“Aunt Catherine was very angry when she left our home and said she would visit you today. I suppose she had to spurt out all her hate right away. I came to apologize to Miss Bennet, and I am indeed sorry.”
“May I see Miss Bennet?”
“Yes, you can come see her. She sleeps in a large lounge chair in Anne’s room when she needs to rest.”
The two men went upstairs where they found Elizabeth wiping off Anne’s face with wet towels. Darcy saw she needed more towels and wetted them for her use as Elizabeth noticed the other man. She turned to curtsy but greeted him thusly.
“Your Lordship, I am pleased to see you. I do believe your relations are slowly improving.”
“Miss Bennet, I told my nephew that my sister told me she would visit today. I wanted to apologize for her busting in on your party last evening. When Richard told of her encounter with you, I knew that I had to come and apologize.”
“Thank you, kind sir. I do not hold any grudges against her and I hope that I can help her and Anne get well.”
“But you were supposed to be shopping with your sister and Georgiana. They are off with Mrs. Gardiner and my wife and have the shopping list that your mother provided.”
“Then I shall take hope that Jane will not spend all of Mr. Bingley’s money on presents. Jane is a good shopper but perhaps is not that good with managing her money, whereas my taste is on the lower side.”
“Nephew, what are you to do with this friend that you have found? Do not let her get away.”
“You shall make be blush, sir, but pray excuse me, I hear noises coming from your sister’s room.”
Elizabeth soon went in to help Lady Catherine but Darcy and his uncle saw Anne awaken. “Uncle, cousin, am I dead yet? I feel so bad. Was Miss Bennet helping me earlier?”
“You are at Darcy House and Miss Bennet is indeed helping you and your mother, who is also sick.”
“But mother is so angry with you, cousin, and she hates Miss Bennet. Are you engaged to her?”
“No, I am not.” Darcy had a look of defeat on his face. Perhaps he would never marry Elizabeth.
“Cousin, I told mother that you and I will never marry, but she persists on that happening. Can I do anything to get you and Miss Bennet to marry? She would make you a good wife and a best friend too. I also wish her to be my friend and she would be good for Georgiana.”
“Anne, we can talk about Miss Bennet later, but first let us get you and your mother well again. Has Miss Bennet told you that this many take several days to recover from?”
“I am sorry cousin, but please hand me the bucket.”
Elizabeth returned to find Anne again unable to keep any food down and noticed she was pale and sweating profusely and she had a fever.
It took Elizabeth all of that first night and the next night to get Darcy’s relatives over their nausea long enough to give them enough medicine to allow them to sleep. Elizabeth barely could start a cat nap before she had to stop a fever and later provide blankets when the two women became chilled, and that was before the two women started coughing.
Lady Catherine’s ladies maid attended to her and Anne when privacy was demanded but it was Elizabeth who ministered to them. Those first two nights Darcy stayed in Anne’s room sitting in a chair next to Elizabeth’s and he helped her whenever he could. He stayed with her all the next day until Elizabeth spoke.
“You, sir, must get some sleep. It is not wise for you to be so close to those who are so sick. As a good friend, I must ask that you go and get some rest. I can rest better if I know you are sleeping in your bed.”
Elizabeth did not understand the look he had as he rose to leave the room but she wondered if her words had hurt him. “Mr. Darcy, I do not wish to hurt your feelings, but I am tired. Please know that you are my best friend in the world and I do not want you to get sick.”
“Thank you, Miss Bennet. If you need my help in any way, just knock on my door.”
Had Darcy heard Elizabeth call him her best friend? That had to be what she said. He had excellent hearing but could she really think so well of him, and what, pray tell, had Lady Catherine said to her. Darcy went to bed exhausted but happy that Elizabeth cared enough to say such things.
After several more days both Anne and her mother were much improved. Anne had thanked Elizabeth several times and enjoyed the time that Elizabeth and her talked. Even Lady Catherine felt better and at one time she and Elizabeth were talking and something that Elizabeth said made the woman laugh. This pleased Elizabeth, and Lady Catherine did not repeat any of the things she had said during her tirade and Elizabeth did the same.
Two days later Darcy’s doctor returned to town and visited at Darcy House to check on the two women and later he spoke at length with Elizabeth and Darcy.
“Miss Bennet, I have never been so impressed as much as by what you have done. I do know this is a killer influenza and that it is spreading. It seems it is most prevalent in Liverpool but obviously it was in Kent as well. I told both Anne and her mother that they likely would have died if you had not helped them. But all is not good, Miss Bennet. I order you to go to bed and get some rest. You must take the time to sleep, and the same applies to you Mr. Darcy. Both of you are worn out. Leave it to your housekeeper to look after your guests and yourselves and save your energy for Christmas.”
The doctor then spoke at length with Elizabeth and took notes on what she had done to treat the two women and she told him how she had changed some recipes to make the medicine better tasting to make it easier to get down.
Earlier that day, Lady Catherine apologized to Elizabeth for all she had spoken.
“Miss Bennet, I was a fool to say those things about you and your family. Anne does not love Darcy and it took you to convince me that I have been living a fantasy. The real story is that he loves you and I believe he may offer you soon. He told me earlier today that he had proposed to you in Kent, but you refused him.”
“That is correct, but both he and I have changed since then, and I was as much at fault as he, and perhaps even more so.”
“I hope the next time he makes you an offer you will accept him. I must say how proud I am to know you and wish you all the very best, and when you do marry my nephew, I expect you to bring your children to visit Rosings at Easter.”
Just as was the case when Jane was sick, Darcy had been faithful in keeping the Gardiners informed of Elizabeth’s status and he also ran errands and picked up Elizabeth’s clothes and other things she needed. Whilst Georgiana was kept away from Anne and her aunt, she visited Mrs. Gardiner and helped her with the children and Jane and Mr. Bingley left to returned to Netherfield.
Colonel Fitzwilliam visited each day and stayed near Anne. He had been very worried for Anne and her mother but Elizabeth saw he had feelings for his sickly cousin and believed there may be some hope for the two. She would not mention her thoughts to Darcy but instead, waited for him to bring up the subject.
Two days later Lady Catherine and Anne left Darcy House but not before the two thanked Elizabeth and Darcy and Lady Catherine again apologized to both of them for all her vitriol earlier. She had done the same when she had been alone with Elizabeth and saw that the younger woman was about to collapse. She told Elizabeth that the doctor said they both might have died if they had continued on to Kent.
Elizabeth next sent word that Lady Catherine and Anne were well and had left for Rosings. She also wrote that Darcy’s doctor had told her to get plenty of rest and she would stay an additional two nights before returning to Gracechurch Street.
After that she took a hot bath and ate her dinner in her room before going to sleep.
Darcy and Elizabeth had never been so close as when he stayed in Anne’s room with her those first two nights. In some respects he reminded her of her father, for both men were well read and had an excellent mind and much wit and at one point she chuckled at something he said. But he had been her faithful companion and helped her and she was glad he was near her. T
he more she saw him she thought of what he was like as a boy, taking his fishing pole down to the lake, his britches now dirty from some fall he took but still every hair was in place. He would have been a precious child who no doubt asked a great many questions.
But now he was a physical specimen of a man’s man. Ever since he had helped her from his carriage at Pemberley and she took a misstep and fell against his body, she could not forget the feeling of him against her and now she longed for his closeness. Such a change was as if her body had convinced her mind to think of him in a romantic setting. Indeed, when she went to bed but before she fell asleep she could not stop thinking of him in the way that a man might think of a woman, and she could not put those wanton thoughts to rest. That first night she had one of those dreams that caused her to awaken spent by what they had done in her dream. She was slow to come downstairs the next morning for breakfast and wondered if somehow Darcy had the same dream, though she knew that to be impossible. Even so, she blushed crimson when Darcy greeted her and it brought back memories of her dream.
****
Jane and Bingley returned to Netherfield three days before Anne and her mother left for Kent, but Georgiana had told Elizabeth of how the shopping had gone. Once Elizabeth returned to the Gardiners. She and her aunt planned to visit a few stores but Madeline Gardiner wanted to know more about Lady Catherine and Anne.
“Lizzy, Jane was fearful that you and Mr. Darcy could never marry after his aunt’s attacks on your person. Did you not tell her that the woman apologized?”
“No, Aunt, Jane had already left for Netherfield. She at least knew that Mr. Darcy’s aunt was in no position to abuse me when she was so sick.”
“You mean you took her walking stick from her?”
“No, but Mr. Darcy took it from her and told me that he had never seen his aunt as angry or act so ugly and uncouth. He called it her ugly stick.”
“Why, pray tell does it call it that?,”
Now Elizabeth laughed and it took some time for her aunt to speak. “What is so funny, Lizzy?”
“It is not kind what Mr. Darcy said to me when he hid his aunt’s walking stick. When I questioned him on why he called it her ugly stick, he said she was born ugly and then someone beat her again with an ugly stick.”
Both women commenced to laugh until their stomach ached and tears were running. From that day they knew they would remember their talk whenever they saw a person walking with such a stick.
“And no other person became sick?”
“That is true and we are fortunate for that.”
Though Elizabeth had delayed her trip to Longbourn, she really had enjoyed being around Darcy and his sister. Christmas was just days away and Bingley had insisted that Darcy and Georgiana and their cousin join them at Netherfield over the holidays. This would be a special Christmas. The Gardiners always stayed with the Bennets for the holidays and it was good that Elizabeth would be traveling with the Darcys because the Gardiners family had grown and their coach was not big enough to carry Elizabeth and her things with the others.
When Colonel Fitzwilliam was in town he usually celebrated the holidays with Darcy and lately Bingley, but he was curious about Netherfield and decided to join them. He would not arrive until later on Christmas Eve, and he hoped the roads would be good for he would take his horse to join the others.
CHAPTER 5
The Gardiners left early that Wednesday morning before Christmas and Elizabeth had stayed that last night with the Darcys as they would not leave until after lunch. Elizabeth had suggested they might leave later to get the Gardiners settled early. This would avoid the commotion of everyone arriving at once and such a scene would excite her mother. Since she was returning with Mr. Darcy and his sister, it was best to arrive later as Elizabeth never could be sure how her mother would react anyway.
Short minutes after the Gardiners arrival, Edward Gardiner visited with his brother in the library and Mr. Bennet was first to speak.
“From your letters, it appears that Lizzy has answered all the questions she had about Lydia and Wickham’s elopement, is that not so?”
“Yes, those are my thoughts, but I shall think you and her will speak privately on the subject. Lizzy might want to discuss some things that are sensitive. I know that Madeline and I do not believe all of Lydia and Wickham’s story, but at least they are married and we have seen the papers to prove it.”
Mr. Bennet began to softly chuckle. “Brother, the young seldom lie convincingly. They have not had the time to practice like the rest of us.”
Now Mr. Gardiner also began to chuckle. “It has all turned out rather well, Thomas.”
“Yes,” replied Mr. Bennet. “I have accepted that they were married right away after they arrived in Scotland, but Lizzy can provide me more details if she wishes. In any event, that is the storyline and what we have told others. Now, did Lydia actually laugh at Madeline about you and I searching for them all those days?”
“Yes, she did, and both of us believe they only went to Gretna Green to marry after Mr. Darcy found them and paid off Wickham.”
“Perhaps it is best that we not know too much and that others know even less. Fanny has a short memory when it comes to Wickham. If they had not married, we would have been ruined.”
“Thomas, Lizzy is a very intense person.”
“Our Lizzy has changed her feelings for Mr. Darcy and has become quite the doctor. We all knew she is competent in treating the influenza, but you wrote she nursed both Jane and next Mr. Bingley at their home.”
“Yes, Thomas, Lizzy is one remarkable woman. You saw my letter about them attending the theatre?”
“I read the story in the paper of you and Madeline and the others at the theatre. Now that is one paper that I have saved. It may be Lizzy’s high water mark.”
“I think not, Thomas. Both Madeline and I believe they are in love, but I do not think he has proposed yet. We believe he may propose over the holidays. Madeline and I are hoping for such an announcement.”
Mr. Bennet knew the man did propose to his daughter last Easter at Rosings and understood Darcy’s fear of being rejected again. He also knew this visit might be the time that he would propose a second time. In order to make Mr. Darcy and his sister feel comfortable, he wanted to avoid all talk about the elopement over the holidays and Mrs. Bennet had agreed not to discuss Lydia and Wickham in front of the Darcys.
There were not too many secrets between the two men. Mr. Bennet was the oldest of the two and for many years the families had spent Christmas together and welcomed in the new year at Longbourn. It was a time for family to be together but this year would be different. Jane no longer awoke on Christmas morning at Longbourn, though she would visit often, and Lydia, her mother’s favourite child, was in Newcastle with her husband. The main difference was Mr. Darcy and his sister had been invited to join Jane and Mr. Bingley and Darcy’s cousin would arrive on Christmas Eve. The stage was now set for a wonderful Christmas and the hope for a special announcement.
****
Before they left town, Darcy used the extra time to complete some last minute business and earlier had advised his housekeeper of his plans to return early in the new year. With all that done, the coach left early afternoon.
What started out as a cold and sunny day soon grew cloudy and the temperature dropped as the wind picked up. Elizabeth and Georgiana were pleased that they had warming bricks for their feet but they also had blankets and pillows for their comfort. As she looked at the man who had once proposed to her, she hardly could believe how much her feelings for him had changed. Ever since seeing him at Pemberley, and now in town, her heart ached for Darcy and she wondered and hoped he would propose again. If he did, she would accept him and they would marry, no matter what anyone else thought, but she believed her father would approve.
It was half past four when the coach arrived at Longbourn. Kitty had first seen it and next alerted the others that the coach had pulled up into the circular drive.
Soon the family came outside to greet the travelers, including the Gardiners and their children and they were asked to come inside for tea and scones and to warm themselves near the fire.
Right away the Gardiner children ran to Georgiana and hugged her warmly, all talking at once. Edward and the others could see the children’s excitement at seeing their friends again and Mr. Bennet looked at his wife with glee. Darcy next looked at Elizabeth with a wide smile that caught Mrs. Bennet’s attention. When the children spied Elizabeth they ran to embrace her and nearly knocked her over as she had stooped to hug them. Darcy grabbed her just as she might fall over and she thanked him.
Elizabeth entered with the others and they went into the parlor to warm themselves.
So far her mother had behaved well but Elizabeth awaited an outburst at any time but her mother was on her best behavior. Mr. Bennet had made it clear that she must treat the Darcys well or there would be consequences.
His Best Hope Page 7