by Jennifer Joy
“Papa, do join us,” Elizabeth entreated her father. William would arrive with Mr. Tanner at any moment and Elizabeth did not want to leave him alone at Longbourn.
“Cousin Elizabeth, I will forgo the charms of a fine day in good company to remain behind with Mr. Bennet,” said Mr. Collins.
Now if that was not reason enough for Father to join them, Elizabeth had no further arguments.
Bunching up his cheeks, Father grumbled, “You have convinced me.” He stood from his leather chair, placing his hands behind his back and stretching. “I have been sitting far too long. Let me replace these volumes and I will have the coachman ready the carriage. It should be repaired by now.”
“We will leave you to it, then.” Elizabeth kissed his cheek and turned to leave the room, pausing when she saw Mr. Collins still sitting contentedly. The man was incapable of taking a hint … or even an outright suggestion.
“Mr. Collins? Is there nothing you wish to see to before we depart?” she asked as politely direct as she could.
He startled as if she had shaken him from his meditations.
“Of course. I apologize for being lost in my thoughts. They are many.” He scrambled to his feet and stood to the side of the door to allow her to pass before him.
Stepping out into the hall, Elizabeth heard a loud crash behind her. Pivoting around, she ran directly into Mr. Collins, her eyes searching past him into Father’s study until she untangled herself from the clumsy clergyman in her way. Books toppled off the shelf, their landing softened by Father.
Rushing into the room, she swept the books to the side and dropped onto her knees next to her father’s crumpled figure.
“Papa!” she shouted, caressing his cheeks and pressing her ear to his chest to hear for signs of life.
Her own heartbeat thrummed in her ears, deafening her. “Papa,” she repeated.
There was no answer.
Chapter 15
Mr. Hill opened the door in a rush. “Oh, it is you, Mr. Darcy,” he said, stepping aside to allow Darcy and Tanner inside. “Pardon me, sirs, but Mr. Bennet has suffered another accident.”
Darcy was already down the hall, Tanner following closely behind.
He heard Miss Lydia ask, “Is he dead?”
Darcy’s step faltered and his blood turned cold. Had Mr. Bennet’s suspicions been correct? Dear Lord, he prayed for Elizabeth’s sake it was not so.
“Does anyone have a mirror?” Elizabeth asked as Darcy reached the edge of the group gathered in front of the doorway to Mr. Bennet’s study.
Miss Lydia provided the requested item from her pocket, to which Mrs. Hill squeezed the young lady to her side, saying, “Bless your vanity, dear girl.”
Whispering behind him, Darcy said, “We should fetch the surgeon.”
“I will go,” Tanner said, already on his way.
Georgiana stood at the bottom of the stairs holding the squirming spaniel, Mrs. Annesley at her side. Georgiana looked scared and confused. Had it been a horrible mistake to accept Mr. Bennet’s hospitality for his sister? Had Darcy exposed her to danger? He nodded to her, trying to give her a reassuring smile, but he needed to get to Elizabeth.
Pushing through the members of the household, he knelt beside her at Mr. Bennet’s side just as Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief.
“He is breathing!” she announced, wiping at her eyes, a myriad of emotions crossing her expression.
Answering her question before she could ask, he said softly, “First, let us see to your father.”
“The surgeon?” she asked.
“I have seen to it.”
She smiled more genuinely then. One month ago, those words had been a source of frustration to Elizabeth. But now, they brought a small measure of cheer.
“Of course you have,” she said. To Mrs. Hill, she said, “Can you please bring some washed linens?”
Darcy straightened Mr. Bennet’s legs carefully, watching his face for any expression of pain.
Elizabeth ran her fingers over her father’s face, her eyes examining him for injuries as the minutes passed.
Mr. Bennet groaned and shifted his head to the side, startling Elizabeth when she saw his white hair covered in scarlet.
Darcy was quick to calm her. “Head injuries always bleed the most, though the cut be small. Let us clean it as best as we can until the surgeon can see to it.”
She nodded her head silently, accepting the linens Mrs. Hill gave her and putting them under her father’s head as a cushion.
The housekeeper squeezed between Miss Lydia and Mr. Collins, who crowded the hall and made her job more difficult.
“Mr. Collins,” Darcy said, “would you be so good as to watch for the surgeon’s arrival?”
Mr. Collins bowed. “It would be a privilege to assist my cousin in his time of difficulty.”
Mrs. Annesley stepped into the hall from the bottom of the stairway. “Miss Lydia, come with us into the drawing room. We are of more help staying out of the way, and if our assistance is required, we will be easily found there.” She looked at Darcy for approval, to which he nodded.
“Chloe!” Georgiana called, reaching after the escaped puppy, who scurried into the study directly for Mr. Bennet. “Oh, I am sorry,” she said, standing beside Miss Lydia in the doorway.
Chloe bathed Mr. Bennet’s face with kisses. Elizabeth reached over to shove the spaniel away, but stopped when Mr. Bennet opened his eyes partway.
“Let her be, Lizzy.” His voice shook, but that was to be expected after the tumble he had taken. He continued, “Lydia, I will be well. You would do better to ready yourself for the picnic. I shall not join you, but I will not spoil your fun.”
Darcy groaned. The picnic. He had invited the Lucases, the vicar, the Hursts, the Philipses, Miss Mary, and Miss Bingley.
“I will stay with Papa while you attend to your guests.” Elizabeth’s determined chin brooked no argument.
Mr. Bennet held her hand at his chest, patting it. “Thank you, Lizzy.” He tried to sit up.
“Allow me to help you to your chair, Mr. Bennet,” said Darcy, reaching out his hand.
“No! The furniture is not to be trusted,” Mr. Bennet said, straightening his spectacles.
They seated him against the bookshelf, Elizabeth pressing the linen to his head.
Darcy stooped down to examine the ladder, which lay in pieces between the desk and the foot of the shelf. One rung, the second from the top, had broken off cleanly. Too cleanly. Picking it up, Darcy ran his finger along the smooth edge where the wood had been cut.
“This was no accident,” he said.
Elizabeth stared at him, her fear confirmed. “Father, who has been in this room?”
Mr. Bennet chuckled humorlessly. “Aside from the members of our household, I have met with Mr. Bilford here. And since my suspicions of earlier are thus confirmed, I would not exclude anyone who has been a guest in my home. My door is unlocked and anyone could have entered.”
“The Hursts and Miss Bingley,” Elizabeth added.
Recalling something Mr. Bennet had mentioned at an earlier meeting, Darcy asked, “Do you suspect anyone in the household?” He scanned the hall and spoke in a low tone to avoid being overheard. “You said your coffee tasted horribly of late. Could it be poison?”
Mr. Bennet laughed, then groaned and reached for his head. “You could call it that, Mr. Darcy. I am certain Lizzy can confirm that the bitter taste in my coffee was merely Mrs. Hill’s attempt to get me to take my medicine.”
“Medicine?” Darcy asked.
Elizabeth answered. “The physician recommended a tonic to fortify Father’s blood and prevent infection after the cuts he suffered on his arms from…,” she stopped.
“I understand,” Darcy said, preventing her from having to speak the words aloud. Mr. Bennet had heroically grabbed Mrs. Bennet’s killer — a crazed individual with a penknife — and his arms had suffered the consequences.
Mr. Bennet clucked his tongue. “Firs
t, my feet. Then, my arms. Now, my head. Lizzy, you really must depart from Hertfordshire before the next attempt meets with more success.”
Elizabeth’s jaw jutted forward and her eyes narrowed. A hundred wild horses could not drag her away from her father now that they knew someone wished him harm. And Darcy would help her.
He extended the ladder rung out to her. “It was cut. Mr. Bennet, we dismissed your suspicions before, but we will not make that same mistake again. Someone means ill against you. I apologize for not taking your warnings as seriously as I should have.”
Mr. Bennet rubbed his chest and sighed. “Do not apologize. It is no wonder when I have openly admitted how difficult it will be to see Lizzy go. My own fickleness even made me doubt myself.”
Mr. Collins peeked into the study, his hand over his heart. “Praise the Lord and all that is holy, you are recovering. Mr. Tanner has arrived with the surgeon.” He stepped to the side when the maid came up from behind him with a pot of boiling water.
“Thank you, Mr. Collins,” Darcy said by way of dismissal.
Mr. Collins bowed. “I wish to nurse my cousin back to robust health, and so I will forgo my own pleasure and stay with him while you enjoy your social gathering.”
Mr. Bennet grimaced.
Elizabeth rose to his defense. “Thank you for your generous offer, Mr. Collins, but I have already told Mr. Darcy I wish to stay at home to care for Father. You would not deny the party the pleasure of your presence when we will be well here.”
Bowing repeatedly, his delicacy thus flattered and his desire to enjoy an outing granted, Mr. Collins quit the room to give passage to the surgeon.
“Thank you, Lizzy,” said Mr. Bennet.
Elizabeth rose from his side so the surgeon could examine Mr. Bennet’s injury. She clutched the ladder rung in her hands.
“Mr. Tanner, there is something you should see,” she said, holding it out to him and placing herself between Tanner and Darcy.
Tanner ran his thumb over the smooth, pale surface. “This has been tampered with.” He clenched his jaw and looked up at Darcy.
Darcy could not allow anything to befall Mr. Bennet. Not after Elizabeth had so recently lost her mother. She would be devastated.
“Someone close to us is attempting to hurt my father, perhaps kill him. Will you help us catch another criminal, Mr. Tanner? Please?”
It was inappropriate, but blast it all, Darcy needed to hold her. And her hand was so close. Turning his wrist, he wrapped his fingers around hers, clasping her tightly to him. It was not the embrace he would have preferred, but it was next best.
Mr. Bennet shrieked in pain as the surgeon poured whiskey over the wound.
“I will do all I can, Miss Elizabeth,” Tanner promised. “Is there anything else we need to know? Anything at all — whether it seems related to your father or not?”
Elizabeth’s forehead rumpled and she sighed. “There is and I know I can trust you to keep it in the strictest confidence. I do not think it holds any bearing on my father, but it does involve our household.”
Arranging for Mrs. Hill and Betsy to stay with Mr. Bennet until her return, Elizabeth led them into the dining room. She did not attempt to withdraw her hand from Darcy’s.
“Promise me you will not overreact. This news was given to me only recently by Mrs. Annesley. I would not have said anything yet, as it is mostly a suspicion, but we excused my father’s concerns as mere suspicion and look where that has led us. I will not make the same mistake twice — especially when it involves Miss Darcy.”
Darcy’s heart sank and the room lacked air enough to breathe. As if the threat to Mr. Bennet was not sufficient, his little sister gave her companion and Elizabeth cause for concern.
Tanner looked as riled as Darcy felt, but he kept his composure. Darcy would too.
Squeezing her hand, Darcy said, “Tell us everything.”
And Elizabeth did. She told him of the letter to one Michael Nelson and his sister’s blooming friendship with the worst flirt this side of London.
Leaning back in his chair, Darcy pondered his next step.
“I will write to my man immediately. He is discreet and will find the gentleman in question without raising eyebrows,” he decided.
“I think it wise. In the meantime, I will ask for Mr. Hill’s help to keep an eye on the post. If they receive anything from Mr. Nelson, I will alert you without delay. Mrs. Annesley is not allowing Miss Darcy out of her sight for a moment, so if they have planned a meeting, it will not go unnoticed.”
Darcy dropped his head to his hand. It had been bad enough when Wickham had convinced Georgiana to elope with him. It was almost more than he could bear to learn his sister might be foolish enough to attempt such a thing again. He did not wish to believe it of her.
Tanner grumbled, “Can we not lock her in her room to keep her safe? How ever do you manage, Darcy?”
“It is not easy.”
“If all girls are this difficult, I pray you are blessed only with boys,” said Tanner, blushing slightly when he realized how inappropriate his comment was. “My apologies.”
Elizabeth grinned. “I am not easily offended, Mr. Tanner.”
Darcy raised his eyebrow at her, to which she added, “Not anymore, that is.”
They rose from the table to join Mr. Bennet and the surgeon in the study.
Elizabeth touched his arm before they left the room. “Did I do right in telling you? I would hate for this to affect Mrs. Annesley in any way. She seems to care for your sister a great deal and is a good influence.”
“You need not defend her, Elizabeth. I am grateful she spoke to you when she could have kept silent. That she is willing to put her position into question for the safety of my sister lays her intentions bare, and I find nothing to criticize.”
“Good. I told her you could be trusted to deal with her fairly.”
Her faith in him filled his breast with a different sort of pride. One earned and honest, and freely given by the one person who mattered the most to him. A compliment from Elizabeth was worth a thousand empty flattering speeches from his peers.
Mr. Bennet sat in his leather chair, Mrs. Hill holding a spoon with a dark liquid under his nose.
“Mr. Bennet, please take your medicine. You need your strength.”
He twisted his mouth in the opposite direction.
The surgeon packed up his instruments and made ready to leave. Mrs. Hill asked him, “Please, sir, will you tell Mr. Bennet he must take his medicine? The doctor ordered it.”
The surgeon’s lips twitched, but he kept the smile from his face. In a grave tone, he said, “It cannot hurt, Mr. Bennet. Far be it from me to incite you to disobey your doctor’s orders.”
With that, he departed and Mrs. Hill waved the potion before Mr. Bennet’s pinched face.
Elizabeth asked Darcy, “Are you this stubborn when it is time to take medicine?”
“I do not fall ill,” he replied confidently.
She rolled her eyes. “I predict you will be an abominable patient.”
“Then let us hope I never require medicine,” he said to Elizabeth before addressing the housekeeper, “Mr. Bennet’s tonic is merely a blood purifier, Mrs. Hill?”
“Yes. The doctor assured me there is nothing in it to diminish Mr. Bennet’s mental capacity nor dull his senses.”
“It tastes horrible,” Mr. Bennet complained.
“I have tried to disguise it for you, but you quit drinking whatever beverage I pour it into. Look at your plants, Mr. Bennet. They flourish! If it is good for the plants, it must be good for you too.” She jabbed at his lip with the spoon just as Georgiana’s nurse had done when she refused to drink her dose of cod liver oil. There was only one thing that had convinced Georgie to drink the vile liquid.
“Mrs. Hill, bring another spoon,” Darcy said. Leaning down by Mr. Bennet, he said, “If I take it, you have to as well.”
Taken aback by his offer, Mr. Bennet merely nodded.
&nbs
p; Elizabeth, being closer to the kitchen, fetched a spoon, her eyes brimming with merriment as she handed it to Darcy.
Mrs. Hill poured the tonic into his spoon with her free hand and he drank it before he could regret his offer. It was nearly as wretched as the gallons of cod liver oil he had taken over the years for Georgiana. It was a challenge, but he had a lifetime of practice keeping his expression neutral.
Mr. Bennet swallowed his spoonful as soon as Darcy stared at him, complaining loudly as he did so.
“I hope you give Mrs. Hill no more grief and take your medicine as you have been instructed or I will call on you every day to ensure you drink your tonic,” Darcy threatened.
He heard Elizabeth’s laughter behind him.
Mr. Bennet griped, “Are you so desperate to find reasons to call more often on my Lizzy you would consume that horrific potion?”
“You know I am.”
“That is how it ought to be,” said Mr. Bennet with a sad smile. He stood from his chair, reaching out for his desk when his legs wobbled beneath him.
Darcy took his arm. “Allow me to help you.”
“Thank you, Mr. Darcy. I have been ordered to rest, and rest I shall.”
“And I will stand guard at your door with the fire poker in one hand and a book in the other,” said Elizabeth.
“To fight off an attacker and boredom? You are a good daughter and a brave sentry,” said Mr. Bennet as they went up the stairs to his bedchamber.
When Darcy came back down, Elizabeth took his hand, raising it to her lips to kiss. He had the tremendous, heart-warming sensation that he had done well. It was enough for him, and he practically soared through the remainder of the afternoon. Not even the Hursts’ company nor Miss Bingley’s haughty remarks reached him, though nothing went unnoticed. He could not allow that. Not when Mr. Bennet was in danger and Georgiana was exchanging correspondence with a gentleman.
Chapter 16
A week — quite possibly the longest week of Elizabeth’s life — went by and nothing happened.
