Page 17 of Infamous Relations

Obeying Charlotte’s directive, Jane paused to look around the room. The fire was burning low, so she added another log, checked Elizabeth’s brow. It was too warm; but considering what Charlotte had told her, it would be no surprise if Lizzy was to suffer at least a little fever, lying in a cold stream for who knew how long! Gently, Jane dampened a cloth and wiped her sister’s face and hands, seeking to cool her.

Elizabeth woke a few times in the night, mumbling and tossing about, her eyes opening, but as Charlotte had said she did not seem truly aware of her surroundings. She quieted again when Jane spoke to her gently and stroked her brow, and once she whispered Jane’s name.

A little after dawn, Elizabeth’s fever broke and her skin once again felt cool. Sighing with relief, Jane stood and stretched wearily, going to peer out of the window. Exhausted herself, Jane thought that she might just lie down beside Elizabeth for a little while. Curling a protective arm around her sister, she fell asleep within moments.

Jane woke to find Lizzy muttering in her sleep “No! Mr. Darcy, no!” Tears leaked from beneath her closed eyelids.

“Hush, Lizzy, hush,” Jane soothed gently, stroking Elizabeth’s hair. “It is all right. Your Jane is here with you.”

“You must not, Mr. Darcy!” Elizabeth sobbed, and Jane redoubled her efforts to soothe her. Finally, Elizabeth quieted and drifted back into a deeper sleep, leaving Jane unnerved and jittery.

Surely not, she thought, gazing at the slowly brightening window. Surely Mr. Darcy could not possibly have done this. But Charlotte had, after all, said that he had been in their company several times and she believed he admired Lizzy. Had he, perhaps, made a less than honourable offer and become angry when Lizzy refused him?

Jane did not want to believe it, but the inescapable fact was that somebody had done this terrible thing to Elizabeth, and Lizzy herself was the only person who could tell them who.

Chapter Thirteen

Darcy was up before dawn, pacing impatiently until his cousin hammered on the door of his room.

“Will you stop that infernal pacing, Darce? I could have had another hour of sleep, had your great boots clomping on the floor not drummed me out of bed!” His eyes twinkled with humour, and Darcy managed a small smile.

“Sorry, Richard. I could sleep no longer, I am too concerned for Miss Elizabeth.”

“Have you slept at all?” Richard looked at the dark circles beneath Darcy’s eyes, had his suspicions confirmed when his cousin shrugged and looked away. “Well, at least I can make sure you are fed. Come, Darce, we can’t go anywhere for some while yet. Let us give Mrs. Collins time to start the day, time for Doctor Trent to attend to Miss Bennet again too.”

Darcy heaved a deep breath. “You are quite correct, damn you.” Weary and saddened, he didn’t resist his cousin when Richard put a strong arm around his shoulders and towed him off to find breakfast. His thoughts full of Elizabeth, he did not think to mention Jane’s arrival and subsequent departure for the Parsonage the previous evening.

The two cousins arrived at the Parsonage promptly at ten in the morning. Charlotte came down to speak with them and was able to tell them that Lizzy passed a restless night with fever but now seemed to be resting comfortably. Doctor Trent had already called to see her and pronounced himself cautiously pleased that the contusion on her head was less swollen and a better colour today; he expected to call back a little later and they should try to wake her then if Elizabeth did not show any signs of activity beforehand.

After hearing their grateful expressions of relief, Charlotte excused herself for a few moments to go up and speak with Jane and get the latest news.

Jane, seeing the gentlemen arrive from the window, seated herself beside Elizabeth and took her hand gently.

“Darling sister,” she said softly, “I cannot believe that Mr. Darcy would have done this to you. Oh, dear Lizzy, will you not now wake? Your Jane is here to care for you, I want so much for you to be well again so that we may go back to Longbourn and all will be as it was before.”

Charlotte came into the room then, saying; “Jane, Mr. Darcy and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam are here to enquire after Lizzy; pray, is there any news I might share with them? Does she yet show signs of awakening? The doctor will be here soon – Jane, look!”

Lizzy’s eyelids fluttered, and she looked up at Jane from eyes that were finally focusing properly.

“Jane?”

“Lizzy, oh, Lizzy, thank God!” Jane struggled not to cry. “Dearest, you are back with us – do you know where you are?”

Elizabeth blinked and looked around the room, moving only her eyes because of the pain in her head, spotting Charlotte standing near the door. “I am still in Hunsford – am I not? Why are you here, Jane?”

“Oh Lizzy – you have been hurt. Who did this to you, Lizzy? Who hurt you?”

Tears began to slip down Elizabeth’s cheeks as she remembered the awful fight, the callous things she had said, the dreadful way in which Mr. Darcy had insulted her family while smugly expecting her to accept his proposal! He had hurt Jane, the best, the sweetest, kindest person on the face of the earth, with his officious interference!

“Oh Jane,” she sobbed, “Mr. Darcy – you know not what he has done!”

Jane’s face hardened, and she stood up. “Mr. Darcy.” It was not a question. She could see the distress on her sister’s face, Elizabeth, who hardly ever cried! Jane turned and walked out of the room, almost in a trance.

Charlotte, torn between not wanting to leave Elizabeth alone, and thinking that she should go after Jane, looked from one to the other in an agony of indecision. Her mind was made up when Elizabeth whispered;

“Charlotte – my head hurts so…”

“The doctor has left something for that, but he cautioned us not to give it until you were lucid,” Charlotte said, coming to the bed and lifting a bottle and spoon. “Oh, Lizzy, I can hardly believe it! That Mr. Darcy would do this to you!”