Posted on: 2011-03-11

Chapter 3

1 September 1807 – Three years later…

It was a lonely moment for William as his ship docked, since nobody waited to greet him, but then he had become used to being alone. His time at Cambridge at an end, William and some of his schoolmates had chosen to tour Italy. His "friends" turned out not to be friends after all. They were interested in pursuits of a very different nature than was he, and once they arrived abroad, the activities of the other gentlemen consisted mostly of debaucheries and "sowing their wild oats," while William was intent upon enjoying the beauty of the architecture and landscapes as well as the rich culture of art and music that Italy had to offer.

When he first entered Cambridge it had shocked him to find that his moral standards were far above most others within his circle. William seemed to be one of the few gentlemen who actually enjoyed his classes and pursued learning in general. Oh, he had some entertainment, but within limits. His reputation for being dull and prudish was formed only because he refused to degrade his morals by participating in activities that he perceived as being beneath a gentleman's honor--though others seemed to have no qualms about indulging in even the most lascivious of these activities.

William felt that he should have been more cautious in planning this trip for he had witnessed their reprehensible behavior at school, but for some reason, he had thought that since they had now entered the adult world, and since they were of the supposedly superior first circle, that they would become more interested in serious endeavors. He censured himself for not realizing that it would only be more of the same or worse once they arrived in Italy. Why on earth they had spent so much of their fathers' money to travel such a distance and end up doing only more of the same, he did not understand. His schoolmates' behavior became even less discreet once they were out from under the watchful eyes of the gossips of the ton, and he was deeply embarrassed to be associated with them.

No matter what manner of teasing he knew he was setting himself up for from this newest generation of the ton, William decided to distance himself from his erstwhile friends. Better to be alone in a strange country than to be associated with these gentlemen and their behavior that so disgusted him! He had much time to himself which he spent taking in the culture and history of Italian cities, sketching the landscapes and buildings, and, finally, arranging for an early return home.

He truly did love Italy, but he longed for someone having similar interests with whom to share his experiences--other than his valet. William did not notify anyone in England of his change of travel plans mostly because he expected he would arrive at home before his letter would.

Upon his return to England, his intention was to make an overnight stop at Darcy House in London and then to continue on to Pemberley, where he would surprise his father and sister with his early return. The staff at Darcy House was always at the ready so it was no inconvenience, and they were more than happy to have him returned safely. It was pleasant to sleep in a familiar bed and have well-known comforts surrounding him, but truly, Pemberley would always be considered home in his heart. Though exhausted from the crossing, William left the next morning and headed for Pemberley on horseback, with a cart following him carrying his trunks.

As he rode, William had much time to think. From the time he had been a young boy, his father had made him familiar with the running of Pemberley by having William ride with him, sharing his love of the land and his respect for the tenants who farmed it. William had learned the cyclical nature of agriculture by sitting in on some of the frequent meetings between his father and the steward, Mr. Wickham, but after he settled in, this would be the time that he truly would begin to train to take over the reigns of the estate and all of the Darcy's many other holdings--many of which the ton had no idea existed.

He reflected on the duties that would become his responsibility. Many of those were familiar to him already, and he suspected there were many more to be added. Knowing how many people would depend on him to make the correct decisions was a little daunting. Would he be able to live up to the demands of the Darcy legacy? He had worried about it for years. His wish to be as good a man and as good a master as his father, in addition to his innate propensity to demand perfection from himself, helped to shape his character. He also hoped to be a good husband and father someday, but those goals would have to wait as he would not have time for giving them proper attention now.

If only the ton could understand that he had absolutely no intention of marrying any time soon! William, or rather Pemberley and the Darcy name, had been chased relentlessly since he was eighteen, and even before that age there were some who courted him. The young man chuckled to himself, thinking how much more diligent the ladies would be in their pursuit if the ton knew what he would truly be worth upon his father's death! There had been numerous ladies who had offered themselves to him as wife, mistress or lover, and Darcy had lost count of the times ladies had tried to tempt him to compromise them. How many times had his aunts or uncles tried to arrange marriages for him, sometimes without even the benefit of seeing the lady from across a crowded room? All of this, added to what he witnessed of the behavior of gentlemen at university, undermined his beliefs in the superiority of the first circles of the ton.

None of these ladies cared for him as a man, and not one of them even expected him to care for them as a woman. After seeing the love and happiness his parents had shared, why should he settle for anything less? It had been mere coincidence that they had been considered an excellent match socially, but he hoped for the same marital felicity for himself.

He had tried to get to know the ladies of the ton, but they all seemed too well trained and hid who they really were in favor of displaying the polished veneer they had been taught to present. At first he thought there had to be more to their personalities beneath the superficial qualities that were advertised, but more recently he was beginning to doubt that possibility. The women he knew really did seem to think that only wealth and consequence were important, and their priorities were all based on selfishness, greed, and jealousy. William could not imagine spending his life with someone as insipid as they were. His hopes of finding a jewel among the ton, as his father had done, disappeared. And yet, he would need an heir to the Darcy legacy, so he would need to marry somebody. No, he would dwell on those thoughts no longer. At least, in that respect, he had plenty of time.

On the third day of his journey home, William walked out to the stables with a spring in his step which had been missing for too long. He was almost home, and at his beloved home, he would stay! This time there was nowhere else he would need to return--no Eton, no Cambridge. This time there was only Pemberley.

William did not know if his horse recognized the scenery or if he sensed his master's excitement, but Ares seemed to have more energy the closer they got to home. When he reached a stone bridge that served as a landmark to a path he knew would take him directly to his favorite view of the manor house, William turned off the public road. He slowed the horse as they approached the crest of a well-known hill, anticipating the prospect he would soon have the pleasure of seeing. There--the view was like a breath of fresh air to a drowning man.

William rode on. As he approached, the stable boy recognized the master's son from afar by his seat and the markings on the horse and raised the alarm among the stable workers, but William was able to stop the news from spreading to the house. He wished his arrival to be a surprise to his father and sister.

"Welcome home, Master William!" the head groomsman called out with a smile as he hurried to take the reins.

"Thank you, Smith, it is indeed good to be home!"

Sneaking in through the kitchen door, all the servants wore smiles as he greeted them. He stood at the door and closed his eyes, taking in the smells of Pemberley's kitchens, and recognized that, by chance, his favorite meal was being cooked. He quietly stole into the office of the housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds, who had been more like a mother to him than a servant since his own mother had passed six years ago. After a few tears were shed by Mrs. Reynolds, William requested bath water and took the servants' stairs to his room. Once refreshed, he made his way to the school room and found his sister. Amidst her squeals and tears, Georgiana welcomed her brother home wholeheartedly. After a short visit, he left her to her studies and set out to find his father.

From a footman William learned that his father was in the study with a guest but had not asked to be undisturbed, and so off he went. He knocked and was bidden to enter, and was delighted to find his father was with Mr. Bennet. "William!" Mr. Darcy exclaimed with a big smile as he rushed forward to embrace his son, then stepped back holding his shoulders at arms' length, "It is so good to have you home, son! You look very well after your trip. Why did you not tell us you would be home so soon? Georgiana and I were planning to be at the dock to meet your ship, but you were not due for another month complete."

"Father! I am very happy to be home, thank you. There were some minor complications in Italy, and I decided to take an earlier ship. Since I would have arrived before a letter could have reached you, I did not bother to write." Turning to their guest, William extended his hand and exclaimed, "Mr. Bennet, what a pleasure to see you again! How are you? And how is your family?"

"I am well, as is my family, thank you. I am glad we are here when you arrived home; Lizzy was so disappointed that you were scheduled to return to England after we would be back at Longbourn."

"Miss Elizabeth is here as well?" William's grin betrayed his enthusiasm. "This is a nice surprise indeed. I am sorry to have missed her first viewing of the library at Pemberley after seeing her reaction to the one at Darcy House." William looked to Mr. Bennet as both gentlemen laughed.

"Yes, it was a sight to behold!" Mr. Bennet nodded his head and then added, "She is out for a walk at the moment making full use of the grounds available at Pemberley, but she should be back before tea time."

"What a pleasure Miss Elizabeth is to have as a guest!" Mr. Darcy added with a twinkle in his eye. "Miss Elizabeth and Georgiana have become quite close in the past two weeks; they are almost inseparable whenever Georgiana is not occupied at her lessons. Miss Elizabeth's presence has even somehow sparked an interest in Georgiana for mathematics and French! Miss Elizabeth is quite extraordinary."

Mr. Darcy wondered what William's reaction would be when he saw Elizabeth. Up 'til now, she had been in what seemed to be an overly-long awkward stage, so lengthy that Mr. Darcy had wondered if she would ever bloom. How astonished he had been when she arrived to see that she had become a very attractive young lady in manner as well as appearance.

Mr. Darcy was well aware that William had always had a tendre for Elizabeth, being very impressed with her intelligence and sense of humor, and that he spoke of her often. William never failed to ask if Elizabeth had been mentioned whenever he spoke of a letter from Mr. Bennet. Mr. Darcy had seen Elizabeth a few times over the past three years whenever she was in London at the same time as he, but because William has been away at school, he had not. He wondered if William's feelings would change from the sibling-type affection he had felt for her now that sixteen-year-old Elizabeth had blossomed into a beautiful woman, and he was looking forward to seeing William's reaction.

After spending the past two weeks in Elizabeth's company, Mr. Darcy could say with no hesitation that William and Elizabeth would be a good match… when she was a bit older. He looked at Bennet and could see the wheels turning in his mind as he looked at his son In Bennet's eyes there was a look of part amusement at what was to come and part--was it fear? Was Bennet thinking along the same lines as he and regretting his decision to come to Pemberley now that William had arrived home early?

The three gentlemen discussed William's itinerary, but Mr. Darcy suggested they wait until Georgiana and Elizabeth were present to discuss his trip any further since he was certain they both would enjoy hearing of it. William expressed an interest in riding the grounds before tea.

"You did not have enough riding while travelling from London?"

"If I were anywhere else, I would not hesitate to take a short hiatus from riding, Father, but for months I have longed to ride Poseidon on my favorite paths at Pemberley. Would you mind if I leave you now and join you later for tea?"

"Not at all, William. Mr. Bennet and I have some business to conclude, and we shall do so while you ride. Enjoy!"

"Be on the lookout for Lizzy while you are out there," Mr. Bennet called after him.

A short while later, William was astride Poseidon, riding through the grounds of his beloved Pemberley. He had chosen one of his favorite paths, especially because of the risky turn that he was approaching. His older cousin Richard had always cautioned him to respect this curve and not to take this turn as quickly as was his wont, but his defense in doing so was that he was only endangering himself. It took a great deal of skill to make this turn successfully, and he knew that he and Poseidon were up to the challenge--they had always made the turn in the past.

As he came around the hedgerow, William saw a flash of color. The whinny of the horse mixed with another piercing sound, unidentifiable to William. Poseidon tried to avoid the obstacle in his path and reared up while executing the turn, causing him to fall onto his side, throwing his rider to the ground. William had no understanding of what had occurred; it was all just a jumble of noise, confusion and pain… followed by darkness.

Elizabeth Bennet had been walking the grounds of Pemberley for hours, and she still had a bit of time left before she had to turn back to freshen up in time for tea. Being a mature young lady now, she had not climbed a tree in more than a year, but today it was if the trees of Mr. Darcy's estate were calling out to her. Convincing herself that on such a vast estate the likelihood that anyone would see her was slim, she took advantage of the opportunity. Once up as high as she dared to venture, she looked out at the beautiful lands that surrounded her. She had never seen anything more beautiful, more perfect--even though she and her father had stopped along the way north at several locations, nothing could compare. Glancing towards the manor house, she noticed a rider traveling at a fast pace in her direction and decided to climb down as quickly as possible. When she had descended to the lowermost branch, she heard the sound of hooves approaching and chose to jump to the ground so that the rider did not discover her impropriety.

If only she had stayed up in that tree!

She had badly misjudged the speed of the horse. The moment her feet were on the ground, the horse and rider rounded a turn through a high hedge, and all she saw was a blur of brown flesh and hooves. Her next conscious observation was that rider was on the ground under the horse. The horse managed to right itself and seemed very upset. Elizabeth realized with horror that the rider's boot was still attached to the stirrup. Quickly surmising that the rider would be dragged if the horse decided to bolt, she set out to calm the beast. As the horse quieted, she was able to reach out and pet his neck. When he finally allowed her to pet his nose, she knew that he was calm enough for her to survey the situation. She took the lead rein, tied it to a very conveniently located tree branch, and went to ascertain the condition of the rider.

Moving to the other side of the horse, she saw that the rider was William Darcy! He was the last person she had expected since he was supposed to be in Italy for another month complete. "Mr. Darcy?" she called out while she carefully removed his boot from the stirrup, causing the horse to move a little. Not wanting William to be caught under the horse's hooves, she moved Poseidon a few trees down while she kept calling out, "Mr. Darcy? Sir? Can you hear me?"

As she rushed back to him, she carelessly tripped on a root. "Oh, good L-rd! How could I be so clumsy? Now I have hurt my ankle as well!"

Looking towards William, she saw blood on the ground which she had not seen from her previous vantage point, and she got to him as quickly as her ankle would allow. Realizing his head was bleeding badly, she tore off a piece of her slip and used it to help her put pressure on the wound.

Knowing what she must do next, she attempted to hide her own agitation in case he was awake and so began talking, "Mr. Darcy? If you can hear me, I feel the need to apologize in advance. I must examine you to see if you have any further injuries. It is a good thing I have been such a hoyden and have led many an adventure ending with myself or the boys from my neighborhood sometimes being injured."

She took a stick and ran it lightly along the palms of his hands, which caused his fingers to twitch. "Thank heaven, his neck is not broken!" she thought as she ripped off a long strip of her slip and wrapped it tightly around his head, keeping the wadded up piece over the cut to maintain pressure on it. Moving on, she removed the boot on the leg that was out straight to check the reflexes in his foot. "Nor is his back broken! Now I can move him." Elizabeth began feeling the bones of his arms.

"I have had much experience with watching Mr. Jones, the apothecary, with injuries of many different types and often have begun treatment before he was able to arrive at the scene of accidents." Noticing his arm was positioned strangely, Elizabeth felt his shoulder through his clothing and realized his shoulder was out of joint. "I hate doing this!" she thought.

She straightened out his leg and felt the soundness of his leg bones. "Mr. Jones always jests with me that if I were a boy, I would do well as an apprentice to him since I learn so easily and already know what to do in many cases of injury. With so many sisters, we have had our share of illnesses, and so I do know how to treat those as well."

Satisfied he had no obviously broken limbs to be tended to, she set about unbuttoning his great coat, his coat and his waistcoat. Somehow, she found the strength to lift his back from the ground and leaned him onto herself, surprising herself that she was able to keep them both upright. She removed the great coat and laid it back on the ground beneath him to offer some protection against the cool ground, then tried to remove his coat and waistcoat as gently as possible. He groaned a little, but seemed to remain unconscious.

Laying him gently back on the ground, she continued, "Your shoulder has become dislocated, Mr. Darcy. Fortunately again, I have experience with setting this to rights. John Lucas has a trick shoulder that often pops out of the joint, and Mr. Jones has taught me how to put it back and wrap it safely. It will be very painful for you, but less painful than leaving it the way it is until help arrives." Just how she was going to find help, she could not think about right now. She dared not leave him alone bleeding and unconscious as he was, and with her ankle injured, the task would be difficult indeed.

"I apologize again, sir, but I must move into a very unladylike position to do this. I do hope you continue to sleep through this, for I know it will be very painful. Please, if you can hear me, no matter how much it hurts, do try not to move!" She moved his arm away from his body and put her knee into his armpit, pulling and sliding the shoulder back into the joint as she had done for John Lucas many times. William cried out, but he still seemed to be unconscious when she was finished.

"It is a blessing that you were asleep for that, Mr. Darcy, believe me! Now I will wrap your arm." She tore off a much larger piece of her slip and fashioned a wrap from it. Lifting him and leaning him to his good side, she placed the cloth under him and then secured his arm snuggly to his chest. His hand was still pink and warm, thankfully.

"Since there is nothing left of my slip, I hope you give me leave to look through your coat pockets to see if you have a handkerchief. Here it is! I see you have a canteen on your saddle, and I can hear water running, so there must be a stream nearby. I need to clean the wound on your head as best as is possible. I will be back shortly, sir."

Elizabeth got up and when she attempted to take a step, the pain reminded her that she had sprained her ankle. She took it more slowly than she would have liked, but she limped over to the horse, retrieving the saddle bags and the canteen, which was thankfully full, and made her way back again. "I see you have a couple of blankets attached to your saddle bag! That is very helpful, sir, for I worry that you are lying on the cold ground." She rolled him onto his good side again and laid one of the blankets on the ground beneath him before righting him and covering him with his coat and the other blanket. She folded his waistcoat and placed it under his head as a pillow. "I am also very worried that you have not yet awakened, sir. Please, Mr. Darcy, please will you wake up?"

Lifting his head again, she unwrapped the bandage to check the wound and while she was at it, she unwrapped his neck cloth, thinking she might have need of it later. The wound was still bleeding, but not nearly so much as earlier. She rinsed out the piece of slip that had been keeping pressure on the wound and then poured some water to clean off the dirt that was still on his forehead from the fall. Moistening the handkerchief with the water from the canteen, she began to wash the rest of his forehead before re-wrapping his head, but she froze, and she blinked a few times in shock. "I have never noticed before, but you are a very handsome gentleman!" she whispered, blushing when she thought of all the places she had touched upon his body that day, and the memory made her heart beat very fast. He was a very fit man, indeed! She blushed more furiously as she chastised herself for thinking of such things when he was injured so badly.

William opened his eyes and blinked a few times to clear them. What his now clear vision perceived to be a part of the female anatomy made William believe, if only for a moment, that he had died and gone to heaven, for his companion was quite well endowed in this particular area. He looked up a few inches and saw the most beautiful face he had ever had the pleasure of laying eyes upon. "An angel!" he thought.

At the same moment that he realized that had he actually been in heaven, he would not be in so much pain, the lady looked away from his forehead to his eyes, and a breathtaking smile spread across her features. "Mr. Darcy! You are awake!"

There was something about the light dancing in her eyes that reminded him of… "Miss Elizabeth?" he said and then thought to himself, "Good G-d, she has grown! How did the awkward girl I remember come to look like this?"

She continued to apply pressure to the head wound as she answered, "Yes! Oh, I am so glad that you have awakened, sir! Mr. Jones says that a person with a head injury should stay awake until he can be examined, and I have been beside myself with worry that you have slept for so long after the accident."

"Accident?"

She frowned. "You do not remember, sir?"

He tried to shake his head, but her hands were keeping it in place. "No, I do not."

"When you came around the hedges, I was in your horse's way, and he did a fine job of avoiding me, Mr. Darcy… though I am very sorry that you have been injured in the process."

"May I ask… why are you holding my head, Miss Elizabeth?"

"You hit your head, Mr. Darcy, and as a result you were bleeding heavily. I am told that head wounds usually bleed terribly, even if the injury is not a serious one. I have been trying to stop it by applying pressure, and it is working, but you have lost quite a bit of blood. You will probably be dizzy for a couple of days, sir." She moved the cloth and looked again, before observing, "It is slowing considerably now. I can wrap it up again, if you would rather?"

He would rather that she stay close to him and hold his head in her hands, but he knew it would be highly improper of him to say this. Instead he said, "That would seem to be best." As he attempted to sit up, the pain in his shoulder and arm exploded on his senses, and he made an exclamation that was unfit for feminine ears, which Elizabeth wisely chose to ignore.

"Oh, sir! Please allow me to help you." She supported his good shoulder and helped him sit upright.

"And just what happened to my shoulder?"

"When you fell from the horse, your shoulder was pulled out of joint." She noticed his frown, but continued, "I have put it back to rights and fashioned a wrap. My memory had just been refreshed on the procedure last month while I was on a walk on the Lucases' property. John Lucas had always pulled his shoulder out easily, which is why I know exactly how to fix that particular injury. He was usually awake when Mr. Jones or I did so, and his screams could sometimes be heard over quite a distance from what I understand. Last month when I happened across him, he had been repairing the fences that surround the Lucases' paddock and pulled his shoulder out again. I replaced it for him as I had done many times in the past. Mr. Lucas, now a grown man, was heard all the way along the road to Lucas Lodge, which alerted the servant that he was in need of assistance. So you see, sir, it was a blessing that you slept though the process. I apologize for getting you into this state of undress, Mr. Darcy, but it was necessary." She blushed, thinking of how she had also checked the soundness of his bones, but did not think it prudent at this time to discuss that aspect of what had occurred while he was asleep.

"I did not fall from my horse, Miss Elizabeth!"

Elizabeth tilted her head to one side and raised her eyebrows. "You did not?"

"No! I am an expert horseman and expert horsemen do not fall from their horses. I would appreciate it if you would not retell the story using that word."

Elizabeth tried to hide a smile. Normally having someone laugh at him would have induced discomfort, but the way her suppressed amusement made her eyes sparkle allowed William to forgive her for thinking his statement entertaining. "Well, I think I owe you that much at the very least after being the cause of your injuries."

"Do not take the blame upon yourself; my cousin Richard has often warned me that something like this would happen at that turn one day, but I insisted upon doing it since the risk seemed minimal. What are the chances that someone would be in that particular spot on the grounds at the exact moment I came around the hedge? Now it seems I should have listened to his warnings. So, you see, it is my stubbornness which caused the accident, not your walking in this direction." He hesitated a few moments before continuing, "Are you feeling up to the walk back to the manor house, Miss Elizabeth? I do think we should get started back."

"Sir, I was quite serious when I said you will be dizzy for a few days. You will not be able to walk or ride your horse the distance necessary to return to the great house. I think you will need a carriage or cart in which to ride."

"I will walk. Help me to my feet, please." She helped him up, and he immediately became so dizzy that he faltered and leaned on her heavily as he turned green with nausea. "Oh! It seems you are correct, Miss Elizabeth."

"Mr. Darcy, please sit down again. You will fall and re-injure your shoulder. I do not want to have to do that again, sir! Please?"

Once down again, he found himself too dizzy to even sit, so he lay down on the ground. "It seems I should have listened to you, as well, Miss Elizabeth. I apologize."

"If there is anything I can understand, it is being stubbornly independent, Mr. Darcy. Though it is not a very ladylike trait, it is one I share with you, and so I can forgive you fully." She again flashed that brilliant, heart-stopping smile at him.

"How old could she be? Sixteen? Get hold of yourself man!" William thought, then aloud he said, "Well, then, you will have to walk to the house without me and send help."

"Well, therein lies our next problem; I cannot."

"Excuse me?"

"I cannot walk, sir, as I have sprained my ankle badly. The last time I tried, I was not able to walk more than the few steps over to your horse, and my ankle has swelled considerably since then. I also cannot ride, Mr. Darcy, so please do not suggest it. I do not believe your spirited horse would do for someone who has never ridden before!"

"No, he would not indeed." William thought it over a few minutes and then suggested, "Do you think you can get to the horse again, Miss Elizabeth? If you set him loose, I will give him the order to return to the stables. I am certain when he returns without me, and they realize that you are missing as well, they will send a party out to search for us."

"You do have a well-trained horse, sir! Yes, I believe I could, though it might take some time." She looked around, searching for something to lean on. "Ah ha!" She crawled a bit to a long stick that was lying nearby. "I can use this as sort of a cane."

"Your assessment of my horse was correct, Miss Elizabeth; he is a very spirited animal and does not like very many people. Be careful near him!"

Leaning on the stick, Elizabeth was able to limp very slowly over to the horse. The horse put his head down, leaning it against her shoulder. She whispered into the horse's ear while petting his neck and then untied the rein from the tree. She looked to Darcy to let him know that he should give the order, but he was staring at her in disbelief. "How… how did you do that?"

"Do what, sir?"

"Miss Elizabeth, I was not exaggerating when I said he does not like many people… but he certainly likes you! He acts towards you the same as does towards me, and I have been his master since he was born!"

"Oh, I am told I have a way with animals, sir." She smiled and stroked the horse's neck.

He almost asked if she charmed only male animals, but he thought better of it. "But you will not ride a horse? I know it is not a fear of heights after hearing about your tree-climbing experiences and witnessing one with my own eyes. I had suspected a fear of horses, but that is obviously not true. What is it then?"

"I am not afraid of heights when I climb, that is true, but consider what we said earlier, sir. I have a stubbornly independent spirit. I am in control when I climb a tree, but though people tell me the horse is not in control when they ride, he can be if he wishes it. In our case this afternoon, for instance, you did not see me, but your horse did, and he did everything he could to prevent his running into me. He is a thinking being and took control away from you, and though I was not hurt, you were injured because of it. I would not mind being injured to prevent another from being so, but what if it was only a rabbit that startled a horse to do something similar? No, I will not willingly hand over control of my fate to another living being if it is in my power to avoid it." She gave him a look that spoke of absolute determination, and he accepted the fact that she would not ride… not for the time being anyway. He smiled when he thought that he was just as determined, if not more so, to get her to love riding the way he did! Suddenly, the presumption of the thought shocked him back to the present. She continued, "You may give the order for him to return to the stables now, sir."

"Home, Poseidon," he ordered, and the horse nuzzled Elizabeth one more time before walking away, back through the hedge from whence he and William had come.

She tried to hide her smile as she hobbled back toward him and saw what he was doing. With much difficulty, he was arching his body, pulling part of the blanket out from beneath him, and spreading it next to him so that she would have a more comfortable place to rest. It was a perfect example of his own stubborn independence as it would have been much easier for him to wait for her return so she could help him. A few times she had feared he would hurt his shoulder, but he did not--at least as far as she could tell. After she had made her way back to William, she sat on the blanket he had so gallantly spread for her comfort.

Exhausted from the effort, he closed his eyes, but Elizabeth only left him to rest for a few moments before asking, "Are you right-handed or left-handed, sir?"

"I do most things with either hand proficiently, but to write I use my left hand."

"How interesting! I did not think I would ever meet another person who is ambidextrous, as am I!"

"Ambidextrous?"

"Yes, it means that we are able to use both hands equally well. I am predominantly right-handed for writing but can write legibly with my left and can use either for almost anything else. It is good that you are left-handed for writing, Mr. Darcy, for it will take a few weeks before you can use your right arm again."

"A few weeks?! I do not think I have any broken bones. Why should it take a few weeks to heal if there are no broken bones?"

"Do you know much of anatomy, sir?"

He blinked a few times; since waking up, he had been trying very hard not to admire the amazing changes in her anatomy since the last time he had seen her, and he feared that she had noticed.

Though confused at receiving no answer, she continued, "When the bone came out of the joint of the shoulder, the muscles, tendons and ligaments were stretched beyond what occurs in normal activity. More than likely, they have torn a little and will need time to mend. You are in excellent physical condition…" here she hesitated, looking off into the distance to hide her blush upon thinking about her earlier physical examination of him to check for broken bones, "… and will probably heal as quickly as possible."

"And how do you know so much about this?" William asked. Confused as to why her eyes widened, he restated the question, "I only meant to ask how you know so much about anatomy, the nature of injuries, and how they mend, Miss Elizabeth."

"May I take a look at your bandage again while I explain?" William turned his head toward her to signify his agreement. "I had forgotten that you were still sleeping when I told you earlier--oh, I was talking in the event that you were partially awake." She blushed as she continued her explanation, "I mentioned that I have spent much time with Mr. Jones, the apothecary near my home, and had paid very close attention to what he has said and done. Do you remember at the bookstore when I had told you how a picture of everything I read stays in my mind?"

"Yes… yes, I do."

"The same thing occurs with things that happen to me. Not everything, but for many, many things I retain pictures and also what was said during the event. So as I helped you with your bandage, or as I put your shoulder back to rights earlier, I had the picture of a prior event in my mind first, and then I did the same thing that Mr. Jones had done at the time."

"That is absolutely fascinating!"

She smiled, "It can be a curse as well as a blessing, believe me!"

"A curse in what way?"

"A good memory is unpardonable in some circumstances, sir! For example, it annoys people when I can recall, in perfect detail, a conversation or an event where they did or said something foolish. It is an especially inconvenient when I am the person who said or did something awry!"

He laughed and could not hide a wince from the pain in his shoulder. He saw her forehead furrow and was sorry that he had been unable to hide it.

She was thoughtful for a few moments, and then said, "Sometimes the memories occur unbidden when I am reminded of a thing in some small way. If the event was particularly unpleasant, it is not a good thing to be able to live through it again in perfect detail. For example, when I realized your shoulder was out of the socket, it was as if I lived through every time that John Lucas's arm did the same all over again--his pain, his screams, what it felt like to put the shoulder back in," she shuddered. "From what I am told, most people's memories fade, but mine do not seem to… not as of yet anyway."

"Are you saying it is possible you will repeatedly live through today's events in detail any time you are reminded of it?"

She did not wish to answer, so she changed the subject, "I am thankful that the wound on your head seems to have stopped bleeding. I used the plain handkerchief from your pocket for this but would like to use your neck cloth now that the bleeding has stopped. I did not wish to ruin it. May I use it? I might have enough of my slip left to make another, but that would necessitate my leaving you to go off into the woods to undress for I cannot reach any more fabric from under my skirts!" She laughed.

"You tore up your slip? I wondered where you had gotten all this material." He was getting very sleepy, and his words were not as clear as they were before. At least, she hoped he was only getting sleepy.

"Yes, I did. I often did so whenever someone was hurt, and Mama had a fit every time! May I use your neck cloth, sir?"

"Yes, you may use it. I have many others, and I certainly would not want you to have to undress. It is getting cold."

Chapter 4

Elizabeth shivered from the cold and considered how rapidly the temperature was dropping now that the sun was low on the horizon. She wondered how long it had been since he had been injured and attempted to reconstruct the time in her mind so that she might inform a doctor later. It had to have been at least a half hour since the horse had been sent back to the stable. How much longer would it be until someone found them? She looked through the saddlebag and found matches, and then looked around to see if there was any wood close by that was suitable to make a fire. Mr. Darcy should be kept warm! Looking back at him, she noticed that his eyes were closed again.

"Mr. Darcy, you must stay awake!" she exclaimed too loudly, and his eyes snapped open. "Do you not remember that I told you that Mr. Jones said that people with head injuries should not sleep until a doctor can examine them? Please, sir, try to stay awake."

"I do remember. I just cannot seem to keep my eyes open."

"I need to gather wood to make a fire, sir, but I will not go far. Can you tell me about the weather during your crossing from Italy?"

"Only if I can keep my eyes closed while I tell you." They both smiled a little.

She felt a little guilty since he sounded so tired, but she knew this was for the best. "That sounds like a good compromise, sir. If you continue to talk, you may close your eyes."

"Yes, ma'am." Using her "cane" to help herself rise, Elizabeth hobbled over to some dead wood that she had spotted from where she had sat while he talked. "We had a dreadful storm one night. It had cast a very rough sea, and it had been incredibly windy the day before. Many people were already sick from being tossed about by the wind, but when the storm began in earnest during the night, it was much worse as many more people began to be seasick. The ship rocked as it creaked and groaned, and once the rain and thunder…"

"Mr. Darcy? I regret that I must interrupt for a moment. I find myself in need of my skirt to gather the wood and would be appreciative if you would but keep your eyes closed while you continue."

"Why did she have to tell me that? Earlier, I wanted to close my eyes, but now I want nothing more than to open them. ARGH! She is but sixteen, Darcy! Be a gentleman!" he thought, and, after a sigh, he then said aloud, "You have my word, Miss Elizabeth; I will keep them closed."

"Tell me more about the storm," she said.

"I made my way above deck to speak to the captain to offer any service that might be helpful. I must say that once I was above deck, the conditions were terrifying. I would have been a hindrance had I remained there, and I felt that I should not even offer--the waves were frighteningly tall and were crashing over the side and onto the deck. The crew was experienced, and we made it through the storm. The remainder of the trip was uneventful other than that people continued to become ill."

"Did you meet anyone of interest on the ship?" Her voice was further away this time.

"No, I knew no one."

"You did not travel with your companions from Cambridge?"

"No, I left them shortly after arriving in Italy and went on alone."

"Why?" She was closer again, and he put his arm over his eyes to remind himself not to open them.

"It turned out they were not… their habits… ah… I am too tired to think of a more delicate way to say this, and what I can think to say should not be said to a lady." He heard the sounds of wood being dropped to the ground.

"Ohhhh…" there was silence for a few moments, and then she said, "I have enough wood to start the fire, sir, but I would like to gather some more so that I will have no need to do so after dark."

"This is most frustrating. I feel terribly guilty for allowing you to do this, Miss Elizabeth. I should be the one gathering wood and building a fire!" William said with more energy than was exhibited in his former conversation.

"I know that you would wish to do this for me, Mr. Darcy, and I do appreciate the sentiment, but you cannot do this, and so I beg you to allow me to complete my task before dark."

"But your ankle!"

"I have suffered plenty of sprained ankles in my time, sir," she laughed. "I promise I shall rest after I finish gathering the wood that we need." He sighed audibly. "But that still does not answer my question, sir."

"Which question was that, Miss Elizabeth?"

"Did you meet anyone of interest on the ship?"

"I thought I did answer it… I did not know anyone on the ship."

"Yes, but you spoke to other passengers, I am sure." Her voice came from further away again.

He hesitated a long time--long enough for her to think he had fallen asleep.

"Mr. Darcy, you must not give into your desire to sleep!" Her voice sounded a bit panicked.

"I am not asleep. I am just… attempting to form an answer."

"It is not that difficult a question, sir." She sounded closer again, and by the tone of her voice, he could picture her brow arching the way it often had done when that tone was used in their past meetings.

"It would not be a difficult question for you to answer, I am sure, Miss Elizabeth, but it is for me. I am not certain how to explain this… but I - I do not have an easy manner with strangers." He heard her drop some more wood nearby.

"I was a stranger once, and I remember very clearly that you seemed to be easy with me."

"Yes… yes, I was. I have often wondered about that, but trust me, that particular instance was an exception to the rule. I usually do not feel very easy with anyone, Miss Elizabeth… anyone outside my immediate family, that is to say. I cannot explain why I feel so comfortable when speaking with you." With her last statement, he could hear the smile in her voice, and his heart was still pounding from imagining the way the sparkle was probably dancing in her eyes.

"Miss Elizabeth, do you mind my asking how old you are?"

"I will be seventeen at the end of May, sir. Why do you ask?" She was further away again.

"She is sixteen… I must stop reacting to her in this way! She will not be old enough to court for… but Mother was seventeen when she married Father… stop thinking like that!" he thought, and then said, "You seem more mature than would be common for your age."

"It is probably from all of the reading I do. I told you that I love to learn. Also, I think my father missed being a professor at Cambridge. When his older brother died, he inherited Longbourn, and left his teaching position to run the estate. Two years later, he married my mother. When we were old enough, he taught my sisters and me, extending our education in any area in which we were interested…" she laughed, "and since I was interested in almost everything, I had the benefit of being taught many subjects that are usually forbidden to girls."

"So you had your own private university in the convenience of your own home, then?"

"Yes, one could look at it that way, but I would have preferred to be a boy so that I could attend university myself. Obviously, many of the interests I enjoyed when I was younger were those of interest to boys."

"I am very glad you are not a boy!" he thought.

"I do hope you were able to enjoy the trip all alone, sir."

"It was better than it would have been had I stayed with the group I set sail with, that is for certain, but I would have preferred someone with whom to share it," he answered, but thought, "I will take you to Italy someday. STOP!" William was getting very angry with himself. "Miss Elizabeth?"

"Yes, Mr. Darcy?"

She was much farther away this time, and he moved his head quickly to speak in the direction from whence her voice came, causing a horrible round of dizziness to inflict him. "Good G-d, she will injure herself! Why do I have to be so helpless?"

"I am feeling quite woozy. I certainly hope I do not, but if I should say something… inappropriate… I ask in advance that you would forgive me."

He could hear her moving toward him again, and the worry in her voice caused his chest to tighten. "Are you feeling that poorly?"

"To be honest, I am feeling almost as if I were inebriated, which is why I felt I had to warn you. Gentlemen tend to be less… guarded in their speech when they have been drinking too much."

"I refilled the canteen on that last trip; perhaps you should have a drink of water." He heard her drop more wood. "You may open your eyes now, Mr. Darcy. Do you think I have collected enough to get us through the night, if need be?"

"Yes, that should be enough. Thank you." The front of her skirt was filthy, but her complexion and eyes were brightened by the exertion of collecting the wood. He had not thought she could look more beautiful than she had when first he had seen her earlier this day, but she did. She picked up the canteen, limped toward him, helped him to sit up a little, and handed him the canteen.

After she helped him to lie down again, she touched his forehead, and her brow furrowed, "You are burning up with fever, sir. No wonder you feel strange!" She was glad she had washed out the bloody strip of cloth while she had been at the stream because she was going to have need of it to bring his fever down.

"Ah, yes, that would explain it. I am sure it is nothing." He waved her worry away.

She did not look as confident as he felt about his last statement. Continuing with her attempts to keep him awake by talking, she asked, "I have never been on a ship. Can you describe your chamber?"

He tried to make the description of his room and the ship interesting for her as she repeatedly wet the strip of cloth and mopped down his face and neck. As he spoke, the sun set, and the temperature was rapidly falling. It was slow going; his thoughts were not as clear as they had been earlier. He was growing so very tired and was feeling so exceedingly cold. As she placed her hands upon his face to ascertain the state of his fever, he suddenly he realized that she was shivering. "Miss Elizabeth! I apologize; I should have realized that you would be cold. Please take this blanket." He tried to hand her the blanket that was on top of him, but she stilled his hand with her own and then covered him up again.

"Mr. Darcy, always the gentleman! I thank you, but I will not take your blanket! You are ill, sir, and you will become weaker still if you are not kept warm."

"The blanket and fire are helping, Miss Elizabeth, but I do not want you to become ill as well. Please take the blanket as I have my coat. Here in the north, once the sun sets completely, it gets very cold at night, particularly so at this time of year."

"I refuse to take your blanket, Mr. Darcy." She hesitated for several moments, thinking that if she told him her idea, he was going to lose some, or all, of his respect for her… but what other choice did they have? "I have a solution, sir, but what I have to suggest might shock you." He opened his eyes and even in the dim light from the fire, he could tell she was blushing. "We could share the blanket."

Now he was blushing. "How?"

"Mr. Darcy… if I knew for certain that they would find us soon, I would not hesitate to allow you to keep the blanket and forget my own needs, but I think we must be realistic. It could take all night for them to find us. You are correct, it is getting very cold, very quickly, and I cannot stop shivering. I will probably become ill as well if I do not warm up soon. I will not take your blanket, and I will not take the blanket from under you and leave you lying directly on the cold, damp ground. The only other option is for us to share the blankets we have. Yes, we could each use one of the blankets, but they are thin enough to allow the cold from the ground through if they are not doubled, so that would defeat the purpose. I reiterate that I will not allow that. But if we share both blankets… if I lie next to you… then we would not only solve these problems, but we would also both actually be warmer from the heat of… from having two people together under the blanket." She was blushing furiously by the end of her speech. "I told you that my suggestion was shocking, sir, and I know that doing this would break many rules of propriety, but I honestly do not see any other option." She bit down hard to keep her teeth from chattering. "My goodness, it does get cold quickly here!" she thought.

He had to admit that her logic was sound. She had thought it all through, and he certainly was not able to think of a superior option. If anyone else had suggested it, he would have been suspicious that she was trying to trap him into marriage. After dodging attempts to trick him into compromising positions for years now, it was second nature for him to suspect every female of trying to do the same… but he could not believe that of her.

"And besides, it would not be a terrible fate to marry beautiful, intelligent, lively Elizabeth…STOP thinking that way! Especially if I am going to lie next to her tonight! I must think of her as my sister…If I were out here with Georgiana, I would not hesitate to share my blanket with her…She is just like Georgiana. I will close my eyes and imagine the awkward little girl she was at ten or thirteen! Yes, that will work." He found he could not speak at the moment… so he only nodded.

She put some more logs on the fire before lying down next to him and covering herself with the blanket, trying very hard not to lie close enough to touch him--but the blanket was not large enough, and they both knew it. He swallowed hard and moved his arm so that it was around her, saying, "Miss Elizabeth, you will have to move closer, right up against me. It is alright to do so; I promise you that I will not harm you."

She did move closer, and he gently pushed her head down onto his chest. She was very tense, but after a few minutes, he felt her beginning to relax against him. "I promised I would not harm her, and I will not! Good G-d, her scent is wonderful…The feel of her beside me is…STOP! Sister, she is like a sister."

Elizabeth sighed. "I have never heard a heart beating before. Yours is beating very fast."

"What can I say in answer to that statement? 'My heart is beating so quickly because you are the most beautiful woman I have ever beheld, and I am holding you up against me, and I want to…' STOP…sister, sister. Think of the pain in my shoulder…Amazing that no matter how much pain I am in, my body still reacts... no…sister, sister…"

"You are not sleeping, are you, Mr. Darcy?" she sat up a little on her elbow. He was so hot with fever that she had warmed up almost immediately upon lying near him. Seeing his eyes were open, she wet the cloth again.

Her face was so close to his now that he could lift his head just a little, and those lips would meet his. "Sister…sister," he continued his chant. "No, I am not sleeping." His voice was hoarse, and he cleared it. "Who is your favorite author?" Her tongue wet her lips. "Argh, I must keep my eyes closed."

"Oh, I have several, but if I had to choose only one, it would have to be Shakespeare. And you, sir, who is your favorite?"

"The same. Which of his writings is your favorite?"

"Twelfth Night."

He opened his eyes and stared into hers, "Mine as well."

He looked so tired, and she could feel that his fever was not abating. She dampened the cloth once again. "Since I know that you are well versed in the names of flowers, Mr. Darcy, which is your favorite?"

He took a deep breath, filling himself with her scent, and whispered, "Lavender."

They went back and forth a few times asking each other favorite colors, favorite composers, favorite operas, and other such things, before they fell into silence. The next time Elizabeth dampened the cloth, she said, "Tell me about Italy."

He was so tired that he could not even think about what he was saying; he just described what he had seen and admired in Italy--the people, the places, the landscapes, the art, the sculptures, the churches--everything that he had wished to share with someone special. Elizabeth was special. She was more than he had ever dreamed it was possible to find in a woman, and she still was not even fully grown. He knew she would grow only more amazing with time… and that he wanted her to be the one with whom he shared everything.

They heard voices calling their names in the distance. Elizabeth propped herself up on her elbow once more and looked into his eyes with such sadness that he could feel it prick at his own eyes. She looked at his lips, and his breath caught. "William," she whispered, and she leaned in and brushed his lips with hers.

"Elizabeth," he whispered back, and lifted his head to place another gentle kiss upon those lips.

They stared into each other's eyes for a moment longer. Every fiber of his being wanted to beg her not to call for their attention, to place her head back down on his chest so he could hold her a little longer, to hold her there and allow them all to find her sharing a blanket, with his arm wrapped around her… but he knew that was wrong.

She got up and started limping toward the opening in the hedge, "Here we are!" she yelled.

Wide awake now, but still exhausted, he knew he had to force himself to think as he watched her standing there, waiting for their rescuers. Her eyes were turned toward him, and he could feel her gaze, but his thoughts turned to more serious matters. Would her reputation already be in tatters, being out here alone with him for so many hours? It was obvious that she had laid her hands upon him to fix his shoulder and treat his head wound. The servants of Pemberley were very discreet; they were trustworthy, and would not gossip, but the tenants would talk if they had been called in to help with the search. It was all so very innocent… well, most of it. Could he convince them all that it was innocent? Especially in light of his injuries, they should understand that she could not have been truly compromised. Could his father hush this up? What of Mr. Bennet's reaction?

He would gladly marry Elizabeth, of that there was no doubt. It was strange to remember how his views on marriage had changed so drastically since this morning as he rode to Pemberley. But, would that be what she wanted--to be forced to marry him--even if she was not so young? Women married at sixteen all the time; it was not such an odd occurrence. Would he want her to be forced to marry him and never really know if she would have said "yes" if he had asked her? If she was not forced, would she want him? She must care for him, even a little… Why else would she have kissed him? He should have asked her--before she had walked away to call out to the others. He should have asked her!

He could see torches through the hedge. People were moving towards her quickly, and she turned away from his gaze to look at them. He could see Elizabeth's father embrace her and wrap her in blankets, and then he saw his own father approach. "I am here, Father," William called out. The shock on Mr. Darcy's face was obvious to all, and he rushed toward his son. "William! Dear L-rd, what happened?" Elizabeth leaned heavily on Mr. Bennet as they followed him.

Elizabeth could see that William was too tired to speak, so she answered for him, "Mr. Darcy, your son's horse had an accident, and your son has suffered injuries as a result." She looked at him with a smile in her eyes that said, "I remembered not to say that you fell!" Then she continued, "He has had a blow to the head, and it was bleeding quite a bit at first but has stopped now. His shoulder was out of the joint, but I was able to put it to rights. For the past few hours, he has also had a fever. I have done the best I could do with what we had, sir, but he needs to see a doctor as soon as possible. He is very dizzy and cannot move much because of it--he will not be able to walk or ride to the house. Also, you should know that he must be kept awake until he sees a doctor, sir." Elizabeth moistened the cloth again and placed it on William's forehead. He was grateful for her touch; he had already begun to miss it.

"If they do not force us to marry, how will I live without her now that I have had a taste of paradise?"

Neither of the older gentlemen missed the way William had looked Elizabeth as she tended his fever, nor the way she was gazing at him. Mr. Darcy thought, "Well, it is as I predicted; he is already in love with her, and she with him!"

Mr. Wickham, Mr. Darcy's steward, came up to the group. "Mr. Darcy?"

"Wickham! Master William is injured. Send a man for a cart to transport him back to Pemberley, and send another on horseback to Lambton for the doctor immediately!"

"Yes, sir." Mr. Wickham rushed off to issue the necessary orders.

"It is a good thing we have a full moon tonight, or we would have had to abandon the search until the morning. I noticed that you are limping. Are you injured as well, Miss Elizabeth?" Mr. Darcy asked while he put a few more pieces of wood on the fire and stoked it with another.

"Yes, but my injury was a result of pure carelessness, sir. I was making my way from the tree where I had tied Mr. Darcy's horse, and my foot got caught in a tree root that was hidden beneath the leaves."

Mr. Bennet insisted that she have the doctor examine it when he arrived.

"I will, but it is nothing compared to Mr. Darcy's injuries."

"Miss Elizabeth is very brave. She did not once complain of her injuries. I apologize that I could not be of any assistance to her," William said weakly.

"How did your accident happen, William?" His father asked one of the questions he had been dreading.

"I should have heeded Richard's advice as well as yours, Mr. Bennet. I am glad that Miss Elizabeth was not injured any worse than she was." His voice was not above a whisper by this time.

"I already told you, Mr. Darcy, I was not injured by your actions at all. And I thought we had agreed not to argue about who was to blame. If you will not abide by that decision, than I shall not either, and I will once again have to blame myself for being in your way. You were on your favorite path, and I was on a walk, and that is all. The rest was pure happenstance. Now, you will stay awake, sir, but you will also stop exerting so much energy by talking." She went to dampen the cloth once again, then asked, "Do either of you gentlemen have an extra handkerchief? This one is done for, I'm afraid and I already used up my slip on Mr. Darcy's injuries."

Mr. Darcy handed her his handkerchief. "I thank you for your nursing duties toward my son, Miss Elizabeth, and for putting up with what must have been a very disgruntled patient, as he usually is."

"More like a doctor than a nurse, Father," William said.

She gave him a sharp look that remonstrated, "Did I not say to stop talking?" and said, "Your son was perfectly behaved during the whole of the afternoon and evening, sir. The only trouble he gave me occurred at the moment he was not able to have his own way when I informed him that he would not be able to walk or ride to Pemberley himself. He insisted on making an attempt, but that did not work out well at all. It seems that we are both gifted with a stubborn streak." She smiled at William.

"You call it a gift, do you?" laughed Mr. Darcy.

"Well, sir, one may not call it a gift if that person is on the receiving end, but to me, it is a gift. Had I not been stubborn, I would not have been as victorious in disagreements with my mother, and I would be a miserable person, indeed--covered with ribbons and lace and gaudy, uncomfortable fabrics; allowed only to embroider, net purses and make bonnets; and never would I have been allowed to set foot in my father's library. In my opinion, stubbornness can be beneficial. But, as Mr. Darcy found out today," she said catching William's eye, "when one's intentions interfere with one's health, it is best to defer to someone else's stubborn ideas of what is the correct thing to do in that circumstance."

"Dreaded Pirate Lizzy," William mumbled.

"Yes, exactly! At the time you met the Dreaded Pirate Lizzy, I was just as stubborn as I am now, but I would attempt to force my will upon the other children and have them walk the plank if they did otherwise! I have matured enough to know that it is wrong to have someone else conform to my ideas of what they should do unless I am certain it would be harmful for them to do otherwise." She refreshed the cloth again, and, with a worried look she met Mr. Darcy's eyes and said, "His fever is rising, sir. Do you have any willow trees in the area?"

"Yes, there are several in a grove nearby."

"Can you have someone collect some of the bark off the trees, sir? Willow bark has been proven to help with fevers. Hippocrates himself used to have patients chew the bark, and it can also be made into a tea. It also helps to alleviate the pain."**

"Certainly." He walked off to have someone collect the bark.

She had William drink a little water. "Papa, can you fill the canteen for me, please? I do not think I should walk to the stream again." Mr. Bennet went away in the direction of the stream, and the two were left alone.

He had to take advantage of this opportunity… he had to ask her. "Marry me, Elizabeth?" William whispered.

"Sir?"

"Marry me?"

"Mr. Darcy, you told me not to pay close attention to what you said because you feel as though you are drunk." The fire light was reflecting off her eyes more than ever, and he suspected it was because they were filled with tears.

"I am perfectly serious. Marry me?"

"I am but sixteen, sir. You are a great man, and will be master of all this someday…" she waved her hands around to all that was Pemberley. "I hope not soon, but someday. You really cannot mean to take someone like me as a wife. This is not a game, nor is it a subject to jest about, sir."

"You will not believe me because of the fever?"

"Correct. Mr. Darcy, I think it is the fever speaking and would not take advantage of you in that way." They could hear a rustling of leaves indicating someone was approaching.

"When my fever is gone..." He caught the hand that was reaching to take the cloth from his head, and brought it to his lips, then released it. "Thank you, Elizabeth."

The servant who was sent for the doctor had realized that they were closer to Lambton than to Pemberley, so the doctor was brought to the place where the accident occurred. Fortunately, the doctor was home and dressed and able to come out immediately. Mr. Smythe was a man in his middle fifties, tall and fit with dark hair and eyes. He was introduced to Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth, and after quick greetings were exchanged, he knelt down next to William and said, "So, Master William, you have gotten yourself into a bit of trouble, I understand. Will you explain what happened?"

"I am so tired… Miss Elizabeth can explain…" he looked to Elizabeth.

"I have been with him the entire time, Mr. Smythe. Approximately five or six hours ago…" Elizabeth went on to describe what had occurred over the course of the afternoon and evening in detail to Mr. Smythe and concluded by saying, "Mr. Darcy has taken some water, but not much. I was unsure whether to give him more since he was not complaining of being thirsty, and he was feeling a little nauseated, sir."

"Well, that is probably one of the most thorough reports I have ever received, Miss Bennet. Are you training to be a midwife?"

"No, sir. I just paid attention when Mr. Jones treated my family and friends as I was growing up."

"You have a good memory, then." He turned to his patient and said, "It sounds as if you have been taken good care of, Master William, but I shall need to take a look at you. I would like to see your shoulder and head, for now, and then when we return to the house, I will do a more thorough examination. Miss Bennet, will you please excuse us?"

"Certainly, sir."

William had not taken his eyes off Elizabeth since she had first begun speaking to the doctor, and when he realized she was leaving, he became very agitated and took her hand, "No… no."

She looked helplessly at the doctor, and Mr. Smythe said, "Well, I suppose you can stay as long as our patient does not mind it! But, Master William, you will have to relinquish the lady's hand once we get back to Pemberley. Miss Bennet will not be able to stay for that examination."

After a few minutes, Mr. Smythe said, "I have done all that I can out here. When will the cart be here to transport him?"

"It should be here soon, Smythe," Mr. Darcy said.

"Miss Elizabeth's ankle--she has injured it," William said to Mr. Smythe.

"Of course."

Elizabeth smiled at William, "I do think you will have to let go of my hand for a few minutes, sir. I promise I will be back soon."

Mr. Bennet helped Elizabeth take a few steps to a fallen log, and Mr. Smythe examined her ankle by lantern light. He took one look at her ankle, then looked up to her eyes quickly, locked his with hers, and raised his eyebrows in surprise. She shrugged. Mr. Bennet could see in this man's face that his already high level of respect for his daughter had just increased. There were few women who would be able to function while experiencing that amount of pain, and none of the ones he could recall were gentle ladies. Most ladies would be lying in bed crying from the pain of an injury not even half as serious.

"Well, well, Miss Bennet! Did you run a race after hurting yourself?"

She whispered, "Please, sir. I do not wish Mr. Darcy to know how bad it is--he feels guilty enough that he could not help me. It was getting cold, and Mr. Darcy needed a fire, so I collected wood, sir."

Mr. Smythe nodded, and then said, "This is going to hurt, Miss Bennet, but I need to examine the bone."

Elizabeth looked up into her father's concerned eyes. He offered her his hand, and she took it. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes as he examined her, but she refused to cry out. When he was finished, he said, "Do you not feel pain, Miss Bennet?"

"If the way she was squeezing my hand is any indication, she felt it, all right, sir, have no doubt!" Mr. Bennet said quietly.

"I did not mean to hurt you, Papa!"

"Oh, no, Lizzy, I am fine. Do not be concerned," he said, cursing himself for his attempt at a jest to distract her from the pain only to have it cause his brave daughter to feel guilt instead.

"It is not broken, but this is a very bad sprain. It is very swollen and bruised. You will have to rest it for a few weeks at least. When you return to Pemberley I will have the housekeeper put some ice on it, but I doubt that will help to reduce the swelling after this length of time. I am certain it will heal completely with time and rest. Please do not attempt to walk on it."

"As we were scheduled to return to Hertfordshire next week, I must ask, Mr. Smythe, when will Elizabeth be able to travel?"

"Oh, it will be some weeks before she will be comfortable enough, Mr. Bennet. It is possible that she will be able to travel in three or four weeks--but one week? No, it would be too uncomfortable to make such a long journey in so short a time."

"Well, then… it looks like your mother and sisters will have to do without us for a while longer, my Lizzy."

"I am sorry, Papa."

"No, no! Do not be silly, my child. I am certain I can find something in Darcy's library to keep me busy during our extended stay." He smiled at his daughter and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.

She laughed, "I daresay you might find a book or two, Papa. And I am certain that you and Mr. Darcy can find a few more 'old times' to discuss as well. From all I have heard over the past weeks, I feel almost as if I attended Eton and Cambridge with you both!"

"Have we old men been boring you, dear Lizzy?"

"Not at all, sir. I would enjoy listening to all your stories again if you have run out of things to talk about. I could never tire of hearing about those things I have longed to experience myself but will never be allowed to do. Perhaps young Mr. Darcy will share stories about his time in Eton and Cambridge as well as his trip abroad. I heard a great deal about his trip to Italy when I was trying to keep him awake, and I am certain his accounts will be much more interesting once his fever has passed. He was slurring his words quite a bit, but still his thinking was clear when reminiscing--his descriptions were so vivid that I could almost see the things he described." Her expression turned to one of deep concern as she asked, "Mr. Smythe, will Mr. Darcy be all right, sir?"

Witnessing this exchange, Mr. Smythe understood their personalities and relationship to the Darcys better. "I do not think his head injury is serious, and you did a wonderful job replacing his shoulder. Honestly, I would not have done anything differently if I had been here myself at the time of his accident. The fever is the part that confuses me, though, as the head wound does not seem infected. How quickly the fever has come on and risen concerns me, but as long as he gets past the fever, I think he will be fine. He is a strong, healthy young man, Miss Bennet, and that is on his side."

"Is it possible he contracted something in Italy or on the passage home, and the fever is not connected to his accident at all, Mr. Smythe?"

"I knew he had been away, but not the details. When did he arrive home?"

"The way I understood it, he left the ship five days ago, traveled, stayed one night in London, and then arrived here today, sir," Elizabeth answered.

"Well, then! It is very possible he had contracted something else… yes." He smiled at Elizabeth. "Thank you for the consultation, Miss Bennet."

Elizabeth was glad for the darkness because it concealed her blush.

"Mr. Smythe? Miss Elizabeth?" Mr. Darcy called out. They looked over to where William was lying and saw him thrashing about. Mr. Bennet helped Elizabeth over to them as quickly as possible.

Mr. Smythe got there first, and said, "His fever has risen quite a bit while I was examining Miss Bennet!"

"He keeps calling out for you, Miss Elizabeth, and will not calm."

She dampened the cloth again and wiped his face. He opened his eyes a little and said in a raspy voice, "Elizabeth." Settling a little, he took hold of her hand.

"There is no need to worry about me, sir. Mr. Smythe says my ankle will be fine, but I will have to rest it. I fear Mrs. Reynolds will be very displeased with me as I am not a good patient when I am confined indoors! I will ride in the cart with you on the way to Pemberley." His eyes never left her, but he had quieted again. "Mr. Darcy, I just remembered… you said some people were sick on the ship; was it only during the storm or were they sick at other times?"

"Other times, too. Fevers and coughing."

She looked to Mr. Smythe, who turned to Mr. Darcy and said, "We think he might have contracted something onboard the ship unrelated to the accident."

"We?" Mr. Darcy asked.

Mr. Smythe smiled a little and said, "Oh,… Miss Bennet and I."

"Poseidon likes her," William said with a chuckle.

Mr. Darcy's eyebrows rose up high. "Poseidon? William's horse likes you, Miss Elizabeth?"

"Why, yes. I do not understand why it is so surprising. He seems very pleasant, if a little high spirited."

"Pleasant? Tom, come here a minute." Mr. Darcy yelled out to one of the men who had helped with the search. "This is Tom, who works in the stable. Tom, Miss Bennet would like to know your opinion on Poseidon."

"He's one of the best around for ridin', but one of the most ornery, too. Nobody at the stable can't get near to 'm, ma'am… not even Mr. Darcy. Just me and Master William."

"He put his head on her shoulder," William rasped out.

Both Mr. Darcy and Tom gaped at her. "She's a horse charmer?" Tom asked.

"Males of all species!" William said, glancing at Mr. Smythe.

Mr. Bennet laughed. "Quite!"

"Gentlemen, I am right here. I would appreciate it if you would end this contest to see who can make me blush the brightest shade of crimson." The sound of the cart approaching caught everyone's attention. "Ah, I am saved from further teasing!"

Several men carried William to the cart. Once he was as comfortable as possible, Mr. Bennet carried Elizabeth and placed her on William's good side sitting up next to him. She asked for the cloth and canteen in order that she could continue wiping down his face during the ride back to Pemberley. The men all rode around the cart, taking it very slowly to avoid as many bumps as possible. Mr. Smythe said that it was safe for William to fall asleep, but he doubted that would be possible in the cart.

While they were on the trip to Pemberley, William's hand found hers again whenever she was not using it to refresh the cloth. One of the men rode up with the requested willow bark, and Mr. Darcy directed him to Mr. Smythe. Mr. Smythe cut off a piece for William and one for Elizabeth and asked them to chew on it. When seeing his scowl, she said, "I know, it tastes horrible, but it will help the fever and the pain."

"You have a fever?" he asked.

"No, but it helps with swelling as well. Once we are at Pemberley, Mrs. Reynolds can make a tea and mix some honey in so it will taste better." After a while they both took it out of their mouths and threw the rest over the side. He was embarrassed that she took his from his mouth, but she only smiled at him, and then persuaded him to close his eyes and promise to try to sleep. His head rolled to the side, resting against her leg, and he fell asleep while she bathed his face almost constantly.

** Willow bark has similar ingredients to aspirin.

Posted on: 2011-03-17

Chapter 5

Elizabeth was awakened by a panicked Mrs. Reynolds. "Oh, Miss Bennet! I am so very sorry to have to wake you, but it is Master William!" Elizabeth sat straight up. "We have tried everything to calm him, but it will not do! His fever is so high, and he is coughing and thrashing around violently. He keeps calling for you, and Mr. Darcy said that when something similar happened earlier, he only calmed once you held his hand…" She stopped talking as Elizabeth tried to stand up, her injured ankle forgotten, then cried out, almost falling. Mrs. Reynolds caught her.

"Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds. Can you help me with my robe, please?" With this done, Elizabeth limped out into the hallway, "Which way?" Mrs. Reynolds supported her weight, and they made their way down to the family wing. As she passed, Elizabeth told the footman to wake her father and to inform him of her whereabouts.

When the door was opened, she stopped, taking in the condition of William as he lay in the bed. The arm that was not bound to his chest was flailing around as if reaching for something; his voice, calling her name, was so hoarse that she barely recognized it. Mr. Darcy rushed over to her and noticing how she leaned on Mrs. Reynolds, lifted her in his arms and carried her to the chair by the bed.

"Miss Elizabeth, why did you not have a footman carry you?"

"I did not think of it, sir."

William was plagued with another round of coughing, his face screwed up in pain from the jarring of his shoulder.

Once she was seated, she began to speak, "Mr. Darcy, it is Elizabeth. I am here. There is no need to worry about me; I am safe." His hand reached out toward her, and she took it in both of hers as she leaned closer to him. "Your fever is very high; I will need to bathe your face."

Elizabeth took the cloth from the basin and she squeezed it out while saying in a very calm voice, "Mr. Darcy, you must rest now. This restlessness is not good for you; it is making your cough worse. You promised you would sleep now." She took his hand in one of hers and started wiping his face with the other. His condition shocked her. He was completely soaked in sweat--his hair, his clothing, even the bedding. His skin was so hot that she was frightened beyond anything she had ever felt before. Mrs. Reynolds came over and squeezed out another cloth for her to use next so that she would not have to release his hand.

"Elizabeth…" William was calming. Elizabeth heard her father as he entered the room, acknowledging his presence with merely a glance.

"Yes, I am here, sir." One would not be able to tell from her voice that she was in a complete panic.

"Elizabeth?" His eyes were open a little now and she schooled her features, willing herself to look as calm as she sounded.

She switched cloths with Mrs. Reynolds. "Yes, Mr. Darcy?"

"Why?"

"I do not understand, sir."

"Why will you not marry me?" Mr. Darcy, Mrs. Reynolds and Mr. Bennet turned their heads quickly in perfect synchronization to see her reaction.

Elizabeth blushed and tried not to look at anyone but William. "You are ill, sir. You told me not to take anything you said seriously."

"I did not mean this!" He had found a little strength to project his voice just a bit, which brought on a short round of coughing.

When he quieted, she smiled a little while replying, "I did not say 'no,' sir. I told you that I will not even consider a proposal from a man who tells me his fever makes him feel as if he were drunk. When you are feeling better, if you still wish to, you may ask at a later date."

He started coughing again. She could not even imagine the pain that the forceful movement must be causing his shoulder and his head. Her eyes filled with tears as he groaned.

"I am so very sorry," she said, feeling the guilt of her part in his accident. Why did she have to land in the horse's way?

"Not your fault I fell," he whispered as his eyes slit open so he could see her.

She tried to smile as she said, "I told you I would not argue over who should take more of the blame. By the by, I have been very careful not to say you fell from your horse!"

He rolled his eyes as best he could and nodded slightly. He closed his eyes and began to fall asleep, but then startled awake again, staring at her while she mopped his brow. "Why is your hair down?"

"It is nighttime. Mrs. Reynolds came to get me." She glanced at the lady in question.

William turned his head a little and saw Mrs. Reynolds in the room with them, then noticed movement behind Elizabeth and picked up his head a little to see both their fathers in attendance. He did not notice Mr. Smythe in a chair in the far corner of the room. It was obvious that William had thought they were alone and was surprised that the others were there, but he did not have the energy to be embarrassed that they had heard all that he had said to her. He did manage an, "Oh!" before squeezing her hand slightly and closing his eyes again. "Do not leave me."

"I promise that I will not leave before you awaken."

He sighed deeply and fell asleep, his hand holding hers.

Mrs. Reynolds squeezed out another cloth and exchanged with her again, then moved across the room to get a blanket in which to wrap her. She excused herself momentarily to speak to a footman in the hallway. He returned shortly with a small stool and, at Mrs. Reynolds's direction, he placed it near Elizabeth's chair, then covered it with a large pillow. Mrs. Reynolds helped her place her foot upon it to keep it elevated as Mr. Smythe had instructed. Elizabeth thanked her and continued to mop William's brow.

The gentlemen said not a word, but only settled into some comfortable chairs near the fireplace. For a long while, the silence in the room was broken only with the sound of William's raspy breathing and intermittent coughing, the crackling of the fire, and the sloshing of the water in the basin as cloths were refreshed.

A few hours later, Elizabeth smiled widely at Mrs. Reynolds and called out excitedly to Mr. Smythe; William's fever had broken.

Mr. Bennet suggested that she return to her bed, but she refused. "I promised him I would be here when he awakens, and I will not break that promise, Papa! I will sleep here."

Her father knew better than to argue with her when she had that determined light in her eyes. "You must promise me that you will return to your bedchamber once William awakes."

Elizabeth nodded her understanding. "Yes, Papa."

Mr. Darcy quietly said to Mr. Bennet, "Go to bed, my friend. I will make sure that William agrees to allow Elizabeth to leave when next he wakes."

Mr. Bennet nodded his agreement and left the room. Mr. Smythe also left to rest in the next room, asking them to wake him immediately if anything changed, though he did not expect Master William to do anything but improve from here on out.

Mr. Darcy turned to Elizabeth and said, "Thank you, Miss Elizabeth."

She was too tired to do anything more than smile at him. She closed her eyes and fell asleep, still holding William's hand.

Hours later, Elizabeth awakened. She felt William's hand still in hers, but her neck was stiff from the attitude she had assumed as she had slept in the chair. She rolled her neck a little before opening her eyes--to see William staring at her. A brilliant smile spread across her face as she whispered, "Good morning, Mr. Darcy!"

He smiled weakly, but the smile reached his eyes tenfold. "Good morning, Miss Elizabeth," he said hoarsely and then began to cough anew. She released his hand and reached for a glass, pouring water and then waiting until his cough abated. She held the glass out for him to take, but his hand was shaking too much to hold it steady, so she stood and helped him to take a few sips.

"You seem much improved over your condition last night."

"Yes, I feel much better… may I ask again now?" Feeling the loss of her touch, William took hold of her hand once more.

She laughed. "Mr. Darcy! Wait until you are recovered! You need time to think about it with a rational mind not weakened by illness, injury or fever, sir."

He sighed. Should he tell her he never wanted to wake up again without her face being the first thing he saw? Or that when she had lain next to him last night in the woods, she fit so perfectly against his side that he would never again fall asleep without thinking of her? Or that when they had kissed, it had been the most perfect moment in all of his life? How could he convince her that he was in his right mind? He knew the answer was that he should give her time. He needed to prove that his feelings were constant.

"Mr. Darcy, your fever broke during the night, and you are out of danger. I had promised both my father and yours," she nodded toward the fire where his father was still sleeping in a chair, "that after you awoke, I would return to my room."

Though he wanted nothing more than to tell her to sleep here, in his bed, snuggled up next to him, he knew that it was impossible. He nodded, but did not let go of her hand. "Will you visit today? Perhaps bring a book and read to me?"

"If both our fathers permit it, yes, I shall. Mayhap I can come with Georgiana." She smiled, and then could not hold back a yawn.

He swallowed hard and said, "I apologize for keeping you, Miss Elizabeth. Go rest… good night." William squeezed her hand one more time and then reluctantly released it. He watched as she limped toward the door, and as the door closed, he heard her quietly ask the footman to assist her to her room.

His father approached the bed. "It is good to see that you are feeling better than you were last night, William. You gave us all quite a scare!"

"Thank you, Father. I am sorry to have worried you all."

"It seems we have a few important things to discuss when you are feeling stronger..." He raised his eyebrows and glanced at the seat Elizabeth had occupied previously, "...but for now, rest and recover, son. I must get some sleep as well. I will send a servant to sit with you. Do not hesitate to have me summoned immediately if you need me, William." He helped William take another drink before heading for the door.

William nodded. "Sleep well, Father."

When Mr. Bennet entered the breakfast room, Mr. Darcy was the only one present.

"Good morning, Darcy. How is William today?"

"Good morning, Bennet. He is resting now, but still coughing. How is Elizabeth?"

"The maid said she is still sleeping."

"It appears that we have additional serious matters to discuss, eh?" Mr. Darcy said with a smile.

"While I tend to find amusement in most situations, I am certainly finding it difficult to do so with this subject."

"Perhaps we should meet in my study as soon as you are finished with your meal?"

"Yes, I think that would be wise." He said glancing at the servants, "I find I have no appetite this morning but will eagerly indulge myself with your delicious coffee."

Mr. Darcy had a coffee tray sent to his study, and the gentlemen headed there. Once the coffee had been served and the door had closed behind the servant, Mr. Bennet said, "What are your thoughts on this matter?"

"To be honest, Bennet, over the past weeks of your stay here at Pemberley, I have been thinking about how perfectly matched William and Miss Elizabeth would be, and was going to ask you to return to Pemberley soon because I was hoping to have them meet--though perhaps I was not expecting to hear that he had made a decision so soon after seeing her again."

Mr. Bennet's brow furrowed. "Well, now… that is a surprise. You have no qualms about the difference in their social status? She is not of the first circle, nor does she have the connections usually required by those of the ton. Though I have followed your advice on investing over the years, I had only a small amount with which to start. My girls have a dowry of only five thousand pounds each, part of which is dependent on my wife's death."

Mr. Darcy's ire showed through his usual calm demeanor. "You think I am such a snob that I would deny my son the happiness of a life filled with love because of the anticipated negative reaction of the ton? After the purpose of your visit here and all of our discussions on the matter, I thought you would understand my feelings by now."

"Do not become angry with me, George! You should be able to understand that I had to ask--had to be certain? My Lizzy is too important to me to simply assume that you have thought through everything regarding the match. But I am afraid I cannot just take your word for their being well-matched, George. Remember, I have not seen William in years… I will have to see for myself how they get along. It certainly seems that Lizzy is not against it, no matter what she said last night… but she is so young."

Mr. Darcy replied, "Her response to William only made me love her all the more, Thomas, and to see even more clearly that she is perfect for him. William can be very intimidating, though he does not realize it, and she would not allow him to intimidate her. Though he is not uncomfortable with you, usually he is very reserved in the company of other than a select few. I have seen how he is with her--he is more comfortable with her than he is with anyone other than Georgiana and me. My son is painfully shy, and I can only imagine that with her by his side, he would do much better in any society.

"In her favor, William accepts her for who she is, and you know, as we have discussed in the past, how that is going to be a rare occurrence for Elizabeth, Thomas. Furthermore, she will be hard pressed to find a man that she can respect, who can challenge her in wit and intelligence, but William can. He often has spoken of things she has said to him through the years and has always been very impressed with her. She would be guaranteed a life of comfort and security as well as a husband who honestly respects her opinion. I believe they would be true partners in life. I would welcome her as my daughter with open arms, and Georgiana loves her as a sister already.

"As for her age--I married Anne when she was seventeen."

"Lizzy is but sixteen. I would like her to have at least one season, even if it is only in Hertfordshire--to be exposed to a number of men before making a decision about whether she wishes to be engaged to any man--even your excellent William. How can I expect her to make a decision unless she has some experience on which to base it?"

"From what I understand, Elizabeth has more experience with boys than most girls her age. Did she not spend most of her childhood playing games with the boys of the neighborhood?"

"Yes, she did, and perhaps Lizzy does have more of an idea of what traits she would and would not want in a life-partner, George, but to be honest, I doubt she has ever looked at her friends from childhood with that in mind. I want her to have the chance to dance and converse with true perspective matches before giving her heart away to the first man who comes along and offers for her!"

"If she has already given her heart to William--and after seeing the way she looked at William last night, I do not think you have much of a choice but to admit that she already has--would she go out into society and flirt with other men? Though many in the ton would, I cannot believe that of her."

"I would like her to, at the very least, have the opportunity to make a more informed choice, George. One season, that is all I ask. Once William has recovered, if he is still interested in Lizzy, they can meet again when she turns seventeen on the thirtieth day of May. If at that time their feelings are the same, I gladly will give my consent."

Mr. Darcy laughed, "Are you certain you are not trying to keep her home a little longer in your company, Thomas?"

"Perhaps," Mr. Bennet admitted with a smile, "but I also want them both to be sure about this, George. You were fortunate in your marriage to Anne, but I have personal experience with rushing into marriage before truly knowing the person. I would not wish that fate upon anyone, especially my dearest Lizzy."

Mr. Darcy nodded. "What you say does sound reasonable. Though, Thomas, I know I will not be here to see Georgiana marry… I would like to be here to witness William's wedding if at all possible. If our children decide this is right for them, please do not insist upon a long engagement. If I am lucky, I might even live long enough to meet a grandchild." Mr. Bennet nodded solemnly, and both gentlemen were quiet for a few minutes, lost in thought before Mr. Darcy continued, "Let us see how things develop here, especially now that you will be with us longer than expected while Elizabeth recovers. If all goes as I expect, we will let them know of your--our plan." The two gentlemen shook hands on it, and then Mr. Darcy continued, "William has requested that Elizabeth visit and read to Georgiana and him. Is that acceptable to you? He will not be leaving his chambers for a few days at the very least. Since I understand that Elizabeth is just as prone to being a poor patient when illness confines her indoors as is William, it might help to cheer them both, as well as give them more time to know each other better."

"I know I should not… having them found in the woods after so many hours alone was damaging enough to their reputations. But you say your servants are all reliable and discreet, are they not?"

"They are very loyal and will not gossip about any of this, Thomas."

"As long as Georgiana or a maid, preferably both, is present at all times, then yes, I will permit it. I want them to get to know each other better as much as you do."

"All right, then; that is settled."

They were quiet for several minutes until Mr. Bennet asked with a serious countenance, "George, will you share what the doctors told you with William and Georgiana?"

"I was going to tell them as soon as William returned, but now that he is home early, and you are still here, I must think about whether it would be better to wait until you leave or to tell them now. They might want the privacy, but then again, Elizabeth could be a great comfort to Georgiana when she hears what I have to say. William might have questions for you, as well. I will need to think about it further. Meantime, today I must ride out to settle a tenant dispute. Would you like to ride out with me?"

"William's injury will postpone your training of him, but I hope the delay will not be of long duration. I do hope that the doctors are wrong about your condition and nothing comes of it, but if it does happen before he is fully comfortable in the master's role, I will need to know as much as possible if I am to help him. It is the reason I came to Pemberley, as you well know--between having Wickham and me to turn to, William will be fine.

"This puts me in mind of a question, though, George. You have told me much about the character of certain members of the Fitzwilliam family and how you do not want them to be the ones to help William with the estate or to influence his decisions. You have also voiced your fear that they will try to turn him into one of them. I know what I will be up against if what we are preparing for does come to pass. But all this makes me wonder, how will they react if Elizabeth and William marry?"

Mr. Darcy rolled his eyes and stood to leave, "It will not be a pretty sight, and it is another reason not to delay for too long! If I am here, I will do my best to be a buffer between the Fitzwilliams and our children and will continue to do so until my dying breath, Thomas. The Darcys have connections enough in the ton to counteract any that might make things… difficult for them through the efforts of the Fitzwilliams. Now, I am going to check on William, and then we will go."

"Good, as I would like to look in on Lizzy as well."

When Elizabeth woke, she rang for the maid. Soon after, there was a knock at the door, but it was the one for the hallway, not the servant's entrance as she had expected. Elizabeth called out and eleven-year-old Georgiana appeared.

"I am so glad to see that you are all right, Elizabeth!" Georgiana embraced her friend and continued, "I hope you do not mind that I asked to be notified when you awoke. I waited to break my fast hoping to keep you company while you did the same. Is that agreeable with you?"

"Thank you, Georgiana! Yes, that does sound pleasant, but I was hoping for a bath first thing today. After yesterday, I certainly do need one!"

"Then I will return to my studies, and I will see you after your bath." Georgiana smiled at her and left the room.

When Elizabeth had completed her toilette, she sent word for Georgiana to join her.

"I apologize for taking so long with my bath, Georgiana. Accomplishing anything with my injured ankle will take some getting used to."

Georgiana crossed the room and enveloped Elizabeth in another affectionate hug. After the maid left the room, Georgiana said, "I was so worried about you and William last night, Elizabeth! I knew William would never get lost at Pemberley, and your father said you have a good sense of direction, so I knew that something was amiss. I could not sleep until I knew you were both safe!"

"Oh, Georgiana, I am sorry you stayed up so late. We would rather have been at Pemberley with you, believe me." She was not certain that Georgiana knew that her brother had become ill, so she did not mention it as it was not her place to do so.

Servants came in with the breakfast trays and set them up as Georgiana directed. Just after they left, Mr. Bennet knocked at her door and was admitted by the maid. "Good morning, Miss Darcy. Good morning, Lizzy." He went to Elizabeth's side and kissed her forehead. "How are you feeling this morning, my dear?"

"My ankle is feeling a little better, thank you, Papa. Mr. Smythe has already been to see me, and he says that the swelling is reduced a little as well. Have you heard how Georgiana's brother is faring this morning?"

"Yes, Mr. Darcy informed me that William was resting as comfortably as his cough and shoulder will allow. I came to inform you that I will be riding out with Mr. Darcy again today, and we will be back before nightfall. If we are needed, the housekeeper knows our destination. Do not hesitate to send for us." Mr. Bennet gave her a pointed look, wordlessly conveying that he was very serious on this last point.

"Thank you, Papa. I am certain that we both are on the mend and will not require your assistance." Mr. Bennet bid them a good day and left.

"William is coughing?" Georgiana asked, a worried frown replacing her former smile.

"You have not seen him this morning?"

"No, I was told he is still sleeping."

"There is no way of avoiding this conversation now!" Elizabeth thought. "Ah, well, he had hurt his shoulder and his head in the accident, and then a fever began before we were found, but it broke during the night. He started coughing after we returned to Pemberley. Mr. Smythe thinks he will be fine with rest, so do not worry, sweet friend."

"My father stopped by the schoolroom a little while ago and told me we are to have luncheon in William's room today. I asked William's valet to send word when he is ready for visitors since Father said we should go in to keep him occupied. Apparently, you promised we would read to him?"

Elizabeth smiled; had Mr. Darcy been pretending to sleep when she told William that she would? "Yes… yes, I did. Are you reading anything interesting in your lessons right now, Georgiana--a book or a play? Perhaps we can incorporate your lessons into our visit."

"Yes, Lizzy, Shakespeare's Twelfth Night."

"That is perfect! There just happens to be a copy right here in my room. Perhaps after breakfast you can get your copy, and we can work out who will play which parts and thereby entertain your brother for a while. Afterwards, we can discuss the play. What say you?"

"Oh, that sounds like great fun, Elizabeth. Yes!" Georgiana clapped her hands excitedly. The girls had a pleasant morning and had finished planning their performance just as they received word that William was ready for them.

Mr. Darcy had arranged that Elizabeth should be carried by a footman whenever her father was not available, and no amount of arguing on her part could convince the footman to allow her to walk only with the support of his arm. The staff had come to know her well during her stay and liked her very much, so they would easily forgive her for her stubborn behavior, but nothing was making it easier to convince Elizabeth that the footman must carry her. Elizabeth's maid had called for Mrs. Reynolds who was accustomed to headstrong patients as none of the Darcys were very cooperative when they were ill. Even then, she finally had to dispense with all politeness and tell Miss Elizabeth with a very severe look and tone of voice, "Mr. Darcy is the master of this house, and unless he tells me otherwise, you, Miss Bennet, will be carried. If you refuse, you will not leave this room!"

Soon after this exchange, Mrs. Reynolds knocked on William's door and upon the valet's opening the door, a parade of people filed into the room. Much to William's surprise, a very stern-looking Mrs. Reynolds was seen leading a footman carrying an angry-looking Elizabeth, with an amused-looking Georgiana following in their wake.

When he first saw the group entering his chambers, he was overwhelmed with conflicting emotions: happiness that he was to spend time with Elizabeth again so soon; gladness to see Georgiana again after being away for so long; jealousy because if anyone should be carrying Elizabeth it should be him; frustration because he could not manage that task in his present state; and awe to see that Elizabeth was even more beautiful when angry.

While Mrs. Reynolds made sure Elizabeth was well settled in the chair with her foot elevated, Georgiana and William greeted each other. Georgiana sat on the edge of his bed and held his hand, speaking softly.

Before leaving, Mrs. Reynolds said firmly, "Miss Elizabeth, you will call for James before you leave this room! The master's orders will be followed--you will be carried so that you will not injure yourself further!"

Georgiana saw that William seemed quite confused, so she explained, "It seems Miss Elizabeth is about as compliant a patient as are you, William!"

Elizabeth and William's eyes met and both blushed. Not one to hold a grudge and definitely one to find an amusing side to every situation, Elizabeth giggled and said, "Oh, Mrs. Reynolds, James, I apologize. You are correct; I have always been a terrible patient. I am far too independent and do not do well at relying on others. It is especially ungrateful of me to be so difficult after what happened at Longbourn, James."

The normally stoic James surprised the other occupants of the room by smiling. "I'm flattered that you remember, Miss."

"Of course, I remember. I promise to be more cooperative in the future."

Both James and a now-satisfied Mrs. Reynolds left the room.

"Longbourn?" William asked.

"Yes, you do remember staying overnight at Longbourn a few years ago, sir? I had a bit of trouble, and James helped me."

"Trouble?" Georgiana asked, a little bit alarmed.

"Yes." Elizabeth blushed furiously and paid an inordinate amount of attention to smoothing her skirt, but did not elaborate. She looked up to find both pairs of Darcy eyes staring at her, awaiting an answer. "If you must know, it had something to do with a not-so-brilliant idea of attempting to catch a badger to make a pet of it… and I think that is all I will say on the subject at present." She smiled at William and said, "You do look much better than you did last night, sir; how are you feeling?"

The change of subject was noted, but he did not mind as long as her attention was centered on him. "I am certain I do not look well, Miss Elizabeth. I am feeling a little better, thank you. I no longer feel strange from the fever," he said with a look filled with hope that perhaps now she would allow his proposal. She shook her head a little, but tempered it with a small smile. Disappointment showed on his face.

"I did not say you look well, sir, I said you look better," Elizabeth teased.

William smiled slightly. "Is your ankle any better?"

"It is a little, thank you. Mr. Smythe said I will make a full recovery as long as I do not walk upon it." Her expression changed to one of concern as she asked, "Has Mr. Smythe been to see you this morning?"

"Yes, he feels I am out of danger as long as the fever does not recur and the cough does not get worse. Apparently the fever was quite high last night. I remember only a little of what happened after we returned to Pemberley." His thoughts showed in his eyes as he looked at Elizabeth. "I remember your gentle touch, your looks, my waking to find you nearby with your hand in mine, the aching need to have you beside me once more, the emptiness I felt while watching you leave me…"

Georgiana was surprised at Elizabeth's teasing of her brother and watched him closely to see his reaction. She was shocked to see that he was enjoying the exchange, but then she noticed a look in his eyes that was something akin to the way he looked at her, but it was different as well. The look changed to… something else, something much more powerful. Georgiana smiled as she thought, "William is in love with Elizabeth!"

"I am glad to hear it, Miss Elizabeth. I see that you ladies brought books. What have you chosen to read to me?"

"I am studying Twelfth Night at present, and Elizabeth thought it might be entertaining if we acted out part of it for you--from a seated position, of course."

With that teasing sparkle in her eyes, Elizabeth added, "From what I have heard, your behavior when confined to a sickbed would not be much different than mine. So we are determined to keep you entertained!" She paused, and her look turned a bit more serious. "If you agree, we will get through as much as we can before luncheon is brought in. After we eat, if you are feeling well enough, we can discuss Georgiana's impressions of it. If our acting is not too badly done, perhaps we can continue tomorrow. However, if it is unacceptable, we shall choose something else to read."

"I will reserve the right to decide until after I have seen your performance," William said, and then was overcome with a coughing fit. Elizabeth sprang into action and poured a fresh glass of water, holding it for him to take a sip once his coughing had calmed.

Elizabeth's unoccupied hand moved without thought, smoothing a curl away from his forehead, and then she jumped a little with the realization that what she was doing was highly inappropriate. Blushing, she moved away and busied herself with the glass and pitcher on the bedside tray. Once she recovered enough to look at him again, the love and hope in his eyes took her breath away.

"Please do not tell Mrs. Reynolds that I stood up!" she jested, trying to recover her equanimity.

Georgiana was only eleven, but having spent most of her time with adults, she was intelligent beyond her years, and she could see this exchange for what it truly was. Though it made her very happy, she also knew that she should not let the scene continue any longer. Playing the part of the little sister, she asked with youthful energy, "Shall we begin, Elizabeth?"

They made their way through a few scenes with a bit of laughter laced throughout before stopping to eat lunch, and then Elizabeth asked Georgiana a few questions about the play. William was becoming too sleepy to participate in the conversation, but he did not want them to leave him, so he struggled with his heavy eyelids.

Elizabeth noticed he was falling asleep, and she shot Georgiana a pointed look. Elizabeth felt that he would not wish them to leave on his account, but would agree to it more readily if it were on hers. She cleared her throat loudly so that William would awaken and hear. When out of the corner of her eye she saw his eyes fly open, she said, "I apologize for breaking up our little party, but would you mind if I returned to my chamber to rest for a while? I feel in need of a nap."

Georgiana rang the bell for James to collect Elizabeth. "William, you should have a nap as well. Father said he and Mr. Bennet would take a tray in here with you for dinner, and I will be doing the same with Elizabeth. Will you have Hughes notify Father when you wake?"

William nodded and asked, "Will you both come for lunch again tomorrow? I enjoyed your performance and would like to see more of the play."

Georgiana saw that Elizabeth would be very happy to do so. "I think we would like that." She looked at the clock and feigned surprise, "Oh! Look at the time! I must return to the school room immediately. I will leave the door open. You will wait here for James, will you not, Elizabeth? I am certain that he will be here within a few minutes." Not waiting for an answer; she kissed William on the cheek and rushed out the door.

Elizabeth's eyes danced with amusement. "Did you bribe your sister into leaving us alone for a few minutes?"

"No, but I am thankful for her perceptive nature. Elizabeth…"

She interrupted, "It seems my father wishes to get to know you better, Mr. Darcy, and so you will be subjected to his attentions for dinner this evening. I must warn you that last night while you were at the height of fever, you declared your intentions in front of him, your father, Mrs. Reynolds, and Mr. Smythe."

He blushed and said, "I would not mind at all if you had given me a different answer."

"Actually, I gave you the only sensible answer at this time, sir. From the moment we have been reacquainted, you have been under severe duress. One should not make life-altering decisions at such a time."

"I am a very patient man, Elizabeth. Though I would rather not, I will wait as long as it takes to prove the constancy of my feelings for you. I am absolutely certain my feelings are not the result of 'severe duress,' or infatuation. I am not afraid of your father's interrogation other than I am not at my best right now, of which I am sure he is aware."

"Well… I should wait in the hall for James so that Georgiana's abandonment is not discovered! My father might not allow me to visit with her tomorrow if it is… and you will need a nap before you meet with him to ensure that you are closer to your best!"

She stood, and as a result she was close enough to the bed for him to reach her hand. He brought it to his lips, brushed them over the back of her hand, and then released it. "Feel better soon, William," she whispered and then limped out to a hall chair to wait for James.