Beginning, Section II
Jump to new as of September 12, 1999
Jump to new as of September 14, 1999
Part Nine Posted on Sunday, 4 July 1999
"You are sure you have everything, dear?" Mrs. Bennet asked her daughter, as the coach waited impatiently for its' boarder to enter.
"Yes, mother, I know I have everything." Mary smiled, starting to get in the coach.
"This coach takes you to Netherfield where you will be met by Mr. Heighton?"
"Yes, mother."
"Of course, he will have someone else with him. It would be scandalous to ride all the way to London with the two of you alone."
"Yes, I believe Miss Bingley is also going to be joining us." Mary said. Unfortunately for me.
"Very well then." Mr. Bennet said, before Mrs. Bennet could pester another person with her questions. He helped his daughter up into the coach.
"I still do not see why she gets to go instead of me, mother. What will Mary do there? She probably will not even go to any balls." Kitty whined.
Even as the coach was slowly being pulled away, Mary caught the end of Mrs. Bennets' answer.
"...will be good for Mary. She's so dull and will probably never get a husband. Give her this chance of fun while she still has it."
Mary promised herself she would not let her mother get to her. Not right now when she was having such a wonderful time. Within moments, it seemed, Elliot was hopping into the carriage and giving her a huge bear hug.
"Hello, Mr. Heighton," she told him with a laugh when he finally let go of her.
He closed the door behind him and settled down into the seats. He shut his eyes and then the coach started to move. Elliot did not even stir.
"Wait...where's Caroline?" Mary asked in a panic.
"Caroline? She was feeling indisposed today." he told her smugly.
"Did you poison her?" Mary asked sweetly.
"Nah, I'm a gentleman." he reprimanded her.
"Hmmm, too bad. Are you sure that it's not wrong for us to be alone?" she asked timidly.
"Are you afraid I'll help you with your writing again?" he grinned, then grinned some more as she blushed bright red. "Don't worry. I'm going to be a gentleman." he vowed.
She lifted up an eyebrow, but turned to her book. She could feel him staring at her, but she pretended to ignore him. Although he had kissed her over two weeks before, she hadn't seen him much and she felt a little awkward. She had never been kissed before and she did not need to guess to know that he had. She didn't want to think the kiss meant more than what it was. He was just a flirt and had probably kissed girls on more than one occasion.
"A penny for you thoughts." he suddenly broke in.
"Do you actually have a penny?" she wondered.
He shrugged, but then shook his head no.
"I was just reading, Elliot."
"No you were not. You were thinking. I could tell because you were pulling on your right ear lobe. You only do that when you are deep in thought and I'm determined to find out." he smiled.
"Actually, I was thinking about what you told me before–about using my real name on my books." she told him. Not exactly a lie since she had been thinking about that just the day before.
"And?" he prompted.
"I think...I'm going to use my real name." she decided.
"That is wonderful, Mary!" he said, pulling her into the seat next to his and giving her a quick kiss.
"I thought you were going to be a gentleman, Mr. Heighton." she told him.
"Why, I am, Miss Bennet," he laughed.
"I believe you are pressing your advantage." she told him primly.
"What advantage?" he took her small hands into his big ones, "I am taller and stronger than you." he admitted. "I am also quite handsome and incredibly smart, if I may say so myself." he smiled.
"Keep going, Mr. Heighton. This is quite entertaining." she told him when he stopped.
"Am I entertaining?" he asked, kissing her hand.
"Oh yes, and quite conceited also." she quipped, laughing when Elliot pushed her away and closed his eyes.
"I'm tired, Mary." he said simply and in almost five seconds, he was fast asleep.
Mary reopened her book and tried to concentrate on the words. The warm soupy feeling in her stomach prevented her, though. She suppressed a giggle when Elliot started to lightly snore. Right then as she looked back down at the book, the whole world seemed to spin around her. She had only read one word when she was slammed violently to the other side of the carriage.
She screamed Elliots' name and was only dimly aware when he pulled her to his side and braced her next to him. He kept her covered from some luggage that was flying this way and that. Mary didn't even realize what was going on until she asked Elliot what was happening.
"I guess the horses got spooked." he said. He tried to keep good humor in his voice, but she could see the fear in his green eyes. Suddenly, Elliot and Mary were upside down. They were bouncing back and forth between the roof and the seats like rubber. She realized Elliot was trying to keep his big body from crushing hers.
She was so scared she could barely move. She looked up and saw Elliot slam his head onto the window and go lifeless. She yelled out his name and tried to get to him, but the turning made her effort futile. Finally, the rolling stopped and all was silent.
Part Ten Posted on Thursday, 8 July 1999
Mary seemed to be paralyzed for a few moments. They had stopped rolling and moving but she still could feel the jarring movement as if it would start again at any moment. She looked up and saw Elliot was still unconscious. It took all her effort just to crawl the few feet to where he was thrown.
"Elliot?" she asked in quiet amazement at his side. There was a small cut on his forehead but otherwise he looked fine. If he hadn't been unconscious she wouldn't have worried about him at all.
"Elliot?" she said again, this time louder. She put her ear to his chest to hear the precious beat of his heart. She could hear a thumping which was getting slower and softer as the seconds rolled by.
"Elliot! Wake up!" she screamed at him, slapping his face a few times. "You can't leave me, El! Not here, not now, not like this. Please..."
The tears ran down her face as her one and only friend lay unmoving. She put her head down on his chest and cried. Suddenly she felt someone grab her arm. She was about to scream until she saw Elliots eyes open.
"Elliot! Elliot! You did not leave me!" she told him happily, wrapping her arms around his fallen body.
"How could I with you weeping and wailing?" he asked, trying to sit up.
"No! Don't get up yet." she told him, trying to push him back down. Even in his weakened condition he was stronger than her.
He sat up quickly and regretted it. His hands went to his head and he groped his arms around like everything went black. He finally found Mary and leaned his weight against her for balance.
"Are you all right?" she asked fearfully.
He nodded and then grimaced at the effect that motion had on his body.
"I will just have a horrible headache for awhile." he told her.
He took his weight off her and braced himself on the wall of the carriage. He then started inching his way towards the door.
"Elliot, stop moving!" Mary commanded, moving towards the door herself.
The door would not budge and they realized that they had landed on it. Elliot grimaced and pointed to the small window on the other side. Mary understood and carefully opened it. It was plenty big for Mary to fit her slim, small body through. It would be next to impossible for Elliot to squeeze his large one out.
When Mary was out, he tried. He fit his legs out and that was it.
"Mary, you're going to have to break the window." he told her.
She nodded so he would know she had heard him. She swung around, looking up the hill they had tumbled down, and looking all around the base. She finally found a rock. Warning Elliot to stay away, she began to break the window. Elliot slid through, cutting himself up several times on the way.
"Are you okay?" Mary asked when he literally fell into a heap after climbing through the window.
"Yes," he muttered, holding his head and cursing.
"You are going to be fine, right, Elliot?" she asked. The fear and concern in her voice caught him off guard and he could not bring himself to tease.
"Yes, little one, I'll be fine," he said, squeezing her hand and then bringing it to his lips.
Mary was content to sit with Elliot's sleeping head in her lap, when she thought of something.
"The driver!" she said, standing up. Elliot's head was thrown around and he groaned in pain.
"He could be under the carriage or flung somewhere and we have not even looked for him." she said, racing around to find the injured man. She expected the worst, but even that did not prepare her for the sight that awaited her. She couldn't even help the scream that escaped from her own throat.
She could not tear her eyes from the gruesome sight until Elliot came and pulled her face into his chest. She realized she was shaking and crying then. Elliot stood and stroked her hair while she cried into his shirt.
"I'm so sorry, Mary. You should not have had to see that." he said softly.
"Is he dead?" she asked the obvious.
"Yes, Mary, he is."
"He could have been waiting here for us, dying slowly, and we–I–did not even have the decency to look for him." she said mournfully, somewhat muffled by Elliot's chest.
"Do not blame yourself, Mary," he told her, pulling her away so he could look in her eyes. "The horses ran off, we were stuck in there, and I was hurt. You saved my life."
"But I–" Mary started but was interrupted when Elliot staggered and almost fell. She went under his arm so he could use her for a crutch and they walked to the carriage.
"What are we going to do now?" she asked, with a little fear, when they were settled back against the sides of the carriage.
"It is too late to start back now so we will spend the night here and then start out on foot. A carriage will pass us by sooner or later." he shrugged, then caught her eye. He saw the anxiety in it, so he wrapped his arm around her small frame.
"Do not worry, Mary. I'll protect you tonight. I won't let anything bad happen to you." he told her.
"I might be protecting you, you big oaf. You can hardly even stand up." she challenged him, a grin finally on her face.
"I managed before. I heard you scream and I forgot about the pain." he pointed out.
She shrugged her shoulders as if she did not need his protection but then shivered and moved closer to him as the night got darker and darker. They stopped talking and rested. Mary was fine until she could no longer see her hands because of the dark. She gasped and suddenly couldn't breathe. She could not see anything and did not know where anything was. She started thrashing around until Elliot pinned both her hands to her sides.
"Mary, I'm here." he said.
She heard his voice, and called out his name. He grabbed her hands and touched his face with them.
"I'm right here. Are you cold?" he asked.
When he asked she realized she was freezing. She was so cold she was literally shaking.
"Yes," she finally muttered.
She heard a rustling of some sort and then he was wrapping his jacket around her. It was still warm from his body heat and it even smelled like him.
"Would you like to go inside the carriage?" he asked.
"No!" she instantly said. "I want to stay out here with you."
He wrapped both his arms around her and rested his head on hers. She knew what they were doing was scandalous and indecent, but she was freezing and Elliot was being a perfect gentleman.
"Good night, little one." she heard him mutter and then a few seconds latter his light snoring.
It took Mary a much longer time.
Part Eleven Posted on Saturday, 10 July 1999
The morning light woke Mary early. She tried to stir and almost yelped in pain at the crick in her neck. Sleeping with her back to the carriage was not the most comfortable. She carefully got up, careful not to wake up Elliot. Walking down to the small pond, she washed her face and hands.
When she made it back to the carriage, Elliot was already awakening.
"How is your head?" Mary asked with concern.
"It's fine. I've got a hard head." he mumbled, trying to stand.
"You didn't have to tell me that!" Mary said under her breath but loud enough for Elliot to hear. He did hear and gave her a grin for her troubles. "What ever are you doing?"
Mary was jumping up, trying to reach the window so she could pull herself in the carriage.
"I'm trying to get our parcels out of the carriage, if you must know. We can't just leave them here." she told him, jumping and trying to catch hold of something, anything. Unfortunately she was about six inches too short.
"You could help me instead of grinning like a fool." she told him icily. He ignored her tone.
"We aren't going to be able to take everything with us, you know." he told her, as she stepped on his knee. He pushed her up to the window and she slithered in.
"I know, Elliot. I am not daft, you idiot. I'm getting my two suitcases and manuscript." she told him, rooting around inside for all her stuff.
"What about my things?" he asked.
"You," she threw the suitcases to his waiting arms, "are rich and can simply buy new things. I, on the other hand, could never afford it."
Mary jumped down next, her manuscript in hand. She was breathing a little heavily from her exercise and sat down on her suitcase.
"What do we do now?" she asked.
"I guess we will start walking." Elliot said, then caught the look on her face. "You will be all right. We will not walk too fast."
"I can walk plenty fast, you oaf!" she said, outraged and standing up.
"Fine, then let's go." he answered, standing up also. He grabbed her manuscript and left her to carry the suitcases herself.
It was a hard walk for Mary between balancing the suitcases and having to keep up with Elliot. She had to take at least two strides for every one of his. They made it well into the morning when Elliot decided to stop. Mary was hot and sweaty and tired and...
"Hungry. I am so hungry." Mary moaned as they took their rest.
"We will get some food soon enough. If you are really that hungry, you can always pick up that rock." he teased.
"Eat bugs?" The thought was so utterly horrifying for Mary she lost all her appetite.
"I thought you said someone would be coming!" she protested when Elliot stood up and got ready to start off again.
"There may be some," he agreed, walking away down the road.
Mary sighed and hefted the two suitcases on either side of her. She was angry but she had no one to be angry to, which was the problem. She had no reason to be mean to Elliot but if he kept pushing her buttons she might have to do something drastic.
"How long do you think we have walked?" called Mary. Elliot was at least ten feet in front of her.
"Five, possibly." he answered, throwing the answer over his shoulder.
"Only five?" she sighed.
"If you didn't slow us down..." he trailed off knew that would boil her. He was right.
"How dare you say that! Here you are stronger, with longer legs and nothing to carry!" she said, dropping one of the suitcases to the ground.
Elliot smiled and walked slowly to the fallen luggage. She felt keen satisfaction when he bent down and picked it up, showing no physical effort–how infuriating! The smugness left quickly when he handed it right to her.
"You were the one who wanted it. I only think it is fair if you carry it." he smiled and walked away again.
It took a few seconds for Mary to realize what he had done. When she had, she took off after him.
"You-you poor excuse for a man! No real gentleman would let a lady carry their own luggage. They would at least help!" she said.
Elliot held up her story. "I think I am helping you, little one!"
"Do not call me that! My name is Mary. It is the name I was born with, baptized with, and will die with. M-A-R-Y." she harumphed.
"You forgot marriage." he told her.
"What?"
"You mentioned birth, and baptism, and death but not marriage." he told her.
"Oh."
She was quiet, but just to spite her Elliot said, "Come along, pale face."
Mary was so angry she didn't even notice the rain that started to come down in small drops.
"You fool! You ignorant, senseless, brainless fool! I cannot even believe that someone your age and with your standing can be so silly and stupid!" she yelled after him. He did not so much as turn around which only vexed her more.
She went running after him, ignoring the steady rain, and grabbed the manuscript from his hands. The rain started pounding down, then, from the sky. It came down in bucket fulls all at once. Mary bent down to pick the suitcase back up when she slid on the slippery road and went face down into the mud.
She was so mortified she couldn't even move, so she just stayed where she was–breathing into mud. It was better than seeing that face Elliot made when he was trying to act serious but really wanted to laugh his head off about something. She wished he would just leave her alone and go on without her.
Her wish was not granted and Elliot carefully picked her out of the mud.
"Are you all right, Mary?" he asked evenly, but his eyes gave him away.
"If you laugh I will personally see that you go rolling down this hill." Mary said maliciously.
Elliot did not feel like challenging her because she was tired and achy and was covered in mud. She looked so piteous, he did not even crack a smile. Or at least he tried not to. He had just turned to pick up her suitcases when he heard a horrible yell.
Turning, he knew exactly what had happened. Since Mary seemed frozen, he plucked the manuscript out of the mud for her.
"All my work! All my hard work!" she moaned sadly.
"I'm guessing you don't want it back," he told her, breaking down and laughing.
It was the last straw for Mary. She pushed Mr. Elliot Heighton down the hill and he did go sprawling–a tumble of legs and arms rolling down in the mud.
Part Twelve Posted on Wednesday, 14 July 1999
Mary did not feel instant regret after pushing her friend down the hill. In fact, watching him tumble and roll down amused her greatly–until he got to the bottom and did not move. She waited a few minutes to see if he got up. When he didn't, she went tearing down after him.
Mary almost took a spill a couple times, but made it down without taking a turn in the mudslide. She knelt down by Elliot.
"Elliot?" she whispered tentatively, poking his shoulder. He did not respond.
"Oh, god, did I kill you?" she asked out loud. She started to cry silently as she watched Elliot. He was peaceful and unmoving.
Suddenly his eyes opened and he pushed Mary into the mud.
"What–?" Mary asked, as the mud soaked into her clothes.
"I figured you needed a bath, too." he grinned, sitting up.
"You were faking? Of all the low down things to do..." she started.
"Excuse me, who pushed me down the hill?" he asked.
"Excuse me, who was being rude first?" she asked.
"Not me." Elliot said, trying to look innocent. Mary picked up a clumpfull of mud, aimed, and hit her target–the dead center of Elliot's face.
Mary was laughing so hard, she did not notice Elliot throw until the mud hit her right on the chest. That called for war. They were both throwing mud at each other in the dead rain, when Elliot spotted the carriage in the road.
"Hey!" he yelled, and then started to race up the hill.
Mary could hardly even make two steps with her mud coated skirts, but Elliot was climbing quickly. As soon as he reached the top, though, the carriage was in the distance. By the time Mary made the trudge up the hill, Elliot was sitting on one of her suitcases, his head in his hands.
She approached him hesitantly. "There'll be other carriages, El. Don't worry."
He looked up at her and he saw his eyes were empty.
"No there will not be, Mary. When the rain stops, the road won't be fit to travel on. That carriage was our last hope for several days."
"Days?" she muttered.
"Yes." he looked away again. "There I was having a mud fight with you when I should have been watching out for you. I'm a gentleman and that is my job."
"You have been–" he cut her off short with a wave his hand.
He stood up, grabbed her two suitcases and headed down the road, walking slowly enough that Mary could keep up quite easily. They walked in silence, Mary stealing glances at the man at her side. Elliot had so many different sides to him. There was his teasing side–the side Mary saw most prominently–and then there was his serious side. He had an extremely intelligent side and even a somewhat emotional side. Then he had the side he was in now, the duty side. He was a puzzle and Mary was having trouble putting him together. She did not think she ever really would.
"I could carry a suitcase, Elliot," she suggested with a smile.
"No, Miss Bennet, I am perfectly acceptable in this matter. I will carry both."
Mary looked at him in surprise. He had not called her Miss Bennet since they were both visiting at Pemberley! Sometimes not even there.
"Are you tired, Miss Bennet?" he asked in a seemingly robot voice.
"Well, I..."
"Good, we will stop for the day." he told her, without waiting for her to finish.
He led her into the forest, where they had a little shelter from the wind and the rain. The rain had actually stopped and the dripping from the trees was probably worse, but she did not have the heart to tell Elliot. Not when he thought he was doing the best thing for her.
"I think I will find that stream. There was one in that other grove and I assume it continues here." she told him.
"Should I escort you?"
"No, I am just going to wash up." she said quickly, hurrying away.
She had guessed right and there was a stream some way down. She could hear Elliot whistling, but she could not see him. She kneeled down at the water and began to wash away some of the grime that had caked onto her arms and face. She looked at her reflection.
She knew that she was still plain, but she sometimes felt different. She felt like it did not matter if one was beautiful or not. She even thought that sometimes she... No, that thought was too absurd to even say aloud in her head.
As she finished up, she heard a the sharp stick crack somewhere behind her. Probably Elliot, she thought while rolling her eyes, coming to check on me. She did not like the new Elliot at all. She was about to turn around and give him a smile when she looked down at her reflection. Her heart plummeted and utter fear tingled on her fingertips.
The man behind her was not Elliot!
Part Thirteen Posted on Friday, 16 July 1999
Mary had caught glimpse of an older man with a deep scowl and an unshaven face before she was rudely pulled to her feet. She could not even force out a scream. She wanted to and she tried–but it could not happen.
"Do not even thinking about screaming, missy," the old man hissed, fisting some of the hair that had fallen.
Mary supposed the look in her eyes made him mistrust her so he flashed his knife in front of her eyes. Just the sight of the weapon made her want to yell and weep at the same time. She opened her mouth, but was silenced when the man put the blade to her tender throat.
"I said there would be no screaming, bitch," he told her, giving her hair a hurtful tug.
She cringed at the name he had called her and even more at the utter pain he was inflicting on her. When she noticed the horrible peal of laughter he let out when he saw her face, she vowed to herself she would not show any pain on her face.
"Please let me go..." Mary muttered, barely above a whisper.
"After I have traveled so long to find you, my dear? I saw your luggage in that overturned carriage." he said as he forced her to walk forward.
She did not want to and tried to hold her ground. She dug her heels into the soft mud and struggled in the man's hard grip. He cursed several times, almost pulled a handful of hair out of her head, then gripped her upper arm with steel like hands.
"You better move, girl, or I'll keep squeezing until I break your arm into two." he hissed at her.
Mary almost fainted at the smell of him. It was whiskey mixed with garbage, human waste, and sweat. She tried not to breathe in his scent and took gulps of fresh air when she was turned away from him. She decided to listen to his orders and walked forward, heading towards Elliot's camp.
"I saw your luggage. Someone has some very nice things and that means someone has some very nice money. I thought I would look for an adventure and you gave me the perfect opportunity, my lady." he laughed and yanked again, "Never walk off from your man in the woods at night."
They were so close now, Mary could see Elliot sitting against a tree, trying to make sense of her muddy manuscript. The fact that he was being so thoughtful at the moment made her tear up. Her tears were delayed as the man jerked her head back and yelled an obscenity to Elliot.
Elliot stood up with complete surprise. When his surprise disappeared she was surprised to see his face change to nonchalance. He glanced almost impatiently at Mary's captor.
"I believe I have something you want!" the man bellowed.
Elliot shrugged. "I suppose I do, although she is so much trouble."
Mary's mouth fell open and tears came to her eyes. What had come over Elliot? She knew they were not on happy terms at the moment but that did not give him free will to all but end her life!
"You give me your money and I'll give you your girl...maybe." he chuckled.
"Maybe?" Elliot wondered, leaning against a tree and folding his arms across his chest in a very careless manner.
"I'm kind of taking a liking to her. A real pretty thing, wouldn't ya agree?" the man drawled, caressing Mary's cheek with his freehand.
She turned her face away from his touch, but then the man grabbed her chin in a deathlike clasp.
"Stay still!" he commanded her.
"This does not seem like a fair trade. Why don't I just give you the girl? She has to be worth something to you." Elliot bargained.
"Yes, yes, I believe she would be." the man agreed all too quickly for Mary's thinking. She almost screamed in disgust when the man began showering her neck with little pecks of kisses. The man was crazy–he was kissing her neck while holding a knife to it also.
"Don't touch me!" Mary finally stated, not being able to stand the man's slobbery touch. She stomped down as hard as she could on the old man's foot. He yelped in pain.
"You better not do that again, my pretty," he said and if to show her he meant it, he took her arm in his and pulled up her sleeve.
He had just touched the blade to her delicate skin when Elliot intervened with his voice.
"You can have her...but I'm not going to let you hurt her right here." he told him, trying to get Mary's attention.
"Too late..." the man grinned as a perfect line of crimson appeared on her arm.
Mary thought she might go faint from the sight of it. The pain had not even worn in yet. She looked up to Elliot and could not help a tear falling down her cheek, leaving a wet trail. Elliot would not look her in the eyes. He pulled his pocketbook from his coatpocket and threw it in front of the man.
"The girl, too?"
Elliot nodded and Mary thought she really was going to pass out.
"I'm sorry Elliot. I'm sorry for pushing you down the hill and for being mean! Please do not let him take me!" she pleaded to him. Elliot just looked the other way.
"Come on, pretty. Get going." the man said, picking up the pocketbook and then pushing her away from Elliot.
"Hold on," Elliot said finally. "I think this is an extremely fair trade. For giving you the girl could you at least pay me a token of kindness. She is wearing a necklace that would not be very valuable to you, but since I am now penniless it would do me a lot of good."
The man stopped and thought about it then agreed to his terms.
"I better get the necklace, sir. If you let go of her for one minute she would be gone." Elliot laughed, walking closer to the two.
He reached Mary and reached behind her neck slowly to unlink her necklace. Mary could hardly stand up and she knew the man was partly holding her up. She lifted her eyes up to Elliot's and his eyes were glued on her eyes. She suddenly saw a small sparkle in them and he was even smiling!
She had no more time to ponder that curiosity for she suddenly found herself on the ground. She was knocked out for a few seconds but she had not known what happened. She had to open her eyes and find out.
She saw Elliot fighting with the man. Elliot had the knife in his hands–how had that happened? Elliot was in a rage and when his punch hit his opponent squarely in the face, he went down like a rag doll. Elliot kicked him a few times and then caught his breath. Mary made a sobbing noise and he looked up at her.
He was at her side in two strides. He knelt down and took her in his arms, then pushed her aside to look at the injury on her arm. It was bleeding profusely and when Mary saw it she wanted to go under again.
"He...he hurt me." she said through her sobs to Elliot.
"I know, I know, little one. I'm so sorry. I knew he would kill you if I reacted like I wanted to." he told her all the while ripping a piece of fabric from his coat and tying it around her cut.
"How did you-you want to?" Mary said, still in some kind of shock.
"Kill him. He touched you, Mary. That's what he deserves."
"So I'm really not too much trouble? You did not really want to give me away?" she asked in a small voice.
"No! Never! I had to pretend like it was okay, though. Do you understand?" he asked as he pulled her shaking form into his embrace again. She nodded her head against his chest.
The strain had been too much on her though, and she went limp in his arms.
Part Fourteen Posted on Monday, 19 July 1999
When Mary came to, besides the splitting headache, she noticed that the man who had tried to take her was tied up to a tree. Elliot was tying the knots and muttering things under his breath. Things Mary were sure he would not want her to hear.
"Elliot?" she asked, shakily standing up.
Elliot came to her aide and put his hand under her arm to help her walk. Her legs felt like jelly and as soon as she saw the man, she began to get frightened again.
"Where did you get rope?" she asked him, as she kept her distance from the man.
"I had to use the sash to your robe." he said, turning red.
"You went into my luggage?" she exclaimed. What else could he have seen in there?
"I am sorry, Mary, but I had to. I really had nothing else to tie him up with. I couldn't just leave him without doing something, could I?"
"No," she agreed, then went on, "Will he die out here? Someone will find him won't they?"
"I do not see why you should be concerned with him. He's trash and he wanted to kill you." Elliot told her.
"I-I do not think he would have killed me! I think he probably would have just hurt me." she defended. "Will someone find him?"
"When we get out of here I'll tell someone he's here." he promised her.
"What if we don't get out of here, Elliot?" she wailed, suddenly feeling like crying again. She held back though, because she did not want Elliot to think she was a child.
He ignored her question and led her back to their camp. Making sure she was comfortable, he went and got her manuscript.
"I looked it over. Some of it is really dirty, but for the most part it is okay. You might have to recopy, but my dad will not mind waiting a little bit longer. You are his favorite author anyway." Elliot grinned. "I wonder why."
"Why?" she asked, dumbly, already half asleep.
Elliot told her to lay down on her luggage and then covered her with his coat. She was almost asleep when she opened her eyes and saw Elliot sitting up, staring out intently into the forest.
"Aren't you going to go asleep?" she whispered.
"No. I am going to keep watch. Go back to sleep, Mary."
She was already asleep before he even finished his sentence. If she thought she could leave the horrors of that night, she was wrong. She was awaken by Elliot's voice. She heard someone screaming and then realized it was her.
"Stop screaming, Mary." he said soothingly.
"He was back! He was back! He got me again!" she cried hysterically, groping through the darkness to ward off the old man.
"Mary, he's not here. He's not hurting you. It's me, Elliot." Somehow his voice broke through the haze of her nightmare.
"Elliot?" she asked, still uncertain.
"Yes, Mary." he said, smoothing her wild hair.
"I'm...all right now." she said after a few seconds.
"Mary, I'm proud of you. You know that, right?" he asked her.
"No. Why? You are the one who saved me."
"Most ladies would have quit and put up a fight a long time ago. I am glad the carriage upturned because I got a glimpse of what you are really made up of."
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
"Can you imagine Caroline with us? She would have never put up with half the stuff you did. That is what I'm talking about."
The thought of Caroline sleeping for two nights in the forest, walking in the rain, and falling in mud brought a smile to her face.
"I don't want to imagine Caroline with us. I don't think I could stand her complaining." Mary laughed. "She would be too afraid to hurt her precious fashions and good looks."
"You aren't and that's why you're different."
"I'm different because I have no fashion or good looks." Mary tried to make a joke of it, but she ended up laughing bitterly.
"Stop." Mary could not see Elliot in the dark, but knew his face was intense. "Why do you always have to bring everything back to looks?"
Mary shrugged. "Looks mean a lot to people."
"Bull–" he conveniently stopped. "It really doesn't matter what people see on the outside. As long as you are good on the inside, the outside means nothing."
Mary shook her head like she did not believe it and Elliot went on.
"Didn't your mother ever teach you about the beauty within?" he asked.
"My mother? No." she laughed.
"That is one of the first things my mother taught me. Even if people see the outside first, sooner or later they will be won over by the inside." he taught her.
Mary sighed. She still did not quite understand this concept. She guessed that it was suppossed to be true. After all, she had heard that in the bible. Still, people did not act like that. However, Elliot did seem to be different. And with all her heart, she wanted Elliot to be different. She did not know why Elliot's opinion mattered so much to her. He would probably dump her the second they reached London anyway.
"Is my inside beautiful, Elliot?" she teased. There was a pause and then Elliot spoke.
"Mary, I believe you are beautiful–inside and out."
Part Fifteen Posted on Saturday, 24 July 1999
The early morning sunlight awakened Mary the next morning. She awoke and sat up immediately to the sound of carriage wheels. Hurrying to stand up, she picked up her skirts and ran up the hill. The pain in her arm almost made her double over and stop, but she did not have time for the pain and could only give it a second of a thought. The carriage was just in sight when she was halfway up. She ran out into the road before it could pass her.
The horses were coming on strong and Mary felt she was going to be run over. At the last second, the horses reared and whinnied, their hooves coming dangerously close to Mary's head.
"Do you want to get yourself killed, young lady?" the driver yelled from his seat, still shaken up.
Mary didn't even hear his horrible tone of voice or notice the horses right in front of her. There was a carriage! They were saved. Suddenly she heard Elliot behind her.
"Sir, our carriage was overturned two days ago and we have been stranded out here since then. It is just me and the lady and two suitcases. Could you by chance be heading towards London?" Elliot asked the man.
"Yes." the man said, looking with sudden sympathy at Mary.
"We would be very much obliged if you could take us there. That was our original destination." Elliot asked, while putting some money in his hand.
"Of course I will, sir." the man said just as a woman stuck her head out of the window.
"Mr. Heighton! I thought I heard your voice. How interesting that we meet each other again." Caroline Bingley squealed.
"I trust you are feeling better, Miss Bingley?" Elliot asked graciously, trying not to show his exasperation.
"Oh, yes. A few days rest mended me perfectly." Caroline said, while fluttering her eyelashes.
She must be desperate if she's flirting so scandalously,Mary thought with a smile.
"Miss Bennet, could you please go down and get your suitcases while I talk to the driver?" Elliot asked.
Mary nodded at him, greeted Caroline, and trudged down the hill. When she came back, she saw Elliot and the driver in deep conversation. She thought she knew what they were talking about when she saw Elliot's mad gestures. Her assumption was corrected when she heard the driver tell Elliot, "I'll make sure he is taken care of, the scoundrel."
The driver put away her luggage and Elliot helped her into the carriage. Mary sunk back into the seats and breathed a deep sigh of relief. She was so happy to be safe she did not even notice Caroline's disgusted look. When Caroline moved farther away from her, she was actually happy about her appearance.
"You poor thing, Mr. Heighton. Stranded in the middle of nowhere with hardly any company." Caroline smiled.
"I must disagree with you, Miss Bingley. I found Miss Bennet to be quite the most charming of company." he flashed Mary a big grin and Mary winked back just to spite Caroline.
It worked because Caroline let out an injured sigh. She did not let that put her off, though. She immediately turned and began to flirt with Elliot again. Instead of finding it offensive, she was rather amused with it. She fell asleep and slept the whole way to London with a smile on her face.
Part Sixteen Posted on Monday, 26 July 1999
The carriage dropped Mary off at the Gardiner's first. Elliot helped her out and up to the Gardiner's home. Mary received quite a few inquiring glances on the way up, but she was so happy to be in a familiar place she didn't pay them one glance.
A maid opened a door and gasped. Mary did not know if it was because she was there or because of appearance.
"Miss Mary! You're here! Oh, your aunt will be so happy!" the maid cried. She summoned another maid to tell her aunt and uncle she was at the door.
Elliot started to leave, but Mary caught his arm. Mary wanted to thank him before he left, but she couldn't quite get the words out.
"Elliot, I...Thank you." she finally said.
"You do not have to thank me for anything." he disagreed.
"You saved my life! I would say I am quite obliged to you." Mary said.
Elliot grinned. "I would not quite say I saved your life. I was responsible for your injury, though." he said, while touching her arm.
"True, but what–" she was interrupted by her aunt and uncle.
"Mary!" Mrs. Gardiner yelled in happiness. Mary soon found herself wrapped in a huge hug.
"Aunt, please! I am a complete mess," Mary laughed.
"It would not matter to her, dearest." Mr. Gardiner replied good naturedly.
"Mary, we were so worried about you. When your coach did not come in we could only expect the worst." Mrs. Gardiner said.
"It was the worst, believe me, aunt. I'll save that for another time, though." Mary smiled.
While this reunion was taking place, Elliot tried to slip out the door. It was to no avail because Mrs. Gardiner's keen eyes took him in.
"Who is this young man we are obliged to for bringing our lovely niece home?" she asked.
"Elliot Heighton, madame." he said, bowing grandly.
"Aunt, he saved me from a kidnapper." Mary said earnestly.
"A kidnapper?" her aunt exclaimed.
"Later, remember?" Mary said.
"I am afraid I must greet my father who also must be worried. Pardon me, but may I inquire after your niece–when she is cleaned and presentable again?" Elliot asked.
"Of course." her uncle said, noting how Mary's eyes lit up at the suggestion.
"Until then, Miss Bennet." Elliot said, picking up her hand, kissing it, and giving her a wink.
He was out the door in a few moments. Her aunt noticed the longing look Mary was giving the door several moments after the gentleman had left. A smile lit up her eyes only. London was going to be a wonderful experience for Mary, she was glad to be right about her guess.
"Now about your story," her aunt suggested, taking her arm and leading her up the stairs.
"Ouch. Be careful of that arm." she said and then began to retell her story in gay detail.
Part Seventeen Posted on Monday, 2 August 1999
"Mary, dear, are you ready?" Mrs. Gardiner called from outside Mary's door.
"Yes, aunt." Mary responded, opening the door. She stepped out, quite nervous, for her aunt's final inspection.
"You look lovely, dear!" Mrs. Gardiner pronounced, and there was definite truth to her words. Her aunt had never seen her niece look so charming. It was not that Mary's features had changed, but there was an unmistakable glow to her face. Mrs. Gardiner was quite sure she knew where the glow came from.
"Aunt, I must confess that I am quite nervous. This is my first London ball after all. What if I don't fit in?"
"You will be fine. I'm certain there will people you know." her aunt assured her, as they made their way down the stairs and to the door where they met Mr. Gardiner.
"May I escort you two lovely young ladies?" he asked, giving each his arm.
"Oh, Mr. Gardiner, you are a tease. I do not think I could be qualified as young anymore." Mrs. Gardiner laughed.
"But you are still lovely, my dear."
The carriage ride to the King's London house, where the ball was being held, was only a few short minutes away. The Gardiner's held up conversation, knowing that their niece was rather worried at the moment.
Mary thought she would not be able to get her legs to work to carry herself into the ballroom, but she somehow managed. As soon as she had entered, her nerves died away. There were really so many people, no one noticed her entrance. Her aunt was right. She did know some people. She saw Caroline Bingley in the corner talking with some well dressed women. She saw Mr. Heighton, Elliot's father, talking with some gentleman. As soon as he saw the Gardiners and Mary, he made his way over.
"Hello, Mr. Gardiner. Mrs. Gardiner, you are looking extremely well tonight." he greeted them, bowing. He turned to Mary and gave her a huge smile. Mary was surprised she hadn't noticed the similarities between father and son.
"And this must be Miss Mary Bennet. I do not believe I have had the pleasure of your company before," he said, winking, because of course he had. "May I engage you in the first dance?"
"Why, yes, of course," she said, curtsying and following him onto the dancing floor.
Matthew Heighton turned out to be just as agreeable as she had remembered.
"My son tells me your new book is quite well written." he smiled.
"I am afraid your son might be a little too lenient in his praise. I hope it will not disappoint you, sir." she said.
"No, I do not believe you will. How is your arm?" he asked, then continued, "Elliot told me all about it."
"It is healing quite well, sir." she told him.
The dance ended faster than she had hoped and had no sooner had she curtsied her thanks, she was asked for another–this time by the son.
"This brings back memories, does it not, Mary?" Elliot laughed, as the dance began.
"It was hardly a laughing matter at the time," she scolded.
"Your aunt and uncle are very fine people. Very genteel and educated, which was a delight to me."
"Many people have told me so. I suppose it is good that at least some relatives of ours are respected–excepting Jane and Lizzy, of course."
They talked companionably until the dance was finished. She had to dissuade Elliot from another dance on the claim that she was tired. He would not listen, however, and they danced one more. Finally he allowed her to sit and rest, although he warned he would be back.
As Mary found a seat, she heard two young ladies talking.
"...and he danced two dances with her...one right after the other!"
"Do you think they are engaged?" one asked the other.
"I certainly hope not. If it is true, his stature will come down substantially."
"Oh, I do hope they are not! She is too plain for him. She has no breeding either. Have you ever heard of the Bennets?"
"I believe her older sister married Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, did she not?"
"Yes, I suppose you are right. Elizabeth, however held some beauty and propriety. I don't believe that could be said for Miss Mary Bennet."
The two laughed amongst each other and then saw Mary sitting near them. Mary's face must have given everything away, because they quickly stood up and walked away.
Do I really hurt Elliot's reputation that much? That if, by chance, we ever would be engaged, he would lose his place in society? That thought gave Mary the chills and before Elliot could find her again, she talked her aunt and uncle into taking her home.
She vowed to herself that she would not let her feelings, whatever they were, for Elliot be showed any more. They would be mere acquaintances and that was all. It might hurt, for awhile, but in the end, she would be doing Elliot a favor.
Chapter Eighteen Posted on Monday, 9 August 1999
A few days later, Mary was happily surprised when Elliot showed up at the Gardiner's front door.
"Hello, Mr. Heighton, what a pleasure to see you about this morning," her aunt greeted him.
"The pleasure is all mine, madam." he said. "I was hoping to have a talk with your niece."
"Of course you may, dear." she said, then giving her husband a pointed look.
"Mrs. Gardiner, isn't that my son I hear?" he asked.
"Why yes, I do believe it is." she answered as she took his arm and they walked out the door.
"Please sit down," Mary said, a little nervous now.
He complied with her suggestion and sat down in the chair across from her. Mary also sat down and took up her needlepoint again. She concentrated on her stitching and didn't even look at Elliot. She couldn't. She felt strange around him now.
"What has kept you from gracing London's streets these past few days?" Elliot asked.
She looked up at him and was struck. Why had she forgotten how handsome he was? Why had she forgotten how genteel and rich he was? It was because she had felt like he was her friend. She had been stupid...no, she had been blind. She was just a plain, country girl and that's all that she ever would be.
"Are you all right, Mary? You've grown very pale." Elliot asked with concern.
"I'm fine. I've, uh, been rewriting my story for your father."
"Putting in those late nights again, Mary? I thought we'd gone over that, young lady." he told her.
She shrugged and returned to her stitching, trying not to be aware of her stares. He had just proved all her thoughts before. He thought of her more like a little sister or a tag along–someone he had to take care of.
"Ouch," she muttered, as she poked her finger with the needle.
They went on in silence for several more minutes.
"Would you like to take a walk with me, Mary? The fresh air might do you some good." he said.
In other words, you look so horrible you need the air to make you look well. The words stung smartly, but truly.
"Oh, no, Mr. Heighton. I could not steal your company for that long. I am not the only young lady you should be paying your respects to, I am quite certain." Mary told him.
"I insist." he said, looking a little confused.
"No. I'm afraid I have neither the time or the will to take a walk at the moment. In fact, I can give you something and you can leave, if you have other things to do." she said, almost trembling because of the harsh way she was speaking to him.
All he could do was nod his head. Mary hurried to her room, took out the finished manuscript and took it to Elliot.
"Are you sure you would not like to come with me and give it to my father in person? I know he would like seeing you again." Elliot suggested.
"You are both busy men. I will not press your time any longer. Good day." she told him.
He stood up, a look of confusion and hurt on his face. He seemed to want to say something to her, but did not.
"Good day, Miss Bennet." he bowed and walked out the door.
Mary watched him from the window until he was out of sight. She quickly wiped a tear off her cheek. She was doing this for his own good. Hers too, really. It would be too painful to get rejected later on.
"I just wish this didn't hurt so much." she whispered.
It was only inevitable that it would, though. She had just sent the best friend she would ever have out the door.
Part Nineteen Posted on Tuesday, 10 August 1999
Mary sat stiffly in her chair as she watched the happy people dance around her. Mary loved London, she really did. She loved seeing her aunt and uncle, and all her nieces and nephews. She loved the hustle of the streets and all the interesting people she saw on the streets. It was an author's dream. She did not however enjoy one element of London–all the dances.
She was now determined to be a wall flower again. She saw Elliot come in. He looked like he wanted to come talk to her. He had even started to walk towards her. She was actually glad when the small blonde woman had intercepted his walk and coaxed him into dancing with her. Several men had asked Mary, but she was just too sullen to have fun.
"Mary, dear," her aunt started as she sat down next to her, "Are you feeling well?"
Mary answered fine, never taking her eyes off of Elliot. Her aunt followed her line of vision and focused on Mr. Heighton, who kept glancing over at Mary.
"You are sure, niece?" Mrs. Gardiner probed.
Mary turned her grief stricken eyes to face her aunt. She nodded and then turned back to calculate Elliot. She wanted her aunt to leave because she was perceptive. She knew she would pick something up and guess something was wrong with Elliot and her.
"If you feel unwell later on, please inform your uncle or me. We would be more than happy to accompany you home." her aunt told her with a smile, before standing up to join her husband again.
Mary looked at her aunt and uncle for a few moments. They were so happy together, so much in love. One could tell just by one glance. Mary had thought she would never have a chance at being married. Elliot had given her hope though. That hope was dashed now.
"Excuse me, Miss Bennet. Could I have a dance with you?"
She looked up into Elliot's green eyes and wanted to cry. She just wanted him to hold her, give her a big hug and never let go.
Of course you may, Elliot. I would be delighted.
"No, thank you, Mr. Heighton." she replied calmly and unemotionally.
"Why not?" he asked suddenly, quietly.
Because I can't! You have to understand...I want to, but I can't!
"I'm very tired and I don't feel well. I was just about to leave." she responded, looking down in her lap.
"I could escort you home." he suggested.
If only you could, Elliot.
"No, I'm afraid my aunt and uncle are more than ready to return home also. I'm obliged at the offer, though." she said while standing up and attempting to move away from him.
She had just almost gotten away from him, when she felt a familiar grip on her arm. She turned.
"Doesn't anything mean anything to you, Mary?" he asked, his voice cracking.
Mary measured him up for a few moments. "I don't understand what you are saying." She really did not, either. She supposed he meant didn't his friendship mean anything to her. It did, it most definitely did, but she would keep her distance from him for awhile until the rumors died down.
"Good bye, Mr. Heighton." she curtsied to him and retreated to speak to her aunt and uncle.
This time it was Elliot watching the disappearing person, and he was getting pretty fed up with waiting for and understanding Miss Mary Bennet.
Chapter Twenty Posted on Sunday, 15 August 1999
"Good morning, Miss Mary." Betsy, the maid greeted her a week later, opening up the curtains and letting the sun wake her up.
Mary mumbled something that was lost in the pillow she had buried her head in.
"Are you going to get up, miss? Dinner will be half past the hour." she said, getting out her outfit.
"Yes, yes. I'll get up. You're free to go, Betsy." Mary mumbled, turning her face to the maid.
Betsy nodded and let herself out the door. Mary wanted to get up and shut the curtains but she did not think she had the strength. Getting up took too much effort and effort was something she didn't have right then. She would have been perfectly content with falling right back asleep, but then her uncle came and pounded on the door.
"Mary! We have visitors this morning and I need you to be up to greet them. Wake up, dear." he called to her.
"All right, all right...I'm up," she muttered, pulling off the cover and jumping off of bed. She went to her dresser and began to brush her hair, looking in the mirror.
"Mary Bennet," she said to herself out loud, "you don't get in funks. What are you doing?"
She shrugged, as if to answer her own question, and then turned away from her own reflection and sighed. Mary didn't seem to have the heart to do anything but sleep the past week. She told her aunt and uncle she was not feeling well, but deep down inside she knew it was because she missed Elliot. Not wanting to dwell on the thought of him for very long (which she never seemed to be able to do), she got dressed and went downstairs to greet her aunt and uncle's guests.
"Here she is!" her uncle said as Mary made her way down the stairs.
"Good morning, Miss Bennet," the elder Mr. Heighton smiled his greeting.
Mary looked around and smiled in relief at seeing that Elliot had not accompanied his father.
Why would he after the way you treated him?
She shoved that nagging thought down and said hello to her editor.
"I am here to invite all three of you to a ball tomorrow night at our house. It's for Elliot," he explained, "Tomorrow's not an easy day for him so I thought I would fill the void with all his wonderful friends. He asked specifically that you all would come. Or, at least he said the Gardiner's."
Mary lost her smile and uttered an "Oh."
"Of course, I'm sure he thought you knew that you would naturally be invited." Matthew Heighton said, trying to make up for his blunder.
"Naturally," Mary smiled.
"So, I trust I will see you three tomorrow?"
"Of course," Mary told him, while telling herself she would not be caught dead going.
The next night her pitiful excuses and complaints were heard all over the house.
"I am not going! Please, aunt, do not make me!" she said, almost in tears.
"Mary, after Mr. Heighton specifically mentioned you in the guest list...Of course you are going!" her aunt said, finally finishing Mary's hair.
"Now get dressed and meet us in the carriage in ten minutes."
Mary had never heard her aunt sound so severe so she did right what she asked. Before she knew it, they were already at Elliot's house.
"I believe it's going to rain tonight," her uncle Gardiner said as they walked to the doorway.
"I'm sure it will. Nothing else could make this night any worse," Mary mumbled.
"What was that?" her aunt asked.
Mary shook her head and followed them in.
Mr. Heighton greeted the three with warmth and showed them in, the guests coming in tens at a time. Suddenly, he lowered his mouth to her ear level and whispered, "I believe my young son is right over to your right."
Mary smiled her thanks and headed in the left direction to some vacant chairs. She claimed a comfortable one as her spot for the rest of the night. If she got her way, she wouldn't have to move.
She watched Elliot. He was smiling and laughing and probably having the time of his life. When the music started, he took a blonde by the arm and led her onto the floor. She watched with disgust as the blonde fluttered her eyelashes at him.
She doesn't deserve him. No, wait...I don't deserve him. Mary racked her brain and realized she didn't even know why anymore. She sat and glowered at them until the dance was over. She hoped they wouldn't have to pass her on the way back to their table, but just like the rest of her luck, they did. Not only that, but it had also started to rain.
Mary tried to stand and move away, but instead only ended up standing when they were passing. Elliot could only assume she wanted to exchange regards.
"Nice to see you, Miss Bennet," he said regally, not even looking her in the eyes.
"A pleasure as always, Mr. Heighton," Mary returned just as coolly.
"I do not believe I have the pleasure of your acquaintance, Miss Bennet," the woman at his arm said. The look she gave Mary proved she could care less about her, but just wanted to be shown off in front of her.
"Miss Belling, this is Miss Mary Bennet. Miss Bennet, this is Miss Elizabeth Belling, a friend of the family."
"A close friend of the family." Miss Belling smiled haughtily.
Mary nodded her greeting and let them pass her. She felt shaken up. She had recognized the woman as one of the ones who had been talking about her. She was after Elliot's money! Couldn't he see through all her fake charms? Obviously not, she decided ruefully as she saw him laugh at something she had just told him.
He saw her catch his eye and then deliberately picked up Elizabeth's hand and kissed it, set it down and gave a pointed look at Mary. Mary gasped and tears stung her eyes. She glanced around and then ran out of the room. No one was going to see her cry!
She couldn't believe it! It was true. Elizabeth Belling was a close friend! Too close for Mary's thinking. Had he been courting her the whole time he was spending with Mary? Had she really known Elliot at all? This brought on a new batch of tears, but they ended quickly. She had to be done with him. After all, that's what all her heroine's did. She wiped her eyes, lifted her chin, and set out to the ball room determinedly.
She was interrupted by Matthew Heighton. He looked distressed.
"Mary! Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you." he cried. "You've been gone for over an hour!"
"Mr. Heighton...what's wrong?" she asked in alarm.
"It's Elliot. I...He...You see, he's in some trouble. He's not doing too well right now." the old man tried to get his sentence out.
"Is he hurt?"
"No, not hurt, exactly. Today is the anniversary of my dear wife's, his mother's, death. He took it so hard today. I thought the party was helping him, but he disappeared. I found him, but he won't talk to me. Will you go to him?" the frantic words struck a chord.
"Why do you think he will listen to me?" she asked.
"I know he will." He gave her the directions of where he was and then Mary followed them. She found him in a music room, looking out the big picture window.
"Elliot?" she asked, hesitantly, softly.
He turned and the effect was immediate. Mary let out a startled gasp. His hair was tousled, his eyes were blood shot, and it looked like he had been crying. A bottle of brandy was in his left hand.
"Get out of here, Mary," he said harshly, turning around.
"I-I want to help." She stepped closer.
"Haven't you done enough?" he asked.
Mary's heart broke. "I'm sorry for whatever I did, Elliot, but please give me a chance to help you."
"You can't help me! No one can help me! No one can bring her back..." his voice cracked and he roughly wiped the tears from his eyes, pretending they weren't there. "No one can even understand me."
"That's not true. I understand you, Elliot." She dared to touch his arm. He turned on her, his eyes filled with...hate, his breath smelling of liquor, and his smile sarcastic.
"Oh, really. Really, Mary, you do, do you? Could you explain then why you've been acting like you have been for the past month?" he asked.
"I–I've been acting like a friend." she told him.
He laughed bitterly, then took a swig from the bottle. It started to spill down his chin and onto his shirt.
"A friend?" He laughed again. "I thought you had feelings for me, Mary."
His voice had turned hard, horribly hard.
"I do, Elliot," she said quietly, looking down.
"Did you want to marry me, pale face?" he asked, mockingly.
She didn't answer, but the way her head popped up answered for everything.
He shook his head.
"You poor, poor thing. You poor, poor ugly thing." he said, "Did you actually think I would choose your face when I have someone like Elizabeth Belling to tempt me?"
He was being cruel! Too cruel! She tried to cover her ears with her hands, but he ripped them away.
"No! You have to hear, because I want to hurt you the way that you hurt me." he said.
"But all those things you said about..."
"They were lies! Do you think inner beauty really matters? Do you think anyone, any man cares about that? We don't want our women smart, we want them beautiful...and you, my dear, are not beautiful."
Mary couldn't control the crying anymore. The tears went sliding down her cheeks. She couldn't feel anything–she was only numb.
Elliot turned around again and was silent, except for the occasional sob that went with his shaking shoulders.
"Now go." he said quietly.
When Mary refused to move, he whipped around.
"Get out!" he screamed, throwing the bottle of brandy with all his might at her feet.
Mary took one long frightened look at him and turned on her heel, and ran out of the room. She didn't know where she was going or who she was passing. She only knew the door and when she got outside into the pouring rain, she still didn't stop. She didn't feel the icy raindrops pierce her skin or her feet sink in to the mud as she ran, she only felt hurt. Betrayal. Naiveté. Anger. Humiliation.
All because I loved him! she thought. The realization hit her and made the hurt grow deeper.
"Damn you! I loved you!" she screamed with all her might into the heartless, angry sky.
She took a few more steps until she couldn't go anymore. She was only relieved when she collapsed and fell into the soft mud. She laid there for a few seconds, letting the rain and mud seep all over her. It felt good. Her heart hurt, so why shouldn't her body, too?
She dimly heard people calling after her, but everything seemed to be far off and very distant. Maybe I'm dying. And then, Good! Everything had turned pitch black before the voices made it to her lifeless form.
Part Twenty-One
The men carried Mary's body into the carriage and she was rushed to the Gardiner's, where the apothecary was called upon immediately. Mary had not moved, her eyes had not opened, and still she shivered uncontrollably. The doctor sent everyone out of the room to examine. The grave look on his face when he came out did not reassure her relatives.
"I'm afraid your niece is seriously ill." the doctor told them. "It's pneumonia."
Mrs. Gardiner sagged against her husband and uttered a cry. Mr. Gardiner turned several shades paler.
"Will she...will she live?" he asked.
"Right now, it is too soon to tell. More people are living after this sickness, but it is still a large threat."
Mrs. Gardiner quickly set up a sick room and stayed at her niece's side constantly. Mr. Gardiner sent word to the Bennet's and even sent his chaise for them. Mary, however, did not seem to get better. She would now only moan, toss and turn, and sweat in a feverish bout. She stayed like this for one week.
After the second week, the doctor predicted her death. The Gardiner's were completely numbed, and the Darcy's and the Bingley's came right away to London. The Bennet's had to be detained for a few more days, even though Jane said her father was wild to get to Mary's side.
Mary opened her eyes the next day and felt the headache come on strong almost immediately. She wanted to shut her eyes again and pretend she had never opened them, but it was too late. Someone had already seen her.
"Mary! Oh, blessed child! You have woken up!" her aunt all but sobbed to her face. "The doctor said you were going to die."
Mary smiled at her aunt. "I believe you're going to be stuck with me for a while longer."
She tried to sit up, but she was so weak it was impossible. She slumped back against her pillow and pressed her hands to her temple.
"Aunt, could I please trouble you for a cup of tea?" she asked.
Her aunt jumped up, embarrassed that she hadn't thought of mentioning it first.
"Of course, my dear! Your uncle and sisters will be mad with joy when they know you are awake!" She made it to the door when she turned around. "I was just wondering, Mary. Why were you out in the rain in the first place?"
Suddenly all the memories came flooding back to her. She shut her eyes and tried to block them out, but they were too vivid, too clear. Could she ever forget those words Elliot had said to her? Would she ever forgive him for saying them?
Forgive him! Mary, you must be going crazy. Elliot is scum, and you just need to remember that! Even though her mind repeated this, Mary couldn't bring herself to believe it. Had the Elliot she'd known all been a lie? Tears dripped down her cheeks as she realized it was true. She had never felt so violated or used in all her life.
Using this as inspiration, she summoned all her strength and stood up. She made it across the room to her desk due to her adrenaline. She nearly had to crawl back...but she had them! Mary dipped her quill in the ink and began to write furiously.
She had written ten or fifteen pages without stopping when she was interrupted by the door opening. Mary, happy for the relief, shoved her manuscript under her pillow and laid back to see the entrance of her two older sisters–with very determined looks on their faces.
Part Twenty Two
Lizzy and Jane walked to her bed, exact mirror images of the opposite. They gave each other a look before sitting down on either side of their younger sister.
"Are you feeling better, Mary?" Jane asked with a smile.
"Yes, quite." she answered, grinning inside at the way her sister's were carrying on.
Jane patted a few wrinkles out of the spread and gave a pointed look to Elizabeth–one Lizzy just gave back. When they saw she was watching they both gave her dazzling smiles.
"Is there something you'd like to discuss with me, Lizzy?" Mary asked.
"No, not exactly." Elizabeth said.
"Yes, she does." Jane said also, at the same time.
Mary held in her laughter as Elizabeth gave Jane a look. Lizzy took a deep breath and plunged in deep.
"Do you love him?"
Mary was not ready for that question. She clammed up, shut her eyes to block out the tears, and shook her head all at the same time.
"I...How do you know about him?" she asked, not daring to look them in the eyes.
"It was not that difficult to figure out. You were crying out his name during your illness." Lizzy told her.
"I was?" she asked, reddening in mortification.
"We put two and two together knowing how close you were to him while he was at Netherfield."
At Mary's incredulous look, Jane laughed kindly.
"Don't you think we knew where he was going everyday at the same time?"
Mary shrugged and then turned her face away again so they wouldn't see her tears. Elizabeth did, however. She sat down right next to her on the bed and wiped them off her cheeks.
"What happened, dear?" she asked gently.
Mary shook her head and turned away from her sister's compassionate face. She didn't want to talk about it. She didn't even think about it!
Jane sat down with her sister and took her hand.
"Mary, I know it seems that whatever he did to you will hurt forever, but you are wrong." Jane started.
Elizabeth stopped Mary before she could interrupt.
"Jane is right. There are times when Fitzwilliam will do something that hurts me. I may think I'll be mad forever, but I never am." She looked Mary deep into her eyes. "If you love Elliot enough, you can get through anything...even the deepest hurt."
They paused and waited for Mary's answer. They got it quickly.
"Maybe you two are right. Maybe love can get through anything. However, I don't think Elliot and I love each other enough to get through this hurt." Mary told them. If they were surprised to hear these enraged words from their usual docile sister, they didn't show it.
They did realize it was time to leave. With a kiss on the cheek and a pat on the hand from each, they left. As soon as the door was shut, Mary burst into tears. She felt like all her emotions had been scraped raw. She didn't want to feel anything anymore!
As she got out her manuscript and began to write again, she realized she would never be able to forgive him. That night, she went into a relapse.
Part Twenty-Three
Mary heard the voice. It cut through the deep haze of her illness and somehow her mind recognized it. She wanted to open her eyes, but she could not. It felt like their were weights on each eyelid, weighing each one down.
She couldn't understand what the voice was saying, but it was sorrowful and remorseful. The person took her hand and the touch was warm. She would know that touch anywhere! She wanted to squeeze back, but she couldn't. She felt numb everywhere and was surprised she could even think.
"Mary, I'm so sorry about this. I know it's all my fault and..."the voice dipped quietly and Mary did not catch the other half.
She wanted to tell the person to stop and say it to her again. How desperately she wanted to open her eyes or speak. As if she were doing difficult work, she willed her eyes to open. If she were stronger, she would have screamed in happiness when they opened a slit.
She quickly glanced around the room until her eyes focused on the one she wanted to see. It had to be him. She would recognize those green eyes anywhere. He looked horrible!
"Mary, you're awake!" he exclaimed, rushing to her side to grab her hand and give it a squeeze.
She wanted to say something to him; to tell him it was all right; that she forgave him, but she made no noise when she opened her mouth.
"Don't talk, Mary. I have something to say to you." he said, uncomfortably. He stared at her for a few more seconds and then stood up awkwardly.
As he was pacing the room, Mary began to feel the lightheadedness again. She knew she would be asleep in a few moments. She motioned to him to hurry up.
"Mary, I am so sorry for what I did. But more than that, I know this is not the best time, but I want to prove my love for you. Will you...?"
The next thing Mary knew, her shivers from the draft woke her up. She bolted up. Had Elliot really come? Had he really been to see her? What was he going to ask her?
She looked around for any trace he had been in the room and than lay back angrily in her pillow. It had all been a dream. She willed the tears back down. She was not going to cry over him anymore!
She wrapped the blanket tightly around her and called for the maid to come and shut her window.
Part Twenty Four
Mary carefully folded her manuscript in half and placed it in the envelope. She addressed it to Matthew Heighton and gave it to her maid. This being done, she sat back on her bed and sighed.
It had been a long four months. Although she was still weak from her illness, and so thin she was practically skin and bones, she was ready to get on with her life. She had put her sickness, and Elliot far behind her.
Lizzy called her from downstairs and Mary went. The Bingleys and the Darcy's were all staying in their London homes. The Bennet's had been in London, left, and were due back in a week.
"Jane and I are going to visit some friends. Would you care to join us?" her sister asked.
Having nothing better to do, Mary agreed. As soon as she was changed, they were off. The carriage ride to the home was short, luckily for Mary. When Jane and Elizabeth were with her for more than fifteen minutes, the subject turned to something that was dead to Mary now.
She followed close behind her sisters as they entered the Donald household. Mary had remembered Maria from a dance or two and the woman was very friendly. She brought them into the house, kissing them on each cheek, and then brought out a guest.
"This is Miss Elizabeth Belling. She is staying with us for a few months." Maria introduced.
If anyone had been watching Mary they would have noticed the change in her right away. She all but gasped and her already pale face turned at least three shades whiter. She just prayed she wouldn't be stuck with her. Things were not going her way.
"Mary, would you mind, if I took your sisters away for a few moments?" Miss Donald asked.
Mary politely shook her head no. Miss Belling motioned for her to sit down and Mary was just waiting for the snide comments to start coming. She did not have to wait for very long.
"I heard you were ill, Miss Bennet. I'm dreadfully sorry." she said with mock sincerity.
"That is very kind of you, Miss Belling; I thank you."
"Why ever did you run out into the rain, Mary?" she asked.
Mary clammed up her emotions and gave Elizabeth a smile.
"I do not quite remember."
"Elliot Heighton gives his best. I see him just about every day, you know."
"No, I did not know. You may give him my best also."
"In all sincerity, Miss Bennet, I do not believe he will want it."
If Jane and Lizzy had not come back in the room that very second, she probably would have started to sob.
Two weeks later, Mary was anxiously awaiting her father's arrival. Mrs. Bennet had found there was no reason for her to journey all the way to London again, since Mary was well. Mr. Bennet had other ideas, so he was making the trip alone. Mary wished he hadn't wanted to come because her book was already in print.
When Mr. Heighton had sent her the letter telling her it was selling at the moment she was reading the letter, she ran to her room and locked the door.
She did not expect her book to be popular. It went against every writing principle of the day. The heroine was not beautiful, she was not rich, and she ended up in destruction--because of a man. Mary suddenly regretted having her name printed on the front. Rose Templeton was no more. Now the whole world would know Rose was Mary, and that thought scared her.
When her father was a week late, she had great hopes that he had decided not to come anyway. Her heart jumped to her throat as she heard his voice bellowing for her. She decided to stay put and was really incredibly frightened. Instead of waiting for her to come down, her father came up. Opening her door and stepping inside, he threw a book onto her bed.
"Mary, what's the meaning of this?"
Part Twenty Five
To Mary's surprise, her father's face upturned into a grin and he wrapped his daughter in a hug.
"Why didn't you tell me you could write so well?" he asked, and Mary was surprised to see an actual tear in his eye.
"Father! You have already read it?" she asked, blushing in embarrassment and joy.
"Of course! I picked it up in a store on the way here. I was all the way finished with it when I looked on the front and saw my own daughter's name."
"Then, you are not angry with me, father?" she asked hesitantly.
"Angry? Why would I be angry? I think it's delightful! I bought a copy for Jane and Elizabeth. They were going so fast, I did not know if they would have a chance to get them."
"My books were being sold fast?" she asked.
"Oh, yes, Mary! From people I have talked to, no one can decide if they like it or not. It is, after all, a tragedy. I believe once people get used to that new kind of ending, they will love it as much as I." he told her.
"Father, you have made me very happy." she told him, as they walked downstairs together.
"I have one question, Mary. The styles in your book and in Rose Templeton's are very similar." Before he could continue, Mary answered his questions.
"I was her, I wrote those books also."
"Why, daughter, how could you keep this from me?"
"I thought you and mother would be angry. Plus, I did not want anyone to know. I have always been looked down upon father, and...I suppose I did not want their perspective of me to change just because I was successful." she said quietly.
He nodded slowly and followed her down the stairs, where she was greeted with a warm reception by her relations.
Several days later, she received a post from Mr. Heighton. He requested her presence at the publishing house. Mary happily realized she would not have to lie about her whereabouts now.
At the publishing house, her name was being spoken in an almost reverent way. Mary laughed when she was rushed right to Matthew Heighton's door. After softly rapping on the door several times, she entered in.
The chair was facing away from her, towards the window.
"Hello, Mr. Heighton. I am here as you requested." she announced cheerfully.
"Thank you, Mary." the voice, which was notMatthew Heighton's, said.
She gasped, as the wrong Mr. Heighton stood up and turned around.
Part Twenty Six – Conclusion
Mary made one startled gasp and turned on her heels in two seconds flat. She would have been out the door if Elliot had not gotten there first and put his hand on the door. When she tried to open it, it would not budge.
"Let me out!" she cried out, surprisingly in a strong voice.
"Please, Mary, I just want you to..."
"No! I have no wish to listen to you, to speak to you, or to look at you." Even as she said this, she knew it was a lie, for her eyes were searching his face at that very moment.
He was unchanged, except for the remorse and the tired look on his face. Wake up, Mary! Even if he looks sad, he still did this to you! She shook the reason out of her head when she looked into his eyes and saw the hopelessness and absolute despair in them. He grabbed her hands.
"Mary, you must try and understand what I have gone through over this--" he started.
"That you went through?" she asked, pulling her hands out of his grasp. "You did not have your hopes, your dreams crushed within minutes! You did not have the person you love most in the world tell you that you were worthless, that no one would ever want you, and that you were a complete and utter fool for even thinking of it!"
With this said, she finally let herself all out, and wept. Elliot could barely stand to see the sight of her like that and wanted to hold her and tell her it would be all right. But he could not. He could not tell her that when he was the one who had caused her grief.
"How can I prove to you how much you mean to me?" he asked in desperation. "These past four months I thought of nothing but you. When I realized all the horrible things I told you...I--I wanted to die. How could I have hurt you like that?" This question was asked more to himself.
He reached out to pull her into his embrace, but as soon as he touched her, she recoiled as if his touch was the touch of a poisonous snake.
"If you were so...disturbed at all you said to me, how come you never once even came to call on me when I was ill?" she asked.
He sighed and rubbed his hands through his hair. When he looked down at her again, he was smiling.
"You do not remember?" he asked.
She shook her head and stuck her nose up in the air in what she thought was a regal position.
"I came to you when no one would know. You were awake once, but you fell asleep before I could ask you something." he told her.
She remembered that very day. "You mean it was not a dream?"
"No, little one, it was not."
She looked at him confusedly. She lifted an eyebrow and rubbed between her eyebrows.
"I climbed through the window." he told her, reading her mind.
"My window? But...I...why in the world didn't you come through the front door?" she asked.
"I did not think anyone would let me in, since they knew what I...what I had done to you. I had to see you, though, and that was a convenient way in." he said.
"You could have broken your neck!" she exclaimed, feeling her ill regard for him swaying.
He shrugged. "I would do anything for you, Mary. Don't you realize that?"
She looked away from his piercing gaze, and her eyes fell upon her book. Walking to his desk, she picked it up and then regarded him. By simply raising an eyebrow he knew what she was implying.
"It was an excellent book, Mary." he said quietly, "I only wish you never had a reason to write it."
She never took her gaze off his face. "I do not want to be the bad guy in your books any longer, Mary, and I do not want our life to turn out like your book either."
He was moving closer to her by each word. Her heart was beating too fast and her head was overflowing. She couldn't think, she couldn't reason, all she could do was watch him.
"I love you, Mary Bennet."
She closed her eyes with relief and a tear trailed down her cheek. Within seconds, his warm hand was brushing it away. Then he was kissing the trail her tear had left on her face.
"You hurt me." she whispered.
"I know." he said back, his voice cracking. "There was no reason for it and I am so sorry for it. Please forgive me, Mary. I could not live without your forgiveness."
She kept her eyes shut through this dialogue, and then opened them slowly. He was sincere. She could tell by his face--which never lied. Carefully, the corners of her mouth bent up, until she was smiling. He took that as a sign of forgiveness.
"I also couldn't live without you, Mary. Tell me you love me, please. I know you do." he said, reaching out and putting his hands on her shoulders.
"Yes, Elliot. I-I love you." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she was crushed against Elliot's chest and hugged tight.
"Oh, Mary, I love you more than anything else in this world. Please never forget that." he was saying.
Maybe she was just getting carried away, or maybe she did not want to talk any more. Whatever the reason, she grabbed Elliot by the neck and pulled him down to her lips. The kiss was long, tender, and filled with love. When it finally ended, Elliot would not let go of her.
He got down on one knee, held her hands in his, and looked her straight in the eye.
"Mary Bennet, it would give me great honor and great joy, if you would become my wife."
Mary's eyes filled up, and she managed to nod yes. He stood up and pulled her into his arms with a shout of joy. her tears spilled over, but she did not want to cry. She wanted to laugh with joy. So she did.
THE END!