He climbed over first and turned to offer his hand. Elizabeth hesitated only briefly before placing hers in it. His grip was warm and steady as he helped her across, though he released her almost the moment both her feet touched the ground.
"Thank you, sir," she said quietly, smoothing her hands over her skirts and only succeeding in moving some mud around.
He inclined his head, his manner becoming formal again. "Miss Bingley was concerned about your sister yesterday and remained with her for much of the evening, I understand. When I left the house this morning, I believed Miss Bennet had passed a tolerable night. I had not heard that she had worsened or that a message had been sent to Longbourn."
Elizabeth looked towards the house, trying to reconcile this account with the woman she had met at the assembly. "Miss Bingley is something of a contradiction. She appears determined to make herself thoroughly disagreeable, and then behaves with more kindness than one would expect from her."
Mr Darcy looked towards the house. "It became apparent to me very recently that Miss Bingley is not always quite what she appears."
Elizabeth glanced at him. The remark was puzzling indeed, but she did not have time to wonder over Miss Bingley’s idiosyncrasies at present. Darcy took up his horse’s reins and began walking beside her towards the drive, bowing as they reached the steps to the main door and disappearing towards the stables while shouting for a groom to attend him.
Chapter Nine
Caroline, October 1811, Netherfield, Hertfordshire
Caroline had crossed the parlour so many times that morning that she had begun to recognise each loose board beneath the carpet by the sound it made under her feet.
Mr Jones had assured them that Miss Bennet’s condition was not dangerous. She had taken a severe cold after arriving wet through and needed warmth, rest and quiet, but he had seen nothing to cause immediate alarm. Caroline had made him repeat the assurance twice before allowing him to leave, then sent a footman after him with a request that he return that afternoon, whether Miss Bennet appeared improved or not.
None of it had eased the guilt pressing beneath her ribs. She had invited Jane Bennet to Netherfield because Charles was already half in love with her and required only the smallest encouragement to become entirely so. He was going to visit the officers but she had expected him home well before the Bennet sisters took their leave. Elizabeth had been included for Mr Darcy’s benefit, though Mrs Bennet had ruined that part of thearrangement by sending Jane alone. Caroline had not asked for rain, and she certainly had not intended for the poor woman to arrive soaked through and shivering, but that distinction had become less comforting as Jane’s skin grew hotter through the night.
Louisa sat near the fire with a book open upon her lap, though she had not turned a page for some time. "You will wear a path through the carpet if you continue."
"I am thinking."
"You may sit down and think, Caroline," said Louisa mildly.
Caroline ignored her and turned once more towards the window. Miss Bennet had slept for perhaps an hour after the apothecary’s visit. Martha was with her now, along with one of the housemaids, and strict instructions had been given that Caroline was to be called at the slightest change. She had also sent the note to Longbourn herself after deciding that Jane was too weak to write.
The sound of voices in the entrance hall made her stop. A moment later, the parlour door opened and Elizabeth Bennet was announced by a wide-eyed housemaid. Caroline stared, unable to contain her amazement. The lady’s gown was soaked up to the knee in mud, with smaller smears and splatters of dirt covering the rest of her person. She held a ruined bonnet in onehand and long strands of hair were plastered to her face and neck.
For a moment the women just stared at each other before Caroline broke the silence. "Good heavens, Miss Eliza," Caroline said before she could prevent herself. "Did you walk here or wrestle your way through every ditch in Hertfordshire?"
Elizabeth’s face cooled and she straightened her spine. "I took the quickest route to see my sister."
More footsteps sounded in the hall and Mr Darcy burst into the room at a jog. It was so shocking to see the usually staid and solemn Mr Darcy dishevelled and red-faced that Louisa let out a small yelp.
"Mr Darcy," Caroline said, a small laugh escaping her. "Have you also been wrestling with the countryside?"
He ignored the question and looked at her fiercely. "Miss Elizabeth is cold. She requires dry clothes at once."
Elizabeth turned towards him with visible annoyance. "I am perfectly capable of speaking for myself."
Caroline crossed the room before he could speak again and rang the bell sharply.
"I am perfectly well," Elizabeth said sullenly.
"You are shivering upon my carpet and dripping upon the furniture. I shall decide how well you are once you are no longer dressed like a very dirty water spaniel."
Elizabeth stared at her, evidently uncertain whether she had been insulted or cared for. Caroline arranged her features into their usual cool disdain, although she was already looking towards the door for the servant.
"Do try not to take it personally, Miss Eliza. I should say the same to anyone who arrived in such a state."
Elizabeth opened her mouth but a housemaid arrived before she could form a retort. She ordered hot water and dry towels to be taken upstairs, then asked that Martha be found and Mrs Nicholls to be consulted about a gown of Louisa’s that Elizabeth might borrow until her own clothes were fit to wear again.
"There is no need to trouble Mrs Hurst," Elizabeth said.
"Oh, it is no trouble at all," Louisa replied warmly, already recovered from the shock of having two dishevelled people appear in the parlour within moments of one another. She gave a small, self-deprecating laugh. "I have grown a little plump for some of my older gowns in any event. It will be a comfort to know that one of them may still be of use."
