 
Wednesday: Claresfont, Nottinghamshire The gloomy weather had continued into Wednesday. Elizabeth never-the-less arose early, determined to see the Countess at breakfast and offer to accompany her to Catisford Church. She found Lady Matlock alone in the breakfast parlor, eating what appeared to be warm fruit compote; she looked up in surprise when Elizabeth walked into the room. "Were you unable to sleep, my dear?" "No, my lady. I slept very well. I was wondering whether you would like some company at the Church today?" "At church? Ah, did one of the boys tell you that I visit Andrew many mornings?" Elizabeth nodded. "If you wish. Have something to eat though, since I intend to finish my fruit." A servant poured Elizabeth a cup of coffee as she selected a roll from a basket of still warm bread. The two women ate in silence. When they were done, the Countess told the footman on duty to let Mr. Woods know to have the carriage ready in five minutes. By the time they reached the entrance, a servant was waiting with their coats. "I hope that you will be warm enough for now, Elizabeth," Lady Matlock said. "Our winters are colder here than in Hertfordshire. I suspect that you will need some heavier outerwear soon enough." "You may be correct, my lady. And I confess that I am fond of walking outside, in all seasons, so it is a consideration." "When Mrs. Groton returns tomorrow, we shall have her take on the assignment. The town closest to Pemberley, Lambton, is a small one. I do not know what the quality of their dressmakers are. There is of course Derby itself, but since you are here you might as well use Groton." Mr. Woods appeared to tell the Countess that the carriage was ready. "Are you going to the Church, my lady?" He appeared not to have anticipated Elizabeth's presence. "Yes, Mr. Woods. Elizabeth is accompanying me." The butler nodded to Elizabeth with the ghost of a smile. When the coach was underway, Lady Matlock turned to her companion. "Catisford is a lovely church. The center portion of it dates to the 16th Century." "I take it that it escaped the ravages of the Madwoman of Matlock?" The Countess stared at Elizabeth so strangely that she feared that she had really made a blunder, until the older woman began to laugh. "Now who is it that I should spank for telling you that story, my nephew or my younger son?" "Both, I fear. William spoke of it as we were traveling here. And then Colonel Fitzwilliam mentioned it again to Mary. The Colonel did assure Mary that lightening had destroyed the house, not your relation." "I believe that Andrew made that story up out of whole cloth, to entertain himself. He barely knew the woman; he was quite young when she died. But it is true that she was said to be a bit barmy. There is no portrait of her in the east gallery: she had some odd superstition about her likeness being captured. Although..." Lady Matlock assumed a mischievous look. "Andrew's late sister Anne, who was the eldest of the grandchildren, did say that her grandmother bore a striking resemblance to her sister Catherine, in both appearance and temperament. Ironically, she had been named for her. Their father only owned up to the appearance part of that opinion." "Are you from these parts as well, my lady?" "No, my family is from Surrey. My brother is now the Earl of Calverton." The coach pulled up in front of the church and a footman promptly appeared to assist the Countess and Elizabeth in disembarking. Lady Matlock took hold of Elizabeth's arm and entered the building with her. She directed her to a side aisle; about midway down it was a private chapel, which was separated from the aisle by a gate. Elizabeth saw a similar structure on the other side of the church, which she assumed belonged to a different family. The Matlock chapel's gate was unlocked. It contained a small altar on which several informal bunches of fall blossoms had been left. There were several crypts built into the walls and two sets of pews. It was evident which crypt was the newest even before Elizabeth could read the carved name. Lady Matlock took a seat at the closest pew and gestured for Elizabeth to join her. She bowed her head in prayers for several minutes. When she was done, she pointed to two crypts on the far side of the chapel, one of which bore the names Henry and Anne Fitzwilliam. The other merely said Lionel Fitzwilliam. "Lionel was Andrew's grandfather. Henry and Anne were his great-grandparents. Andrew's grandmother Catherine refused to be laid to rest in the same chapel as Lionel's mother and apparently took great pleasure in telling her that, although not before Henry himself had died, of course. However, when Lionel insisted on laying his mother to rest with his father, Catherine was forced to make other arrangements for herself." "Is Catherine buried in the church's cemetery?" "No. She is under the house." Elizabeth was certain that she had misheard Lady Matlock. "She is where?" "In Claresfont, under the east gallery." "Oh." "Andrew gave Malcolm the same advice that his father had given to him: never tell his prospective wife about the cellar." "But he told you." "Oh, no! It was Anne who did. And Andrew was quite put out with her. However, my only concern was that my sister Catherine was planning to some day join her namesake! Thank the Lord, she married into an estate that she thinks is far grander." Elizabeth smiled. They returned to the house to the house shortly thereafter.
The men spent the day closeted in the Earl's study along with the estate's steward, determining the status of the accounts, outstanding bills and similar matters. Edward seemed to be in a particularly good mood during dinner. Since there was no formal seating during the meals, he had sat next to Mary. Elizabeth noticed her sister smiling slightly on a few occasions when the Colonel spoke quietly to her, but Mary brushed off her inquiring glances. After dinner, the younger people debated reading a play aloud but the men's suggestion of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shew was countered vigorously with the alternative of Henry VIII by the same playwright. Failing to reach an agreement, Georgiana eventually suggested that they read some stories from Tales of the Arabian Nights. They spent an hour doing so before retiring for the evening. The next morning, the weather cleared but expecting another onslaught from Mrs. Groton and her minions, Elizabeth's desire to walk about the estate was frustrated. During breakfast, Lady Matlock revealed that she had sent a note to the clothier asking that she also bring some patterns and fabrics suitable for wear in a Derbyshire winter, especially outdoors. Elizabeth's immediate instinct was to limit the extent of their efforts but before she could begin, Georgiana assured her that winters in Derbyshire were considerably colder than those of London and that she would need warmer clothing. Thus, even more hours were required for further review of styles and cloth and additional measurements. By the time she went up to her chamber to change for dinner, Elizabeth was exhausted. Her maid looked up at her laughing mistress and appeared to be utterly confused when she commented that she had never considered how exhausting the life a wealthy matron could be, even when doing nothing at all. Thursday, late afternoon: Rosemont, Derbyshire Lord Everson was walking towards the main staircase at Rosemont when he heard the voices of his brother and George Wickham coming from around the corner from him. He slowed his pace, having no interest in spending any more time in their company than was necessary. However, he could not help overhearing their conversation. "Tuesday's diversion was one of our best in a long time, I do believe," Lord Layton said to Wickham. "Aye, she was. When do you think she'll be ready again? In a few days?" Wickham replied. Lord Layton started to laugh. "I am afraid it will be more like a few weeks with the working over we gave her. Besides, it is better when they do not become resigned to their fate so quickly. Their fear is so much more entertaining." Lord Everson stopped walking at that point. He had heard nothing from Miss Franks to suggest that anything untoward had happened that week. Shaking his head, he waited several more minutes before continuing on his way to the dining parlor. Upon entering, he blandly greeted those already assembled and took the seat to the right of his mother's place, as he normally did. When the servants were removing the second course dishes, he asked one of them what was being served for dessert. Upon hearing that it was a pear and apple tart, he told the man to bring him a bowl of berries instead. It was not an uncommon request from Everson: his father was fond of heavy sweets and they were thus served nearly every day. Often enough, the Earl asked for something lighter for himself. In addition to being his actual preference, it was a prearranged signal to Miss Franks that he needed to speak with her as soon as possible. After dinner was over, he returned to his chambers: his male relations would have been shocked if he had chosen to join them in his father's study. He was upstairs for about a quarter of an hour when he heard a scratching sound coming from the direction of a large wardrobe, which had been built into the wall on one side of his bed-chamber. Checking that the doors to his room were locked, he opened the closet and after a few hand movements, helped Miss Franks step out into his room. The manor at Rosemont had not been built by the Harwoods but rather had been purchased by the second holder of their title. It was an unusual house in that it contained two full master's suites: one on the north side of the house occupied by his parents and one on the west side, occupied by him. The remaining family rooms were on the east side of the house, where the Laytons and their daughters resided. No explanation for the design had ever been discovered. When Lord Everson was about thirteen years of age, his maternal grandfather, Lord Merriwether, had showed him the trick inside of the wardrobe: by pressing a series of latches, it opened to a stairway that descended to the servants' level. A similar set of latches opened a door into the closet of a room designed to be used by an upper servant. Lord Merriwether himself had been shown the passage years earlier by the third Marquess of Harwood, during a visit that the Merriwethers had made to Rosemont, prior to Alicia's marriage to Clement. Merriwether had advised his daughter against the match, but she was of age and determined to have him. The third Marquess, after consuming a great deal of port one evening, had rather coarsely described his sexual conquests to Merriwether and then insisted upon revealing the secret entrance to him. His own father having died quite young, Clement gained his title quickly. At that time, he and Alicia chose to remain in their original suite of rooms and thus the young Lord Everson had been moved into what had previously been his grandfather's and great-grandfather's chambers. It was then that his mother's father had told him about the wardrobe, explained what it had once been used for and exhorted him, by everything holy, to never use it for such purposes or tell anyone else of its existence. He eventually had broken one of the promises that he had made to his grandfather but under the circumstances, he did not think the man would have objected. As soon as Miss Franks entered the room, Lord Everson knew that matters were worse than even he had assumed. The woman was ashen-faced. He motioned for her to take a seat and poured her a small glass of brandy. She swallowed it in one sip. "It's a girl named Letty Sares, my lord. She works in the laundry. She has been abed since Tuesday, almost insensible." "What happened?" Circumstances being what they were, Lord Everson and Miss Franks had long passed the stage of embarrassment and euphemisms when discussing his father and brother's activities. She simply told him what she had discovered. "My lord, we have to get her away from here. After what happened just this one time and with your father involved..." She did not need to finish her sentence. His brother was bad enough but his father's sexual appetites had gotten more, rather than less, extreme with age. "What do you know of her? Where is she from?" "From Derby, I believe. Mother deceased. Father a souse." Lord Everson realized that sending the girl home was not a reasonable option. "Miss Franks, do you have any idea of where we could send her? I confess that I do not." Miss Franks had thought of one possibility. When she explained it to Lord Everson, she could tell that he was not pleased. But he had no better suggestion to offer himself.
Thursday evening: Claresfont, Nottinghamshire The Matlocks, the Darcys and the Bennets were in the drawing room having coffee and dessert when Mr. Woods walked into the room. "Excuse me, my lord, my lady," he said. "An express packet has just arrived for Miss Elizabeth, brought by Mr. Darcy's rider." "Oh, it must be from my aunt Gardiner," Elizabeth said. She looked at Darcy and then at Lady Matlock. "Read your letter if you wish, my dear," the Countess said. "If you wish to be excused, you may." "I do not believe that is necessary, but thank you, my lady. I assume she is writing about their ability to attend the wedding." Elizabeth opened the packet and discovered that it contained two letters. "There is one from Charlotte Lucas as well," she exclaimed. Elizabeth skimmed the letter from Gracechurch Street quickly and smiled. "My uncle is available to travel here for the last week in November. My aunt is amenable to arriving earlier at whatever date is convenient for you, my lady." She read further and looked at Darcy. "And she thanks you for your offer of conveyance, William." "And Charlotte?" Mary asked. Elizabeth opened the second letter and was soon laughing. "Forgive me, but this is quite astonishing! Charlotte writes that Mr. Collins has remained in Meryton, staying at the inn in town. She fears and her mother hopes that he may propose to her. She decided to confess to her father that Collins had done so once already, before he proposed to Jane, and that she will not have him. To her relief, given all that has gone on, Sir William supports her decision." Elizabeth stopped reading aloud for a moment. Then she continued excitedly. "However, he thinks that Charlotte's removal from Meryton for a visit to his cousin in Lincolnshire would help keep the peace in the household. Should she happen to stop in Nottinghamshire on the way, he has no objection. Further they both send their best wishes and assure us that they will maintain our privacy." "Elizabeth, did you mention to Mrs. Gardiner that your friend might be able to attend?" Darcy asked. "Yes, I did." "I am sure that they can arrange to meet her at a post stop north of Meryton. Perhaps your aunt can communicate with her directly, when she decides when she wishes to depart." "Thank you. I will reply to both of them promptly with that suggestion." They spoke for a little longer about the Gardiners' arrangements. Then Edward made his brother and cousins laugh. "Mother, what do you say to sending cousin Felicia to Hertfordshire? Perhaps she would be this polygamist parson's type." "Ah yes. Aunt Catherine would be delighted!" Malcolm said. "Boys. Behave yourselves," Lady Matlock said. She turned to Elizabeth and Mary to explain. "Felicia is a rather eccentric cousin on the Fitzwilliam side." "Barmy would describe her better," the Colonel said. "Edward!" "Mother, she had a sheep living in the house!" the Earl declared. "She is fond of lambs," the Countess said calmly. "Do you mean she raised it in the house and then ate it?" Mary looked shocked. "No. No, Miss Mary," Edward assured her. "She keeps it as a pet. In the drawing room, the last we heard. She has grass grown in a tray for it." "Elizabeth, I assure you, she is a very distant cousin to us," Darcy said. "We are not a family generally prone to lunacy." "Except for great-grandmama, Catherine," Georgiana added. "Perhaps you should not speak so loudly of her, Georgiana," Elizabeth suggested, with a small smile on her face. "I understand that she may hear us." With that, everyone in the room broke out into laughter, except for Mary, until the Colonel explained the woman's present location to her. Shortly afterward the party broke up, with Lady Matlock retiring to her rooms in mock disgust of her sons, the Earl and Darcy to the study and Mary, Edward and Georgiana off to call on Lady Catherine Matlock. Rather than join the last expedition, Elizabeth decided to use the library to write her replies to her aunt and friend. She had just finished her letter to Charlotte Lucas when Mr. Woods entered the room. "Excuse me, Miss Elizabeth. Mr. Darcy asks that you join him in the study." "Thank you, Mr. Woods. Oh, I have these two letters to go to the south?" "Yes, miss. Mr. Darcy has instructed me to send his rider on his way early tomorrow." Elizabeth gave Mr. Woods her letters and then allowed him to escort her down the hall to the study. When he opened the door, she saw Darcy standing in front of the desk with a man whom she did not recognize. Malcolm Fitzwilliam was no longer with him. Darcy turned to her when she entered the room, a troubled look on his face. "Lord Everson, may I present my betrothed, Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Elizabeth, this is James Walcott, the Earl of Everson. He is the Marquess of Harwood's eldest son."
Elizabeth was so startled by that revelation that for a long moment, she just stared at the man. Then, remembering her manners, she offered him a slight curtsy, to which he bowed in return. After asking the Earl to wait in a nearby parlor, Darcy motioned for Elizabeth to sit down. He poured two glasses of brandy from a decanter on the side-board and handed one to her without asking. Then he sat down next to her. "William, why on earth is he here?" she asked. "As unlikely as this will sound, James Walcott is the 'good' Harwood. I believe he was born with the entire family's allotment of morality." "Did Malcolm see him?" Elizabeth was sufficiently agitated that she failed to use the Earl's title, despite the civil but generally formal distance that he still maintained from she and her sister. "Briefly. Everson offered his condolences for my uncle's death. Malcolm thanked him, then left. He knows that Everson is nothing like his father but at the same time.." Elizabeth nodded. "Is that why he came?" She looked at a clock on the mantelpiece. It was half past nine o'clock. "But why call at such a late hour?" "Elizabeth, the Earl actually came here with a request for me. However, I felt that I could not in good conscience give him an answer without consulting with you." Darcy did not realize it at the time but he had likely determined the course of the rest of his life with that decision. He looked down at the glass in his hand. He raised it to his mouth and drained it. Then he looked at Elizabeth. "Do you recall when we were all in your father's study together and I made mention of the name Tate? I do not believe that I ever explained the reference to you." "No, you did not. But Mary asked Colonel Fitzwilliam about it later and she eventually told me what he said." "What did she tell you?" Elizabeth looked down at her lap. "That Lord Harwood had violated a serving girl named Anna Tate. She became with child and killed herself as a result. Your father helped conceal the suicide at the girl's mother's request, so she could be buried in blessed ground." "Was that all she said?" "Yes. As far as I recall. Is there more to the story?" Darcy's eyes suddenly looked focused in the distance. "I was the one who found her, in one of our fields." Elizabeth gasped. "My Dear Lord! How old were you?" "Fifteen, I believe." "Oh, William. What did you do?" "I ran back to the house and got my father. It was not until several years later that I learned the entire story, including the fact that he had asked the girl's mother to write a note explaining what had happened to her. He stored her note and a letter that the girl herself had left behind, in his safe. "He then paid a call on Harwood and told him that if word reached him that he had abused another young woman in such a way, he would give the letters in his possession to Anna's brothers, Darius and Martin. Harwood knew what the consequences of that would be." "And your father never had cause to carry out his threat." "No. Not as far as I know." "But what does all of this have to do with Lord Everson being here?" Darcy suddenly reached for the decanter again and refilled his glass. "He has come to ask us to take in a girl at Pemberley, a girl whom Lord Harwood, Lord Layton, George Wickham and one of their stable hands almost killed two nights ago." Had Darcy not been in such a state after speaking to James Walcott, it would have occurred to him that he was speaking of matters of which his young betrothed would likely have little or no knowledge. It did not, until her next question. "What did they do to her? You do not mean to say that they all had...had marital relations with her? All of them? At the same time?" Elizabeth looked at him in horror. Darcy's face was suddenly filled with contrition. "Elizabeth, I am deeply sorry. I should never had said such a thing to you." But her next reaction was not what he expected it would be. "My own sensibilities right now are of no moment, William. But tell me, why is Everson doing this?" "Apparently, he has spent the last several years keeping young women away from both his father and his brother, with the assistance of the estate's cook. Some men.." He looked away from her briefly. "There are some men who favor a girl who looks a certain way. Everson and the cook would discourage the hiring of such girls or manage to send them away if they were hired. That left his father and brother to pursue their interests in town or with girls who willing to ..accommodate them, likely for money. Somehow, they failed to learn of this young woman until it was too late." "How did he come to ask you?" "His cook knows that our housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds, has a kind heart and would not blame the girl for falling victim to these men. And they could think of nowhere else to send her." "What was your answer?" "I told him that given that I was to be married in a month and the seriousness of his request, I could not help him without first consulting with my soon-to-be wife." Elizabeth looked at Darcy with an inscrutable expression on her face. Then she nodded. "If it possible, we must help them. But how shall he get her off their estate? How far are they from Pemberley?" "Rosemont is about halfway between here and there. I did not question Everson about moving her; I imagine that he knows what he is doing. I will send a rider with a message for Mrs. Reynolds now, so she will be expecting them. Then tomorrow, I will go to Pemberley myself." "I will go with you." Darcy had not expected that reply and was somewhat unnerved by it. "Elizabeth, I am not sure whether this is something for you to be involved in that directly." "I am already involved. You have done me the very great honor of asking for my opinion on this. I will be the mistress of your home very shortly. And in fact, in this particular situation, a woman may be of greater comfort, a greater assurance, to this poor girl of her safety. I am quite determined, William." Darcy could think of no argument against her statements, except to express concerns for a fragility which he realized had little relationship to her at that moment. "As you wish," he finally said. "Perhaps you should speak to Lord Everson now, so he may be on his way?" "Yes. I will only be a few minutes. Wait for me: I will escort you upstairs." After Darcy left the room, Elizabeth's eyes wandered about the room, finally settling on the glass of brandy in front of her. She picked it up and took a small sip. A moment later, she swallowed down its full measure.
Friday morning: Derbyshire Before going to sleep on Thursday night, Darcy had gone to speak to his cousin Edward, to tell him what had happened. Between them, they decided that Edward would tell the rest of the party that a matter had arisen which required Darcy to return to Pemberley and that at the last minute, he had invited Elizabeth to go with him, to briefly see her new home. They expected to stay no more than one evening. Darcy had already cautioned Mr. Woods to say nothing of Lord Everson's visit and the Colonel would request the same of his brother in the morning. In lieu of eating a full breakfast before they departed, Elizabeth and Darcy each had coffee and then accepted a basket of food from the cook for the trip. Once they were seated, with warming bricks placed on the floor of the carriage, Darcy helped Elizabeth wrap a traveling blanket around her lap and then took the seat across from her. He expected the journey to take about four and a half hours, since the weather conditions had remained dry. Both of them fell asleep not long after they were underway. After she had dozed for over an hour, Elizabeth awoke, feeling hungry. She began to look through the cook's basket; the sound of her efforts soon woke Darcy up as well. They shared some bread and butter as well as some cheeses but the early hour and the circumstances left neither of them in the mood for much conversation. As they drew closer to Pemberley, however, Darcy began to point out some local landmarks to Elizabeth. They passed the turnoff to Lambton but not much could be seen of the village because of the distance. A half hour later, the carriage turned off the main public road onto a private one that was wide and well-maintained. That road followed a gentle rise upwards. They had been traveling within the park for some time, when the carriage came to a sudden halt. Darcy smiled at Elizabeth and gestured to his right. When she looked out of the window, she found herself at a loss for words. Downhill from the crest, a stream flowed into a sparkling blue lake. Some distance back from the water stood a magnificent manor house of four stories, set amidst a wide stand of evergreens. She suddenly understood why even the Earl of Matlock was willing to concede that Claresfont was nothing compared to Pemberley. "Do you approve, Elizabeth?" Darcy asked softly. She stared out of the window a moment longer, then turned back to him. "How could I not approve? It is the most beautiful place that I have ever seen," she replied, almost shyly. "That has always been my view as well." He smiled at her again and then tapped on the roof of the coach, a signal for them to resume traveling. When they eventually reached the front of the house, Elizabeth saw that the main part of the building appeared to be built around an interior courtyard, which the carriage entered, stopping on its far side. A footman quickly appeared to open the coach's door, as the doors to the house itself swung open. Darcy stepped down and then turned around, to help Elizabeth dismount. As she took his arm, he murmured to her. "I am afraid that we are about to cause an uproar. When I sent the rider last night, in my haste I forgot to mention that you were coming with me. Mr. Norris may not survive this." And indeed, as they approached the entrance, the butler seemed to blink a few extra times, although he otherwise looked unperturbed. When they reached him, Darcy quickly introduced Elizabeth. As he was doing so, Elizabeth heard the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching. Before long a woman appeared, who looked to be in her mid-fifties. She had already opened her mouth as if to speak but then suddenly stopped when she saw that Darcy had a young woman with him. "Ah, Mrs. Reynolds," Darcy said. "May I introduce Miss Elizabeth Bennet? Elizabeth, this is Mrs. Althea Reynolds, our long-suffering and always over-obliging housekeeper." Elizabeth stepped forward to the older woman and offered her hand. "I am very pleased to meet you, Mrs. Reynolds. Both Mr. and Miss Darcy have spoken much of you to me. And please do not blame Mr. Darcy for my unexpected appearance: I decided at the last minute to accompany him here from Catisford." A fleeting negative look passed over the woman's face, of either displeasure or dismay. Elizabeth found herself beginning to become annoyed. Then it occurred to her that as the long serving housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds would want to show Pemberley and its staff to the new mistress in as favorable a light as possible. That interpretation was almost immediately confirmed when Darcy asked her to provide Elizabeth with a room in which to freshen up. "But sir, the mistress's suite is nowhere near prepared, as of yet. I had not expected it to be needed for at least another four weeks." "Mrs. Reynolds, that is quite understandable," Elizabeth answered her, before Darcy could. "I am merely in need of a room: any will do." "Perhaps you could use Lady Matlock's usual chambers?" Darcy suggested. "It has not been that long since she has used them." Mrs. Reynolds nodded. "Yes, those should be in decent order. Also, I assumed that you would be hungry when you arrived. Perhaps Mr. Norris can check that Mrs. Mayson has prepared enough for the two of you while I take Miss Bennet upstairs." "Certainly, although I am sure that she has prepared enough food for a regiment. Elizabeth, when you are ready, ask a footman to show you to my study." Elizabeth followed the housekeeper upstairs silently, not wanting to agitate her any further. When Mrs. Reynolds let her into the room, she told her that water would be brought up shortly and that she would send a maid named Ada to assist her. "Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds. And I do apologize for putting you to this trouble. I insisted on accompanying Mr. Darcy. I thought that under the circumstances, perhaps another female might be more useful with..with the girl." If Mrs. Reynolds had been surprised to see her future mistress that day, she was astounded by her little speech. Given the circumstances, she knew almost nothing about the young lady, but she would not have expected her to be disposed towards apologizing so easily to servants. But she was truly shocked that she knew about the recent arrival. When the housekeeper did not respond, Elizabeth decided to take the initiative. "Were they actually able to bring her here during the night, Mrs. Reynolds?" she asked. "Yes, miss. At about three o'clock in the morning. She was brought in what I assume was Lord Everson's coach but he, of course, was not with them." "But how is he to explain her sudden disappearance? That has concerned me since we learned of this." "They will say that she died late last evening and that they immediately called the undertakers, to bring her to a potter's field." "And they will just believe that?" Elizabeth asked. "Is there no risk that they will try to verify it?" Mrs. Reynolds was grim-faced when she replied. "Under the circumstances, Miss Bennet, they will simply assume that their servants acted in Lord Harwood's best interest. And they will not question her death. They know what they did to her."
Elizabeth had brought a few articles of clothing with her, since she was uncertain how long their stay would actually be. She decided to change from her traveling dress into a gown which would be more comfortable in the well-heated house. Then the maid, Ada, brought her to a footman who in turn showed her where Darcy's study was. She found him sitting at his desk and flipping through some correspondence, which he put aside as she entered. "Do you wish to eat before we speak to Mrs. Reynolds and Mr. Hobson?" he asked. "Who is Mr. Hobson?" "Forgive me, Elizabeth. I have to keep reminding myself that you have not been here before. He is our local physician. Mrs. Reynolds called him in this morning." "Perhaps we should eat first. Will Mr. Hobson be joining us?" Elizabeth asked. "I think not." He stood up from the desk. "Come. I asked that the food be served in our family parlor." When they reached the small dining room, Mrs. Mayson, a pleasant looking woman with a slight smudge of what appeared to be flour on her hair, was waiting for them. Darcy again made the introductions and the cook asked to be called if anything was found wanting. After she had left the room, they ate in silence for several minutes. Then Elizabeth asked Darcy the question which had been weighing on her mind since the night before. "William, have you decided what to do regarding your father's warning to Lord Harwood?" she asked, hoping that her trepidation did not show. "Not yet. I think that we should wait until we have spoken to Hobson and perhaps the girl, before reaching a decision on what to do. And under any circumstances, I will not take any actions until we are married." Elizabeth nodded: that made sense to her. But his response increased her anxiety. The fact that Darcy wanted to wait until they were married, before he would consider speaking to the Tates, indicated to her that he had already given serious consideration to doing just that.
When they were finished eating, Darcy sent a footman to ask Dr. Hobson and Mrs. Reynolds to meet them in the study. He had already told Elizabeth that the physician was unlikely to say much in front of her. They agreed that he would ask the man for his opinion regarding the girl's recovery and then Elizabeth and Mrs. Reynolds would withdraw. Mrs. Reynolds had informed Dr. Hobson of Elizabeth's presence so the man was not surprised when she and Darcy entered the room together. After being introduced, they sat down and Darcy asked the physician for his assessment of the girl's condition. "She is exhausted and has sustained some wounds, which do not appear to be life-threatening but are quite painful. She does not have a fever at all. Given that two full days have passed since the incident, I am optimistic that no infection will set in but of course, cannot assure that for certain." "How do you recommend that she be treated?" Elizabeth asked. "I have provided Mrs. Reynolds with some salves for the wounds. I think rest is the main remedy. I have proscribed laudanum to allow her to sleep as much as possible for the first few days, although she should be awakened periodically to take in some broth." "And you believe she will recover, completely?" Darcy asked. The physician stared at him. "I do not expect her to die." Darcy decided that was his cue to excuse the women.
When Elizabeth and Mrs. Reynolds left the room, Elizabeth asked the housekeeper where Letty Sares was staying. "We put her in a room on the third floor, which is part of our guest accommodations. I do not worry about gossip from Pemberley staff, but I saw no reason not to make her as comfortable as possible, under the circumstances." "Were you able to speak to her?" "A little. She was quite confused about her move here. I sat with her for some time until she calmed down." "Is she sleeping now? Might I see her, if it would not disturb her?" Mrs. Reynolds looked somewhat dubious at Elizabeth's request. "I am sure she is asleep. Hobson gave her a strong dose of laudanum before he even examined her. But are you sure you wish to see her, Miss Bennet? It will not be pleasant." "Yes. As long as you do not think it would be intrusive to her." "She will not know you are there. Come, her room is this way." Mrs. Reynolds led Elizabeth up two flights of stairs. When they reached the room, she asked Elizabeth to wait outside. A minute later, she reappeared with another woman, who had been sitting with the girl. The woman curtsied but Reynolds did not introduce her. Instead, she gestured for Elizabeth to enter the chamber. Elizabeth stepped softly inside and walked slowly to the bed, where a girl who looked to be sixteen years or so lay in the bed. She moved closer to her. She was breathing evenly and appeared to be sound asleep. Even in the dim light, she could see scratches on the girl's face and neck. The bedclothes were somewhat askew and it appeared that she wore no clothing. "She is undressed?" "Yes. The salves which we are using are easier to apply if she is unclothed. The room is warm. She will be all right." "What did they do to her, Mrs. Reynolds?" "Miss Bennet, I.." "What did they do to her?" Mrs. Reynolds walked over to the bed and gently pulled the bedclothes down a few inches, revealing the girl's injured breasts. After a brief look, Elizabeth nodded and the housekeeper covered her back up again. The two of them moved to the far side of the room. At that moment, Letty Sares moaned softly and shifted her body but then she settled back down again. "Perhaps we should let her rest in quietude," Elizabeth said. "Come with me to my chambers, if you will." Once downstairs, Elizabeth went into the small sitting room, with Mrs. Reynolds at her heels. Seeing a crystal decanter on a sideboard, she asked the housekeeper what it contained. "A light sherry, Miss Bennet. One that the Countess favors." Elizabeth walked over to the table and in a repeat of Darcy's actions from the night before, poured out two small servings and carried them over to the sofa. Sitting down, she motioned for Mrs. Reynolds to join her and then handed her one of the glasses. "Thank you, Miss Bennet." They each drank a small amount of the liquor and then Mrs. Reynolds asked after Lady Matlock and her sons. "She is very sad, Mrs. Reynolds. It is obvious that she loved her husband very much. But she is a very strong woman, I believe. And a very generous one. She has been extremely kind to myself and my sister." "And the boys?" "I believe they are managing, in their own ways. Colonel Fitzwilliam is perhaps in a somewhat better frame of mind but of course, he does not have the additional burden of now bearing his dead father's formal name." "We were deeply saddened by the news. Andrew Fitzwilliam was very much respected in this household, by everyone." "I would like to think that we are at least providing some distraction for them from their tragedy. For such a serious man, the Colonel is full of amusing stories. Last night, he took us off on a tangent about sheep." Elizabeth smiled briefly at her recollection. "Ah, he told you about Lady Felicia, did he?" "Yes, that was it." "A harmless woman, but utterly odd," Mrs. Reynolds replied, with a barely perceptible roll of her eyes. "Did Letty speak of this at all to you?" Elizabeth suddenly asked, bringing the conversation back to the present matter. "Did she say what took place?" "A little. A man from the stables simply grabbed her and took her to an outbuilding in the woods. Harwood and his son were there, with another man. They all imposed themselves upon her, in different ways, the stable hand as well." A look of pure disgust crossed Mrs. Reynolds' face. "They are sodomites, Harwood and his son. No family in this area with any knowledge of them will send their daughters into service there. And George Wickham, the third man, I regret to say, was once associated with Pemberley." "I have met George Wickham, Mrs. Reynolds, as well as Layton Walcott and his family. You need not explain them any further. I am only grateful to say that I have never met Lord Harwood." "It was Layton who did what you saw to her. They say he treats his wife as badly, when no one else is to be had." Elizabeth's mind traveled back several weeks, to a moment at Purvis Lodge. She could not be surprised that the accusation that she had thrown in Lady Layton's face was correct but it brought her no pleasure. Thinking briefly back to what Lady Matlock had explained to her, she asked Mrs. Reynolds a question which would only recently have occurred to her. "Is there a chance that this poor girl might become with child as a result of this." Mrs. Reynolds stared off into the distance, composing herself before making her reply. "Dr. Hobson said it was unlikely that she would become with child, as a result of this or any future relations." "What manner of men are these! What do they think gives them the right!" Elizabeth said, not attempting to hide her outrage. Realizing that she likely did not expect a response, Mrs. Reynolds said nothing. A few minutes later, Elizabeth thanked her for her assistance and excused her. She was still in the small sitting room when Darcy found her an hour later. He appeared to be in no better frame of mind than she was. "Elizabeth." She startled slightly when he spoke. "Have you been with Mr. Hobson all of this time?" she asked. "Most of it. I needed a brief word with my steward as well. I believe that Hobson has left but will return later." "Did he take you to see the girl?" Darcy shook his head. "I decided that it was not appropriate for me to do so." When Elizabeth did not respond, he asked her the corresponding question. "Yes. Mrs. Reynolds took me to see her, at my insistence. She had been heavily sedated on laudanum. She did not know that I was there." Elizabeth paused for a moment. "William, would it be possible for us to return to Claresfont today?" "You do not wish to see anything more of Pemberley?" "I do, of course, but I would prefer to do so when it would not make Mrs. Reynolds and the rest of the staff uneasy. But mostly, I would like to be back in the warmth of your family." Darcy glanced out of the window. They had been at the house for almost four hours and it would not be that long before it would begin to turn dark. But he sensed that Elizabeth would not have asked were it not important to her. The moon would be full and the roads between the two estates were well-maintained. He would add a guard to ride with the drivers but he did not expect there to be any problem. "I will tell Norris to get our carriage readied and will speak with Mrs. Reynolds. Perhaps you can change clothes in the meanwhile."
Darcy and Elizabeth departed from Pemberley within the hour. They sat quietly, each lost in their own thoughts, until it began to grow dark. Then Elizabeth started speaking, while staring out of the window. "Your aunt has been so very kind to Mary and especially to me, despite her great personal tragedy. She has accepted us without reservation. She has even taken the time to speak to me of the love within her own marriage, of the happiness that she shared with her husband in every way. Darcy started at the emphasis that she had placed on those last few words. Her meaning seemed clear. He hardly knew how to reply and was relieved when she continued. "I do not understand how men such as these can exist. I understand it even less now that your aunt has spoken with me." "Most men are not like the Walcotts, Elizabeth. You must see that." She nodded vaguely but said nothing. A few moments later, she turned to him. "Would it shock you very much if I were to sit next to you?" she asked. In response, Darcy simply slid further to the side of his bench then extended his hand to her, to help her change seats. He adjusted her lap blanket and then she lay her head against his shoulder. "I imagine that I do not know the worst of what these men did to this poor girl, who is not any older than my youngest sister or Georgiana, for that matter. But from what I do know, they do not deserve to live. And may God forgive me, but there is no way for them to leave this life that could possibly punish them enough." With that, Elizabeth began to softly cry. Darcy put his arm around her and held her close. Eventually, she quieted and her breathing grew more regular, and she fell asleep. Darcy remained awake for the entire journey, staring out at the moonlit landscape, a jumble of thoughts rushing through his head. |
