Page 19

Pulling the blanket and counterpane over her, he quickly shed the wet robe and night shirt he was wearing, replacing them with others from his closet and sat on the edge of the bed, not ready to relinquish the sight of her just yet. For several minutes, he let his fingers trace the planes of her face, pushing wet curls away from her eyes and playing with the long tendrils of hair lying on her pillow. Lifting one lone curl, he brought it to his nose. It smelled of lavender. Tears threatened as he remembered that the only time he had smelled that fragrance in a woman’s hair it had been Elizabeth’s.

Sudden loud voices in the hallway interrupted his reverie, and he realised it was time to declare her presence, as they needed to get her into dry clothes and her own bed. Then he would have a confrontation with Charles.

Charles’ Study

“You let me go through hell, thinking her dead!” William paced back and forth in front of Charles and Jane, who were also standing. “I…. I grieved at her graveside.” A strangled cry tried to escape, and he covered his face with his hands and turned, not wanting them to see his tears.

Charles and Jane exchanged tortured glances as William struggled to compose himself. Finally able to continue, he swung around.

“And you call me your friend, Charles! What evil possessed you to send for me, only to carry out this hateful charade?”

“I am so sorry, Darcy. We felt it best—”

“Felt?” William fumed as he stalked towards Charles, coming to a halt in his face. “What about what I felt? You do not know how I have agonised over her in the last two years, how much I have wanted to see her, to hear her laugh again.”

Jane pushed in between the two men, causing William to step back. “I know exactly! I was without my sister for those two years as well!”

“Then, if you know the extent of my agony, why would you put me through this…this pretence? Telling me she was dead and leaving me no hope!”

“She was taken from me, without so much as a goodbye, and I could not find her! Only through the kindness of a servant was she recovered, gravely ill. I would not chance that man learning Lizzy was still alive, so I insisted we tell only those necessary…those we could trust.”

“And you could not trust me?” William retorted, waving his arms about in disgust. “What a recommendation! Why did you even condescend to invite me here?”

“Go ahead! Rage at us, if it makes you feel better! But I would do it all again to protect my sister!” Jane shouted, tears now coursing down.

Charles moved beside Jane, sliding his arm around her shoulders and declaring, “We are truly sorry to have lied to you, but we felt we had no alternative. We have fostered the lie that she is dead for her own good. The Count is ruthless!”

Fearlessly, Jane stepped forward again, pleading, “You saw what we are up against, trying to keep her in her rooms. We do not have enough trusted servants to have her watched night and day. God knows Mrs. Drury cannot do it around the clock, and I cannot while also tending to Peter. Most of our servants are local people, and they have family in Meryton. Can you imagine what would happen if my mother found out? I fear that she might have sold her to that tyrant! And just today, we learned that Caroline is coming to Netherfield.”

Taking another ragged breath, she declared, “Count Stefano may stop at nothing if he finds she is alive. He thought he had killed her when he left her to burn at Northgate, so will he try to finish the job?” Having exhausted all arguments, she covered her face with her hands, and her body shook with uncontrollable sobs.

Charles turned Jane around, pulling her into a tight embrace and patted her back, trying to soothe her. His eyes locked with William’s, and calmer now, he stated with resignation, “We have tried, but we cannot keep her hidden. With Caroline determined to visit, it is inevitable that she will be exposed.”

William turned to gather his composure, feeling shame that he had taken his anger out on Jane and Charles. While their deception had been cruel, it had been done to keep Elizabeth safe. Besides, was he not, even now, thinking of how to accomplish the same thing? Taking a deep breath, he turned to face them.

“I apologise. I should have listened to your explanation before I spoke. It was just such a shock to see her. I…. I thought Elizabeth was gone forever.”

Hope appeared for the first time on the faces of Jane and Charles, and William’s voice was kinder as he ventured, “Does the woman who informed you of Elizabeth’s plight know where the count went?”

“No.” Charles sighed. “He apparently set the fire and then left the county, perhaps the country. He has not returned, as the housekeeper promised to alert us if he should. We do not know where he is now. He could be anywhere, perhaps even in Italy, where his mother was born, and he might be using another name.”

“Or perhaps he is, even now, aware that he did not succeed in killing her and is trying to find Lizzy,” Jane whispered fearfully.

Her words made William shiver. The thought of such evil ever having control over Elizabeth made him sick to his stomach.

“If it makes any difference, we had decided we would tell you the truth in the morning.” Charles’ words penetrated William’s thoughts, and he turned to see both Bingleys studying him. “It seemed you—we prayed you still cared enough about Elizabeth to...”

William knew what they intended. “You want me to take Elizabeth to Pemberley.” It was a statement, not a question.

Jane shared a glance at Charles. “Yes. Her reaction to you was astonishing. Elizabeth will not let any other man near her, not even Charles. Somewhere inside, she must feel safe with you. Even if she should escape the manor, Charles says Pemberley’s holdings are so extensive that the likelihood of her being seen by someone outside the grounds is small. Here in Meryton, she remembers all the places she used to walk, and she tries to go back there, even to Longbourn.”

William turned back to the windows and studied the storm outside. He was full of questions that needed answering.

“The last time I saw Elizabeth, she said I was the last man on earth she could ever be prevailed upon to marry. What is to prevent her suddenly remembering that she does not like me and trying to leave?”

“I can answer that truthfully, as my sister told me of your ill-fated proposal.”

William dropped his head, somewhat embarrassed that Jane, and probably Charles, knew everything that had transpired between them.