“Does nobody stay with my sister overnight?” Darcy asked.
“No, sir. We look in every hour to check on her, but Miss Darcy has never needed our help. She always sleeps like a lamb. Poor dear. Her only escape must be in her dreams.”
“I doubt that this was a simple nightmare.” Darcy looked at Fitzwilliam, his brow furrowed, “I hope, cousin, that you shall not ascribe this to further neglect on my part. Nor that of my staff.”
“Do not apologise.” Fitzwilliam replied quietly, “I can see no flaws in your arrangements, Mrs. Reynolds. Even invalids deserve some privacy. You have treated my cousin as a person, not as an illness alone.”
“Yes, well…” the housekeeper huffed, “This waffling does not help us, sirs. It seems that something happened last night, after Miss Darcy and her maids were all abed.”
“You said that Georgiana spoke. Can she tell us what happened herself?” Fitzwilliam ventured.
Darcy and Mrs. Reynolds shook their heads in unison. The look that Darcy had in his eyes, when he finally met his cousin’s, said more than the most articulate doctor in England could have managed. There was such pain in it that Fitzwilliam had to tear his eyes away. His throat worked, struggling to apologise for asking such a stupid question, and then Darcy turned away and pushed the door open.
Shaking his head to clear it, Fitzwilliam followed.
He froze.
The scene inside was like something from a Renaissance painting. The three ladies were lying together on the bed. Georgiana was wrapped up in a yellow blanket, lying on her side with her head nestled against Jane’s shoulder. On her other side, Elizabeth had wrapped her arms around Georgiana’s waist and was holding her tightly. Georgiana was white-faced and shaking, her eyes squeezed tightly shut and her hands clenched like claws. The only motion was the rise and fall of the ladies’ chestsin uncanny and comforting rhythm, and Jane’s hand gently stroking Georgiana’s hair.
All three of them were weeping.
That is love.Fitzwilliam thought, staring in silent wonder,True, unselfish love.
“Georgiana,” Jane murmured, “Your cousin is here, dearest. Would you like to see him?”
Georgiana opened her eyes with difficulty, as if the lashes were made of lead. With excruciating slowness, she looked up and met Fitzwilliam’s eyes.
“Rihh…” she croaked and then shuddered. Jane inhaled sharply and held her close.
“No, do not tax yourself, my darling. We are here. We love you so much.”
The younger woman made a harsh noise, a rattling sob, and then buried her head back into Jane’s shoulder. Without conscious thought, Miss Bennet kissed Georgiana’s forehead and rocked her like a child.
“You are safe, my love. Whatever happened shall not happen again.”
The absolute certainty in her voice was more than Darcy could bear. How could he prevent something which he did notunderstand?Still, he was just as determined as Jane to keep his sister safe.
“We will have a maid sit with you through the night, from now on.” he promised, “Something happened last night when you were alone, did it not?”
“Yuhh…” Georgiana tried again, let out a throat-tearing cough, and finally managed a weak, jolting nod. Darcy’s jaw clenched.He hurried over to the bed, gripped his sister’s hand tightly, and then strode away. The guise was to leave to direct the servants. Elizabeth alone saw the pain that her husband was fighting to disguise.
“Georgiana, would you like to get up?” she asked softly.
After a long pause, the younger girl gave a tiny nod. Elizabeth smiled and sat up. “Colonel Fitzwilliam, will you excuse us? You can come back in half an hour. My sister has not yet eaten her breakfast and will need time to rise from bed.”
“Should I send for a maid? Or perhaps another one of your sisters to help?”
Georgiana let out a sudden, keening wail. All three visitors flinched. Jane even gave a small gasp, so unexpected and grotesque was the sound. She and Elizabeth exchanged horrified looks and then drew the sobbing girl back into their arms.
“I… I shall go.” Fitzwilliam croaked. “Georgie… Georgie, sweet, I won’t be long. I will… I won’t bring anyone, I promise. I…”
Jane nodded hastily at him and then pressed her forehead to Georgiana’s in wretched, desperate compassion. It was the instinctive love of one sister to another, as primitive and passionate as the roaring tide. Yet, against its force, Georgiana’s mouth was open in a silent scream.
She is no more recovered than I am a saint.Fitzwilliam thought, shutting the door behind him and then staggering back against the wall.And I expected Darcy to face this alone!
His forgiveness, before, had come from his heart but not his soul. He had returned to Pemberley because he loved his cousins, not because he had truly overcome the bitter words which they had shared. Now, with wrenching clarity, he understood.
Let the armytryto recall him. Until Georgiana Darcy recovered, they could whistle into thin air. Their loyal dog would no longer answer.
