Chapter 5

Two hours later, the inhabitants of Netherfield once again found themselves congregated in a sitting room. This time, however, there was no tea to be found. Instead, the servants poured coffee, chocolate, and lemonade for the guests.

Included in their company were Mr. Bennet, Mr. Jones, and Sir William Lucas, who was acting as magistrate. Elizabeth, who had been bathed, warmed, and tended to, was the last to join the group. Upon her arrival, the awkward silence that had descended was interrupted.

"Now, Miss Elizabeth, can you please explain to us what happened?" Sir William asked in a gentle voice. "Mr. Jones informs us that Mr. Wickham was here and that Miss Bingley has gone missing?"

Elizabeth nodded shakily and began to recount the events of the afternoon. When she reached the point where an unconscious Miss Bingley was transported to the carriage and bound at the wrists, Jane let out a horrified gasp.

"We must recover her at once!" Bingley cried, leaping to his feet from Jane's side.

"Must we? I say she's made her bed, and she can be left to lie in it." Mrs. Hurst's voice was laced with venom.

All heads turned towards the newly widowed woman in the corner. Mrs. Hurst, upon awakening, had been unable to speak since the moment she was informed of her husband's death. Her hand rested on the small swell of her belly, heretofore unnoticed, as she continued. "My sister has already caused my child to lose its father before its birth. I'll not have her poison the only family I have left."

"But surely, there must have been some kind of misunderstanding," Jane said faintly.

Elizabeth pressed her lips together and shook her head. "No, Jane, there has not. I'm not entirely certain as to the cause of Mr. Hurst's death, but Miss Bingley and Mr. Wickham knew exactly what they were doing when they entered into this kind of illicit relationship."

"I can answer that," Mr. Jones interjected. "It is my understanding that Mr. Hurst was already in his cups by the time the tea was served. Any medical person could tell you that it is extremely dangerous to mix laudanum and alcohol. The two combined can easily be fatal."

"He wasn't always this way," Mrs. Hurst spat out. "He only began drinking when Caroline moved in with us. She drove him mad, he'd say, and it was the only way he could handle being around her. Not only did she turn my husband into a stranger, but she has ended his life entirely."

Mr. Jones nodded in agreement. "I can safely say that Mr. Wickham and Miss Bingley are both directly responsible for the death of Mr. Hurst."

Bingley went pale. "Does this mean they will be arrested for murder should they return?"

Everyone looked at Sir William, who cleared his throat. "Naturally, it is difficult to determine at this stage. Their intent plays a large role in determining an arrest, and they will need to be thoroughly questioned before any further steps can be taken."

"Well, surely Wickham should be arrested for kidnapping," Darcy burst out, speaking for the first time. "Whether or not he intended to kill Hurst doesn't negate the fact that he took an unconscious woman against her will. They're probably halfway to Gretna Green by now."

"You think he'd marry her?" Bingley's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Yes," Darcy said firmly. "This isn't the first time he's attempted to run off with a young woman in possession of a large dowry. When his plans went awry, he probably panicked."

The room fell silent. Bingley looked from Jane to Mrs. Hurst, then said uneasily, "Well, I don't suppose much would be gained by going after them now. They have hours ahead of us, and we would never reach them before my sister was totally ruined. Too many servants have seen things as it is."

Mr. Bennet cleared his throat. "And that very matter is the reason I insisted on being here."

All eyes turned towards the elder gentleman. He cleared his throat again and shifted in his seat. "I'm afraid the rumors are already spreading through town. My wife's sister came to Longbourn with tales of a sordid tea party only minutes after I received your note, Mr. Bingley."

Elizabeth let out a groan. "Dare I ask, Papa?"

Mr. Bennet's lips tightened. "The story I heard was that Mr. Bingley had seduced Jane on the sofa. When you attempted to intervene, Mr. Darcy forced himself on you, causing your injuries and the loss of his jacket." Mr. Bennet hesitated, then said, "I'm afraid the two of you are quite ruined."

"And we are the scoundrels," Bingley said sorrowfully.

Jane burst into tears, and Elizabeth wrapped her arms around herself. "What happens now?" she whispered.

"That entirely depends," Mr. Bennet said, looking intently at Darcy and Bingley.

Darcy's stone face grew even more fearsome, but Bingley appeared elated. He looked towards Jane. "Miss Bennet, while this isn't the way I would have had things turn out, I have to admit that I find you the most angelic and incredible woman of my acquaintance. Will you marry me?"

Jane bit her lip and glanced towards Elizabeth, who gave her sister a reluctant nod, for she knew just how deeply Jane's affections ran for Charles. "Yes, Mr. Bingley, I will marry you."

With that resolved, Elizabeth turned towards her father. "Papa, could we not say that I tried to stop Mr. Wickham from hurting Mr. Darcy and that is how I became injured? Certainly we could put out a story that doesn't involve forcing me to marry a man I barely know."

Darcy's eyebrows rose at this. "Miss Elizabeth, I am more than prepared to do my duty as a gentleman, regardless of the unpleasantness of the situation."

Elizabeth's eyes flashed dangerously. "I would prefer to marry for love—or not at all—than to spend the rest of my life with someone who finds me merely 'tolerable' and considers marriage to me to be 'unpleasant.'"

Turning her back on the gentleman, whose face moved from confusion to understanding, Elizabeth pleaded with her father. "Papa, please. I am sure we can find another way."

Mr. Bennet let out a tremendous sigh. "I'm afraid, my dear girl, that there is no other choice. The gossip has spread, and you know our little village well enough to understand that any other story won't have nearly as much power against the excitement of scandal."

Elizabeth's eyes filled with tears, and she hugged herself even more tightly. Darcy stepped forward and said, "Mr. Bennet, might I speak with your daughter in private?"

Mr. Bennet scowled at the tall young man. "You may speak with her just outside the door, but it will remain open and you will stand where I can see you at all times."

Darcy nodded in solemn agreement, then extended his arm to Elizabeth. She stared at it for a long while. Just as Darcy thought she would refuse, she stood and silently took it.

Once in the hallway, Darcy ran a hand through his hair. "Miss Elizabeth, I don't even know where to begin. I can't apologize enough for the circumstances we are in right now, but please allow me to assure you that I do not find the idea of marriage to you to be unpleasant."

Elizabeth looked up at him in surprise. "I don't understand."

He sighed. "I know I was a beast at the assembly when we met. I truly did not know that my words to Bingley had been overheard, but I vow that I had not even looked at you for more than a moment before responding to my friend. That night, I would have said the same thing about any woman. I simply wanted to be left alone."

She nodded slowly, and he continued speaking with hope lightening his heart somewhat. "As for marriage being unpleasant, I meant the circumstances of being forced into the situation and for the trauma you must have endured in facing Wickham alone. I regret that my words were so poorly misinterpreted."

He hesitated, then pressed on. "I have not the talent of explaining my feelings well. Oftentimes, what I meant in my head has a very different meaning than what comes out of my mouth. It is part of why I choose to simply remain silent rather than speak."

At this point, Darcy stopped speaking and moved his gaze to the floor, awaiting her response.

Elizabeth paused, then said, "Thank you, Mr. Darcy, for your gracious apologies. I must admit, my opinion of you has been quite poor up until now. However, seeing the perfidy a man like Wickham can conceal, I am forced to concede to the uncomfortable notion that I am not nearly as proficient at making out a person's character as I had thought."

"Wickham has charmed many a person, including my own father," Darcy hastened to assure her. "You are not the only one whom he has fooled."

She nodded in acceptance. "My concern now, Mr. Darcy, is that I simply do not know you. How can I agree to spend the rest of my life in the power of someone who is a stranger to me?"

"I can see why that would be an alarming notion," Darcy said. "I don't see that we have much choice, however. So what can I do to make the process as tranquil as possible for you?"

She sighed. "I just wish we could become more acquainted with one another and make the choice for ourselves."

Darcy took her hands in his own. "I know I may not be your choice, but you were already mine. Your wit, your charm, and your beauty have captivated me beyond any woman I've ever met. I swear, Elizabeth, I will do everything in my power to make you happy. Whatever you wish, I will give it to you. I cannot give you the time for a formal courtship before a wedding, but I will court you every day afterwards until you choose me for yourself."

Elizabeth blinked back sudden tears. "Then, yes, Mr. Darcy, I will marry you."

THE END