“Do not worry, Aunt,” she said with more composure. “I think it was too much for me to come down after all. My footaches, and now that Eliza and I have spoken, it would be better if I rested in my room.”
“Yes, dear, I understand. You go on ahead with Jane, and after our guests leave, I shall be up to check on your ankle.”
Not long after, Sophia appeared at the door, and with Jane’s help the two women assisted Elizabeth to her room. Once Elizabeth was in her bed with her foot elevated and with only Jane at her side, she began to cry in earnest.
“Jane, you heard what Eliza said. Before the incident in the garden, Mr. Darcy intended to walk away. How can I marry a man who does not want me? How can I be a proper wife for him and a mother to his child?” she sobbed. “It is all too much.”
“Lizzy, you must not despair. He will be here later and all will be settled.”
“No, Jane. He is not coming,” she said, dabbing her eyes. “Uncle received a note from him earlier this morning saying Mr. Darcy left for Kent. An express from Lady Catherine was waiting for him when he returned home from the ball. His daughter is gravely ill.”
“Oh, dear.”
“Our situation will not be settled today, and knowing that on top of what Eliza overheard makes everything seem entirely hopeless.”
“Elizabeth Bennet, do not let me hear you say such a thing. There is always hope. There must be. What is it you often say about your courage rising to meet any situation?”
“Forgive me. I know you are right, but in this instance it seems impossible.”
“Oh, Lizzy,” Jane cried, hugging her sister.
“Forgive me, I promise I shall do better, but it is very difficult.” She pulled back a little, wiping her eyes. “In truth, it is far worse for Mr. Darcy with his daughter being so ill. Jane, I did not tell you, but there is more sadness in his past.” Shepaused for a moment, dabbing her eyes again. “Not only did Mr. Darcy’s wife die, but at that time, his son, a fully-formed babe, was stillborn with the cord wrapped around his little neck.”
Jane gasped, squeezing Elizabeth’s hand not able to hold back her own tears. “‘Tis too sad. I had no idea he lost a child too.”
“He told me about it on the afternoon we were at the Royal Gardens. Apparently, his wife died of childbed fever and the poor babe never took his first breath. Mr. Darcy has lost so much, and if he were to lose his daughter I fear he might never recover.”
“Let us not entertain such thoughts. Come, we must pray for both of them.” The two sisters put their heads and hands together and prayed in earnest. Afterwards Elizabeth lay back on the bed while Jane stroked her hair and hummed a simple tune until her sister fell asleep.
CHAPTER SIX
CONFRONTATION
Rosings Park
The Same Day
Anna’s Room
It was mid-morning, and William had come to Anna’s bedside as soon as he was able. Leaving Town before dawn had made for a slow and arduous journey with the darkened roads and the return of a steady rain. His horse had been tethered to the back of the carriage, and once it was light enough to travel without the aid of a lantern, William had mounted and gone ahead. He prayed to God that Anna would be out of danger by the time he arrived and that Mr. Purdy, Lady Catherine’s physician from London, was not yet in residence. William could not abide the man and his antiquated approach to medicine. Purdy’s propensity was to bleed for every ill, and under no circumstance would William subject his precious child to that treatment or to any other barbaric procedure he might be inclined to inflict.
As a youth, William had watched his mother suffer such treatments in her final days, and then again when LadyCatherine insisted that her daughter be attended by Mr. Purdy when she was ridden with childbed fever. William had since found Mr. Mitchell, a leading London physician who was against such procedures. Never again would any of his loved ones be subjected to the practices of men like Purdy. Thankfully, when he arrived at Rosings Park, Mr. Purdy had not yet arrived. Finding Anna’s nurse had been up all night tending her, William had encouraged the woman to retire to her room for a few hours while he watched over his child.
“Papa, I am so cold. Can you hold me and make me warm?”
Anna’s little voice was barely above a whisper. It broke William’s heart to hear her thus and to watch as she suffered. For the last hour he had placed cold compresses on her fevered brow and stroked her moist locks praying that the fever would subside.
“Yes, sweetheart.” He picked up his child, wrapping her securely in her blanket and carrying her to the rocking chair, where he held her close to his chest, along with her treasured doll. After giving her a little of the syrup made from honey and lemon water, he began to quietly sing one of their favourite songs.
Lavender's blue, dilly dilly,
Lavender's green
When I am King, dilly dilly,
You shall be Queen….
Who told you so, dilly dilly,
