Chapter 1.2 #4
At the knowledge that Dr. Taylor was Mr Darcy’s doctor from London, Mr Collins’s countenance changed.
With great excitement, he asked the doctor whether he happened to know Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
At the doctor’s positive answer, Mr Collins hurried to assure him that her ladyship was in perfect health a few days ago.
He then continued to give unnecessarily detailed news about the lady until Dr. Taylor returned to his patient.
It was almost midnight, and Jane had lain in bed next to her sister, touching her forehead from time to time to check her fever.
However, Elizabeth’s head was spinning and painful, not from illness but from the incredible event that Mr Darcy—at his own discretion—had sent his doctor from London to take care of her.
The sisters continued to talk for some time upon the subject, but neither of them could find a satisfactory explanation for such a generous gesture.
Elizabeth attempted to suggest that most likely Mr Bingley was behind it all, but Jane—though flustered and delighted with the praise of that gentleman—told Elizabeth that the doctor had not seen Mr Bingley in months.
Eventually, Jane concluded—and Elizabeth had no choice but to agree—that Mr Darcy had done everything for no other reason than his generous, kind nature, one that Mr Bingley often praised but Elizabeth failed to acknowledge.
It was difficult for Jane’s loving heart to admit that her sister had been wrong in this, but she was relieved and happy to know that Mr Darcy’s true character finally had been discerned.
Jane was now more certain than ever that the history between Mr Darcy and Mr Wickham must have been a great misunderstanding, one that surely would be clarified someday.
Later in the night, Elizabeth fell asleep, and Jane looked at her with tearful eyes.
She glanced at Lucky who, having been banished from their chamber during Dr. Taylor’s examination, was now watching them curiously from his corner.
Jane stretched her hand towards him, and instantly the dog came to the bed and licked her hand.
She smiled and caressed him while whispering, “We have no reason to fear, Lucky. I know all will be well now.” For the first time in the last few days, she truly believed her own words, relieved and confident of her beloved sister’s complete recovery now that Dr. Taylor was there.
She closed her eyes for a moment, and sleep claimed her—while Lucky remained alert next to the bed, guarding them.
∞∞∞
Longbourn, 4 December
Dr. Taylor stayed at Longbourn for five days and decided to leave only when Elizabeth’s recovery was beyond doubt.
At first, the doctor’s presence troubled Elizabeth exceedingly. The knowledge that, for some strange reason, Mr Darcy had sent a doctor from London to assist her was distressing.
So much trouble for her silly, imprudent behaviour made her deeply ashamed. She insisted that there was no need for the doctor to waste his valuable time taking care of her. After all, as her own mother had said when Jane was ill, nobody dies from “trifling colds.”
Fortunately, Dr. Taylor appeared to enjoy Mr Bennet’s company and declared more than once that he had a delightful time in Hertfordshire.
The news of the London doctor’s visit quickly spread from the day of his arrival.
Mr Jones came to make his acquaintance and spent more hours at Longbourn than etiquette would require.
Also, Lady Lucas and Mrs Long called on Mrs Bennet to see for themselves what a London doctor looked like.
They agreed that he was worthy of much admiration.
The information—proudly shared by Mrs Bennet—that the doctor was none other than Mr Darcy’s own physician astonished the visitors exceedingly.
With each passing day, Elizabeth’s state improved remarkably. Dr. Taylor showed his admiration for the fact that “the illness has not defeated her spirit” and seemed impressed by her knowledge and passion for books, so he challenged her opinion on more than one subject.
From their enjoyable conversations, Elizabeth discovered that the doctor had been attending the Darcy family for more than twenty years.
He spoke little about that subject, but he seemed very fond of the family and did not hesitate to praise highly the late Mr Darcy and Lady Anne and to express his admiration for the present Mr Darcy.
For some reason, he seemed to believe that Mr Darcy was closely acquainted with Elizabeth’s family, and she found no way to contradict him, nor did she wish to.
Whatever faults Mr Darcy might have and however unkindly and haughtily he might have treated everybody during his stay in Hertfordshire, the generosity he showed to her and her family left her with gentle feelings of gratitude.
If he ever returned to Netherfield with Mr Bingley, she would not lose a single moment before thanking him properly.
On the sixth day, precisely when a long letter of thanks from Mr Collins arrived, Dr. Taylor left, and life at Longbourn was ready to return to its usual routine.
With God’s will, everything was fine again, so Mr Bennet returned to his former habit of secluding himself in the library for most of the day while Mrs Bennet found the strength to remember that nothing would have happened had Elizabeth accepted Mr Collins’s generous proposal.