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Chapter 4:
Lizzy did not think that she could take another half-slept night on that wretched chair. She knew she ought to be thankful—had it truly been a mere two days since she had met Mr. Darcy in Lady Catherine's gardens? It seemed that time had stopped and at the same time, it had not stopped moving.
Lizzy felt Mr. Darcy toss and turn in his sleep—thankfully his fever had abated, the wound on his head was healing, and they would go to a home in the morning. She hoped and prayed that she could take a bath of sorts and rest on a bed and when she could not think any longer, she drifted off to sleep, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders.
She did not know what time it was when she heard the whispering but she knew right then that someone was looking for them.
"Have you seen a gentleman with a lady?" asked a rough voice from the hallway. Lizzy opened one eye—the darkness of the room not allowing her to sense anything out of the ordinary. Were the voices in her head? Had they truly found them? She felt her heart beat with panic, the air of her lungs compressed against her chest—she had stopped breathing.
"I am afraid I do not know whom you search for" said Miss Murphy, in a tone that Lizzy had never heard her use before. Had she realized they were in danger and was protecting them? Lizzy did not know but she knew that those men were armed and though she was not sure if they would injure anyone in the process, Lizzy knew that her presence would give Mr. Darcy away and so she did the only thing she could: she hid under Mr. Darcy's bed, hoping that the darkness of the night would cover her.
Her intuition was right for she felt the door open, a sliver of light coming in from the lantern and the men roughly walked in, searching for a gentleman and a lady. They could not make out faces and there was no sign of a lady present—a fact that Miss Murphy was very thankful for. She knew those men were out for trouble and though Mrs. Taylor did not confess in her, she had seen fear in women's eyes to know when they needed protection. She had not always been able to protect those in need but tonight, she counted her blessings that she could.
"As I told you" said Miss Murphy in a threatening whisper, "There is no one here under that description. Could you please leave now? You are to awaken the patients, or worse, you may catch something they have!"
"Humph" said one of them, "We shall return in the daylight" he said to the other. Lizzy recognized their voices at once. She waited until they were gone and then some, to come out from underneath the table, not sure if she could handle any more of this. They needed to get back to England. Derbyshire seemed the nearest place to Scotland and the most prudent place but she need to let Mr. Darcy rest for another day or two and then, somehow, she would find a way to take them both back to England.
The next morning, the Doctor came in and spoke with Mrs. Taylor, gave her instructions on how to take care of her husband's head wound and to speak of him of his past, to enable his memory to return. Lizzy dutifully nodded, thanked them and a few tears escaped when she apologized for not being able to pay them for their services.
"I promise, when I am able to, I shall" she said, meaning every word.
"I thank you" said the Doctor, bowing his head in gratitude. "I would like a few words alone with Mr. Taylor." Lizzy's eyes widened in fear but she quickly recovered herself, curtsied and exited the room, waiting out in the hallway. After a few minutes, Mr. Darcy walked out, looking better than he had when he had first arrived and Lizzy smiled at him with hope—we shall get home soon, I promise, she whispered in her heart.
Mr. Darcy held out his arm for her, she took it and they set out, following the instructions to the nearby home of Mrs. Murphy. Mr. Darcy looked around pleasantly at the streets, looking for anything, something to jog his memory. Elizabeth, meanwhile, was looking down, avoiding people's face and encouraging them to walk in darkened alleys instead of the broad the daylight.
"Are you looking for someone?" asked Mr. Darcy, turning to face Lizzy. Her head shot up, a blush on her cheeks and she shook her head, too quickly.
"No" she murmured and then looked down again, hoping that her bonnet did a good enough job of hiding her features. She thanks the stars when they finally arrived at the dilapidated house of Mrs. Murphy. Lizzy managed a smile and they knocked, being received warmly by Mrs. Murphy who showed them upstairs to their room.
"Our room?" squealed Lizzy, not meaning for her voice to sound so high pitched. She had completely forgotten to ask for two rooms and truthfully that would have seemed odd. Oh goodness, one room. Most likely one bed. It would not matter what would happen when Mr. Darcy regained his memory, she would be compromised. As if you already are not, she smirked to herself. She was. Utterly and completely compromised. And though she had detested the idea of marrying Mr. Darcy, now she would have wished for nothing more than to be back at Rosings, accepted his insulting proposal, and have never stepped foot in dreadful Scotland. But alas, time traveling was out of the question.
"Yes, of course, Mrs. Taylor" said Mrs. Murphy, "There is a spacious bed and I have brought a small basin of water. My daughter has informed me that you have not slept at all, please do rest, we shall discuss our arrangement in the evening."
"I thank you" said Lizzy and opened the door, feeling as if she were sealing her fate.
Mr. Darcy walked in behind her and closed the door, observing the room. He did not remember anything. Nothing in here seemed familiar. Nothing in the streets called out at him. He looked at his wife and felt a sudden warmth that he could only suppose was love. He could not remember her but it seemed that his heart did. And for that feeling of recognition, he was thankful. There was much he wanted to ask and much he wanted to know but the doctor had told him how careful she had tended for him and he could see the color under her eyes.
"Imogen" he said, the words sounding like sand in his mouth, they did not feel natural nor did he feel anything towards that name, but he said it, nonetheless, hoping to show a closeness which he presumed they had. "The doctor told me you barely slept, please lie down."
She nodded, gave him a weak smile, headed for the small basin, washed her face and then looked at him hesitantly, a knowing smirk on her face.
"I shall turn around" he said, giving her the privacy she desired. She washed whatever other parts of her body she could and then grabbed a nightgown that Mrs. Murphy had left for her on the bed, which Lizzy could only presume belonged to Miss Murphy who has surely informed her that they had nothing.
When Lizzy turned around and went to the bed, he was already lying on it, his eyes closed, squinting hard, as if begging his memory to remember. Lizzy bit her lip, feeling pained. She wanted to help him remember and she would but first they both needed to rest. She got into the bed, hoping he would not see her, quickly brought the blanket over her and closed her eyes.
"I am sorry" said Mr. Darcy, turning towards her. She had never shared a bed with anyone other than Jane, and Lizzy could not help but blush at the intimacy. She was under the blanket, her cheeks blushing profusely, and he was calmly looking at her.
"I beg your pardon?" asked Lizzy, with a voice not her own. She would think that at this point she could blush any further—she had seen him undressed! But having his handsome features so close to her, made her catch her breath.
"I am sorry. I have not been an attentive husband, I did not respond kindly when I first awoke. I spoke with the doctor before we left and he said that thought I cannot trust my memory, I could trust my feelings and though I do not remember you, when you are near I feel peace calm and what I presume is love" he said, with all the feeling that he had expressed when he had proposed a mere two days ago.
"Thank you for tending for me" he said, reaching for her hand and lightly kissing it.
It was the first time and surely not the last, that Lizzy realized Mr. Darcy was a romantic and she, Elizabeth Bennet, had been a fool.
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It was many hours later that Mr. and Mrs. Taylor woke up, Mrs. Taylor blushing when she saw that they held hands at some point in their sleep, for their hands were softly intertwined. She quietly pulled her hand out, went to wash herself and got dressed in a simple dress that Mrs. Murphy had left her.
By the time Mr. Taylor woke up, his wife was back in the room, with a hot supper, which was a welcome sight for both of them. Lizzy insisted on him eating on the bed, she propped him up with a pillow and helped him eat, enjoying a second portion for herself. She had not eaten properly in days and she was very thankful for a bowl of hot food.
"I have so many questions" said Mr. Darcy, when they had finished eating.
"I am sure" said Lizzy, taking one last bite of the old and crusty bread and smiling apprehensively. She knew this would come—he would surely ask questions and she had no idea how to answer. Could she tell him the truth? The doctor had said not to overwhelmed but if she withheld everything and fed him more lies, she would confound him further.
"How did I propose?" he asked, with a smirk. Lizzy could help herself at burst out laughing. Out of all the questions he could have asked—this was the easiest.
"Surely, this is not your first question?" she said, in between laughing. He thought she had never looked more beautiful than when she laughed. If he was not already in love with her, he would by the end of this, he thought to himself wryly.
"You proposed in your aunt's garden" said Lizzy, smiling, remember the day. "You seemed to think I would gladly accept."
"And did you not?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I did not at first" she said, blushing, "You gave me a letter explaining why you had insulted me why proposing"
"I insulted you?"
"My family" said Lizzy, and then to her horror with the sudden realization, "The letter! I do not know where I put the letter."
"It is quite alright" he said, reaching for her hand and squeezing it.
"I do not know what is in it" said Lizzy, looking worried. "What if they….I mean, I, I am sorry, my head is hurting" she said, standing up and massaging her temple with her thumb.
"Please Imogen, sit down" he said softly. Lizzy bit her lip.
"My name is Elizabeth" she said, looking at him embarrassed, "I lied to save our lives."
"Elizabeth..." he said, the voice rolling off his tongue. "Elizabeth Bennet?"
Lizzy gasped, bringing her hands to her mouth, could it be?!
"Mr. Darcy?!" she asked, looking at him hopefully. A sense of recognition came across his face. A knock startled both of them, Lizzy stood up in surprised and begged Mr. Darcy with her eyes to not divulge anything, before Miss Murphy came walking in through the door.
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