Hey, everyone! Happy New Year!!! It's 2008...can you believe it?
Anyway...here is chapter 10. Thanks for the reviews...They made great Christmas gifts! Okay...well, I'll cut-out the length author's note this time. Read ahead... : )
Midnight Visitor
Lady Piedmont was on the couch in the sitting room, writing a letter to Sir Teddy, when Elizabeth crawled through the window.
She was no visibly upset-there were no tears upon her face; she was composed and unruffled. Her eyes betrayed her, however; they lacked her usual vitality.
"My dear child!" exclaimed Lady Piedmont, somewhat taken aback.
"I did not care to be announced," Lizzy said matter-of-factly, shutting the window behind her. "You know, Lady Piedmont, you should really lock your windows. No telling who could come through."
Lady Piedmont hid a smile and pretended to look very concerned. Lizzy, meanwhile, took a seat in Sir Teddy's favorite wing-backed armchair. "Don't ring for tea," she said, before her hostess could ask, "for I'm likely to throw anything in hand. I'm frightfully angry, you know." This was hard to believe, for she quite placid.
"Oh, dear," murmured Lady Piedmont, "I suppose you had a quarrel with Darcy, then."
Elizabeth nodded, not bothering to wonder at Lady Piedmont's perspicacity. "I punched him in the gut," she explained.
Lady Piedmont waited patiently to hear the reason, and, under her sympathetic gaze, Lizzy found the words flowing from her mouth in torrents. She related everything that had happened at the card party down to the last detail: Clara and the punch, Caroline and the conversation about Lady Piedmont being ill, Amelia and the proposal, Darcy and the window-box, and the fight they had had.
When she was finished, Lady Piedmont nodded in understanding.
"No doubt I overreacted when I punched him," said Lizzy thoughtfully, "but he deserved it. I hope that it knocked some sense into him."
"It was rather impulsive," said Lady Piedmont, "but I cannot blame you. I dare say I would have been tempted to do the same, had I been in your place."
"But what do you think of it all?" asked Lizzy, eager to hear an opinion other than her own. "Is he in the wrong?"
Lady Piedmont considered for a moment. "These things are difficult to judge," she finally said. "We cannot know his or her true feelings, after all. But I am of the opinion that she cares more for his money than his love." Lizzy's eyes brightened; she was glad that someone shared her opinion. "I remember when she came to call with you and your family," Lady Piedmont continued, "and she spun that web of lies about her trip to London. I saw then that she was eager for advancement in the world."
"But that spells disaster for Darcy!" exclaimed Lizzy, who was, in the end, willing to champion his cause and protect his interests. "What if he truly cares for her?"
"That I doubt," answered Lady Piedmont. "He is just besotted; he fancies himself in love, and Amelia uses this to her advantage."
"She has plenty of other admirers to choose from," said Lizzy, "why can she not break their hearts? Why must it be Darcy?"
"Because Darcy is the prime catch!" exclaimed Lady Piedmont, "the ideal! Wonderfully rich and handsome…"
"And intelligent," Lizzy added, because she thought it necessary.
Lady Piedmont nodded. "Heir to Pemberley; grandson of the Earl of Matlock. These are all highly qualifying assets in the eyes of fortune hunters such as your cousin. Amelia sets her sights high, my dear. Why should she settle for a simple country squire when she could have Fitzwilliam Darcy, member of one of the wealthiest families in England?"
"Oh," said Lizzy glumly, and she understood. It was all perfectly clear.
"My dear," said Lady Piedmont, in her kind and sympathetic voice, "there is hope left. We must not underestimate Darcy's judgment. You know what a good and intelligent man he is. To think otherwise does him the greatest injustice. Eventually, he will see Amelia for what she really is: a heartless mercenary."
"But what if it is too late?"
"We must hope for the best."
"We must do something!" Lizzy counteracted.
Lady Piedmont sighed. "He must see for himself. You cannot always interfere."
As she looked upon Elizabeth, Lady Piedmont could see everything written plainly across her face. The poor child did not know it yet-probably would not know it for some time, but Lady Piedmont could see it clearly. She wished that Darcy would come to his senses and see it too, but that was hoping for too much.
How tiresome men are, she thought, to be constantly distracted by pretty faces! She would not have thought it of Darcy, whom she had come to greatly respect. Then again, he was young, and all young men must have their foolish fancies. How she hoped that his passion for Amelia would cool! She herself could see nothing in the girl to recommend her.
And here was Lizzy, feigning a disinterested interest, when all the time Lady Piedmont could see…but it would not do for her to say it. Saying it would only push Lizzy away. She could see the girl was in no way ready to admit it, even to herself, and to bring it up would injure her greatly. Instead, Lady Piedmont could only watch and wait and hope that the two who were so obviously meant for one another would realize it…in time.
"Are you still angry at him, or has your anger cooled?" she found herself asking Lizzy.
"I'm not nearly as angry as I was, if that's what you mean," was the answer. "Of course, I'm still angry. We always tell each other everything, you see. And usually we can guess each other's thoughts. This, however, was entirely unexpected."
Lady Piedmont nodded. "Shall you make amends?"
"Oh, certainly. I have only the summer with him, you see, and I shan't waste it sulking over something as silly as this. If he wants to marry Amelia, I will just have to sabotage the wedding…that's all. Until then, at least we can be together. It's as simple as that." Elizabeth seemed to have convinced herself. "I'm awfully glad that I came here instead of the ship."
Lady Piedmont knew of the ship; Lizzy had told her of it during one of her visits. "I am glad that you came here, too."
"It's much easier talking to a person," Lizzy said, standing up. "Thank you for not screaming when I came through the window; I did not think you would, but, then again, one never knows."
"I suppose my experiences with Sir Teddy have prepared me for such…surprises," said Lady Piedmont.
"When Caroline told me you were ill, I did not believe her," said Lizzy, "I originally thought that Sir Teddy might have returned and that was why you had stayed home, but I suppose that was too soon. I was going to tell Darcy, but then I punched him in the gut…Sir Teddy has not returned, has he? Otherwise, you would have told me."
"Of course."
"Well, I am sorry. I am sorry that he will not let me do anything about Arnold, either. I wrote him, you know, with a magnificent plant."
Lady Piedmont hid a smile. She did know. Her husband had written her an amused account of Lizzy's plan to capture Arnold, force a confession in front of the authorities, tar and feather him, and then chase him through the streets of London. "But I do not think that Sir Teddy wishes to meddle in his brother's affairs…or seek revenge."
Lizzy shrugged. "Maybe he'll come 'round sometime. When he does, I'll have the tar and feathers ready and waiting."
Lady Piedmont nodded. "Now, it is late, Elizabeth, and your mother will be worried." She glanced at the clock above the mantelpiece; it confirmed her words.
"Yes, I suppose your right. Mama has been fearfully anxious over me the past week, what with my runway and now the black spots."
"Black spots, my dear?" asked Lady Piedmont, who had stifled her curiosity, thinking it best to allow Lizzy to broach the issue.
"I faked a rare tropical illness so I would not have to go to Lady Lucas's card party. Unlike you, I can't feign ill easily. I must have some valid proof. So, I put black spots all over my face."
"Oh. Well..." Lady Piedmont was at somewhat of a loss.
Lizzy was preparing to scale the window. Her face was bright, and her eyes had regained some of their luster. She was hopeful, of that Lady Piedmont could tell.
"Good-bye, dear," she said, as her impromptu guest gracefully propelled herself through the window, to the dark lawn outside. "I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors to separate Darcy and Amelia."
"Luck, indeed," Lizzy replied, as she dusted her dress and shut the window behind her. Her eyes glittered in the darkness, and, one could see by the change in her step, she had formulated a plan.