Posted on Saturday, 14 July 2001
It is a truth universally acknowledged that when a person time travels unexplainable and amazing things are bound to happen...
"This is the last one," Anne Brooke said as she and her sister Alice lugged the gigantic box from the car and into the house.
"Thank goodness that's over with!" Alice cried, setting the box down in the spacious hallway and straightening up. "I think I strained my back."
"Isn't this a grand old house?" Anne asked, looking around appreciatively. ''We were so lucky to find such a place for so cheap and in such a short time."
"Hmm, I suppose so. I must say that I don't share your passion for old English homes, built in the 18th century. I just hope it won't fall apart on the first day we are here," Alice said, looking around suspiciously as if she expected the house to break apart and fall onto their heads.
"I still say it's wonderful," Anne replied and got up, walking into the living room which had once been a sitting room. "How lovely!"
"Anne, I'll never understand why we bought this house," Alice said, coming in after her. "Just look at those windows, they are full west! How will we ever sit here in summer?"
"Did you remember to drink your cup of coffee this morning?" Anne teased.
"I didn't have time to. You got me up at six o'clock in the morning to move everything and it slipped my mind. I didn't get any breakfast, either. Where is the kitchen?"
"Through the dining room. You'll find it," Anne pointed. It was only a few seconds before she heard Alice's yell.
"Augh! Who owned this place before we did? Why didn't I think to look at the kitchen? It's like stepping back to the 1940's. Just look at the fridge. I could sell it to the antique shop in town!"
Anne cautiously entered the kitchen. "It can be modernized." Alice snorted. "A sweet old lady lived here alone until her death last year."
"Did she die in this house?"
"No, the hospital. She was very old, Alice."
"Well, I guess it can be modernized without much difficulty. The only problem is where to get the money. We spent almost everything buying this house." They were silent for a few moments. "It's the perfect house for you, though," Alice continued, "the way you are so crazy about the 19th century. I almost despise the name Jane Austen."
"If you'd just read her books..."
"I know, I know, I'd love them. But you read them enough for both of us. Well, enough talking, I'm starved." Alice headed for the cooler in the hallway but Anne picked up one of her smaller boxes and headed up the stairs to the room in which she had decided to stay.
She slowly opened the door, set the box down and sighed contentedly. For as long as she could remember she had wanted to live in a pretty house with a nice yard and comfortable room. Alice and she had been living in small apartments for most of their lives, trying to save money to go to university and then to buy a nice house. Their parents had been killed in a car accident 10 years earlier, when Alice had been 12 and Anne 11. Their parents had left them a certain amount of money to live on and also to help them get the proper schooling. That and all of the money they had earned and saved had been enough to buy the house.
The two sisters had done very well; Alice finished university with a degree in Mathematics and History. She was going to begin teaching in a high school that fall. Anne had one year of university left before getting a degree in Literature and Music. Now they could be together in the house they had bought.
Anne walked over to the window and looked out over the yard. An ancient fir tree stood not too far away, and there was space for planting a garden. She turned away from the window and looked at the room. There was a dressing table with a large mirror, a large bed and bedside table. It was a lovely room and Anne thought guiltily of how little they had paid for the house. True, the old lady's daughter had named the price, wanting to get rid of the house. They could just barely pay that, but everything had worked out for the best. The old lady could be sure that the house was in good hands.
Exactly one week after moving in the garden was planted, the yard tended to and the kitchen a little modernized, (a new refrigerator and oven had been added). On that day Anne decided to take a walk towards town and view the English countryside. When she told her plan to Alice she answered with:
"Put on a heavy raincoat, change out of those cute shoes, put on pants and bring your umbrella. It is going to rain."
"It won't rain!"
"Just look at that sky! It will."
"It's only a little cloudy. My skirt is only down to my knees, so if it does rain I won't get too muddy," Anne protested.
Alice raised her eyebrows. "You'll get cold," she said and turned back to her book.
"It won't rain," Anne called one last time before walking out the door. Alice only laughed.
After having walked for about five minutes, when the house was a considerable distance behind her, it started to rain. It didn't just rain, it poured. Thunder boomed. Anne started running back towards the house. She never reached it, however. A bolt of lightning struck a nearby tree, sending branches flying. Anne threw herself on the ground to avoid being hit and knocked her head sharply on a rock.
Blackness surrounded her and a whirling sound rang in her ears. Another bolt of lightning flashed. Anne began to shiver with cold. Her head ached and she groaned when she rolled over, trying to get up. Suddenly the pounding of the rain blended with the sound of a horse's hoofbeats. A rider soon came into view, spurring his horse to its full speed. Upon seeing her, however, he reined in his steed and rushed to her side. Dismounting he cried,
"Are you hurt, Madame?"
"I don't know!" Anne gasped.
"Where do you live?"
"In the house over there," Anne pointed.
The stranger asked if she could walk and when she didn't answer he picked her up and placed her on his horse, getting up behind her. They started in the direction of the house. Anne looked up through the rain at the man's handsome face. She had never met him before but felt as though he was vaguely familiar.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"Fitzwilliam Darcy," was the reply. Anne fainted as they neared the lighted house.
Posted on Monday, 16 July 2001
Elizabeth Bennet was enjoying her book immensely. On such a wretched, rainy day as this it was wonderful to relax in an armchair and read by the fire. She looked up and saw her father sitting in the chair across from hers, similarly engaged. The fire crackled merrily as the rain beat savagely against the windows. Lizzy smiled to herself contentedly, for they were all safe inside. Just as she was turning back to her book, she thought she heard the sound of a galloping horse's hooves and then a pounding on the door. She exchanged a glance with her father and they both rose, hurrying to the hallway.
The servant had opened the door to reveal a tall man, soaking wet and out of breath, carrying an unconscious lady. Jane rushed into the hallway and cried, "Why it must be Cousin Anne! She was due to arrive any day now!"
"Cousin Anne?" Lizzy asked. "What happened to her?"
"I found her on the side of the road. She said she lives here," the man said.
"Bring her in here," Jane instructed. "Place her on the couch just so. Thank you, Mr. -"
"Darcy, Fitzwilliam Darcy."
"- Mr. Darcy, for bringing her here. I wonder what happened for her to be lying on the road. Perhaps bandits?"
"I surely hope not, madam," Mr. Darcy said.
"Do you need anything, any tea?" Jane asked anxiously.
"No, I am quite well. I must be on my way. They are expecting me at Netherfield," Mr. Darcy replied and then he was gone. Jane instructed the servants to carry Anne up to the bed that had been prepared for her in Lizzy's room.
Jane and Lizzy stationed themselves on each side of the bed and watched after the girl, who was still unconscious.
"Poor, poor Anne. She has had so many misfortunes in life," Jane lamented.
"Hmm, but she was rescued by a very handsome gentleman. It was heroic of him to bring her here when he was evidently in such a great hurry."
"He was very kind," Jane said and stared for a few moments at the dreamy look on Lizzy's face. "Are you quite well, Lizzy? Should you perhaps go to bed?"
"No, I am quite well," Lizzy answered, the look vanishing in an instant. "I will sit up and watch her. You may go to bed."
As she opened her eyes the room spun before coming back into focus. Anne's eyes rested on the face of a young woman who was bending over her anxiously.
"How are you feeling, Anne?" she asked. The woman was very pretty with dark looks and lovely hazel eyes. "Jane, Jane, she is awake!" Anne heard footsteps running and then another face appeared, more beautiful than the first, with kind blue eyes.
"How did I get here?" Anne asked, staring at the strange bed and wallpaper.
"Your carriage was attacked by bandits. A very kind gentleman rescued you and brought you here, dearest," the woman with kind eyes explained.
"Who are you? Where is Alice?" Anne asked, sitting up slowly.
"I am your cousin Jane and this is Elizabeth."
"Cousin Jane and Elizabeth? I never had any cousin Jane." Anne exclaimed, looking at the room. It seemed very familiar.
"Oh no!" Jane cried, looking at Elizabeth in alarm.
"She has amnesia!" Elizabeth cried.
"I will go speak to Papa. Perhaps we should send for the doctor!" Jane said and hurried from the room.
"Do you remember anything?" Elizabeth asked, taking her hand.
"I remember walking and then it began to pour and then lightning struck and I fell. Whose room is this?" she asked suddenly.
"This is my room. You'll be staying with me."
"But it looks just like mine." Anne looked out the large window. A rose garden was below and off in the distance was a young fir tree. Anne looked down at the long white nightgown that she was in and saw the candles placed around the room.
"Where am I?" she whispered.
"Why, you are in England," Elizabeth answered.
"Where in England?"
"At our estate, Longbourn. Don't you remember? You came here to live with us after, well, the death of your parents." Elizabeth's face was showing more and more concern. "Should you perhaps lie back down?"
"What year is this?"
"The fall of 1811. Oh Anne, what is wrong?" Elizabeth cried.
"I -I don't feel very well. Can I have a few minutes alone?"
"Of course," Elizabeth said, rising slowly and tiptoeing out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.
"1811? Oh, what on earth has happened? How is it that I am their cousin? I hope it is all just a bad dream!"
Posted on 6 August 2001
Lizzy shook her head as she closed the door to the room where Anne was laying. There was something odd with all of the strange questions she had asked. She headed down the narrow stairway and entered the sitting room, (ncn) where her mother was talking to her sister, Mrs. Phillips.
"And there he was, Jane said, dripping wet! In his arms was the poor girl, our penniless cousin, Anne, and she was unconscious! Apparently bandits robbed the coach on which she was travelling and took everything, leaving only her behind!"
"Oh sister, how dreadful! And who was the man?" Mrs. Phillips cried.
"His name was Mr. Darcy, I believe. Such a heroic man," Mrs. Bennet said. Lizzy felt her cheeks turn oddly warm at the remembrance of the handsome Mr. Darcy.
"Good morning, Aunt Phillips," she said quietly before going on to her father's study, hearing her mother explain,
"And now Jane says poor Anne has amnesia! Have you ever heard of such a thing, sister?" And she shut the door with a click.
"Father, she seems to be getting worse."
"How so, my dear?"
"Well, she doesn't even remember where she is or what year it is! Should we call the doctor?" Lizzy asked.
"If she does not improve or becomes ill, we will, of course. Right now, however, I believe we should just revive her memory." Mr. Bennet shook his head. "I don't know what any doctor could do to help."
"What is she doing now, Lizzy?" Jane asked.
"She wanted a few minutes alone."
"I hope everything will be all right," Jane said.
Mr. Bennet chuckled. "I have never had an amnesia patient in my house before. This may turn out to be very amusing."
"Papa!" Lizzy scolded. "Jane, let's go and see if she needs anything."
They entered the room to find Anne standing, bewildered, in front of the closet. "What are you doing, Anne?" Jane asked, taking her arm.
"I was going to get dressed and have some breakfast but, well, I couldn't figure out what to wear," Anne replied.
"One of Jane's dresses might fit your figure better," Lizzy said and brought her a pretty morning gown.
"Um..." Anne bit her lip. "How do you put it on?" The two girls laughed and began to help her dress. They began to tell her of her supposed past. Anne's mother had run away and married a sailor. They'd had no other children and two years ago had died in a carriage accident, leaving their only child penniless. Anne had been passed from place to place until at last the Bennets had agreed to take her in permanently.
"Do you remember anything, anything at all?" Jane asked anxiously.
"I don't remember any of it," Anne replied truthfully. How could she remember something that had never been?
"You spoke of a girl named Alice," Lizzy said suddenly. "Was she a friend of yours?"
"Yes, a very good friend," Anne said, wondering what had happened to Alice.
"Are you sure you want to walk around? After all that has happened, perhaps it is not wise to-"
"Thank you, Jane, but I am fine."
"Come downstairs. It is barely nine o'clock and we have not yet eaten breakfast. I will introduce you to my parents and three other sisters," Lizzy said as they led her downstairs into the dinning room.
Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were sitting at opposite ends of the table and smiled to her in greeting. A very plain girl said a quick hello, but the two youngest girls were whispering to each other and did not look up. Anne was seated in between Jane and Lizzy. Breakfast was served on fine china and consisted of toast, hot rolls and tea.
"Well, Anne, were Jane and Lizzy successful in reviving your memory?" Mr. Bennet asked in such a way that Anne could not tell if he was serious or teasing.
"No, they weren't successful," she answered carefully, trying not to say anything wrong.
"Oh poor, poor, Anne! What ever shall we do? The Assembly Ball is in two days' time and you do not remember a thing!" Mrs. Bennet cried.
"Mama, you cannot expect Anne to attend the Ball after her dreadful experience," Jane said quietly.
"If you do not attend the Ball, then I shall stay home with you," said the plain girl, whose name was Mary. She sniffed, "I do not care for such frivolous things."
Anne smiled nervously. "But I would like to go to the Ball, if that's okay."
"Okay?" Lizzy asked. "Do they speak like that where you live?"
Anne coughed, "I mean, if it's all right."
"Of course, you must come, everyone expects you!" Mrs. Bennet cried. "I have told them all about you."
"How very kind," Anne mumbled and Lizzy nudged her with her foot under the table while making an effort not to smile.
"I heard that you were rescued by a very tall and handsome man last night," said the youngest girl, who looked no older than fifteen. Her name was either Kitty or Lydia, Anne could not remember which.
"How romantic!" sighed the other girl.
"Was it an officer?" the youngest asked and broke into a fit of giggles.
"Lydia!" Lizzy said harshly and the girl was silent, but only for a moment.
"Can you dance?" Lydia asked bluntly.
Anne dropped her piece of toast. "Can I what?"
"Dance, oh I love to dance! You do know how, don't you?"
"I, uh -"
"Why, Lydia, what a question! Of course poor Anne can dance. Everyone can dance!" Mrs. Bennet insisted.
"Actually, I can't," Anne said and the room was silent for a full minute.
"You can't dance?" Kitty asked, staring at her in confusion.
"Well then, I guess the first thing she will have to do is to learn how. Everyone must learn how to dance!" Mr. Bennet said and once again Anne could not tell if he was serious or sarcastic.
"Yes indeed, she must learn at once! Jane and Lizzy will teach you while Mary plays and - is that your fifth piece of toast?" Mrs. Bennet exclaimed.
Anne bit down with a crunch and swallowed as quickly as possible. "I, am, well, extremely hungry."
"That is what I call a healthy appetite!" Mr. Bennet said. Anne smiled at him gratefully.
"Come along, Anne," Lizzy said good-naturedly, "We must begin at once if you are to know at least two dances perfectly for the ball."
As Anne was led away by the five sisters, she thought about how much this family was like Jane Austen's Bennet family in Pride and Prejudice - too much alike.
"Anne, if you do not remember even how to dance, then what else do you not remember?" Lizzy asked.
"I do not remember anything, not even how to act in society," Anne said quickly.
"Oh Anne, dearest, I am so sorry!" Jane cried. "We will teach you everything so that you will be ready for the Assembly."
"And Anne," Lizzy whispered to her as Mary sat down at the piano. "Do not be angry if I sound harsh about something once in a while."
"Harsh?" Anne whispered back.
"Now," Lizzy began in a much louder tone of voice. "The first thing we must fix is your posture."
"Yes, here is the book, Lizzy," Jane said and placed it upon Anne's head.
"You must learn to dance perfectly with this book balanced upon your head at all times. It will provide good posture, poise and grace," Lizzy explained. "Now, curtsey."
The book fell to the floor with a loud clunk. Jane and Lizzy sighed. It would be a long two days.
Posted on 8 August 2001
The large room was brightly lit with hundreds of candles. The sounds of music and laughter filled the room as Anne entered it with Mrs. Bennet and her daughters. Mr. Bennet had, of course, chosen to stay home and read in the library. Upon entering the room they were immediately greeted by an older couple who were introduced as Sir William and Lady Lucas. Anne was also introduced to their daughter Charlotte, whom Anne liked instantly.
Soon after their arrival another group of people moved towards them. Sir Lucas introduced the young man as Mr. Bingley, and the two ladies as his sisters, Caroline Bingley and Mrs. Hurst. Mr. Bingley wasted no time in claiming Jane's hand for the next two dances and, while they were talking, another man made his way towards them. Anne blushed as she realized that it was the man who had rescued her.
"Mrs. Bennet, this is my good friend, Mr. Darcy," Mr. Bingley announced. "Darcy, allow me to introduce to you Mrs. Bennet, Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth Bennet and Miss Anne Brooke."
Mr. Darcy bowed. "Delighted to make your acquaintance, Madame," he said to Mrs. Bennet and smiled at Anne.
"Do you care for dancing as much as your friend does?" Mrs. Bennet asked rather loudly.
"On normal occasions I do not usually dance but, if Miss Anne Bennet would do me the honor of dancing the next two with me, then I should be happy to oblige," replied Mr. Darcy.
"I should be delighted," Anne smiled and took his arm as she was led out to the dance floor.
She did not notice the fleeting look of disappointment on Lizzy's face. "Well, that was very rude, poor Anne not even being part of the family! He should have asked you to dance, Lizzy! You are second oldest, after all!"
"He had no obligation to, Mamma," Lizzy said quietly and watched Anne as she rarely made a mistake dancing with her excellent partner.
For the next half-hour of the Ball rumors swept around the room about handsome Mr. Darcy and the lovely Miss Anne Brooke. Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy was the owner of a very great estate in Derbyshire and had a fortune of ten thousand a year, which was nothing compared to Mr. Bingley's. He was such a very heroic young man, as well, having rescued poor, poor Anne from bandits only a few nights before. Every young lady in the room was wondering anxiously with whom he would dance next for he had already danced the first two with Anne.
Elizabeth Bennet had been obliged, by the scarcity of gentlemen, to sit down for two dances and during part of that time Mr. Darcy had been standing near enough for her to overhear a conversation between himself and Mr. Bingley.
"Are you enjoying the Ball, Darcy?" he said with a hint of teasing in his voice. "It has not been as dull as you anticipated, I hope?"
"No, indeed, Bingley. On the contrary, I find that the evening has been pleasant so far," Mr. Darcy replied, his eyes straying to where Anne was dancing with another young gentleman. Lizzy followed his gaze and felt a twinge of envy.
Bingley chuckled, "I have never met with so many pleasant girls in my life as I have this evening; and there are several of them you see uncommonly pretty."
"You are dancing with one of the handsomest girls in this room," said Mr. Darcy, looking at the eldest Miss Bennet.
"Oh, she is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But Miss Brooke is quite handsome as well." Darcy made no reply. "But look, there is one of her cousins sitting down just behind you. She is very pretty, and I dare say very agreeable."
"Which do you mean?" and turning round, he looked for a moment at Elizabeth, until, catching her eye, he withdrew his own and said, "Yes, she is. I suppose you are right, Bingley," He then turned towards a blushing Elizabeth Bennet to ask her for the next two dances.
Mr. Darcy not only danced the next two with Lizzy but also once with Jane before dancing again with Anne. Everyone was gossiping about which one he liked best, although it was obvious that Mr. Bingley already favored Jane above every other girl. Mrs. Bennet stoutly claimed that of course Mr. Darcy liked Lizzy the best; after all, he had danced twice with her. When Lady Lucas had pointed out that Mr. Darcy had danced three with Anne, Mrs. Bennet seemed not to have heard and remarked upon the amount of lace on Mrs. Hurst's gown, not approaching the subject of dancing again.
All in all, the evening had passed off pleasantly for the whole family and they all returned to Longbourn in good spirits with much to tell to Mr. Bennet. "Oh! My dear Mr. Bennet," said his wife as she entered the room, "we have had a most delightful evening, a most excellent ball. I wish you had been there. Jane was so admired, nothing could be like it, and Mr. Bingley thought her quite beautiful and danced with her twice. First of all he asked Miss Lucas. I was so vexed to see him stand up with her; however, he did not admire her at all, indeed, nobody can, you know; and he seemed quite struck with Jane as she was going down the dance. So he inquired who she was and got introduced and asked her for the next two."
"How very nice," said Mr. Bennet and smiled in Jane's direction where she sat blushing.
"And do you know what else!" Mrs. Bennet cried. "Mr. Darcy was there, the handsome young man who rescued poor Anne. He was quite taken with Lizzy, you know, of course." She threw an uneasy glance at Anne, who seemed puzzled. "He danced two dances with her and he did dance a few with Anne, of course, out of courtesy. After all, he did rescue her, didn't he."
"He danced more than one with you, Anne?" Mr. Bennet asked, his eyebrows raised.
"He danced three with her, Papa," Lydia answered loudly and giggled. "We weren't once without partners this evening, were we Kitty?"
"And Mary danced none, Papa!" Kitty laughed.
"He only danced two with you, Lizzy?" Mr. Bennet asked quietly.
"It is of little importance, Papa," Lizzy replied, staring at her hands. Jane and Mr. Bennet looked closely at her for a few moments as Mrs. Bennet chattered away and Anne had a sickening feeling in her stomach that something had gone terribly wrong.
"This isn't like you, Lizzy. You were very quiet this evening," Jane said as Elizabeth sat on her bed later on that night.
"What isn't like me?" Lizzy asked, avoiding her sister's gaze.
"You like Mr. Darcy, don't you?" Jane said bluntly.
"Jane!" Lizzy said, blushing a deep crimson.
"There, you do. I know you do!" Jane cried in triumph.
"Well, you like Mr. Bingley!" Lizzy shot back and Jane could say nothing in reply. "Even if I did like him, Jane, it doesn't make any difference," Lizzy replied quietly.
"Why not?"
"Because he danced three dances with Anne and only two with me."
"Lizzy, I don't know what to say in answer to that but we have no proof that he favors Anne above you. Don't listen to idle gossip. There is always hope," Jane said reassuringly and smiled as the light returned to Lizzy's eyes, if only briefly.
"Time will tell, Jane. Good night." And with that she left the room.
Posted on Saturday, 1 September 2001
Soon after the Assembly Ball, the Bennets and Miss Brooke were invited to a party being thrown by the very respectable Lucas family. Among the guests at the party were, of course, Mr. Bingley, his sisters, Mr. Darcy and Colonel Forster with a few officers from his regiment. Kitty and Lydia were thrown into raptures of delight with all of the attentions paid to them by the young and handsome officers. Mrs. Bennet was gossiping away about the great fortunes of Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy. Jane, naturally, was talking to Mr. Bingley and Elizabeth was speaking quietly to her friend Charlotte. Anne was rather lost in all of the chatter going about and so stood off to one corner where Mr. Darcy soon found her.
Anne quickly tried to think of a way to escape from talking for too long with him but was rather distracted by how handsome he looked that evening and how happy he was to see her. He began talking away about books and music and all sorts of unimportant things while Anne replied only with 'Yes' or 'No', not wishing to draw herself too much into the conversation.
Anne was very grateful after a few moments when Lydia cried out that she wanted to dance and Mary was forced to comply with a few lively dances. Anne was immediately asked to dance by one of the officers, (luckily before Mr. Darcy could ask her), and so was led away onto the dance floor. They danced two dances and then Anne sat down, her head whirling and the heat exhausting. No sooner had she sat down than Mr. Darcy began to approach her, obviously about to ask her to dance. Anne, feeling as though she could faint at any moment, brushed past him, muttering "I feel warm, ask Lizzy to dance," before exiting the room and leaving behind a very bewildered and forlorn Darcy.
Anne did not know exactly where she was going and stumbled into an empty room where she sat down in a large chair and, putting her head in her hands, burst into tears. Everything was going wrong. Mr. Darcy's attentions, however wonderful, were unwanted because she knew that he was giving them to the wrong girl. She wanted to go home, to lay her sore head on Alice's shoulder and be comforted. Anne was so involved in her own distress that she did not notice when someone entered the room.
"Anne, are you all right?" came the concerned voice of Charlotte Lucas as she rushed over and knelt beside her. "Everyone is wondering what has happened to you. Mr. Darcy said that you had gone out for a breath of fresh air and had wanted to search for you himself but I thought it would be best if I came and got you." At the mention of Darcy's name Anne burst out in a fresh flow of tears.
"Charlotte, if you only knew!"
"Knew what?"
"Mr. Darcy isn't supposed to be in love with me, he's supposed to marry Lizzy!" Anne cried as Charlotte handed her a handkerchief.
"You've been to listening to idle gossip, why should Mr. Darcy be 'supposed' to marry Lizzy?" Charlotte soothed.
"Because it's part of a story, and I've ruined it,"" Anne replied while wiping her eyes. "You see," she found herself confessing, "I'm not supposed to be here at all."
"Of course you're supposed to be here!""
"No, no, I'm not supposed to be in this time at all! I'm from the 21st century. I came back in time one day when I was walking and found myself here. I know that Darcy is supposed to marry Lizzy because it's in a book and now I've ruined it!"
Charlotte looked very alarmed. "Are you feeling all right, Anne? Should you go and lie down? Perhaps I should call mother --"
"No, please," Anne begged. "Don't say a word of this to anyone. I knew you wouldn't believe me. I won't ever speak of it again but you have to promise me one thing - that you will help me find a way to get Mr. Darcy to fall in love with Lizzy!"
"You must be raving mad," Charlotte almost laughed. "But you must have some senses left in you to realize that Lizzy is madly in love with him and he might make a good match for her, as well." Anne nodded. "But what about you, Anne?"
"Me?" she asked, startled.
"Yes you, for you're in love with him too," Charlotte said quietly.
"It doesn't really matter. It was never meant to be. I should not even be here," Anne insisted. Charlotte gave her a queer look.
"I cannot promise you anything, but I will watch Mr. Darcy and will try to help you do the right thing in any way that I can," Charlotte answered.
"Thank you, Charlotte," Anne said.
"Now, shall we go back to the party? Your eyes are rather swollen but the light in that room is so dim that I don't think anyone will really notice," Charlotte said cheerfully and Anne nodded just as Jane and Lizzy burst into the room.
"Anne, oh, are you all right? We were so worried!" Jane began as they took her by the arm and began to lead her back towards the party.
"Although I can't really blame you for wanting to escape," Lizzy whispered into her ear. "I wish I'd had the courage to leave." Anne smiled, the future looking much brighter now that she had a friend.