Chapter 43

"Here they come!"

"Feels more like they're newly married," a voice spoke as the carriage drove up. There was no need for explanations when the Darcy couple arrived in a carriage, which was sent from Charleston hospital, a week later, and it soon appeared and came to a halt. Fredrick wasn't driving but all inside were relieved to know that he was fine too and everything was great. The coachman said.

"Whoa!" to the horses before he turned and he landed on ground, he was assisted with some other servants to help the couple out of the ride. Those around could see that the two of them were healing from what had happened but it was Fitzwilliam who was the main concern for them. She knew that he was fine because of how he pushed aside the help of the other man and she watched as his brow turned into a frown and she shook her head. There he was, the old dentist self, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, and he was back to his "bossy don't touch me," person and she was thankful that he was there, present, and accounted for. She then glanced over and saw Elizabeth and her complexion was so beautiful that it touched her heart when she heard her exclaim.

"The gardens are eye inspiring! How they've grown since we've been away!"

Fitzwilliam's voice could be heard as he spoke.

"Indeed! And thank goodness for no more root pulling or weed whacking!"

The assembled crowd laughed and it was one where she knew Elizabeth was safe and felt loved; Elizabeth was quiet and tender and held counsel with her own company and even though she knew a lot of people, she also didn't like letting others know about her real feelings and she hide most of her close friends near her heart and sought counsel with them only when she needed it. She had also learned that when she was alone, she'd spent more time in prayer and feeling the presence of Our Lord, Jesus, than if she did if she were in a crowd of people, popular, loved, and known. This was something that was always different about Elizabeth and when she glanced at Fitzwilliam, she saw the same thing. Something relatable where the couple was a match and one couldn't pull away from this reality. The young servant knew this the minute she glanced from him to her and she nodded; God had definitely matched them up in Heaven and it wasn't something to be questioned. Fitzwilliam was still dusting his hand on his sleeve when one of the men said.

"Now, Mr. Darcy, don't work yourself up too hard because you're still recovering."

"I can breathe and I can blink my eyes," he answered and then Fredrick's figure appeared behind his sister's and the woman knew he inwardly rolled his eyes when Fitzwilliam finished.

"I'm here and back at my house and I intend to open that place and know what my father and Elizabeth's father intended for us to own those gold bars but I am thankful to Our Lord that He was in charge of this love story, strange as it was but His will be done."

Then, with beating hearts, they all stepped back, and waited for Fitzwilliam to escort Elizabeth into the palace of Hawkswood, where the location of the gold bars would be revealed and summary of those strange occurrences would be summed up and feelings would be cleared and healed and prayers would be answered.

All held their breath when Fitzwilliam placed the painting of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the frame where Elizabeth's deceased aunt had been. Mare was one of those who pressed her lips together when she heard a sudden click sound and then suddenly, the image of Our Lady glowed a flash of white light, mixed together with a little gold, and when Elizabeth watched, her eyes widened as the mechanism started to make its appearance known to the crowd around it. The Image of Our Lady was peaceful but gentle but Elizabeth's heart continued to thump when she remembered those dreams she had while at her stay in the hospital but she felt inclined to believe that there was something of more value than the concealed inherited gold bars she and Fitzwilliam had received because of their marriage. But then a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Look! The fireplace is being pushed back!"

Elizabeth wasn't standing next to Fitzwilliam when he signed for everyone to take a step back and wait to see what was happening and they all complied. Elizabeth's heart was beating and she felt a little uneasy because she remembered what she'd been informed about her inheritance and what was behind the wall and she was thankful that those rats, Henry, and the Oliver, were safely in jail and weren't there to take away all those gold bars but she also knew something else and she started to pray that the same feeling would apply to Fitzwilliam. Before long, as she was praying, the door to the hidden room, with the leading Image of Our Lady, disappeared to the left, and then a bright light touched all their eyes. Elizabeth held her hand up to shade them and waited a minute before her breath caught in her throat and she gasped. There, neatly piled on top of each other, were huge pieces of gold, which glowed in the light, and they stared up at the crowd before them. It was a sight to behold and Elizabeth had to blink to make sure she was awake. She was the one who broke the silence.

"I am the owner of this gold?"

Her heart pounded and then Fitzwilliam's voice answered.

"We're the inheritors of this treasure, Elizabeth."

He stepped into the room, which was of medium width and length, and with the servants around them, he reached out and soon had an envelope in his hands. He stepped back outside as he finished.

"Here's a letter written in my father's handwriting," but when Elizabeth heard him say this, she watched how his Adam's apple bobbed and she knew that his loss of his father had entered into him and simply holding a letter from him meant the world to her husband and when Elizabeth spotted this, she pressed her lips together as one of the servants asked.

"Sir? Would you like us to leave?"

He nodded and without a word, the servants left and Elizabeth was the only there in the room.

She felt hurt when she realized that he wanted to be alone and read his father's words to himself and she felt hurt when he did this. The two had been reunited at the hospital before and it was a joyous one but she felt inclined to believe that Chris didn't want her right now and with these feelings in mind, she swallowed and silently, stepping back, without letting a peep come out of her mouth, Elizabeth turned and slowly disappeared down the hall of Hawkswood. Her husband didn't even glance up when she did this. And this hurt.