by Lily Bernard
“May I tell Charles what you have just told me?”
“Of course, you may, but I believe he knows about most of what I have told you. Colonel Fitzwilliam stopped at Netherfield to speak to Charles before coming to Longbourn. I asked Charles not to talk about my relationship with William with anyone. I did not want to spoil your happiness before your wedding.”
“Why did you not use the money Mr. Darcy left you to establish your own household?”
“I do not feel comfortable with the idea of using William’s money to start a new life for myself. Jane, I am very grateful that you and Charles asked me to live at Birchwood Manor. I am very happy here and I will even tell you a little secret.”
“Yes, go on.”
“David Brooks proposed to me shortly before I became ill.”
“How wonderful! I hope you said yes. Brooks came here almost every day to ask about your recovery. He was very worried about you and I knew then that he cares for you as more than a friend.”
“I did not give him any answer. I asked him to give me some time to think. When I said that, he asked me if I loved someone else.”
“What did you tell him?”
“I told him the truth. I said I was in love with someone else, but he died. I know I will always carry William’s love in my heart but if I am to have a future with David Brooks, we must be truthful with one another.”
“When you need someone to talk to about your decision, please come to me. It is your choice, of course, but just think how delighted Mama would be if you became Lady Winthrope. She would be busy for weeks and weeks visiting every house in Meryton spreading the news.” Both sisters laughed and hugged each other.
It took several more weeks for Elizabeth to feel strong enough to venture outdoors. Her first excursion was a walk with Jane to visit some of their tenants. Elizabeth noticed that the children of the tenants were all playing outside or helping with chores. She wondered whether or not the children went to school and she got an idea.
“Jane, do the children of your tenants attend school?”
“Now that you mention it, I do not think there is a school here. Why do you ask?”
“Would you agree to me using some of the money Darcy left me to build a school for the tenants’ children.”
“I think that sounds like a wonderful idea but why should we use your money. I believe that Charles would be happy to endorse such a plan.”
“Well, first of all, it was my idea and secondly, I have all that money sitting in a London bank. Using some of William’s money to build a school is something I feel comfortable doing.”
“I know better than to argue with you, Lizzy.” After visiting the tenants, the sisters began walking home when Jane asked, “what shall we call the school?”
“I suppose it should be called the Birchwood Manor School or the Bingley school.”
“No, Lizzy, it should be named for you since it was your idea and you are providing the funds.”
After a heated discussion regarding the school’s name, the two sisters came to an agreement and returned to Birchwood Manor. Elizabeth wrote to her Uncle Gardiner and told him about her idea for the school. She asked him to transfer some money from the account Darcy set up for her to a bank in Lambton.
Elizabeth also wrote to her father to tell him about the school. She was very happy when Mr. Bennet wrote back saying that he thought it was a very meaningful way to pay tribute to Mr. Darcy’s memory.
One morning, before leaving their chambers to go downstairs to breakfast, Jane asked her husband if he had a moment to talk before he started his busy day. Since purchasing Birchwood Manor, Charles had come to realize how much work it took to run an estate and he admired his late friend, Darcy, all the more. “Of course, my darling wife, I will always make time for you.”
Jane stood before her husband. “My dear Charles, I am with child.”
Charles reached out to Jane and enveloped her in his arms. “Oh Jane, you have made me so happy. A baby, what wonderful news. I will be a father! How are you feeling, my love?”
Jane laughed at her husband’s reaction to her news. “I felt the quickening for the first time yesterday. I waited until I felt it before I told you. I have had a little stomach upset but restricting my breakfast to plain toast and tea seems to help. Oh, and I believe our family will be expanding around Christmas. Do you have any more questions, my love?”
“I have no more questions, but I am absolutely delighted.” Charles began kissing his wife and the Bingleys were late coming down for breakfast that day.
Several days later, Elizabeth was sitting in her room holding Darcy’s ring and thinking about their days together in Hertfordshire. She recalled the sad day that she was given Darcy’s ring by Colonel Fitzwilliam. David Brooks’ proposal had been on her mind since she began to regain her health and while holding her beloved William’s ring, she came to a decision. It was time for her to move ahead in her life. ‘If the Birch trees all around me represent new beginnings, maybe it is time for me to start again.’
She placed Darcy’s ring in her jewelry box and went downstairs to welcome David Brooks who had been invited to tea. While sitting with the Bingleys, Elizabeth suggested that she and Brooks take a walk in the garden. They were both very quiet when they left the house and finally Elizabeth said, “Brooks, I believe I have had enough time to think about your proposal.”
“I hope I will be happy with your decision.”
Elizabeth turned to face him. “Sir, I would be honored to become your wife.”
“Miss Bennet, you have made me so happy.” Brooks reached into his coat and brought out a gold ring set with a beautiful ruby which was encircled with small pearls. “I have been carrying this ring with me since you began to regain your health hoping that you would accept my hand. May I place it on your finger?” Elizabeth extended her hand toward the man who would become her husband. He placed the ring on her finger and raised her hand and kissed it. He looked up to see the smiling face of his future wife. “Now, will you call me David?”
“Yes, David, of course I will. This ring is so beautiful. Shall we go back to the house and tell the others our happy news?”
As they were walking toward the house, Brooks asked, “May I call you Elizabeth now that we are betrothed?”
A chill ran up her spine remembering Darcy calling her Elizabeth. “David, would you mind calling me Lizzy? It is the name I prefer.”
“Of course, my darling Lizzy. Whatever you wish.”
Elizabeth and Jane were in the drawing room working on some new needlepoint stitches together. Jane was looking through her needlepoint basket, but she did not find what she was looking for. “Lizzy, I cannot seem to find those threads I just purchased in Lambton. I thought I placed them in this basket, but I must have left them upstairs in my sitting room. I will return shortly.” Jane left the drawing room and Elizabeth was looking through the needlepoint basket for a needle. She found the needle, but as she tried to remove it, it kept catching on some loose threads and slipping through her fingers. After several attempts at extricating it from the basket she became frustrated and let out a sigh of defeat.
“Perhaps I could help you find what you are looking for?” Elizabeth looked up and saw Darcy standing a few feet away from her.
Elizabeth thought she must be dreaming but she began walking toward the man she loved with all her heart. As she was taking her first steps, she suddenly felt very lightheaded and before she could reach him, Elizabeth fainted at Fitzwilliam Darcy’s feet.
Chapter 21
Darcy gently picked Elizabeth up and was carrying her to a nearby settee when Jane came back into the room. She was shocked at the appearance of someone they all thought to be dead but was more concerned with her sister being unconscious. Jane rushed to Elizabeth’s side and she slowly opened her eyes. “Lizzy, I will get a cold compress for your head.” Looking up at Mr. Darcy, she said, “and I will bring Charles. It is very good to have you back Mr. Darcy. I am sure you have quit
e a story to tell us.”
Elizabeth slowly came to her senses and Darcy put his arm around her shoulders and helped her sit up. Elizabeth was slowly shaking her head. “Am I dreaming? Are you really here?”
“You are not dreaming, my love. I am really here, and I will never leave you again.” Darcy took both of Elizabeth’s hands and they looked lovingly into each other’s eyes. Darcy raised her hands to his lips and noticed the ruby ring on her finger. “I do not remember you wearing that ring in Hertfordshire.”
“William, I am engaged to be married.” Elizabeth said with tears in her eyes. “I mourned you for a year. I have cried about your death every day. One of the Bingleys’ neighbors has been courting me for many months and I finally accepted his proposal two days ago.” She shook her head again. “Colonel Fitzwilliam told me that he buried you at Pemberley. How can you be here?” Elizabeth was crying softly and not letting go of his hands.
Darcy took out his handkerchief and wiped away her tears. “They buried a coffin full of stones.” Before he could say anything more, Charles rushed in and Darcy rose to greet his friend.
“Darcy, what a wonderful sight you are. We all thought you were dead.” Charles and Darcy embraced each other, and Darcy kissed Jane’s hand.
“Charles, I know this is a shock, but I had to make my death convincing. Please, everyone sit down and I will tell you what happened. Pretending to be dead was the only way I could protect Elizabeth and my sister until we could capture Wickham. After many, many months of recovering from my stab wound in Scotland, Colonel Fitzwilliam sent me an express telling me that he had finally discovered where Wickham had been hiding. The details of that encounter can wait for another time, but I can tell you that George Wickham is dead, and the rest of his accomplices have either run off or been arrested. With Wickham gone from our lives, I knew it was safe to leave Scotland and return to Elizabeth and Georgiana. You must understand I had to pretend to be dead, so Wickham would think his revenge was complete. My death ensured that my sister and Elizabeth were safe.”
A maid entered the room with a cold compress, but Jane said, “Thank you, Martha, but I believe Miss Bennet will not need it after all.”
“But why did you think you had to protect me? I never met Mr. Wickham.” Elizabeth’s head was still spinning, and she was trying to make sense of everything William was saying.
“Wickham had been spying on me. He went to Darcy House and Georgiana told him that I had gone to Hertfordshire to help Charles at his leased estate. I could not take a chance that Wickham’s men had not seen us. He could have known that we had been spending a great deal of time together. Anyone could have seen us walking together or dancing at the party at Lucas Lodge. I had no way of knowing if one of the guests was one of Wickham’s spies. If he had any idea about my feelings for you, I knew you would have been a target as well.”
“How did you know where to find me?”
“The Bow Street Runners recommended that we post men at Longbourn to watch over you and your family. Richard and I knew that even killing me might not satisfy his revenge. Mrs. Reynolds, my housekeeper, had written me a letter after Wickham visited Pemberley and learned of Nora Kelly’s death. She told me that Wickham was determined to destroy everything and everyone I love but I did not see her letter until it was too late. I had men watching my sister in London and everyone at Birchwood Manor as well.”
“Georgiana will be so happy that you are alive!”
“Yes, she was. I saw her in London. She told me that she had been here at Birchwood, but you had to postpone your visit to Pemberley.”
“Yes, I was quite ill. I was bedridden for several weeks, but I am much better now.” Elizabeth and Darcy were holding hands again and she shook her head in disbelief.
Darcy could tell that she was much thinner than she was in Hertfordshire. “My love, you look absolutely beautiful to me.” Darcy could not take his eyes off of the woman he loves.
“William, why did it take so long for you to return?”
“My wound was quite serious. Richard told me that I lost a great deal of blood and at times he feared that I would not live. He stayed with me in Ramsgate until I was well enough to be moved and then he escorted me to my estate in Scotland. They carried me out of that house in a coffin in case Wickham or any of his men were still watching. As soon as we were away from Ramsgate and knew we were not being observed, they transferred me to Richard’s carriage. At Heatherwood, Richard arranged for all the best people to care for me. He left me in Scotland to heal while he went to London to care for Georgiana. It took many months for me to recover and then there was still the threat of Wickham hanging over us. No one could find him. A few weeks ago, Richard was finally able to track him down in London with the help of private detectives.”
“Colonel Fitzwilliam told me that Wickham kidnapped Georgiana and killed you for revenge. How did he think that his plan could possibly work?”
“Wickham and Mrs. Younge came up with what they thought was a very clever plan. They kidnapped my sister and then lured me to Ramsgate. They expected me to sign a document allowing my sister to marry Wickham at age fifteen. I was told to meet him at a local inn. They were going to tell me that if I did not sign the document, they would kill Georgiana. Wickham knew that I would have believed he would do what he said, and I would have done anything to save my sister’s life. They planned to kill me after I signed the document, then Wickham would marry Georgiana and forcibly consummate the marriage. Then he could collect her thirty-thousand-pound dowry and desert my sister. I would be dead, Georgiana would be ruined, Wickham would be thirty thousand pounds richer and his revenge would be complete.”
“How is it that you are here now, and Georgiana is not married?” Elizabeth asked, still trying to absorb the fact that William was sitting beside her.
“Several of our men went ahead of us to Ramsgate and had been watching the comings and goings of several homes in a less desirable part of town. Luckily, one of our men spotted Wickham going in and out of one of the homes they had been watching. Later that night they were able to get close enough to look into the windows and they saw Georgiana asleep on some rags on the floor. She had ropes around her hands and feet and was gagged so she could not yell for help.
“Their plan failed because instead of waiting to see Wickham at the inn, on the eve of our planned meeting our rescue party stormed the house in the middle of the night and caught them by surprise. Most of Wickham’s cohorts ran away but we were able to disarm Wickham and untie Georgiana. Mrs. Younge stayed with her during and after our raid and some of our men escorted them to the house I had rented for them. Mrs. Younge’s confession to Richard is how we learned the specifics of their plan.”
“Darcy, perhaps we should leave the ladies for a few minutes. I think they have heard enough unsettling news for now. Come, join me for some brandy in my study.” Darcy squeezed Elizabeth’s hand before he rose and followed Charles.
Jane sat beside her sister and asked, “you must be so happy that Mr. Darcy is alive but what are you going to do about Brooks?” Jane knew that Elizabeth once loved Darcy enough to marry him, but she was now engaged to another man. Before Elizabeth could try to think of an answer, a footman announced Lord Winthrope. Darcy and Charles returned to the drawing room shortly after they heard that a visitor had arrived.
David Brooks was surprised to see Darcy walk into the room. “Darcy, old man. What on earth are you doing here? I thought you were dead. Well, I can see very well that you are not. What a pleasure to see you again.” He walked quickly to Darcy and they shook hands.
“Brooks, I can say the same about you. What are you doing here?”
“You two know each other?” Elizabeth was beginning to feel light-headed again.
Chapter 22
Elizabeth was incredulous that her two fiancés were acquainted, but then she remembered Georgiana mentioning that William’s school friend lived near Birchwood Manor. “Darcy and I have known each other since
our school days at Eton. We were good chums at Cambridge, as well.”
Both men thought Elizabeth was his fiancé and as they both tried to stand closer to her, she could sense the unspoken tension developing between them. She was not prepared for them to have any kind of confrontation. “David, would you be so kind as to escort me to the garden.”
Brooks did not understand the need for a walk at that moment but readily agreed to spend some private time with his fiancée. “Of course, my dear, it would be my pleasure. Pray excuse us.” He took his fiancé’s hand and placed it on his arm as they left the house.
When Jane had asked her sister what she was going to do, Elizabeth had not yet thought that far in advance. The idea that Darcy was alive drove any logical thought from her mind. In the minutes following Jane’s question, Elizabeth thought to herself, ‘I have loved Darcy with all my heart, but I do not know whether or not it is too late to go back to what we once felt for each other in Hertfordshire. Can I marry David now that I know that Darcy is alive? Perhaps the best way for me to move forward is not to marry either of them. I do not want to hurt either of these very fine men.’
Elizabeth and Brooks walked in the garden near the house and she soon stopped walking and began the conversation. “David, when you proposed, I told you that I was not prepared to give you my answer at that time. You asked me if I was in love with someone else and I told you I had been in love, but he died.”
“Yes, I remember,” Brooks paused for a moment and he saw Elizabeth looking toward the house. “Oh, I see, the other man was Darcy.”
“Yes, David, the man I loved was Darcy, but I know not what will happen now. Before I accepted you, I had to be sure that my feelings for Darcy were behind me. I truly believed that those feelings were all in my past until he walked into the drawing room today.” Elizabeth paused briefly and then said, “I do know that I can no longer agree to be your wife.” She removed her engagement ring and handed it to David. “I am very sorry about this, but I pray you will try to understand my feelings and allow us to be friends.”