After a few seconds, he released her and nodded toward the door. “Now, get to your room and get to bed. You have a cold, after all.” He winked at her and she obliged, closing the door softly behind her as she exited.
As she had expected, her younger sisters had been listening at the door. “What have I told you about listening at the keyholes?” Elizabeth scolded.
“What happened, Lizzy? Was Papa very cross? We could not hear a word.” Kitty whispered excitedly. “Did you really run away to London?”
“Yes, to see a friend,” Elizabeth said. “And Papa has said I am not to go to the next assembly in consequence.”
Lydia’s face went ashen white. “No, he has not! How very dreadful for you, Lizzy.” She pouted, looking very glad it was her sister and not herself who must suffer such a dreadful fate. “Well, we shall try to bring you back some sweets, if there are any left over.”
The two youngest girls walked away down the hall, whispering as they went. Elizabeth shook her head and then met Jane at the bottom of the steps. They linked arms and walked up the steps to their room together. Once in their room, Janehelped her change into a nightgown and she sat on the edge of the bed while Elizabeth told her the details of her adventure.
“I am glad you have returned safe and sound,” Jane said when she had finished her tale. “I am sorry that you had to endure Mr Darcy’s company on the return trip home, though.”
Elizabeth sucked in a breath, looking away for a moment. “Don’t say that.”
Jane frowned, sitting up straighter. “Why ever not?”
Elizabeth took a moment to collect her thoughts. Her views on Mr Darcy had ranged so widely that she hardly knew how to describe them. There had been the very great interest and respect caused by Georgiana’s glowing description, the moments of connection they had shared followed so often by sudden coldness, the horrible confrontation that had shattered everything. For a span of days, she had thought she hated Mr Darcy. But now…
“I have been so wrong about him, Jane. I am certain that the reason he was so cold before was because Mrs Younge had told him any number of falsehoods about me. There were times when I thought I was breaking through his disregard, and then, as soon as we had started to find a firm footing, he would retreat.” She picked at the threadbare quilt, which had seen both of them through their infancy, childhood, and now into womanhood. “I saw a different side of him on the return journey, though. I saw the man that Miss Darcy described. I think I have been wrong about him all along.”
“You say he was different toward you as well?”
“He was most kind and generous.” Her cheeks flamed as she remembered how thoughtful he was to provide her with some books for the trip home. And the way he lookedat her…there had seemed to be more than simply respect and gratitude for her actions, more even than friendliness, in his gaze. Elizabeth could almost imagine he was interested in her as a woman. She shook her head slightly. She was getting ahead of herself. Mr Darcy was a wealthy, influential man. He would never be interested in her as anything more than a common acquaintance. Still, she was glad there would not be outright hostility between them anymore. “I am sure, after everything that has transpired here that Mr Darcy will take his sister away from here and never return. I doubt we shall ever see either of them again.”
“You seem saddened by that.”
Elizabeth sighed. “I am. Before the rift between us, I had started to see Miss Darcy almost as another sister. She is a sweet girl.”
Jane brushed Elizabeth’s hair away from her face. “You are a treasure, Lizzy. I hope you are wrong that we are not to see them anymore.”
She stood up from the edge of the bed and went to the door. “I shall ask Cook to bring you a bowl of broth and some hearty bread, to help your strength return.” She gave her a gentle smile, then left her in peace to rest.
Elizabeth sank deeper into the overstuffed feather mattress and warm blankets. While she and Jane had been talking, the rain had begun. She turned onto her side to face the window, watching as dark thunderheads rolled across the distant hills. Rain pelted the windows, and thunder shook the glass panes. She snuggled deeper into the coverlet, her heart still sick with worry over Miss Darcy. Hopefully, Mr Darcy would see fit to send them a note to let them know if she was safe, or if he had been forced to follow them out of Meryton.
She closed her eyes, her exhaustion finally too much for her to fight off anymore. Before Jane could return with her tray, Elizabeth drifted into a sound sleep, dreaming of Mr Darcy’s piercing brown eyes.
Chapter 24
Darcy pulled up in front of the rented house, hoping and praying he was not too late. There were no signs that anyone was about, but then again, the carriage house was in the back, and there was no way to tell if it had been taken out. He did not wait for the coachman to open the door. He helped the maid out, then instructed her to go around the side of the house and enter through the kitchens. “The housekeeper will care for you and see you have appropriate accommodations,” he instructed.
After seeing that the girl had ducked into the side entrance, Darcy bounded up the steps and into the foyer. The housekeeper seemed surprised to see him, but he did not stop to explain his sudden appearance. He looked into the drawing room for the ladies, and when he did not see them, he went to the parlour. Neither of them was anywhere to be seen. As he was coming back out into the hall, he suddenly ran into Mrs Younge.
She fell back, as white as if she had seen a ghost, then tried to cover up her shock and embarrassment. “Mr Darcy! What a surprise. We did not expect to see you —”
“Indeed, you did not. I know what you have been planning.” He looked past her to see Georgiana coming down thestairs. He frowned at Mrs Younge, his tone cool. “Consider this your notice.”
Mrs Younge backed away in alarm, looking at Georgiana. As if his sister would help her. When he explained her true nature, Georgiana would not lift a finger to help her.
“What has happened, Mr Darcy? Shall we go into the parlour and discuss things?” she asked.
“No, thank you. I will speak with my sister in private.” He looked down his nose at Mrs Younge.
Georgiana came slowly down the stairs. She looked nervous, and her cheeks were as red as two ripe cherries. She came into his arms and hugged him, but seemed tense and distant, holding herself away from him. He hated that there was that distance between them. There had never been a reason for it before. His anger flared as he thought of Mr Wickham and what he had almost done to bring a breach between him and his only sister.
“I am surprised to see you, brother. Is something wrong?” Georgiana asked, her voice quaking.
He took her hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm. “I am afraid there is quite a bit wrong, my dear sister.” He ushered her into the parlour and closed the door gently. He wanted her to tell him of her own free will, and so he led her over to the settee, motioned for her to sit down, and sat beside her, taking her hand in his. “What is happening?”
