“We heard you were the one who woke all the servants at Netherfield.My sister’s girl is a maid there.We’re that grateful, Miss Lizzy.”Hill’s voice quivered as she talked, but Elizabeth was too tired to give it the attention she ought.She only smiled tiredly at Hill, then surprised the older woman by leaning in and kissing her cheek.
“I am glad I was able to help.”And then she was asleep.
When Darcy woke a few hours later, he was determined to seek out Miss Elizabeth and get the answers he needed.He found her in the breakfast room, slowly buttering a bun.Her sister Mary was present, but by the time he had filled his plate and sat down, she was gone.
“Good morning, Mr.Darcy.Did you sleep well?”Elizabeth asked.
“I did, thank you.It was kind of your father to invite us.”
She nodded and returned her attention to her food.He couldn’t help but notice how pale her face was.Her eyes were ringed with dark circles, and her entire body seemed to sag.
“Are you well, Miss Elizabeth?Did you inhale much smoke?”
“I did not, thankfully.I am merely tired.”
“Did you sleep at all last night?”he asked, his voice gentle.
She sighed.“I did not.I slept a little this morning, and I will retire early today.In a day or two I shall be set to rights.”
Darcy began to speak but stopped himself.He did this twice more before finally saying, “How were you aware of the fire so early?When you woke me, there was not even the smell of smoke on the second floor.”
Elizabeth kept her eyes on her plate.“I have already spoken to Sir William, the local magistrate.”
Darcy was surprised the magistrate was involved and leaned closer.
“I could not sleep and was at the window for some fresh air.I saw someone in the garden along the hedge.I thought perhaps it was a servant of the house, but then another man came running out of the house with a large bag, and the two of them ran off into the woods.”
“Did they catch the men?”
“No.They escaped during the fire.One of the Netherfield footmen was missing and had not slept in his bed.Sir William told me the butler did not trust him.It is believed he was one of the men I saw—likely the one in the house—and he knocked a candle or lamp over by mistake.”
“That would explain why he ran away so quickly instead of sneaking through the shadows.”
“Quite.When I looked to see where he had come from, I saw the study alight.”
He watched her, his dark eyes intense and unblinking.Finally, he said, “That was very lucky.If you had gone to sleep as everyone else had, or not been standing at your window at the exact right moment, things could have gone very differently.”
An image of standing helplessly on the lawn while Netherfield was engulfed in flames flashed through Elizabeth’s mind.She shuddered.“Yes, it was lucky.”
“Doubly so that you were so prepared.”
She looked at him quizzically.
“You were dressed in half boots and a walking dress.That must have made everything easier.”
She felt her face flush as he watched her.
“Though it is an interesting choice of sleeping attire, is it not?”
“I wished to take a walk after dinner, that is all.”
Her color was high as he watched her closely, knowing she lied.She knew he knew and waited nervously to see what he would say next.
“Hmm.Had Miss Bennet wished the same?”
Elizabeth’s gaze shot up to Mr.Darcy.“Jane has nothing to do with this,” she snapped.
He raised his brows at her sudden show of aggression, but she did not care what he thought of her.She would not allow Jane to be dragged into this, and she was done being baited.Clearly, things would never be what they could have been, and that was simply something she was going to have to learn to live with.It was not the end of the world.Women lost suitors every day.It did not mean another would not come along.
