A/N
So, here is my attempt at a short story - 'Her Last Words'. I hope you all enjoy.
I have been trying to write this story for more than five months and was not getting fast anywhere. So tried the only way I know of motivating myself - gave myself a deadline. The story goes live on Amazon/Kindle on 11th Nov' 22.
Which means that If I am able to meet my deadline (and I hope I do. Pls Wish me luck) – this story would need to be posted and removed from FF latest by end of this month (Oct of 2022.) If you find the story of interest then please do keep track of it. I might post a number of chapters in one go.
As always will be waiting for your feedback, comments, and suggestions – they do help me improve my work. And if you notice any mistakes, please do let me know, will be grateful for the help.
Neha
Her Last Words Chapter 127th April 1812, London
"Mama, I do not believe that we should be doing this. When Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst returned my call in December, it was clear from their demeanour that they did not wish to keep up the acquaintance." Jane Bennet tried one more time to make her mother see reason. Unfortunately, her mother had already made up her mind.
"You may be right about Mr Bingley's sisters, Jane. I will grant you that. But what about him? If he had not been interested in maintaining the friendship, would his sisters have lied about your visit as they did?" Mrs Bennet asked her eldest daughter reasonably. "At least, that's what I heard Lizzy say yesterday when I accidentally interrupted your conversation," she added before turning to face Elizabeth.
"You never did tell me why that disagreeable Mr Darcy would tell you about Miss Bingley's lies?"
Elizabeth waited nervously, fearing that her mother would pursue that line of thought further, and sagged in relief when the carriage in which they were travelling came to a halt. Distracted, Mrs Bennet looked away to peer out of the window.
"Well... I am very glad that he did. Perhaps he is not so very disagreeable after all," was all Mrs Bennet said absentmindedly as she waited for the carriage door to be opened.
Elizabeth took a deep breath, feeling a strange mixture of relief and guilt Last night, in an attempt to protect Jane from this misadventure, she had an unprecedented exchange of some unsavoury words with her mother. She did not want to enrage Mama any further by revealing anything about what happened at Hunsford.
Jane's continued despondency and her own need to unburden herself had prompted her to confide in her sister the day before. Their conversation had, however, been interrupted by their mother, who had recently arrived in London for the stated purpose of cheering Jane up. If Mama's actions since the revelation about the Bingley sisters' perfidy were any indication, it was frightening to think about how she would react if she ever found out about the ill-fated proposal at Hunsford. Elizabeth was relieved that they were interrupted before she could say anything about Mr Darcy's overtures to her, and the relief far outweighed the guilt of keeping such a secret from her family, particularly Jane.
"Here we are, Jane, my dear!" Mrs Bennet exclaimed as a footman opened the door and lowered the steps.
Elizabeth gazed out the window at Mr Bingley's modish townhouse in Grosvenor Street, wondering if he owned it or leased it like Netherfield Park. If he did own the property, perhaps it might explain why Miss Bingley walked with her nose so high up in the air. Her lips quirked up at the thought as she prepared to follow Jane out of the carriage.
Mrs Bennet, who was the first to alight, was duly impressed by the grandeur of Mr Bingley's residence. In an attempt to get a better look at the property, she stepped off the pavement onto the road. Just then, her gaze was drawn to her eldest, who was frozen on the top step of the carriage, an acutely unhappy expression on her face.
"Come on down, Jane; there is no reason to be so missish..."
"But Mama..." Jane protested, even as she obediently stepped down.
"Trust me, my dear girl. I am going to hear my beautiful daughter say, 'I do' to her beau, if it is the last thing that I do..." Mrs Bennet smiled and took another step back on the road to avoid a crick in her neck from looking up at the tall house in front of her. Immediately, she heard Elizabeth's urgent voice calling something out to her.
Before she could do anything more than blink her eyes, a jet black, beast of a horse with a foaming mouth and flailing hooves was upon her. The young dandy, who had started an imprudent and impromptu race in the middle of Grosvenor Street only moments before, tried desperately to control his horse as Mrs Bennet stood rooted to her place in shock. He did well to avoid a collision but could not stop his horse's left front foot from delivering a glancing blow to the lady's head.
"Mama!" two voices cried simultaneously as Mrs Bennet swooned and fell to the ground.
~§§§~
Since his return from Rosings more than a fortnight ago, Fitzwilliam Darcy had not been in the best of moods. Having no desire either to listen to nonsensical chatter or foist his ill temper on unsuspecting members of the ton, he had declined all social invitations since his return, including one for dinner sent by his aunt, Lady Matlock. That dinner was yestereve, and today his aunt had summoned him through her son, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam. Aware that his aunt's bark was worse than her bite, Darcy decided to accompany Richard and resolve the matter there and then.
The sun was shining brightly and the weather was pleasant enough for the cousins to walk down from Darcy House to the residence of the Earl of Matlock. They had just entered Grosvenor Street and were nearing Mr Bingley's residence when Colonel Fitzwilliam exclaimed, "Darcy, isn't that crowd gathered in front of Bingley's house? It seems strange given that the Bingleys are currently away from home."
Darcy, who had been brooding as was his wont these days, came out of his reverie and cast a surprised glance towards Bingley's house. His cousin was correct; a crowd was indeed gathered on Bingley's doorstep. The presence of crowd in the neighbourhood was surprising in itself, that it was present in front of Bingley's house was even more so.
"Let us find out what is going on," he replied, and quickened his pace.
It was a motley crowd, comprising of a couple of dandies and what appeared to be a large number of servants and staff from the nearby houses. One of Bingley's footmen was also present in the group. Darcy could hear two voices speaking at the same time. One of the dandies was whining about the lady appearing so unexpectedly on the middle of the road. However, it was the other voice, raised in panic, that caused Darcy to freeze for a moment before he feverishly began to push his way to the front of the crowd. "Elizabeth!" he whispered as he heard her address someone called Matthew.
"Mr. Matthew, please help us carry our mother inside Mr Bingley's house and then call an apothecary. As you can see, she needs one urgently. I can assure you that we are friends with Mr. Bingley. In fact, we were his neighbours when he stayed in Hertfordshire a few months ago."
Darcy had made his way to the front by this point and, after an all-encompassing glance at the scene could make an educated guess as to what might have happened. Mrs Bennet appeared to have been in an accident and was lying unconscious on the ground. Miss Bennet was sitting on the ground with her mother's head on her lap, tears streaming down her cheek. A white-faced Elizabeth stood next to a footman dressed in Bingley livery, pleading with him to assist her mother. The footman appeared hesitant to make a decision. Perhaps his employer's absence was inhibiting him.
"I can vouch for these young ladies and their mother, Matthew. Please direct me to a suitable chamber where Mrs. Bennet can rest comfortably." Darcy requested as he stepped forward and gently picked up Mrs Bennet in his arms. Matthew's face cleared as if by magic. "Of course, Mr Darcy, please follow me, sir," The footman bowed and hurried inside the house to show them to a comfortable parlour.
Darcy heard Elizabeth mutter a relieved "Mr Darcy! Oh, thank you Lord, " before she went to assist jane up from the ground.
"Richard, could you please locate Dr Johnson and ensure that he attends to Mrs Bennet at the earliest?" Darcy threw over his shoulder before he started to follow Matthew inside Bingley's house.
"Aye, Darcy," Colonel Fitzwilliam replied and hurried away.
~§§§~
Darcy positioned Mrs. Bennet on a large sofa near a window. He then bent to check the lady's pulse, his lips tightened as he realised how weak it was.
"Let us make Mrs. Bennet as comfortable as possible until the doctor can examine her," he said, trying to smile reassuringly at the two Miss Bennets. "Matthew, please open the window so that fresh air can come inside," Darcy instructed the footman as he placed a cushion under the unconscious woman's head.
As he straightened up, he examined Mrs Bennet in a puzzled manner. Apart from a faint bruise on her left temple, there did not appear anything wrong with her. Then why was she senseless and her pulse so weak? Perhaps some internal injury or shock is causing the trouble, he speculated before turning to face the worried young women standing behind him.
"The doctor will be there shortly. Richard would personally escort him here," he assured them.
"Thank you very much for your kindness, Mr Darcy," Elizabeth thanked him, knowing full well that she would never be able to adequately express the gratitude she had felt when she first heard his voice today. The footman, while sympathetic, had shown no inclination to assist them until Mr Darcy arrived.
An embarrased Darcy waved away her thanks. "Ah... Miss Elizabeth, I am sure you would like to inform your uncle about the unfortunate events. If you could apprise me of his directions, I would see to it that someone is sent out with a message."
Elizabeth nodded gratefully and provide him with Uncle Gardiner's directions.
"Thank you. I will be back as soon as I have made the necessary arrangements," Darcy said as he turned to leave. Although the ostensible reason was to send a message to Mr Gardiner, he also wanted an account of what had happened without upsetting the Bennet sisters any further. Hopefully, the two gentlemen he had seen earlier would still be there to enlighten him.
~§§§~
If Darcy were to believe what Mr Norton and Sir Eversley told him, it was an accident in which both parties were to blame. Mrs Bennet was standing dangerously close to, if not exactly in, the middle of the street, and Sir Eversley was riding neck or nothing in order to win a wager from Mr Norton. It was too late by the time he saw Mrs. Bennet, and while he had avoided a collision, he could not stop his horse from striking the lady.
Darcy had no reason to doubt the men's claims. They had not only accepted their role in the disaster, but were also waiting for an update on Mrs Bennet's condition when they could have easily slipped away. He was still outside with them, acceding to their request to keep them abreast of Mrs Bennet's condition, when Richard came hurrying with Dr Johnson. This time, his cousin had outdone himself in efficiency.
"Richard, could you please take Dr Johnson to Mrs Bennet? I will see these gentlemen off and join you shortly."
When Darcy went inside Dr Johnson was still examining the patient. Everyone else was standing outside the parlour as ordered by the physician. To afford Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth some privacy, Richard stood a little way apart from them. The sisters huddled together, with Elizabeth standing with her arm protectively wrapped around Jane. She appeared to be murmuring some words of encouragement in Miss Bennet's ear. Darcy came to a halt as his gaze was drawn to the two sisters. The scene afforded him no surprises. Somehow, he had known that it would be Elizabeth who would be the stronger sister on whom Miss Bennet would lean for support.
For a long moment, he stood watching them, wishing Elizabeth too had someone to lean on. 'I would have had that privilege if Elizabeth had not turned down my offer of marriage.' The thought came to him unbidden and left him feeling miserable. Telling himself not to think about things that could not be undone, he turned to address his cousin.
"Has Dr Johnson said anything until now?"
"No, he has not..." Before Richard could complete his thought, Dr Johnson was at the door. His unhappy expression worried his audience.
"Mr Darcy? Can I talk to you privately?"
"Oh... oh no. Lizzy!" Jane's eyes widened and her voice rose, almost to a wail. The tears that had stopped when Mrs Bennet was brought into the house began to flow once more.
Elizabeth gripped her sister's hand tightly and turned to address the doctor. "I would much rather you tell the prognosis in front of us, Dr Johnson. After all, she is our mother." She attempted to speak bravely, but her voice wobbled near the end.
Doctor Johnson sighed and cast a quick glance at Darcy, as if seeking confirmation. All he got for his pains was a helpless shrug from that young man. However much Darcy wanted to shield Elizabeth and Miss Bennet from the unpleasant truth, it was not his place to make a decision.
"Very well, young lady, I will speak here itself. In a way it is better as you can answer a query that I have." Dr Johnson paused to take a breath, then asked, "Does Mrs Bennet have a weak heart?"
The sisters exchanged a surprised glance before Elizabeth shook her head and answered. "Not to our knowledge, Dr Johnson. The only ailments I have seen my mother suffer are headaches and... frequent bouts of what she calls as her nerves."
"Hmm... what are the symptoms when she suffers from these nerves, as you call them? Does she suffer from palpitations, breathlessness, dizziness, and the like."
Elizabeth and Jane exchanged another glance – an uneasy one this time. "Yes... she does complain of these maladies," Elizabeth said slowly.
"Well, given the effect today' shock has had on the condition of her heart, I am inclined to believe that your mother is suffering from a weak heart. The symptoms that we just discussed also point to that fact."
"But... Mama would get better, Dr Johnson, wouldn't she?" Elizabeth sought assurance in a small voice.
Doctor Johnson shook his head regretfully and said, "I would not like to give you any false hope, my dear. I believe the shock was too much for her heart, which was already weak." However, when he saw the distress on the faces of both young women, he could not help but add, "But if she survives the next thirty-six hours then... then perhaps there are chances that your mother will recover." He was well aware that the possibility was remote, but he found the could not take all vestiges of hope from them.
"Oh, Mama," Jane Bennet whispered and hurried inside the parlour, followed closely by her sister.
Dr Johnson left after confirming to Darcy that the end did not appear too far away. "The only good thing is that she cannot feel any discomfort."
~§§§~
Jane and Elizabeth prayed desperately for their mother to cross the thirty-six-hour deadline mentioned by Doctor Johnson. Unfortunately, Mrs Bennet could not even make it past the next thirty-six minutes.
Mr and Mrs Gardiner arrived not long after the doctor had left. Darcy was pleasantly surprised by their genteel appearance and demeanour. He thought it was a relief that the Miss Bennets not only had each other, but also had their aunt and uncle with them in their hour of need.
"Lizzy, Jane, how did this happen, my dears?" Mr Gardiner asked in a worried voice. He had addressed both his nieces, but it was to Elizabeth, he looked for explanation. While Jane sat beside her mother and held her hand comfortingly, Elizabeth began to tell her aunt and uncle about the events of the day.
Darcy had just begun to consider whether he and his cousin should go out and give some privacy to the others when Jane Bennet suddenly let out an anguished cry. "Lizzy!... Mama..."
Mr Gardiner hurried to his sister's side and bent to check her pulse. A few moments later he turned an ashen face towards his wife and gently shook his head.
"Oh Mama!" Jane sobbed. "This has all happened because of me, Aunt Madeline. Mama came here today only because she wanted my happiness," she added in a flat voice. Elizabeth and her aunt reacted simultaneously to this statement.
"Janey, no!"
"Oh, Jane, don't say such things, my dear." Mrs Gardiner rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her elder niece. Mr Gardiner followed his wife and embraced the two weeping women.
Darcy's gaze drifted towards a lonely Elizabeth, standing apart from her family, a stunned expression on her face. As she stood swivelling her appalled gaze between her sister and mother, Darcy felt an uncontrollable desire to gather her in his arms and comfort her. The urge was so strong that he had already taken a couple of steps before he realized what he was doing and forced himself to stop.
And like a fool he had begun to believe that he no longer cared for her, disliked her even. As he stood reeling from the realization that he still loved Elizabeth as much as he ever had, he noticed Richard reach out and place a comforting hand on her shoulder. The sharp stab of jealousy that pierced him was as strong as his yearning to comfort Elizabeth and his hands itched to tear Richard's away from her shoulder.
Being battered with such intense emotions at such an inconvenient time, quite unnerved him, and he decided to leave the parlour for a while to clear his mind. Before leaving he glanced at Elizabeth and was relieved to see that she was no longer alone. Her uncle had gathered everyone in the family huddle, including Elizabeth. Mrs Bennet, her brother and sister all were gathered protectively around the sisters.
Wait! Mrs Bennet also stood with her family! A stunned Darcy could not help his gaze from being drawn to her mortal remains on the sofa. The body was indeed present on the sofa. He blinked and gazed once more at the group standing nearby. It was just the Gardiners and their nieces! 'Perhaps it was a play of light that made me see Mrs Bennet just now.' He shook his head to clear it and beckoned to his cousin. It was time to make arrangements for everyone to transportation to Gracechurch Street.
~§§§~
Her Last Words
Copyright © 2022 by S. Neha
All rights reserved.
