Beginning, Section II, Next Section

Chapter 18

Posted on Sunday, 15 October 2006

In spite of Jane Bennet's gentle appearance and demeanor, she was not a weak or fainting woman. Indeed, each of the five Bennet daughters seemed to have all such tendencies driven out of them by continually being exposed to the imagined frailties of their mother. Jane was also a woman of quiet but deep devotion and faith in God. Being such, she truly believed that God never gave his children more than they could bear. But standing near the front door of Longbourn late on a summer evening in her nightclothes, staring disbelieving at the letter from Colonel Forster held in her shaking hands, her strength seemed to fly out the windows and her deepest beliefs seemed to collapse on every side.

The Bennet family's good and faithful servant Hill had been employed at Longbourn since before the daughters were born, and she had never seen Miss Jane come closer to fainting than she did in those first moments after the reading of the express. Hill had a special affection for Jane and Elizabeth, and she stepped outside her place temporarily and wrapped her arm around Jane's back in a gesture of support and comfort that was deeply felt and appreciated. Jane had to summon every ounce of her belief in the goodness of humanity to stop from sinking to the floor where she stood and bursting into tears.

It all just seemed to be too much for one person: Lizzy's accident, her father's departure, being the guardian for her cousins, almost having to be a mother to her own mother, and now this shocking news that Lydia had run off to Scotland with Wickham! And yet, dear sweet Jane, could not think so ill of her sister, or of Wickham. There had to be some kind of misunderstanding, and if they truly had gone to Scotland together, it must be because they were deeply in love with each other.

Unfortunately for Jane, the events swirling around her threatening to pull her down just kept on coming. Her mother, Mary, and Kitty had all been roused from their beds by the knock on the door, more out of curiosity than anything else, and it would now be Jane's job to be the messenger of even more bad news to her family.

Mrs. Bennet called out to her eldest daughter, "Jane, Jane, what is it? Is there news from your father about Lizzy? Please, you cannot keep me in suspense -- my poor nerves cannot tolerate it!"

Jane took a deep breath, fortified herself for the intensity of response she knew would come, and said, "No, Mama. It is not a letter from Pemberley. It is from Colonel Forster in Brighton. Apparently, Lydia and Wickham are both gone from Brighton and Colonel Forster writes that they have gone to Scotland."

For Mrs. Bennet, all thoughts of Lizzy were banished from her mind. Her favorite daughter had fallen into the hands of a villain, and now the marriage prospects for all her daughters were ruined. This was an even greater tragedy for Mrs. Bennet at that moment than the possible loss of her second daughter, and just as Jane had anticipated, she reacted violently and with such an outpouring of moaning and wailing that the staff would later remark that none of Mrs. Bennet's previous outbursts could compare to it.

As Hill ran off for the smelling salts, Jane, Mary, and Kitty attempted to support their mother and get her to a chair before she collapsed. Jane could only thank God that Colonel Forster was apparently on his way to Longbourn at that moment. Perhaps he would be able to help her figure out what to do now, because all the people she would normally think to rely on were in another part of the country with quite another problem altogether on their minds.

Mr. Bennet cautiously walked into the room where his daughter still lay in the same state she had been in since her arrival at Pemberley. Accompanied by the Gardiners, Mr. Bennet was so overwhelmed by the sight of his daughter lying motionless on the bed that he actually took a step backwards when he walked into the room. Mrs. Gardiner was very concerned about her brother-in-law. He looked extremely overwrought, and she was worried about leaving him alone.

But upon questioning him about whether he wanted them to stay, he wearily replied, "I would like to be alone with her for a few minutes. Then, you can return and take over the watch while I try to sleep. If I came here to be with my daughter, I won't be doing her very much good if I collapse from exhaustion."

Mrs. Gardiner was heartened. Even in the midst of his grief, it didn't appear that Mr. Bennet had been deprived of his good sense. She and her husband turned to leave and wait in the hall. Mr. Bennet slowly approached the bed, walking around to the far side so that he could clasp his daughter's hand. However, unlike the other man who had clasped Lizzy's hand, Mr. Bennet seemed unable to form any words. He had never been good at expressing his emotions, at least not seriously. Most of the people who came into contact with Mr. Bennet had a pretty good idea of how he felt about them, even if he never said it outright. Even if he had never said "I love you" to Lizzy before, Mr. Bennet was pretty sure of the fact that his second daughter knew how important she was to him and how much he cherished their relationship.

However, in this situation, he knew this was very different, "I should somehow find a way to speak the words, even if Lizzy cannot hear me (and perhaps it is for the best that she cannot hear me?) I had simply never imagined the possibility that one of my children, especially Lizzy, would depart this earth before me. I am the old one; I am the one who has already travelled a long journey through this life. Lizzy still had so much ahead of her: marriage, motherhood, society, being taken care of in her own old age. My children and wife are supposed to be the ones grieving my demise, not the other way around." It was something his mind just couldn't grasp. And so, all he could manage was to lift her hand, kiss the back of it gently, smooth back her hair from her face, and whisper softly,

"Please wake up, Elizabeth."

The waiting, the horrible, interminable waiting -- every minute, every tick of the enormous grandfather clock in the sitting room, Mr. Darcy thought it couldn't get any worse. But every minute, every tick of the clock seemed to hold more torture and more distress than the one before. She hadn't worsened, and that was a source of comfort he kept trying to draw on. Her father had arrived, which hopefully would help her. But she wasn't improving either, and he hadn't seen her since the previous night. He hadn't fully realized before how much the physical sight of her was keeping him steady and reassured. If she was out of his sight, his imagination could play terrible games with him and any number of horrible possibilities could be dwelled on and thought over and over and over again.

His tumultuous sleep the night before had proven that, and the waking hours of this new day had not shown themselves to be any different, or any easier. In fact, being awake was almost more difficult because at least in sleep he could escape into his dreams, and at least some of them were pleasant. He had been sitting in the same chair, with his head resting in his hands, ever since Mr. Bennet arrived, but now he found that if he didn't get up and do something, the waiting would just be too much. He got up to pace around the room, thinking to himself that now he knew what a caged animal felt like. For a man who had long been self-sufficient, one who had always held very firm control over his own destiny, the helplessness he felt was unwelcome and almost impossible to deal with. He had to seek out employment, something to fill the long hours while his future happiness hung in the balance.

Striding towards the door, he started towards the only place he could think to go; to where she was, knowing he would find her family there, hoping that he could do something for them that would keep him busy and keep his mind occupied and off of the helplessness and fear of life forever without her.

Chapter 19

As Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner waited in the hallway outside Lizzy's room, they were converged upon by Mr. Bennet from the inside of the room and Mr. Darcy from downstairs at the same time. At first, it seemed as if Lizzy's four concerned watchers wouldn't manage to find anything to say to each other. Mr. Bennet couldn't formulate any kind of response to the recent first glimpse of his daughter in such a helpless state, unable to talk to him, unable to smile her smile and jokingly reassure him that she was quite alright. The conversations between father and daughter had always been one of the most valued parts of their relationship, for both of them.

Now Mr. Bennet was left with only being able to have a one-sided conversation with Lizzy, and it was something to which he was unable to adjust. Mr. Darcy, who had been so desperate to gain some sort of occupation to escape the horrible games being played inside his own mind, also found himself unable to immediately speak the reason for his presence in the hallway. Whenever he approached his rooms since Lizzy's arrival, he was instantly sidetracked by thoughts of her. Indeed, he knew now that no matter what happened, he would never be able to enter those rooms again without feeling her presence and remembering her beautiful form resting on his bed. Even now, with the heavy oak door closed, he could picture her, and his heart swelled and flowed with feelings of tenderness and love and pain all rolled into one, which seemed to clog his throat and his brain and prevent him from forming a coherent sentence.

Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner both seemed to have tuned themselves into the coming interaction between Mr. Bennet and Mr. Darcy. They knew of Mr. Darcy's regard for their niece with more and more certainty every time they saw him, and his temporary lapse in speech at the moment just added another piece to the puzzle. They glanced at each other and silently wondered how long it would take Mr. Bennet to notice what had become so obvious to them. They wondered if Mr. Bennet would remain oblivious because of his grief, not to mention all the previous bad reports of Mr. Darcy in Hertfordshire. On the other hand, Mr. Bennet's good sense and perceptiveness were still part of his nature, even if clouded by the present circumstances.

However, Mrs. Gardiner quickly realized that she was going to have to be the one to break through the silence, since it seemed that all the men were simply going to remain standing cramped and quiet in the small hallway for the rest of the day. She also seemed to have a sense of Mr. Darcy's original intent for his trip above stairs, and she solved his dilemma by addressing him, saying,

"Mr. Darcy, would you be so kind as to escort Mr. Bennet to a place where he can get some rest? His travels have left him quite exhausted, as you might well imagine, and he will be much better equipped to spend time with Lizzy if he refreshes himself. Brother, when you awaken, it is most likely that Dr. Shelton will have examined Lizzy again, and then you can speak to him personally if you would like."

Both Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bennet snapped out of their silence and willingly agreed to Mrs. Gardiner's suggestions. Mr. Darcy stepped forward to lead the way to one of the other bedrooms in the hallway as Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner stepped into the room to check on Lizzy.

Mr. Darcy tried not to be overeager in his desire to make a good impression on the man to which he had the far-off dream of eventually asking for Elizabeth's hand. He broke the ice by saying,

"You must desire to remain close to your daughter, sir, so you can use one of the bedrooms nearby. Will that be acceptable to you?"

Mr. Bennet did not respond instantly. His mind was slowly attempting to assimilate the contradiction of everything he had heard about the proud, unbearably arrogant Mr. Darcy and the kind, accommodating gentleman currently walking with him. He knew it wasn't a contradiction he would be able to solve immediately with all the emotion and exhaustion clouding his brain, but he quickly vowed to himself that after his rest he would take opportunities to observe Mr. Darcy. After all, trying to study Mr. Darcy's character might be a good distraction and occupation to keep him from constantly worrying himself sick over Lizzy.

He looked back at the younger man as they reached the door and said, "Thank you for assistance, Mr. Darcy. It should go without saying that if anything changes in my daughter's condition, I would appreciate being awakened immediately."

Mr. Darcy quickly responded, "Of course, sir, I will see to it personally. Do you need anything else to help you be more comfortable? Would you like any tea or food before you rest? Do you need a valet?"

Mr. Bennet sighed, and as he moved to enter the room he replied, "The only thing I need, Mr. Darcy, is to see my daughter open her eyes and talk to me."

Darcy could only nod his head and silently close the door, blowing out a deep sigh himself and whispering, "I need that, too, Mr. Bennet. More than anything else in this world, I need her."

Jane, Mary and Kitty sat in the downstairs sitting room at Longbourn with Colonel Forster. Their mother, of course, was apparently too ill to even think of leaving her room above stairs. As the Bennet daughters sat and listened to the latest reports of Lydia and Wickham, they all were silently grateful that they did not have to endure their mother's outbursts at the news -- at least, not yet.

They would eventually have to tell her that if what Colonel Forster said was true, the situation with Lydia was much worse than they originally believed, and they hadn't believed it to be that good in the first place. Colonel Forster gave them the letter that Lydia had addressed to Mrs. Forster when she left Brighton, which obviously had supplied the initial information that the couple had gone to Scotland. However, Colonel Foster was able to update them upon his arrival that the couple had actually been traced to Clapham, which was on the road to London, not Scotland.

He feared that no wedding had taken place, and indeed that Wickham had never intended for one to take place at all. As they listened to the story of Wickham's debts being the likely reason for his sudden departure from Brighton, Mary and Jane were growing more shocked by the minute. Kitty didn't take much stock in it, and still couldn't really see what all the fuss was about.

Jane's shock was in a completely different dimension because all her previous knowledge from Lizzy about Wickham's character was brought immediately to the front of her mind. These present actions seemed to fit into a larger pattern of corruption and lack of moral fiber, but she was still desperately trying to find a way that some great mistake could have been made. Maybe Colonel Forster was mistaken. Maybe they had married in Scotland and then gone to London. Maybe they had found a way to marry in London without going to Scotland. Because it was in her nature, and because she needed something to hope for, Jane refused to think the worst. Besides, she had to think practically.

Colonel Forster expressed his intentions to travel to London in an attempt to discover their location, but he had been most surprised upon his arrival to find Mr. Bennet away from home. He naturally expected that Mr. Bennet was already aware of the news and that he would be waiting to make the trip to London to try to find his daughter.

Colonel Foster expressed his remorse over Lizzy's condition, and then turned to Jane and said, "Your father must be told, Miss Bennet. Have you sent off an express yet? Not only will the search go much slower if I do it alone, but if they are found your father will have certain responsibilities that must be addressed."

Jane, of course, knew this to be true, but she responded with heartfelt belief, "Of course, Colonel Forster. I am just so concerned about my father's condition right now. When he left for Derbyshire, he seemed so overwhelmed with worry for Lizzy, I am afraid of what will happen if I burden him with Lydia's situation as well."

Colonel Forster replied, "Did you not also say that your aunt and uncle were at Pemberley with your sister? Perhaps you could address the express to your uncle and leave it to him to find a way to break the news to your father if he feels it will not be too taxing for Mr. Bennet."

Jane, for the first time in the last few days, felt an overwhelming sense of relief. She hadn't thought of how much her uncle could be of help to her in this crisis, although she should have realized it all along. The Gardiners had always been like another set of parents to her and Lizzy, and she knew that Mr. Gardiner would know the best way to handle the situation.

So, the plan was set. Colonel Forster would depart for London immediately and await a member of Lydia's family to meet him there to aid in the search. Jane would draft the express and address it to her uncle, explaining all the current news about Lydia's situation and asking for his assistance with the best way to proceed.

Therefore, Colonel Forster wasted no time and set off for London immediately, and Jane, Mary and Kitty again faced the unenviable task of delivering more bad news to their already distressed mother.

The next day, back at Pemberley...

The servant decided to deliver the express directly into Mr. Gardiner's hands. He knew Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were currently in the downstairs sitting room trying to relax for a little while, and he also knew there weren't too many good reasons for trying to seek out his master to deliver an express that wasn't even addressed to him.

All the household staff was growing accustomed to the unexpected guests, but they were still working in an atmosphere of great tension that was difficult to get used to. This tension was more recognizable in their master because they knew him better, but they were also coming to realize that the injured young woman in their midst was someone of great importance to him and of course to her family.

The servant headed from the foyer and did indeed find Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner together in the sitting room. Mr. Bennet was sitting with Lizzy upstairs, allowing the Gardiners some precious moments to gather their strength and encourage each other that even though Lizzy's condition hadn't changed, they could still believe that she was going to recover. The appearance of the servant was not surprising. The Gardiners had been continually impressed by the hospitality and kindness shown them by Mr. Darcy and all the servants at Pemberley. They were often given what they needed without even having to ask for it, which took a great load off of all their minds. So while the servant's entry was not surprising, however, the express he delivered to them was most unexpected indeed.

As parents, their first thoughts flew to possible problems with their own children who were currently in residence at Longbourn. They thanked the servant, clasped hands in an almost automatic gesture of togetherness, and opened the letter in Jane's scripted handwriting. The next few minutes allowed no words, only a series of gasps, sighs, and looks of sheer disbelief. God, in his infinite wisdom, had seemed to ordain a huge dose of calamity to fall on the Bennet family all at once, and the Gardiners were inextricably tied into it as well.

The same question seemed ready to form on both their lips at the same time, but Mrs. Gardiner spoke it first:

"Oh my dear, what is to be done?"

Both their heads, with their distress written plainly across their faces, turned at the same moment to the door to face Mr. Darcy, who had just entered and immediately asked,

"Good heavens, what is the matter?"

Chapter 20

Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner had to make a split-second decision: to trust or not to trust. Mr. Darcy had asked them a very natural question, since their distress at the news from Jane was so plainly written across their faces. Now, they had to choose how to answer him, and they couldn't spend much time deliberating since he was there, waiting for a response, his concern just as evident as their distress.

They had two choices. They could choose to be honest, or they could choose to deflect the question, pretend nothing had happened, and deal with it on their own. In that split second, arguments on both sides flew through their minds at lightening speed. This man had been so kind and generous with them since Lizzy's accident, doing everything in his power to try to make them comfortable so they could devote their time to their niece. He had shown himself to be quite the opposite of the proud, disagreeable man they had been expecting to find as master of Pemberley. Not only that, but the Gardiners were both convinced that whether Lizzy knew it or not, Mr. Darcy had fallen deeply in love with her somewhere along the way.

He seemed a steady and dependable young man (except when it came to his emotions about Lizzy, but that was more than understandable). He had opened his home and his life to them; how could they not do the same? His actions over the past few days had shown him to be worthy of their trust.

However, this was a family matter, one that required an extreme amount of delicacy and care. People would undoubtedly find out the circumstances eventually anyway, but until Lydia and Wickham were discovered in London it would probably be best to involve as few people as possible outside the family.

There was also concern about how Mr. Darcy would react to the news of the scandalous behavior of one of Lizzy's sisters. Would it affect his opinion of not only Lydia, but Lizzy as well? The Gardiners were wise enough in the workings of society to realize that Lydia's actions would reflect negatively on all the Bennet girls, and they didn't want to damage Lizzy's chances with Mr. Darcy, especially if she had feelings for him as well.

The time for deliberation was over. The decision had to be made: do we trust him, or do we conceal the horrible truth? Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner each made their decisions individually first, and then communicated their thoughts to each other with only a look. After years of committed and happy marriage, they had mastered not only the secret of communication without words, but the rare gift of being strong individuals and a strong couple at the same time. Happily enough, this time they came to the same conclusion.

Honesty won out. Mr. Darcy seemed so genuinely concerned about them and so genuinely in love with Lizzy that their trust seemed to have found a good place to rest. So, with a look full of silent meaning and a slight nod of the head, they turned back to Mr. Darcy.

Mrs. Gardiner began, "We have just received a letter from Jane at Longbourn with some dreadful news..."

It was a feeling he had experienced before. As he listened to Mrs. Gardiner give the details of the letter from Longbourn, this feeling returned again, full and vital and strong. It coursed through his veins and turned his vision a hazy red at the same time that it wrapped a fist around his heart and punched him in the stomach.

He remembered vividly the first time he had felt this feeling, standing by the sea wall at Ramsgate. That time, it seemed that everything slowed down around him in the bustling sea town as he came upon the scene that had been burned in his mind ever since. There was Georgianna and Wickham, together with her supposed-chaperone Mrs. Younge looking on; Wickham reaching out to his 15-year-old sister, reaching out to caress her, to embrace her -- the revelation of the intended elopement.

The feeling was both heady with power and frightening at the same time, and it was back. The circumstances might have been slightly different, but it didn't matter. The feeling was still the same, and possibly even more intense. It wasn't his sister this time -- but hers. That almost made it worse, especially considering how helpless she was at present. It might have been true that no understanding had yet been reached between himself and Elizabeth, but he was so completely in love with her that anything that would hurt her hurt him, too.

Again it was Wickham, always Wickham. How, he asked himself again, could one man be the agent of so much destruction and deviousness? He was the root, the cause, the source from which this feeling flowed. While waiting for the Gardiners to respond to his initial question, he had taken a chair across from them, but the feeling bubbled up so fully inside him that once Mrs. Gardiner began he couldn't physically remain seated. He had to get up, he had to move, he had to release some of this feeling before he hit something.

Miraculously, he was actually able to form words, questions to make the situation more clear: "Is it absolutely certain that they are not gone to Scotland?" "What has been attempted to recover her?"

He knew that the Gardiners probably didn't know what to make of him just then. He looked like an animal on the prowl as he stalked around the room, and the feeling showed because every muscle in his body was tense. The feeling was growing the more information he heard. It was a simple, primal feeling: rage -- cold, determined, resolute, pure rage.

If George Wickham had somehow magically appeared before him at that moment, Darcy had a sense that the man would not have been alive for more than a few seconds. Somehow he had managed to withhold himself back at Ramsgate, but he doubted he would have been able to do so this time.

However, the rage wasn't all for Wickham. It was partially for himself. After Ramsgate, no woman should have had to endure what his sister went through. The whole world should have known exactly what George Wickham was and what he had done. But why didn't they? Because Fitzwilliam Darcy had been too proud to tell them! And now, the family of the woman he loved more than his own life was suffering because of it.

Thus, out of this rage began to form a new feeling, just as steady, just as powerful, but far more constructive. Out of the rage began to flow -- resolve.

He would make amends. He would make up for his previous mistakes and make this situation right or expend every ounce of his strength in the attempt. He would do it for Elizabeth, for the Gardiners, for Mr. Bennet, for Georgianna, and for himself. If he was ever to prove to himself that he was even remotely worthy of Elizabeth's love were she ever to bestow it, this was the time and occasion to do it.

Finally, then, when all the explaining was done, he said, "First, let us all go upstairs and break the news to Mr. Bennet together. It will affect him deeply, but he does not deserve to be kept in the dark about his own daughter. Then, I suggest that Mr. Gardiner and I make preparations to depart for London immediately. I think I may know how to find them. In fact, I know I do!"

Chapter 21

Posted on Thursday, 19 October 2006

Mr. Bennet couldn't help but resent their intrusion, if only a little bit. Time seemed so precious to him these days. Ever since he had heard of Lizzy's accident every minute took on new meaning. Every moment with her was especially treasured and valued. As much as he could, he tried to spend every waking moment sitting beside her, holding her hand, remembering all the joy she had brought him over the course of her life, and pleading with her and with God that her life would not be cut so terribly short. He was trying hard not to give in to despair, but the longer she stayed inside herself the more difficult it became to remain optimistic.

Mr. Bennet was slightly pessimistic by nature as it was, so that made it even more difficult. He had just been reminiscing in his mind about the last time he had seen Lizzy awake, the day she had left for Derbyshire with the Gardiners. As was their custom whenever she was to leave on a trip, he kissed her hand and she kissed the top of his balding head as he sat in his library. He sent her off on holiday again, as he had done many times before, telling her how much he would miss her and reminding her not to add any extra days onto her trip without considering how he would be suffering in her absence. It was customary yet meaningful banter between father and daughter, and Mr. Bennet was trying to hold on to the hope that he would get the opportunity to have such conversations with her again in the future.

Thus, the interruption by the Gardiners and Mr. Darcy could not help but seem a bit intrusive on his solitary moments with Lizzy. He let out a sigh at the nuisance, but they seemed determined to speak to him. He knew that his brother and sister had been concerned about his stamina, and the distress on their faces communicated to him that they had come to try to force him into getting some rest. He also knew that he could barely sleep during the night, so attempting to sleep during the day seemed completely worthless. Trying to head off their request, he began the conversation first by saying,

"Have you come to try to convince the 'old man' to go lie in bed with his eyes wide open as the sun streams through the crack in the curtains? Since it has worked so well after my arrival, perhaps you will be able to convince me, but I doubt it, so you can spare your energy by not attempting to persuade me into something so pointless."

The three who had entered all stopped and looked at each other for a few moments, and Mr. Bennet thought that his attempt had been successful, so he turned back to Lizzy and left them to let themselves back out the same way they had come in.

But Mrs. Gardiner got his attention by saying, "Brother, we have just received an express from Jane with some most disturbing news."

Mr. Bennet had reached his limit on bad news in the last couple of days, so he had to respond with sarcasm (his best defense mechanism). So, he dryly replied, "Let me guess. Jane has finally lost all her patience and strangled her hysterical mother and now she needs our help to run from the law."

But even while he spoke, he somehow got the feeling that whatever was contained in that letter would not be a joking matter. Mrs. Gardiner chose to ignore his attempt at lightening up the situation, and merely responded, "There is no easy way to break this news, so I will just let you read the letter for yourself. It is about Lydia."

Mr. Gardiner crossed to him and handed him the letter, and he got a peculiar sense of de’ja vu.

Another letter, another mystery, another report on one of his daughters…

He never finished the entire letter. Once he read the report from Colonel Forster, the news about the situation his youngest daughter now found herself in, he couldn't go any further.

The news of Lizzy's accident had been a shock of grief; the news of Lydia running off with Wickham was just a shock, pure and simple. He couldn't speak, he couldn't laugh it off, he couldn't ignore it. He just stared. Stared at the three who had come to try to break it to him gently.

Suddenly, his focus came to rest on Mr. Darcy. What was he doing there? Did he know what was in the letter? Had he somehow found out this most unpleasant piece of family business? The silence was strained and uncomfortable, and finally Mr. Gardiner said to Mr. Bennet, "Do not worry, brother, we will find her. Mr. Darcy and I will be preparing to leave for London immediately."

Now Mr. Bennet really focused his attention on Mr. Darcy with the most inquisitive of looks. So, he did know. But why would he be going to London? Why would he be going off to pursue Lydia and Wickham? What stake did he have in the situation? Lydia, unfortunately, was his daughter, his responsibility. He should be going to London, not Mr. Darcy. But then he thought about Lizzy, whose hand he was still clasping in his as he sat by the bed. He didn't want to leave her, in fact he couldn't imagine leaving her in this condition. What if she woke up and he wasn't there for her? Even worse, what if she passed on and he wasn't there to get to say goodbye? Still, he had to know why. Why was Mr. Darcy going to London? Was it out of pity? Mr. Darcy sensed all of Mr. Bennet's questions, saw them in his eyes, and had prepared himself for them.

Darcy responded to the unspoken questions (since Mr. Bennet had still not been able to speak) by saying, "We thought this way would be best, sir, for many reasons. First, you most likely do not want to leave Miss Bennet in her present condition."

He had to pause here for just a few seconds, to let his eyes rest on her, to try to strengthen himself since Darcy did not want to leave her in her present condition either. But he would make the sacrifice, so he continued, "Second, I have experience with Mr. Wickham that may produce some helpful leads on their whereabouts. And finally, it is most important for me to insist on helping. I cannot help but feel some sense of responsibility for the situation in which your youngest daughter finds herself."

He had not shared this information with Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner before setting off to find Mr. Bennet, and they both turned to look at him now with the same inquisitive look on Mr. Bennet's face. He took a deep breath and started again,

"My experience with Mr. Wickham includes a situation very similar to this one involving my younger sister, Georgianna. I have tried to keep Mr. Wickham's infamous behavior concealed for her sake, but it was mostly due to my mistaken pride and reserve. Had I not felt it beneath me to lay my private actions open to the world Mr. Wickham would have been exposed and this elopement could never have taken place. Therefore, I must insist on lending my assistance in the recovery of your daughter, sir."

None of them had any idea just how far his assistance would go, and he decided to keep that plan to himself for the time being. While the Gardiners and Mr. Bennet attempted to process his revelation, Darcy let his gaze rest on her once again. The intensity of his feelings for her washed over him afresh and shone through in his eyes. There were so many things he wanted to say to her before he left, so many possibilities for what could happen to her in his absence.

I wanted to reassure you, Elizabeth – my love -- that I will do everything in my power to make sure that Wickham will not destroy your family's reputation. I promise you this!

Darcy wanted to plead with her to continue to hang on and not depart from him while he had to be away from her. At the same time, he wanted to urge her not to make a miraculous recovery and try to leave for Longbourn while he was gone (he knew her stubborn streak and could see her attempting this). He wanted to tell her how much he had already grown in his respect of her relatives, which he knew would please her. Most of all, he wanted to tell her over and over again how much he loved her, that she was the reason, the motivation, the driving force behind all his actions and thoughts and words. He honestly didn't know if he would have sought to restore Lydia merely for her own sake, or for the sake of the rest of the Bennets. It was for her. It was almost entirely for her. His eyes lingered, his gaze long and so intense that it seemed he was trying to pierce through to her very soul. The silence had descended again, but the look was not lost on the Gardiners, who glanced at each other and reconfirmed in an instant what they had already determined.

The look was not lost on Mr. Bennet either, and a new mystery crystallized in his brain: how much does my second daughter -- Lizzy -- have to do with Mr. Darcy's desire to discover my youngest daughter?

Mr. Gardiner finally brought them all back to the urgent business at hand, saying, "Mr. Darcy, we really should be making our preparations to depart at once. Colonel Forster will be waiting for us in London, and time is of the utmost importance. Brother, Mrs. Gardiner will stay here with you, and we will communicate with you at once as soon as we have news of Lydia."

Mr. Bennet still could not speak, so he just nodded his approval of the plan. He rose from his seat so he could go help his brother pack and discuss options for what to do once Lydia was discovered. The Gardiners and Mr. Bennet headed for the door, and Mr. Darcy called out to Mr. Gardiner, "I should be ready to depart in half an hour, sir. Will that be acceptable to you?"

Mr. Gardiner turned back while the others went into the hallway, and said, "Yes, that will be perfect. Mr. Darcy, do not take too much of the responsibility for this affair upon yourself." And with eyes full of meaning, he added, "Lizzy would not want that."

With that, Darcy suddenly found himself alone with her. He knew that time was short, and he had to call for the carriage and send word ahead to the staff at his house in London that he was on his way. But how could he resist this opportunity to speak to her, to touch her, to try to fill himself with as much of her as he could before he had to be away from her for God only knew how long? He crossed to her quickly, clasped her hand in one of his, gently stroked his fingers over her skin, smoothed back her beautiful curls from her forehead, and slowly raised her hand to his lips for one small kiss.

He closed his eyes and listened to her breathing, trying to fill all his senses with her while he could. Finally, he looked down at her and said, his voice faltering slightly,

"Please hang on, my beloved Elizabeth. I have to leave you now, but I will come back as soon as I can. Do not worry about anything, I will make sure that things are made right. You will find nothing to reproach in me this time, my love. You will be in the front of my thoughts at every moment. Keep fighting until I return."

He let her presence strengthen his resolve to prepare him for the battle, then he straightened his posture and strode determinedly for the door. He would face anything for her, anything. He would even face the man he loathed more than any other on this earth.

Chapter 22

He had been there again, she knew it. He had been at the top of the pit again, urging her on, giving her the strength and encouragement she needed to make it to the top. She still couldn't get a clear view of his face, but she sensed deep inside herself that she knew him. It was as if she had always known him, so confident did she feel in his assurances that she would make it. She believed it now, even though she was still so very tired and weak. She could see the top, she was almost there. Lizzy was pulling herself out of the pit. She couldn't wait until she pulled herself up over that final edge and could gaze triumphantly into the eyes of her reward. It was that promise whispered inside her own mind, that he would be worth it, that had kept her digging and prying and clawing and climbing this long. And this last visit from him, she knew, would give her that final burst of energy she would need to go the rest of the way. She couldn't wait to see him, whoever he was. Whether she had to walk or crawl, she would get to him, and she would begin to live out that promise.

Darcy couldn't have conceived when he left Pemberley that he could have been any more miserable than he already was. But life, it seemed, was willing to show Darcy much more misery before things would begin to turn in his favor. First and foremost, his turmoil over leaving Elizabeth seemed to increase exponentially with every mile the carriage put between them. His body positively ached with worry and apprehension and love. He had to fight every moment to keep from banging his cane against the wall of the carriage with all his might, having his man bring the horses screeching to a halt and flying back to her side.

There was, of course, nothing in the task ahead of him that excited his anticipation either. He remembered along his journey with Mr. Gardiner all of his initial impressions of Lydia Bennet from the time he had spent in Hertfordshire. Even his overwhelming love for Elizabeth could not cause him to look at her younger sister with anything but a critical eye. He already had experience in dwelling on all of Wickham's bad qualities, and he now had even more to add to that list.

However, all his musings still kept coming back to just one person: himself. He had inflicted harm on his beloved and her family, left Lydia vulnerable to the wiles of Mr. Wickham, allowed her to fall into the same trap that his own sister had barely escaped from. And it was all because of the faults in his own character. It was his desire to keep his private actions concealed and keep himself elevated above all those around him that had led to these fateful events.

Even if he and Elizabeth could never be together, he had to make amends for the wrong he had helped cause. But first, before he started looking for Lydia and Mr. Wickham's hiding place in London, he had to focus his attentions on another attempt at making amends. Darcy had insisted upon their arrival in London that Mr. Gardiner stay with him as his guest. In fact, having Mr. Gardiner along had so far provided the only kind of pleasure the journey had afforded. To his surprise, Mr. Darcy found himself able to easily converse with the older gentleman, and truly found him to be a gentleman in every respect. He was a man of sense, good judgment, and obviously cared a great deal for his family. Darcy counted himself very fortunate to have such a companion for the task at hand, and was all the more fortunate since Mr. Gardiner was a relative of Elizabeth's.

Upon their arrival, Darcy had left Mr. Gardiner in the hands of his capable London household staff to get some much needed rest before they headed out on the search. Darcy had not set out on that task without Mr. Gardiner; indeed, he now found himself in a completely different part of town from the one in which he expected to find Mr. Wickham. He had to take a chance; it was time for a confession.

As he strode to the door of Mr. Bingley's residence on Grosvenor Street, he took a deep breath and hoped that his friend would still be his friend when this visit had concluded. Bingley's man, Perkins, who opened the door recognized Mr. Darcy immediately, and tried not to show his surprise at this unexpected visit. Darcy inquired after Bingley, and found the situation to be exactly as he had hoped. Bingley was at home alone, as Mr. and Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley had gone out to the theatre that night. Bingley had some business to attend to that had kept him from joining them, and Darcy blessed his first bit of good fortune in quite a few days.

He had wanted to avoid Miss Bingley at all costs. He knew that his express, hastily worded and rushed off to Bingley after Elizabeth's accident, would not have sat well with Caroline Bingley, who was always anxious to spend as much time at Pemberley as possible. As such, his message had purposely been cryptic, stating simply that a matter of great urgency had come up and that he needed time for things to right themselves before they came for their visit. Now, Darcy could explain the real reason for the delay in person, and only to his friend. He only hoped that when all was explained and revealed, Bingley's generous and forgiving nature would come through.

Perkins led Darcy to the library where Bingley had ensconced himself for the evening, knocked on the simple but elegantly paneled wood door, opened it, and announced in his deep voice, "Mr. Darcy, sir."

Bingley's surprise, unlike Perkins', registered clearly on his face, but it was quickly replaced by delight at the unexpected pleasure of seeing his friend. He practically leapt up from his large armchair, crossed the room in long, swift strides, reached out to warmly clasp his friend's hand, and smilingly said,

"My word, Darcy, it's good to see you again. But I expected our next meeting to be at Pemberley, not in London. What brings you here?"

Darcy couldn't help but smile back at his friend's enthusiasm, even though he knew that he did not bring a great amount of good tidings, saying, "I will tell you everything about what has brought me here, Bingley. Let us sit, for this may take a while."

Bingley looked puzzled, but replied, "Of course. Would you like a drink, man, or any other refreshment?"

Darcy simply gestured to the armchair that Bingley had just vacated and went to sit in the matching one directly across from it. He took a deep breath and began,

"I have come here to ask a favor of you, one which I hope you will find pleasure in doing. To do it, I will need to give you some important information, which will hopefully give you sufficient background. I will also have to reveal something which might rightfully make you hate me, but I cannot go any longer without saying it."

Bingley immediately began to protest to the idea that he could hate his old friend for any reason, saying, "What's all this, Darcy? How could I ever hate you? And what is this favor? You know I would do anything to help you if I could. Tell me the situation and I will assist you in any way I can."

Darcy replied, "First, let me explain my express from a few days past. When I was riding back to Pemberley to consult with my steward, I saw a woman take a terrible fall on the peaks." He paused, chilled by the memory of what happened next. "I immediately rode to her to see if I could be of any assistance. It turns out that she was no stranger. It was Elizabeth Bennet."

Bingley seemed as struck by the news as almost everyone else had been. His mind flew to Miss Elizabeth Bennet and how much he had enjoyed getting to know her in Hertfordshire. Then, naturally, his thoughts went to Jane, and his heart clenched with the overwhelming sympathy he felt for what she must be suffering.

He finally managed to speak, and quickly shot out a barrage of questions. "This is terrible! How is she? Did she say anything? Does her family know? What is her condition? Why was she in Derbyshire? And where is she recovering?"

Darcy continued, "I took her to Pemberley, and there she has remained since the accident. She was touring Derbyshire with her aunt and uncle, the Gardiners, who have also been at Pemberley since the accident. Her condition has not changed for the better or for the worse since her arrival at Pemberley. Her only real injury is to her head, and she has remained unconscious. Her father and Mrs. Gardiner are still with her at Pemberley, which brings me to why Mr. Gardiner and I are here. You remember, of course, the history of Mr. Wickham, his connection with my family, and his behavior towards Georgianna."

Mr. Bingley nodded, and Darcy took another fortifying breath to continue, "Apparently, Miss Lydia Bennet, the youngest of the Bennets, was in Brighton on holiday as a guest of the wife of the colonel of the regiment. Mr. Wickham's debts had caught up with him again, and he needed to get away. He managed to persuade Miss Lydia to go with him, and now they are somewhere in London together. We have every reason to believe that they are not married and that Wickham has no intention of ever marrying her."

The look of shock seemed now to have permanently plastered itself across Bingley's features. He wondered aloud, "How much trouble can possibly fall on one family at once?"

Darcy wished he had an answer to that, but since he did not, nor would he ever know, he simply chose to get it all out at once. "Mr. Gardiner and I are here to see if we can discover them and get them married as quickly as possible. Mr. Bennet would have come, of course, but he did not want to leave Miss Elizabeth in her condition."

Bingley couldn't wait any longer. He had to know how he was to help the Bennets. "What part am I to play, Darcy? Do you wish me to assist in the search? Just tell me what is required of me and I will set to it at once!" He seemed ready to spring out of the chair at that very moment and go to the edge of the world if necessary.

This was going to be the hard part, Darcy knew. But, it had to be done. "Before I tell you what I want you to do, I need to make that confession I told you about before. You remember the conversation we had after you journeyed to London in the winter, about Miss Bennet?"

A look of sadness crossed Bingley's features and was gone in a second, but Darcy caught it.

Damn, this was getting more difficult by the second. Keep on, man. This is for the best.

"I believed her to be indifferent to you. Now, I am not so sure that I was right. But at the time, I was convinced that I was protecting you from a grave mistake. But I took my protection too far, I fear. Miss Bennet was in London for three months during the winter, visiting Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. She even came to call on your sisters. I purposely concealed her presence from you. I did not want to you to revive your regard for her, and I did not want her to get the chance to show any regard for you. I am not sure how she feels about you, Bingley, but I do not believe her to be indifferent. I hope that you can forgive me for my interference. I have realized the error of my actions, but I would understand if you hated me for it. You would be completely justified."

Bingley did spring up from his chair at this, and began to pace in front of the large, marble fireplace in the library. But he didn't say anything. Not a word. This worried Darcy immensely. He had prepared himself for shouting, cursing, a violent verbal or even physical outburst. He would have expected it, even welcomed it in comparison to this silence. He was ready to beg his friend to say something, anything, to get a glimpse into his thoughts, but he also did not want to pressure him to speak before he was ready.

Bingley finally stopped pacing, but turned his back to Darcy and was holding onto the mantle above the fireplace with both hands. Without turning around, he said, "Be honest. How do you think she feels about me?"

This was not what Darcy had expected at all. He tried to gather his thoughts as best he could, remembering what Elizabeth had told him in Kent. He could only manage, "I think that is something you will have to go find out for yourself. But I have a feeling that if you renewed your attentions to her, she would be receptive to them."

Bingley finally turned around, faced Darcy, and said, "So you are telling me that she was in London, all those months, and you concealed it from me?"

He had said it with a great deal of control, but Darcy could tell he was angry. So he simply said, "Any justification I can offer is sorely lacking, I know. Overall, it was an arrogant presumption based on a failure to recognize your true feelings, and possibly Miss Bennet's as well. I should never have interfered. It was very wrong of me, Bingley, and I apologize again."

Bingley still seemed as though he was trying to grasp all he had heard. He only said, "So you admit that you were in the wrong?"

Darcy replied, "Utterly and completely."

Bingley had never heard his friend say that he was wrong, about anything. His anger was gradually being replaced by excitement.

Jane Bennet might not be indifferent to me, after all! She might even welcome my addresses! But how can I renew my attentions to her if she is in Hertfordshire and I am in London?

Then, suddenly Bingley remembered everything else that had been revealed in this most extraordinary conversation, and he said, "The favor...," his voice trailing off as he began to form an idea of what Darcy might require of him.

Darcy seized on the opportunity to make his repentance complete, saying, "Yes, the favor. Miss Bennet was the one who wrote to us at Pemberley about Miss Lydia's elopement with Wickham. She is at Longbourn right now essentially by herself. Apparently, she has had to almost completely take over the household in her father's absence and has had to care for her mother, her other sisters, the Gardiner children, and all the household staff. She is most likely extremely worried for her sister's health, not to mention the situation with Miss Lydia.

Darcy hesitated only a moment to glance at Bingley's countenance to see how he was receiving all this information, "Charles, it is my belief that I think your reappearance in Hertfordshire at this time would be a great help to her, if you were to offer your assistance in some of the business matters and such. If you came to the aid of Miss Bennet and her family now, it would reconnect you and give you a chance to ascertain her feelings for you. So, it has been my ultimate intention in coming here tonight to suggest that you travel back to Netherfield with all haste and make yourself available as a helper to Miss Bennet in her time of need.

With a trembling voice, casting his eyes down trying to quickly gain control of his emotions, Darcy continued, "I have discovered in recent days, my friend, that time and love are precious in this life. If you have truly found someone you can love and spend your life with, you should do your utmost to make sure that you do not remain apart from that someone. So go to her, my friend, and see if fortune will smile on you."

Bingley did not hesitate to ask. "So I have your blessing?"

Darcy had to suppress a slight laugh at this question, and asked in return, "Do you need my blessing?"

Realization was continuing to dawn in Bingley, and he was already mentally preparing himself for his coming journey back into Hertfordshire. But he still wanted Darcy's final stamp of approval, so he said, "No. But I should like to know I have it all the same."

Darcy was so relieved. Bingley seemed to have gotten past his anger and was now completely focused on rekindling his relationship with Miss Bennet. Darcy again silently blessed the easy and forgiving nature of his friend, and was finally able to smile and say, "Then go to it. She needs you."

Darcy rose, shook his friend's hand, and left him to make plans for his journey into Hertfordshire. He showed himself out onto the street, feeling as though a large chunk of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. With the feeling, his thoughts immediately flew to Elizabeth, and as he walked the short distance to his own home, he said to himself,

Please, let this be one more reason for her to wake up.

Mrs. Gardiner was on her shift in Lizzy's room while Mr. Bennet again tried (though rather unsuccessfully) to get some sleep. The room was dim as the candlelight flickered in the summer night. She had a light hold of her niece's hand and was trying hard to focus her attention instead of staring off into space and possibly dozing off herself. The fluttering was at first so subtle that Mrs. Gardiner had to shake her head rapidly and look again to ensure that she hadn't imagined it.

Slowly, ever so slowly, it seemed as though the curtain that had enveloped Lizzy since her accident might finally be lifting. She almost seemed to squint, as if even the soft candlelight was too much for her eyes to handle yet. But she was waking up. She really was waking up! Mrs. Gardiner could barely contain her joy, and she grasped Elizabeth's hand more tightly and whispered as gently as she could in her excitement, "Lizzy! Lizzy, can you hear me? It's your Aunt Gardiner. Lizzy, wake up! Come on, dear, wake up, that's right."

Mrs. Gardiner did not want to leave her, but she knew she had to go get Mr. Bennet and the doctor right away. She rose up from her chair and was preparing to run down the hall so she could get right back, but she came up short. Lizzy was weakly tugging on her aunt's arm, and her parched lips seemed like they were trying to form words, her first words in many hours. Mrs. Gardiner stopped and leaned closer, since the sounds were so faint she almost had to put her ear all the way up to Lizzy's mouth. It took her a minute to make out what Lizzy was trying to say, not only because her voice was so faint but because she had still not completely come awake yet.

There were only three words, and they came out haltingly, but Mrs. Gardiner was sure she heard her niece say, "Where… is… he?" Mrs. Gardiner immediately replied, thinking Lizzy was talking about her father, "He is just next door, dear, don't worry, I will go tell your father immediately that you are asking for him."

But Lizzy tugged on her arm again, a bit more forcefully now. She still had not managed to completely open her eyes, but she said it again, "Where… is… he?"

Mrs. Gardiner could only stare at her niece, still not understanding who Lizzy was asking for. Then, the bolt struck, and Mrs. Gardiner spoke aloud without realizing, "It couldn't be… could it?"

Chapter 23

Posted on Sunday, 22 October 2006

Mr. Darcy and Mr. Gardiner got a very early start the next morning for many reasons. Time was of the essence, both because they wanted to find Lydia quickly and because they both wanted to get back to Pemberley as soon as possible. But they were aided by the fact that Mr. Darcy had a pretty good idea of where to begin, and they made fast progress towards their first goal: Mrs. Younge. Darcy knew that Mrs. Younge had opened a boarding house in London after her discharge from his employ, and he also knew that if Wickham was in trouble he would have most likely gone to her for assistance at some point. He and Mr. Gardiner managed to stop her before she slammed the door in their faces, and he paid her handsomely and threw in some threats until she finally divulged Mr. Wickham's whereabouts.

By that time, it was getting on into the evening hours, but neither Mr. Darcy nor Mr. Gardiner was willing to stop when they were so close to their goal. Mr. Wickham had not been in Mrs. Younge's boarding house, unfortunately, but she had given them the address of the lodgings he was presently occupying with Miss Lydia Bennet. On their way to the address, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Gardiner decided that it would be best to separate Wickham and Lydia as soon as possible and converse with each of them alone. Mr. Gardiner would talk to Lydia since he was related to her, and Mr. Darcy would be left to try to talk to Wickham.

Darcy was dreading it but was also looking forward to it in some ways. He wished that he could just take Wickham to debtor's prison right on the spot, but that wouldn't solve the problem of the damage Lydia's reputation had already sustained. No, he had to get him to marry her, and he felt great empathy for the Bennet family for the relative they were going to have to gain through the marriage. The two men reached their destination, looked at each other with a look mingled with both resignation and anticipation as they knocked on the door.

The woman who ran the boarding house answered, Darcy held out a few coins for her, and asked if she would be so kind as to show them the room Mr. Wickham was occupying at present. The woman, who rarely had seen such impressive-looking gentlemen at her establishment and who was never one to turn away an offer of extra money, quickly reached for the coins and said in a heavy accent,

"Right this way, loves. The man and his young lady friend are in one of our upstairs rooms overlooking the street."

They were lead down narrow hallways and up a flight of stairs that looked like it might collapse under them at any moment. Finally, the woman gestured to a door to her left, and said, "Here we are, loves. Can I do anything else for ye this fine evening?"

Darcy smiled just enough to be polite and said, "No, thank you for your assistance. We are not to be disturbed."

With that, the woman left them the way they had come, and Darcy and Mr. Gardiner exchanged the same look they had at the front door, not knowing what they would find when they lifted their hands to knock.

Darcy shrugged as if to say, "Here we go," and pounded on the door.

They heard footsteps and the slightly muffled sound of a female voice in the room, but it was Wickham who first came into view when the door opened. He immediately let go of the door and took several steps backwards when he saw who was on the other side of it, but he quickly recovered himself and tried to speak with as much ease and charm as he could muster.

"Why Darcy, what a surprise. What brings you to London at this time of the year, and with a stranger no less?"

Lydia just stood by the bed looking aghast at the appearance of not only her uncle, but Mr. Darcy of all people! Then, as was her tendency, she began to laugh, a silly bubbly laugh that showed her complete lack of sense about the situation she found herself in. Mr. Gardiner stepped forward towards his niece and said, "Lydia, calm yourself and come with me. Now. We will go downstairs and talk for a while, while Mr. Darcy talks with Mr. Wickham."

Lydia protested at once, "I cannot. I cannot leave my dear Wickham."

But Mr. Gardiner had already taken her by the arm and was leading her out of the room, saying, "Don't worry, dear, you will have your whole life with him now."

Mr. Gardiner exchanged one more look with Mr. Darcy and left him to the task at hand: how to get Wickham to marry Lydia, since now their suspicions about their not being married had been completely confirmed. The door closed, and Darcy began at once, without much tact, simply stating, "You will marry her, Wickham, make no mistake about it."

Wickham laughed now, saying, "Marry her? You must be joking, Darcy. She is amusing enough for a temporary companion, but she has begun to grate on me somewhat. I don't want to marry a girl who cannot help me financially, either."

Darcy could feel his anger bubbling up inside him, but he controlled it enough to reply, "You have no choice. You will not impose yourself on the Bennets any longer than you already have. You will do the honorable thing and you will marry her. I will not allow Miss Lydia's other sisters to suffer because she was so unfortunate as to fall under your power."

Here, Wickham's bravado led him into the gravest of mistakes. He laughed again and said, "Ah yes, the other sisters. I seem to remember that Miss Elizabeth was very fond of me, probably still is. How unfortunate that she was not in Brighton, otherwise I surely could have persuaded her to join me on my journey, and I'm sure it would have been a vast deal more agreeable than my present company. Lydia is always lively enough, but not quite in the same way as Elizabeth. Ah yes, her company would be vastly agreeable."

Those were the last phrases Wickham would utter for quite some time, and he spun backwards and fell to the floor as Darcy's fist connected soundly with his face.

Mr. Gardiner was a patient man. At least, he liked to think he was. Whenever he had to deal with a sticky situation with his own children, he tried to approach it logically but firmly, with plenty of compassion and patience. He also realized, however, how much he relied on his wife to help back him up and balance him out in those situations. Soon after removing his niece from the presence of Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy, he was silently longing for his wife's presence. His patience was not likely to last long with Lydia, nor did he have much faith that a logical approach would work with a girl who clearly lived in ignorance of the seriousness of her situation.

After he got Lydia seated downstairs, at first he simply wanted to put together some of the details of the journey she and Wickham had taken since they left Brighton. Through his questioning, Lydia told him the story with all the excitement and verve she would have used to talk about the latest gossip from Meryton or her dance partners at the assembly rooms. There was nothing of remorse, contrition, sadness or grief about the trouble she had caused or the reputation she had ruined; indeed, Mr. Gardiner wondered if his niece had ever felt sorry for anything she had done in her entire life.

Mr. Gardiner did his best to try to communicate to his niece the impropriety of her situation, but it was no use. Not only would she never acknowledge any error in judgment, but he soon discovered that she absolutely refused to leave Wickham for any length of time. Mr. Gardiner tried insisting that she must come to Gracechurch Street with him and Wickham must remain in the boarding house until they could be married, but Lydia saw no reason why she should be separated from her "dear Wickham."

He alternately felt like he wanted to bang his head against a wall and that he wanted to bang Lydia's head against a wall. He wondered if Mr. Darcy was having any better luck with Mr. Wickham, but seriously doubted it. Finally, he had to tell Lydia that both she and Mr. Wickham would be going to Gracechurch Street until the wedding, and Lydia seemed to be satisfied. What she didn't realize was that between Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Darcy and all the plans that had to be made to get the wedding done quickly, they would be kept apart as much as possible until they were actually standing in front of the minister.

Mr. Gardiner sighed as he wondered how much money it would cost to bring the marriage about, since he knew it would primarily be coming out of his pocket. That thought quickly made him realize that he should really be the one upstairs with Mr. Wickham since the negotiations for the financial settlement should begin in earnest as soon as possible. He was also extremely tired after a long day of searching and he didn't know how much longer he could tolerate his niece's company on his own. He told Lydia that she needed to make preparations to leave, so they made their way back upstairs to the room she had been sharing with Wickham.

Whereas Mr. Gardiner would have knocked, Lydia seemed to feel no need to knock on the door to her own room, so she pushed her way forward. Mr. Gardiner's patience may have been wearing thin, but his astuteness was ever-present. He was able to make a quick assessment of the situation in the small room. Lydia seemed oblivious to the tension she had walked into, but Mr. Gardiner felt it wrap around him like a thick London fog. He also took note of the condition of Mr. Wickham's face, which Mr. Gardiner felt certain must have come into contact with Mr. Darcy's fist. Although Mr. Gardiner generally opposed violence, he couldn't bring himself to condemn Mr. Darcy's actions in this case. Not only did Wickham's conduct merit severe punishment, Mr. Gardiner also felt himself increasing in his alliance to the man he believed was in love with his favorite niece.

Mr. Darcy turned and voiced Mr. Gardiner's next thought, "It is time for us all to get out of here. Now."

Mr. Wickham seemed to have no more fight left in his body, and Lydia was already buzzing around getting her things together. Mr. Darcy and Mr. Gardiner met in a corner of the room to have a brief conversation to assess the situation and make their next plans. Mr. Gardiner began by saying, "Lydia refused to leave unless I assured her that she and Mr. Wickham could stay together. I think they should both be taken to my home in Gracechurch Street, since having Mr. Wickham stay under your roof would not be agreeable to any party involved. I also need to begin negotiations with Mr. Wickham immediately to come to terms on the necessary financial settlement."

Mr. Darcy simply responded, "The financial settlement has already been reached."

Mr. Gardiner gave Mr. Darcy a quizzical look and said, "What do you mean? So quickly? How did you make a financial settlement without knowing how much money I was willing to give?"

Mr. Darcy looked deadly serious and left no room for argument when he replied, "Because it will not be your money, sir. It will be my money."

Mr. Bingley couldn't seem to get anything to move quickly enough in his preparations to return to Hertfordshire. It seemed that his servants were moving at a snail's pace, and he knew that things were not going to be ready in time at Netherfield. This, of course, was only Mr. Bingley's perception of things. His servants seemed to sense the urgency in their master, and they were doing everything they could to respond to his suddenly demanding nature. In truth, even if the servants had been moving at the speed of light it wouldn't have seemed that way to Mr. Bingley. He wanted to be gone, immediately if not sooner. Since Mr. Darcy's unexpected and very illuminating visit, he had thrown all his plans out the window and focused all his energies on getting himself back to Hertfordshire, back to his angel. She needed help. She needed him. She might perhaps even be persuaded to... but he didn't want to get his hopes up. Even Mr. Darcy was not completely assured of her feelings for him.

Mr. Bingley planned to make himself useful to the family at Longbourn in any way he could, at the same time patiently watching to try to ascertain her feelings for him. But after so many months of believing she didn't care for him at all, it was doubtful that Mr. Bingley could stay in her presence for even a few minutes without blurting out everything he was feeling. He didn't even know if he had enough patience to stop at Netherfield before going to Longbourn. He might just stop there first. In fact, he might even decide to ride ahead of all his possessions just so he could get there sooner. The more Bingley thought about that particular plan, the more he liked it. He would be there hours sooner if he didn't wait for the packing to be completed, so he grabbed the first servant he saw rushing past him and said,

"Have my horse prepared at once. Quick, man!"

Then he took the stairs to his bedchamber two at a time to change into his riding clothes, penned a quick note to leave for Caroline and Louisa, dashed back down the stairs and out the front door, still giving last-minute instructions to the servants on his way to his waiting horse. Waiting until the next morning wasn't even a possibility. Mr. Bingley was off again to try to win the affections of the woman who had captured his heart all those months ago.

There were so many things Lizzy didn't understand. She had returned to a world that she didn't recognize, and she couldn't remember how she had come to be there. She saw her father and her aunt, but they were all that was familiar. The only other things she knew for certain was that her head hurt like the very devil and that she had called out for a man whose identity she didn't know and who wasn't even there. Her body had been racked with nausea and sometimes the pain was so intense she couldn't even open her eyes all the way.

She had met Dr. Shelton briefly, and she had heard something about being out of danger but having a very slow recovery ahead of her. Her aunt had gone off to send letters to everyone letting them know that she was finally awake, so she was alone with her father. He seemed much older than he had the last time she had seen him... when was that again? Oh yes, when she had left Longbourn to go on holiday with the Gardiners. Lizzy's last memory that she could trace was touring the great estate of Chatsworth with her aunt and uncle.

Now, somehow, she had ended up here with her aunt and her father, with no sign of her uncle and a pain more intense than any she had ever experienced. To make things worse, she didn't even know where "here" was. She was in a strange bed in a strange room with strange servants running in and out almost every minute. She couldn't tell what the view was out the windows but she was sure she wouldn't recognize it, either.

Even though it hurt her head tremendously to even think about all her questions, she had to try to get some answers from her father. He was holding her hand, just as her aunt had done, as if they were all afraid she would slip away from them if they let go of her for a split second. She was surprised her father could hear her at all when she began to speak. Her voice sounded to her ears like the whisper of wind through a reed. She hated all this weakness and wanted it to end, but she was still so very tired. Her curiosity could not wait, however, she had to at least know where she was and how she had gotten there and where the horrible pain had come from.

Her first question to her father, with her eyes only half open to try to fight off the pain, was, "What happened to me, Papa?"

Mr. Bennet seemed surprised by her question, and responded, "Do you not remember anything of the accident, my child?"

Lizzy tried to search her memory for anything resembling an accident, but she couldn't find anything of the sort in her mental inventory.

"No, the last thing I remember before waking up and seeing my aunt was touring Chatsworth with her and my uncle in Derbyshire. Are we still in Derbyshire?"

Mr. Bennet was concerned about his daughter's lack of memory of the accident, but at the same time he was slightly relieved that she couldn't recall something so traumatic. So he tried to make his explanation as brief as possible, saying,

"Apparently, you and the Gardiners had stopped your carriage to take a walk on the peaks. You made it all the way up to the top, but you took a false step and had a very bad fall. That was almost four days ago. Your only major injury was your head."

"Major" seemed like the understatement of all time to Lizzy, but she kept that observation to herself at the moment, not wanting to worry her father. Four days? She had been unconscious for four days? She pushed that thought aside for the moment and asked, "So the Gardiners brought me here, wherever here is?"

Mr. Bennet knew his daughter would be exceedingly surprised to discover that she was recuperating in Mr. Darcy's bed, but he thought it best to get that revelation out of the way as soon as possible, so he continued with the rest of the story.

"No, actually Mr. Darcy just happened to be riding by when you fell, and it was he who brought you here while your aunt and uncle fetched Dr. Shelton from Lambton."

If her father told her she had sprouted a third leg, she couldn't have been more surprised. She cried out with more force than she thought she possessed,

"Mr. Darcy brought me here? So where are we?"

As soon as she had spoken, she had a feeling she already knew the answer, but it seemed too unbelievable to be true, so she just breathed out,

"Oh, no. It can't be. Papa, are we at Pemberley?"

Now that his fear of losing his daughter was receding somewhat, Mr. Bennet could once again take some pleasure in watching her reaction to learning all the details of her present circumstances. So he said with mock solemnity,

"My dear, you not only find yourself at Pemberley, the seat of the honorable gentleman Mr. Darcy, but you find yourself in his very own bedchamber."

Lizzy was not a fainter by nature, it was a weakness she would never allow herself. But if there had ever been occasion to faint, this would have been it.

I am in his bed! The very man I had so ungraciously refused had taken me into his home and given up his own bed for me during my illness! I cannot believe this? Even more so especially because I have not seen nor heard any evidence of his presence since I woke up.

She tried denial first, saying, "No, Papa, you are joking. If we are at Pemberley, then where is our host? If Mr. Darcy brought me here, then why isn't he here? And speaking of those who are not here, where is my uncle? He was with me before this accident you speak of, and I have not seen him either. Your explanation is seriously lacking, Papa."

Mr. Bennet had hoped to avoid the subject of Lydia's elopement for as long as possible, at least until Lizzy was a little stronger, but it seemed that all his daughter's stubborn persistence was as strong as ever. He sighed and said,

"I am in earnest, Elizabeth. Something else has happened in our family in the last four days besides your illness, and it can easily account for the absence of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Gardiner. They are in London at present, trying to ascertain the whereabouts of your youngest sister."

The hits just kept on coming. Lizzy said, "Lydia? What has happened to Lydia? I thought she was still at Brighton. Why are they looking for her in London?"

Mr. Bennet knew he couldn't make this any easier, so he said, "Your sister left Brighton and ran off to London with Mr. Wickham. They have been living together there and apparently are not married. Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Darcy have gone to try to discover them and if they are not married to get them married as soon as possible."

Lizzy felt the tears begin to well up in her eyes and roll unchecked down her cheeks. Lydia had eloped with Mr. Wickham!

Anxiously she thought, "I could have prevented it by informing everyone of his true character."

Elizabeth felt all the guilt and the loss of her sister's reputation most acutely. But at the same time, she still couldn't believe what she was hearing about Mr. Darcy.

Why had he gone to London to try to retrieve her sister? Why had he purposely put himself in the path of Mr. Wickham after all that man had done to him and his family?

It was too much, too soon. She couldn't process it all, and thankfully at that moment Dr. Shelton arrived with some laudanum to ease her pain and allow her to get some rest. As she drifted off into her drug-induced slumber, her mind was filled with thoughts of Mr. Darcy. Through the haze, one thought in particular pierced through, and it was a question that would torture her through the remainder of the night and into her waking hours as well:

"Is he the man I have been calling out for…?"

Chapter 24

The letter from Pemberley arrived two days after Darcy lost his temper with Wickham and laid him flat on the floor. Mr. Darcy had once again traveled to the Gardiner's home on Gracechurch Street, continuing the negotiations with Wickham and with Mr. Gardiner to try to get Lydia's wedding done as soon as possible. Even though Mr. Gardiner had a difficult time understanding the stubbornness of Darcy -- the resolve with which he insisted upon bearing the entirety of the expense for the marriage -- the two men had found strong allies in each other. They had bonded over their desire to return to Pemberley, their worry for Lizzy, their impatience to get Wickham and Lydia married, and their general disgust over the attitudes and actions of the two young people they were attempting to save.

Mr. Darcy had been absolutely unflinching in his demands; he had taken on nearly every detail in the planning of the wedding and had insisted that all the necessary funding come out of his own pocket. Not only that, but he also insisted that Mr. Gardiner not reveal the extent of his financial involvement to anyone. Here Mr. Gardiner had to step in with a demand of his own, insisting that he had to be allowed to tell his wife. He refused to keep secret from her something that, at least by all appearances, would involve their family's finances. He assured Mr. Darcy that Mrs. Gardiner could be trusted to maintain the strictest confidence, and Mr. Darcy agreed that she could be informed as soon as they returned to Pemberley.

Mr. Gardiner continued his work in drawing up the legal paperwork for the marriage, and he also knew that the time had come to inform his brother-in-law about what was happening with his daughter. The desire to not burden Mr. Bennet too greatly when he was so distressed over Lizzy's condition was keen, but Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Darcy had worked out an acceptable plan to shield Mr. Bennet from knowledge of Darcy's involvement yet still let him bear some of the responsibility for the marriage of his youngest child.

The plan was more acceptable to Mr. Darcy than it was to Mr. Gardiner to be sure. Mr. Gardiner did not like the idea that he would be forced to put up with having all the credit of getting Lydia married and not actually having all that much to do with it, but once again the stubbornness of Mr. Darcy won out. He simply would not give way. He felt so much personal responsibility for Lydia's situation that he had to feel that he had done everything within his power and influence to make things right.

On this visit on this evening, Mr. Darcy had called in his own barrister Mr. Wiley to aid Mr. Gardiner in finishing up the exact wording of the financial settlement. As soon as they had received Mr. Bennet's reply to their letter, the wedding could go forward almost immediately. The men were extremely weary from their work of the last few days and with having to endure Lydia's excitement and Wickham's nonchalance about their coming nuptials.

All three men had their heads leaned over the documents that had their attention, and they were so intent on their work that the housekeeper had to knock more than once and eventually let herself in to deliver the letter that had just arrived for her master. She cleared her throat once, twice, and finally had to say,

"Excuse me, sir, my apologies for interrupting, sir, but this just arrived for you, sir."

All three men jumped as though a gun had gone off when the housekeeper spoke, but Mr. Darcy composed himself quickly and stepped forward to take the letter, saying,

"Thank you, Hollings. Do not trouble yourself, as it seems we were ready for an interruption."

The housekeeper flashed a brief smile at her wonderfully kind master, dropped a brief curtsey to the room and hurried back to her duties, closing the doors of the study behind her. Darcy saw to whom the letter was addressed and handed it immediately to Mr. Gardiner. As his gaze dropped to the letter he recognized the handwriting of his wife immediately, knew that she would not be writing unless she had some important news about Lizzy, and turned his suddenly concerned gaze to Mr. Darcy.

In the short time they had together during this trying situation, the two men had gotten extremely talented at reading each other's emotions recently, and Darcy felt his heart lurch and begin to race wildly in his chest at the emotions he saw in Mr. Gardiner's eyes. Darcy managed to get his vocal cords to function enough to say,

"Mr. Wiley, we will no longer require your services today. I think we will be able to take care of the rest. Thank you for your assistance, if you would please excuse us."

Mr. Wiley wasn't a slow man, and he didn't require much more of a hint than the clear dismissal he had just received, so he quietly gathered his things and exited the same way the housekeeper had a scant minute or two before. As soon as the door closed, Mr. Gardiner began without ceremony to open the seal on the letter, even though he had a slight bit of trouble, as his hands were slightly shaking.

Mr. Darcy did not even have to ask where the letter was from or what it was about; he had been waiting for such a letter ever since their arrival in London. The anticipation of it had been like an itch crawling under his skin, never letting him truly rest, never letting him feel any peace. How could he feel peace? He didn't know if his beloved would ever wake up; if he would ever get to see her beautiful smile, hear her darling laugh, watch the enchanting sparkle dance in her eyes. He didn't know if he would ever get to experience the ultimate joy of hearing her proclaim her love for him and that she would be by his side forever.

These thoughts alone were enough to send him into the most amazing daydreams, but the reality would come crashing in when he thought of that letter that might be coming at any moment and that it might carry the news he knew he could not bear. And now, the letter was here, staring him in the face, and he knew with certainty that the rest of his existence in this life would depend on the news that letter contained.

Mr. Gardiner finished with the seal and began to read its contents. It seemed like eons passed before he completed it, and it also seemed that this was to be one of the only times when Darcy would not be able to read Mr. Gardiner's emotions. His expression had remained even and calm; a poker face that would have served him well at White's. He finally looked up and said,

"I should go inform Lydia about her sister. Perhaps you would like to read the news for yourself, as I am sure my wife would not mind."

Mr. Gardiner passed the letter to Darcy and as he turned to leave him alone with it, a slow grin spread over his face. He thought to himself as he went to find Lydia, Indeed, I am sure my wife intended all along that you should read this joyous news for yourself.

If Mr. Gardiner's hands had been shaking when he first felt the letter between his fingers, Mr. Darcy's hands were positively trembling. He could barely hold on to the paper and didn't know if he could actually bring himself to read it. But Mr. Gardiner's expression and words had been so guarded he was absolutely going insane with wondering, so he forced his eyes to meet the words that flowed gracefully and evenly across the sheets of Pemberley stationary. Mrs. Gardiner's words read as follows:

My dear husband,

I hope your journey to London has given you all the results we have hoped for, but it seems cruel to keep you in suspense of the purpose behind this letter. Not very long after you and Mr. Darcy made for London, our dear Lizzy came back to us. I was present when she awakened, and at first I was concerned because she seemed a bit disoriented, asking for a man she was sure had been with her. It was not her father, however. Even Dr. Shelton remains uncertain about the cause of this, but he has assured us that she is recovering well. She remembers nothing of the accident, which the doctor assures us is perfectly normal, but praise be to our God that she remembers who she is and who we are. With time and plenty of rest, she should have no permanent damage and will be able to return to all her normal activities.

She has been forbidden to travel until Dr. Shelton has approved it, so it appears that she will have to remain at Pemberley for some weeks at least. However, I am sure you will agree that we have every cause to rejoice. I pray that this business with Lydia can be concluded soon so that you can return to us, my dear; send us word as soon as you have any news on that front.

Also, you may give Mr. Darcy every assurance that his staff continues to be wonderfully attentive to all our needs, which allows us to be available for Lizzy during her convalescence. Your return is eagerly awaited by all, and I remain forever yours, etc.

M. Gardiner

Darcy let the letter drop to the floor, sank into a chair, held his head in his hands, and allowed himself the release which his tears of joy provided.

The letter from London arrived a little more than two days after Darcy had lost his temper with Wickham and laid him flat on the floor. It seemed that the entire household at Pemberley had focused all their attention and energy on Lizzy's recovery. Mrs. Gardiner and Mr. Bennet helped her through her frequent bouts of nausea, even though Lizzy hated having anyone see her so weak. She still had not managed to get herself out of the bed, even though she would have leapt out of it if she had had the strength.

She tried to be as patient and gracious as possible with the Pemberley staff and with Dr. Shelton, knowing how fortunate she was that Mr. Darcy had opened his home to her and her relatives. Indeed, her ears were fairly ringing with the praise she heard of his kindness and service from her father and her aunt, and she hardly knew what to make of it. She had determined almost immediately that Dr. Shelton was NOT the man she had "seen" while she was struggling to wake up. She was positive within herself that whoever the man was, she would know it as soon as she saw him, and she experienced nothing out of the ordinary when the doctor entered her presence.

It wasn't one of the servants, either, even though Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Gardiner could both tell that every single member of the household who came into contact with Lizzy was impressed by her good nature, strength, and endurance. There were some whispers in the kitchen and stables about the possible connections between the charming young lady and their master, but Mrs. Reynolds would not allow even a hint of a rumor to be circulated amongst the staff.

Indeed, her admiration of the young woman known as "Miss Elizabeth" was greater than anyone else's on the staff. She came into contact with her more often than anyone, as her master had left her with strict instructions regarding the young lady's care should she awaken during his absence. Mrs. Reynolds knew her master had placed his trust in her that she would take on any responsibility necessary to ensure Miss Elizabeth's comfort and recovery. Mrs. Reynolds, as always, took her duties very seriously, and tried to treat Miss Elizabeth much as she would have treated Miss Georgianna in the same circumstances, with much gentleness and compassion.

Lizzy greatly appreciated all the efforts of the Pemberley servants on her behalf, especially those of Mrs. Reynolds, whom Lizzy had come to trust almost instantly. One of the servants had just delivered some of the fragrant summer blooms from the Pemberley gardens in an elaborate arrangement to help brighten up Lizzy's room, and Lizzy and her aunt had both been delighted by the color and vibrancy they added to their now familiar surroundings. As the servant curtsied and exited the room, Mr. Bennet entered while the door was open. His look carried a mixture of chagrin and bewilderment, and Lizzy and her aunt were instantly concerned. Lizzy pulled herself up slightly against the mountain of pillows behind her and said, "Papa, what is it?"

Her father walked around to where Mrs. Gardiner sat next to the bed and gave his daughter a kiss on top of her head before replying, "I have had a letter from your uncle from London."

Both women were instantly aware of the importance of such a letter, and Lizzy blurted out, "What news does it bring, good or bad?"

Mr. Bennet offered a slight smile and said, "What is there of good to be expected? Why don't you read it aloud, sister, as I hardly know what to make of it myself?"

Mrs. Gardiner knew that Mr. Bennet did not want to let Lizzy do anything she was not ready for, so she took the letter Mr. Bennet held out to her and began to read as Mr. Bennet began to pace:

My dear brother and wife,

I pray that all has gone well with Lizzy since our departure. I am pleased to be able to offer you news of my niece and Mr. Wickham. I have seen them both, and they are now both safely under my roof at Gracechurch Street. They are not married, nor can I find there was any intention of being so; but if you are willing to perform the engagements I have ventured to make on your side, I hope it will not be long before they are. All that is required of you is to assure your daughter her equal share of five thousand pounds she will inherit on your death and to allow her during your life one hundred pounds per annum.

You will easily comprehend from these particulars that Mr. Wickham's circumstances are not so hopeless as they are generally believed to be, and I am happy to say that there will be some little money, even when all his debts are discharged, to settle on my niece. There will not be the smallest occasion for your coming to town; therefore stay with Lizzy at Pemberley and depend upon Mr. Darcy and myself to be diligent and careful.

Send back your answer as soon as you can and be sure to write explicitly of the financial settlement. We have judged it best that my niece should be married from this house, of which I hope you will approve. It will all be finished as soon as the particulars are decided upon. I shall write again as soon as the details are cemented.

Yours, etc. Edw. Gardiner.

The letter had been interrupted occasionally during its reading with outbursts of questions, and the ladies were shocked at this new information. It had not seemed possible that Wickham would marry Lydia for so little, but then it became obvious that Mr. Gardiner was laying out a great deal of money to bring the marriage about. Mrs. Gardiner did not question his decision; indeed, she knew she would have approved of it instantly had she been there. She felt sorry for him and for Mr. Darcy that they had to deal with Lydia and Wickham on their own, and she was extremely sorry for the distress the whole situation was causing for Mr. Bennet and Lizzy.

Finally, Lizzy asked the key question, "Have you answered the letter, Papa?"

Mr. Bennet sighed and said, "No, but I must, and soon."

"Yes! You must respond immediately, there is not an instant to lose," Lizzy exclaimed.

Mrs. Gardiner agreed wholeheartedly, and volunteered to go send word to the family at Longbourn as well, since she was relatively sure her husband and Mr. Darcy had not thought of that. Perhaps, she thought, both of the letters she sent would arrive at about the same time. Lord knew that the residents of Longbourn, especially Jane, could do with some good news.

Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Gardiner both left to see to their tasks, and Lizzy was left alone to think again about all the effort Mr. Darcy seemed to be making on her behalf and that of her family.

What could have brought about this transformation? Did he just feel sorry for me because of my accident? Or could it be something more? She didn't know what to think, not until she could observe his manner for herself.

The letters from Pemberley arrived close on each other's heels about three days after Darcy had lost his temper with Wickham and laid him flat on the floor. When Hill had found her with the two deliveries, Jane was about ready to begin tearing her hair out. Mary's dreadful singing was careening through the house with no regard to her mother's (or her eldest sister's) nerves, Aunt Phillips had returned to visit her mother with more bad tidings of Mr. Wickham, her cousins were growing impatient to see their parents and could not understand the seriousness of the situations that were keeping them away, and affairs of the estate were wearing heavier on her shoulders every day.

When the two letters were placed in her hands, Jane didn't know how much more she could handle. She now had some small taste of what her father endured every day, and she realized how much they all leaned on him and how she wished she could lean on him right now. Her thoughts flew to her sister and she instantly felt guilty that she would wish her father away from Lizzy's side when she needed him, too.

As her thoughts rested with her sister, Jane thought she would try one of Lizzy's tactics for when it felt as though the walls of the house were closing in around her; she would take the letters and go for a walk. She told Hill as much before she left the house and set out along the road toward Meryton. She didn't want to run into anyone, but she also wasn't quite as intrepid as Lizzy in roaming over the countryside.

She walked slowly so that she wouldn't trip while she read the letters. Both were from her Aunt Gardiner, and as she read them both, tears of relief began to stream unchecked down her cheeks. It appeared that both of her sisters were out of danger! She mourned for Lydia's situation, but at least they could perhaps make something of their marriage.

"And Lizzy! Oh, her dear Lizzy! She was alive and awake and recovering!"

Jane clasped the letters to her heart in a silent prayer of thanksgiving to God, and she felt as though that heart wanted to jump out of her chest and run wild across the hills with the joy of the news. Instead, her heart jumped up into her throat as she stumbled to a halt and gasped at the sound of a very familiar voice and looked up to see the sight of a very familiar man on a very familiar horse. She could not stop her mouth from gaping open as Mr. Bingley blurted out,

"Good day, Miss Bennet."

Continued in Next Section