Chapter 6
Lizzy was utterly busy for the next couple of days. She so wanted to call on Netherfield; she was curious and a bit nervous about the gentlemen's reactions from her disclosing the existence of those books. Her responsibilities as Meryton's doctor prevented her from doing so.
Fass was in the laboratory, and Lizzy decided to go for a walk to think; she dearly loved exercise, especially when her mind was troubled as it was now. She approached the top of a small hill that ended in a lovely stream. The path was bordered by trees; the birds singing and the sound of the water flowing always brought Lizzy a wonderful feeling of inner peace.
She heard a horse approaching her at rapid gait and turned to look back along the path so she could see who was coming her way. Lizzy smiled when she realized it was Mr. Darcy, although she thought his pace much too fast for just a morning ride.
When he neared her, she greeted him, "Good morning, Mr. Darcy. I hope everyone at the Bingleys' house is well; I have been so busy that I could not call upon them."
Darcy pulled up and abruptly dismounted his horse. His face was a stony mask, but Lizzy could see anger in his demeanour as he strode towards her. "Who are you? What do you want? What does all this mean?" he shouted, holding up the book.
"I do not understand, sir. What is the matter?" Lizzy braced herself. Mr. Darcy was in a state of pure rage.
"Do not dare to dissemble that you do not understand what I mean!" Darcy took a few steps closer to Lizzy and grabbed her arm with so much strength that it hurt.
"Please, Mr. Darcy, calm down. You are hurting me." Lizzy tried to remain calm, and not raise her voice as Darcy had done to diffuse the situation.
"Are you with them? Are you here to blackmail me, following their orders?" Darcy spit out through clenched teeth as he tightened his grip on her arm making Lizzy writhe in pain.
"Let go of me! I have no idea what you are talking about!" In vain, Lizzy pushed him hard with her free arm; he would not let her go.
"And did you and your associates actually think that showing me this would make me agree to marry you?" he said with a disgusted snarl and a voice full of disdain. "You would never be suitable as a wife for someone like me! You are a nobody!" With that, Darcy released her arm and launched the book over the hill where it teetered precariously on a ledge.
Lizzy jumped over the tree trunk near where they stood and jumped over the ledge launching herself at where her precious novel lay, praying to reach the book before it slid into the water. "How I hate my name. It has been nothing but trouble . . .," she grumbled to herself when she finally had the book in her hands. Lizzy lay on the ground, dirty and slightly bruised, holding the book tight and taking deep breaths.
After observing her frantic actions and regaining control of his temper, Darcy became extremely embarrassed. Even if all his conjectures were correct, he, being a gentleman, should not have said what he just had said to a lady.
Lowering his voice but maintaining his cold manner, he called to her. "Miss Bennet, let me help you back up." He approached her and offered his hand.
"I hate my name," she shouted. "It is a cursed name!"
Paul and Lizzy decided to get a coffee after their Quantum Mechanics [1] class. They were sharing a blueberry muffin when Lizzy heard the door open. "Oh god, here comes Mike. . ."
"Hi, Paul, I see you are with the child prodigy. Isn't it a felony? You know, statutory rape."
"Hi to you too, Paul," answered Lizzy. "First, I am eighteen already; second, Paul is my friend."
Without being invited, Mike took a seat. "Is your name really Elizabeth Bennet? Were your parents that uncreative or just cruel?"
"Oh, but I think my parents were amazing! Tell me one woman that doesn't want to be Elizabeth Bennet. It has historical significance, yours, on the other hand, is plain and boring. But it just fits your personality, does it not?" Lizzy smiled wickedly while taking a sip of her coffee.
"Fuck you!" Mike cursed, pushed his chair back, and stormed out.
Lizzy and Paul's eyes met and they laughed. "Now be serious, Lizzy, isn't it kind of weird having that name?"
Lizzy sighed. "Oh, I hated it at school. When we had to read 'Pride & Prejudice', and every kid began to pick on me,I became really upset due to all the teasing. One day I came home crying, cursing my mom for naming me after a literary character."
"But you don't seem to mind it now."
"No, absolutely not. My mom really loved Jane Austen. Imagine her joy when she married a Bennet! I understand her, and so should you."
"Why should I?" Paul asked puzzled.
"Please, what would your daughter's name be if your name was Paul Grey?"
"Jean! [2]" Paul grinned at her.
"So, you see, I do have a point. You understand, don't you?"
Lizzy calmed her breathing, looked up, and reached for Darcy's proffered hand. "My mother named me after one of the main characters in this book you know. She loved its author very much. This novel is a classic from my world; it is one of the most loved books of all time." Lizzy tried brushing her hands over her dirty clothes to make herself more presentable.
Darcy observed that she was still holding the book tightly in her other hand. "Yes, but why did you endanger yourself like that after a simple book?"
"This is not a simple book! It was my mother's book. I could not bring many things with me, Mr. Darcy. So everything I did bring is precious. I could not lose this." Lizzy said, clasping her treasured novel to her chest. "I feel we may need to start over, Mr. Darcy. It was never my intention to bring you so much distress."
"But how can that be?" Darcy coldly asked pointing to the book. "It contains too much information that only Wickham and his ilk could have known!"
"My theory is that in this alternative Earth where I have landed, the author's books are not fictional." Lizzy looked up to the sky. I always knew Tolkien was captured by aliens and was telling their history with 'The Lord of The Rings'; there was an entirely new language, for Christ's sake! Lizzy tried humouring herself, but the truth was she had been putting up a brave front for far too long and was feeling scared, sad, and lonely.
"This is a fantastical theory is it not?"
"I agree, but it also seems the most logical explanation," Lizzy said now looking into his icy blue eyes. Darcy remained silent, so she continued. "I can prove that this is a book from my Earth if you would like. If you recall, I have mentioned something called a movie." Lizzy waited for confirmation from him. Mr. Darcy nodded and she proceeded "I brought with me one movie based on this very same book."
"And how can your so called movie prove anything?" Darcy was feeling calmer but was still somehow angry and thus sarcastic.
"Because it is not my movie, it was not made by me. . . It is something like a play, with actors and music." Lizzy sighed, indeed that would mean nothing to him; he did not know how a movie was much less how it was produced. She looked down at her hands gripping her novel. All I wanted to do was to help him understand my unintentioned declaration of love and to maybe prevent any harm coming to Miss Darcy. "I have always suffered humiliation because of my name, Mr. Darcy. People used to tease me, especially when I was a child, about it because I was named after a literary heroine. I would never assume you would be willing to be involved with someone like me; I know I am not suitable to anyone on this Earth, and I do not have any romantic aspirations."
Darcy did not know how to respond to that. He was now reconsidering his assumptions. The plot against Georgiana had occurred long before she had been found by Charles. 'Tis indeed impossible that she could have been a part of their plot.
There was a pause but Lizzy sensed that Mr. Darcy was considering what she had said, so she continued. "It was not my intention to upset you; I just wished for you and the Bingleys to understand me better. I am so, so sorry, please forgive me."
As rational thought began to return to him, Darcy was mortified. She was apologising sincerely, but he was the one that should be doing so. He saw the pain in her eyes and bruises forming by his hold on her arm. How could I have done such thing to a woman? I am little better than Wickham! He continued to remain silent, his inner thoughts in turmoil. What could I possibly say to her now after my actions?
Without even realizing the gentleman's changing thoughts, Lizzy proceeded. "I thought that I could help you. Georgiana is a dear girl. I wished to prevent the terrible events in this book from happening to her." Lizzy looked away from him. "But judging by your reaction, sir, I think that I am too late."
Each of her words made Darcy feel worse. All he wanted was to disappear, but he knew that she deserved an explanation for his behaviour. He was astonished that, even after her bruised arm and his callous disregard of a possession so precious to her, she stood there apologising to him. She was heavy-hearted not because of her own pain, but because she was not able to prevent harm to his dear sister.
I misjudged her completely! All I have heard about her is how kind and caring she is; she has trusted me with her deepest secret, and what have I done? Thrown her good intentions in her face and accused her of wrongdoing. The wrongs were mine. I have to make amends, but I need to share this burden. 'Tis destroying my ability to reason.
"Indeed, Miss Bennet. It happened a year ago, but twas much worse than presented in this book."
"How is that, Mr. Darcy?" Lizzy asked concern in her voice.
"Wickham did seek Georgiana's dowry, but he was not alone in his plan. Georgiana always thought of him as a brother, so he knew trying to seduce her would have been pointless." Darcy sat down heavily on the fallen log. "He would have done anything for her dowry; so he made a deal with another man, John Willoughby, to seduce my sister."
Lizzy gasped, as she looked at him, shocked.
He looked up at her, startled by her response, "Do you know this man too, Miss Bennet?"
"He is a character from another Jane Austen book. One I do not have with me."
"I see. . ." Darcy continued to hold her gaze, silently imploring her to sit beside him. "This tale is very ugly; do you truly want to hear it?"
"Yes, Mr. Darcy, please." Lizzy sat on the vacant spot next to him.
"Wickham arranged to meet her at Ramsgate and introduced her to his friend. After a few weeks, the cad inveigled poor, unsuspecting Georgiana so constantly that she was besotted. She was but fifteen, so naïve." Darcy clasped his hands together as if in pain. "I will not tell you of the particulars, 'tis not of importance. Their plan, Miss Bennet, was to obligate Georgiana to marry Willoughby and they would share her dowry."
"How would they be able to bring about such a marriage? Georgiana has means enough to not force her hand by being compromised, as your society calls it."
"You are correct, Miss Bennet. They knew that compromising her would not alter my decision as her guardian to not grant her dowry." Darcy exhaled "I will tell of her plight once and for all. I must share it with someone. Forgive me for what I am about to say. Willoughby forced himself on my sister. He ravished her."
Lizzy felt sick, this can't be true! Poor Georgiana! "I don't. . . I. . ."
Darcy took her hand. "She was inconsolable after the episode. The pair brought her to me and bragged about what they had done. They thought my pride would cause me to force my little sister to be tied to that animal for life." He released her hand. "I could not go the courts. They almost always favour the gentleman in such cases and the public humiliation would have destroyed her, so I took her to Pemberley."
"And you let them go free?" Lizzy cried in indignation.
"Of course not. I learnt of all their debts, bought them, and used my connections to put them on a prisoner's ship to Australia. I might have had them killed, but I could not do such thing. They are far away now, that is all that signifies."
"How is Georgiana recovering?" Lizzy was feeling light-headed; her voice was a mere whisper.
"She is not the same as before. She is afraid of all men; the only one she trusts is Mr. Bingley. I fear for her future. She will not participate in the Season. I do not think she will ever be able to bring herself to marry. Who will care for her if I am not here?"
"We will find a way, Mr. Darcy." Lizzy sadly replied and reached out for his hand, which had just held hers.
Darcy's heart warmed a little at her use of the word 'We'.
[1] Quantum Mechanics or Quantum Physics is a branch of physics that studies the behavior of particles on atomic levels. In the early nineteenth-century, physicists discovered that very small matters (we are talking about electrons or smaller particles) don't behave upon Newton's laws. All those things we learn at high about mechanical physics don't apply to atoms; this was the study subject of many famous scientists including Albert Einstein.
[2] Jean Grey is a character from X-Men, and X-Men is also a Marvel Universe creation. (I don't like DC very much, that's why most of my comic references are Marvel)
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