Chapter 2

"And what do you want, sir? I suppose you have come to bother me for a good reason. Do you want to introduce me to one of your daughters? Because I imagine that if you dared to speak to me even though we don't know each other, it is because you spect something in return." Mr. Darcy just wanted to get out of that place as soon as possible. The impertinence of that man was another proof of how vulgar the people of that horrible place were. "Let me also clarify that I'm not used to talking to men who don't know how to behave like gentlemen."

"Don't worry, young man, because I don't have daughters. But if I had one, I would do my best to keep her as far away from men like you. And as for behaving like a gentleman, that's why I've approached you." Because of my profession, I have had to interact with people from all walks of life, and I assure you that not even the humblest farmer has dared to say what you have said out loud about Miss Elizabeth Bennet. So you can presume that you have money and a large estate, but you are no gentleman, sir. Good evening!"

Mr. Darcy was so shocked that he did not know what to say. Then he saw a girl with dark green eyes looking at him defiantly and realized what he had done. He immediately looked away, poured himself a glass of punch, and drank it to calm down.

Without a doubt, what that man said had left him thinking, and for a thousandth of a second, he thought of apologizing. But his proud and haughty nature prevented him from doing it. He had spoken with his friend, and if that lady had heard him, it was her fault for meddling in other people's business.

Later he saw that the doctor was talking animatedly with the supposedly affronted young lady and her friend and that they all seemed very entertained. Hence, he assumed that she was not so offended. But he also couldn't help realizing that his words had been unfair and inaccurate because Miss Elizabeth Bennet was an attractive woman with a beautiful smile and stunning eyes.

For her part, Elizabeth noticed that the insolent man was looking at her most of the evening. But she preferred to ignore him. Although it was true that there were very few men to dance with that night, Dr. Evans had kept her and Charlotte entertained. He told them amazing stories about the many places he had visited worldwide. Besides, she was glad to see that at least Jane had met a pleasant and agreeable man in Mr. Bingley and had enjoyed dancing and talking with him.

After the last dance, Frederick said goodbye to his new friends he made that exciting evening, including the Bennet ladies. He felt that he had made some progress in reconnecting with his family. He was eager to help them in whatever way was necessary to show his friend John and his beloved Alice that he was a new man. He was anxious to leave behind the hurt and resentment that had clouded much of his life.

P&P

Thomas Bennet was looking over the ledger and was happy for the first time in months. The previous year's harvests were not good because the winter was extremely cold. But renting his brother's house had given him an additional income that he had not contemplated and helped him pay debts that, otherwise, he would not have been able to pay.

Frederick and Alice's house had been completely abandoned for twenty years, and he thought it would remain that way for many years to come. He never sold it, thinking that if he died, his wife and daughters would have a place to live. But after rumors began to spread that the house was haunted, he knew that rent was not an option either. So he was stunned when a London doctor's solicitor contacted him and paid several months in advance to lease the house. He even came to think that it was Frederick who came back from the dead or wherever he was all those years and rented it. But when he saw the doctor's name in the contract, he realized that it was not his brother but another doctor named Francis Evans.

He didn't quite understand why that man was so interested in settling in an old and abandoned house in Meryton, but he had so many other things on his mind that once he received the money, he forgot about that matter forever.

But after checking that everything was alright with his finances, he went to have breakfast. There, he heard a very interesting conversation that made him doubt again about the identity of that mysterious doctor.

"Mr. Bennet, when we returned from the assembly last night, I couldn't tell you everything that happened because I was too tired to converse with you. But while we have breakfast, I'll take advantage of telling you everything you should know," Mrs. Bennet said enthusiastically.

"Do I have any other alternative?" asked Mr. Bennet and winked at Elizabeth.

"No, because there are important things you should know. Mr. Bingley danced all night, but he only danced with Jane twice. He's a kind man and so handsome..." Mrs. Bennet spoke for several minutes about Mr. Bingley, causing Jane to blush on more than one occasion.

"I am pleased, my dear, that that gentleman is so nice because he will be our neighbor for a while. It is always better to have a nice neighbor than a nasty one," Mr. Bennet said, hoping to end that conversation. "Lizzy, how about we play chess after breakfast."

Elizabeth tried to answer her father's question, but she couldn't say a word because Mrs. Bennet was unwilling to change the subject. She still had a lot to say about the assembly.

"But unfortunately, Mr. Bingley's friend is the complete opposite of him. He is a wealthy man but rude and very ill-mannered. He spent the whole night with a stern face observing us as if we were people unworthy of his notice. But also, that insolent man dared to insult Elizabeth in front of everyone." Mrs. Bennet told her husband what Mr. Darcy had said and how he had made the enmity of all Meryton with his arrogant and contemptuous manner.

"Did that man really dare to say that about you, my dear?" Mr. Bennet asked Elizabeth.

"Yes, father, but I don't care about the man's opinion because he is an arrogant fool with a very high opinion of himself. Besides, Charlotte and I had the opportunity to talk much of the evening with Dr. Evans, so I quickly forgot his insulting words."

"What a pleasant and distinguished man, Dr. Evans," added Mrs. Bennet.

"And he must be very brave," Lydia said.

"Why do you say he is brave, Lydia? Is it because he is a doctor?" Kitty asked.

"No, because Maria told me he lived in the haunted house."

"Does Dr. Evans live at Alice's house?" Mrs. Bennet asked her husband in great surprise.

"What did you talk to that doctor about, Lizzy?" asked Mr. Bennet and looked at his wife.

Mrs. Bennet thought she understood why her husband was asking that question, and she didn't say anything else because she got very nervous. On the contrary, she began to remember everything she could of the doctor. But unfortunately, she hardly paid attention to him because he talked about things too complicated for her liking.

"We didn't talk about anything in particular, father. He just told us about all the places he has traveled and lived," Elizabeth replied.

Lydia and Kitty also began to talk about the assembly, and Mr. and Mrs. Bennet ate their breakfast in silence. Neither of her daughters noticed the change because they couldn't have imagined that they were both thinking the same thing. They were both afraid that a painful episode from the past had come back to alter their lives.

P&P

Frederick walked to the top of Oakham mount like he used to do when he was a boy. From there, he could observe the immensity of the valley and clear his troubled thoughts. That afternoon he planned to visit the cemetery and leave flowers for his beloved Alice. After twenty years, he would be close to her again, which made him feel nervous. Although he knew he would not be the man he was today without having traveled the world, he regretted having fled like a coward. He abandoned his family and forgot his responsibilities.

Frederick left behind his wife's lifeless body and his dying little daughter. Unfortunately, he did not participate in the funeral and was not there to say goodbye to the woman he promised to love and care for. "I can't believe I could behave like that with you, Alice, and our little angel. I acted like a scoundrel, unlike the gentleman you once fell in love with. But, my dear, I am here to pay for all my sins and offer my life to all you love."

Frederick sat on a rock from where he could see the immensity. Then, he began to remember all the beautiful memories he had treasured for many years.

P&P

More than twenty-one years ago...

"Excuse me, sir, but what are you doing here?" Alice said to the man sitting on her rock on top of her mount.

Frederick rose immediately, bowed, and introduced himself. "Miss, my name is Frederick Bennet; please allow me to inform you that this has been my favorite place since I was a child and no one ever told me it was private property."

"Bennet? Are you the brother of my brother-in-law? By the way, I am Alice Gardiner, and although I do not have a property title, I must tell you that I have been coming to this place for years, and I have never met anyone. That is why I thought this place was mine. But I suppose we can share if it is your favorite place too. How about I come Monday and Wednesday, and you come Tuesday and Thursday? We can leave Friday as a free day in case there is bad weather on my days or yours."

Alice continued talking for several minutes, making plans about the use of the top of Oakmount while Frederick watched her with great interest. She was a beautiful woman but also very eloquent in expressing her ideas.

"I don't think it's necessary, Miss Gardiner. I'll be able to come to this place very rarely because I'll start working soon. Besides, I don't think there's a problem with us meeting here from time to time because we are part of the same family, don't you think?"

"I guess you're right. It's just that when I come here, I want to be alone. This place is like my refuge."

"I understand. Then I promise that the next time I'm here, if you arrive, I'll leave immediately. And just so you can see that I intend to keep my promise, I'll leave right now."

"You do not have to do that, sir, of course, unless you have to leave." Alice was intrigued to get to know her sister's brother-in-law better and know if everything they said about him was true.

"No, I don't have anything urgent to do; I just don't want to bother you."

"You don't bother me," Alice replied and sat on the rock. "You told me you would start working very soon; what do you plan to do?"

Frederick sat next to Alice and told her about his plans. "I've been apprenticing with Dr. Watson for the past five years, and he told me it's time to start my own practice. I want to establish it here, where I grew up and my family has lived for many generations."

"Dr. Watson is very famous. You have been fortunate to have him as a mentor."

"And how do you know him?"

"Because I read the newspaper, and I know that he is one of the most prestigious doctors in the country. But why don't you start your practice in London? I'm sure you can make a lot of money there."

"Because I'm not interested in money, Miss Gardiner. I don't need big things to be happy. So I plan to charge those who can pay and help those who can't."

Alice smiled and stayed talking with Frederick for almost two hours. After that, they continued to meet there several times a week, and a beautiful friendship was born between them that soon turned into a deep and passionate love.

The Gardiners moved to Meryton from London when Alice was seven and Frederick was thirteen. That year, he went to school to study and visited the family only during vacation. Later, when he was in Oxford, Frederick spent all his time studying or in labs learning new things. He rarely traveled to Longbourn because he was always busy, especially when Dr. Watson gave him a chance to be his disciple.

Theodore and Amelia Bennet had three children, Thomas, the eldest, a girl who lived only a few months named Elizabeth, and Frederick. The brothers were almost seven years apart, making it more difficult for a close relationship between them.

When his parents died, and his brother took over the estate, he kept his distance from Longbourn even further. He and Thomas were very different, and although they loved and respected each other very much, they had very few interests in common. Frederick was reserved and a bit taciturn, while Thomas had an open personality, and he knew how to speak and express his ideas very well and handled irony and double meaning perfectly. While Thomas was interested in history and philosophy, Frederick was interested in mathematics and science.

When Thomas Bennet married, Frederick was in Ireland accompanying his mentor, who had been invited to a medical conference, so he was not present at the wedding. That created an additional barrier to the ones that already existed between them. Frederick wanted somehow to seek a rapprochement with his brother because it was his only family. His brother's first child would be born very soon, and he wanted to be there to help if necessary.

Jonas Gardiner was a diligent solicitor who worked at his uncle's firm in London from a young age until he could settle independently in the small town of Meryton. He and his wife Martha moved his entire family there, and he began the life he had always dreamed of away from the chaos that London had become.

The Gardiners had four children. Their eldest daughter married Jonas's assistant, who would eventually take over the family business because his son Edward had other interests. Fanny and Alice were the youngest, and they were very different. Alice was sensitive and intelligent, while Fanny was vain and interested in nothing more than talking about fashion or gossip.

Despite that, they had always been very close because Alice felt she should protect her sister because she was too fickle and innocent. She thought she was destined to be happy because she was a beautiful woman and thought all her dreams would come true when the most prominent gentleman of the shire fell in love with her and proposed.

Still, after a few months after the wedding, it was clear to everyone that they had little in common and that living together would not be easy.

Several months after the birth of Jane Bennet, Alice and Frederick married. They made a beautiful couple, and although everyone was happy for them, Fanny could not understand why her sister had married a second son. The heir to an estate in Essex had proposed to her before she met Frederick, and she rejected him. Alice tried vainly to make her sister understand that she could never marry a man she could never admire. With Frederick, she had everything she needed to be happy.

"My love, I know this house isn't as big or pretty as Longbourn. But I promise that I'll repair it as soon as I save some money to make it even more comfortable." Frederick said to his wife, caressing her bulging belly. "I want our child not to lack anything."

"My dear, we have everything we need. Your rich clients pay you well enough to care for your poor patients. I am not only your wife but your life partner, and if I fell in love with you, it is because of your great heart and sense of justice," Alice replied and kissed her husband with all the tenderness a woman hopelessly in love with her husband was capable of.

"Alice, you are the greatest gift life could have given me, and every day I wake up, I thank God for having you by my side." Frederick said and continued to kiss his wife while caressing her belly. "The baby is kicking again, my love," Frederick said excitedly.

"I think we will have a very energetic boy or girl," Alice said, laughing.

"As are you," Frederick replied, kissing his wife on the nose.

They lived in their modest house accompanied only by two servants. Mr. and Mrs. Green were older people who never had children and had nowhere to live, and they found refuge in the Bennet house and didn't care that they couldn't pay them much.

They had had dinner and planned to read a little before going to sleep. The day was cold, and the wind announced that a storm was coming. They were sitting in front of the fireplace when Mr. Green told Frederick someone was looking for him. It was a tenant whose wife was in labor for almost fifteen hours, and the midwife did not know what to do. Frederick explained the situation to Alice, and she told him that he should help that poor woman.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, my love," Frederick said, caressing his wife's face.

"Don't worry about me; I'll go to bed and read. I love you, Frederick."

"And I love you, Alice," Frederick replied. Then he kissed his wife and left.

He did not know that would be the last time he would see his wife alive and that in a few more hours, his life full of light and love would turn into a nightmare that would last almost twenty years.

When Alice went to her room, she tripped and fell down the stairs. At the same time, a horrible storm broke out, and no one could go in search of Frederick because the rising river blocked the bridge. As a result, Alice went into premature labor and died within minutes of Elizabeth's birth.

When Frederick was able to return home, he blamed himself for everything that had happened. He was a doctor, he had saved women many times in the same situation as Alice, and yet he was not there when she needed him most.

"Frederick, where do you think you're going?" Thomas asked as he saw his brother packing.

"Anywhere, but I don't want to be here another second," Frederick said. He was mad at himself and didn't want to listen to anyone. He just needed to get as far away from there as possible.

"And what will happen to your little daughter?" Thomas asked desperately. He didn't know how to help his poor brother.

"Bury her next to her mother. She will likely die in a few hours; she is too young to survive."

"And if she survives?"

"It would be a miracle, Thomas, and miracles don't exist. Now get out of my way," Frederick replied and left.

That afternoon, he rode for hours, and no one ever heard from him again in Meryton.

Thanks to the care of her aunt Fanny, the little girl managed to survive. After that, her aunt and uncle Bennet decided to adopt her as their daughter, and her uncle Thomas named her Elizabeth after his little sister, who died so many years ago.

P&P

Frederick opened his eyes when he heard someone approaching. Apparently there was a girl singing a beautiful song.

For a moment, it seemed to him that it was his beloved Alice, and he could not contain his tears, but when he looked better, he realized it was Miss Elizabeth Bennet.

"Dr. Evans, are you alright?" Elizabeth asked, surprised to see how tears rolled down the cheeks of that kind gentleman.

"Excuse me, Miss Bennet. Don't worry, I was remembering things and got a little melancholy, that's all."

"I hope they aren't bad memories."

"No, they are beautiful memories of the best moments of my life. And what are you doing here? It's a pretty lonely place."

"I know, and that's why I love it so much. I like to come here when I need to think and want to be alone. This place is like my refuge."

"I understand... I'm sorry, Miss Bennet, but how old are you?"

"Doctor, what kind of question is that?" Elizabeth replied, smiling.

"I'm sorry, please excuse me; I'm a brute," said Frederick, very nervous and gloomy.

Elizabeth noted that the doctor did not understand that she was only joking. "I'm sorry, doctor, please don't be upset because you haven't offended me. I'm only twenty years old, and there's no reason to hide my age," Elizabeth concluded with a beautiful smile.

"Twenty?" said Frederick horrified. Then he turned his back on Elizabeth, looked down into the valley below him, and muttered, "Could it be that...? God, what have I done?..."

P&P

Many thanks to everyone who leaves supportive comments and enthusiastically follows the story.

I must confess that I am pleasantly surprised by the support that the first chapter received. I hope to develop the story in an interesting manner and live up to your expectations.

As you know, the end of the year holidays are coming, and I still have to finish writing "Extraviado." Then I'll go on vacation for a month, and I won't have regular access to my computer. If I can, I'll post chapter three before leaving; otherwise, I'll be back in 2023, and I promise to update frequently, as I always have done with all my stories. Once again, thanks for your support and patience.

I also apologize for the many mistakes in this chapter, but I wrote it super fast. Those who already know me know that I write first and then edit. For those who can't read or understand because of multiple errors, I advise you to read the revised version in another four or five months.

In the next chapter, Frederick will talk to his brother because he needs to ask him a very important question.

Saludos,

Yo