Chapter 21; a walk in the rain
Several days after the ball, Elizabeth was up early to take her now normal morning walk. William met her on Oakham Mount,
"Morning Will."
"Good morning, beloved. You look stunning again."
"You are full of pretty words this morning, Will." She replied with laughing eyes.
"Be prepared for a lifetime of it."
They embraced quickly, "How is my family this morning?" She asked.
"They were well last night when I retired. You can walk back with me and spend the morning with them, Rich is returning to his London post tomorrow and Rachel and Jonathan are leaving as well." He explained.
"Oh no, not already! Do you think Richard will be sent to Portugal?"
"No, he already has his orders, he is being sent to Copenhagen after New Years."
"He will at least be safe in Copenhagen." She replied as they slowly stood closer together, until he claimed her lips in a tender kiss. His arms wound around her and caressed her body; she instinctively pressed further against him, as her arms came up around his neck.
Just as the kiss ended, it began raining softly,
"Come on, we can make it to Netherfield Park before it gets really bad."
He took her hand, and together they raced towards Netherfield.
Just as they made it halfway to Netherfield, it began to downpour, "You should take my coat Beth, so you will not become ill."
"No, no, we are there in a moment, Will. You are as wet as I. If we stand here and discuss it, we will both become ill."
Elizabeth argued, and without further words took to her legs and ran for Netherfield, with William hot on her heels.
As they got into one of the sitting rooms, Louisa Hurst looked up from a letter she was writing. "Lady Elizabeth! Mr. Darcy! Why are you both wet through?"
"We walked and were caught in the rain."
William explained simply, no reason for anyone to know it was their normal routine by now.
"Wait here, I will get the Countess and some tea." She hurriedly left the room.
Elizabeth sat in front of the fire and sneezed once.
She and William looked at each other in disbelief, until a moment later, when he too began to sneeze.
"Oh there is no way… atuhhhh!" Elizabeth began laughing at the ridiculous picture they presented.
When Mrs. Hurst returned, it was with a maid who carried some towels, tea and Constance Fitzwilliam.
When the Countess saw the young couple; one sprawled in a chair and the other on the floor resting up against the other's leg, she dismissed the maid.
She went over to wake her daughter, only to find her warmer than normal; a beginning fever, and William in nearly the same condition.
"We have to get these two into bed; they have a slight fever each. After three miles in the rain, no surprise they have been soaked through."
When they tried to wake Elizabeth, she just murmured,
"Go away...I have such a lovely dream"
Her mother smiled and said,
"Up you go, Lizzie. You have to go to bed. You are ill." and helped her daughter towards the stairs, when Elizabeth hissed out in pain, her mother knew at once she had touched upon a sore point, and tried another hold on her daughter.
Within two hours Jane was there with a change of clothes for Elizabeth, and asked to stay with Elizabeth if she wanted, which she did. And the doctor had examined them both and diagnosed them both with violent colds.
The few times Elizabeth and William were awake, they asked how each other was. Everybody took turns to sit with them during the evening, and left a maid with Elizabeth during the night, and Charles and Rich took turns with Will. Since both his sister and his cousin had taken ill, Richard had delayed his departure to London for a few days.
During the night, nobody heard or saw Elizabeth walk in her sleep; it had happened a few times before in her childhood where she had ended up under her father's portrait, Maddie's chamber and once near her father's grave – this time...
Nothing was discovered until Rich woke in his chair near dawn, and saw to his utter horror, his sister in Darce's arms – in his bed! He needed her out of there before it was discovered – his parents would be scandalized otherwise! He slowly got her out of the bed, and carried his still sleeping sister back to her room, put a cold cloth on her forehead, and said sternly to the maid,
"Now mind her until I return with another of the ladies!"
Not long after, he returned with Jane, who knew of Lizzie's sleep walking at times.
"They really do need each other so that they even seek out each other even when sick!" Jane said quietly to Richard.
"Yes, it seems so. I shall explain to Darcy, if he asks. Will you do the same?" Jane nodded and Richard left to return to Darcy's chambers.
When William woke, Rich said,
"Morning, sleepyhead."
William just groaned,
"Why am I in bed?" he questioned.
"You have a violent cold, same with Lizzie." Richard responded, in a nearly cheerful tone of voice.
"What do you remember from the night?" he added.
William nodded,
"I dreamed I was married to Beth – we were asleep in the master chambers at Pemberley, and Beth was in my arms."
"Darce, what if I told you that you were not dreaming, completely?"
William's eyes became bigger, "What do you mean?" he asked and tried to sit up, as Rich sat down in his chair.
"Well it is something that Lizzie told us - her siblings - in confidence – that she had experienced waking up other places than her bedchamber. It was what happened tonight..."
William sat up even further,
"You found Beth here?" Richard nodded.
"In my room?" Richard nodded again.
"In my bed?" another nod,
"In my arms?"
"Yes, I carried her back to her room and got Miss Jane to watch over her."
William sat panicking.
"Your parents are going to kill me for this!"
"Well, nobody will know except us and MissJane. And you are engaged and nothing happened so calm down, cousin."
In Elizabeth's room
Jane looked at Elizabeth as she woke up,
"Morning, Lizzie, how do you feel?"
Elizabeth smiled, stretched and said,
"Morning, Jane. I feel better; I had a lovely dream...atuuh!"
Jane handed her a handkerchief, Elizabeth smiled gratefully.
"Now tell me about your dream."
Jane asked, and sat down on the edge of the bed and began undoing the braid in Elizabeth's hair.
"I...well, I was married to William...I was in his arms, and it felt so real, Jane.
His arms around me, his relaxed breathing and the protectiveness I felt in his embrace. And to think that it is in my future...oh what an extraordinary thought!"
Jane blushed a little,
"Lizzie, you were sleep-walking again." She explained softly.
"Oh no! Who found me? And where did I end up this time?"
"Your brother found you ... and he found you...," she looked away and whispered,
"In Mr. Darcy's room."
Elizabeth blushed so hotly she looked like a tomato.
"Jane, I can feel you hold something back, what?" she questioned.
"Well, your dream..."
"Oh no, it was not a dream?!"
Jane acknowledged the truth of the words. "Your brother and I managed to keep it discreet and get you back here."
The next evening found Elizabeth again falling asleep in her bed, safe and content; only to be woken the next morning by Will's voice,
"Beth, you have to wake up."
She looked up into his blue eyes,
"Oh no, not again!" she groaned into the pillow.
Will could not help but laugh slightly.
It seemed like Beth was not always a morning person.
He moved a lock of hair from her face, as he said,
"Come on, everybody will murder us, if they find you here again." 'Especially Rich' he thought.
"Atuhhhh!"
"Bless you."
"Thank you, Will." She replied, as he handed her a handkerchief from the table next to the bed.
Elizabeth sat on the side of the bed, ready to leave,
"Will, can you promise me something?" she asked slowly,
"I shall try, Beth."
"Promise me that when we are married, we will fall asleep in each other's arms each night?"
Will sat up and put his arms around her; she leaned on his torso,
"I promise, love."
He rested his head on her shoulder,
"I adore you, beloved."
"Just as I love you. I better leave now or else someone is bound to discover it."
She stood up and pulled on the slippers, turned and carefully kissed him and slipped out of Will's bedroom.
Not five minutes later, Jane entered Elizabeth's room.
Charles entered William's room.
William sat with a dazed look, "Morning, Darcy."
"Morning, Bingley. You seem chipper this morning. Why?"
William asked, just as his valet came in.
"Your bath is ready, Sir."
Bingley said with an amused smile, "Do I need a reason to be 'chipper', as you called it?"
"Just a guess, you saw Miss Bennet this morning?"
"Yes, Darcy I did. She is the most angelic woman I have ever met! I think I will ask her to marry me in a few weeks." Charles replied.
"Are you sure, Charles?"
"Yes, I do believe I am, Darcy. Besides were you sure when you asked Lady Elizabeth to marry you?" Charles replied confidently.
"Then I am glad for you. Well, I will be down as soon as possible. Would you maybe check if Beth is coming down today?"
Will asked.
"Will do, Darcy. See you downstairs." Charles left the room.
"You seem much better this morning, Lizzie."
Jane remarked, as she helped her into a beautiful white/blue patterned dress.
"I slept well, I feel like myself today, I want to see Georgie today, maybe be with Will..." she blushed slightly.
"Mr. Darcy and you are so bad; you need each other so much." Jane expressed softly.
*Knock, Knock*
Jane opened the door, "Oh Mr. Bingley."
"William wanted to know if his fiancé is coming down."
"You can tell my fiancée that I am, Mr. Bingley." Elizabeth replied from the vanity table.
In the breakfast parlor.
Matlock looked up from his paper as his daughter, Miss Jane, Mr. Bingley and nephew came into breakfast, "Morning all."
Everybody returned the greeting.
Elizabeth went over and embraced Georgiana.
"I am sorry I kept you away; I did not want you to become ill. Two ill people are more than enough."
"It is all right, Lizzie. One sick Darcy is more than enough, as you so nicely put it." Georgiana replied with a smile.
As everybody was sitting with breakfast, a footman came over to Mr. Bingley with a letter; he quickly looked at it, left his chair and went over to Lady Elizabeth, "It is for you, Lady Elizabeth."
When Elizabeth saw the address, she was instantly covered in goosebumps and the small amount of colour in her cheeks disappeared.
Will asked worriedly,
"Beth? What is wrong?" she scooted the letter over to him.
The address read; Rosings Park, Kent.
Will understood at once, and said,
"Uncle"
The letter was in his uncle's hands; he read it and said harshly: "Absolutely not!"
"She is coming here, is she not, father?" Elizabeth questioned softly.
"I am afraid so, Elizabeth." Her father answered.
"I am staying; I am not running away." Elizabeth said firmly.