by Rose Lorimer
I gulped my brandy and took a deep and long breath. “I know that, Dr Alden, and I appreciate your effort in coming here. But once you have heard what I have to say, you will understand my reserve.” I stood up. “Would you mind if I call Richard to join us? I need someone to keep me… on the facts — and keep me believing my own words.”
As soon as Richard joined us, I retold my story. Dr Alden did not interrupt me, preferring instead to take notes while I narrated the events.
After I finished, he went back some pages. “You said she called the creature ‘walking shadow’ and that it had blown on her, and that she felt a wooden barb in her clothes. Where exactly was this barb?”
“Around here,” I said, pointing to my chest.
He kept silent while looking down at his notes. Dr Alden’s lack of reaction did not surprise me. He was a man moved my extreme rationality and would not say anything if he was not sure of it.
“Darcy, it is very curious, very curious indeed. She has a red blister in that exact position, and I was at a loss as to what it could be… but now, I wonder…” he said without raising his frowning gaze from his notes. Then he stood up. “I need to fetch something,” he said, leaving the room.
Richard and I waited for him in silence. When Dr Alden returned, he had a book in his hands and was looking for something amongst its pages.
“I have a good friend, a doctor as well,” he mumbled without raising his eyes from the pages. “But above all, a naturalist. He was so fascinated by the discoveries taking place in South America that he went for a yearlong expedition to those parts. When he came back last January, he gave me this book as he shared his exciting adventures. Among them… Ah! There it is,” he said, pointing to a drawing in the book.
The sketch depicted a long and cylindrical object adorned with colourful bird feathers, hollow in both extremities. Beside it, lay some other smaller objects, similar to wooden needles.
I was beyond wonderment as to what that could mean. A glance towards Richard told me he shared my feelings.
“Zarabatana?” I read with some difficulty. “What does it mean?”
“By what you described, I believe Miss Bennet was poisoned by a dart of a zarabatana. This object is made from a plant called bamboo, typical in that part of the world. My friend told me that the local natives from tropical forests developed this special weapon to hunt monkeys and other arboreal animals. They insert the wooden dart in one extremity and once the prey is located, the hunter blows it, projecting the dart towards the animal. The interesting part, however, is that the dart does not kill the prey. For this, they use a potent venom extracted from the skin of tiny frogs. These are the little devils,” he said, pointing to another drawing with a variety of small frogs with different colours. “It is interesting… and now I remember well. He also said this venom is so powerful it can kill a medium-sized monkey in two to three minutes. Even the flesh ought to be cooked to eliminate the venom, otherwise, anyone eating the animal would suffer the same fate. Fascinating!” he said, taking a deep breath. “I believe this describes what happened to Miss Bennet.”
Poison frogs? Wooden barbs? Here, in England? But… how?
My head began to throb.
I served another round of brandy, trying to digest everything Dr Alden was saying.
We drank quietly for several minutes as Dr Alden continued reading his book, his expression changing from a deep frown into a half smile. “See here? One thing that kills the victims is breathing problems and bleeding. Good God!” he said, raising his gaze to us. “That is it!”
Still confused, I swallowed another large gulp of brandy. “If that is the case, how can Elizabeth still be… alive? It happened a week ago.”
Dr Alden looked at me. “I have no answer for that, Darcy. I can only conclude that the venom — if that is the case — for some reason has lost its potency, which is even better news. If that is the case, her fever is just the result of her body fighting the venom. If she is strong enough to combat the venom, she will survive. We just need to watch over her and keep her fever low.”
I was dumbfounded beyond measure. If this were a Gothic story, the details would not be more extraordinary. Could it really be true?
I startled when Richard touched my arm. “Darcy?”
“Sorry, Richard. I was not paying attention. What did you say?”
“I said if this explains Miss Bennet’s illness, then perhaps all this talk about a ‘curse’ is nothing more than a farce. Think about it. Why would a ghost need venom to curse its victim?”
Mentally, I relived what had happened, and for the first time it all made sense. I stared back at him. “Good Heavens! You are right!” I stood up and began pacing the room. “But that raises another question, then: what the hell is going on here?”
Chapter 23
Darcy
It was late, but I could not sleep. My mind was too busy working on everything that had happened in that last week. But with Dr Alden’s new insight, the same frightful, inexplicable events could be seen from a completely new perspective. Although I could not explain the sounds in the mine yet, knowing everything else could be the work of human hands gave me an immense relief.
Yes, human hands connected to very cunning minds.
The sound of glass being smashed made me jump from my bed. The noise was coming from below. I grabbed my robe and ran through the corridor and downstairs.
Whatever I expected to see, it was not that. By the dim moonlight I saw Richard engaged in a sword fight with… the walking shadow!
I grabbed the first thing I saw at hand and shouted, charging against them. The supposed ghostly creature startled with my impromptu assault and Richard’s sword cut through the side of its torso. A shrieking scream followed.
Dropping his sword, the creature ran to the opposite direction, jumping through the broken window. In the following second, it was gone, swallowed by the darkness of the night.
Still panting fast, Richard leaned against the wall.
“Good Heavens, Richard, are you hurt?”
He bent forward, recovering his breath. “I am not hurt and I think I owe that to you. You looked like a crazy man charging at us in that manner, Darcy. Even I was scared,” he jested, trying to lighten our mood.
We walked across the room to the broken window where he touched a stain on the shattered glass. “It seems your walking shadow is as much a ghost as I am the Prince Regent, Darcy. See this?” He showed me the dark smudge on his finger. “He is bleeding. Your ghostly creature is bleeding,” he said, succumbing to the floor and leaning his head against the wall behind him, still recovering his breath. “And he left his sword.”
Unfortunately, there was nothing extraordinary about that sword. This event, on the other hand, was a turning point. It proved we were correct. We were not fighting against creatures from the spiritual world. They were from a much more familiar and palpable sphere.
Soon enough, the other occupants of the house joined us, asking questions, trying to understand what had happened.
Ignoring them all, I knelt beside Richard. “Are you well? It is not like you to take this long to recover.”
“Well, it is not like me to believe I was fighting the devil himself. Nothing a good a glass of brandy cannot solve, though.”
***
I left Richard in Dr Alden’s care and went to check on Elizabeth, hoping that man — not the creature, I was happy to emphasise — had not entered her room. Fortunately, the draught Dr Alden had given her some hours before was enough to keep her sleeping throughout the whole thing.
I returned downstairs. Once we were sure Richard was well enough, Mrs Bingley retired to her bedroom, leaving us men in the drawing room.
Richard, more relaxed after two glasses of brandy, started telling us what had happened.
“After our conversation with Dr Alden, I could not sleep. I was restless, thinking, imagining what could be behind all this. I went to the kitchen with the purpose of preparing
some tea. Providentially, I took my sword with me thinking I could use the time the water would take to boil to sharpen it. I added more wood to the stove and sat down to work on my sword. It was then I heard glass breaking, followed by a thud and firm steps. I stood up slowly and peeking though the door opening, I saw it. Darcy’s ‘walking shadow’ was there, a few yards from me.”
The atmosphere in the room was so tense that, despite Richard’s slurred but strong voice, we could almost hear Bingley anxiously biting his nails.
“The only difference,” Richard continued, gaining momentum, oblivious to everything around him — and perhaps a little too dramatic after his drinking — “was that creature in front me was not short and crooked as Darcy had described it, but a full-sized man. I confess I did not know what to do until I noticed he was going upstairs. I could not wait and I lunged after him. He held that thing, the zagara… bagaza… well! Whatever Dr Alden mentioned before in one hand and a sword in the other. When he saw me, he blew it in my direction, but I dodged and the dart passed just beside me. Then he threw a vase at me, and I dodged again. We started fighting, and I can tell you, for a ghost, that thing was quite strong. A few minutes later, you entered the room, distracting him with your chin-dropping performance and I cut through him. Blasted coward. At least now we know for sure with whom we are dealing.”
That confirmation somehow raised our spirits. At least against men we could have a fair fight.
***
Despite the turbulent night, the sun was not yet over the horizon when Richard and I woke up. We searched around the house and, by the broken window, we found small drops of blood on the cold ground. We decided it was time to call on our new friend, the magistrate.
As we were preparing to leave, an express arrived for me. “It is from Mr Bennet!” I said, reading the sender’s name on the envelope. I inhaled and broke the seal.
Dear Mr Darcy,
It was with a divided heart I have read your letter. The news of Lizzy’s illness devastated me…
A pang of guilt pinched me. I had not told Mr Bennet all the details about our ‘ghostly’ experience. I had intentionally omitted the information about the walking shadow and its curse. There would be a better moment for that later when we were able to meet face-to-face.
… but as you said, you will take care of her, so I relaxed as much as I could. On the other hand, it brought great joy to know about your mutual attachment. Forgive my sharp humour, but being swallowed by the ground and having hit your head before you could ask for my daughter’s hand in marriage made me laugh!
I confess, however, I was preparing myself for this news. When your letter inviting Lizzy to accompany you — the brave knight who had defended Bingley against his enemies — arrived, I knew she was already half in love with you. After your first encounter in your drawing room and the clear reaction both of you had to each other at that moment, I could not deceive myself. Something would happen eventually.
Fortunately, I had not had the patience to remain in Brighton with the ladies and returned home in time to receive not just your express, but also news of Miss Wiley’s return. The latter, I confess, caused me great concern. After sharing that news with my good friend, Sir William, Miss Lucas, his eldest daughter and Lizzy’s best friend, asked me to go to Cornwall and join you. She was adamant she should go and I could not be more pleased. Contrary to Miss Wiley, Miss Lucas is a much more sensible young lady who, unfortunately, was visiting some relatives by the time you departed for Cornwall.
You said I could trust you to look after my daughter, and so I am. So, with no more delays, I give you my consent and my blessing. I would love to give Elizabeth away myself, but because of the circumstances, I believe it is better if I wait here for your return. Mrs Bennet will have no objections; I can assure you.
I hope to see you all soon, safe and sound.
Please keep me posted. I know Miss Wiley is an impressionable girl, but the fear in her eyes was beyond her usual.
Yours sincerely,
Thomas Bennet
After sharing the news with Richard, I excused myself and ran to Elizabeth’s room. Dr Alden was there checking on her. Whatever he was doing to her it seemed to be working.
I sighed contentedly. She seemed rested, her breathing was somehow eased and the dark circles under her eyes were not so pronounced. Her hair had also regained some of its beauty. Her curls were loose, cascading over her shoulders, and, despite her pale countenance, her red lips and cheeks were never more tempting.
Her eyes found mine when she saw me enter.
“How is she doing, doctor?” I asked without taking my eyes from her.
“Fortunately, Miss Bennet is on her way to a full recovery. Some of the medicine I gave her last night seems to be working. The persistent fever, although not gone, is not as high as before. I am confident the worst has already passed. She will need two more weeks to be completely recovered, but that is just a small detail now.” He came and patted my shoulder and, sensible to the moment, excused himself from her room.
I pulled a chair to Elizabeth’s side and took her hand, kissing it. I closed my eyes in a silent prayer, pressing her hand on my face. Her gentle caress made me raise my gaze to her face. A lazy smile was gracing her lips.
“I missed seeing that smile…” I said, stroking her cheek. “Are you feeling better?”
“I am…” Her eyes moistened, and a tear rolled down her cheek.
I frowned, capturing that tear with my thumb. “What is it?”
“I… I never thought I would get better. But now, I feel I can hope again,” she said, looking into my eyes.
The love I saw in them added to Mr Bennet’s letter burning in my pocket was too much. I could not help myself and, leaning down, I brushed my lips on hers, closing my eyes at the delightful sensation. It took me all my willpower to keep the touch light. “I must have lost my mind longing for you. You taste delicious.”
She chuckled. “I had just eaten an apple when you came in. Dr Alden is adamant about my eating habits. He says I need to regain my strength.”
“He is a clever man. Remind me to thank him later.”
Her face sobered. “Thank you for everything you have been doing for me. Jane told me everything you did, dragging me throughout that mine, then the fields, and how much time you have spent nursing me since then.”
“As if I could do anything else. Seeing you as you were almost cost my life. Never, ever, do that again. As your husband, I forbid it.”
The amusement in her eyes made my heart melt.
“My husband? Have you married me while I was unconscious?”
“No, but this small detail is about to change. I have sent a letter to your father reporting… most of what happened to us and asking his blessing for our marriage. Fortunately, he had returned early from Brighton, and his reply arrived just this morning.”
She arched her eyebrows, holding back a smile. “Oh, dear. I guess your request has not surprised him.”
I frowned again. “Yes… it did not. And you too… you do not seem surprised by his reply.” At my thoughtful answer, she offered an enigmatic smile.
“Houses and riches are the inheritance of fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord”, I remembered.
That verse in my mind gave me pause. I smiled back. Elizabeth was my heavenly gift.
I took her face with a trembling hand, admiring each detail of her glorious face as all we had shared in that mine, every word, every touch came back to life. “I love you, Elizabeth,” I said, unable to say more. Instead of words, I leaned down and kissed her again, pouring out all my feelings, sedating my emptiness in the beauty of her love. Every fibre in my body came to life as she responded with the same passion.
“He gave us his consent and blessing,” I whispered breathlessly. “We can marry today, if you wish.”
A sudden shadow covered her flushed face. “I could not wish for anything more than to marry you, but… are you certain this is what y
ou want? I am not sure I am still of sound mind after everything that happened. You could easily be marrying a woman fit for Bedlam…”
I knew she was trying to lighten the situation, but I could not deny how deeply everything had disturbed her. “I am more than sure, Elizabeth. I have never been so sure in my entire life. I want you as my wife, and if you are mad… well, I want to be mad with you for the rest of our lives.”
She chuckled with mischief in her eyes. “Oh, that is very reassuring. A couple of crazed people! What hope do our children have?”
Good Heavens! The simple thought of having children with Elizabeth made me speechless.
When I was master of my body and mind again, I told her all about what we had discovered, from Dr Alden’s ideas of the poisoned darts to Richard’s fight last night. “There are no ghosts or curses, Elizabeth. It is all a sham.”
She rested her head against her pillow and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. “You said as much, did you not? That you did not believe in ghosts… and if we give ourselves the trouble of searching for an answer, we will find it.”
“Yes, I said that, but there was a time when I also questioned it. What happened to us in that mine, in that house was most unusual, Elizabeth. We almost lost our lives… I almost lost you… But,” I said, trying to distract her and bring back her smile. “Talking about mad people, your father said another of your friends, a Miss Lucas, is coming to join you. If she were not a woman, I would be burning in jealousy.”
It worked. She opened her eyes and squeezed my hand. “Charlotte? Oh, dear. Is Charlotte really coming?” At my nod, she added, “William, you will love her. She is not just my best friend, she is also very intelligent and almost as witty as I am. But she is also a sensible woman who has always helped me in difficult situations. It will be good to have her around…” She closed her eyes again and sighed, smiling.