Were her senses engaged, though she was not conscious?
“Miss Elizabeth,” he whispered. “Are you in pain?”
What a ridiculous question. Of course, she was in pain.
He tried again. “Would sitting ease your distress?”
He halted his steps, waiting for any sign of consciousness. When none came, he proceeded toward Netherfield.
“If you can hear me, I pray you accept my heartfelt apology. As I said, Bingley told me that you heard my unkind opinion at the Meryton assembly that I thought you were merely tolerable and not handsome enough to tempt me. What a horrible thing to say about a lady! I deeply regret what I said. As well, since you are aware that disguise is an abhorrence to me, you will understand how much I sincerely regret those words because they were a lie.
“The truth is that I think you are beautiful. Oh, I heard your mother proclaim that your eldest sister is the beauty of the Bennet family, but she is wrong. Very wrong. Miss Bennet is a classic beauty, and Bingley finds her quite attractive. I will give her that. However, when you walk into a room, every head turns to see you. Like you, I value intelligence and honesty. You have never failed to demonstrate either in my presence. Your loyally expending yourself to care for a beloved sister is a testimony to your character.”
He cleared his throat, lowering his voice, not wanting to alarm her.
To ease his battered conscience and distract her in case she was able to hear, he confessed, “My worries on the night of the assembly were many. There was a matter of most serious concern that was tearing my heart into shreds. My sister, my own sweet, innocent sister, had encountered the vilest of men, a man who used to be one of my closest friends and companions. Georgiana had grown up with and trusted him as I once did.
“And here we come to one of my greatest sins, Miss Elizabeth.” The pain in his heart felt like lightning bolts had hit him in the chest. He blurted out the rest. “My father left Georgiana under my protection, and I proved most unsuitable. I made a conscious choice not to share the history of this man with my sister. I wanted to keep her untouched from the wickedness in the world. It was a bad decision. In doing so, I failed her. It was a mere chance that moved me to travel to Ramsgate a day early, stopping the intended elopement. Yes, Miss Elizabeth. As shocking as it sounds, my fifteen-year-old sister agreed to an elopement with a man almost thirty who has more charm in his little finger than I do in my whole body. Needless to say, the devastation that my sister continues to suffer is complete.”
He looked at Miss Elizabeth again in hopes she would wake up and tell him to stop. Tell him she needed to hear no more. She remained silent with no evidence that she heard or understood one word of his confession.
His concern deepened. He picked up his pace. He was the only one distracted with his confession. Since it made the time pass more quickly, he finished his sorry tale.
“My intention, after returning from Ramsgate, was to stay in Town with Georgiana for the winter. However, at her request, I came to Hertfordshire. You see, my presence served as a constant reminder to her that our father’s trust in me as a guardian was unmerited.”
The hurt still filled his heart.
“Certainly, this is no excuse for the pain I caused you that night as, truly, there is no excuse.” He carefully stepped over a protruding tree root. “But I hope you can see me differently. I will do all I can to prove to you that I am a man of honor as I am trying to do the same with Georgiana.”
Her breathing changed, and her eyelids flickered. He stopped.
“Miss Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Can you hear me?”
Lifting her hand from under his greatcoat, she rubbed her forehead with her delicate fingers.
He could do nothing but hold her, speaking to her in quiet tones.
“Miss Elizabeth, you have taken a fall. We are on our way back to Netherfield Park. Please open your eyes, please.”
When she did, the first words out of her mouth took him by surprise.
“Mr. Darcy, where is your horse?” Then she closed her eyes again in a faint.
2
“Elizabeth!” A moment of panic paralyzed him. Weighing the danger of running to get assistance or slowing to ease her discomfort, Darcy rested against the trunk of a fallen tree.
Her eyes blinked rapidly and then squinted as if the fading sunlight was too harsh. She looked around, and he knew she was trying to gain her bearings. He waited until her gaze finally settled on his.
“Mr. Darcy?” Her voice was soft, though her face filled with anguish.
“Please calm yourself, Miss Elizabeth.” He wanted to stroke her brow until it smoothed. “Do you recall how you came to be at the far side of the lake?”
“I…I do not, although I must have fallen.” Again, her hand came up and touched her temple, pushing against the skin that must have been throbbing below the surface. “There is no lake at Longbourn, sir.” She frowned. “My whole head hurts.”
“I am sorry you are in pain.” Darcy held her closer. “You slipped and fell. I came upon you soon after. Rather than leaveyou alone to run for help, we are on our way back to Netherfield Park.”
“Why there?”
