Bennet had been informed in a note from Gardiner that the hideout of his wife had been located and men would be on his property that afternoon to flush her out. At her request, Gardiner made no mention of Elizabeth being present. Bennet sent his response via the groom who delivered the message, stating anyone needing to capture his wife had his permission to be on his land.
Once Richard was satisfied all of the men were in place, he made his way to where Elizabeth stood with her three protectors. “Are you ready, Lizzy?” Richard asked softly so his voice would not carry.
“Yes, I am. I just want this to be over,” Elizabeth replied. Darcy, who was holding her hand, squeezed it for support.
“William, give me five minutes to get into position. Then you, Biggs, and Johns should hide yourself from view,” Richard told them. “It will be up to you Lizzy, are you sure you want to do this? We can go in and flush her out if you would rather Darcy escort you back to Netherfield Park.”
“I am sure. It is safer for everyone if she is drawn out into the open. I do not want any of our men injured,” Elizabeth stated resolutely.
After telling Elizabeth he understood her reasoning, Richard headed to his position; Darcy watched his time piece, waiting for five minutes to pass. After four minutes, the footmen and Darcy got into position. At five minutes he nodded to Elizabeth.
She stood on a flat rock. “Mrs. Bennet, I heard you were looking for me. I have come to see what it is you want from me,” Elizabeth called out.
The call was met with silence. Even the birds and insects seem to have quieted when Elizabeth shouted. Just when she was about to yell again, there was movement in the trees surrounding the old dower house.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Fanny had been sitting and fuming, thinking of ways to achieve her aim of separating the evil girl from the protectors she always had around her, the devil’s lackeys as she thought of them.
Even if she were to go out on the morrow, Fanny was convinced she would not be alone. Then it hit her. If all of the protectors died along with the devil, it would not be a bad thing. She would wait until the middle of the night, when everyone was asleep; then she would set fire to Netherfield Park’s manor house.
She had just started to feel gleeful about her resolution when she heard the hated one’s voice: “Mrs. Bennet, I heard you were looking for me. I have come to see what it is you want from me.” Fanny immediately forgot her plans for setting a fire. God had guided the devil to her and she would end her here and now. How she hated to hear the cursed one’s voice! She had been delivered to her by Providence, and Fanny would enjoy watching the life force ebb from Miss Lizzy’s body.
The woman picked up her pitchfork and slowly made her way to what once was the front door of the dower house. She carefully stepped behind a tree and then she saw her, standing on a rock for all of the world to see, completely alone.
Fanny stepped forward to the line of the trees before the open grassy area and waited. Not another soul, just the demon.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Elizabeth was taken aback at the sight of the woman who stepped out of the trees holding a pitchfork. Her birthmother had been a handsome woman. The woman before her looked like an old crone. Her hair was wild, her exposed skin was filthy, and her dress was no cleaner.
The look in the woman’s eyes was frightening. There was no humanity left there, only a crazed shell. “Finally, I will rid the world of you. You are evil incarnate and God has delivered you to me to end your worthless life today,” Mrs. Bennet cackled.
She took a step forward, then lowered her pitchfork and started to run. Before she had taken three paces, Darcy came out from behind the tree and grabbed Elizabeth. He turned his back, shielding her with his body.
Both Biggs and Johns sprang out of their hiding place and reached the insane woman in seconds. Mrs. Bennet had no real comprehension of what was happening. Her victim had disappeared, and in her place stood a tall man with his back to her and two giant men running towards her.
In the absence of Miss Lizzy, she turned her weapon toward one of the men, just before her world went black. While the unhinged woman was looking at Johns, Biggs circled behind her and using his cosh, knocked her out with one light blow.
As soon as the other men and the ex-Colonel reached him, Biggs moved away from the unconscious woman. She was clapped in irons and gagged by one of the men under Mr. Fitzwilliam’s command. He and Johns returned to their charge, who was still in Mr. Darcy’s arms.
“William, do you love me so much you would have used your body to protect me?” Elizabeth asked, making no attempt to move out of the protective circle of his arms.
“Of course I do. You are my everything. I could not imagine living in this world without you,” Darcy told her tenderly. “I could no sooner allow harm to come to you, if I could help it, than I could to Giana.”
“I love you, Fitzwilliam Darcy. Where would I have been if that insane woman stabbed you in the back!” Elizabeth stamped her foot just as Lydia used to do. “I find I cannot live without you any more than you can live without me.” Elizabeth had tears running down her cheeks now, tears released as the tension she felt lifted.
Darcy took her face in his hands and looked deeply into the emerald-green eyes that bewitched him body and soul. “Marry me, Elizabeth,” he proposed.
Her answer was just as short, actually shorter. “Yes,” was all Elizabeth replied.
They would have kissed had three men not cleared their throats simultaneously. Richard had arrived just before his cousin proposed; he and Elizabeth’s guards reminded the newly betrothed couple they were no longer alone.
Elizabeth blushed scarlet and Darcy’s colour heightened as well. “I wish you two happy, but I suggest you see Gardiner directly,” Richard grinned at the two. “We are taking no chances this time. Mrs. Bennet is being transported directly to Bedlam. As your father desires, she will be placed in the private wing of the institution. She will be treated reasonably and not displayed for public amusement.”
Elizabeth watched the woman being loaded into a cart and shackled to a ring in the cart’s bed. She was sure had the men not gagged her there would be a string of profanities issuing from her birthmother’s mouth.
Elizabeth was surrounded by her betrothed, Richard, her personal guards, and the guards who were not necessary to transport the insane woman to Bedlam. They all mounted their horses and rode for Netherfield Park. None of them noticed Bennet standing near the gate from the kitchen garden, about a hundred yards away, sadly looking on as his former daughter was escorted off Longbourn’s land.
