To the great relief of all who resided within its halls, Longbourn had not only endured by survived the threat of a horde of ravenous undead. There was no damage to the homes of Meryton, no lives lost to serve Satan in his army, nothing to even hint at dreadful happenings. And yet, not all was well. The household seemed well enough, Mr. Bennet noted with great concern that Lizzy was all well. Though her health had returned, she was not herself. She had not taken her restricted training limitations well, but hardly had the strength to defend her claim. That alone caused Mr. Bennet some concern. She had relented far too easily. Without training to fall back on, Lizzy seemed to spend her remaining time alone.
His daughters were all present before him in the sitting room, polishing their muskets, and maintaining their dependability. Each one of his warriors worked with great skill and determination, save for Lizzy. She seemed to move as if the world was not but a haze around her. Her moved were monotones, contradicting her very being. She cared for her weapons with as much diligence as before, as much as her healing body allowed, but her very spirit seemed to have been dulled.
Regrettably, Mr. Bennet was not the only soul who took notice of Lizzy altered state. Far across the room, Lydia and Kitty frequented looks in their elder sisters direction, conversing to themselves. More concerning was that of their own altered state. Mr. Bennet suspected that her stint with Mr. Wickham had sober Lydia and opened her eyes to her unseemly behavior. It had also made her more observant in her sisters well being. She simply had not the same skills as her elder sisters at observing without being caught.
It was just so when Lizzy glanced up form her musket and caught her youngest sister watching her closely, only to avert her eyes to Kitty. Lizzy then followed her gaze to Kitty, who soon after lowered her own gaze. A quick sweep of the room revealed that all her sisters were avoiding her, but in very unsubtle ways.
Irritation and anger swelled within Elizabeth. Since their return, her entire family treated her in an altered fashion. Her father and sisters seemed to treat her as if she were a fragile porcelain doll whilst her mother treated her with more contempt than had ever been endured prior. Each account was strenuous on her nerves and patience.
With a huff of indifference, that would have easily rivaled that of Caroline Bingley, Elizabeth tossed her cloth to the side and rose form her chair. She hastily quitted the room, earning the astonished expressions of her sisters and a concerned call from her father. But Lizzy paid them no mind. If they would not give reason to her sudden difference of treatment, then she would simply remove herself form their company until they decided to explained themselves.
She hurried up the stairs, passing her mother, which sent her off on another tirade of how unladylike Elizabeth was, passing the bed chambers and the servant chambers, until she reached the very top of Longbourn. She burst through the door almost as if the very motion brought her freedom. Lizzy found herself beneath the warmth of the sun in the early afternoon hours. She had not acclimated herself to the cooler mornings of Rosing's Park, and relished in the suns glow.
Without being able to train, the dojo no longer felt like her sanctuary. Papa's study would certainly be the first place they would search for her, followed by her room. The roof would buy her some time to settle her temper. Lizzy wandered across the stone tiles in search of a secluded corner. She found a place beyond one of the servant window valley. Lizzy sank to her knees, minding the twinge of pain in her side, and closed her eyes. She left her mind clear of every thought. All her emotions drifted from her, all her anger, confusion, agitation, and sadness. Soon, the warmth of the sun lulled her deep within her mind.
"She's not improving." whispered a familiar voice. Lizzy recognized it as Jane's voice. She could hear the worry in her tone. Lizzy frowned. What had Jane to be worried for?
"Then write to my brother, Miss Bennet." came another voice. One Lizzy could not quite place. It was female, young even. Perhaps Lydia or even Kitty's age. But no face came to light Lizzy's mind.
"Do you truly believe your brother will come?" inquired Jane. Lizzy could hear the desperation in her voice.
"I do."
Lizzy opened her eyes abruptly. Her chest heaved as she fought to control her breathing? She could not explain what she has heard. Jane was below stairs, still attending to her weapons and the second voice was unfamiliar to her. Could she have been remembering her time when ill? Lizzy settled herself once more and closed her eyes. She left her breathing calm and her mind begin to drift.
For some time there was nothing but the warmth of the sun. Then, almost as if a phantom, a touch ghosted across her face. Lizzy felt herself turn toward the touch but it was no more, rather it moved to her hand. She could hear the sound of cloth unraveling, feel the relief of their confines in her palm.
"When did the physician last visit?" inquired the voice Darcy. Lizzy felt her heart quicken. Surly this could not be another of her memories. Mr. Darcy would surely not have seen her at Rosing's. No one had spoken of his visitation coinciding with that of her families.
"The previous physician was your regiment surgeon." came her father's voice in reply.
Again Lizzy's concentration broke. This time, she rose and paced about the roof. Surely not. Surely what she was hearing were not real. Mr. Darcy would have no business in attending Elizabeth at Rosing's Park. He would not risk his reputation for her. Certainly not after the abominable way she had refused him in April. Lizzy could only assume that her mind was merely manipulating her memories, including her feelings of Mr. Darcy.
She needed to know more. Again, Lizzy settled herself on the roof and closed her eyes. It took longer to calm herself, to clear her mind, but at last she did. She found her mind clear of all thoughts. Lizzy found herself back in her room at Rosing's Park. It was quite, but she sense she was not alone. Her suspicions were confirmed when a hand came across her forehead. She recognized the touch from before; Mr. Darcy!
"Her fever has broken." he spoke. Lizzy fought to remain in her state.
"Truly?" came a reply. Lizzy recognized the voice from her previous meditation. It was the same young voice that had been speaking with Jane.
"You had best send for her family. I suspect she will awake soon." Lizzy sensed something had changed within Darcy's voice. She could hear him hurrying to depart her chambers.
"Brother?" Lizzy berated herself for not recognizing the voice of Miss Georgiana Darcy. She truly had not expected, though now she could no longer be surprised, that Miss Darcy had a hand in her care. She had been told of Miss Darcy's residence during their stay at Rosing's, but Lizzy could not recall every meeting the young lady at Rosing's. Her further musings were interrupted by Darcy's next words.
"I must depart. No must know of my part in helping Miss Bennet. Not even Miss Bennet."
"Is that not fair to you?"
Her concentration shattered, bringing Lizzy back to her roof. For some time, Lizzy remained were she knelt, unseeing of her surroundings, lost in her turbulent thoughts. How could it be? She knew Mr. Darcy to be a man whom would never compromise his own honor, not even for herself. Yet something told her otherwise. Elizabeth had come to know Darcy was a great many things. He was a superior warrior and took his duties as Colonel seriously. He had pride, but what man did not. Darcy simply hid what insecurities the man possessed behind his pride. He took great measures in securing those in his care were safe and never dared to breech the laws of propriety. Yet there was more to the gentleman. He cared deeply. She had seen how he cared for his young sister in Pemberly and the shock of seeing herself on the grounds. He had even laid his heart out before her, in hopes of returned affection at one time. Yet even that spat had not prevented him from acting with dignity and grace later on. Had he not welcomed her aid in the In-Between when he had found himself ensnared in the field? Did he not care as to why she had left the safety of her home and family to venture so far into danger? Indeed he had. He had even gone as far to claim that Saint Lazarus had been destroyed, merely to spare her should he fail at retrieving her youngest sister. What more, Darcy had even put his own life at risk rescuing her from the canal. Were they not all actions of a man still in deep admiration- and-dare she hope it- love?
The further Lizzy let her mind wonder, the more she began to believe what she had relived. Had Darcy still loved her, then could he not break the bounds of propriety? Would he dare commit such acts in the home of his aunt, merely to save her life? If it were true, then why would he not want it known to her? Was he still in the mindset that she would never have him?
It was no use. Lizzy could not piece together her thoughts- or visions- whatever had plagued her. She had to speak with someone who knew the truth. She had to turn to the one soul who could never lie to her. She had to speak with Jane. Lizzy quickly rose from the ground and hurried back into the house. She had no notion of how much time had passed since she quite the room, until she came to the second floor. Almost immediately she could sense that something in the air had changed.
Lizzy came down the stairs as Sarah passed by. The poor girl seemed in a hurry, which struck Lizzy as odd. It had been some time since Sarah had been in need of being put into a rush. In fact, the last Lizzy recalled what the night of the ball at Netherfield. Lizzy continued through the house until she found herself near her father's library once more. She could hear the hushed whispers of her younger sisters and her mother. She slowly peered around the corner and found them gathered around the door leading into the dining room. Her mother was pressed up against the wooden door, just as Lizzy suspected her to have done when that odious Collin's proposed to her. Kitty, Lydia, and Mary surrounded her.
"Oh happy day! to see a daughter so handsomely married off!" gushed Mrs. Bennet. "Five thousand a year!"
A small smile graced Lizzy's lips. It pleased her to see that Mr. Bingley had come to his senses after all and come to seek Jane's hand. It pleased her to no end to know that her sister would be very happy. After all that had transpired within the past few weeks, Lizzy determined it would not do her mother ill to enjoy the sparse moments of happiness. Though now, Lizzy's task would have to wait. She turned to retreat back up the stairs when her mothers voice wafted toward her.
"To be sure, Jane's engagement to Mr. Bingley will surely shroud the news of Lizzy's abominable behavior with Mr. Darcy."
Lizzy's steps halted instantly. What had her mother meant by her words? She drew herself back toward the floor and continued to watch the vents unfold before her.
"Mama!" exclaimed Lydia. Lizzy was stunned to hear such a chaste tone from her youngest sister. "Lizzy behaved nothing of the sort!"
Mrs. Bennet merely waved her hand as if doing so would waft away her youngest words. "Oh tush, Lydia. Every servant at Rosing's Park knew of their behavior. Why do you suppose Lady Catherine dismissed us so coarsely. She was utterly displeased at what had occurred on her estate."
"Mama, Lizzy was properly chaperoned." stated Mary. "Father and Jane saw to it."
"Had Mr. Darcy not come to aid Lizzy, she surely would not be with us now." commented Kitty.
But the words of her sisters were of no use. Mrs. Bennet could not be reasoned with. "What I do not understand is what possessed Lizzy into thinking she could tempt a man of Mr. Darcy's standing. She never should have set her sights higher than her own situation."
"Mama!"
Unable to keep her own horror back, Lizzy gasped at her mother's harsh words, revealing her presence to her family. Lizzy lifted her gaze to find all eyes were upon her. Lizzy clutched the corner of the wall, nearly digging her nails deep within the wood. It was true. It had happened. Mr. Darcy had been to her at Rosing's Park. He had occupied her chambers while she recovered. Her entire family had known and kept it from her. Moreover, her mother knew. There was doubt in Lizzy's mind that her mother had gossiped about the event to all their neighbors. What reputation Lizzy had was now in tatters because of her mothers loose lips. No matter if she had been chaperoned by her father and sister, there would be nothing that could repair the damage done to Lizzy's future.
Fury fueled Lizzy's body. She broke away from the stairway, storming toward her father's study. She moved with such force and determination, she disregarded her sisters cries for her. She sought the handle of her father's study and all but threw the door open.
"How could you-" what words she had meant to use in chastening her father, died with her fury, as soon as she crossed the threshold into her father's study. Her father was seated behind his desk, his arms propped on the sturdy wooden frame. It was the presence of his guest, one that Elizabeth had not been aware, that caused her discomfort. "Mr. Darcy."
