Mr. Darcy's Proposal (43 page)

“How is she? Is she injured?” he asked directing his questions to Dr. James.

“She is just fine,” Elizabeth said firmly. “I am not unconscious and you may address me directly.”

Darcy looked at her with wide eyes. Movement in the doorway to her dressing room caught his attention, and he glanced over just in time to see Margaret picking up the sodden, blood-covered clothing that had been carelessly dropped to the floor in the rush. Darcy went completely white. The young woman apologized and scurried off with the soiled items.

Turning back, he asked, “Elizabeth, is that blood all over your clothing?”

“She had a cut on her head. It was small but deep. The bleeding has stopped, and the wound will not require stitches as long as she rests and stays quiet for a few days,” the doctor assured him.

“So much blood,” Darcy repeated.

“Head wounds always bleed excessively,” Elizabeth told him, but the color did not return to his face.

Although the doctor told him repeatedly that the injuries were only slight, Darcy did not seem comforted by the news. After giving further instructions to Mrs. Reynolds and Margaret, who had been hovering nearby, the doctor excused himself saying he would call the next morning to check on his patient. With just a look from Darcy, everyone cleared the room leaving them alone.

“I cannot believe Hardy was so foolish as to let you go out in that storm!” Darcy began.

“Hardy is not to blame. We were on our way home from visiting one of the tenants when the rain started. We were almost back to the stables when there was a lightning strike near us in the woods, and the horse bolted. It all happened so quickly,” replied Elizabeth. “The next thing I knew I was on the ground.”

Darcy paced nervously near the bed. “Nevertheless, I have already given the order to dismiss him.”

“Please, you cannot do that!” Elizabeth sat up, shocked at his response.

“I can and I will.” Darcy scowled at her.

“It was not his fault,” she insisted again. “It was mine. I was driving when it happened.”

“Elizabeth, you should not try to take the blame.”

“But it is true—I was driving. I have been practicing taking the reins on my trips to visit the tenants. Hardy always protests, but I leave him no choice but to do as I ask. So it’s not his fault; you cannot dismiss him.”

Darcy’s face, which had been pale, now grew red, and his hands were balled into fists at his sides—not a good sign. “What were you thinking? What if something more serious had happened to you? I do not know…”

Too tired to be polite, she interrupted him mid-sentence. “I did not think you cared enough about me to be concerned,” she snapped. With that, she fell back on the pillows and put her hands over her face. Darcy started toward the bed.

“Elizabeth, you misunderstand me. I simply meant…”

“Oh, so I have misunderstood you yet again,” she said between sniffs.

Before he had a chance to explain, Georgiana burst into the room. “Oh, Elizabeth, are you injured?” she began and then seeing that something was not right, she stopped and looked from Elizabeth to Darcy and back again. Georgiana went pale.

“I am sorry. I have forgotten myself. I did not mean to rush in without knocking, but I was so worried when I heard about the accident.”

“Where have you been?” Darcy asked his sister.

“I just now arrived home from visiting the Newlands.”

“You were out in this storm as well?”

“Yes, I…” she began and then seeing the look on her brother’s face, she continued, “You have never objected to my visiting friends before as long as I take one of the grooms with me.”

“You should exercise better judgment about going out when the weather looks threatening.”

“The sun was out when I left,” Georgiana replied calmly, “and I know the same thing has happened to you many times.”

As Elizabeth listened to their exchange, she used the time to regain her composure. The last thing she wanted was to worry her sister or put her in the middle of their disagreement. Georgiana sat on the bed and put her arms around her sister. As they hugged, she whispered something in Elizabeth’s ear.

“Yes, I was driving,” Elizabeth responded. She looked over Georgiana’s shoulder at Darcy and said rather pointedly, “It was no one’s fault. The horse was frightened by the storm.”

Darcy’s eyes grew wide. “Georgiana, you have been aware that Elizabeth has been taking the reins? How long has this been going on—and why am I the last to know?” he asked his eyes darting between them.

“Please, do not blame Georgiana. I swore her to secrecy,” said Elizabeth.

“I cannot believe you would take such a risk!” Darcy’s voice grew louder with each word and before Elizabeth could speak, Georgiana came to her defense.

“You should not raise your voice, Brother. She is only trying to please you!”

Darcy furrowed his brow. Then Elizabeth saw him put on his distant, impossible-to-read face—the one she detested. Apparently, the subject was closed.

“Very well, we will revisit this at a later time when you are feeling stronger. If you will excuse me, I am going down to my study now as I have some work to do. Should I send Margaret in to you?” he asked.

“I was hoping you would sit with me,” said Elizabeth softly brushing an invisible speck of lint from the counterpane, “but of course if you have work to do, I am sure Georgiana will stay.”

Darcy hesitated, and for a moment, Elizabeth thought he might change his mind. “I shall leave you in Georgiana’s hands for now, but I will return to check on you later.”

After he left, Georgiana asked, “What was that all about?” Elizabeth rubbed her eyes and said nothing. “Oh, I am sorry to have pried into private matters again. It is just that I care about both of you so much,” said Georgiana taking Elizabeth’s hand. “What can I do for you? Does your head hurt?”

Margaret and Mrs. Reynolds both came in several times to check on Elizabeth. Each time, she was able to report that she was feeling better but still very tired from all the excitement.

***

When Elizabeth awoke in the night, she lay quietly in that misty place between the worlds of sleep and wakefulness. Although her head still ached, at least it had subsided to a dull throb. As she became more aware, she remembered Darcy had come to sit with her late in the evening after everyone else had retired. She must have fallen asleep as he was reading to her.

Opening her eyes, she saw that he was still in the chair, but had leaned forward and was asleep with his head resting on the bed beside her. Elizabeth could not resist running her fingers gently through his curls. Seeing him like this made her love him all the more. “I am so sorry, William. I was in such a hurry to get home to you,” she whispered. Just as she was tracing his ear lightly with her finger, he stirred. She withdrew her hand quickly.

Darcy sat up and rubbed his eyes as he shook off sleep. “Have you been awake for very long?” he asked.

“No, not long.”

“You are feeling better?”

“I have a bit of a headache, and I am sore all over, but I suspect I will live,” she said with a smile.

“I was more tired than I thought,” he said, rubbing his neck and stretching his arms.

“Yes, it must be exhausting to have such a trying wife.”

At first, he looked serious, and then a warm smile spread across his sleepy face. “You are a trial, but a lovely one.” He surprised her by kissing the top of her head.

“Must you go now?” she asked.

He hesitated a moment. Her heart began to beat more quickly under the intensity of his gaze. “I think it is best. You need rest, but I will come first thing in the morning. Do you need anything before I go?” Elizabeth shook her head. “Everyone has been so concerned about you that it would not surprise me to find Margaret, Mrs. Reynolds, and Georgiana all asleep in the hallway waiting for news.”

“Tell them I am fine,” she said. “And thank you again for sitting with me.”

Darcy took her hand and kissed it quickly before he left. Almost as soon as he had stepped into the hallway, the door to her dressing room opened and Margaret appeared.

“I have a sleeping draught Dr. James left for you,” she said, but Elizabeth waved it away.

After fluffing the pillows and fussing over her mistress for a few minutes, Margaret put out the lamp. Elizabeth lay awake thinking about her exchange with Darcy. How she wished that he had stayed just a little longer. In fact, she would not have minded at all if he had laid down beside her and held her the rest of the night. She fell asleep, imaging what would have happened if he had.

Fifty Seven

Elizabeth healed quickly with no lingering effects from her accident. Georgiana brought word that the Coopers had learned of her accident and had asked after her health. Georgiana was also able to report that little Janie was doing well. The Coopers were not the only tenants concerned about Elizabeth. Wherever Darcy went on the estate, people inquired about Mrs. Darcy and expressed their wishes for her speedy recovery.

During her convalescence, Darcy remained solicitous. Several times while she was still in bed on doctor’s orders, he brought her tray himself and stayed to eat with her. Elizabeth was not sure why he came, but she was glad for it. They talked of everything except what was really on their minds.

After just a few days of bed rest, Elizabeth was beyond bored. Once released by the doctor, she went downstairs for meals and then began to take short walks in the garden. After a few more days, she asked Darcy if he would accompany her the next morning on a longer walk. The late fall day was cool but clear when they set out in the direction of a small wilderness area near the lake. The leaves crunched under their boots with every step. Over time, Darcy had learned to shorten his long stride to match hers in order to remain by her side. Some things about being with Elizabeth were easy; others were more difficult and taking much longer than he had hoped.

As he was rehearsing what to say to her, she asked him, “William, please tell me more about your mother.”

“What is it that you would like to know?”

“I am not sure. What was she like? She must have loved you and Georgiana very much.”

“Yes, she did,” he responded.

“And?”

He thought for a moment. “Both my parents loved me but they showed it in different ways.” She gestured for him to continue. “My mother was more demonstrative than my father. Of course, as I grew older, as with all boys, I pretended not to want hugs or kisses from her but secretly I missed it.”

“You were too young to be left without your mother,” said Elizabeth.

“It was not easy for me. When she died, there was no one to show me that kind of affection.” He thought back to the loneliness he had felt after his mother’s death and not for the first time wondered how it had changed him. He was not really certain why he was telling Elizabeth about this. It was something he had never shared with anyone, including Georgiana. “My sister had her nanny and then her governess. I suppose Mrs. Reynolds became like a mother to me, but it was not the same. Father loved me in his own way. He taught me how to be a gentleman, to be responsible, and run the estate.”

“I am sure your father must have been very proud of you.”

“Yes, of course, but being proud is not the same as affection. I missed that special love my mother gave me.” He paused for a moment before he continued. “I am only beginning to understand how much.”

“And were both your parents as serious as you are?” she asked. One side of her mouth turned up.

Darcy shook his head. “Father was usually very stern and serious; Mother loved to laugh. I remember she knew just how to make him laugh, too.” He inclined his head to the side a bit and looked up at the sky as he tried to remember his parents more clearly. “As I think back, I realize now that after my mother died, the only person who made my father laugh was George Wickham.”

“That must have made you more than a little jealous.”

“Many times I would have liked to have his charming way of talking to people, of knowing the just the right thing to say.” There was a silent moment before he continued. “For example, had I greater facility with words, I would have talked to people at the dance in Meryton that first evening. How I envied Bingley his easy manners and friendly speech that night. Instead, I kept to myself.”

Elizabeth laughed, “I seem to remember thinking you a snob that first evening. What was it you said about me? ‘Tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me,’” she said, imitating his deep voice. “That stung more than I liked to admit at the time.”

Remembering that evening brought him pain. If he could go back to that night and start over, he would have asked her to dance. “Elizabeth, please, you must forget I ever said such a thing. I behaved like a fool.”

“Now that I know you better I can see how your actions were more from shyness than anything else.”

Here he stopped and turned to face her, “I saw you laughing with Mrs. Collins that night and I secretly wished I could talk and laugh with you like that. I just did not know how to begin.”

“Then you should have asked me to dance. We would have found something to talk about, and I might have formed a different opinion of you from the very beginning,” she said. Darcy wished he was better at reading people. Could she be flirting with him?