*This story is copyright protected.
For the second time that day, Elizabeth found herself sitting in her Aunts parlour attempting to read a book. Aunt Gardiner was working on her stitching beside her, when Lydia suddenly burst through the door and rushed over to Elizabeth.
"Oh Lizzy! You must help me to reason with our Uncle, he will not listen to me! He made me leave my Wickham and come here! I do not understand why everyone is so upset! It was just a bit of fun, and we truly do love each other and wish only to be married. But now, Uncle has told me that Papa has had a heart attack, but he, will be well, won't he Lizzy?" she finished, her bottom lip quivering.
Elizabeth stood, dropping her book and quickly enveloped, her youngest sister in a hug. "Dearest, please tell me, are you well?" She pulled back to look at her sister, who carried a very unbecoming stench and was in her nightclothes with her hair matted about her shoulders.
"Of course, I am well! Why is everyone behaving thus?" said Lydia throwing her arms up and looking at her Aunt. "We ran away because we are in love! It was all terribly romantic, and we were going to get married, but then that awful bore Mr Darcy showed up and ruined everything! He upset my George and made him act in a way I have never seen him."
"Dearest, why don't we get you cleaned up and have something to eat?" Aunt Gardiner suggested, noticing Lydia's state of undress with a small frown.
"Oh, yes please, I am absolutely famished! Oh, Lizzy it was all so exciting up until Mr Darcy showed up with our Uncle and Colonel something-or-other. I am sure Mr Darcy had said some horrible things about my Wickham, because Uncle Gardiner was furious, and honestly, I do not see what all the fuss was about." Elizabeth noticed then that their uncle had entered the room looking weary.
"Can you not? Lydia, you should never have eloped. Think of what you could have done to your reputation and that of your sisters! You have acted very selfishly, my dear niece, you most definitely know better than to behave so rashly." admonished Aunt Gardiner.
"You are wrong. You are all just jealous. And what's more, you are just sticking up for your favourite, Lizzy, because she liked my Wickham, but he chose me over her." she said sticking her chin out in defiance.
"ENOUGH! Lydia, you will show your Aunt and sister some respect!" Roared Uncle Gardiner, silencing the room. "Do you know how much effort it has taken to find you. Your father is unconscious in bed due to the stress this situation has put on him. If it weren't for Mr Darcy and his connections, you would have most certainly been ruined! Now young lady you owe your Aunt and Lizzy an apology."
"No, I shall not! You have all ruined everything!" Lydia yelled back, her stubbornness overwhelming her judgement of the situation.
"Lydia," Gasped, Elizabeth. "Why are you behaving so? We have all been sick with worry!"
"Because you are always trying to control me. I didn't hurt anyone! I only ran away with the man I love!"
"But Lydia, why did you have to elope? Surely if he had made his intentions clear to your father there would have been no objections. And, your mother, too would have been overjoyed at such news that you had become engaged. You could have celebrated and had a proper engagement and be married in front of all of your friends and family." said Aunt Gardiner, trying one last time to reason with her.
Lydia was left speechless. Opening her mouth several times, but failing to come up with a retort, she collapsed wailing on the settee, completely disregarding her Aunt's embroidery.
"Lizzy, I believe it is best that Lydia go to her room to wash and change. She will take dinner in her room this evening for her ungrateful words."
"Yes, of course, Uncle." Said Elizabeth reaching for her sister.
"Ohhh, this is so unfair!" she wailed, stamping her foot, as they left the room. She persisted with her complaining through the entirety of her bath and meal, until she had sufficiently worn herself out and fallen asleep. Elizabeth, breathing a sigh of relief as she left her sister's room, slowly closing the door behind her for fear of waking her; there was only so much one could take!
Elizabeth made her way downstairs hoping to find her aunt and uncle in order to apologise for Lydia, appalling behaviour. Lydia was still young and naive; she never would have done something so foolish if she had understood what the ramifications of such actions would be or the trouble it would cause. Elizabeth could only feel sad for Lydia, as she most probably, did this out of the misguided notion that, she would be making her family very happy. In particular, their mother who never failed to lecture them incessantly about the importance of 'marrying well'.
Aunt and Uncle Gardiner were deep in conversation in the sitting room, growing silent when she entered.
"Forgive me for not joining you for dinner, Lydia was much too distraught to be left alone this evening." she said.
"Not to worry Lizzy, we had much to discuss ourselves. Did you manage to eat anything?"
"I confess I did not get the opportunity to. Lydia must not have had a decent meal for a few days, as she managed to finish hers and mine before I had taken more than two bites!" she said rolling her eyes affectionately, to mask her concern.
"Would you like me to ring for a plate to be brought to you?"
"No, I thank you Aunt, I am quite content with a cup of tea." Elizabeth said, reassuring her. "I promise, if I do decide I want anything, I shall request a plate." she smiled.
"Very well, I shall not press the matter further." said her Aunt Gardiner, as she prepared Elizabeth her tea and passed it to her, before taking her seat next to her husband once more.
"Aunt, Uncle, I cannot thank you enough for all you have done, and you must allow me to apologise for Lydia's behaviour earlier." Her uncle raised his hand to halt her speech.
"My dearest Lizzy, I appreciate what you are trying to do, but this apology should really come from Lydia. I do understand that everything is very fresh in her mind and after what happened when we found her, I am sure she is of two minds and feeling very conflicted at the moment." he said with a heavy sigh.
"We shall leave her to calm down and hopefully by tomorrow, she will be much improved. We will try to reason with her." added her Aunt, placing her hand gently on her husband's.
"Was it truly terrible Uncle, was Mr Wickham there when you found them? How did he react upon seeing Mr Darcy? I tried to ask Lydia, but she was not making any sense as I did not understand to what she was referring to." she finished, not realising she had moved to the edge of her seat in her eagerness.
"I will speak no more of this tonight, my dear Lizzy, as I am tired from this entire ordeal. I am not sure what I can repeat, as it is not suitable, but I am glad that I was not persuaded to have you accompany us. But, I will be forever grateful for Mr Darcy's help in the matter." he said with a finality.
"Of course, Uncle. I thank you both very much for assisting us in this matter. I am glad it has been sorted. I will leave you both now, as I find I am suddenly tired and not sure I will be able to keep my eyes open much longer. I will go and see Papa for and then retire." with that she stood, bending to give her Aunt and Uncle both a kiss before going to her father's bedside to bid him a goodnight.
Once ensconced in bed Elizabeth's last thoughts were of her sister, Jane. She desperately needed her there so that she could have someone she could speak to about all that has happened, hoping she would arrive soon. Elizabeth did not like to be too long without her.
Across town, Mr Darcy found himself sitting across from Mr Bingley, who since agreeing to speak with him, had failed to look at him once, choosing instead to look at the painting on the wall to his left. Mr Bingley looked much as he ever did, but there was a sombre air to him that he had only seen upon the death of his father. He was dressed in a green coat with a matching green waistcoat, with buckskin breeches, white tights and black dress shoes. Was he off to a ball after their meeting, Darcy wondered? Darcy took a deep breath trying to reign in his impatience, he was trying to be a better man after all.
He looked to study the painting that had enraptured his friend and could not see anything more than a large ship at sea. Granted, it was painted to look as though it were about to sail through the frame, but he could not see what could hold Bingley's attention for this long. Perhaps, he was trying to count each individual brush stroke... expelling a harsh breath, he sat forward in his seat.
"Charles, are you going to talk to me? Hell, I would have you yell at me in order to dispel this awkwardness sitting, between us." snapped Darcy, noting the only change in friend was a slight pinkness to Bingley's ears and cheeks. Darcy sat forward clasping his hands together and tried once more to get Charles to speak to him. "Bingley, I came here to apologise and to make amends. We have been friends for far too long to not try to repair the damage that has been done. I give you my word that I will not interfere in your affairs ever again."
"Do you promise?" he snorted looking at him. His voice holding a steely edge, his expression unreadable.
"Charles, I am so sorry. You have every reason to be angry with me. I…" Bingley cut off Darcy's apology suddenly standing. Darcy looked at him questioningly. He wondered if Charles might actually hit him!
"Please Fitz, don't apologise again. The truth is, you are only partially to blame. I am more to blame than anyone. You offered me your opinion after I asked you for it. That is what friends do is it not? But that did not mean that I had to take it as gospel." Bingley was now pacing back and forth gesturing in all directions with his hands. "I LOST HER!" He yelled before falling back into his seat across from Darcy. "I was the only one who could do so. You did not force me to do anything." Bingley trailed off, his strength leaving him as buried his head in his hands.
"Bingley, please do not torture yourself. Why would you not trust in my advice? The blame is my own."
"But it is not entirely. You were not privy to mine and Miss Bennet's conversations. I did not even try to contradict you, I thought she was so perfect, why would she truly want me?"
"Regardless, I should have told you to follow your heart. I should have told you to do what makes you happy! Instead, I made an arrogant assumption and decided that I knew what was best for you. I overstepped and I beg you would forgive me." Darcy said with full sincerity. Only Bingley would try to blame everything on himself!
"But you were right... I am my own man, and I was the only one who could have been sure of her affection for me and mine for her. If it had been the other way around, you would not have let anything, or anyone persuade you otherwise, and I envy you for that."
"My friend, let us make a promise that from now on, we will be honest and challenge one another if we disagree with each other. We have always been more like brothers. Would we truly have such a strong friendship if we did not disagree or argue occasionally?"
Bingley smiled weakly at his friend, "What do I do, Darcy? How can I put this in the past? She is in my every thought and after the way I cast her aside without an explanation, I don't see how she would ever forgive me," said Bingley, rubbing at his eyes, his bottom lip quivering. "I did not fight for her, Darcy," If his friend hadn't been so distraught, he might have made a joke about him seeking his advice so soon. Instead he chose to cease with his friend's torture and give him some hope.
"Ah, well... I might be able to help there."
"You... what?" Bingley asked, confused.
"I have it on good authority that Miss Bennet is on her way to London to stay with her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner as we speak. I will be more than happy to arrange a meeting with you both as I have recently become acquainted with the Gardiner's myself." said Darcy, placing a hand on his friends' shoulder.
"You can do that? When is she to arrive?" said Bingley, somewhat slack jawed and hardly daring to believe what he was hearing.
"But of course, I would be happy to do so." Darcy assured Bingley.
"But what if she does not forgive me? Or perhaps your initial opinion, that she does not hold a strong affection for me, is true." he stood, and began pacing. "In truth, Darcy she is so beautiful, she most assuredly can do far better than me!"
"Charles, stop your fretting! I happen to know that she was saddened by your sudden departure and has still maintained the hope of your returning to Netherfield."
"But Darcy, she is here in London? I have to get dressed this instant and buy her some flowers and - how is it you know so much?" Bingley said pacing restless.
"Charles, try to stop panicking and be calm."
"I am not panicking."
"Well for starters, you are dressed, and she is not yet here..."
Bingley's response was to grin and start laughing; his whole demeanour the complete opposite of what it had been just moments before.
"You are right, but I fear I am far too nervous to sit still. Are you hungry? We have much to discuss, I wish to know everything that has happened since we last saw each other."
"That is a good idea, let us have some food and I will explain everything to you. I am not saying that when you see her, you shall be able to carry on as though nothing had happened. I expect you shall have to do some grovelling, Charles." Darcy said with an arch of his brow.
"Do not fear, I am prepared to do what it takes to win my fair maiden's heart!"
Bingley gave instruction for food to be delivered to them in his study and sat back down. No sooner had his bottom had touched the cushion, he abruptly stood once more, "Drink?" Darcy nodded, doing his best to mask the chuckle that escaped him. Bingley was still worried, but it pleased Darcy to see his happiness already starting to come back.
That evening, Darcy informed his friend on what had happened with Mr Wickham; however, he left out his dealings with Miss Elizabeth coming to see him and his truly tragic proposal. But he did divulge to Charles, that he was developing a fondness for Miss Elizabeth.
"I KNEW IT!" Shouted, Bingley triumphantly.
"All right, settle down," he said a little embarrassed.
"You are always quite reserved, but the attention and the looks you gave her Darcy." he said, levelling him with a look. "Well, I know you are a private man, but I will say that I am happy to see your heart engaged."
"Let us not get carried away, I fear the lady does not welcome my attentions. There was a moment when we crossed paths during this whole Wickham debacle that I thought she was enjoying my company, but then you and I both know that I am not the best judge when it comes to the feelings of the fairer sex!"
"No, you are not," said Bingley, clapping him hard upon the back, the both of them falling about laughing. By the time he had finished, they had managed to get through an entire bottle of Bingley's finest brandy and had hardly touched their meals. He had not intended to drink as much, but it had felt good to spend time with his friend again.
As his carriage pulled away from Bingley's residence, Darcy thought of Bingley, and Miss Bennet's future happiness. He did not doubt that they would reach a happy resolution, he just hoped that one way or another, he might find equal felicity in life. He had always assumed, like his parents, he too, would marry for love, but he was not sure he would define his feelings for Elizabeth as love. There was plenty of passion for sure, but he could not label that either. Darcy knew he would have to push himself to be in her company and actively participate in conversation to ascertain what their relationship was and if there could be happiness borne from it.
He rubbed at his temples, his head beginning to pound. Why was he trying to solve such complex situations with such an addled brain? It had felt so good to get out, though he knew that all he would be good for, for the remainder of the evening, was to go home and straight to bed. The carriage lurched and his stomach roiled... Taking deep breaths and pressing his face to the cool of the carriage window he thought, I am never drinking again!
