The Ashes of Longbourn

by Schertz, Melanie

  Mr Collins nodded nervously. “I have it from Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr Darcy’s closest relative, that she has the support of their family in this matter. She even wrote that she will be forced to remove Miss Darcy from the horrible influence that my cousin will have on her, to prevent Miss Darcy from being sullied by association.”

  “ENOUGH!” Lord Matlock roared. “I will have you know that my sister is a foolish old woman who has delusions. You are an even bigger fool for coming here and speaking of things you do not know. I suggest that you do as you were warned and keep your tongue silent from this moment on or you will pay the price for your vulgar speech.”

  “And who, Sir, are you to speak to me as you have?”

  “I, Mr Collins, am Henry Fitzwilliam, Earl of Matlock, and head of the Fitzwilliam family. I am Mr Darcy’s uncle, and brother of Lady Catherine. And, so you are aware, I attended the wedding of my nephew and his bride. My wife and son are here as well. I believe you know my son, Colonel Fitzwilliam. He will be down from his study momentarily. As for the care of my young niece, Catherine will never be allowed to remove Georgiana from her brother’s care. My son is Georgiana’s other guardian, and I know that he will never allow Catherine to take Georgiana to Rosings. Now, as you have disrupted and insulted my family more than enough, I will demand that you leave immediately. Forgive me, Mr Bingley, I mean you no disrespect as my host.”

  “You are welcome to speak as ill as you wish towards Mr Collins, for I have no use for the man, Lord Matlock.” Bingley said with a smile. “Mr Collins, as the Master of Netherfield, I will tell you this. Miss Bennet is to be my wife. Her sister is under my protection and I will not allow you to come into my home and speak ill of her. My friend and future brother in law, Mr Darcy, loves Elizabeth as dearly as she does him. And if I hear you have spread your gossip to anyone, there will be a hefty price to be paid.”

  Colonel Fitzwilliam had just returned to the room and was shocked in hearing Bingley speaking to anyone in such a manner. Shocked, that is, until he saw that it was Collins who was being so dressed down. “What is this, Mr Collins is spreading gossip concerning my family? Sir, this will not be tolerated.” Richard turned to Collins and towered over the slimy toad of a man who was cowering. “Shall we plan to meet tomorrow morning, at dawn? Darcy, you will act as my second, will you not?”

  “Of course, Richard.” Darcy said, enjoying the sight of Collins shaking in his boats.

  “Thank you cousin, I knew I could count on you. So, Collins, since I have called you out, what is your preferred weapon for dueling?”

  “Weapon…Sir…I, I, I do not duel. I was only attempting to assist your family from this temptress who has ruined your cousins by forcing Mr Darcy to marry her. Even your cousin, Miss de Bourgh, is ruined by this marriage, and your Aunt, Lady Catherine, demands that Miss Darcy be brought to her to protect the poor girl from further taint.”

  “You know not of what you speak, Mr Collins, and I will claim the right to avenge my family of your slander in a duel. Now, answer me. What is your preferred weapon to use in a duel?”

  “I am a man of the cloth, I do not duel.” Mr Collins nearly screeched at the Colonel. “Lord Matlock, I prevail upon your rational mind, I was only trying to protect your family. You cannot allow your son to call me out. It would be murder, as I do not handle weapons.”

  “Then I suggest that you return to your home and put your affairs in order, then practice for the rest of the day, Mr Collins.” Lord Matlock stated. “You have done nothing to protect my family. My nephew warned you that you should watch your words or you would be called out by him. But you did not heed his advice. My son is well versed with a blade or pistol. Please send word by this afternoon of whom your second will be and which weapon you choose.”

  Mr Gardiner decided to add to the conversation. “If Mr Collins chooses pistols, my brother in law has a fine set that had been given to him in lieu of payment on a bill. I am certain that Mr Phillips would allow us to borrow them for such an occasion as this.”

  “Cousin, do you have a spare sword, if one is needed?” Colonel Fitzwilliam asked.

  Mr Bingley smiled. Before Darcy could reply to the Colonel, he exclaimed. “The former owner left behind a fully stocked game room, including a wonderful selection of swords. You are welcome to use any that are there, Colonel.”

  “My thanks, Bingley.” Seeing that Mr Collins was standing in the same spot, shaking severely from fear, Colonel Fitzwilliam continued. “Mr Collins, you may not be alive much longer. I suggest you return to your father in law’s home and put your affairs in order and tell your wife farewell. If you are not on the piece of land next to the remains of Longbourn’s house at sunrise, I will come to Lucas Lodge to drag your cowardly body from their house and demand you show honor. Am I understood?”

  “But…but…I am…not…no duel…cannot…” Collins continued to sputter as he was dragged from the room and out of the house by the same two footmen who had escorted Miss Bingley from the house. When Mr Collins could no longer be heard, Elizabeth turned to Bingley.

  “Sir, I believe your staff deserves a bonus in their salary. As my husband has given me my pin money, I would gladly give it to the footmen for their ejecting the riff raff from the house.”

  Each and every person at the table began to chuckle, followed by outright laughter. “Oh, no, Lizzy, my staff deserves rewarding from me.” Bingley said. “I have taken great pleasure in watching the fine work they have done in keeping the vermin removed.”

  ~~ ** ~~

  A message was sent to inform Sir William Lucas of the duel that Collins had been challenged to. Nearly three hours later, a message returned that Collins had disappeared from Lucas Lodge. A quiet search of Longbourn showed that the man had not gone to his estate. The coward had vanished; fear of losing his life had overwhelmed him. It was believed that he would have traveled directly to Rosings, hoping to garner protection from Lady Catherine.

  This left Wickham and Jolly with no contact with Collins or the woman that hired them.

  ~~ ** ~~

  An express arrived from Brighton. Colonel Forster and the General had sent a dozen men, including Colonel Forster, to assist Colonel Fitzwilliam in capturing the deserter, George Wickham. It was also learned that Benjamin Jolly was a fellow deserter who had met Wickham in London. Jolly had worked in the office filing paperwork when Wickham had purchased his commission, and had deserted several months after Wickham had come to stay in Meryton with Colonel Forster’s militia unit. Both men were to be taken into custody and returned to Brighton to stand trial.

  It was also learned that several kegs of black powder had disappeared from the encampment near the same time as Wickham left Brighton. This explained the explosion inside Longbourn the night of the fire. But had they used all of the black powder that night, or did they still have kegs of it left? Once Colonel Forster and his men arrived, they would be able to assist in learning if there was still danger from more of the explosive powder.

  ~~~~~~~ ** ~~~~~~~

  Chapter 15

  A nurse arrived from London to assist in caring for Elizabeth. The nurse, Mrs Bogs, had experience in rehabilitation of patients who had been bedridden for long periods of time with little to no exercise.

  After being introduced to Elizabeth and Darcy, Mrs Bogs met with Mr Jones to learn of Elizabeth’s medical history. Returning to Elizabeth and Darcy, she explained her plan of action.

  “Mrs Darcy, we must begin with a complete course of action. Exercising your muscles will do no good if we do not build up your strength. I will be speaking with your cook to determine what foods will be best to build up the strength in the entire body. Your appetite has improved from what Mr Jones told me, and that is good. Now we need to make certain that you eat the proper foods to heal. We will need to move your legs and arms several times a day, having you lift items to build up your strength. And I suggest that once a day we have you soak in hot water with an herbal mix that I have found usefu
l in such cases. While soaking, we will need to knead your muscles, assisting the warm water to relax any tension in them. I would also ask that you are in bed by ten each evening and awake by seven each morning, to begin our work.”

  Elizabeth was shocked by the lady’s regiment. Though she did not think that any of this would make a difference in her being able to use her legs again, it was important to her husband that they do everything they could. As Mrs Bogs finished her plans, Elizabeth nodded her head.

  The woman softened her demeanor from that of a drill sergeant in his majesty’s service, to a motherly calm. “I know that it is a lot to take in at once, I will write everything down so that you will be able to understand better. Have no fear, Mrs Darcy. I have studied with several physicians, as well as with an herbalist from the orient. To this day, I have tended to over thirty patients, making some improvement in each of their lives. Do not mistake me, not all were able to walk again, but they were stronger and able to do more with the rest of their body. One fear is that when your body is weak, fevers and such take hold of you easier and are more deadly. By making you stronger, it will make you healthier and, even if you cannot walk again, you will be able to do more and live longer.”

  “I am grateful, Mrs Bogs. So much has happened the past few days that I am overwhelmed. I promise that I will do my best to do as you request.” Elizabeth said. Darcy squeezed his wife’s hand gently.

  Mrs Bogs could see that the marriage was a love match, and that would give her patient strength to work through the hard times during the coming weeks. “Mr Darcy, I will ask you for a chance for a private interview with your wife. There are questions I need to ask and begin to see your wife’s tolerance levels so I know where I will begin in her treatment. If you were to remain, I do not believe she will be able to concentrate fully. Once we have set the routines, I will allow you to participate, if that is your choice. Until then, I will require a few hours without you in the room.”

  Seeing the look of hurt in her husband’s expression, Elizabeth reached out and caressed the side of his face with her fingertips. “It will be fine, William. I know that there is much to deal with to assist the other men, please join them for the time being. I will send word to you as soon as we are finished.”

  Nodding, Darcy kissed his wife before leaving the room. Once Darcy’s footsteps could be heard in the distance, Mrs Bogs began to speak. “I do not wish to appear to be impertinent, but I have learned over the years that most ladies have some issues that they do not wish to discuss in front of their husbands, no matter how much in love they are.”

  “It is all new to me.” Elizabeth said as a blush spread over her cheeks. “We have only been married a few days.”

  “Were you betrothed for long? How long has it been since your accident?”

  “Mr Darcy and I had an understanding last spring. We had to wait for him to speak to my father, but business and Mr Darcy’s sister taking ill forced him to travel north. Then the accident happened and Mr Darcy was told that I had died. No one could find him to tell him the truth, for he and his sister traveled. He was in Ireland when he learned that I had survived. The day after he arrived here, we were married.”

  “What an amazing tale. I do not wish to be indelicate, but I will need to know everything there is to know with regards to you and your body, so that I will be able to do the best that I can for you. Have you and your husband had…marital relations?”

  Elizabeth’s blush was nearly as red as a strawberry. “No, we have not. When my husband first arrived here, I was weaker than I am now, if you can imagine. I had stopped eating and had wished to die, believing he did not want me. It is due to him that I have made the progress I have in just a few days. I believe he wishes to wait until I am stronger before we…”

  “I spoke with Mr Jones. He stated that your loss of feeling is from the middle of your thighs down. You would be able to have relations, to feel what you should from your joining.”

  “William asked Mr Jones of this. He wishes to be involved in all of the care for me.”

  Mrs Bogs smiled. “He is the sort of man who would not wish to turn his most cherished love to be tended to by servants. I respect that. All of his money does not matter; he wishes to make certain that you are taken care of properly, which, to him, means he does what he can personally. Now, shall we ring for your maid? I wish to speak openly with both of you.”

  Mrs Hill and Betsy soon joined Elizabeth and Mrs Bogs. “Ladies, as you have been taking care of Mrs Darcy since the accident, I have several questions I would ask of you.”

  The ladies turned to Elizabeth, who nodded her head in agreement to their speaking openly.

  “Since the accident, Mr Jones says that Mrs Darcy has had no feeling in her legs. As ill as she was, and with her not taking care to recover, did her course cease to flow while she was so ill?”

  Mrs Hill was more comfortable in speaking of such matters. “She has had no courses since the accident. As keeping her alive was far more important at the time, I have not given it a second thought until you asked. Does this mean that she will be unable to bear children?”

  Elizabeth’s eyes were wide with fear. Though Darcy had stated that having children was not important, she could not imagine being unable to bear a child for him. Mr Jones had spoken as if it would be possible to eventually have children. She was lost to thought when Mrs Bogs spoke again.

  “No, it tells me that her body is still attempting to recover. As with her legs, part of her body has shut itself off to give strength to more important aspects.” Mrs Bogs reached over and took Elizabeth’s hands in her own. “Mrs Darcy, only time will tell us the truth. This is the reason I feel as strongly as I do about treating the entire body and spirit, not just the injured area. The herbalist that I studied with explained a great deal of the Orient and their views on balancing the whole body. If this all sounds too far-fetched for you to believe in, tell me now.”

  “No, I see that there is truth in this sort of thinking. As it is not traditional, it may seem confusing to me at times, but if you explain as we go along, I am willing to try. Mrs Hill, Betsy, do you agree to keep an open mind and attempt what Mrs Bogs suggests?”

  “If it means your recovery, Miss Lizzy, I am more than open minded and willing to do my part.” Mrs Hill smiled. Betsy nodded her head in agreement; she had taken a liking to the new Mrs Darcy and would do what she could to see that the young lady recovered the best that she could.

  Mrs Bogs was pleased. Many in English society scoffed at the ways of Chinese treatments. “Very well, let me describe my plans for treatments.”

  Mrs Bogs went through a list of the different treatments that she would use. Tui na was a technique of massaging using fingers and thumbs applying pressure into muscles to release any tension stored in the muscles. Qigong was a form of exercise that would incorporate massage, breathing and slow movements to bring the body’s life force, or qi, into balance. They would try using a technique called acupuncture, the use of slender needles or pins which would be inserted into the skin to assist in bringing the qi in balance, as well as allow blood to flow smoother, thereby aiding in healing. There would also be the use of herbs, taken in teas as well as some which would be made into lotions to be applied to Elizabeth’s skin.

  “I will write all of this information down for each of you, for I know it is a great deal to comprehend so quickly. Mrs Darcy, when I spoke with your Mr Jones, he stated that your husband is well read. I have copies of the books which my instructor gave me; he is welcome to borrow them to read the information. Now, if you have no objections, let us begin with a hot bath with these herbs sprinkled in the water. After a few moments of soaking, we will begin massaging your legs. By this evening, I will guarantee, you will be exhausted, but each day, you will grow stronger.”

  “Miss Lizzy has never been one to shy away from exercise or work.” Mrs Hill bragged of the young lady she took a part in raising.

  “That pleases me. And I assume that
you have known Mrs Darcy for a long time.” Mrs Bogs asked.

  “I was beside the midwife the day she was born. I cleaned her and swaddled her before giving her to her mother. And she has been a joy to me every day since.”

  “Thank you, Mrs Hill. You have always been kind to me and I appreciate you now more than ever. After all I put you through these past months; I am surprised you can still speak so highly of me.”

  Taking hold of Elizabeth’s hand, Mrs Hill squeezed it lightly. “Dear girl, you have been through so much, it was natural for you to behave out of character. But now you have begun the journey back and have married a man that I believe deserves you.”

  “Mrs Darcy, this process will take some time, and having the love and support of those around you will make a great deal of difference as you heal.” Mrs Bogs said as she stood. “Mrs Hill, would you be so kind as to show me the rooms we will use for treatments and what supplies we have on hand?”

  “This way, Mrs Bogs.” Mrs Hill showed her into the dressing chamber. Darcy had also asked that the rooms next to Elizabeth’s, which were his rooms that connected to hers, be made ready in whatever manner Mrs Bogs required for Elizabeth’s treatments.

  Just moments past before the door opened from the hall to allow her husband into the room and make his way to her side. “I saw Mrs Bogs and Mrs Hill in the hallway and was told that I was allowed to return to your side. I wish you to tell me what you think of Mrs Bogs. She comes highly recommended by a former soldier that Richard knows. Richard says that her ways are different, as she has trained in some of the arts from the orient.”

  “She explained some of the techniques that she learned. Some seem strange, though I will do what I can to recover. I am also curious to learn more of what she told me. I pray that you will be with me as I undergo the treatments.”

  “Of course, my love, and I cannot think of anywhere else I would rather be. From what Richard told me, I am curious to learn more as well. He was telling me it made a tremendous difference with his friend.” Seeing Elizabeth’s eyelids beginning to droop, Darcy kissed her on the tip of her nose. “Dearest, you are in need of a nap. Shall I join you?”