A.N. Dear lovely Iiysyl, Colleen, Jolanda, Kiwipride, Gabyhyatt, Gemma, Happy Lizzy, and other reviewers, thank you for taking the time to review throughout my posting. I couldn't have completed this story without your encouragement. Writing time-travel is a lot more challenging than I first thought. Historical accuracy is quite time-consuming. I also made some glaring mistakes in the story: ladies wore gloves at a ball. So there wouldn't be any fingerprints left to be dusted. I will fix this and other mistakes when I get it professionally edited for publication.
This story is particularly difficult to write. At first, there were negative comments about the sadistic clergyman, plots, etc. One of the comments also referred to a lack of respect and understanding of African Americans because Lucy spoke about her slavery experience too lightly. I do not know any African Americans personally. But I am a non-English speaking immigrant in Australia and came from a disadvantaged background. I have abundant respect and empathy for people of different colours and backgrounds, as I have worked with them for over 20 years.
Anyway, I'm happy that the story is completed (I will post the last chapter tomorrow). This chapter contains many answers regarding the future, but you will need to wait for the final chapter regarding answers to the past. Happy reading and I look forward to reading your reviews.
Thank you to other silent readers too. I hope you have time to write a word/send me a smiley, so I know you enjoy the story. As Jane Austen said, "There are very few of us who have heart enough to be really in love without encouragement." I need your encouragement to nurture my love of writing.
Please be kind to each other, as we are in a world that is turned upside down. Stay safe and healthy! Enid
Chapter 25
Darcy could not keep his eyes from his betrothal. He had not in Elizabeth's company for two days since they time-travelled back to 1812. It still amazed him about this surreal adventure. He met and talked to a Roman God, stepped foot in America in 2009, attended one of the greatest days in history for mankind and experienced the world's advancements, with his love by his side.
With the highs, he also learned about the lows, such as the struggles of people of different colours and backgrounds, wars, crimes, drugs, pandemic and future forms of slavery.
He was humbled to learn that Elizabeth and his descendants and their close circle of friends continued to dedicate their energy to world causes and thrive around the globe and into 2038. The letter Hannah Fisher, the Director of D&H Foundation in 2009, discovered, which gave instructions on how to welcome Darcy, Elizabeth and Lucy from 1812 and 1892 respectively came from a Miss Genna Darcy of 2038.
Through Hannah, Genna left Elizabeth, Darcy and Lucy an encrypted file, which allowed them to use 2009 technology to "talk" to a hologram version of Genna. Darcy opened that file at D&H Museum on their return from Ohio, the last day they stayed in 2009. He later learned from the Internet that it was an advanced artificial intelligent data file.
"Hello, forebears!" Genna greeted the three 2009 time-travellers cheerfully. "I am Genna Darcy, many times great-granddaughter of you two, Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy of Pemberley!"
Darcy and Elizabeth exchanged a look of wonder. "Hello great-granddaughter, many times in the future," Elizabeth said with a smile.
"You look so much like Georgiana, my sister," Darcy commented. His voice thick with emotion. "although you look quite tan."
"Yeah, right, I've seen pictures and learned about Georgiana Darcy, born on 1795. She was beautiful! Thank you for the compliment. She married Lord Metcalf's nephew and became Lady Metcalf. I've got a bit of blood from her, and of your relatives and friends too."
"Indeed?" Darcy was glad to learn more about Georgiana's future.
"Yes, I'm Italian. I have some percentage of blood from you, Miss Lucy, Joe and Hannah Fitzwilliams, Catherine Lane nee Bennet and General Fitzwilliam's batsman Simon Tuttle."
Darcy's head spun with the information.
"Oh, we would be related in the future generations!" Lucy and Elizabeth exclaimed and squeezed each other's hands with excitement.
"Italian? How did you know we would time-travel to the New World in 2009? How did you persuade Miss Fisher to help us?" Darcy asked.
"Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth said. "pray do not overwhelm the child with questions. Miss Darcy, maybe it is easier for you to tell us about yourself."
"Si! But I'm 30 years old now, many times Bisnonna. I'm a bit older than you, not a child anymore. May I call you Bisnonna?" Genna arched her eyes and laughed. Elizabeth gave her permission and Genna continued. "I was born in Milan in 2012. My parents discovered I have an extremely high I.Q. when I was three years old. I had a wonderful and happy childhood. But suddenly, the devastating coronavirus pandemic exploded like a bomb in Italy in 2020."
"A pandemic? Like The Black Death?" Elizabeth gasped.
"The death toll of this respiratory illness did not reach a million, but it killed tens of thousands of people in many poor countries. Several more advanced and wealthy nations were caught off guard as well. Italy was one of the hardest hit with many deaths. I lost my parents, grandparents and many of the extended family members in a matter of two weeks. They were infected during their work with the poor and disadvantaged members of the community in Italy. The pandemic came fast and hard. Despite their wealth, they all died within weeks of each other."
"Oh, my poor dear!" Elizabeth exclaimed with tears in her eyes. "I could not imagine what you have been through. What happened to you then?"
"And you were just eight years old, weren't you?" Lucy asked.
"Yes. I have a few distant Darcy cousins in the U.K., USA and Asia. Still, my parents left my guardianship with Mrs. Brenda Fitzwilliam's family of Buenos Aires, a descendent of the niece of Lucy's late husband and General Fitzwilliam."
"Wow, I must tell Brenda about it," Lucy said. "if she believes me about time travel. A genius in the family!"
"Were Mrs. Fitzwilliam and her family good to you?" Elizabeth asked.
"Very much so. I was very enraged, at people and at the world, at that time. But Brenda has such a free spirit and passion for life. She got me through the anger and grief. I started to take my studies more seriously again. I graduated with a Ph.D. when I was 15 and was making quite a name for myself in the field of infectious disease prevention and promotion by the time I turned 18. Shortly afterwards, I became the board chairman of the D&H Foundation. When I was checking on the background of the Foundation, I found the deeds of lands with caves in six different locations in the world, near our global offices."
"Ah, you discovered the time travel portals!" Lucy said excitedly.
"Yes, I had my first argument with God Janus at Rio Gallegos then."
Elizabeth laughed. "You certainly have Lucy's blood in you. She did the same and that was why she ended up in 2009 to attend President Obama's inauguration."
"What did you argue about?" Lucy smiled.
"I discovered the unusual beaming lights in the cave and this apparition that emerged out of nowhere. I figured that he is God Janus by asking him a few pointed scientific questions. I was fascinated that time travel is really possible and demanded to go back to 2020, hoping to save my family from the devastating pandemic."
"Were you successful?" Elizabeth asked.
Genna shook her head. "I went back three times, to 2015, 2019 and 2020. I always time-travelled with some preparations such as clothing, money, I.D.s of the era. I was able to find my way to help the World Health Organisation to develop a vaccine. But humans are forgetful and complacent. They never seem to learn their lessons from history. The vaccine was either developed too early or too late to save my family."
"I am so sorry to hear about it," Darcy said.
"You must be devastated," Elizabeth commented.
"I ranted and raged against God Janus for the first two times, but on my last visit to 2020, I was lucky enough to say goodbye to my parents and grandparents. I was not allowed to do so when I was an eight-year-old girl."
"How come?"
"It was a very infectious disease and hospitals were overwhelmed. The critically ill patients were kept from their families to prevent the disease from spreading. The deceased were cremated or buried without any family members attending. But this time, I arrived as an 18-year-old doctor. I said goodbye to them and held their hands when they died."
Elizabeth and Lucy had tears flowing down their face. Darcy felt a terrible loss as well for the Darcys of Italy. "Did they know it was you, Genna Darcy, who was no longer an 8-year-old?"
Genna nodded. "My parents seemed to know about the magic of time travel. They told me not to attempt to change history but use the gift by God Janus to help the most needed in the world. My father told me I am, in fact, named after God Janus, Gennaio for January."
"Did you accept that?" Lucy asked.
"Saying goodbye to them helped me a lot," Genna's broody face brightened up. "I then used my time, energy and opportunity of time-travel, to make the world a safer place health-wise. In between my studies and work, I would travel to beyond 2038, take a glimpse of the future advancements to help my effort stealthily." Genna laughed.
"It is good to hear that you have grieved and healed," Elizabeth said. "I want to hug you."
"I want to too, Bisnonna. Now, about the letter to Hannah of 2009. I am to be a mother soon, in about six months."
"Congratulations!" The three time-travellers of 2009 cheered.
Genna caressed her abdomen. "Suddenly, I have this urge to know more about the past. I want to tell my little boy about myself, my wonderful parents, grandparents and the ancestors who made me who I am."
"Like a scientific study into the history of the Darcys?" Lucy commented.
"Yes, I looked through some of the personal paper my parents left me, which I had never touched earlier. I was afraid they would be too painful to read. But now, I am ready. In an encrypted databank file, they talked about you, Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley, from the Regency era. The two most important people in our family history. I have also read your books, Bisnonna. The "Diary of an Accidental Time Traveller" and its three sequels. They were so fascinating!"
"I will be a published author!" Elizabeth exclaimed. Another rounds of congratulations were heard.
"Pray continue, Miss Genna," Darcy said.
"The paper also mentioned Edward Darcy, Lucy Hill and the creation of D&H Foundation. It piqued my interest. I took several trips back to the past. On one of my trips, I found Paul Mitford wounded in Oakham Mount. I patched up his wound before Hannah Fisher of 1811 arrived."
"The father of Miss Hannah of 2009 told us some of the rumour about his family history," Elizabeth said. "He said one of his ancestors Paul Mitford killed someone in England and flee to the New World with his wife. He changed his name to Paul Fisher."
"Yes, Mr. Paul Fisher of Ohio in 2009 looked very much like the person I met at London docks in 1811 when I was investigating the disappearance of Miss Elizabeth. Did you, Genna, know that Miss Elizabeth had been injured by her cousin Mr. Collins at Oakham Mount? She time-travelled to 1892 Washington D.C. where she met Miss Lucy?" Darcy added. "Was this family rumour about Paul Mitford real?"
"Indeed! Before Paul left with Hannah of Meryton in 1811, he wanted to make a confession. At first, I declined to listen to it, as I was pretending to be a nurse from London then, but he insisted. He told me his sister Daisy, who worked in the family tavern, had gone missing. Paul followed every lead and found the evil Mr. Collins a most likely suspect. He witnessed Collins attacked Hannah and helped her. She was a maid working at the unspeakable alley in Meryton. Later, Paul found Collins attacked a gentlewoman who fled after striking back. The gentlewoman fell into a pit. Paul was unable to find and help the woman. When he returned to Collins, trying to get information about the whereabouts of his sister, Collins attacked him with a knife. Paul stabbed Collins to death."
"Oh, my Lord! Mr. Mitford is the murderer of Mr. Collins!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "But we cannot have Mr. Mitford arrested. He is only doing it to defend himself."
"My men followed Mr. Mitford to London docks, where he pawned Collins's pocket watch for funds to buy tickets for Ireland. How did he end up in the New World?" Darcy asked.
"Paul's story made me think of the family history I read about you two," Genna said with a smug look. "I read that Bisnonna Lizzy had been missing for about three months at the end of 1811. It seemed there were some rumours spread by the Lucases before your marriage that Mr. Darcy kept you as his mistress in London during that time."
"How dare them!" Elizabeth uttered. "I thought Charlotte is my friend! Why would they spread such a lie about Mr. Darcy and me, who is an honorable man?"
"Let me continue and you will understand," Genna said. "I immediately deduced that the woman who fell down the time-travel portal in Oakham Mount is you, Bisnonna Lizzy. I also believe that as you are closely related to Collins, his death and your disappearance would make you a suspect. Paul wanted to confess his crime to the local magistrate. He did not want anyone to be accused of a crime he had committed. But Hannah told him not to tell William Lucas the truth."
"Why? What did Hannah Fisher know about Sir William?"
"The righteous Magistrate of Meryton at that time liked to visit hookers. Sorry, I should use your language. Bisnonna Lizzy, Sir William frequented the ladies at the unspeakable alleys in the surrounding towns. He loved to talk while he was having sex." Elizabeth's eyes widened and her face turned a shade of red.
"My goodness!" Lucy murmured.
Genna continued, "One of his usual rants which spread to the ears of the whore at Meryton was that he was extremely jealous of Mr. Bennet. He married the beautiful Mrs. Bennet and had a more prosperous estate than him. Sir William had been itching to take down anyone named Bennets for some time. Hannah felt that if Paul confessed to Sir William and handed the magistrate Collins's knife, the magistrate could twist the fact to pin the murder on you, Bisnonna Lizzy. I agreed with Hannah and would not put it past Sir William to smear Lizzy's reputation by linking her to Paul, convicting both of them of murder. Hannah would not want you arrested as she knew you have been kind to all the poor people in Meryton."
"I would challenge Sir William to a duel if he dares to smear Miss Elizabeth's reputation!" Darcy roared.
"I persuaded Paul to write a confession letter for me instead. I hid it with the knife somewhere safe in the cave at Mount Oakham. You can take them to show to the authority to exonerate Bisnonna Lizzy. Bisnonno Darcy, but please do not ever let Sir William get his hands on them, or he would find a way to destroy the evidence."
"I will make sure of that," Darcy said. He smiled at being called great grandfather Darcy by a woman who looked like Georgiana but only slightly older than him.
"I also suggested Paul take Collins's pocket watch and pawn it in London. That way, it would point to a robbery gone wrong. I suggested them to pretend to buy tickets to Ireland, but detoured to sail to America instead, with a new identity as Mr. and Mrs. Paul Fisher."
"You are quite sly, Genna!" Elizabeth said. "But if Paul put all this information in the confession letter, would he not worry about being arrested in the New World?"
Genna smiled proudly. "That is called strategy, Bisnonna. General Fitzwilliam's blood must be flowing through me when I suggested all that to Paul and Hannah. Paul never expected to be a free man after the murder. He agreed to everything to help Hannah away from the poor situation. Hannah's mistress bought her from an orphanage when she was just a toddler. She was going to train Hannah up to serve her clients. I told Paul he would be doing a good last act to protect Hannah and set her up in a brand new world."
"I remember now. When I met the Fishers at London docks," Darcy murmured. "Mrs. Fisher knew me by sight, telling Mr. Fisher I am not Sir William. She called me by my name. How did she know me?"
Genna laughed. "You are such a handsome and rich gentleman. How could the entire female population in Meryton, including the whore at the unspeakable alley, not know about you. Hannah and her mistress had seen you talking to the Bennet sisters in town. You are quite admired, Bisnonno Darcy!"
Lucy and Elizabeth all laughed out loud when Darcy blushed a deep red.
"Now, Genna, how did you know we would be visiting D&H Foundation in 2009?" Darcy diverted the attention from himself back to the issue at hand.
"That was easy to answer. I talked to God Janus about who has time-travelled or would be according to his record book of time travels. God Janus was worried about Lucy and Elizabeth not finding a place to stay for three days in 2009. So I decided to take the matter in my own hands and left the instruction letter a few days earlier in one of the documents in D&H Museum."
"How did you make sure Miss Fisher of 2009 would find it?" Lucy asked.
"I could not guarantee that, but I think God Janus might have more power than he said. He could travel outside of the time portals. He was quite fond of you, Lucy and Bisnonna Lizzy. He must have told me about your travel in 2009 on purpose."
"I see. But how did you persuade Miss Fisher that your request is genuine?"
"I told Hannah in the note I left her that if she still wanted a chance with Joe Fitzwilliam, she must welcome the three of you as I instructed. She also would got her hands on Carlina Collins, arresting for criminal offences. I learned about Hannah and Joe's rocky romance from family history."
"You seem to know a lot about the family history, Genna," Elizabeth said. "Would I be tempting fate by asking you who killed George Wickham? I am worried about Mary, my sister, who was falsely arrested by Sir William."
"You do not have to worry about Miss Mary, as she married General Fitzwilliam. Otherwise, Joe Fitzwilliam and I would not be born," Genna smiled and then paused for a moment. "I love puzzles. Let me make it more interesting for you. The culprit will be unveiled by Bisnonno Darcy. Bisnonna Lizzy will solve the question of the murder weapon by examining the colours of the Netherfield party. Have I answered all your questions?"
The three time-travellers accepted Genna's impertinent reply, as they were less worried about Mary's fate now. They talked to the hologram a bit longer and came up with a strategy to dispel any possible rumour of Darcy and Elizabeth's disappearing together in 1812.
