Chapter 6
“My dear child, whatever is wrong? I have never before seen you cry.” The housekeeper had found Elizabeth sitting at the kitchen table while clutching a letter to her heart and weeping. “Will you share your news with me?” Mrs. Reynolds sat beside her and put her hand on Elizabeth’s arm.
Elizabeth nodded and wiped away her tears.
“Two of my sisters married shortly after my father fell ill because in the event he did not recover, mourning might have delayed their weddings for a year.” The housekeeper squeezed her arm to encourage her to go on.
“Two months ago, I received the good news that my sister Jane was with child. She was so excited about being a mother, and as I read her words, I could not help but smile. This letter. . .” She paused to collect herself.
“Jane’s husband is dead; run over by an out-of-control cart. ”
“Oh, my dear, I am so terribly sad for Jane and you.”
Her tears returned. “And she lost her baby shortly after her husband’s death.”
Mrs. Reynolds wrapped her in a warm hug. “I find that at times like this, there are not enough words to express your grief or my sympathy. Pray, go to your room and rest. Take a few days to think about what you wish to do.”
“Thank you for being so understanding.”
* * *
Later that afternoon
Darcy was displeased when he returned to the cottage.
The worst of times were when things did not go his way, and this was one of those times.
It brought out his miserable side. Today, his walking companion had not met him in the rose garden as planned.
He had not found her when he entered the cottage, nor could he detect her lavender scent when he perused the drawing room.
He ran his fingers through his hair. Mrs. Reynolds encountered him in the passage, and he frowned as he asked her if she knew where Miss Bennet was.
The housekeeper recounted the contents of the letter Elizabeth had received and her reaction.
His distress for himself abated as his thoughts focused on his friend.
Poor Miss Bennet! His sympathy also ran to her sister. Their lives had not been easy.
“I have sent her to her room,” she said. “She needs time to think about what she wants to do now.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I believe she is trying to decide whether or not to return to Hertfordshire to be with her sister or remain here.”
Darcy paused a moment, his brow furrowed.
“That is a difficult decision indeed. She must be beside herself with grief. She often speaks of her close relationship with Jane. Do you think she would object if I went to her room to offer her my sympathy? With you there as well, of course.” He reflected upon how Elizabeth customarily exuded so much cheerfulness.
How would this sad news affect her? She had already suffered so much in her life.
Darcy followed Mrs. Reynolds to the servants’ quarters where they found Elizabeth crying into her pillow. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder. Oh, that he could do more to comfort this perfect woman. She quickly sat up and dried her face.
“Mr. Darcy, I did not hear you come in. I suppose Mrs. Reynolds told you the bad news I received today.” She nodded towards the housekeeper, who stood by the door.
“Eliz. . .Miss Bennet, I wish to express my deepest sympathy to you. Loving your sister as you do, I know you must feel her losses profoundly. If you require any sort of assistance, or I can do whatsoever to ease your sorrow, you need only ask.”
“Thank you, sir; I appreciate your support.” She paused as she perused his person. “Mr. Darcy, where is your cane?”
“I continue to do the exercises you showed me and find I have little need of it any longer.”
“They worked for Mrs. Murray, and I am pleased to have helped you.” She dabbed her eyes.
Her dearest sister’s life had just been upended yet Elizabeth was concerned with his wellbeing. She was a very special person. “Stay in your chambers as long as you wish. Mrs. Reynolds will have your dinner brought to you on a tray.”
Fresh tears ran down her cheeks. “Thank you both for your kindness.” With that, they both left her to her grief.
Darcy was so grateful there had been no mention of her leaving Derbyshire to return to her sister’s side.
Why had he not made the suggestion and offered her the use of one of the Darcy carriages?
He must stop that thought right where it started.
It would not do. He could not admit his true sentiments to himself yet.
* * *
Elizabeth wiped away her tears as she stared at the ceiling above her bed.
She was eager to be with Jane, but the Bennet family were all there to help her sister through her terrible ordeal.
What would Mr. Collins do if she dared to return to Meryton, regardless of the reason?
Mrs. Reynolds and Mr. Darcy had both been very kind to her.
Perhaps she was better off staying where she was rather than face humiliation at the hands of her father’s heir.
* * *
Several days later
While Elizabeth and Darcy were strolling on one of the many scenic paths that surrounded the manor house, he glanced at her as she walked alongside him, but her face was hidden by her bonnet. “How exactly did you end up here, at Pemberley?”
She spoke about her father’s death and her move to London. “In town, my aunt Gardiner tried to introduce me to several young men she thought might be interested in the courtship of a gentleman’s daughter.”
Was that ache in his chest jealousy? He cleared his throat. “I can only assume she was unsuccessful.”
“There was one man, a Mr. Haverstock, who called on me several times. On his last visit, we had been walking through the park when he asked me when I thought the burn on my face would heal. He told me that until that time, he could not introduce me to his children who he believed would be frightened by my appearance. Mind you, he had never before mentioned he was a widower with a family. His comments made it clear that he needed a wife to manage his house and assume the care of his children. When I realized his only objective was for me to become his unpaid servant, I wished him a good day and left him standing alone in the park while my uncle’s footman accompanied me home.
” She must have been disappointed at the time.
Did the man have any affection for her or was he just looking for a housekeeper?
This Haverstock had made a large mistake in any case, as Darcy himself valued Elizabeth far more than that of a servant already.
“You are an excellent judge of character, Miss Bennet. Why could you not stay in Hertfordshire?”
“None of us had ever met the distant cousin who was to inherit my father’s estate.
The two families had been estranged for many years.
Shortly before my father’s death, Mr. Collins came to Longbourn in the hope he could heal the breach between the two families and seek the hand of one of his ‘fair cousins.’ He had been instructed to do so by, as he repeatedly described her, his benevolent patroness, Lady Catherine DeBourgh, who had honoured him with the preferment of the Hunsford parish.
The moment he saw my birthmark, he recoiled, screamed that it was a sign of the devil, and literally ran from the house.
At the time, I fled to my room, too upset to remain with my family.
Later, I found that I could put the incident in perspective: the man was ridiculous and I could ignore his outbursts. ”
He tried not to grimace at her report. “Would it surprize you to know that Lady Catherine is my mother’s older sister?”
“Your aunt! I cannot believe the coincidence! I do apologise if I said anything to offend you.”
The way Mr. Collins obeyed whatever his aunt asked of him was as expected.
“Lady Catherine surrounds herself with obsequious imbeciles. She believes she has the right to demand everyone submit to her commands.” He made the statement with resolve, so she would know he supported her opinion of Lady Catherine and would not be concerned about whether he would be angry about her speaking ill of a member of his family.
“When I left London, I came to Lambton and stayed with Mrs. Hopkins. She is a dear cousin and my aunt had written to her about my new situation. She helped me find work as a temporary companion for Mrs. Murray. When her regular aide returned, I was eager to continue compensating Mrs. Hopkins for her generous hospitality. I had not heard about any opportunities to work as a companion or governess, so I went to the inn to ask for a job. I overheard several men discussing your problem retaining maids.”
“I can hardly recall how poorly I behaved. I was not myself for many, many weeks after the fire and was often in my cups.” How disappointed his parents would be if they witnessed him using brandy to heal his wounds.
They would have expected him to do whatever was needed to care for the tenants and rebuild Pemberley.
They walked in silence until he asked, “How long ago did you leave Hertfordshire?”
“Not one month after my father’s death in May, the heir to Longbourn arrived to claim his estate.
Mr. Collins burst into the house unannounced and said that his former patroness, your aunt, instructed him to immediately cast me out since I bear the mark of evil.
He declared that if I stayed in Meryton, he would tell everyone about my wickedness, and no one would ever speak to me again. ”
“What nonsense! My aunt and the latest in her long history of sycophantic vicars.” Darcy shook his head.
“That woman will never learn. In fact, after spending time with you, I fail to notice your birthmark. You have not brought me any bad luck. Your presence has been beneficial to me in many ways.” Had he said too much?