Chapter Sixteen
Elizabeth was on her feet in an instant, her own complaints forgotten. “Good God!”
Lady Rebecca ran into the room on Lady Rosamund’s heels, giving the older woman a look of impatience as she held up her hands. “She is safe, Lizzy.”
Elizabeth let out a deep exhale as her fears were allayed. Beside her, Lady Sophia bristled at her daughter. “You nearly gave me an apoplexy, Rosamund!”
“Oh! I am sorry Mamma, Miss Elizabeth. Miss Bennet is here….”
Lady Rebecca stepped forward, and Colonel Fitzwilliam appeared behind her; he helped the panicked Lady Rosamund into a seat beside her sister Lady Blanche.
“My cousin Darcy is helping Jane upstairs – we sent a servant to run a hot bath, and another to fetch a physician. She is cold and shaken up, but it is not so very dire. ‘Tis no worse than going sea bathing a little too early in the season.”
Elizabeth rushed forward and took her new friend by the hands. “Thank you, Rebecca! I think I must go to her.”
“I will come with you, and get the gentlemen away – she has two very determined saviors.” Lady Rebecca offered her a wry smile as she linked their arms together.
As they made their way upstairs, Lady Rebecca recounted the calamitous incident.
“Jane was speaking with Colonel Brandon and Captain Wentworth on the boat deck when that awful cad Willoughby dragged her off to see some dolphins. I have an idea that he enjoys detaching pretty women from his old rival, the colonel. I also suspect that he has given Miss Bingley just enough encouragement that she thinks she can flirt with him to make Darcy jealous – she has been after my poor cousin for years – I am sure you saw plenty of her ingratiating antics in Hertfordshire.”
Elizabeth had a sinking feeling as soon as Miss Bingley was mentioned. Her voice was terse. “Yes.”
“Well, Miss Bingley was vying for Mr. Willoughby’s attention – it all happened very quickly – we sailed over an uncommonly large swell, and the wave crashed again one side of the boat – it tipped to one side – just a little dip – but then Jane was overboard and Miss Bingley was crying out and fainting all over Mr. Willoughby.
Captain Wentworth called out for some rope and tied a length of it about himself before leaping into the water.
But when my cousin saw what he was about, he jumped in first – I think he was first – it was all so fast. Captain Wentworth is of course a stronger swimmer, but Darcy was better positioned when he leapt into the water, and he reached Jane first. She was going under and then struggling her way back to the surface, several times over – it was very frightening, Lizzy, and I am glad you were not there to see it! ”
Elizabeth wrung her hands. “I am inclined to agree with you! It sounds horrifying. But you must tell me the rest! She was saved?”
“Yes. Captain Wentworth reached Darcy, and the rest of the gentlemen on the boat pulled the rope up to hoist them back onto the boat. Poor Jane was nearly half-drowned! They laid her down and her dashing Captain did some very scandalous compressions on her chest, and breathed into her mouth – I daresay it would have been quite romantic, if not for Darcy and Bingley’s determined hovering! ”
“And he is with her – with the other gentlemen?”
“No, I shooed him away – he wanted to come back with us, but then Caroline would have done the same, and been all over Darcy – trying to keep him warm, no doubt! He and the captain are wet through, and will need hot baths of their own!”
“I have just seen to that,” Lady Blanche cried from behind them. She was hurrying to catch them up on the stairs. “I take it the whole party did not return?”
“No, the others wished to resume their pleasure sailing. So much the better, I think!” Lady Rebecca made way for Lady Blanche to ascend the wide staircase in stride with them, and they hurried to Jane’s room on the second floor.
Captain Wentworth and Mr. Darcy waited outside Jane’s door; the latter came forward as the ladies approached.
“A maid is with her, Miss Elizabeth, helping her out of her wet clothes and into a hot bath. Your presence is all she requires now – and rest, after the physician has seen her. She is badly shaken but not injured, thank God.”
“Thank you, sir.” Tears welled in Elizabeth’s eyes and she lingered before him for a moment, nearly taking his hand in gratitude.
“Go to her, Lizzy. Cousin, Captain, you must be wanting hot baths for yourselves upstairs.” Lady Rebecca gave a dismissive wave to send the gentlemen away, then turned to Lady Blanche and Elizabeth.
“I will only be in the way – I shall return downstairs, after you have ascertained whether there is anything else I might do – something I may perhaps procure for Jane’s relief. ”
But Jane only wanted her sister, and Elizabeth was only moderately tempted to ask Lady Rebecca to assault Miss Bingley’s person, which was the only comforting request that came to her mind. She stayed with Jane, who was much recovered after a long soak in the warm, lavender scented bath.
Lady Blanche afforded them some privacy, but returned with the doctor in a quarter hour. Jane had recounted her ordeal in greater detail, and was predictably disappointed that Captain Wentworth’s attempt at heroics had been rather diminished by Mr. Darcy’s efforts.
After the doctor had examined Jane and prescribed rest and a dose of laudanum for her nerves, Elizabeth agreed to sit with Jane until she fell asleep. It was not long before the medicine began to affect her.
She laid back wearily in her bed, groaning. “My legs ache… my arms… my everywhere… so much kicking to stay afloat….”
“I can ask the housekeeper if there is anybody who can make you a poultice for your sore muscles, Jane – like what Hill made for my poor feet after Mr. Collins trod all over them at the Netherfield Ball.”
Jane gave a sleepy laugh. “It healed you faster than you wished – else you might have been recovering in your room when he sought your hand!”
Elizabeth chuckled. “But you have less reason to hide away, so you shall have a poultice, if it can be managed, dearest. What a frightful ordeal!”
Jane yawned. “Please do not tell Mamma! I do not wish her to bid me come home, not after Frederick tried to rescue me. I was wrong – you were wrong – Lizzy, he cares for me, I know it.”
Elizabeth supposed that time would tell – she expected a great deal of solicitude from him as Jane recovered, but she was willing to believe her sister the best judge of her own romance. “That is good, Jane. Think of happy thoughts of your would-be hero, and do not dwell upon the fright you felt.”
Jane let out a soporific hum, and her eyes fluttered closed. “Be nice to him, Lizzy. He saved me.”
Elizabeth sat beside Jane’s bed for a few minutes longer, watching the steady rise and fall of her sister’s chest. As she stood to bid a servant come back in an hour to change the hot brick in Jane’s bedclothes, something strange nagged at her.
She made her way downstairs, and the feeling persisted – she supposed that Jane might not have been referring to the Captain, but to Mr. Darcy.
She could not help feeling that his bravery had been all for her.
She wanted to go to him, to thank him again, and perhaps to hear him tell her why he had gone to such great lengths for her sister. Elizabeth had nearly resolved on seeking him out when she encountered Lady Rebecca in the vestibule outside the drawing room.
“Lizzy, I was just coming to ask after Jane – how is she?”
“Resting, warm and medicated. But she does require a poultice for her sore muscles, so I must find the housekeeper to inquire. How fares your cousin? I hope he and the captain have had a hot bath.”
“Darcy just came down a moment ago; it was he who bid me go ask after you and Jane.”
“And he is well? That is – I would not wish him to suffer for his kind deed. He might have let Captain Wentworth manage it – it was kind of him….”
Lady Rebecca raised a brow and regarded Elizabeth with a quizzical glimmer in her eye. “Lizzy, you are flustered.”
“Not at all – I should thank him, after I have spoken to the housekeeper.”
Lady Rebecca stalked closer, peering intently at Elizabeth.
“Lady Blanche told me that you were upset, Elizabeth – that you did not like being spoken to about my cousin’s feelings for you.
I can respect that, but I see I must accustom myself to sympathizing with poor Darcy.
Whatever your apprehensions, I must advise against your giving the poor man any false hope.
Go and see to your remedy, for I have already heard you convey your gratitude to Darcy.
He is not a man who does good merely to be thanked for it. ”
Elizabeth was stunned speechless by Lady Rebecca’s aloof tone.
It was not cold, but neither was it anything like her usual irreverent candor.
She had not seen this serious side to her new friend before, and her hackles were raised – chiefly because she saw the sense in Lady Rebecca’s wish to defend Mr. Darcy.
She merely nodded, and set about her other task. The poultice was prepared based on her recollection of Hill’s preferred methods, and a small jar of the noxious paste was sent up to Jane’s room, to be applied when she awoke. But all the while, Elizabeth could not shake her thoughts of Mr. Darcy.
Certainly she had no wish to give anybody false hope.
And yet, she hardly wished to shrink away from the pleasanter side of Mr. Darcy, even if it had caused her considerable confusion and chagrin since his arrival.
She could not allow herself to come too close to considering why it should be so important to her, but Elizabeth managed within an hour to entirely disregard Lady Rebecca’s counsel.
When she returned to the drawing room, Captain Wentworth went to Elizabeth at once, asking for news of Jane. She reassured him that her sister was well, and warmly thanked him for his part in the rescue. She could see the sincerity in his demeanor, and was glad of it.