Compromise and Obligation: A Darcy and Elizabeth Pride and Prejudice Regency Variation

by Harriet Knowles

  Chapter 26

  “I am very sorry to cause you such inconvenience, Sir James.” Elizabeth curtsied politely, pushing away her sense of fear that a strange man was in the upstairs sitting room she felt was her sanctuary. “I am sure your visit is unnecessary.” She glanced over at Georgiana, sitting at the end of the room, concentrating on her needlework. And she knew her maid was there, behind her, waiting for instructions. So she really need not be afraid.

  The physician bowed. “I understand you feel this call to be superfluous, Miss Bennet, and I hope I do not add too much to any distress you might feel.” He smiled slightly. “But, as you know, Mr. Darcy wishes me to ensure that everything possible is being done to accelerate your recovery.”

  He was smooth and urbane, the very image of a top London physician. Elizabeth hid a smile.

  “Please sit down, sir.” She indicated a chair.

  “Thank you.” He placed his hat and cane on the small table by the door before seating himself in the chair and regarding her carefully.

  “I understand you were unfortunate enough to be caught in the smoke from a fire, Miss Bennet. Such an incident can take much longer to recover from than you think it ought to take.” He paused for her to answer, but she stayed mute. She would rather not think about that terrible day.

  “Might you tell me the particulars that I should find helpful before giving my advice to you?” his voice was kindly and avuncular. She thought fretfully that it must have been honed by much experience of ladies like her mother, fancying themselves ill with their nerves.

  She was horrified to find herself near tears and blinked them away furiously. “I assure you I am well, sir. I am not accustomed to being ill, and I am certain that a few more days will see me feeling my usual cheerful self.” She dared not have any weakness reported back to Mr. Darcy and regretted accepting the offer of Georgiana to be with her when she saw the physician.

  But she supposed that Sir James would report his findings in any event, and having another lady with her was most comforting. She shuddered.

  “Perhaps it might be easier if I tell you what I know already, Miss Bennet, and then I might ask for any further elucidation I might need?”

  She nodded silently.

  “Mr. Darcy tells me that you were sleeping in the hayloft of the stable at an inn when there was a fire.” Sir James gave no sign of any curiosity at her being there and no sign whether he thought it unusual. She repressed a smile, and kept her face lowered.

  “He tells me that you got down the ladder, surrounded by burning hay and straw, and he found you some half a mile further down the road, walking with some difficulty.”

  She nodded, supposing that to be a fair enough assessment. “Yes, sir.”

  “Since then, you have had a hoarse and persistent cough, although it is improving?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I understand a nearby apothecary gave you some medication to take at night?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “May I see what he has given you so I may judge whether it is appropriate?”

  In answer, Elizabeth nodded at her maid, who left the room. She returned a few minutes later with the small brown glass bottle.

  “Thank you,” he said gravely, as he took it and looked at the label. “Do you find it suppresses the cough so you can sleep?”

  She hesitated. How could she say why she had not taken it after that first night?

  After a moment, he changed the subject. “Well, let us leave that for now. Can you tell me what other injuries you feel from the fire? I would expect you to have quite severe headaches, brought on by the strain of coughing.” He looked at her enquiringly.

  “Yes, sir. They are not so bad. I can quite easily manage to ignore them.” She was aware she sounded sharp and schooled herself to be more polite.

  “And have you noticed any difficulty in seeing clearly? Are things very blurred and indistinct?”

  “They were at first, sir. But it is much improved, and my eyes barely sting now.”

  “I think you are in the habit of denying any distress you might feel, Miss Bennet. Your eyes are still reddened and they look sore.”

  She looked at him. “My mother is always vexed and reports terrible fuss with her nerves. She causes much trouble to everyone around her.” She felt her determination harden. “I never wish to be so in need of sympathy that I would dissemble in such a manner.”

  Sir James bowed his head. “That much is obvious to me, Miss Bennet. However, I would like to help what symptoms you do have, if I may? Your recovery to your usual state of health would be much speedier.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  He drew his chair a little closer, and she flinched. He immediately pushed it back again.

  “I am sorry. There is obviously another matter that concerns you. But first, could you tell me why you are not taking the medication to suppress the cough at night?”

  Elizabeth noted a sudden movement from the corner where Georgiana sat, and looked away again. She would not for the world have let the girl listen to this. Her lips tightened.

  She should have thrown away each spoonful she should have taken, not left the bottle so full as to be obvious to him.

  “It gave me bad dreams, sir.” She spoke very quietly and then clenched her jaw. She would not speak further about it.

  He glanced at her, then looked toward the window.

  “It is a pleasant day. I would like to see how you find the London air. Might we walk in the garden?”

  She inclined her head. He was clever, this doctor. He knew she was uncomfortable.

  As they descended the stairs, Mr. Darcy came out of the library, his features tight. She could barely look at him.

  “We are going to stroll in the gardens, with your permission, Mr. Darcy.” Sir James was not at all discomposed. “I would like to see how the London air affects Miss Bennet.”

  Mr. Darcy turned a concerned expression on her. She must lift the tension. She smiled brightly at him.

  “Be at ease, Mr. Darcy. I am well.”

  He bowed, and smiled slightly. “I am delighted to hear it.” He led them to the great glass doors at the rear of the house, which flooded the hallway with light and gave a good view of the gardens.

  Georgiana tucked her arm in her brother’s and they accompanied Elizabeth into the gardens, followed by the physician.

  Sir James indicated a bench to Elizabeth. “Here we can talk without being overheard, even though you are chaperoned.” He did not waste time in pleasantries, though, but spoke seriously.

  “You say the medicine gave you bad dreams. Firstly, I wish to know if you feel safe here, in this house?” his eyes were compassionate.

  Elizabeth nodded. “Yes, sir. It is nothing here that disturbs me.”

  He smiled. “I am glad to hear it. So, is it dreams of the fire which frightens you?”

  She shook her head slowly. “Sir, I am happy that you are not questioning what has happened to me, and why I am in the position I am in now. But …” She swallowed painfully.

  He waited patiently while she coughed and composed herself again.

  “Something else happened after that. I was most fortunate that Mr. Darcy prevented me being abducted by an evil man against my will.” She shuddered again. “I might have suffered a fate worse than death and been unable to save myself from it.” She blinked hard, willing the tears not to fall. She would not show any more weakness than this. She would not.

  He was looking away, letting her compose herself again, and she was grateful.

  “I am very sorry to hear your story, Miss Bennet.” Sir James kept his voice low. “I would like to tell you that a determination to be independent is a very good thing. But sometimes, a person needs to accept help, and there is nothing weak in accepting it.” His gaze was professional but sympathetic. “No one thinks you are weak — or to blame for what has happened.”

  “Thank you, sir.” She blinked, but was unable to stop the t
ears now. “May I finish this consultation and return to the house?”

  He inclined his head. “I can leave another medication for you that will give you dreamless sleep, if that will help?”

  “No. Thank you, but I do not want that. I must be …” but she did not know how to finish the conversation. She curtsied and walked back to the house, hurrying so that neither Mr. Darcy nor Sir James would follow her.

  She slipped into her bedchamber and shut the door quickly. The coughing fit that followed was her penalty for having hurried upstairs, and when it was over, she sat listless in the chair for a long time.

  What must he think of her?

  It was only a few minutes later when there was a soft knock on the door.

  Chapter 27

  Mr. Darcy nodded at the footman. The man offered a tray holding two glasses of whisky, first to the physician and then to his master. Then he bowed and left the library, shutting the great doors behind him.

  “Will she be all right? She seemed distressed when she hurried indoors.” He tried to keep his voice as impassive as his features. He did not want to seem to accuse Sir James. He was a good man.

  But he could not bear the thought that Elizabeth might be in her room, in distress.

  “She has much to be distressed about at the moment, Mr. Darcy.” Sir James contemplated the whisky in his glass. “I think it was sensible of you to send Miss Darcy up to be with her. She is a sensible young lady and will be quietly companionable and not pry for information Miss Bennet does not wish to talk about. Yet she should not be alone for the moment.”

  “Tell me how I can help her.”

  “It is still very recent in her mind. The cough will settle within the next week or so. The dust from the burning hay will take that long to be expelled.” Sir James seemed to decide suddenly to drink and downed the whisky in a couple of gulps.

  “Unfortunately, she is not taking the medicine from the apothecary, which would help her, because when she sleeps, she has nightmares — some attempted abduction?” he looked enquiringly at Mr. Darcy.

  Darcy nodded tightly. He wasn’t sleeping well because of that incident, either.

  “Can you administer an alternative?”

  “I offered that, but she has declined.” He smiled at Mr. Darcy. “She is a most independent young lady and has a fear of appearing weak.”

  He swirled the empty glass as if hoping it might magically refill. “But the exhaustion will make her more emotional and tearful. I can see that already.”

  Darcy got to his feet and returned to the physician. He held out the decanter enquiringly.

  “Oh, all right. Thank you.” Sir James held out his glass. “The medicine she has is quite satisfactory. She will find it is not what made her dream. But time will heal her mind, and she will be able to rest without the nightmares. The medicine is merely there to suppress her cough.”

  “I thank you.” Mr. Darcy turned and kicked the logs on the fire back into life. “I will admit to you I feel helpless to ensure her recovery.”

  “I do not think you could do any more. She needs to feel safe. But she also needs to feel free. Perhaps she would be better outside London.” He looked at Mr. Darcy. “But I know that is not easy unless you regularise her position.”

  Darcy scowled and turned away. “I would not have it that there is any gossip in Town about her.”

  “There will be none from me, you know that, sir. But I cannot speak for anyone else.” Sir James rose to his feet. “I will call again tomorrow, with your consent.”

  Mr. Darcy turned to him and shook hands. “I would be grateful, Sir James.”

  He walked with the physician to the door and took his leave. As he turned back, he saw Bingley waiting quietly in the doorway of the drawing room.

  He smiled. Bingley was the best of friends. He crossed the hall and joined him.

  “He tells me time will heal her cough and also her nightmares.” He looked up to the great galleried staircase.

  “My heart aches for her, Bingley, I must confess.”

  Mr. Bingley nodded. “I can see that. To see her exhaustion sapping her spirits is hard to watch.”

  “Join me in the library, if you will, Bingley. I crave another whisky.”

  His friend chuckled comfortably and followed him. Mr. Darcy poured two generous measures and handed a glass to Bingley.

  “Sir James feels she may be better outside London.” He spoke more abruptly than he intended and turned to kick the logs savagely again. “But he acknowledges I would need to regularise her position first.”

  “And will you?”

  “In a heartbeat, my friend — if she were willing.” He rubbed his face.

  “That is my dilemma. How can I ask her, put pressure on her, make her feel obliged to accept me?” he swung round.

  “It would make me as bad as her father.” He dropped into a chair and groaned.

  “Darcy, you look at the bad side of every possibility.” Bingley turned to face him. “It is a weakness you acknowledge, I think, my friend.”

  He drained his whisky. “But first, we have the appointment at the Archbishop’s palace, do we not? You may take your plans one step at a time.”

  Mr. Darcy stood up. “You are right, Bingley. A good friend indeed.” He glanced at the long-case clock. “We should be back before the ladies come down.” He smiled at Bingley. “Let us go and take the first step.”

  Chapter 28

  Elizabeth was glad Georgiana was with her, even if she resented the thought that Mr. Darcy must have sent the girl to her. She was not likely to do anything silly if she was alone.

  She had insisted they move from her bedchamber to the upstairs music room when Georgiana had arrived in her room. She would not let herself rest or even maybe sleep while the girl was watching. In her own mind, a woman needed strength and an independent turn of mind and she had to be an example for Georgiana, even if she didn’t quite know why.

  So they sat, waiting for she knew not what. She tried to concentrate on her book, but the words on the page danced and blurred as she tried to blink away the soreness and the aching tiredness.

  She must have dozed a little, because the light was suddenly dimmer through the windows, and two maids were setting out tea and small cakes at the side table.

  She kept her eyes on her book while she blinked herself awake and stifled a yawn.

  She heard a muffled giggle and looked up, knowing her face was hot with embarrassment.

  “It is all right, Elizabeth. I will tell no one you have slept this afternoon.” Georgiana was smiling rather sadly. “You looked most uncomfortable, though.”

  Elizabeth closed her book and rose stiffly to her feet. “The price of my pride, I suppose.” She stretched and walked slowly around the room, an incongruous thought of Miss Bingley inviting her to stroll around the drawing room at Netherfield intruding into her mind.

  “Elizabeth?” Georgiana sounded unsure of herself. “Please don’t be upset with me for saying this, but I do want to say that I much admire your strength and determination. I don’t want you to think I am considering you weak or sickly. When you have been through something terrible, you need help from others.” She bit her lip. “I am happy my brother helped you, however you feel about it.”

  Elizabeth stared at her. “Are you? Even if it means he was placed in a difficult position?”

  Georgiana smiled. “I do not think he is uneasy about it. Please do not sustain any anxiety you may feel.”

  Before Elizabeth could think of a reply, there was a knock on the door and the housekeeper came in. She curtsied at Georgiana.

  “Miss Darcy, Mr. Darcy is asking if it is in order if he and Mr. Bingley may join you here for tea?”

  Georgiana glanced at Elizabeth. “Should we agree, or shall we go down to the drawing room and join them?”

  “Thank you for thinking of me. But I am at ease with whatever you decide.”

  Georgiana turned to the housekeeper. “Yes. Please ask them
to join us here, thank you, Mrs. Weaver.”

  Elizabeth resumed her chair, picking up the book again. She wondered why her heart was beating so hard. Then the men were in the doorway, and she and Georgiana rose and curtsied and the men bowed.

  Mr. Bingley was smiling widely. She glanced over at Mr. Darcy. He was gazing at her, but his expression was serious. He came towards her.

  “Miss Bennet, are you well?”

  She dipped her head in acknowledgement. “Thank you, sir. I am well.” She checked her seat behind her and sat down. Mr. Darcy sat in a nearby chair, but did not draw it closer to her.

  “I am sorry if seeing the physician caused you distress.”

  She smiled and shook her head. “No, it is my fault for allowing myself to remember what happened.”

  “No.” He shook his head. “It is understandable that such an experience will take some time to push into the past where it does not distress you.”

  He sat back a little. “He will call daily, just briefly, in case you have thought of anything you wish to ask him.”

  She raised startled eyes towards him. “That appears unnecessarily wasteful, sir.”

  He smiled. “Not to me. Please accept it, for my sake.”

  She smiled back. “If you wish it, then I am happy to agree.”

  “Thank you. It will ease my mind.”

  She watched as Georgiana went over to the pianoforte. Mr. Bingley went with her and leaned against the instrument, talking easily.

  “Mr. Bingley seems very cheerful,” she commented, feeling her own spirits lift as she looked at his smiling countenance.

  “We have been to Lambeth Palace this afternoon,” Mr. Darcy said thoughtfully. “We had an appointment with the Archbishop and Mr. Bingley has obtained a Special Licence. He and your sister had discussed it when they became engaged, and now they are free to marry at any time they choose and at any church they choose.”