Finding Another Mother - CH 9 (final chapter)

Chapter 9: AN AWAKENING

Three days later, while Jane Darcy sat by her husband’s bedside he began to move about. Jane immediately had the doctor sent for. Darcy was dripping with sweat. His fever was breaking. Jane felt that her prayers were at last being answered. She sat by his side brushing the hair from his forehead with her fingers. She spoke to him in a quiet voice coaxing him to take a sip of tea from a spoon. Darcy felt her fingers on his head, heard her voice, inhaled the rose sent and through the slits in his half-opened eyes he saw her blonde hair and ruby encrusted choker. “She was here, really here,” his thoughts were a bit jumbled. But he knew that the angel caring for him was his Mother! He tried to say the word “Mother,” but his throat was so dry that only a soft “mmm” could be heard.

Jane spoke in a soothing voice, “Fitzwilliam, it’s Jane, I am here. Please open your eyes and come back to me.” Darcy shuddered. “Jane?” he thought. “Not Mother? I have mistaken my wife for my mother? I married a replica of my mother?” His attraction to Jane seemed like a scene from Oedipus Rex – was he really in love with his mother? The joy and serenity he felt when he was with Jane was reminiscent of how he felt as a child with his mother. “Egad! Till this moment I never knew myself! I am a sick man!” He chastised himself with disgust. Darcy opened his eyes a tad more and Jane lovingly smiled at him. The doctor arrived not much longer after that and declared that Mr. Darcy was over the worst of it and needed to stay abed for three more days before he could be up and about.

Mr. Bingley was at a similar stage in his recovery. He was sweating profusely as his fever was breaking. Charlotte sat by him and mopped his brow with a cool cloth. She was trying to get him to take a sip of bone broth and asking him in a sweet voice to please try a small amount. Bingley began to open his eyes; he felt the cool cloth, saw the drab brown dress and the tight bun. His immediate thought was, “Mother!” However, he too had a dry throat and all that he could produce was a “mammm” sound. Charlotte was ecstatic. Charles was rousing. She called for the maid to send a note to the doctor informing him of Mr. Bingley’s current condition. As he fully awakened, he saw that it was indeed Charlotte and not his mother attending to him. “Mother,” was what he was screaming in his head, but it was Charlotte instead. He realized that the kindness that he perceived in Charlotte’s eyes was very similar to the kind gaze that his mother bestowed on him as a child. Did the solace that he felt in Charlotte’s presence in some way make him feel like he was with his mother? He thought about the story he had read at school about Oedipus Rex. In the story Oedipus marries his mother. Was he a demented man who somehow married someone because they reminded him of his mother? Bingley was in agony and realized that he must really be in love with his mother. Was he losing his mind? He felt a loathing for himself. He shut his eyes and pretended to be too tired to keep them open but subsequently he did happen to drift off to sleep.

Ten days after the rainstorm Fitzwilliam Darcy and Charles Bingley were both totally recovered physically. Perhaps a bit paler than usual but they could be up and about. Their psyches and emotions were another story. They had not shared with anyone their almost identical revelation concerning their marriages. Mr. Darcy tended to avoid Mrs. Darcy as he could not reconcile his “revelation” with the conduct of a gentleman. Mr. Bingley, while he did not have the personality to ignore Mrs. Bingley, moped around and was sullen. Both Mrs. Darcy and Mrs. Bingley were concerned for their husbands, but each was hopeful that with time a full recovery in every sense would be made.

It just happened that Colonel Fitzwilliam, also known to his intimates as Richard, arrived at the Darcy townhouse to check up on his cousin, Mr. Darcy. When he arrived, Jane was downstairs and saw him come in. She moved quickly to greet him; however, her demeanor was anything but joyful. Jane seemed down and out, and the Colonel noticed it at once. He immediately thought that something was wrong with Darcy. He asked if he could talk with her in private in the drawing room. She agreed. Upon peppering her with questions he was able to draw out of her that Darcy, while physically healed, was distant and seemed sad. Jane was beside herself on what to do to help him. Richard told her that Darcy was very protective of his family and especially of Jane. He said that he thought perhaps he was staying away from her to protect her from the illness that he had sustained. Jane thanked him for his insight. He then said that he would go see Darcy.

Richard knocked on the door to Darcy’s study. He was bid to come in. Richard was pleased that Darcy was no longer confined to bed but was concerned that he still looked pale and thin. He also noticed the sadness that surrounded him. Darcy did not want to open up about what was bothering him. Richard threatened to “liquor him up” to get the truth out of him. Mr. Darcy finally agreed to tell Richard his worries only if Richard would keep it confidential. Richard agreed. Thus, they were holed up in the study for more than two hours.

Darcy told him about awakening from his fever to find a blonde angel smelling like roses, wearing the Darcy heirloom ruby choker, brushing his hair from his forehead, coaxing him to wake up and take some tea. At that point he knew that this angel must be his mother however, it was really Jane instead. He then went on to explain that he thought he was like Oedipus Rex and that his attraction to Jane was really an attraction and desire to be married to his mother. He described himself as despicable.

Richard was repressing a slight smirk. “Richard, this is not funny!” bellowed Darcy. “Sorry,” replied Richard, “I truly cannot believe that you are serious in all that you just told me. Plus, I think you have the wrong of it. Let me ask you a few questions.”

Richard asked, “First, would you say that you had good parents?” Darcy replied most vehemently, “Yes!”

Richard continued, “Who was your role model on how to be a gentleman and run an estate?” “Why, my father of course!” replied Darcy.

Richard then asked, “Would you say that your parents had a good marriage?” “Yes!” cried Darcy.

“Was your mother a perfect fit for your father?” Richard inquired. “I believe so.” answered Darcy.

Richard paused for a few moments, organized his thoughts and then summed up, “One, consciously you aspire to be like your father. He taught you how to be a gentleman. Two, your mother was a perfect wife for him. By observing her you saw what characteristics she possessed to make her the ideal wife for him. Three, unconsciously you were looking for someone who had some of these characteristics that you in your head deemed essential for a happy marriage. You found that someone in Jane. Four, Jane is not your mother and has her unique differences. Yet in a few things, your so-called unconscious essentials needed in a wife, she does resemble your mother.”

“Let’s compare,” Richard continued, “Jane is compassionate, your mother was compassionate. Jane can make people feel comfortable; your mother could make her intimate acquaintances feel comfortable. Jane is soft spoken, and your mother was soft spoken. Jane is intelligent and will express her own opinions as did your mother. Now for some differences. Your mother was born to the aristocracy, Jane is the daughter of a country gentleman. Your mother was the youngest sibling, Jane is the eldest. Jane thinks the best of everyone, your mother did not. Jane is strong and will stand up for those she loves, your mother often did not.”

“Darcy, you did not marry your mother!” cried, Richard. “You married an exceptionally fine and wonderful woman who has qualities that compliment you. Some of those qualities may be the same ones your mother, Aunt Anne, had but are not the sum total of Jane. As far as looks, yes, they both have blonde hair, but several ladies do. They both favored rose water, as well half the ladies in London. And the ruby heart choker, really? It was your mother’s but you gave it to Jane, your wife, as a gift. Do you really want to fault her for wearing it?” Richard continued, “As far as Oedipus Rex goes, he was given up by his parents and did not even know who they were when he became married to his mother. There is no comparison here. You married someone who exemplified good character and qualities some of which were present in your excellent mother.”

Darcy had much to think about. Could Richard be correct? Richard wasn’t even married; however, everything he said made sense. Darcy realized that he had been a fool. He could only blame his illness and that it had weakened his usually discerning mind. He told Richard that he wanted to tell Jane all. Richard cautioned him not to tell her that he thought she was just like his mother as no woman wants that type of comparison coming from the lips of her husband.

Richard left the study to seek out Georgiana for a visit. Darcy sought out Jane and invited her into the study. Jane could immediately see the change in her husband by the way he ushered her into the room and how he embraced her. He declared himself to be a fool and that he was madly in love with her. She in turn let him know that she too deeply and totally loved him. Nothing was mentioned about his mother. They only talked about themselves and their future together.

The next day brought Mr. Bingley to the Darcy townhouse to see Mr. Darcy. Bingley was beside himself with worry. He wanted to get Darcy’s advice on what to do about thinking that Charlotte was his mother and that could he possibly be in love with his mother? Being that Darcy had gotten some good advice from Colonel Fitzwilliam about the same subject, he was able to help Charles. Charles realized that Charlotte did indeed possess some of the admirable qualities that his mother had like good business acumen, common sense, and a tenderness for him when he was ill. However, his mother thought meanly of others much like Caroline used to, where Charlotte did not. His mother also coddled him where Charlotte helped him to be a better man. That his mother almost always wore drab colors, and a tight bun was of no worry as Charlotte, especially with Caroline’s help, rarely did. Thus, Charles was able to go home with a spring in his step and a lighter heart. He and Charlotte returned to their pre illness happy existence.

Back at the Hurst estate Gregory and Elizabeth were attending a tea party hosted by Madeline. As they sat around the small table, with their small cups and plates, Maddie addressed her father, “Papa would you care for a cup of tea?” Mr. Hurst replied with an enthusiastic, “Yes, please!” After pouring out her father’s tea, Maddie next asked Elizabeth, “Mama, would you care for a cup of tea?” Elizabeth was immediately taken off guard. However, she was sensible enough to answer her with, “Why that would be most delightful Madeline dear.” Elizabeth choked back her tears of joy. Madeline was recognizing her as her mother, and she was thrilled. Mr. Hurst had a wide smile spread across his face. Elizabeth and he made eye contact with each other. They both were smiling and delighted at this turn of events. From that day onward Elizabeth was “Mama” to Madeline. Mr. Hurst desisted in calling Elizabeth “Misbeth” however he sometimes did refer to her as just “Beth.”

Occasionally, Fitzwilliam Darcy and Charles Bingley would sound like Mrs. Bennet. Sometimes, for Darcy, the waft of rose water coming from Jane or a quick glance from Bingley at Charlotte when she was dressed in her Hertfordshire drab brown dress would catch the gentlemen off guard. They would inadvertently begin to address their wives with saying “Mother.” However, they could catch themselves and just stop with a long drawn out, “mmm.” They were then able to finish their sentence with something inconsequential, as “mmm, nice day we are having today,” or “mmm, looks like rain.” Jane or Charlotte never considered this odd since both gentlemen oversaw an estate and as such the weather was always a concern.

As things turned out, the destiny for all involved ultimately revolved around Mr. Bingley’s decision to let Netherfield Hall. When arriving at Hertfordshire so many months ago, Bingley, Darcy and Hurst never expected to be “Finding Another Mother.” However, in some ways they all did.