A.N. Thank you, Happy Lizzy, Nanciellen, Joan, Gabyhyatt, Sacredwoman, GemmaDarcy, Colleen, Aethelfraed and Guest, for the great comments and suggestions. I really appreciate them. It keeps me working on the story hours on Sunday or stay late at night. I know that my unbeta'd stories have a lot of grammar issues, as I am a non-English speaker. But to know that someone out there like my imagination and stories really makes me happy. When I publish the stories, I always get a professional editor to correct the mistakes. Hopefully, you will buy and rate my books as well.
Aethelfraed, thanks for the tips about how to describe African Americans in 1810s England. I will probably amend them when I get the story for publishing. As for Arsenic, I will see how to edit the previous chapters later on. It will be on my list of things to do. Now, here is a new chapter. All of you have guessed it right about the President. Happy Reading!
Chapter 20
Colonel Fitzwilliam, Mr. Bennet and Tuttle spent almost three hours near eleven o'clock pit at Oakham Mount. The Colonel managed to persuade Mr. Bennet to stay above ground with Tuttle by his side. He could not risk the elderly gentleman's life in case the murderer of Collins appeared again and harmed Mr. Bennet. Richard climbed down the pit by himself and explored the caves and tunnel. With the help of a cane, he had stomped and hit every inch of the ground and the wall of the cave but could not find any weakening that could have swallowed Darcy and Miss Elizabeth up.
After the fruitless search, the three men walked back to Longbourn at a much slower pace, feeling discouraged and dejected.
"Sir, did you know any friend of Miss Elizabeth with a name starting L?" Colonel Fitzwilliam asked.
"Lizzy's best friend in Meryton is Charlotte Lucas, but she never calls her Miss Lucas. I doubt Charlotte is the one. The letter refers to some ideas they discussed increasing Longbourn's yield. It seems to be someone Lizzy met when she went missing previously."
"You are right!" The Colonel suddenly stopped in his track. "During my short visit with Miss Mary at Lucas Lodge, we talked about this fingerprinting method. She said something about Miss Elizabeth was very keen on providing for her sisters and herself."
"How?"
"Miss Elizabeth has written a novel called 'Diary of an Accidental Time Traveller' in the past three months. She asked Mary to comment on it before she sends it off to Mr. Gardiner to help her find a publisher. The method was briefly mentioned in the novel but not explained in detail. I laughed at the title and topic of the book, but Miss Mary said it was a very fascinating read."
"What are you saying?" Mr. Bennet exclaimed. "That Lizzy has travelled through time? That is the silliest thing I have ever heard."
"No, not at all. That is too fanciful," The Colonel said. "I think Miss Elizabeth might have met an inventor of some sort in the cave when she fell down the pit. A Mr. L who has all these ideas or knowledge about reducing expenses, increasing yield, fingerprinting and whatnot."
"I do not like your supposition! My Lizzy will not live with a man for three months without trying to leave or tell her family about it."
"L could be a woman. Miss Elizabeth could have been trapped there then. I do not know. It does not matter because I know Miss Elizabeth, like Miss Mary, is a virtuous woman. She did not say anything about being harm during those three months to Miss Mary. She only has her head full of ideas. The important thing is, she met Miss L in the cave, somehow with some use of lights involved. Maybe this inventor has a secret tunnel built there."
"But, you searched every inch of the cave just now."
"I have only one person and with a cane."
"Should we get our retired soldiers back again with the search?" Tuttle suggested.
"No, we cannot do that without raising any suspicions from Sir William," the Colonel shook his head.
"What can we do then? Invent another story to cover for both Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth's disappearance this time?"
"That is the only thing I can think of right now." Richard said glumly. "And we must keep someone here to guard the cave, day and night. When Darcy and Miss Elizabeth return from their meeting with this inventor, I would rather they stay safe from Collins's murderer."
Mr. Bennet shivered for a second. "I hope you do not expect the murderer is still roaming Oakham Mount, looking for another victim!"
"I hope not but I will not take any chances for Darcy and your daughter to be hurt. Tuttle, please arrange our men in a roster, to come here discreetly to man the cave at all hours. Select the ones who have their mouths sealed. You can brief them about what to expect but keep that to the minimal."
"Yes, Sir!"
"In the meantime, Mr. Bennet…" The Colonel then discussed the story they could use. Richard was more worried about the reaction of Sir William and Miss Bingley than that of Mrs. Bennet. He wished Darcy and Miss Elizabeth would not disappear together for another three months!
~0~
"Are you well, Miss Lucy?" Darcy asked Lucy, who had tears flowing freely down her face. Elizabeth was a few steps ahead, chatting to the driver of the horseless coach, Mr. Elders, and his elderly mother.
"I am perfectly fine. In fact, more than fine. These are tears of joy! I cannot believe that I live to see an African American become the President of America. It is marvelous that my people or mixed-race people can walk proudly anywhere in America."
"President Obama delivered a fine speech," Darcy lifted the corner of his mouth, "But technically, you are not alive."
Lucy laughed as she brushed away the tears with the back of her hand. "Lizzy said you are very uptight and arrogant. I didn't know that you have a sense of humor in you."
"I am afraid I did not show Miss Elizabeth the real me and have a lot of grounds to recover." Darcy murmured.
"Do not think about it too much, fate will play out and the answer will come."
"I'm not entirely sure how Miss Elizabeth feels about me."
"I would say she's in love with you."
"What?" Darcy asked excitedly. His expression brightened up, "Did she say something?"
"No, but I've seen how she looks at you and she allows you to hold her hand. She is very much in love with you."
"It amazes me that you think so."
"What about you? How do you feel about her?"
"I think it's pretty clear that I am deeply in love with Miss Elizabeth. My eyes cannot leave her for long."
"And that is the thing that is wonderful about the two of you. Even when Lizzy thought you were detestable, I could see a different side of the story based on her description. Now that you have told me what happened in the last few days since Lizzy's return to Longbourn, your actions towards her family do not surprise me in the least. You are a good man Mr. Darcy and I am certain you and Lizzy end up together. You're perfect for each other."
"Thank you, Miss Lucy, for your kind words. You have given me hope in an uncertain time. What about you? Would you prefer to stay in this liberated America? I like that Mr. Obama paid tribute to people of the past."
"Because we, the people, have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears and true to our founding documents!" Lucy recited what the President had just said, not long ago.
"Is it strange that I could still hear the President's words in my ears?" Lucy continued her citation, "because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass."
"Indeed not, Miss Lucy. It is a momentous day for your country and your people. But I am saddened by the history of the two World Wars Mr. Elders showed me on his movable talking book."
"The mobile phone, as he called it! What an ingenious invention, to combine the telephone and the picture books together. But Mr. Darcy, the past shapes our future, as President Obama said, we must - choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness!"
"Happiness, I agree, is more important than wealth. I can see that when I persuade Miss Elizabeth to spend the rest of our lives together, we can be very happy indeed. So you would rather stay in 2009, instead of going back to your time?"
"Despite the inequality of my time, I still prefer to return to 1892. I think it is only natural. We should not defy history and the natural order of things. I cannot leave Brenda and my students. And I have a even greater mission now. As President Obama said, let it be said by our children's children that…we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations! I believe you hold the same attitude."
"Indeed, I have a duty to the hundreds of servants and tenants who live in Pemberley. And of course, my sister Georgiana is very dear to me. I hope the children Miss Elizabeth and I to be blessed with will say the same about us. But I am getting ahead of myself."
"What would you do if Lizzy wants to stay in the future?"
Darcy hesitated for a second. "I do not think Miss Elizabeth would do that. She loves her family and I think she marvels at the opportunity of bringing changes to her home and people around her, given the privilege of having a glimpse into the future."
"Not to mention to ask you to choose between her and your sister and family. I think your answer proves that you understand Lizzy much better than you think. One of the most important things I learn about my short marriage to my dear husband is that we were partners. To understand or learn to understand each other is very important to leading a happy life. Be open to Lizzy, do not shut her out, in the name of protecting her sensibility or her. Most women are stronger than we look."
Darcy nodded his head. "Thank you for the sound advice. Talking about the quality of women, I admire your courage talking with God Janus. When did you figure out that he is a Roman god?"
"Almost as soon as Lizzy had left with the time machine. There is no explanation for him to have two different faces. It seems he could project himself as whatever authority or comfort figure our minds conjecture up."
"That was why you saw him as a gentleman and Elizabeth saw him as a soldier. But were you not scared of seeing him once again in the cave?"
"I have already met him, with Lizzy, a few times before. If he didn't harm me then, I think he won't harm me in the future."
"And you see no occasion to ingratiate yourself to a Roman god?" Darcy raised his eyebrows at Lucy.
"Haha! I fawn over nobody, not even to you, Mr. Darcy, who was a benefactor to the school I studied in."
"Was I? It is rather confusing to talked about your past when it will occur in my future and has not yet happened in my present. Let us forget my fixation on this time continuum. Pray, tell me about my future."
"Lizzy told me about your name, quite soon when she arrived to stay with me. She mentioned your slight of her so passionately that I thought there must be some more to it. But your name sounded quite familiar to me. It took me a while to remember reading some documents about the history of the Oberlin Collegiate Institute in Ohio. I was born in Ohio and attended that school. The college was one of the first to admit African Americans in 1835 and women in 1837.
In 1839, the college had some financial difficulties and at the risk of closing down. A Reverend Keep and Mr. Dawes were sent to England to raise funds for the College. Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Derbyshire was one of the most generous benefactors. Your only stipulation of the support was that the funds you contributed must be used to ensure women and women of all colors and races to study there. I must thank you for making my study there possible."
"I hope that I make the financial contribution then not because I heard it from you now but because that is what my heart wants to do."
"I am sure of that."
"One thing bothers me when you talked about God Janus. You seem relatively calm about the high-handed manner of the god, instead of worrying about being transported here. And you are sure that we can return to our time, Miss Lucy. Why?"
Lucy blushed. "I might have stipulated my dare with Mr. Ianu quite narrowly. I don't want to be stranded in god nowhere places in the future for three months like Lizzy. So I dare Mr. Ianu to transport me through time, to an era when our people achieved great things and take me back to 1892 within three days."
"Well done, Miss Lucy! This is a relief. I hope God Janus will not mind lighting his beams and transport Miss Elizabeth and me back to 1812, England at the same time."
Lucy smiled, "I think Mr. Ianu can be persuaded to do so. He seems pretty fond of Lizzy and I, if I may say so. He seems to be quite tired of guarding the Gate of Time all alone. Only a handful of people had accidentally come across the cave. He has not talked to any of them."
"What happened to those people?"
"We are here!" Mr. Elders interrupted Lucy and Darcy's conversation.
"Darcys and Hills Foundation! Sweetie," Mrs. Elders exclaimed. "Are you all related to this magnificent organization?"
"Yes, through our ancestors," Lucy said. They thanked and fare-welled the Elders for giving them a ride down from Rock Creek, walked with them to witness the inauguration of President Obama and to the D&H Foundation.
"You seem very quiet," Elizabeth retook Darcy's hand and said to him quietly, while Lucy chatted with the Elders about some medicinal herb.
"It looks almost like Darcy House in London."
"Really? Did you think you came to America in our time to build it?"
"I do not know. Perhaps I leave an instruction to our descendants to do that."
Elizabeth gasped. "Our descendants? Did Lucy know something about our future? Did we marry?"
"I am doing it in the wrong way. Miss Elizabeth, I ardently admire and love you. Would you do me the greatest honour and consent to be my wife?"
Tears gathered in Elizabeth's eyes and she nodded her head vigorously, too overcome to answer him. Extremely out of his character, Darcy yelled out, 'woohoo!', picked Elizabeth up and swirled her around.
Lucy and the Elders noticed their joyful way and asked, "What?"
"Did he pop the question?" Louis Elders said.
"Of course," his mother replied. "and she said yes!"
Suddenly, a microphone was thrust in front of the face of Louis. "Did we hear an engagement here?" A young reporter with a camera crew behind her asked.
"Yeah, Darcy here just popped the question and Lizzy said yes!" Louis pointed to Elizabeth and Darcy, who were still embracing each other.
The reporter immediately signaled for the cameraman to pan towards the couple. "What a joyful occasion, Mr. Darcy and Miss Lizzy!"
Darcy released Elizabeth immediately on hearing the interruption but still held her hand.
"Congratulations, Mr. Darcy. Deidre Bourgh from BBC Lifestyle News London. How long ago have you planned to ask Miss Lizzy to marry you today at President Obama's inauguration day? What made you both chose to dress in costume, I'd say, from the Georgian era? Are you both visiting from England?"
Darcy frozen on seeing the strange machines held by the young reporter and her friends. Louise had told him earlier that it was a television, like a movable theatre. But seeing his own face on the small screen of the camera was surreal. Not to mention the familiarity of the smartly dressed young lady. He swore she looked almost like his cousin Anne de Bourgh. But he was breaming with the joy of gaining Elizabeth's hand in marriage. He smiled and replied as calmly as he could, "I am honoured that Miss Elizabeth has consented to be my wife."
"I see you stay true to the character you dressed up in, Mr. Darcy. Your speech is very Georgian. May I know if you knew your boyfriend would pop the question today, Lizzy?"
"Pop the question?" Elizabeth repeated, confused.
"Asked for your hand in marriage, if I may borrow the Georgian language."
"That idea has never crossed my mind."
"Ah, so he kept you in the dark. Well done, Mr. Darcy! Was the proposal a spur of the moment, or was it well planned?"
"I have the ring with me for sometimes."
"Put the ring on!" "Kiss the girl!" People had gathered around them and chanted.
Darcy took his mother's ring out from the pocket, looked deeply into Elizabeth's eyes. He said to her quietly, "Thank you, Miss Elizabeth, for agreeing to spend the rest of our time together, to be the mother of my children and to create history of our own." His quiet words were captured by the TV crew, amid thunderous cheers. He put the ring on Elizabeth's finger and raised her hand to kiss it, ignoring the chant of "Kiss her on the lips!"
"It seems our dear couple remains strong to their value of the Georgian time and would not engage in a passionate kiss in front of our audience. Well, we should respect the couple's wishes. But still, I'm very interested in how Mr. Darcy persuaded you to dress in costume."
"It seems right to honour the forebearers in a day of historical significance to people's future." Elizabeth said. Darcy looked at her, nodded his head and squeezed her hand.
"Well said. How did you two hook up?"
"Hook up?" Darcy frowned.
"Meet each other." Deidre was getting a little tired of the handsome man's pretence of ignorance about modern language. But this made a good story and she rolled her eyes and continued to act cheerful.
"Through a friend." Elizabeth replied.
"And how long have you known each other?"
"A few months."
"That is quick! How did you know that Lizzy is the one?" Deidre focused on the handsome Mr. Darcy. She knew her audiences were mainly women.
"Through Elizabeth's eyes. You can see compassion, liveliness, intelligence and beauty there."
Deitre sighed. "How romantic! And you, Lizzy, how did you fall for your Mr. Darcy?"
"He stands by me, whatever the circumstances and wherever the time."
Finally, the reporter and her crew had enough of the interview and moved on. After the Elders and the crowds left, Lucy pressed the bell of the Foundation.
The door opened and a middle-aged woman greeted them with a smile. "Welcome, Mr. Darcy, Miss Bennet and Miss Hill. Hannah Fisher here. I am the Director of D&H Foundation. It is an honor. I have been waiting for you."
