Chapter 1 Posted on Thursday, 9 November 2006
Fitzwilliam Darcy was a happy man, and it showed. Not, perhaps, to a disinterested observer, because Darcy was not of a disposition in which happiness overflows in mirth. But to anyone who had spent much time in his company, the change was as unmistakable as it was unexpected.
It was evident in his carriage; he still stood tall and proud, his chin high, the set of his broad shoulders speaking volumes about his identity, his station in society. Yet where previously there had been a stiff formality, now there was an ease about him, an approachability that softened his mien considerably.
It was evident in his countenance, which not so long ago had worn an inscrutable mask and now seemed almost always to be just on the verge of a smile, his eyes crinkling and lips twitching up in the corners, as if savoring some private joy.
Most of all, it was evident in his eyes. The dark, bottomless pools which for years had been shuttered to the world now looked upon it with an openness, an eagerness to please and be pleased that had not been there before. And when those eyes were fortunate enough to fall upon his beloved wife, Elizabeth, they were lit from within and the depth and strength of his feelings for her was obvious to anyone who cared to look.
Yes, Fitzwilliam Darcy was a happy man, there was no denying it, and in fact he had no desire to deny it. Darcy smiled at this thought, as he urged his dappled gray Arabian to a gentle canter and settled into the saddle for the long ride home.
His overall happiness aside, Darcy's mind was uneasy this day. He was not pleased with the turn of events that had led him to be on this road alone. It was not what he had planned and nothing displeased Darcy more than to have his carefully made plans go awry. His brow creased and his mouth twisted into a frown as discontent washed over him once again.
He had intended to return to Pemberley two days ago, with his wife by his side. That he knew she would arrive in the carriage just an hour or so behind him was small comfort at this moment, and he let out a frustrated sigh. The June day was clear and warm, the road was good, and this last leg of the trip should take him no more than two hours at a comfortable pace; if all went well, he would be reunited with Elizabeth in perhaps three hours. In the course of their daily lives, they were often apart for intervals much longer than this, so he was at a loss to understand why he was so affected by their separation today. He wondered if it was because of the dream he'd had this morning...
He was walking through the halls of Pemberley, looking for Elizabeth, as he had done countless times before. It was not uncommon for him to take a break from a morning's business, overtaken by a strong need to see her, to hear her laugh or gaze into her lovely eyes. At these times he would seek her out, often finding her in the morning room working on her correspondence, or perhaps in the yellow drawing room, discussing household business with Mrs. Reynolds. Always when he entered, she would look up at him and smile, her sparkling eyes brimming with love and tenderness, her wide smile evidence of her pleasure in seeing him. Even after six months of marriage, she never failed to take his breath away.
But today was different; each door he opened revealed only an empty room, ominous in its stillness, its silence. He began to feel a tendril of fear creeping up his spine.
"This is absurd," he thought. "Of course she's here somewhere. She's probably gone walking the grounds, as she so often does." But even as that thought was born, he heard the steady pelt of raindrops against the window panes and he knew there could be no walking out today.
He began to run through the halls, throwing open doors and calling her name. "Elizabeth? Elizabeth, my love, where are you?" He passed a maid in the hallway and she averted her eyes, but not before Darcy caught the sadness and pity held there. Each servant he came upon had the same reaction. They would not look at him, but he saw the sorrow in their downcast eyes and slumped shoulders.
He felt panic beginning to overtake him. Where was she? Where was his wife, and what did everyone else seem to know that he did not?
"Mrs. Reynolds!" Relief flooded through him upon seeing his trusted housekeeper enter the hall, and he let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. He could always count on her; she would know where Elizabeth was. "Have you seen Mrs. Darcy this morning?"
Slowly, reluctantly, she raised her eyes to his, meeting his hopeful gaze with her worried one. What Darcy saw in her eyes filled him with a dread he could not name. "Mr. Darcy, the Mistress is gone, sir. Surely you must remember? She's been gone these many months now."
"GONE?! Gone where? That's preposterous. Did I not just see her at breakfast?" But as he said the words, he remembered the solitary meal he had taken in his rooms and a fear like none he had ever known gripped his heart...
It was then that he had woken, sitting up with a violent start, heart pounding, his body chilled despite the warmth of the room. His cheeks were damp and he tasted the salt of his own tears. He looked to his left and every prayer he had ever uttered was answered in that moment. She is here with me, we are still in London. It was a dream... just a dream. He took a shuddering breath and then another, as he tried to put the dream out of his mind, tried to replace the sickening fear in the pit of his stomach with the blissful certainty of her warm presence in their bed.
Darcy raked a shaking hand through his sleep-tousled hair and looked at his wife, beautiful and serene in her slumber, her face relaxed and her dark curls splayed over the pillow. The thin white gown she wore was luminous in the gray light of dawn. He reached out to smooth a stray curl away from her face and she stirred at his touch, her eyes slowly fluttering open, her gaze meeting his. A sleepy smile crept across her face as she stretched out her arm and reached for him.
"Fitzwilliam, it is much too early to arise," she said softly. "Come back to me." She laid her hand on his shoulder and gently nudged him back down onto the pillows. He turned toward her and his arms found their way around her body, holding her tight. "My love, you are trembling. What's wrong?" She pulled back from his embrace and looked into his eyes with concern.
"Nothing, really. It's silly. I had a dream..."
"Was it very bad? Do you want to tell me about it?" She murmured, lightly stroking his cheek with the backs of her fingers, fully awake now.
He kissed her then, softly at first, but as he felt her response his hunger was awakened. Her kiss was a balm to his soul, and he knew how to banish the memory once and for all. "Perhaps you can help me forget the dream another way?" He smiled, displaying the dimples she loved so much, and she was lost.
Much later, as they lay together, arms and legs entwined, her head resting lightly on his shoulder, Darcy gazed at his wife, this woman who was everything to him. "Elizabeth," his voice barely a whisper, "Don't ever leave me. I couldn't bear it if you did."
She cried out softly, tightened her arms around him, and buried her face in his neck, placing tender kisses below his ear. "Never, my love. I could never leave you. You mustn't even think it."
Chapter 2 Posted on Thursday, 9 November 2006
Elizabeth Darcy let out a small sigh as she watched the retreating form of her husband, riding away toward Pemberley... toward their home. He looked so very handsome, even at this distance, and she felt a sharp stab of regret that he had gone. She knew she was being irrational; after all, they would be together again in just a few hours. What's more, it had been her idea that he ride ahead in the first place.
Elizabeth was always sorry when they had to part, but it had been even harder today. He had not been himself all morning. Always an attentive husband, today he had been unusually so, loathe to leave her side for any reason. At breakfast she had glanced up and caught him staring at her, his eyes so full of anguish that she nearly jumped up and went to him. But instantly his look had changed and he smiled, a smile that did not quite reach his eyes. She knew the dream he'd had that morning had shaken him more than he would admit, and it was only the prospect of their guests arriving at Pemberley before its Master and Mistress had arrived that had finally convinced him to leave their traveling party and ride on ahead.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Darcy?" Elizabeth unconsciously shook her head to clear her thoughts, cast one last look in her husband's direction, and turned to focus on the man addressing her.
Samuel Parkin had been in the employ of the Darcy family for nearly thirty years. A better and more trusted driver was not to be found in all England, according to Mr. Darcy. Parkin was a large and hardy fellow, his face coarse and reddened from constant exposure to the elements. Over the years, his sharp eyes and his skill in the driver's seat had averted more catastrophes than he cared to think about. That he was also kind and discreet further increased his value to the Darcy family. In fact, the knowledge that he would be leaving his wife in Parkin's excellent care had gone a long way toward convincing Darcy that it was alright to leave her today.
"What can I do for you, Mr. Parkin?" Inquired Elizabeth, as she turned to him with a smile. "Surely we are not ready to be off so soon?"
Parkin nearly chuckled at the Mistress' hopeful tone as she said this. She was obviously not happy to be separated from the Master, even for such a short time. He thought, as he had many times over the past six months, how glad he was that young Mr. Darcy had found a wife who truly cared for him. Parkin had watched Darcy grow up, had been with the family through the deaths of both his parents, and he couldn't help feeling protective of the young man. He had worried in the past that Darcy would fall prey to the likes of Miss Bingley or her ilk. I'm thankful all my worry was for naught. I should have given the lad more credit, he's chosen well.
"No, ma'am, not quite yet." He replied. "Miss Pimms has taken the children into the Inn for refreshment."
Miss Eugenie Pimms was the nurse to young James Hurst and his baby sister, Emma. She appeared to be barely more than a girl herself, Elizabeth thought, guessing that she was no more than seventeen. With her small frame, sharp nose, and nervous disposition, she rather reminded Elizabeth of a bird. But her eyes were kind and the children seemed well and happy in her care.
"Mrs. Darcy," Parkin continued, "Mr. Hurst's driver has informed me that his passengers have expressed their desire to leave right away."
Elizabeth had been gazing absently in the direction of the small roadside inn at which they had stopped, but with this bit of news, she snapped to attention and her eyebrows shot up in disbelief.
"Mr. Parkin, do you mean to say that Mr. and Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley intend to be on their way now? This, despite the fact that we have stopped to provide a short break for the Hursts' children?"
"Er... yes, Mrs. Darcy...that is what their driver just told me." Parkin had been in service most of his life and had long ago perfected the ability to conceal his opinions behind a neutral façade.
Elizabeth, who was far less skilled at disguising her opinions, and even less inclined to wish to do so, let out an exasperated sigh. "Very well, Mr. Parkin. If that is what they wish, let them be off." She shook her head and observed, almost to herself, "It seems that on this day, everyone is to reach Pemberley before its Mistress!"
Elizabeth gave Mr. Parkin a wry smile and announced, "I think I'll just have a bit of a walk while I wait for Miss Pimms and the children. I shall not go far. Please fetch me as soon as we are ready to go." With that, Elizabeth set off down the lane and allowed her thoughts to drift.
Chapter 3 Posted on Thursday, 9 November 2006
Fitzwilliam Darcy had married Elizabeth Bennet on a cold, clear December day, six months ago. Following the wedding breakfast, they had spent an idyllic week in a quaint country house in ______shire, lent to the newlyweds by the bridegroom's uncle, Lord Matlock. Darcy had written his uncle to request use of the house, but had not been optimistic about his response. He worried that, like his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Lord and Lady Matlock would disapprove of his choice of bride. He was, therefore, pleasantly surprised to receive the following letter:
My Dear Nephew,
Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on your betrothal. Of course, your Aunt Rebecca and I were quite surprised by the news, as you never so much as hinted that you had such intentions, much less toward a young lady we've never met! But enough of that. Richard assures us that Miss Bennet is everything you say she is and that we will be as enchanted with her as you apparently are. The fact that my sister Catherine has nothing good to say about her only raises her in my own estimation. We will be delighted to come to Hertfordshire for your wedding and look forward to meeting your Elizabeth very much. She must be special indeed to have succeeded where all the determined ladies and mamas of the town have failed.I would be happy for you to use the cottage in _____shire following the wedding. I will notify the caretaker and make the arrangements.
Yours, &c
Your uncle, Lord Matlock
His aunt and uncle had, indeed, come to the wedding, and they had welcomed Elizabeth to the family with as much enthusiasm as Darcy could have wished for.
After a blissful week at the cottage, the newlyweds had traveled home to Pemberley, where they reunited with Fitzwilliam's young sister, Georgiana, and hosted Elizabeth's relatives, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner and their children for the Christmas season.
For the duration of the winter, The Darcys remained quietly at Pemberley, and they would forever after look back on those months as among the happiest they had ever spent. Winter is a quiet season for the master of a country estate, even a great one. Consequently, Darcy had many hours to devote to Elizabeth, and she to him. During those long winter months, the halls of Pemberley echoed with laughter and music, and the servants became quite adept at averting their eyes and pretending not to notice the soft murmurings and tender looks frequently exchanged between Mr. and Mrs. Darcy. Even Miss Georgiana seemed happy again. The new Mrs. Darcy had brought life back to Pemberley and joy to its Master, and every servant on the estate was soon devoted to their new Mistress.
When spring was in the air and the talk turned to the London Season, none of the Darcys were very enthusiastic. Georgiana was timid and fearful of society, but she was not yet out and so would not be required to be much in company. Darcy and Elizabeth were reluctant to leave Pemberley, fearing that it would somehow break the spell of happiness that they had been living under. But as it was necessary to introduce the new Mrs. Darcy to London Society, to London they went.
They need not have worried. While their spring in London was certainly busier than the winter had been, their happiness was not nearly so fragile as they had feared. Out of necessity, the London servants soon became as adept at being invisible and unobservant as their Pemberley counterparts.
The Darcys remained at their house in town for two months, and Elizabeth's introduction to London Society went well. The dire predictions Lady Catherine had made never came to pass, in no small part because of the enthusiastic acceptance of Mrs. Darcy by Darcy's other aunt, Lady Matlock, one of the town's premiere hostesses. The Darcys attended numerous dinners, evenings at the theatre and a few balls. Elizabeth's lively disposition and quick wit won over most of Darcy's acquaintances, and put to rest the talk of his having married beneath himself. She enjoyed herself thoroughly and Darcy swelled with pride each time he ventured out with his new wife on his arm. After two months, however, both Mr. and Mrs. Darcy were eager to return to the peace and intimacy of Pemberley.
Georgiana had left London a fortnight ago, to visit with Lord and Lady Matlock, who had already returned to their estate for the summer months. She was expected to return home to Pemberley today, accompanied by their cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam.
In addition to Richard, the Darcys had invited Elizabeth's sister, Jane and her husband Charles Bingley. As there had seemed no way around it, Bingley's sisters had been included in the invitation. This thought brought Elizabeth sharply back to the present.
"It's Caroline Bingley's fault that I'm here instead of at home with Fitzwilliam, awaiting our guests!" Ordinarily not one to dwell on unpleasantness, Elizabeth could not seem to help herself when it came to Caroline. She kicked a stone in the road and walked on.
The Darcys had planned to leave London two days ago, to arrive at Pemberley well in advance of their guests. But last week, Darcy had run into Mr. Hurst at his club and Hurst had requested that they all travel into Derbyshire together, since there were too many in their party for the Hursts' carriage to accommodate.
Unfortunately, Caroline had been unable to leave on the appointed day. Her packing was behind schedule and she had three new gowns still to be finished at her favorite dress shop.
Upon hearing this news, Darcy declared, "If she's not ready to leave town, then we'll go without her! She can travel by Post whenever she is ready!"
Elizabeth laughed merrily at the thought of Caroline Bingley traveling by Post. "Well, my love, as much as I would enjoy that spectacle, I could not in good conscience inflict Caroline on five other Post travelers."
"Then we'll send the carriage back for her. Or a horse. Or maybe a donkey-cart would do..." Darcy replied with a glint in his eye.
"Oh, Mr. Darcy, you are a wicked, wicked man!" Elizabeth stepped closer to her husband and the look in her fine eyes made it clear that she was not at all put out by his apparent wickedness.
As he gathered her into his arms and kissed her, all thoughts of Caroline Bingley were banished, replaced by newly formed ideas on how to spend the two extra days in London. Darcy had numerous thoughts on the subject and he hoped that Elizabeth would approve. As it turned out, she did. Very much so.
They had finally set out from London early this morning, in two carriages. The Hursts' carriage conveyed Louisa, Caroline, Miss Pimms, and the Hursts' two children. The Darcys' carriage carried Mr. and Mrs. Darcy and Mr. Hurst. The roads were in good condition, but the frequent breaks required when traveling with small children were slowing them down considerably. At their last stop, Elizabeth had sensed her husband growing impatient, so she suggested that he ride on ahead. The final leg of the trip would be much quicker on horseback than by carriage, and in this way he was certain to arrive before the Bingleys, Georgiana and Colonel Fitzwilliam.
Once he had reluctantly agreed, it was necessary to redistribute the passengers. Without Darcy present, it would not be completely proper for Mr. Hurst and Mrs. Darcy to ride alone together, especially not when there were other ladies in the party. The very thought of riding with Caroline Bingley gave Elizabeth a headache, so she suggested that she ride with Miss Pimms and the children in the Darcy carriage, while Mr. and Mrs. Hurst and Caroline would ride in the Hursts' carriage.
The plan was eagerly agreed to by all, the carriages loaded, and the journey set to recommence. At that moment, however, baby Emma had begun to fuss and it was determined that a longer stop would be required for the children. Now, as Mr. Parkin had just informed her, the Hursts' carriage was going on ahead. That Mrs. Hurst was so willing to leave her children behind with their nurse had stunned Elizabeth. She was sorry for these children whose own mother was so indifferent to them, and she resolved to show them extra kindness during their stay at her home.
So it was that the Hursts' carriage was now on its way to Pemberley, Fitzwilliam was on his way to Pemberley, and Elizabeth was still here, waiting for Miss Pimms to ready the children to embark on what would be, she hoped, an uneventful conclusion to their journey. With any luck, they would be home in time for tea.
Elizabeth could not have known how futile those hopes would turn out to be. The remainder of their journey would be anything but smooth.
Chapter 4 Posted on Thursday, 9 November 2006
Elizabeth felt her pulse quicken as she looked out the window of the carriage. The landscape was beginning to look familiar and she knew that they had only a few more miles to go before they would be home. Their home, hers and Fitzwilliam's. After having lived at Longbourn for more than twenty years, it still surprised her how quickly she had come to think of Pemberley as her home. It took all her restraint not to press her face up against the window in order to ensure the first possible glimpse of the great house.
Mr. Parkin was up in the driver's seat and there were two footmen in the rear. One of the footmen was a young man named John Ryan and the other was Thomas Parkin, Mr. Parkin's youngest son. He had been a footman for a number of years and recently had begun taking over for his father as a driver, on occasion. It was hoped by all involved that, someday, when Mr. Parkin was ready to step down, his son would take over the reins.
They had been on the road for well over two hours, and it had been a pleasant ride so far. Miss Pimms was sweet, in her nervous way, and six-month old Emma had been sleeping in her arms almost the entire time. Young James Hurst had kept Elizabeth entertained for much of the journey. At five years old, James was an engaging and well-mannered boy. When he looked up at her with his enormous, innocent blue eyes and called her "Mrs. Darcy" in a voice that was a curious mix of grown-up manners and little boy sweetness, her heart melted.
Truth be told, Elizabeth was feeling a bit guilty. She toyed with the ribbons of the bonnet she was holding as she thought that, once again, she had misjudged someone in her life. Her two hours with James and Miss Pimms had convinced her that she had been wrong about Louisa Hurst. James chattered happily about his days spent with his beloved Mama, of how they walked together in the park, hand in hand, how she read to him from picture books, and sang to him when he was scared at night, calling him "her best, brave boy." Miss Pimms did not contradict this rosy picture, and actually added to it with stories of Mrs. Hurst's kindness to her when she had been ill last month.
At first, Elizabeth had been incredulous, and could not credit these reports as truth. After all, what small boy doesn't love his Mama, whether she deserves it or not? And the nurse is certainly not going to speak ill of her employer to me. Surely the Louisa Hurst I know is not so maternal and kind. But the more she heard, the more she began to doubt herself. In her own defense, she realized that she had never seen Louisa with her children before today, and in fact, had never seen her outside of Caroline Bingley's presence. She thought that it was entirely possible that Louisa was very different when Caroline was not there to influence her. She decided she would make an attempt to get to know Louisa better during her stay at Pemberley.
Pemberley! It won't be long now! Elizabeth could hardly contain her mounting excitement at the prospect of being home and being reunited with her husband. As her mind's eye conjured a picture of her beloved's handsome face, she clasped her hands in her lap and smiled happily to herself.
The carriage had just entered onto a narrow stone bridge that spanned a steep ravine when they heard the sounds of approaching horses and men's voices. Elizabeth and Miss Pimms exchanged a curious glance, and looked out the window.
Elizabeth's blood ran cold at what she saw. Their carriage had been ambushed. Four armed men had surrounded them, two at the far end of the bridge and two behind them, effectively cutting off any means of escape.
Elizabeth's mind was reeling. Let us just give them whatever they want - money, jewelry, anything - just so that they leave us alone and go away. But, no, wait, I have often heard that is not all these type of men want. Sometimes they take the young women with them, abuse them in horrible ways! Sometimes they even hold children for ransom!! We must get away, we must!!
Once it had become apparent to the highwaymen that the driver and footmen were not going to give up without a fight, they had approached the carriage and some of them had attempted to climb aboard. It was difficult for Elizabeth to know exactly what was happening because she couldn't see them anymore. She was thankful that no one had yet tried to enter the carriage, but knew it was just a matter of time. She heard yelling and thumping, and the unmistakable sound of pistols being fired. The horses were stamping and whinnying and the carriage had begun to rock dangerously from side to side. The bridge had very low stone walls along its edges, and Elizabeth suddenly realized that the carriage would go right over the side if the fighting kept up.
She knew it was time to act. "Miss Pimms, we must get out of here now, while the highwaymen are distracted by the fighting! It is our only chance! Quickly, now, we must jump out and run for the woods over there - it's not far and the trees will provide us with cover. Come, now!" Elizabeth took James' hand and reached for the door.
A small, fragile hand gripped her wrist tightly and stopped her. She turned and looked into Miss Pimms' eyes and she saw that the younger woman was immobilized with fear. "No, Mrs. Darcy! We must stay here, we are safe here. If we go out there they will see us! They will see us!" She squeezed her eyes closed and began to rock back and forth, murmuring to herself, "we must stay, we must stay, we are safe here..."
The carriage was lurching harder now and Elizabeth knew their time was short. She tried to keep panic at bay as she put her hands on Miss Pimms' shoulders and looked into her face in a frantic attempt to convince her. "Miss Pimms! Eugenie! You must listen to me, it is your only chance!"
But Eugenie Pimms did not hear. She had retreated inside herself and Elizabeth could not reach her. Elizabeth knew she had to get the children out before it was no longer possible. She pried the baby from the nurse's arms, looked at James and spoke quickly, "Now James, you must do exactly as I tell you. You must be very, very quiet, and you must jump. We will run into the woods as quickly as possible. Do not look behind you!! You must be your Mama's best, brave boy right now! You can you do this James, I know you can."
James Hurst turned his wide, frightened eyes upon Mrs. Darcy and nodded solemnly. "I can do it, Mrs. Darcy. I can be brave and I can run fast."
"That's a good boy, James, a very good boy." Elizabeth reached for the door and, with one last beseeching look at Eugenie Pimms, she opened it.
She jumped down from the carriage as quietly as she could and turned to reach up for James' hand. She prayed that Emma would not choose now to start crying as she helped James out of the carriage. Following her own advice, she did not look back, but instead ran as fast as she could, carrying Emma and grasping James tightly by the hand. She felt every second that one of the highwaymen would grab her from behind, but miraculously none did.
When they had gone far enough into the woods that she thought they would not be seen, she stopped. Just as she was about to turn and look back at the scene on the bridge, she heard a sound, or rather a combination of sounds that she knew would haunt her for the rest of her days.
First came the scraping of wood against stone, followed by the rending of wood being twisted and torn. There were the screams of men and the horrific shrieks of the horses as the carriage, horses and men together hurtled over the side of the bridge. The cacophony seemed to go on and on as the wreckage rolled and bounced down the steep, rocky ravine. Then, all was silent.
Elizabeth stood frozen in place, her back still to the road. She braced herself, slowly turned around and was shocked to see...nothing. The only evidence of the horror that had just taken place on the bridge were four horses that were now grazing along the side of the road, left there when their riders climbed onto the carriage. She knew that if she were to walk to the bridge and peer over the side it would be a much different story, but from the road all appeared as peaceful as ever.
She was startled out of her reverie by the distant sound of men's voices. There were survivors! It occurred to Elizabeth that she did not know if anyone had witnessed their escape from the carriage. She wanted to go to the scene, to offer assistance to Mr. Parkin, Thomas or John, or Miss Pimms, if any of them had been lucky enough to survive the accident. But it was just as likely that some of the highwaymen had survived, and if that were the case she and the children were still in danger.
Elizabeth offered a silent prayer for the souls of the departed, although she fervently hoped this might be unnecessary, and the recovery of the injured, which she was fairly certain would be necessary. She gave thanks for Mr. Parkin and the two younger men, because she knew that if they had not fought so valiantly, and for so long, she would never have had a chance to escape. Surely the children and I owe our very lives to those brave men, she reflected.Of course, we are not home free just yet. There is just me now, and these children need me to get them home.
With the thought of the children, Elizabeth looked down at Emma, who was silently staring up at her with wide eyes. She gave another prayer of thanks that this child apparently sensed the value of silence. She then looked at James and saw that he was staring at the road, his brows knit in confusion. "Mrs. Darcy, where is the carriage? Where is Miss Pimms?"
Elizabeth knelt in front of the boy and cupped his face with her free hand. "Oh, James, there has been a terrible accident. The carriage has fallen off of the bridge. We must get to Pemberley so that we can get help for Miss Pimms and the others."
James took in her words, and gravely nodded his head.
"Now, James, you have been a very, very brave boy so far. And now I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to continue to be so. We will have to walk the rest of the way home, through the woods. It may be quite far, but I know that you can do it!"
"Will my Mama and Papa be there when we get to your house?" James asked.
"Yes, my dear boy. Your Mama and Papa will be there, and they will be so very proud of you."
Elizabeth had already determined that they would need to walk to Pemberley through the woods. She knew the area well enough to know that the road would be shorter, and they certainly had a much better chance of being helped if they stayed on it. But she was worried about the voices she had heard, afraid that some of the highwaymen might yet try to find them. With two small children in tow, she would be defenseless. Yes, it would be better to stay hidden. She also knew enough about Pemberley to know that the house was located due west of the bridge. As long as they traveled west, they would eventually reach the house. What I don't know, she thought, is how far it is to the house and what sort of terrain stands between us and it.
Elizabeth straightened up, repositioned Emma in one arm, took James Hurst by the hand and began to walk.
Chapter 5 Posted on Friday, 10 November 2006
Thomas Parkin opened his eyes, and immediately realized what had happened. He did not know how long he had been lying there and he tried to sit up. He needed to see if everyone was alright, if anyone was alright. He lifted his head, and a searing pain shot through it, causing him to immediately lay it back down. It went on like this for some time. He drifted in and out of consciousness, each time he awoke attempting unsuccessfully to arise.
As he lay in a semi-conscious state, he was aware that things were going on around him. He heard voices and tried hard to focus on them.
"Come on, Jake, we've got to get away from here." It was a deep voice, coming from very nearby.
From further away came the response, "Bloody Hell, mate, we've gone this far, shouldn't we at least check their pockets and get a couple of quid for our trouble?"
"We're more likely to get the gallows for our trouble if we stick around much longer. Now help me with this." It was the deep voice again. There followed a series of grunts and thuds and a stream of profanity from the two men. Thomas was vaguely aware that they were carrying something, or someone, up the steep embankment. After awhile, they returned and repeated the process.
At another point, Thomas was aware of the clatter of a carriage passing on the bridge above, and he was hopeful that it would stop, but he hoped in vain.
He must have slept awhile, because the next time he opened his eyes, the afternoon sun had moved considerably in the sky. His head felt much clearer now and he forced himself to sit up, bracing himself against the pain.
What he saw stunned him. He was sitting on the embankment, about halfway between the bridge and the bottom of the ravine. There was debris everywhere. The carriage had broken into several large sections and the trunks had burst open, strewing their contents over a wide area. Then there were the four horses, what was left of them. The carriage team had met a violent death when they plummeted off the bridge. Their remains were responsible for much of the ghastly mess.
Just then, Thomas' eyes fell on the part of the carriage where the driver's seat had been. "Father!" His dry throat could produce little more than a whisper. He forced himself to his feet and hobbled toward the carriage. He did not see his father at first, but he saw John Ryan. He was awake, but his legs were trapped under a large piece of the carriage, and he could not move.
"John! I'll get you out of there, don't worry, my friend. Have you seen the others?" Thomas blurted.
John looked up, startled at being addressed. He had not realized that he was no longer alone. John looked sadly into Thomas' eyes and then glanced over his right shoulder. Thomas followed the direction of his gaze and his heart lurched when he saw the still form of his father, lying on the rocks about twenty feet away.
"Oh, no ... Father!" He murmured, his heart heavy. He went to the spot where his father lay, held his hand, and said a prayer. After a few minutes, he returned to John.
"I'm sorry, Thomas." John said quietly. After a moment, he pointed in the direction of another large piece of the carriage and said sadly, "The girl is in there."
"Oh God. Not Mrs. Darcy?" Thomas moaned. It was all becoming too much.
"No. The other one, the nursemaid. I don't know what happened to Mrs. Darcy or the little ones." Came John's reply.
Thomas checked on Miss Pimms, in case she might still be alive, but she was not. He conducted a quick search of the area, finding no trace of anyone else. He was able to lift the debris from John's legs, freeing them, but they were badly hurt, probably broken, and he could not move.
Thomas spoke with John for a few moments. John had been conscious throughout the horrible afternoon, but his view of the scene had been obstructed by the carriage, so he had not been able to observe everything that had gone on. He knew that two of the highwaymen had survived, and two had been killed. The two survivors had quickly taken the bodies of the others and left the scene, never realizing that John was awake. From what John could hear, they had left with the horses they had been riding earlier that day. Those were the voices that Thomas had heard. John confirmed that a carriage had passed, but had not stopped. He could only assume that the wreckage was not visible from the road. No one else had moved or been by and both men were at a loss to explain what had happened to the others. They could only hope that the highwaymen had not taken Mrs. Darcy and the two children with them, as well.
Mrs. Darcy! Thomas suddenly realized that, if the wreckage was not visible from the road, no one else knew where they were. He didn't know what time it was, but he was sure that at least a few hours had passed since the accident. He had to get to Pemberley and tell them what had happened. They had to find Mrs. Darcy and the children, and he had to get help for John.
John was in no condition to move, so Thomas made him as comfortable as possible. He found some blankets and coats amidst the wreckage, and brought them to him. Then he climbed up the embankment with a promise to be back with help just as soon as he could.
When he got to the road, he realized that John's assumption had been correct. There was no sign at all of the violence that had transpired there mere hours ago, or of the horrific scene just a few feet below.
He looked across the road, toward the woods, directly at the first bit of luck that he had had all day. For there, fifty feet away, was a saddled horse. The highwaymen must not have taken all of them, after all. Thomas Parkin walked across the road, mounted the highwayman's horse, and rode toward Pemberley just as fast as he could.
Chapter 6 Posted on Friday, 10 November 2006
Darcy sighed with relief when he heard the crunching of the gravel in the drive that meant the carriages had arrived at last. It had been more than an hour since he had arrived home, and Georgiana and Richard had followed only moments later. After changing from his dusty traveling clothes, he'd had time to visit with Georgie and Richard, and now was impatient to see Elizabeth again. He'd been pacing the front hall for several minutes, at least.
He sprinted to the courtyard to greet her, straightening his cravat and smoothing his dark green waistcoat. He arrived as Mr. and Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley were alighting from their carriage.
"Oh, Mr. Darcy, how nice of you to come out and greet us personally!" purred Caroline Bingley.
Darcy ignored her and turned to Hurst. "Hurst, where is the other carriage? Were you not traveling together? Where is my wife?" As he said this last, he experienced a disquieting flashback to the dream he had been unsuccessfully attempting to forget all day.
When it was explained to him that they had decided not to wait for the second carriage, Darcy was livid. He knew that he was being irrational, that Elizabeth was perfectly fine in their sturdy carriage with Mr. Parkin and the two footmen. But he resented that they had left his wife to wait for their children and nurse, while they hurried on to the comforts of Pemberley.
Another carriage entered the drive, and for a moment Darcy was keenly disappointed to see that it was the Bingley's carriage and not his own. Alright, I have to stop this now. I am being ridiculous. She is fine and she will be home soon. She will tease me later when I tell her how I worried. He tried to smile at this thought, but it felt more like a grimace.
Georgiana and Richard joined Darcy outside, and in the ensuing flurry of greetings and the bustle of getting everyone into the house and settled in their rooms, another half hour passed with no carriage, no Elizabeth.
An hour later, all the guests had freshened up and gathered in the blue drawing room for refreshments. Darcy was not attending to any conversation and stood at the window scanning the horizon, growing desperate for the sight of a carriage. The tendril of fear he had experienced in his dream had multiplied and taken root in earnest.
Louisa Hurst had begun to worry, as well. She never should have agreed to leave her children behind and she knew it. But Caroline had been goading her about being dull and common, claiming that there was nothing less fashionable than a woman who was a slave to her children. So she had agreed to go on without them, and she heartily regretted it now.
"Mr. Darcy," Caroline drawled, "Charles tells me that he and Jane stopped at the very same inn that we had the misfortune of visiting today. Imagine if we had run into them there!"
For once, Caroline had succeeded in getting Darcy's attention. He turned to her and her brother, "What's this Bingley? You stopped at the Red Lion Inn on your way here? What time was that?"
"Oh, I don't know, Darcy. Darling, what time would you say that was?" Bingley questioned his wife.
Jane, who had also begun to worry about Lizzy, suddenly understood the importance of this question. "I'd say we were there from about one o'clock until half-past." She directed this information to Darcy.
"That's after the Hursts had left. And you're sure that Elizabeth and the children were not there at that time?" Darcy questioned. "Perhaps they were taking a walk and you missed them?"
"No, William. There were no other carriages there at the time, I'm absolutely sure of it." Jane and Darcy locked eyes as she said this, and an unspoken fear passed between them.
"That means that Elizabeth's carriage left the inn before one o'clock, shortly after Hurst's carriage. If you didn't pass her along the road, where is she?" Darcy spoke as much to himself as to the others.
All of the occupants of the room were now attending to Darcy's line of questioning and the seriousness of the situation was beginning to set in. It was nearly six. By all estimates, Elizabeth, Miss Pimms, and the children should have been home two hours ago.
Colonel Fitzwilliam jumped up, ever a man of action. "Look, Darcy, I'm sure that there's a reasonable explanation for this. They probably lost a wheel or broke an axle and stopped at one of the little villages for repairs." He sounded so convincing as he said this that he nearly believed it himself. "However, just to put your mind at ease, why don't we organize a search party while we still have a few hours of daylight."
Fear had truly taken hold of Darcy now, and he was grateful that Richard was there to think clearly. He was just about to respond in the affirmative, when they heard a commotion in the hall. The door to the drawing room opened, and Hopkins, Pemberley's butler, addressed Darcy, "Forgive me, Sir, but Thomas Parkin is here. He has news."
Chapter 7 Posted on Friday, 10 November 2006
Once Thomas told them what had occurred, everyone sprung into action at once. Horses were saddled and supplies gathered, and the men made ready to go to the scene of the accident.
Word had traveled like wildfire across Pemberley and the news of Mr. Parkin's death cast a pall over the estate. But it was the fact that Mrs. Darcy was missing that moved them to action. During her months at Pemberley, Elizabeth had earned the loyalty and affection of servants and tenants alike, but it was their respect for, and devotion to, Mr. Darcy that spurred them on now. It was obvious to all that the Darcys had married for love, and they could not bear to think of how their young master would suffer should a tragedy befall his bride. Within a few moments of Thomas Parkin's arrival at the house, a steady stream of people from all over Pemberley began arriving to offer their assistance wherever it was needed. Even in his frantic state, Darcy saw this and was deeply touched.
While the men prepared to search for Elizabeth and the children, Jane, Georgiana and Caroline turned their attention to the Hursts. Upon hearing that Miss Pimms had been killed and her children were missing, Louisa Hurst had begun to sob, overwhelmed by guilt, regret, and fear. She could not be comforted and soon became hysterical. A servant was sent to Lambton to fetch Dr. Adams, the local physician. Upon his arrival, Louisa was taken to her room and given a sleeping draught, her husband and sister by her side.
Within half an hour, a large group of men was headed to the scene of the accident. They slowed their horses as they approached the stone bridge. Just as Thomas had described, there was no evidence of anything amiss visible from the road.
Darcy was off his horse before it had stopped, and he reached the embankment next to the bridge before any of the others. When he was close enough to see the devastation, Darcy froze in horror. The carnage of the scene was more than he could bear and every ounce of strength drained from his body. His Elizabeth had been in that carriage. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Master of Pemberley, sank to his knees in the grass, put his head in his hands and wept.
"Elizabeth!" her name was expelled in a sob. "Elizabeth ... no..."
After a moment, he felt a strong hand on his shoulder and he heard Richard say quietly to Bingley, "Take him back to the house. He doesn't need to see this."
Darcy wiped his eyes with his sleeve, took a deep breath, and said in voice much stronger than he felt, "No, Richard. I'm not going anywhere. Not until I find my wife."
The men set about their grim task, keeping a respectful distance from Darcy and deferring to Colonel Fitzwilliam as the natural leader. His military training allowed him to keep a cool and rational head even when emotions were running very high, and he vowed that anything that could be done, would be done. He was closer to Darcy than he was to his own brother and Richard had never wished for anything more than he wished to find Elizabeth alive.
They climbed down the embankment, gingerly stepping from rock to rock, searching for anything that might lead them to Elizabeth and the children.
John Ryan was carried up the embankment and taken to the house to be attended by Dr. Adams. The bodies of Samuel Parkin and Miss Pimms were placed in a wagon. No trace was found of Elizabeth, James or Emma.
There was some speculation that they might have been swept away by the rain-swollen stream at the bottom of the ravine. This seemed unlikely, because little of the debris appeared to have made it all the way to the bottom. Just in case, a few of the men were dispatched downstream to search for them.
The more likely scenario was that they had been taken captive by the highwaymen who had escaped. If this were the case, Darcy would certainly receive a note demanding ransom very soon, and they would be left to hope and pray that the criminals would not harm their captives and their safe release could be negotiated.
More than once, Darcy had raised the possibility that Elizabeth might have escaped with the children during the scuffle, before the carriage went over the side. No one gave any credence to this theory but him, because Thomas did not think they had had much time and it would not explain why Miss Pimms had remained in the carriage. But Darcy knew his wife better than anyone; he knew she would have acted quickly and courageously and he alone held out hope that she might yet be safe. But if this was the case, then where was she?
Chapter 8 Posted on Friday, 10 November 2006
Elizabeth Darcy was not one to hesitate, once she had decided upon a course of action. In most circumstances, this was a character trait that served her well. In fact, it could be said that it was this very trait that had saved her life just a few minutes earlier, when she had made the decision to escape from the carriage.
Having now decided that they would walk through the woods, Elizabeth believed that the sooner they got on with it, the better. Her reasoning was sound; she knew there were survivors and that it was very likely some of the highwaymen were among them. She was holding an infant who had been miraculously, almost eerily, quiet up until this point, but that could change at any moment. Sounds carried and echoed in the woods and she thought that they should get as far away as possible just as quickly as they could.
Elizabeth and the children had not gone more than a half-mile into the woods when the surviving highwaymen reached the road. They brought up the bodies of their partners and they gathered the four horses who were grazing peacefully nearby. They each mounted a horse, secured a body in front of them, and held onto the reins of an additional horse. They were just about to depart when one of the extra horses broke free.
"Blast!" said the fellow who had dropped the reins, as he watched the horse trot off toward the woods. "I'll get him."
"Wait, Jake!" barked the other man. "Listen..." They heard the faint clattering of a distant carriage approaching. "Forget the horse, we've got to get out of here!"
The two men and three horses galloped away, taking the bodies of their partners with them. They intended to get as far from Derbyshire as they possibly could. They could tell by the quality of the carriage and livery that the people they had attacked were from an important family. If they were caught, punishment would be swift and severe, as it always is when the rich and powerful are involved. They would, therefore, make it their business not to be caught and the best way to do that was not to venture back into this county for a long, long time.
It was a few short minutes later when the carriage they had heard reached the bridge. The carriage did not stop or even slow down. Indeed, there was no reason that it should. Neither the driver nor the passengers could see the wreckage as they passed over it, nor did they see the single rider-less horse, which by now had ventured just deep enough into the woods to be out of sight.
Less than a mile away, a young woman and two small children were carefully making their way through the woods, at the beginning of what would be a very, very long walk.
Had Elizabeth hesitated, she would have seen the highwaymen ride away and felt safe enough to venture out from the woods to check on the others from her carriage. She would have heard the second carriage approaching and gone to the road to request assistance. The passengers of this carriage would have been more than happy to do anything they could to help, because Elizabeth was very well known to them. That carriage - the one that passed without ever slowing down - was carrying Charles and Jane Bingley to Pemberley.
But, as it was not in her nature, Elizabeth did not hesitate, she acted. With Emma clasped firmly in one arm and James' hand held in hers, they walked along in silence for awhile, her mind going over all that had happened in so short a time.
She had to continually remind herself to go slowly, realizing that such a small boy could not possibly keep up with her usual brisk pace. She found this to be quite frustrating; she was desperate to get back to Pemberley, to see her husband and to get help to Mr. Parkin and the others.
After awhile, her arms began to ache from carrying Emma and she had an idea. She stopped and removed one of her petticoats. She fashioned it into a sling, tying it tightly over one shoulder, and she nestled the baby snugly inside. It was marvelous! Her arms were now free, and Emma was warm and safe inside her cocoon. Elizabeth laughed to herself to think what Caroline Bingley would say if she could see her now, carrying a baby in such a fashion, like a common field hand. No matter that it was Caroline's very own niece, and that Elizabeth was trying to bring her home safely, Caroline would be scandalized!
As Elizabeth chuckled to herself, she realized that she felt better when she laughed. She looked down at James and decided that he could probably do with some cheering up, as well.
"James?" The sound of her voice after the deep silence of the woods startled them both.
He looked up at her, "Yes, Mrs. Darcy?"
"Would you like to hear a story?" She inquired, smiling.
"Oh, yes!" His whole face brightened. "My Mama tells me stories sometimes. Are you a good story-teller Mrs. Darcy?" James asked innocently.
"Hmm, actually, I don't know. I haven't any children of my own, so I haven't had much practice lately. I used to tell stories to my younger sisters, but that was a long time ago." She wistfully replied. "But I certainly promise to do my best! Would you like that?"
"Yes." James nodded eagerly.
So, while they walked, Elizabeth spun long tales of brave knights and handsome princes, always named James, and silly girls with names like Lady Prissipants or Miss Merrifeathers, who were forever getting into mischief. The stories always ended with the knights and princes falling in love with brave but impertinent ladies of no fortune, low connections, and pure hearts.
The stories had the desired effect and both Elizabeth and James were feeling better. But they had been walking for a long time and Emma was getting very fussy. Elizabeth knew the baby was hungry, they were all hungry. The woods had gradually thinned out so that they could see the sky clearly and the light was starting to fade. For the first time, Elizabeth worried that they would not make it home before nightfall.
They came to a steep hill, with a rushing stream at the bottom. It was, in fact, the same stream that they had left several miles back, at the bridge. The hill here was not quite as steep as the ravine that the bridge spanned, and it was grassy instead of rocky. Elizabeth still thought that she should carry James down. She would have to make two trips. She had James sit at the top of the hill while she took Emma down and laid her in the grass. Then she climbed back up the hill, picked up James, and carried him down as well. At the bottom, they drank their fill of the cool, clear water from the stream. Elizabeth cupped her hand to pour water into Emma's tiny mouth, and the baby seemed to perk up a bit.
Crossing the stream was a trickier matter. At its deepest, the water was almost to Elizabeth's waist, and it was moving fast. She hated the idea of leaving one of the children alone, even for a few minutes, but she couldn't see an alternative. She decided to take James first. Leaving Emma in the grass, well away from the rushing water, she had him climb onto her back and wrap his arms around her neck, then she hiked her skirts up as high as she could, and stepped into the cold water. She stepped gingerly, not wanting to stumble, and slowly they made their way across. Once she had safely deposited James on the bank, she returned for Emma and repeated the process.
When all three had safely crossed, Elizabeth sat in the grass, exhausted, cold and wet. She glanced at James and saw that his lip was trembling as if he were about to cry.
"James, sweetheart, what is it?" She said softly, reaching out to stroke his hair.
"I'm sorry Mrs. Darcy. I can be a brave boy, really I can. It's just that I haven't had any dinner ... or any tea ... and I'm tired." With that, he began to cry in earnest.
She gently hugged the boy, being careful not to get him wet. "No, my dear boy, it's me who should be sorry." She murmured. "Of course you're hungry and you're tired." She stroked his hair. "What do you say we have a rest for awhile?" James looked up at her with heavy eyes and, yawning, nodded his head.
They stayed there, on the grassy bank of the stream, for a long time. Emma slept in the grass, wrapped in Elizabeth's petticoat, and James slept curled up next to her. Elizabeth lay nearby, thinking of her home and of her husband, who she knew must be frantic by now, and her heart went out to him. I'm coming, my love, she thought. I'll be there just as soon as I can. Do not give up on me!
She watched as the evening sun sank behind the trees, and she was still watching as the moon came up, the daytime sounds of singing birds and humming insects long since replaced with the night calls of owls and frogs. They were fortunate in that it was a full moon tonight so she could see the landscape quite clearly, bathed in the bright silvery moonlight.
Elizabeth did not know how many hours had passed when she heard James' voice. "Mrs. Darcy? It's dark out!" He did not sound frightened, only surprised.
"Yes, James. You slept a long time. Do you feel better?" She inquired.
"Yes. Is it nearly morning?" He wanted to know.
"No, not yet I'm afraid." Time was moving much too slowly for Elizabeth. She was anxious to continue their journey home.
"I miss my Mama. Will we be at your home soon?"
In truth, Elizabeth had no idea. She knew from the sunset she had witnessed that they were still walking west, but she had no way of knowing how much further it would be to Pemberley. Of course, she could not tell this to James, so she said, "It should not be much further now. As soon as it is light, we can begin"
"But I can see very well! Do you think we could walk a little bit, even though it's night?" It was as if he had read her mind.
"If you would like to, James, then so would I. But you have to promise to stay right next to me." She instructed.
Elizabeth stood up and stretched, fastened the petticoat around her body once again, and took James by the hand.
The terrain was much easier now. The woods had thinned and they crossed an occasional meadow. They had walked for more than an hour, sometimes talking but mostly quiet, when she realized that the landscape had become familiar. They were almost home!
"James! I recognize this place. We are not far now, before long we will see the house!" Elizabeth could barely contain her excitement and her steps quickened.
They came to a path that she knew well; it wound alongside a pond and then through a thin stand of trees. Once they were through the trees, the house would be in view. This was the very place that she had been reunited with Mr. Darcy last summer, when she had been visiting with Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner and he had unexpectedly come upon her on his grounds.
They passed through the trees, and nothing could have prepared her for the sight that greeted them. Despite the hour, for surely it was past two at least, the house was glowing with light. The torches along the drive and in the courtyard were lit and bright light streamed from many of the huge windows. There were a few people standing outside, talking in subdued voices. This was clearly not a house closed up for the night, its occupants asleep. No, indeed, this house was awake and waiting. Waiting for them, waiting for her, and she was home.
As Elizabeth approached the house, she untied her petticoat and wrapped it around Emma like a blanket. She knew her appearance must be frightful, but she was well past caring.
She could tell the instant they were spotted. Three men who had been standing in the drive talking suddenly froze and looked in her direction. She saw the expressions on their faces change from surprise at seeing anyone walking so late at night, to the shock of recognition, and then joy as the reality set in. One of the men ran in the direction of the house and the other two came toward her, calling her name.
Chapter 9 Posted on Saturday, 11 November 2006
Darcy sat at a writing desk in the drawing room, elbows on the desktop, his head resting in his hands. He had chosen this seat purposely so that he could face the wall instead of the others in the room. He couldn't bear to see the pain and sorrow on their faces, for he knew it was a reflection of his own.
The waiting was torture. At least while there was light he had been outside, searching, doing something. As long as he was searching, he could hope. But they had suspended the search at midnight, agreeing to begin again at dawn. It was now just after three in the morning.
Mr. and Mrs. Hurst had remained in their room, Louisa having been given a sleeping powder by Dr. Adams. Caroline had gone to bed, insisting that someone would need to be fresh and clear-headed in the morning. Everyone else was still here, in the drawing room. Bingley and Jane were dozing on one sofa, Georgie on another. Richard was still awake, having assigned himself the task of looking after Darcy.
When they had begun the search, all those hours ago, Darcy had truly believed that she was alright. He felt it. He thought that he would somehow sense it if something had happened to her; he couldn't even bring himself to form the words, "if she were dead." But so many hours had gone by with no answers that it was getting harder to hold on to hope in the face of everyone else's resigned acceptance.
When the search had been called off for the night, Bingley had suggested sending an express to Longbourn and Darcy had been furious. "An express to say what, exactly, Bingley? That we don't know anything? That we have no idea what happened to my wife today?" Any suggestion that she might not be coming home was met with a deadly glare and icy silence from Mr. Darcy.
A few hours earlier, Darcy had gone up to his rooms, their rooms, to retrieve something. He had passed several servants in the hallway and they had avoided looking at him, their eyes full of sorrow. He was once again transported back to his dream.
His dream! He had known something was going to happen, his dream had told him, and all day he had felt it. Had it only been twenty-four hours ago? It seemed impossible. Why, why did he leave her today? If only he'd stayed with her... Whatever had happened to Elizabeth, he would much rather have endured the same fate than to be here, safe, without her.
Darcy had no idea how long he had been sitting like this, staring at nothing, drowning in despair and fighting the encroaching hopelessness, when he heard a commotion outside, footsteps running in the hall. He was afraid to know what it meant, afraid of what news there might be.
The door to the drawing room opened and Darcy heard Mrs. Reynolds' voice. Again he remembered his dream, the look in her eyes and how it filled him with such dread, such unspeakable sorrow. He heard her say, "Pardon me, Mr. Darcy, Sir?"
He didn't want to meet her eyes, unwilling to face what he might see there. But he forced himself to turn his head toward her, his own eyes dark pools of anguish, misery, and fear. He looked at her face and what he saw confused him for a moment. Mrs. Reynolds was crying openly, tears streaming down her cheeks...but she had a tremulous smile on her face. "Sir, it's the Mistress! She's come home! And she has the two Hurst children with her!"
Darcy could scarcely credit what he had heard. He jumped from his seat, knocking the chair over in his haste, and crossed the room in three steps. He stood before her, his eyes boring into hers, the question clearly written on his face. She nodded, smiling, and reached up to lightly touch his cheek. In this moment, she was more mother than servant and her own joy was great.
"Where?" He croaked, barely able to speak.
"Outside, in the courtyard." Mrs. Reynolds replied softly.
Darcy ran to the door and down the steps, and he saw her, just entering the courtyard. Her gown was torn and dirty, her hair had long since come down from its pins, and was framing her face in a cloud of untamed curls. Darcy had never seen a more beautiful sight in his life and he knew that he never would.
She handed Emma to a waiting maid, and knelt in front of James, her hands on his shoulders. "You have been a very good and a very brave boy, James Hurst. Your Mama and Papa are going to be so happy to see you and so very proud of you. I am very proud of you."
"Will I see you at breakfast, Mrs. Darcy?" James inquired.
She laughed at this and told him, "You will see me tomorrow, James, but not too early, I daresay. It is very late."
"Alright, then. Good night, Mrs. Darcy." He stepped toward her and circled his small, dirty arms around her neck.
"Good night, James," she murmured, hugging him back. She looked up then and her eyes met her husband's. She smiled at him and it was the most precious gift he had ever received.
He approached her as if in a dream. As James was led away by a servant, Darcy reached out to his wife and helped her to her feet. He took her face in his hands gently, as if she might break, or worse yet, disappear in a puff of smoke.
"Elizabeth," he breathed, tears of relief flowing freely now. "Can this be real? Are you here or am I dreaming? For if this is a dream, I pray to God that I never awaken." His thumbs caressed her face as he spoke.
Her own eyes swam with unshed tears and, at his words, one slowly spilled over and made its lazy way down her cheek, grazing his thumb. "Fitzwilliam, my love, I am here, I am really here, and I love you so very, very much."
With that, he let out a cry that was somehow a sob and a laugh at once, and he pulled her roughly into his embrace, no longer afraid that she might disappear. Her arms went around his waist and she rested her face against his chest. She was home, at last.
Darcy and Elizabeth stood in a tight embrace for several moments, oblivious to everything outside the circle of their arms. They had no care for the servants milling about in the courtyard, or for their family members, who had awoken and stood gathered in the doorway, watching the tender scene unfold, not one of them in possession of a dry eye.
After awhile, he pushed back from her just far enough to look at her. "Are you well?" He asked, searching her face.
"I am now" was her earnest response, and he leaned down and kissed her, for once not caring who witnessed such an intimate moment. His kiss spoke of all the love, and all the fear and pain that he had experienced today, in a way that words could not.
When he released her lips, she smiled up at him again, her eyes sparkling, and said, "I am a bit tired, you know. I've had a long walk today, even for an excellent walker such as myself." He smiled back at her, a smile that reached all the way to his eyes, and thought how wonderful it was to be teased by his wife.
Before she knew what was happening, Darcy scooped her up and began walking toward the house. Elizabeth laughed and locked her arms behind his neck. "I am tired, Fitzwilliam, but I think I could have made it into the house."
"I have no doubt of that, my love. However, I very much doubt my own ability to let you go." He stopped walking, looked down at her, and kissed her again. "Do you have any idea how much I love you, Elizabeth?"
Her eyes told him that, in fact, she did, and that it was mutual.
Chapter 10 Posted on Saturday, 11 November 2006
Darcy carried her briskly up the steps, past the small crowd now gathered in the entry hall and into the drawing room, where he deposited her on a sofa and sat down beside her. He immediately gathered her into his arms, demonstrating again his inability to let her go, even when Mrs. Reynolds swept into the room behind them.
"Pardon me, Mr. Darcy, Mrs. Darcy." She smiled at her Mistress, looking anything but sorry to have interrupted. Once again in good control of her emotions, she said, "I've sent word to cook to have some tea and light refreshments brought up. It shouldn't be long. Will you be wanting water for a bath, Mrs. Darcy?"
"That would be heavenly!" Elizabeth smiled gratefully.
"Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds." Darcy gave her a meaningful look. "For everything."
The housekeeper smiled warmly at the couple on the sofa. "My pleasure, sir. You just let me know if you need anything else." And with that, she was gone.
Almost immediately the door opened again and Jane, Bingley, Richard, and Georgiana rushed into the room. This time Darcy had no choice but to let his wife go, as he was unceremoniously removed from the sofa by his sister, so that she might embrace Elizabeth herself. Elizabeth smiled indulgently at her now petulant husband as he moved to another chair, and she happily accepted warm greetings from both Georgie and Jane.
Despite the hour, no one was inclined to sleep, for emotions were running much too high. When the refreshments arrived, one and all discovered that they had suddenly recovered their appetites and together they enjoyed a pre-dawn breakfast.
Elizabeth told them what had happened on the bridge and explained why she had decided to walk through the woods with the children. She was devastated to learn of Mr. Parkin's fate, and Darcy, who had by now reclaimed his position at her side, put his arms around her to comfort her in her grief.
"And what of Miss Pimms?" she asked, afraid to know the answer.
Darcy tightened his arms around her and shook his head.
"I wish I could have convinced her to come with me. Perhaps if I had tried harder..." Her voice trailed off.
"Elizabeth." Darcy said in a firm voice, taking her chin in his hand and raising it until she looked at him. "Do not ever blame yourself for what happened today. You did what you had to do and because of your courage, two children are alive tonight. Never forget that." Their eyes locked and Elizabeth nodded solemnly.
As the sun began to rise, the six occupants of the drawing room began to realize just how weary they actually were. First Georgiana and then the Bingleys excused themselves and went upstairs to get some much needed sleep.
Richard stood up and was about to do the same, when Darcy stopped him with a hand on his arm. "May I have a word with you, Richard? Just give me a moment." Darcy escorted Elizabeth to her dressing room, where her maid and the comfort of a warm bath awaited her and then he returned to the drawing room.
"What's this, cousin? Why so serious?" Richard said lightly.
"Richard ... I just want to ... er, I don't quite know how to..." Darcy faltered and looked toward the windows with a sigh.
Richard put his hand on Darcy's shoulder. "I know, cousin, I know. You don't need to say anything."
"But I do! Richard, I have not the words to tell you how important your presence here was tonight. Everything that you did ... I ... well, I could not have gotten through this night without you. I will never forget this. Thank you." Darcy looked earnestly at his cousin.
"You are welcome, Darcy. We are family, after all, and you have always been there for me when I have needed you. And now, you should go to your lovely wife, and I am to bed." With that, Richard left the room.
Chapter 11 Posted on Saturday, 11 November 2006
The bright sunshine streaming in through the windows told her it was a new day, but for a moment Louisa Hurst did not know where she was. She was groggy and had a headache and ... then she remembered! The pain of the previous day came crashing down upon her once again and she was just about to let out a sob, when she heard a soft voice say, "Oh, Mama, you are finally awake! I've been waiting for you!"
Her heart lurched in her chest and she turned her head in the direction of the small voice. He was sitting on the edge of her bed, and Louisa looked from his precious face to the rare smile on the face of her husband, who was sitting in a chair nearby holding their daughter. She met his gaze with tear-filled eyes and knew that nothing would ever matter to her as much as the three people in this room. She would never let anything come between them again.
Much later, having been informed of all that had transpired the day before, the Hursts were preparing to leave Pemberley. They were to return to London to recover from their ordeal and to pay respects to the family of Miss Pimms.
Before she could leave, Louisa Hurst had an important matter to see to. She needed to see Elizabeth Darcy, who had gone on an estate errand with her husband. When informed that Mrs. Darcy had returned, Louisa found her in the library.
"Mrs. Darcy," she began, but it felt all wrong. "May I call you Elizabeth? And you may call me Louisa?"
Elizabeth remembered her suspicion the previous day, before everything had gone so wrong, that she had very likely misjudged Louisa Hurst. She thought about the sweet little boy with whom she had spent so many hours and she looked up at his mother and smiled. "Yes, Louisa. I would like that very much."
Louisa approached Elizabeth and tentatively reached out for her hands. "You have given me a gift, Elizabeth, that I can never repay. What you did for my children yesterday, I will never, ever forget.
"It is my fervent wish that someday you might come to think of me as your friend, and I am ashamed to realize that I have done nothing to deserve such an honor." Louisa looked into Elizabeth's eyes, "That changes today. I make you this promise now: if there is ever anything that you need, anything that I can do for you or for someone you love, all you need do is ask."
Elizabeth could see the truth of her words in her eyes. She smiled at Louisa and gently squeezed her hands. "Thank you, Louisa. I look forward to being able to count among my friends the mother of such a fine boy as I had the privilege to come to know yesterday. Not to mention such a sweet baby girl! You should be very proud."
At that moment, the fine boy himself raced into the library and grabbed his mother's skirts. He smiled shyly at Elizabeth. "Mrs. Darcy, will you come and visit me soon?"
Louisa interjected, "James, perhaps we can have Mrs. Darcy to tea when next she is in town."
Elizabeth smiled, "I would like that very much."
"When you come, will you tell me some more stories? Please?" Begged James.
"If you insist, then yes I shall!"
Later still, Louisa was in her room seeing to the final preparations for their departure when Caroline came in. "I still do not see why you have to leave, sister." She whined.
"Caroline, dear, I've explained this. I need to be in my own home with my family right now." Louisa said softly. "Besides, we must pay our respects to Miss Pimms' family. After all, she was in our employ when she met her untimely end."
"Ah, yes, the unfortunate Miss Pimms. Humph. If only Eliza had saved her, then you would not have to go. Really, how selfish Eliza is, thinking only of getting out of the carriage with no worry for the poor..."
"NO!" Louisa's voice rang out strong and clear and stopped Caroline mid-sentence. She turned on her sister with anger flashing in her eyes and spat out, "No more, Caroline! It is over! It is time for you to put aside your petty jealousy of Elizabeth Darcy. She has proved herself a friend to this family in a way that we can never repay. You are never to speak ill of her in my presence again. Is that understood?"
Caroline stared at her sister, blinking, rendered speechless for perhaps the first time in her life. She never spoke ill of Elizabeth Darcy again in the presence of her sister, or indeed, any of the Hursts or Bingleys.
Chapter 12 Posted on Saturday, 11 November 2006
Darcy had returned to their rooms after his talk with Richard, just as Elizabeth was readying for bed. "It seems odd to be getting into bed as the sun is rising" she observed.
"Yes, but you need your sleep, my love, you have been through so much."
He readied for bed and joined her under the warm blankets, wrapping her in his embrace. He buried his face in her soft, fragrant hair, drinking in her scent, rejoicing in her very presence. "I am not the only one who has been through much today, Fitzwilliam. In fact, I believe that this entire ordeal has been much harder on you," she said softly.
"How can that be?"
"Because I always knew that I was coming home to you." She replied. "With the exception of those few awful moments during the attack, I knew that the children and I were going to be fine. I knew that when I reached Pemberley, you would be there, waiting for me. You did not have the same comfort."
He was silent for a moment, and then she heard his voice, barely a whisper, but the pain evident nonetheless, "No...I did not."
She held him tightly and stroked his hair, whispering soft comforting words, until sleep claimed them both.
It was nearly noon when she finally awoke, and she was alone in the bed. She sat up, momentarily disappointed that he had gone, but she smiled when she saw the enormous bunch of flowers that he had left in his place. With them was a note.
My Dearest Elizabeth,Please forgive me for not being here when you awoke. I thought that you needed to sleep in, so I left word you were not to be disturbed. I wanted nothing more than to remain by your side, but there is something of importance that I must take care of today. I shall be going out early this afternoon, but will return before tea.
These flowers are but a token of my love. Their beauty is nothing to you. I love you, now and always.
Yours,
FD
Elizabeth suspected that she knew the nature of this important business, and she hoped that she was not too late. She rang for her maid and dressed quickly, choosing a gown in subdued shades of gray, and she went downstairs.
She was relieved when she heard his voice coming from his study. He was talking to Mrs. Reynolds, "The Mistress is not to be disturbed today. She needs to rest."
"On the contrary, Mr. Darcy." She interjected archly, entering the room. "The Mistress is feeling quite well today and will be joining you on your errand."
They turned to her, surprised by both her presence and her words. Even in her subdued gray dress, she took Darcy's breath away, and he could not help but smile. Mrs. Reynolds excused herself and quietly slipped away.
Elizabeth met Darcy's gaze and an understanding passed between them. "You don't have to do this, Elizabeth. No one expects it, it is too soon."
"That is where you are wrong, Fitzwilliam. I do have to do it, not because it is expected, but because I want to, nay, I need to. I owe him this much."
Darcy nodded slowly. Much as he would have liked her to rest, he knew she was right. And truth be told, he would be grateful for her presence and support.
So it was that the Master and Mistress of Pemberley paid a call on Mrs. Lucille Parkin and Thomas Parkin, widow and youngest son of Mr. Samuel Parkin. Elizabeth brought a basket of food that Mrs. Reynolds had packed and she expressed her heartfelt gratitude at the bravery and loyalty that Mr. Parkin had shown right until the last.
Darcy made it known that in gratitude for his years of service, and even more for the role he had played in protecting Mrs. Darcy, Mrs. Parkin would be welcome to remain in the cottage rent free, for the rest of her days if she chose it, and Mr. Parkin's wages would continue to be paid to her. Darcy told Thomas that, when he was ready to return to his duties, the job of driver was his. The Parkins were overwhelmed, but not surprised, by Darcy's generosity.
In the course of their outing, The Darcys accepted greetings and good wishes from all whose paths they crossed. Word had spread of how Mrs. Darcy had escaped the highwaymen and walked more than ten miles with two little ones, not returning home until the middle of the night. That she was up and about today, and paying a condolence call on the Parkin family, only increased the level of devotion the tenants and servants already felt toward her and further increased their esteem for Mr. Darcy, for having had the good sense to choose such a wife.
Indeed, no one was more acutely aware of his good fortune than Darcy himself. He had always known it, ever since that crisp autumn day when she had finally agreed to be his wife. But the events of yesterday had reminded him in a most painful manner of just how much he had to be thankful for ... Elizabeth, her love, their marriage ... all of it. I will never take these precious gifts for granted, not for a moment, he vowed silently.
He looked at his wife, sitting next to him in the curricle. She smiled at him, took his hand and intertwined her fingers with his. Contentment washed over him and he suddenly knew with a certainty he could not explain that it would always be this way; that whatever challenges might lay ahead for them in the future, they would meet them together. With Elizabeth, he had found more than a wife, he had found a partner.
Epilogue Posted on Saturday, 11 November 2006
Thomas Parkin brought the carriage to a stop near the main entrance to the house, and sat back to wait. It was a gentle June day and he was in no particular hurry to be on his way. Thomas had been the Darcy's driver for thirty years, nearly as long as Mr. and Mrs. Darcy had been married. A better and more trusted driver was not to be found in all England, according to the Darcys.
From the open windows of the house, he could hear music, laughter, and the sounds of children. The past week had seen an influx of friends and family to Pemberley such as had not been witnessed in years. The house was filled with Darcys, Fitzwilliams, Bingleys, Gardiners, and Hursts. The happy occasion was the marriage of William Bennet Darcy, the eldest of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy's five children and the first to marry. The wedding had taken place this morning, in Pemberley's chapel, and Thomas was now charged with driving the newlyweds as far as London, where they would embark on a journey to the continent.
Thomas heard voices and looked toward the house. The bride and groom were making their exit, followed by their parents. Young Mr. Darcy and his bride looked very happy, as one might expect on their wedding day, but it was another couple that held Thomas' interest at the moment, Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the proud parents of the bridegroom.
Thomas and Darcy were about the same age and, having both grown up at Pemberley, had known each other their entire lives. Like his father before him, Thomas had always liked and respected Darcy and found him to be a fair and generous employer. But he remembered a time, many years ago, when Darcy was a very different man and not a happy one. At that time, it had seemed that Darcy's life was clearly mapped out. The road ahead would be straight, predictable, and safe, but also monotonous and lonely. How my own dear wife would laugh at me, Thomas thought, even my daydreams are about maps and roads! Ah, well, after so many years in the driver's seat, it cannot be helped!
All that had changed one autumn, when Darcy had taken a trip to Hertfordshire and suddenly found himself on a new and unexpected path. This one was not so straight, nor safe, nor at all predictable. There had been plenty of ups and downs, and unexpected turns, especially at first. But this road had taken him to beautiful places that he could never have envisioned, and this road had brought him happiness, because this road had not been traveled alone.
The newlyweds had bid farewell to the groom's beaming parents and now had moved on to the bride's. Thomas looked again at Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, standing off to the side, and he suppressed a chuckle. If not for the graying hair and the gently lined faces of the older couple, one might mistake them for the newlyweds. A smiling Mrs. Darcy gazed up at her husband, eyes sparkling, her arm linked through his. He smiled back at her, a warm smile that lit up his face, his love shining in his eyes. After thirty years of marriage, it could still be said that Fitzwilliam Darcy was a happy man, and it showed.