“Is she the person hiding in the third room along?” seeing their frozen expressions, Mary scoffed and spread her hands, “I share a wall with her. I have heard voices every evening - yours, Lizzie, and Jane’s. When I go to refresh myself after luncheon the hallway always smells of food, as if someone had a tray brought up. I am notstupid,Elizabeth.”
“No.” Elizabeth replied weakly, “But I fear thatwehave been. Does anyone else know about her, Mary?”
“Nobody listens to me, or would humour my theories.” Mary shrugged. “I would like to know who she is, though.”
“Georgiana is my sister. She is unwell and needs peace and quiet.” Darcy provided quietly.
“Then you are wise to conceal her, sir. Kitty and Lydia would doubtless make her worse! May I meet her?”
“Not today.” Elizabeth said firmly, “She has not seen her cousin in a long time and will be exhausted. Tomorrow, I will ask her if she would like to meet you. Perhaps you can read to her, if you would like that?”
Mary thought of the library which she had so diligently avoided. In this light it suddenly seemed less loathsome. It was a gateway into a new role, where she would be trusted and valued instead of overlooked.
Fitzwilliam smiled at her. Mary nodded.
“Yes,” she said confidently, “What a wonderful idea.”
Chapter 58
They parted ways from Mary beside the library, where she announced her plan to search for copies of her favourite poetry books to read to Miss Darcy.
There was a relaxed, hopeful expression on her face that made Elizabeth’s heart warm. There was an ache there, too, which she could not quite quash. This colourful streak in her sister’s soul had been completely hidden in Meryton. Surely, the Mary she grew up with had been just as kind and helpful, and just as eager to please. She had considered all of their concerns with secret care, and formed perfect solutions with a dour look, expecting them to ignore her. How often had Mary’s thoughts been dismissed in the past? How much had her family overlooked?
Elizabeth was thinking guiltily about this as she, Darcy and Fitzwilliam climbed the stairs to the family wing. They heard raised voices before they reached Georgiana’s room and discovered Mrs. Reynolds in the corridor. The woman, usually so correct, ignored her master and mistress entirely. Her entire attention was on a middle-aged maid who stood, arms hanging limply, by the door. Mrs. Reynold’s face looked hot and dry with anger; the maid’s shone with tears.
“I know something happened!” Mrs. Reynolds was demanding in a shrill voice, “I am not accusingyouof doing anything, Emily! I am only saying that if you know something, you must tell me at once.”
“What is going on here?” Darcy demanded, eyes darting at once to the closed bedroom door.
Mrs. Reynolds looked hopelessly up at him, “I do not know, sir. Miss Darcy has been in ill spirits all morning, and then when Miss Bennet came to sit with her, she…”
“What? What happened?” Elizabeth asked with rising horror. She had never seen Mrs. Reynolds look so agitated before.
“Shespoke,madam.”
“Spoke!”
The housekeeper winced, then eyed the weeping maid. “After a fashion, ma’am. The second she saw your sister, Miss Darcy started to cry. She clings to her still. I do not think we could pry her loose if we tried! She started making sounds, ma’am. Such sounds! They chilled my blood. Miss Bennet sent me to call the doctor - he is on his way as we speak - and now I must discover the cause.”
“Oh! I must go to her.” Elizabeth gulped and hurried into the bedroom.
“You did not think to send for me?” Darcy turned on Mrs. Reynolds and spoke in a low, rough voice. The housekeeper was unfazed.
“No, sir. There has not been time, and since you were expected within the half hour, I did not think it would make much difference. I know you prefer answers to the unknown, and so had a mind to find out as much as I could before you arrived.”
Darcy turned his fiercest look on the trembling maid. Beside him, silent and pale, Fitzwilliam gave her an equally demanding look. She shivered so violently that they could see her skirt fluttering.
“I don’t know!” she cried, “I wasn’t even here last night, sir! Marta put Miss Darcy to bed as always, and then I woke her up this morning. She didn’t smile at me, sir, but sometimes she doesn’t. When she sleeps badly, or when she has bad dreams, or when she can’t stop coughing…oh.”her lip wobbled miserably, and Mrs. Reynolds rested a soothing hand on her shoulder.
“Breathe, Emily. We know that you care for her. Your service has been faultless.”
The woman drew herself up and spoke more confidently, “I didn’t know she was so badly took until Miss Bennet arrived. Then she… it was like she crumbled, sir.”
Darcy frowned at Mrs. Reynolds. “Marta, did she say? I thought that Marta was trustworthy.”
“She is, sir. I would trust her with my own life. Emily is just as steadfast. I have no doubt that whatever happened has nothing to do with them, I only hoped that one of them might have some clue as to…” she shook her head hopelessly. “Thank you, Emily. Go and get a cup of tea and take the morning off to collect yourself. I apologise for being so harsh.”
Emily smiled shakily, bobbed a curtsey, and ran away so fast they could hear her shoes slapping against the floor.
