A Father's Sins: A Pride and Prejudice Variation (11 page)

“Before
I go upstairs and see my nephew, I would like to know what happened. Richard?”
Everyone gathered listened closely as the Colonel related the events as he knew
them and as had been explained to him by both Georgiana and Elizabeth. Both
Lady Matlock and the Colonel’s brother asked questions when an item needed
clarifying. When it was retold with as much clarity as possible, Lord Matlock
turned to Elizabeth.

“Now,
young lady, please tell us how you came to be involved in these events.” His
focus on Elizabeth was intense.

“I
was leaving my family’s home, Longbourn, for the Inn in Meryton to purchase a
ticket for my return trip to London when the Darcys and Mr. Bingley came upon
me. I had just been introduced by a close friend to Mr. Wickham. After
confronting Mr. Wickham,  Mr. and Miss Darcy escorted me to the Inn while they
returned here to Netherfield Park to retrieve their carriage. As soon as they
returned to Meryton, I joined them in the coach and we rode for a short while
toward London when we were stopped by Mr. Wickham. I have had the benefit of
some medical training and had my apothecary case with me, so I returned to
Netherfield Park with the Darcys. It was with Mr. Darcy’s permission that I
tried to repair as much of the damage as possible and administered medications
both for pain and for infection. I only wish I knew more of what to do in these
situations, my Lord.”

“I
am not criticizing you in the least, Miss Bennet.” He paused as if considering
how to phrase his next statement. “It is just that it is a rare occurrence when
a gently-born lady can be so valuable in such circumstances. I am grateful you
were here, as Richard said in his letter, that there is not a physician in the
area and Darcy’s surgeon was unavailable as well.”

“Please,
Lord Matlock, do not praise me overmuch, for your very own niece was of
tremendous value yesterday during the surgery. She labored alongside your son
and Mr. Darcy’s valet in caring for him on and off throughout the night as well.
I realize that skills such as nursing and patient care are not the usual accomplishments
a lady possesses, however, I believe it is because we are country born and bred
that gives us exposure to some rather unusual accomplishments.”

At
this, Lady Matlock chuckled. She needed to get to know this young woman better,
as she seemed to have formed an attachment to Georgiana. Both her sons were
gazing at Miss Bennet with interest and she wondered how her nephew responded
to her as well. She would have to keep a close eye on this situation.

A
soft knock on the drawing room door brought a serving maid with the tea. Behind
her came Mrs. Nicholls, checking to see if anything else was needed. Behind Mrs.
Nicholls followed Mr. Burton with a message from Mr. Darcy’s valet. Mr. Darcy’s
temperature was on the rise again and his valet was requesting Miss Elizabeth’s
care. She immediately returned upstairs to Mr. Darcy’s bed chamber, closely
followed by the gentlemen in the room. All but Mr. Bingley, who stayed behind
to be of assistance to the ladies.

Gabriel
was now on duty outside the door. When he saw Miss Elizabeth hurrying down the
hallway, he again was grateful that she was caring for his master. The four
stopped and washed before Gabriel opened the door and they entered the room.
The curtains were pulled back allowing what sun was available in mid-November
to shine through. The window was open, letting in a stiff breeze, and Mr. Darcy
was soaked, with beads of perspiration covering his brow and his upper lip. He
was writhing in bed, exceedingly uncomfortable and in pain.

“What
has happened, Parker?” She went to Mr. Darcy’s side and put her hand on his arm
to try to still him. At her voice and touch he quieted. “Please, close the
window Parker, and ask Gabriel to request Mr. Darcy’s bath be filled with as
cool of water as possible. I will mix some more of the medicine and, if you
would help me Colonel Fitzwilliam, we will try to get it into him as we did
before.” The Colonel moved to the other side of the bed and he asked his father
to take Elizabeth’s place while she mixed the powders. They raised Darcy close
to a sitting position as she sat on the bed next to him with her cup and spoon.
Mr. Darcy’s restlessness caused her to spill some of the liquid. She put the
spoon back in the cup and reached her hand up to the side of his face, speaking
to him gently. As she told him what her purpose was and he felt the touch of
her hand, he calmed and was able to take the bitter fluid. He lay back and the
men stepped away while she explained to Mr. Darcy that she needed to check his
wound.

Quickly,
she rounded the bed and again touched his arm. Mr. Darcy lay still as she
pulled the bandage away and cleansed the wound. She then softly wiped his face
with a cool wet towel over and over as Mr. Bingley’s servants brought the water
to the bathing tub. Nobody in the room spoke while Elizabeth soothed Mr. Darcy.
Lord Matlock watched as Darcy lifted his right hand and held Elizabeth’s wrist,
holding her hand to his cheek. Darcy’s eyes were still closed, but it appeared
that her touch was healing him more than the powders.

Elizabeth
explained to Mr. Darcy what was to happen and that she needed to step out of
the room until he was returned to his bed. Turning to Lord Matlock, she could
see the worry on his face and those of his sons. The area around the wound had
been reddened but there were no red streaks moving up or down his arm. Looking
Lord Matlock in the eye, she determinedly reassured him, “He WILL NOT lose his
arm or his life.”

She
then gave instructions to Parker loud enough for all the men to hear and left
the room, again reminding Parker that Mr. Darcy would need clean bedclothes and
a clean nightshirt when he returned.

Once
out in the hallway, she called a maid to strip the soaked bedding and replace
it with clean linens; also, to quickly tidy the room, removing any trays,
replacing them with more tea and cool water. Then she paced; and worried. She
wished she had more skill; that she knew more. If wanting something would make
it happen, then her words to Lord Matlock would be true. However, wanting was
rarely enough. She prayed, and hoped others were doing so as well.

Netherfield Park, Hertfordshire

By
the next morning, Mr. Darcy’s fever was down. The cool bath had accomplished
much good, however, he slept fitfully through the night. Parker and Elizabeth
still took turns trying to coax him to drink and Elizabeth cared for his
bandages. The maid, Sarah, who stayed in the room any time Elizabeth entered,
also did not sleep. The bruising on Mr. Darcy’s arm was still various purple
hues, but the stitches were holding and the skin surrounding them was pink. A
healthy sign indicating there was minimal poison behind the bullet holes.
Elizabeth knew, without looking, that the shadows under her eyes were most
likely similar in color to Mr. Darcy’s bruises and mirrored those under
Parker’s eyes. Still, she was pleased to care for this good man.

At
dawn, Mr. Darcy started to stir and Elizabeth rose from his bedside chair to
fill his cup with water.

“Thirsty,”
Mr. Darcy whispered. She took the cup to him and, putting her arm behind his
shoulders, she helped lift him so he could drink. Elizabeth was pleased when he
drank the cup dry and asked for more. She no longer felt uncomfortable with
such contact, but hoped he was not aware of her pounding heart or the blush
that would arise each time she came into such close proximity. Finally, after
he drank his fill, he laid back on his pillows. The single candle flickering
from his bedside table highlighted the strong features on his face. Elizabeth again
thought what a handsome man he is.

“Elizabeth,
how is Georgiana faring?” Elizabeth was taken aback at his use of her Christian
name. It must have been his exhaustion that caused him to overlook proper
address, as he had always been most duty-bound in her presence. The maid,
Sarah, who was seated on a chair in the far corner and was busy, tending to
some sewing, would not have heard Mr. Darcy’s slip as the volume of his voice
was low. No ruin would come to Elizabeth’s reputation from that slight
indiscretion.

“She
is tired and worried, but she is well. You will be pleased at the tender care
she has provided you. Often, she and Colonel Fitzwilliam have sat with you and
you seem comforted when she strokes your brow with a cool cloth. Truthfully,
sir, my efforts with your surgery and care would have been much more difficult
without her help.” Leaning forward in the chair, she smiled at Mr. Darcy. “Do
you recall the conversation we had while in company with Miss Bingley and Mrs.
Hurst about the definition of an accomplished woman, Mr. Darcy?”

“I
do. It was when you were here, at Netherfield Park, with your sister, Miss
Bennet.” He recalled. “If I remember correctly, Miss Bingley said that an
accomplished woman
must have a thorough knowledge
of music, singing, drawing, dancing, all the modern languages, to deserve the
word; and she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of
walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will
be but half deserved.”

“Well
done, Mr. Darcy. Certainly your sister qualified as an accomplished young woman
before these events. However, now, in addition to the qualities listed by Miss
Bingley, she can add nursing, preparing bandages, and caring for a patient. All
skills that prove much more useful than knitting a purse or painting a table,
do you not think?”

Mr.
Darcy smiled at the thought. Then his brow furrowed again, “But, Miss
Elizabeth, what she saw…..what she witnessed with Wickham, surely, it has been
difficult to overcome seeing such violence and knowing the person responsible.”

It
warmed Elizabeth’s heart to realize that while everyone in residence at
Netherfield Park was concerned about Mr. Darcy, he had been concerned about his
little sister.

“Mr.
Darcy, you need to know that both the Colonel and I have spent hours upon hours
sitting with Georgiana, and we have encouraged her to pour her heart out on
this matter. It should relieve you to know that, because she was witness to Mr.
Wickham’s vile intentions, she has been able to look back at the events at
Ramsgate with a much more mature attitude. It is unfortunate that the innocent
need to learn to be wary. Georgiana will come through this experience with
knowledge of the motives of men, will not be gullible, nor will she trust
easily. For a person of our sex, this is a protection. Ignorance can only lead
to folly.”  Pausing to get her thoughts in order, Elizabeth continued, “Mr.
Darcy, the willingness and diligence you and the Colonel both show in protecting
Georgiana is truly admirable. She is not unappreciative of what you are trying
to do for her behalf. She has mentioned to me that she realizes that it is done
from the deepest love and affection. However, in less than two years, she will
be out in society. Mr. Darcy, I am sure you are aware of how vicious some of
the ladies of the ton are and how manipulative some of the men can be,
especially to a beautiful young woman who is in possession of a large fortune
and good family connections. She would be like a lamb amidst wolves. This way,
she will go into her debut better prepared to determine who would or would not
be a proper companion for her, both as friends, and eventually, to marry. Do
you not agree?”

Mr.
Darcy pondered this before answering. “I do agree, Miss Elizabeth. My Georgie
is growing up and I have to allow her to do so. I only wish….I only wish that
she had not had to see this dark side of life. She deserves a happy life with
only the best of people surrounding her with no difficulties in her future.”

“Oh,
Mr. Darcy, that would be a terrible life!” Elizabeth was emphatic.

“What
could you possibly mean by that?”

“Think,
Mr. Darcy, how much you personally enjoy overcoming challenges, learning new
techniques for doing things, or moving obstacles by using your intelligence and
wit. Would not life be a bore if all went well? With challenges comes the
opportunity to grow and learn. Is not that truly what you want for your sister?
To have a full life where she can feel a sense of accomplishment with a
well-made decision or a task well done, especially if it challenged her to step
beyond what she thought she was capable of?”

“But,
what of failures? She should not have to feel the burden or displeasure with
herself for not being able to always make things right.”

“Mr.
Darcy, do not failures motivate you to learn more or try harder the next time?
It is part of life as an imperfect human to fail. Learning to overcome these
failures can be a source of inner peace and happiness.” Without thinking,
Elizabeth reached over and took his hand. “Please, sir, if you want your sister
to have a happy, full life, you will allow her to make mistakes and to grow
from those mistakes. It is part of being an adult, is it not?”

“You
are correct, Miss Elizabeth. That is exactly what I want for my sister.”
Elizabeth could see that he was getting tired and needed to rest. She realized
that she still had hold of his hand and released it from her grip. He, however,
grasped her hand tighter. “I am pleased that you are here, Miss Elizabeth, and
that we have been able to get reacquainted. I am sorry that we interrupted your
trip to London.”

“Please
think no more of it, sir. I am certain that my uncle and aunt were expecting me
to stay for a while at Longbourn and did not expect my sudden return.”

“Elizabeth,”
he squeezed her hand tighter. This conversation was rejuvenating to Darcy. His
body was weak, certainly, but his mind was clear of the laudanum he had been
given and he longed to get to know this woman better.  “Please, share your
burden with me.” And she did. She told of her four siblings that she had lost
and how devastated she had been when her father and mother placed the blame on
her. She told of how disappointed she was in her eldest sister for putting the
wrong opinions of her parents before her own happiness and how she had wanted
Jane to stay longer at Netherfield Park to complete her recovery before
returning to Longbourn. She also told Mr. Darcy how surprised she was at Jane’s
reaction to sweet, kind Mr. Bingley. Mr. Darcy returned the favor by talking at
length of his relationship with George Wickham and with their father. He
explained to her how devastated Mr. and Mrs. Wickham were to see how their son
was turning out. The Wickhams, who not long after they received George into
their home, were blessed with a daughter of their own, were both appalled at
their son’s conduct. Not being able to watch George’s rebelliousness under the
influence of George Darcy, they moved along with their daughter to Ireland,
leaving their son behind. Darcy also spoke of how challenging it had been to
become master of Pemberley and all the other holdings at two and twenty years
of age, plus assume guardianship of his sister at the same time. He spoke of
the loss of his beloved mother, how she had tried to shield him from the
neglect of his father and the jealousy of his older brother. He also talked of
his position in society and how awkward he was in social gatherings. They came
to know each other’s circumstances and the seeds of deep respect were beginning
to grow. A close bond was forming with a bright future ahead of them, if they
could get past their current difficulties.

Finally,
Mr. Darcy slept, continuing to hold Elizabeth’s hand. At a tap on the outside
of the door, she let go, instantly feeling the loss.

At
Parker’s return, Elizabeth left to change into fresh clothing and partake of a
small meal. She reflected on all she and Mr. Darcy spoke of with one another.
How good it felt to share her innermost feelings, concerns, and disappointments
with someone who equally shared his own in return. She knew from watching him
around the Bingley sisters how reticent and quiet he was, so it was surprising
to hear him speak so openly with her.

The
prior evening, Elizabeth and Georgiana had arranged to walk in the garden the
next morning before breaking their fast. As much as they both needed a long
night’s sleep, they also felt the need for the outdoors. When Georgiana arrived
at Elizabeth’s room, it was but a moment before they had donned their outer
clothes and left through the front door. The stables were off on the left side
of the house and the gardens were on the right. In front of the home was a
small man-made lake that was brimming with noisy waterfowl this early in the
morning. It was a peaceful, serene setting and both young women relaxed with
the sights and sounds. They headed toward the gardens. In November, the garden
had few spots of bright color remaining from the summer blooms. It was filled
with the autumn hues of burgundy, gold, orange, green, and brown. However, it
was the company that was pleasing, not the vegetation.

“Georgina,
what were your parents like?” It appeared to be an innocent question but, after
the disclosures of this morning, Elizabeth knew the turmoil a child could carry
when a parent was unjust or disappointed them greatly. She waited for her
friend’s reply.

“I
did not know my mother, as she died at my birth. William and my Fitzwilliam
relatives tell me that I am much like her, in appearance and character.  My
Uncle Martin says that my brother, William, has the same strong sense of duty
and honor that my father had. Elizabeth, this confuses me because my brother has
a very firm sense of morality. I do believe that my father did as well later in
his life; that he was just caught up in the frivolity of youth and George was a
result of that youthful indiscretion. However, I could never see William
forsaking any of his children for any reason. When George was around, my father
was not even aware that William and I existed.”

“So,
Mr. Darcy has many children that he would never forsake?” Elizabeth teased.
Georgiana tucked her arm in Elizabeth’s and giggled along with her older
friend.

“Elizabeth,”
she suddenly became very serious. “My brother is the best of men. To my
knowledge, he has never placed himself in a position to receive the reproach of
others. Many, such as Miss Bingley and others like her, seek him out and some
have tried to put him in positions where he would feel obligated to marry to
protect the Darcy name so that it is not tarnished. He would never want his
children to feel about him the way he feels about Father.”

“Then
we shall tease about this no more.” They continued to walk in companionable
silence. Soon it was time to join the others to break their fast. It was a
lively group in the breakfast room. Mr. Bingley’s pleasing personality matched
the jovial personality of Lord Matlock and his youngest son. The eldest son,
Henry Fitzwilliam, was quieter and more reserved, like his mother, the
Countess. However, they too added to the revelry. The good news that Parker had
imparted to Lord Matlock about his nephew resting lightened the mood and the
conversation reflected this attitude.