Mr..Bennet's sorrow- where Wickham's wickedness is revealed
Meanwhile, Lucas held Mr. Bennet, who told him, "Let me get him, don't stop me; I want to kill that vermin. He damaged my Lydia selling her body."
"Don't kill him, father, please don't it; he is not worth it." Lizzie held him as well.
"He killed my Lydia, my baby; she was so ashamed that she wanted to die. I told her she was my baby, that it wasn't her fault, but she was dead inside. He deserves to die. You know what he did to her; I want him to die, let me. I know the others who used her; they were his old friends. I want to kill each one of them." Mr. Bennet said his voice breaking. Lizzie had never seen her father looking so emotional, his hidden persona. One her no-name father hadn't noticed.
Her father was grieving again. He sat on the ground sobbing. "My sweet baby, she was from noble blood going back centuries. How did he dare? My mother was an earl's daughter; my father's grandfather was a Duke. It wasn't right, selling her to awful men." He slumped, holding his head with his hands.
Lizzie was panicking, "Where is baby Lydia?"
Mary came out, " She is safe. When we saw him, we hid her. Kitty and the Hill are right now with the baby, hiding in the room we found when we were little. Mr. Hill has a gun."
Lizzie and Mary sat on the ground by their father; Lizzie talked softly, holding his hand, "Father, you come with us. Everyone comes to my home."
"I'm not going anywhere; I'm waiting here for him. Better, I'm going to go and look for him. He needs to die today; enough is enough. I trained with the best. I was in the military, a lieutenant. When I saw your mother the first time, so beautiful she took my breath away. I wrote to my father saying the military was a mistake, so he gave me Longbourn. Then, I was cold and nasty to your mother because of my father; he said if I married her, I would get nothing else. Hence, I blamed her for being beautiful, funny, lively, and good. She was right leaving me; I didn't deserve her. Maybe her love will treat her better. I don't know how to be different." Mr. Bennet talked between sobs.
Lizzie held his hand, tears rolling down her cheeks. Mary, also crying, put her head on his shoulder. There was much they didn't know about their father.
"I am not a coward; I wanted to kill that vile fiend when I found my baby, but I didn't have a gun. You don't know what I saw; my baby, my precious child being used. I love my daughters, and he defiled my youngest, little Lydia, my baby. Then I had to pay him to marry my child. Let me go." He tried to get up.
Lucas' daughter was crying, feeling his deep sorrow; it was her gift. She stood by Mr. Bennet and touched him, giving him peace and solace. Elizabeth noticed, for the first time, that her father was young and quite handsome; she saw him thru Lucas's daughter's eyes. He was three years older than her mother, making him 44. He was tall, fit, often walking with Lizzie; he looked a little like Lydia, and Jane had his eyes and his wavy hair. Lizzie remembered Charlotte saying many ladies fancied him; Charlotte had laughed and had said, including her.
Charles had heard the shot and gone to look; he came back running, "Wickham shot William and his cousin. William might be dying; someone come; I need help." He was somber, about to cry.
One of the guards said, "I will help; take me to them. I am a healer."
Lizzie stood up, "I am going. They got shot for helping me."
Unfortunately, the news renewed Mr. Bennet's desire to kill George. He would pretend to comply and would wait. He had an express from his brother's solicitor, requesting his presence. His brother wanted to see him; he was on his deathbed. His daughters and the baby would accompany him; If he went alone, the bastard would do something. Besides, they deserved to see the grand homestead. Later, they would be presented as it was their right.
The moment he had his title; he would come back; to wait for George and kill him. Then, he would kill everyone who used his Lydia; they were already dead; he would do it. He knew where to find them.
He also stood up, no longer crying, no more since he made a decision. He bowed his head, "Thank you, my lady; I hope to see you later, but I must go to help. Mary, please make sure the baby is well. Take everyone to your sister's home. I will be there later on."
Lucas and the others stayed while Mr. Bennet followed Lizzie, but for the footman who walked behind Lizzie, ready to protect her.
Revelations
What they saw, made Lizzie despair; she didn't want to wish Mr. Wickham to die but hoped for justice. She hoped he would get lost and could never return, like in a fairy tale she read long ago. Those that got lost in the fairy forest could either have a bad ending, or they could repent and change after they what would happen to them if they strayed; though, she still wanted to kill him. She saw thru her father's eyes. She saw what her father had seen, poor her little sister. Now, she understood Mr. Bennet, wanting to kill Wickham.
The one who came with Lucas was with Charles on their knees, checking Darcy. Richard was also down. The bullet wound was low, near the heart. He opened his eyes, "Wickham will die when I find him," he said and blacked out.
Mr. Bennet nodded, agreeing, and left to see if he could track where Wickham was going. Then he stopped and went back to his home; worried Wickham was there. Now, he was resolute Wickham, and his associates would die.
The guard examining Darcy spoke very low, "He will not die; he has two hearts. He is not one of us, though he must be something else. Unfortunately, I cannot see what. It is deep inside." He moved to Richard, "He also has two hearts, though one is only partly damaged. I must ask my Lady's father what I should do since I don't know, but I removed the metal inside already."
They saw a man coming from the woods. He wore a cloak, but Lizzie recognized him. She ran to him, and he spoke inside's Lizzie's head, "Rosie is keeping an undesirable away, but he might be able to listen, pretend you don't know me." She did as asked. Her father spoke for all to hear, "I can help; I heard the shots."
Lizzie thanked him, telling him quickly what happened, realizing she had forgotten about Rosie. Where was she? She had been gone for a while. At that moment, Rosie, looking like an odd-colored, giant wolf, had the nasty Lord against a tree. Tried as he may, he couldn't move; something held him. Besides, he was aware this beast could end his life; he knew about them, but where had it come from? He was still hoping the beast would go away.
Lizzie's father went to the fallen, first touched Richard briefly, and nodded. Then he went to Darcy, "Miss, can you come here," he looked at Lizzie, still pretending he didn't know either Lizzie or Elmer, the healer-guard, who bowed his head.
Lizzie heard her father whisper, "You could do this as well; Elmer has already taken the metal out and stopped the blood."
Lizzie did as she was told and was surprised; the knowledge filled her mind. She could have done the same, just by touching the wounded; if it were possible, they would be healed, which wasn't always the case; not all injured could be saved. Elmer, the healer-valet,
added, "My Lady, I was at your birth, I gifted you."
Charles asked, "What does this mean; is he going to be well?" He had not felt his tears; he was already mourning his best friend.
"No answers, not yet," Lizzie's father, added touching Darcy's chest carefully. He looked surprised.
"Elmer," he talked to the healer, now passing as Charles' valet, "you were right; though we cannot heal his heart, you already stopped the blood flow. He will need to be aware he was wounded, say you extracted the bullet, same with the other gentleman. As you know, they need a few days for all the healing to take place."
The cloaked man lowered his hood. He looked like an old gentleman. He spoke softly, "He has the blood of 'people,' from long ago. They were warriors, known by their fierceness; they looked different during battle or anger, quite formidable. We thought they had all died during the Rebellion-Wars; but, obviously, some survived here. It makes me happy; they are greatly missed. I think he has no idea who he is. However, someone must know about them, probably destroying the ones found. I can imagine why." He shook his head in sorrow.
Louder, he said, "He will need to lay down for a while; it will take some time." he gave Lizzie a small bottle, "add a few drops to his drinks, same with his cousin. Make sure to keep the wounded safely; if their nature is known, it might be dangerous for them. Find out what other relatives they have." Then to the other guard, "Go and get Rosie, or just call her; she will know to retreat wisely."
To Lizzie, he said, "Be aware she might not always obey. I just hope she doesn't talk. Hard to tell with her." He exhaled, "her kind are naughty, but they can see what we cannot not, since many evil beings, and change into a larger version of themselves, but only if needed. Only a few know much about them.
When he left, Lizzie realized her father heard her wishes, and he came. She looked at her husband, "Charles, darling, you heard, he and his cousin will recover. We need to take care of Mr. Darcy and his cousin; I owe them much for helping. Let's get my family. Ah, we need to protect Mr. Darcy's sister on her way here; I will ask my cousin. As for George, his days are numbered. Things have changed; now we can take care of him and his associates; my father is right." She didn't know where George was heading.
She hoped Rosie would obey. Lizzie grinned, so Rosie had a mind of her own; her no-name father didn't know Rosie had already talked.
At Netherfield
Lord B. was back, looking disheveled. The beast must be hiding nearby. Suddenly, it retreated, and after a few minutes, he could move again. As to how the beast got there, he didn't know, though he suspected he had been found. But all was not lost; perhaps, the beast was there to guard the beauty, hiding in the forest and didn't like her to be followed. That must be it. He was nearly sure.
When the family and wounded prepared to leave, Rosie came from under the bushes chasing a barn cat. The cat was twice Rosie's size, but she didn't care until Lizzie called her. They took the wounded in the carriage. Mr. Bennet pretended to be compliant and traveled with them to Netherfield in their carriage. Charles wouldn't leave his friend's site. Lizzie sat by him, holding his hand. "Lizzie, he is my brother; he cannot die."
Lost in a Fairy Forest
George jumped on his horse, but before long, the road didn't seem familiar. He could hear growls and howls. He was scared, so he tried to go back the way he came, but it was a dead-end; then he tried another way, and he was in front of a cliff. He was in trouble and was afraid. He looked around; the vegetation wasn't one he had seen before. The trees had shades of blue and yellow; and the scrub was purple.
After a while, he needed food and water; thankfully, he had some in his satchel. When he looked, he had a lot more than he thought. Soon, it was night, and he could hear strange chants and screams, like people were in pain. He came down from his horse to look where to sleep and hide. It was light; the moon was out. He noticed low-hanging fruits, looking a little like apples, a small patch of grass, and a small pond for his horse to drink and eat. He looked up and saw three moons. He tbought he heard an unpleasant chuckle.
He had somehow stepped in the world of fairies, nasty ones at that. He hid and ate more from his full bag and waited for daytime.
He remembered a fairy tale of someone lost in a forest because of his bad deeds. He couldn't remember the ending, but it wasn't good. He also remembered the stories about Darcy and Fitzwilliams, maybe they were true, and this was his punishment. His father often told him to mend his ways, and now, it was too late. He was superstitious, and had studied for the clergy, and always carried a couple of religious books. As soon as it was light, he started reading. He just wanted to get out alive.
Netherfield
Charles organized pallets to carry William inside. Not for Col Fitzwilliams. He was awake, if not well. Lucas, Lizzie's cousin, and her father, who followed in the carriage, helped him inside. Lord B. stood at the door looking. He thought it was too bad the wounded wasn't Bingley. Those were the shots he heard.
Everyone was out and asking questions. "We will talk later, not here," Charles told his sisters and others. To Hurst, he whispered, "Have the area guarded, Wickham, is around. He wants the baby."
Hurst was angry at once.
"Over my dead body," Hurst swore. Lizzie heard him. When Jane saw her father's red eyes, she ran to him.
Jane was surprised when her reserved father hugged her, "The fiend is around," he stopped himself from saying he would kill him. "He needs to pay for your baby sister." He noticed the stranger, Lord B. coming closer to eavesdrop. "My dear, we will talk inside."
Lord B. walked to Charles. He was helping with William while Lizzie took her family and the Hill inside. When Lizzie crossed Lord B., Rosie ignored him. She was clever and noticed him checking her out, so she banged her tail.
He asked, wanting to know about Rosie, "Mrs. Bingley, that is a lovely dog. I hadn't seen it before. Ah, is a she, I see the bow."
Lizzie controlled her dislike. "You haven't seen her because she was at my parents' home."
Rosie squirmed to get down; Lizzie had to let her. Rosie went by Lord B., and he bent to pet her. Lizzie held her breath; her cousin, Lucas observed, Lizzie grinned when she saw him winking. Rosie was good at pretending when needed; she could see the man's intentions. Rosie allowed one pet, then ran to the grass to do her business and came back to Lizzie.
Her sisters came around Lizzie, so Lord B. moved away.
Lord B. was disappointed that fluffy sorry excuse for a dog, was nothing but a spoiled little pet. It greeted him and was friendly. When he pet Rosie, he sensed nothing but a worthless dog. He disliked dogs, the feeling was mutual. He hurried to offer his help with Darcy, "No need, thanks; Lizzie's cousin will help me," Charles answered.
Lord B. had seen the man they were chasing. He would offer to help find the shooter. If he found him, he might get Charles' trust. He would find out what was happening.
A carriage arrived to pick up Meredith Darcy. They were bringing Darcy into the house as Meredith, and her friends were leaving. She saw Darcy injured, still out, and smiled, "I cannot say I am sorry. Maybe I will be a very rich widow. Indeed, I will be paying attention."
A/N Okay, one baddie out, almost. Now for the other two, assuming Lord B. is the one in the wall. Hmm, me wonders. Poor Mr. Bennet, sometimes grief changes people. But desire for revenge is damaging. Hopefully, he will desist; though I can understand him. Some people needs killing, as I heard once in New Orleans. :) It makes sense Mr. Bennet was an officer when he met his wife.