“There is nothing more to be done for her tonight,” Mrs. Hurst assured him. “I shall have a maid sit with her. By morning, she may very well be recovered.”
Darcy retired soon after, weary from the long day. As he drifted to sleep, he realized that with Miss Bennet confined to bed just down the hall, it was exceedingly likely that her next younger sister would arrive at Netherfield on the morrow to tend her.
November 13, 1811
Longbourn
Elizabeth
The note from Netherfield came as something of a surprise. Jane was well enough, but the carriage had become mired in the mud. Elizabeth suspected her mother’s hand in the matter, though she quickly dismissed the notion. Beyond lamenting loudly when the carriage departed Longbourn, Mrs. Bennet had known nothing of Jane’s rebellion until it was time for her eldest daughter to depart.
It was a greater shock, when the following morning, a stableboy arrived with a note from Netherfield for MissElizabeth. She opened it at the breakfast table, a sudden panic gripping her as fear for Jane took hold.
Dear Lizzy,
Oh, I am dreadfully embarrassed. Dining with Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley was delightful. They expressed great interest in me and in our family, asking all manner of questions as we dined. Later, they bid me a fond farewell as I boarded the carriage. It was nearing dusk,and I wished to be home before nightfall. As we turned down the drive, however, we became stuck in the mud just off the gravel path. Despite John Coachman’s efforts, and the aid of several footmen, the carriage would not budge, and I was obliged to return to the house and the hospitality of my friends.
The gentlemen returned, and we took supper. I had begun to feel ill before then, but it was not until we were gathered in the parlor that I was overcome. Oh, Lizzy! I swooned. When next I woke, I was upstairs in a guest chamber, with a maid seated beside me. Do not be alarmed, dear sister, for there is nothing seriously amiss other than a sore throat and a headache. I wish to return home so as not be a burden, but Mr. Bingley and his sisters will not hear of my being moved before I am fully recovered. They have sent for the apothecary, but in truth, I long for you. Will you come?
Yours,
Jane
“I must go to Jane at once,” Elizabeth said to her father. “She writes asking for my presence.”
Mr. Bennet looked up from his breakfast. “And what does your sister’s letter say? John Coachman is to return from Netherfield today with the carriage and horses. He can take you to your sister's side. Can Jane not wait until then to see you?”
“Jane has taken ill, sir.” She quickly explained how Jane had come to such a predicament. “I should like to see how she fares for myself,” she added firmly. “Have you any objection?”
“No, no, off you go.” Mr. Bennet waved a hand. “Though you had best be gone before your mother comes down and delays you with some foolishness.”
Elizabeth stood, thanked her father, and hurried from the room. In a trice, she made herself ready, and left the house. She knew she could reach Netherfield Park more quickly by traversing the fields. The rains of the previous night had left the ground sodden, but she lifted her skirts and pressed forward, hoping for the best.
’Tis not as though I am going to see anyone but Jane. I shall be fit enough to attend her.Even as she thought it, she knew she deceived herself. Elizabeth very much hoped to see Mr. Darcy, despite having spoken with him only the day before.
An unfortunate misstep landed her squarely in a puddle, splattering her petticoats with mud. With a sigh, she blew a damp curl from her face in an attempt to avoid further damage to her appearance and continued on. Try as she might, by the time she reached Netherfield, she appeared decidedly disheveled. As she approached the house, she caught sight of a solitary figure in the distance—a gentleman in a greatcoat, walking slowly down the path with his hands clasped tightly behind him. In an instant, she knew it was Mr. Darcy.
He hailed her as she drew near, greeting her with a broad smile. A pleasant warmth filled her, and she returned his smile readily. “I have come to inquire after my sister,” she said. “Pray, sir, is she well?”
“I am pleased that I might predict your behavior with some accuracy,” he teased. “You see, I knew you would come the moment Miss Bennet’s note was dispatched. Come, I shall takeyou to her. The maid reported this morning that she had a restless night.”
“Jane is rarely ill, but when she is, it tends to be severe.” Elizabeth fell into step beside him, her skirts swishing about her ankles as she walked.
“And you, Miss Elizabeth? Are you likewise hale and hearty, and ill only on rare occasions?” He turned a quizzical gaze upon her, his scar stark against the otherwise smooth plane of his face.
There was something striking in the way he looked at her, and her heart fluttered once more. “I despise being ill,” she informed him crisply, hoping to mask her emotions. “I make a dreadful patient, you know. No one but Jane can tolerate my complaints. Sickness means being confined indoors, andthatI cannot abide.”
He chuckled. “Yes, well do I know it! I feel likewise.” He opened the door for her, and she crossed the threshold into Netherfield’s antechamber. Another door led to the manor’s entrance hall, but before they reached it, the housekeeper, Mrs. Nicholls, appeared and greeted them with a respectful curtsy.
“Miss Elizabeth,” she said with a pleasant smile, “if you will allow me, I shall see to your pelisse and boots.”
“Thank you,” Elizabeth replied, already unfastening the garment. She passed the pelisse to Mrs. Nicholls and bent to unlace her boots, exchanging them for a pair of house slippers she had carried with her.
“I shall have these dried and brushed for your return, miss,” the housekeeper promised, accepting the bundle and retreating through a side door.
Elizabeth straightened and smoothed her gown, far more presentable now, even though her hems were still splashed with mud. She looked up at Mr. Darcy and shrugged. He grinned and gave her a wink.
“Will you greet Bingley and his sisters now, or would you prefer to wait until you have seen your sister?”
