by Linda Wells
The ladies were gathered in a parlour, taking tea. Darcy was upstairs, trapped in his chambers by Bingley demanding to know what had upset him that morning. He and Elizabeth had been out riding for an hour when the heavens opened and a cold rain fell upon them in torrents, aided by a bitter wind. Darcy was protected with his heavy greatcoat, but Elizabeth’s spencer was no match for the storm, and very soon she was sodden and shivering. They took shelter in an abandoned barn on the property, and brought their horses inside to wait out the weather. Darcy searched around and found some old blankets, likely used beneath a saddle, and while dirty and musty, they were dry. He wrapped them around Elizabeth, and then held her tightly to his body as they sat together on a bench, looking out the open door. There was nothing to do but wait. Elizabeth’s shivering never ceased though, and Darcy became increasingly worried. She laughed it off through her chattering teeth, and instead insisted that he tell her stories of his childhood when he would be caught in snowdrifts or was lost in the Pemberley woods. She countered with tales of catching toads and bringing them home to show her horrified mother. Despite his worry, Darcy had to admit that those hours spent in such a miserable situation were amongst the happiest moments of his life. He was holding the woman he loved, laughing, feeling nothing but the joy of her filling up the empty places in his heart. It felt wonderful, and selfishly, if she had not been so obviously cold, he would have wished it never to end. But as soon as the rain abated to a steady drizzle, they were upon their horses and returned to Netherfield.
Bingley and Georgiana fussed over both of them. Caroline attempted to take Darcy’s arm and lead him away to his chambers herself, exclaiming over the horror of having been trapped with Elizabeth for so long. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and followed him upstairs where she went with Georgiana to take a warm bath and dress in the clothes her mother had insisted she bring with her. Georgiana’s abigail dried her hair and within an hour she was comfortably resting near the fire with her tea. It was not until she came to rest there that she realized that she did not feel herself.
“Elizabeth, are you well?” Georgiana asked quietly.
She shivered and smiled a little. “I can not seem to warm, but I am sure this tea and fire will take care of me quickly and I will be out of your way.” Georgiana looked at Mrs. Annesley worriedly. It was obvious that Caroline and Louisa were not going to make any suggestions to help her.
Mrs. Annesley was watching Elizabeth carefully and walked over to her. “Miss Elizabeth, may I?” She held her hand near her head. Elizabeth nodded and the woman gently touched her forehead. “No fever as yet, Miss, but I suspect it will not be long.”
Elizabeth sighed. “I hope not. I am sure that as soon as I warm, I will be fine. The wind simply made the rain colder.”
The gentlemen entered the room, Darcy looked tired, but that was more due to his interrogation than the drenching. He spotted Elizabeth by the fire and took a seat nearby. “Are you feeling better? Your mother’s insistence that you bring a clean dress worked to your advantage today.” She smiled, but he saw a difference. “You are not well.” His eyes reflected his concern.
“I am fine, sir. I assure you. I have simply not warmed yet.” As the words left her mouth, her pale face suddenly flushed pink then red. She closed her eyes, and it was only Darcy’s quick movement that saved the tea from pouring all over her dress. He took the cup and placed it on a table and kneeling before her chair, wrapped his arms around her. “Elizabeth!” She leaned heavily on his shoulder.
“Get her off of him!” Caroline screeched. She ran forward to pull Elizabeth out of his arms and was met with a glare that could have set her hair on fire.
“Miss Bingley, she is ill. I will carry her upstairs, and you will do everything necessary to make her comfortable.”
Without waiting for an answer, Darcy lifted Elizabeth up in his arms. He rested his cheek on her face. “She is burning up with fever.”
Mrs. Annesley touched her forehead. “I knew it would come.” Darcy nodded to her and she and Georgiana followed him up the stairs. Automatically he went down the corridor where his chambers were located and stood in the hallway, not sure where to take her. He wished to lay her on his bed, and had half-turned there when Georgiana opened the door to a room directly across from his.
“This is empty, William.” He carried her in and Mrs. Annesley pulled back the counterpane so he could lay her carefully down.
Georgiana pulled the bell and a servant arrived at the same time as Caroline. “No, Mr. Darcy, this room is too cold; you should put her in the other wing.”
Darcy had no intention of moving Elizabeth any farther away from him. “Every room that is not occupied is cold, Miss Bingley.” He looked at the waiting servant. “Please build a fire in here quickly.” The girl bobbed and set to work.
“Really, Mr. Darcy, she would be far more comfortable away from …”
Before she could finish the thought, he glared at her again. “Miss Bingley, perhaps you could send a note to Longbourn and inform them that Miss Elizabeth is ill and will be staying here tonight. Perhaps Miss Bennet will wish to be with her. You may send my carriage for her.”
Caroline began to retort when Bingley appeared. “Go ahead and write the note, Caroline. I will take care of the carriage, and then have the next room prepared for Miss Bennet.”
Turning on her heel, she left, furious that not only was Eliza staying the night, but now Charles’s latest love interest would be there as well. There must be some way she could use this to her advantage. She would talk to Louisa.
Darcy remained kneeled on the floor by the bed, caressing Elizabeth’s burning face. Bingley cleared his throat. “Um, Darcy, perhaps we should move out of the ladies’ way?” Darcy looked at him without comprehension.
“Brother, we should change Elizabeth’s dress if she is to be in bed.” Georgiana whispered. He closed his eyes and nodded. He caressed Elizabeth’s cheek again, and lifted her hand to bestow a kiss. Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley averted their eyes and Bingley smiled widely at him.
“Tell me of any change.” Darcy instructed before he left the room, and giving her one last concerned look, walked out, hearing the door close behind him.
“Come on man, there is nothing we can do for now. We will go round up Hurst for some billiards, what do you say?” Darcy shook his head and finally agreed.
JANE ARRIVED along with a trunk of clothes for both sisters, and was ushered upstairs immediately to Elizabeth’s side. Georgiana was sitting with her, and Darcy was hovering in the hallway. As Jane entered he stepped in as well. “William!” Georgiana cried. “You should not be here!” He did not move, but looked at Elizabeth, her hair was unbound and her face was red. Georgiana was sponging her forehead with a damp cloth and Mrs. Annesley sat on the other side of the bed.
“Is there anything I can do?” He asked anxiously.
Turning, Jane placed her hand on his arm and firmly pulled him towards the door. “No sir, you can do nothing, she needs to rest, and I know that she will not wish you to worry. I will let you know if there is any change.” She pushed him out into the hallway and shut the door. Darcy stood staring at the dark wood, feeling powerless and alone, then drew himself up and went downstairs to the library where he buried himself in work, and tried not to dwell on his heart lying in a bed upstairs.
A knock at the door an hour later made him start. “Come in!” He called, hoping for news, and was deeply disappointed to see Caroline enter. “Miss Bingley.” He bowed and resumed his seat.
She smiled sweetly. “Mr. Darcy, you have been hidden in here far too long; I came to ask you to join us in the parlour until dinner.”
“I have too much work to do.” He said abruptly, and then added. “Thank you.”
She walked around and stood by the desk, brushing his arm with her gown, and touching the letters. “Oh so many letters you write sir, letters of business, how tiresome. Surely there must be something else that you would find more worthwhile of your
time?” She bent down, so that her décolletage was directly in his eye line.
He drew back. “Miss Bingley, what is your purpose?”
“I do not know what you mean?” She batted her eyes, and leaned closer, her breasts practically under his nose; and prepared to fall into his lap.
Darcy saw her leaning and instantly stood and moved away from her. She lost her balance and grabbed for the arms of the chair to stop her forward motion, missed, and sprawled with a thud onto the floor. Darcy’s eyes narrowed as she awkwardly straightened, and offered no assistance to help the humiliated woman rise. “You entered this room anticipating my solitude, and clearly attempted to execute a compromising circumstance. It will not happen, will never happen, and if by some quirk of fate your brother came in and found the two of us engaged in some act of your design, he would not demand, and I would not agree to, a marriage with you. Ever. So I do suggest Miss Bingley that you employ your assets towards a gentleman who cares, because madam, I assure you, I do not.”
A chuckle rose from a sofa in the back of the room and they looked over to see Hurst sitting up and grinning. “I say Darcy that was well done! I have been wondering when Caroline would make her move, and to think she chooses the moment when the woman you are courting lies nearly above your heads in the grip of a fever was a truly callous touch. Ah, Caroline, you have met your match in this man. I daresay you could trip into his bed with a hundred witnesses and he would still never give in. Face it; Mr. Darcy will never marry you.”
Caroline’s face was red with her embarrassment. “I do not know what you mean! I was not orchestrating anything!”
Darcy exchanged a look with Hurst. “Then what exactly were you doing, Miss Bingley?”
Another knock was heard and Bingley entered, looking upon at the scene. “What happened?”
Hurst settled back in a chair near the desk and gestured. “Caroline was trying to compromise Darcy.”
She spun around. “I was not!”
Bingley was disappointed. “You mean I missed it?” Darcy stared. “Sorry old man, but we were expecting her to do something of the sort. That is why Hurst took his nap in here; we were sure you would hide away in the library after you left Miss Elizabeth and expected Caroline to try to take advantage while you were distressed.” He nodded over at his gaping sister. “I was convinced that something was afoot when Louisa said to go see her in the library. When was the last time you looked at a book, Caroline?”
Darcy turned to Hurst. “So you were here to save me from a fate worse than death?”
The men laughed and Caroline screeched. “I was not trying to …”
Bingley interrupted. “Do not lie; Caroline, of course you were.” He looked at Darcy then back at his sister, “And dear sister, we know of your plans to throw me and Miss Darcy together. So do not even try. Like Darcy, I will not be forced to accept a marriage I do not want, even though Miss Darcy is a lovely young lady, my interests lie elsewhere.” He glanced up at the ceiling.
An incredulous expression appeared on Darcy’s face. “Do you mean that you wished to involve my sister in your schemes? I knew that you hoped for a marriage between Georgiana and Bingley, but that you would actually consider orchestrating a compromise of her … Miss Bingley, I am appalled!”
“I do not have any idea to what you refer.” She turned and began to leave the room.
Bingley placed a hand on her arm. “I hope not, Caroline. You have overspent your allowance, and I am of a mind to cut you off entirely until your interest from the funds replaces your debt, in fact, yes, that is what I will do. You will receive nothing else until then. By my calculations, that means you will live on what money you have until next March.”
“Charles!”
He shrugged. “You knew your limits; it was my fault for letting you exceed them. I am merely correcting my error.”
Hurst nodded. “I believe that I should have a similar talk with my wife.” He stood and grinned. “Excuse me, gentlemen.” Caroline was speechless and flew from the room, pushing Hurst out of the way. He turned and laughed. “Well, I had hoped we could teach them a lesson, perhaps we have.” He nodded and strolled out. Bingley dropped into the chair that Hurst had vacated, and grinned.
“That felt good.” He smiled at Darcy who tilted his head and raised his brow as he resumed his seat at the desk.
“To be the man in charge or to thwart their plans?”
“Both actually.” He leaned forward. “I am sorry; Hurst has been overhearing them plotting to compromise you with Caroline, and Miss Darcy with me, for weeks now. We did not wish to bother you with it, but after seeing your reaction to your family’s interference with your aunt this morning, we thought that we should expose Caroline as soon as possible, and before you. I hope that you do not mind.”
Darcy sighed. “No, I appreciate it, and I suppose I did overreact to my family this morning, Elizabeth set me straight when we talked.” He looked down at his hands. “I do appreciate you caring for Georgiana and me so much to bring such unhappiness to your sisters.”
Bingley spoke softly. “I needed to take the reins of my family, Darcy; it is time for me to grow up, not only with my sisters, but with my own life. I am considering speaking to Miss Bennet while she is here and asking if I may court her, then go and speak to her father.”
“Are you sure, Bingley? Dowry is not an issue for me, but it could be significant for you and your ambitions.” He bit his lip. “I am happy to hear that you are not interested in Elizabeth, you had me quite concerned with the attentions you paid her, and I am afraid that I did consider some rather violent responses to them.”
“Darcy! I swear, I never …” He hung his head. “This is not the first time my attentions to Miss Elizabeth have been brought to my attention, I … I am sorry. I have some serious thinking to do about my behaviour towards ladies, particularly if I am serious about aligning myself with Miss Bennet, and yes, I have considered the issue of dowry, but I believe that I would like to emulate my best friend and put my happiness first.” He peered into his friend’s eyes. “You are engaged to Miss Elizabeth?”
A rueful smile appeared. “It is that obvious?”
Bingley laughed. “Darcy, I have known you for years, and I have never seen a man so besotted, or one who so frequently has swollen lips after visiting a woman he is courting. What exactly happened during that riding lesson you took the other day?” Darcy flushed with embarrassment. Bingley laughed harder. “Honestly, I suspected as much when you were alone with her in the library this morning, and went riding without a chaperone. Something significant must have occurred. When do you announce?”
“Mr. Bennet actually announced it to the family yesterday, after the incident with Lucas.”
Knowing the story, Bingley nodded. “You wasted no time.”
He closed his eyes. “I have a confession to make. Elizabeth and I have corresponded with each other since we met here at Netherfield.”
Bingley stared. “You mean; you have exchanged letters? You said before that you knew each other well, but I suppose I never really considered how that happened.”
“Yes, we grew very close through our correspondence and I proposed the first morning after we arrived here. As I told you that morning, it is not so very sudden at all.” He looked up. “Are you shocked?”
“Completely! And Mr. Bennet, does he know?”
Darcy nodded. “He knows all. He forced us to maintain the courtship for appearance’s sake, and we will marry at the end of November. I have sent Danny to London to pick up the settlement from my attorney, and although it is not necessary, I wrote the archbishop and applied for a special license. I thought it would please Mrs. Bennet.”
Bingley sat back in stunned admiration. “I am proud of you.”
Darcy’s head turned sharply. “Really? I thought you would be ashamed.”
“Why? You have been bereft of love since the day you were born, when you found it, you snapped it up with eagerness. She is a lovely
, wonderful woman, and I know you will be very happy.” He stood and offered his hand. “Congratulations, Darcy!”
He stood and smiled. “Thank you, Bingley, for everything.”
Chapter 20
Darcy knocked lightly on the door. Jane opened it and bit her lip to hide her smile when she saw the poor worried man standing before her. Darcy’s brow was creased, he was shifting from one foot to another, and a ribbon was wound around the fingers of his left hand. “Mr. Darcy?”
“Miss Bennet, how is … is Miss Eliz … Elizabeth … Is she well?” He tried to see past her, and then stared anxiously into her eyes. Jane smiled kindly. “She is sleeping.”
“Is she … does she need a physician? A surgeon … anything? I will send for our family doctor in London.”
Jane touched his arm. “No, it will not be necessary, I am sure she will be fine in the morning. Elizabeth very rarely becomes ill, and it never lasts long.”
His eyes widened. “She rarely is ill? It is my fault! I made her ill! I never should have taken her riding; she knew it was going to rain. What have I done?”
“Mr. Darcy, please!” Jane looked up and down the hallway and seeing nobody stepped back into the room.
He instantly followed her and she quickly closed the door. He stood perfectly still, staring at the flushed figure tossing in the bed. “Oh Elizabeth.” He whispered, and moved cautiously forward to kneel down beside her. He stroked a damp curl from her brow. “She is so warm, it is worse!” Her movement calmed with his touch.
“No sir, it is better, I think.” Jane reassured him.
“She looks so …” His voice trailed away and he took her hand in his.
Alarmed, Jane gently touched his shoulder. “Mr. Darcy, I think you should retire.” He looked at her as if she was insane.
“I cannot leave her.”
