Four sets of curious ears stumbled clumsily backwards as the bedroom door swung open. Elizabeth had anticipated three of these sets of ears, and the addition of a fourth eavesdropper made her blush. Fortunately, Mr. Jones' reddened cheeks spoke of embarrassment also. He fumbled with his words, "Ah… Miss. Bennett. I was… uh… I was just… Miss. Bennett," He finished decisively, "Are you recovered?" Elizabeth might have laughed had a loud bellows not emanated from the room she had just exited.
"What do you mean you're going to be a governess!" When the owner of the voice did not follow his words into the hall, Elizabeth, and the four eavesdroppers entered the room themselves. Darcy stood rooted to one spot. Meeting his gaze, Elizabeth began to wonder if her words had been such a good idea after all.
"Sir, I was hired to be a companion to these two young women, and a governess for this child. I do not, indeed feel that I cannot, withdraw my services," answered Elizabeth calmly.
"Oh yes you can! You just agreed to marry me! That agreement makes all previous arrangement null and void."
Elizabeth could not counter these words, for a cacophony of sounds: gasps, giggles, groans and sighs arose from behind her.
"They're getting married!" came the excited pronouncement from Elaina.
"I told you so," said her sister.
Their father smiled widely and strode across the room to Darcy, grasping and shaking his hand. "Congratulations my boy! After meeting your Miss. Bennett this morning in just knew it was meant to be!"
The little boy stood by his sisters, wide-eyed and curious as to what a wedding meant.
And Mr. Darcy suddenly realized that Elizabeth was not the only one in the room. After a single bewildered instant, he returned the handshake and spoke. "Roger, tell Elizabeth that she was not truly needed here as a governess in the first place."
Mr. Jones looked dubious. "Actually Darcy, It would be nice to have her ehlp. But just until Rachel arrives," he added last minute.
"Rachel? Who's Rachel?" asked Elizabeth.
"She's my wife," answered Mr. Jones. "Hinton's mother. The girls' stepmother."
This must be the scandal he had written of in his letter, thought Elizabeth. Divorce! She had never actually known a divorced person before, and her heart and ever-curious mind reached out to the girls who stood before her now. Turning to her fiancée she said, "Mr. Darcy, I will marry you. But only after Mrs. Jones arrives. Until then, I believe my services are needed elsewhere."
Darcy thought about fighting her, this decision. But even the pirate in him cowered at the thought of an enraged Elizabeth. If he stole her away while angry and married her, then he would have an enraged and uncomplying wife. Which could not be a good thing, thought he. But he was used to getting his way.
"Roger, when is your wife due to arrive?"
"Three weeks from now," was the answer.
"Three weeks…" mulled Darcy. "Three weeks… Fitzgerald!" screamed the man.
A short pudgy man with vibrant orange hair, a down turned mouth, and narrowed squinting eyes almost immediately entered the room. It seemed as if other on pretend errands that brought them, conveniently, to the hallway in front of the door, had taken the Jones' lead, and taken up eavesdropping.
"Yes sir?" asked the man who was presumably Fitzgerald.
"Yes. Send word to sent that ship I hired to… Roger, where is your wife at the moment?"
"In Bath, visiting her parents," replied a confused Mr. Jones. "She'll leave there in a little over two weeks."
"Send the ship to bath," said Darcy, turning back to Fitzgerald. "And tell them that the quicker they return, the larger their pay. Roger, write her a note and give it to Fitzgerald, along with the address of her parent's dwelling. Fitzgerald, give these items to the captain." Finally, he turned to Elizabeth, smiling. "I see you are determined. But you must understand my lady, so am I."