Finally, after a cup of tea and a small sandwich, Elizabeth was swept upstairs by the ladies, given over to the ministrations of a grateful maid who had heard of what Elizabeth had done that night. She was plunged into a bath, then dressed in a nightgown provided by Lady Gordon, and after a hearty meal from a tray of breakfast sent up by the kitchens, fell into bed and did not wake until late that night.
CHAPTER 55
When Elizabeth woke, it was past midnight. She could not imagine ringing for a servant, but it would be some hours before anyone in the house woke. She had slept enough, at least for now. She sensed that perhaps she might lull herself back to sleep eventually, but she would need something to read for a few hours. She rose, lit a candle, and slipped into a pair of house slippers and a dressing gown thoughtfully provided by Lady Gordon, then slipped out of the door of her room.
She had visited the library at Gordon Lodge before, when paying a call on Lady Gordon. She made her way downstairs, and eventually found the room she was looking for. The library was not unoccupied. She spied Mr Darcy as she entered. He was sitting in the candlelight on a comfortable couch, with an enormous tray of food before him.
“Elizabeth!” he exclaimed as he jumped to his feet. “I am so grateful that you are here!”
“You are?” Elizabeth as curiously, as she moved forward. “In the middle of the night?”
“I woke and thought of finding something to read,” explained Darcy. “I think we might be rather famous in the household, thefootman in the hall of the guest wing told me that we are heroes, and that he had been instructed to feed us if we woke in the night, and see to all of our needs. He brought me far too much food. I hate to think there was anyone in the kitchens waiting for us to wake. I had to prevent him from lighting a fire in late June in an effort to see to my comfort. Are you hungry?”
“Simply famished,” Elizabeth admitted.
“Please, join me,” Mr Darcy insisted. He went to a sideboard and procured another wine glass. “I do not know what the man was thinking. If I drank this entire carafe of mulled wine, I should have quite the aching head in the morning.”
Elizabeth watched him as he made her a plate, filling it with the best cuts of cheese, the tenderest morsels of meat and bread, the plumpest and juiciest fruits. Feeling shy with him in such an intimate setting, she was quiet as they consumed their meal. After they had sated themselves, and after feeling the effects of a glass of mulled wine, she asked, “Is this what it will be like? When we are married.”
“Lord, I hope so,” he smiled at her beatifically. “Except that at Pemberley, it shall often be cold. At Pemberley we would have a roaring fire, the most luxurious furs – and each other’s company – to warm us. At Pemberley, or in our London home, we may enjoy ourselves in this manner in any room we chuse. The library, the music room, or our private parlour. Or perhaps on any of the many terraces. Or in the gardens. We will have many nights like this… no. Far better and infinitely more comfortable. Not due to any lack of hospitality on the part or our hosts, of course. But because we will be in our own home, and perfectly at ease with one another.”
“And our morning walks?” Elizabeth asked. “Will we enjoy those as well?”
“At Pemberley, we shall enjoy morning walks and views such as you have never seen,” he promised. “I cannot wait to show youour home. You will love it as I do, and Pemberley and its people shall love you, as I do.”
“Our home? Is that a proposal?” Elizabeth asked.
Darcy quickly moved from her side on the couch to kneel in front of her on the floor. “Elizabeth Bennet, you are the bravest, the kindest, most intelligent and incredible woman of my acquaintance,” he said heatedly. “From the moment we met, I have been in awe of your strength and character. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you. Will you be my wife?”
Elizabeth, moved to tears of joy by his speech, threw her arms around his neck as she gave her emphatic answer. The couple enjoyed a far more passionate kiss than the one they had exchanged in the cave, but Darcy was gentlemanly, and did not impose upon her. The pair sat for two more hours, planning their future and exchanging chaste kisses, until they fell asleep in each other’s arms.
Sometime just after dawn,Elizabeth and Darcy woke to find her cousin William in a chair near them. Elizabeth’s little gasp disturbed him, and he woke with a start and then grinned at Elizabeth.
“William! What on earth are you doing here?” asked Elizabeth in surprise.
“What time is it? Six? I came down hoping to find a book of sermons or history perhaps two hours ago and found you here. Decided to do some reading here instead of in my room, to protect my cousin’s reputation a bit, you don’t mind, do you Darcy? A footman, an eager young chap, brought me a cup of tea and a muffin. Somehow I managed to persuade him that I wouldrather wait until breakfast for a larger meal.” William grinned at her. “Do you have anything to announce, Cousin?”
“Perhaps, but it can wait until breakfast,” said Elizabeth decidedly. Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley had both received permission from her father to propose whenever they deemed themselves ready, so they could make their announcement as soon as they chose. Such an announcement, however, ought to be followed by a swift express to Longbourn, to inform Elizabeth’s family as soon as possible.
“We should go upstairs,with our books, as soon as possible. The family may or may not be up, but the servants are certainly about by now,” said William practically.
They all went upstairs, past the footman in the hall, and to their rooms. Elizabeth rang for the maid, bathed, and dressed in one of her gowns, which had been brought already from Bourne House, which her maid informed her had been ransacked, but at least no one was hurt. She then descended the stairs for breakfast. She entered to find most of the occupants of the house in the breakfast room, save Arabella, Lord Carlisle, and Lady Gordon. Jane and Mr Bingley were entering the breakfast room from the doors leading to the garden.
“Lizzy!” Jane threw her arms around Elizabeth, leaving Mr Bingley. “I hope you will not mind our haste, but before Mr Darcy disappears again, Mr Bingley and I are engaged!”
“I cannot fault you for haste, Jane, for Mr Darcy and I are also engaged,” Elizabeth said happily, amidst the exclamations and congratulations of their family and their host. Once the ladies had all been seated and served by the gentlemen, and the men had taken their seats by the ladies, the company spoke of the weddings for a few moments, then the discussion turned to the news from the village.
A great many people had been interrogated and interviewed. Lord Carlisle and Lady Gordon had already been interviewedabout what Elizabeth had said just before the invasion, but the general naturally wished to hear Elizabeth’s story. Though he had Richard’s version of what he had observed for many weeks, as well as Darcy's, the general wished to hear Elizabeth’s account of the conversation she had overheard outside Lord Amesbury’s study before the man was arrested. So far, no outward suggestion of suspicion had been cast on Lords Amesbury, Bexley, or Lennox, nor Colonel Allen. The general was waiting for the accounts of Elizabeth and Darcy before these particular arrests were made. He was to visit Gordon Lodge late this morning. There was no other proper account of the conversation at the ball because to no one’s surprise, theComte St Germainhad disappeared, leaving no trace of his existence behind in his fashionable rented rooms.
Elizabeth learned that the elderly woman who had hid her and fed Darcy had been found sitting on a large rock on the shore the day before. It was unknown if she was French or English. The poor woman had no tongue. It was unknown when it had been cut out other than that it had not been recent. She did not seem to be able to write, and her faculties seemed vague. Darcy volunteered to pay for her to be housed somewhere that she would be watched over carefully, but compassionately housed. Everyone felt that she was too old and vague to be punished for the crimes of the French.
Huggins, known on the continent and by a great number of British intelligence officers as Huguenin, had regained consciousness and had been questioned, but so far had refused to speak. He had already been transported to London for interrogation, after which, he would be tried, and most likely hanged. He showed no remorse for the plight of the town, nor for the death of his nephew, Mr Wickham.
The entire southern coast and all of the towns for miles around were to be placed under a curfew for several weeks, untilthe militia was certain no more of the escaped French lingered in the country. All residents must be inside their homes by dark each evening. All outbuildings must be locked up and checked each day. An enormous search was mounted. Only the army was allowed to conduct it. They did not want any angry mobs stringing up innocent travellers. The search was conducted over and over for weeks.
The town had lost many who had lived there, and also some visitors from other places. Small homes and cottages that had no man servants were massacred, and entire families were lost. As Elizabeth had feared, the spinster and widow population in the market town were deeply affected. Mrs Thornborrow, Miss Basset, and Miss Jennings had all been murdered in their homes, along with the maids who lived with them. The Misses Jenkins, Miss Pole, and Mrs Forrester had sought sanctuary, and found it, at the home of the Widow Davis, after following Miss Pole, who was armed with an army cutlass, through the streets, and somehow they had all been spared.
A week later,Colonel Allen and Lords Amesbury, Lennox, and Bexley had been arrested. Elizabeth told her story and was considered to be the heroine of the town. The men were sent to London to be tried, and it was certain that they would all be hanged and their families stripped of their titles and property. Lady Amesbury had taken her own life when she realised the extent of her husband’s perfidy. No one even knew where their younger, unmarried sons were. They had understandably fled London when the news appeared in the papers.
