“Miss Bennet, you look quite pale. How do you know these women? Are you acquainted?”
“They…” Elizabeth’s voice shook. “They were all at Rosings Park? All three?”
“Yes, at various times over the past few years. Though I believe they have all left.” The colonel reached out to steady her. “Miss Bennet, please, tell me what is troubling you. Have you heard bad news about them?”
Good lord!The pieces to the pattern were aligning exactly as Mr. Wickham suggested, except… Shaking her head, she couldnot figure out what was wrong. She only knew that doubt was eating away at her, and it hurt.
“Miss Elizabeth?” The colonel’s voice seemed to come from very far away. “You are unwell. Please, let me escort you home. You should not be walking alone in this state.”
“No!” She stepped back, needing distance, needing to be alone before she shattered completely. “I must go. Thank you, Colonel. Forgive me for troubling you with such strange questions.”
“It is no trouble at all, but Miss Bennet…”
“Good day, Colonel Fitzwilliam.”
She hurried away before he could see the tears beginning to blur her vision. Her steps were quick, almost running, her breath coming in short gasps.
Behind her, she heard his confused comment: “What on earth was that about?”
She could not stop, could not satisfy his curiosity or his concern. Because if she stopped, if she allowed herself to comprehend what he confirmed fully, she would fall apart there on the road where anyone might see.
And tomorrow night, at the ball, she would have to face the man she loved—the man she thought she loved—she barely kept from sobbing.
Once she made it back to Longbourn to the safety of her room, only then did she allow the tears to fall.
Her father foundher a few minutes later, curled on her bed, her face buried in her pillow.
“Lizzy?” Elizabeth heard the worry in his tone. “What has happened? Jane said you came home looking like you had seen a ghost.”
Elizabeth could not answer at first. Could not form words past the sobs that kept tearing from her throat.
Her father gathered her in his arms, holding her, offering silent comfort until the worst of the storm passed. Finally, when she could speak again, she told him everything. About Mr. Wickham. About the three women. About Colonel Fitzwilliam’s confirmation that they all existed. How all three left Rosings Park, as Mr. Wickham stated, as did Mr. Darcy.
Her father was quiet for a long time. “Lizzy girl, did the colonel say why they left?”
“He seemed puzzled that I was asking about them at all.” Elizabeth sat up, wiping her face with shaking hands. “I do not know what to think, Papa.”
“My girl, their existence is not necessarily proof of what Mr. Wickham claimed. Did the colonel state that Mr. Darcy encouraged their affection? That he pursued them relentlessly? That he abandoned them?”
“No,” Elizabeth said. “The pain in Mr. Wickham’s voice and his tortured expression when he spoke to me about this, Papa, seemed genuine.”
“I understand that, Lizzy. I do. I am not saying that Mr. Wickham does not believe what he told you. However, perhaps he does not know all the facts.”
“I want to believe you, Papa. I desperately desire nothing more than to believe that Fitzwilliam is deserving of my heart, that I can give it to him unreservedly.” She pulled away from him to stand by the window.
Her father came to stand beside her. “What will you do?”
“I will go to the ball.” Elizabeth’s jaw set with determination even as tears continued to fall. “If he does not come, that willtell me everything I need to know. And if he does come…” Her spine became rigid. “Then I will look him in the eye and ask him directly about these women and see how he responds.”
“What if it destroys what is between you?”
“It is already destroyed, do you not see? Do you not remember telling me that doubt, once seeded, is a persistent weed?”
“Yes, I did. And I regret having done so.” He wrapped his arms around her. “These misunderstandings have a way of working out, dear girl. Do not despair. Your Mr. Darcy proved to be a man of honor during and after your duel. I cannot believe this has been a game to him.”
Elizabeth drew comfort from his opinion. “Thank you, Papa.”
“Chin up, my daughter. If you can survive a man bringing pistols and a sword to a chess match, you can survive anything.”
