Darcy and Hurst determined there was little to be achieved by waiting. Though it was before visiting hours, they turned once again toward Longbourn.
"I am nervous, Darcy. I have been in the neighborhood for some weeks. I do not believe I have made a good impression. What if Elizabeth does not like me? I never trouble myself to get to know her or anybody else. She does not know me. And Caroline and Louisa have behaved so abominably toward her. What if she hates me? And if she hates me, will that cause difficulties with Mr. Bennet?"
"Slow down, Hurst," Darcy said when Hurst stopped to take a breath. "I hope you do not think me bragging when I say I believe I outperform you in that area."
"What?" Hurst, who had only been half listening, looked perplexed.
Darcy shrugged. "I was just trying my hand at some levity at my own expense. I thought it might help to relieve your tension."
"Will the surprises never cease?" Hurst joked back. As it happened, Darcy's effort to calm him had actually worked. He appreciated that he would even make the attempt. By the time they reached Longbourn, he was feeling more settled.
Requesting an audience with Mr. Bennet, they were ushered into the gentleman's study. "Mr. Darcy and Mr. Hurst to see you, sir."
Greetings and pleasantries were exchanged, coffee offered and accepted. Mr. Bennet sat back in his chair. A amused expression on his face. "I did not think myself so intimidating for a young man to require moral support when he came to ask for my daughter."
Darcy and Hurst looked at each other and then back at the smiling man in confusion.
"It seems you did not like my jest. As I cannot account for your presence in my study, I will simply ask how I may assist you."
Hurst sat silently, not sure how to begin.
Darcy decided to set things in motion on his friend's behalf. "Mr. Bennet we are here, in fact, to discuss one of your daughters, specifically, Miss Elizabeth."
The smile left Mr. Bennet's face and he sat up straight, glaring at Darcy. "Mr. Darcy, I must warn you. Any question you might be inclined to ask would be premature. Lizzy has said nothing to suggest an interest on her part. I will not force her to accept any man, regardless of his consequence."
"Yes, well, …" Darcy fumbled for a response to Mr. Bennet's mistaken conjecture. Embarrassing as Mr. Bennet's words were, Darcy thought it good to know Elizabeth had no expectations of him. He did not want to think too much on why he felt a bit disappointed at the knowledge. He quite forgot the reason he was in Mr. Bennet's study for a moment.
"Mr. Bennet, I have a rather fantastical question to put to you, sir," Hurst blurted out before Darcy could say more.
"Well, at least I know you are not here to ask for Lizzy's hand. Please ask your question. I am intrigued by the fantastical."
"My question is not just fantastical but also a very personal. Please know my intent is not to upset Miss Elizabeth. And I am not suggesting anything untoward on the part of you or your wife. There is no delicate way to ask this." Darcy motioned for him to proceed when he faltered. "Is Miss Elizabeth your daughter?"
Mr. Bennet's mouth dropped open and he stared at Hurst. He quickly recovered. "I am not sure what I thought you might ask but it most assuredly was not that. I imagine you have heard the tale of how Elizabeth came to us. But I did not think you the type to appear at my door to gather the scandalous details. Not that there are any."
"It is true." Relief washed over Hurst. As he collected himself, Darcy picked up the conversation.
"I, we, have heard nothing of how Miss Elizabeth came to be part of your family. But I believe Hurst may know some of the circumstances."
"Bloody hell. You know who she is." Stunned was not a strong enough word for what Mr. Bennet felt.
"Yes. I believe Miss Elizabeth is my youngest sister, Elizabeth Celia Hurst. She went missing at age two. That was nineteen years ago."
"Elizabeth Hurst," Bennet repeatedly almost reverently. A strange look come over his face. "Elizabeth Hurst…Elizabeth Hurts. Oh, my dear God."
"From your reaction, may we presume you believe Hurst?" Darcy asked.
"Yes. Yes, I do. There are significant similarities but we will get to that momentarily." He got up from his desk and went to the door of his study. Stepping outside the room, they could hear him speak quietly to someone in the hall. He returned after only a few moments.
"Gentleman, we shall have quite the day before us. We will need fortification. I have asked for some food and tea. Lizzy will wish for something when she returns from her walk. I have requested that she attend us on her return. In addition, I have asked that our housekeeper retrieve the items that Lizzy possessed when we found her. The footman will remain outside the door. Though we may speak freely in this room, closed doors in a house with six women tend to provoke a great deal of interest. Now, do you need to send word to Netherfield as to your whereabouts?" It was the most that either visitor had ever heard Bennet speak at any one time.
"We will wait for Lizzy," Mr. Bennet declared forcefully, as if daring the others to contradict him. "She should be involved in the discussion from the beginning. As affected as we all will be, her life will change more than any others today."
The men did not speak much as they waited for Elizabeth. Darcy perused the titles on Mr. Bennet's bookshelves. Hurst sent a note to Bingley that he and Darcy would be out for much of the day. After some minutes, the footman brought in a small box. He informed her father that Miss Elizabeth had returned. She would refresh herself and join him as soon as possible.
~~IOAF~~
Elizabeth was alarmed to find a footman awaiting her when she entered the house after her walk. While she usually spent time with her father in his study every morning, it was by choice, by habit. She had never been summoned to his study before.
As she changed dresses and freshened up, Mrs. Hill slipped into her room. "Miss Lizzy, your father asks that you bring your Zibby keepsakes when you go to him. He has also asked me for those stored in the attic."
"Do you know what this is about?" Elizabeth asked, speaking as quietly as Mrs. Hill did.
"Two gentlemen asked for an audience with him and are still with him now."
It obviously had something to do with her family, her real family. She had waited for such a day for years. Now that it was here, she was apprehensive. Her life could change dramatically with the utterance of a single sentence. There was no guarantee learning more about her family would bring her peace.
Not wishing to delay the inevitable, she gathered her keepsakes. When she first learned to sew, she made a special bag to keep these most precious belongings safe. She retrieved the bag from her memory box and made her way downstairs.