Chapter 4 #2
The footman hurried away, and Elizabeth stood waiting; after her hasty walk, standing still made her realise her gown was dirty and wet, her shoes heavy with mud, and she felt she might freeze. She wondered how Jane and Mr Darcy were faring, and she assumed they were much worse.
The servant returned moments later with the housekeeper, followed by Mr Bingley’s sisters and Mr Hurst. The ladies began countless enquiries, for which Elizabeth had no patience.
“There is truly no time for talking,” she said harshly, silencing the others. “I simply need two men and a carriage at this very moment. Mr Darcy cannot walk, and I doubt he can ride either. Now, please! We have no time to lose! My sister is with him, and they are both caught in the rain.”
“Your sister is with Mr Darcy? Alone, out there?” Miss Bingley repeated with disbelief.
“Yes. But you must not worry about propriety. Mr Darcy is in no position to ruin anyone’s reputation,” she answered, her eyes on the sisters, who were clearly stunned by her answer.
She continued in an even harsher tone. “Is there someone here who can ask for the carriage? Or should I go to the stables myself? Even if you do not care about Mr Darcy, I care about my sister!” Her demanding voice made the two sisters gasp in horror.
“This is outrageous! Seeking help does not give you the right to speak to us so rudely!” Mrs Hurst said.
“I am aware of that, yet politeness can wait in such circumstances,” Elizabeth responded. She was too cold to mind her manners or her words.
The housekeeper finally asked the footman to hurry to the stables; nobody asked Elizabeth whether she was cold, whether she wished to enter the house, or any other courtesy.
She would have refused it anyhow, but she was not ignorant of the lack of politeness shown by her hosts, which somehow compensated for her own rudeness.
Whilst they were waiting, the search party returned — five men and a carriage. Elizabeth ran to it, seeing Jane’s hand waving through the carriage window. The party stopped in front of the house, Mr Bingley dismounted, and two men helped Mr Darcy to clamber down.
“Miss Elizabeth, I am so happy and relieved to see you here!” Mr Bingley exclaimed as he helped Jane down. “Darcy was very worried about you. Come, let us go inside!”
“Jane, are you well? And Mr Darcy?” Elizabeth asked.
“I am well,” Mr Darcy answered. “Only mortified that I have caused so much trouble over a silly accident. I cannot apologise or thank you enough, Miss Elizabeth.”
“Sir, rest assured there is no need for any thanks,” Elizabeth replied.
“Come, let us go into the house,” Bingley interrupted them.
Elizabeth gasped. “Mr Bingley, we should return home. If you would be so kind as to lend us your carriage, we would appreciate it. And you should send for Mr Jones, the apothecary, to examine Mr Darcy.”
“One of my men has already gone to fetch Mr Jones. Are you certain you do not want to enter?” Mr Bingley insisted.
“Quite certain,” Elizabeth replied. She and Jane were wet and dirty; certainly, the Bingley sisters would not welcome them.
Two men helped Mr Darcy into the house, while Mr Bingley handed Elizabeth and Jane into the carriage, and they set off for Longbourn.
“Dear Lord, thank God all went well and we are all safe,” Jane said. “When the rain began, I was scared for you, Lizzy. And so was Mr Darcy. He gave me his coat to protect me.”
“Did he? How kind of him.”
“Yes. I was so relieved when a man found us! Mr Darcy was right — the moment his horse arrived at Netherfield, a search party was sent out for him.”
“It seems I was too rushed and unwise in my judgment, after all,” Elizabeth admitted. “If we had all stayed there, waiting, we would have been found sooner. My actions were quite silly and imprudent.”
“Perhaps we would have been found sooner, but what if we had not? Mr Darcy kept repeating how grateful he was for your help. I do not believe you acted in a manner that was either silly or unwise. Quite the opposite. You were brave and considerate. Mr Darcy said so too.”
“Well, all is well when it ends well,” Elizabeth concluded with a smile.
Their reception at home, arriving in Mr Bingley’s carriage after an absence that had lasted long enough to worry the family, turned the house into an uproar impossible to calm down.
Mrs Bennet kept asking questions without waiting for answers, despite Elizabeth’s claim that they had to change their wet, cold clothes immediately.
Their mother was ready to follow them into their chamber until Mr Bennet stopped her.
“My dear, let the girls change, and you may ask later. Surely you do not want them to catch a cold and die!”
“Oh, nonsense! Nobody dies from a trifling cold!” Mrs Bennet replied. “I must know what happened — this is a truly shocking situation, and I am sure Lizzy’s imprudent behaviour caused it!”
Alone in their room, with the door locked, the sisters immediately removed their gowns, heavy from rain and dirt, shivering.
They wrapped themselves in blankets and sat by the fire for a moment to warm up.
Elizabeth hurried to add two more logs, while Hill entered with tea and soup, as well as some herbal medicine to prevent a cold.