Chapter 37 The Rules
For the first part of the drive back to Ashcroft Manor, no one spoke.
Elizabeth sat opposite Dr. Wynn with Jim Fletcher's story occupying her thoughts. The letter Jim had preserved proved that something beyond explanation had occurred.
“Sir, I do not know how to thank you for taking us to Mr. Fletcher. I have spent months searching for proof that the stories surrounding Arbor Low were more than folklore, and you remembered the one man who could provide it.”
Dr. Wynn regarded her thoughtfully. “I remembered an old friend who has spent more than sixty years expecting everyone to think him mad.”
“We are indebted to you,” Mr. Darcy said. “Without Mr. Fletcher’s account, much of what we have discovered would still be conjecture.”
Dr. Wynn considered them. “I begin to regret introducing you. I hope I shall not hear that any of you have decided to follow Samuel Grange’s example.”
Elizabeth folded her hands in her lap. “I intend to learn whether I can, sir.”
The physician’s expression became grave.
“If there is a way to return to a time when my father lived, I mean to find it.”
“Miss Elizabeth, Jim's story proves that something happened to Samuel Grange. It does not prove that you can repeat it. The boy himself had no certainty of what would happen.”
“Yes, sir. But now I know it may be possible.”
“You have decided to investigate whether it can be done. That is not quite the same as deciding to do it.”
“No, sir.”
“Then I shall hope that what you learn persuades you to abandon the notion.”
Elizabeth made no promise.
When the carriage reached Ashcroft Manor, Mr. Darcy addressed the physician.
“Dr. Wynn, I must ask for your discretion concerning what we heard today. If anyone should ask, we visited an old acquaintance of yours and heard another tale concerning Arbor Low. Please keep Elizabeth’s intentions confidential.”
“I kept Jim Fletcher's confidence before you were born, Darcy. I shall not betray it or Miss Bennet’s now.”
“Thank you, sir.”
* * *
The following morning, Elizabeth went to the gate prepared for her run and found Mr. Darcy waiting alone with his horse.
“Good morning, Mr. Darcy. Georgiana is not with you.”
“She was ill again this morning. She assures me it will pass and insisted that I come without her.”
“I am sorry, sir.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
He dismounted.
Elizabeth considered the road. “I do not believe I shall run this morning, sir.”
“I had hoped you might prefer to walk.”
They set out on foot toward Arbor Low, Mr. Darcy leading his horse.
Elizabeth indicated the bag on her arm. “I brought my notebook and a pencil. I spent an hour yesterday afternoon writing everything Mr. Fletcher told us, lest I forget some detail that may later prove important.”
Mr. Darcy withdrew several folded sheets from inside his coat.
“I did the same.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Of course.”
He grinned.
They reached Arbor Low as the sky began to brighten and made their way to the broad stone near the center. Mr. Darcy secured his horse, and they sat with their notes between them.
They began with Jim Fletcher's account, comparing what each had recorded. They agreed on the salient details.
Then Elizabeth opened the earlier pages of her notebook.
Mr. Darcy rested his papers across his knee. “We should separate what we know from what we suppose.”
Elizabeth took up her pencil. “Working theories?”
“Until we have sufficient evidence to call them anything more.”
She turned to a fresh page.
“Arbor Low,” she said. “That much seems certain.”
“Every disappearance you found occurred here. Grange also came here because of the old stories.”
Elizabeth wrote:
ARBOR LOW IS THE PLACE OF CROSSING.
“December twenty-first.”
“The three disappearances occurred upon that date, as did Grange's attempt.”
DECEMBER 21 IS THE APPOINTED DAY.
“Sam intended to remain until midnight because he did not know the appointed time, but he disappeared at sunset.”
“That gives us the hour, Elizabeth, if Fletcher's experience can be repeated.”
SUNSET APPEARS TO BE THE MOMENT OF CROSSING.
They came to the receipt.
“April sixth,” Elizabeth said. “Sam chose it because the farm still belonged to his family on that day.”
“And he arrived on April sixth.”
Elizabeth wrote:
A DATED OBJECT MAY DETERMINE WHEN THE TRAVELER ARRIVES.
“We have more than the date now. Mr. Fletcher told us precisely where Sam appeared.”
“Yes, the shop where the barley seed had been purchased.”
Elizabeth considered the significance. “Not Arbor Low.”
“No. It is evidence, but still we have only the one example.”
Elizabeth added another line.
THE PLACE CONNECTED TO THE DATED OBJECT MAY DETERMINE WHERE THE TRAVELER ARRIVES.
She marked it as uncertain.
“The receipt and letter crossed with him,” she said. “The basket remained behind.”
“He was carrying the receipt and letter. He had left the basket upon the stone.”
“Then whatever we hope to take with us should remain upon our persons.”
Mr. Darcy nodded. “That would be prudent.”
Elizabeth recorded it.
“Sam remembered everything,” she said. “So did Mr. Fletcher.”
“Although Fletcher did not cross, and we have no means of knowing why.”
“Nor whether I would remember.”
Elizabeth stared at the page.
If she succeeded, she might find herself at Longbourn sometime in April with Papa alive and no knowledge that she had once watched him die.
She might see Lydia laughing across the breakfast table and remember none of what Wickham would do to her.
“Sir, I cannot depend upon memory. What if history repeats itself because I have done nothing to prevent it?”
Mr. Darcy considered this.
“Miss Elizabeth, I mean to make the attempt with you. If Georgiana wishes to join us, I will allow it.”
Elizabeth looked at him. “You mean to go with me, sir?”
“I do.”
She reached for his hand, and he took it.
“I am glad, Mr. Darcy. I have felt so alone in this quest.”
Mr. Darcy lifted her hand to his lips. “You are not alone, Miss Elizabeth.”
She held his gaze. When he lowered her hand, neither of them immediately let go. Instead, she curled her fingers around his.
“What of the letter, sir? Sam and Mr. Fletcher prepared for the possibility that neither of them would remember.”
“Then we shall do the same.”
* * *
At the usual hour later that morning, Mr. Darcy and Georgiana arrived at Ashcroft Manor for their studies.
Mrs. Radcliff joined them.
“Dr. Wynn will not be with us today. One of his former patients near Bakewell has sent for him. Moreover, Mr. Radcliff and I must attend another meeting for the parish poor. I dislike leaving you, Lizzy, but Georgiana will be here, and the housekeeper is available if you require anything.”
“You need not worry, ma'am. We mean to study as usual.”
Mrs. Radcliff accepted the assurance and departed with her husband soon afterward.
When the door closed, Elizabeth said, “I am decided. On the evening of December twenty-first, I intend to stand in the center of Arbor Low and attempt to cross back in time.”
“Georgiana and I have also discussed it. We shall both make the attempt with you,” Mr. Darcy said. “We may already have suitable tokens.”
Georgiana withdrew two folded receipts from her reticule.
“These are from a music shop in London, dated April twelfth. We made two purchases that day, so there are two receipts.”
Elizabeth accepted one and examined the date.
“If this works as it did for Samuel Grange, the two of you could return to London on April twelfth.” Elizabeth reached for her notebook.
“If Aunt Maddie’s letter is still in my notebook, I may also have my token.”
Elizabeth opened the notebook and searched the blank pages at the back.
A folded sheet lay between them.
She knew Aunt Maddie's hand before unfolding it.
April 27, 1811.
Jane's hawthorn blossoms decorated one corner exactly as Elizabeth remembered.
Darcy came nearer. “What is the date?”
Elizabeth handed it to him. He examined the date and Jane's drawing before returning it.
“Then you have your token.”
She felt both hope and fear.
“I have my token, but it is less certain than yours. The letter is dated April twenty-seventh, though I received and read it on the thirtieth. Would I return to Longbourn, where I first read it, or to London, where Aunt Maddie wrote it?”
Mr. Darcy considered the letter before handing it back to her.
“Either way, you will be in a familiar place. We need not fear for your safety.”
Georgiana considered the dates. “Lizzy will return after we do.”
“Eighteen days later,” Darcy said.
“Then we must wait eighteen days before we can look for you.”
“If we remember,” Elizabeth said.
The uncertainty settled over them.
Mr. Darcy placed his notes upon the table. “Which is why the letters matter.”
Georgiana looked between them. “Letters?”
Elizabeth explained what she and Mr. Darcy had concluded that morning.
“We must also record our history, so that we may know what we need to prevent from happening again, Brother.”
“Yes. The more detail we include, the better.”
“Lizzy, will you write in my letter? Tell me your name, where you live, where we met, and that we became close friends. If I lose my memories of you, I want to know how to find you.”
“I will. And you and Mr. Darcy must both write in mine. If I return without any memory of either of you, I shall need some reason to believe what I have written.”
“Miss Elizabeth, you must write in mine, for I shall not want to lose you again,” Mr. Darcy said.
“Nor I you, sir.”