightened his grip about her. “Understand, Elizabeth, Seorais is the Scottish name for George. Seorais Winchcombe of the story of Lord Thomas and Lady Ellender is George Wickham.”
He heard her gasp and felt her shudder as the truth washed over her. “William, the woman … the woman was the brown girl!” Her arms circled his waist, seeking security.
“It was a warning, Elizabeth, to me, and now to you. The brown girl of the song simply had brown hair. Wickham chose this woman for symbolic purposes. I will explain it all in detail when we are alone, but I wish you to know, I managed to reach Georgiana in time to save her at Ramsgate. He nearly killed us both in a house fire.”
“He said he was lately in Kent.” The truth of what Darcy said now made perfect sense.
Darcy did not look at her as he spoke. It was impossible for him to break the aura of implied danger.
“Elizabeth, Wickham’s attempt to claim Georgiana is part of his revenge upon the Darcy name.
He has done so with each generation. I fear if he knows of us, you will become his target. It is best I stay away, best for you.”
“No!” she demanded. “I cannot face this without you!”
“If I withdraw,” he insisted, “there will be no need for you to face any of this. I will take my evil with me.”
Anger flared in her and Elizabeth struck his chest with her fist. “You are not evil, and I will not hear you speak as such! I will not permit it!”
By now, Longbourn loomed on the horizon.
“We will speak further when time allows. For now, we will tell everyone that a wild dog chased you. We cannot hide the death, but it will all be coincidental.” Elizabeth nodded in agreement.
“I will stay and assist you in your explanations, and I will return to you tonight. You will sleep in my arms for another night.”
“As is only right and proper,” she insisted.
He stopped the horse far enough away that those in the house could not make out their forms. “I missed you,” he said quietly.
“Of course, you did,” came her retort. She snaked her arms around his neck and pretended nothing had changed. “Now, kiss me before I must face my family.”
He considered shoving her away, but a heartbeat later, he groaned and pulled her to him. At length, he set her from him and took up the reins again.
As he rode into the entranceway to Longbourn, other issues consumed his thoughts. It would be necessary for him to return to the woman’s body and destroy it without anyone’s knowledge.
“Elizabeth!” Mary called from the open doorway. Immediately, her family poured from the house.
“Mr. Darcy, what means this?” Mr. Bennet demanded.
“Miss Elizabeth met with an unfortunate accident of some consequence.” Darcy’s voice boomed over the clatter, and they all fell silent. “We will explain once we see her into the house.”
Mr. Bennet reached for Elizabeth to assist her down. “Come, Lizzy,” her father insisted as Jane and Kitty rushed to wrap her in their embrace.
A few steps towards the door, Elizabeth paused. “Papa,” she called over her shoulder. “Have Mr. Darcy come in. He saved me today, and we owe him our gratitude.”
Mr. Bennet reached for the reins of Darcy’s horse. “Come in, Mr. Darcy. Pray, come in.”
Darcy dismounted and followed the others into the parlor.
Bingley had called often upon the household, but Darcy had not.
Although comfortable, the furniture appeared worn and frayed, but there was cheerfulness in the place.
Elizabeth took up residence on a settee covered in a floral design.
Before anyone could object, she looked up at him standing in the doorway and ordered, “Mr. Darcy, please join me. I will require your support in making my family understand what occurred.”
Again, silence and inquiry filled the air. “Naturally, Miss Elizabeth, if it allays your fears.”