Colonel Fitzwilliam moved beside his cousin. He reached into the trunk. Carefully he lifted Elizabeth's hand. He moved his fingers to her wrist.
"What are you doing?" Mr. Darcy asked.
"I am trying to find her heartbeat. It can be felt in the wrist and the neck." the colonel replied. "Given her bruises I think the wrist would cause less discomfort for her."
They were both quiet from a few moments.
"Well...did you find it?"
"I am not a doctor, Darcy."
"You did not find it?"
"No but that does not mean..."
The next moment his cousin knocked him to the side.
"She cannot be dead." Mr. Darcy said kneeling beside the trunk.
He reached into the trunk and touched Elizabeth's face.
"Elizabeth, can you hear me? Please open your eyes."
"Darcy..."
"She is not dead." His hand cupped her face. "Anne would not have sent her here if she were dead."
"Perhaps she was not when she was put into the trunk."
"She is not..."
His words were silenced by a shallow inhale from Elizabeth.
"She is breathing. Send someone for a doctor." Mr. Darcy said moving to lift Elizabeth.
His cousin stopped him.
"What are you doing? We need to get her out of here..."
"I do not disagree, Darcy." his cousin said. "But please take a moment to think about what you are doing?"
"What do you mean?"
"You planned to carry her upstairs to a room, do you not?"
"Of course."
"You plan to carry a beaten woman, who no one saw enter the house, upstairs to your guest room. Then you plan to call for the nearest doctor, who will likely be unknown to you since there has not been a doctor in this house in at least four years. If we were at Pemberley I would not be so concerned but we are in London. We must protect you and Miss Elizabeth."
"What do you suggest?" Mr. Darcy asked.
He was clearly frustrated with his cousin's logic but knew he was likely right.
"We close the trunk..." Mr. Darcy started to protest but his cousin silenced him. "We carry it up to the guest room then summon Mrs. Taylor. I have a friend who was a doctor in Army. He has retired but he can be trusted. Once she is settled I will send for him."
Mr. Darcy nodded and rose. The dress was placed back in the trunk alongside Elizabeth. The colonel crossed to the door and opened it. With one last look, Mr. Darcy eased the lid of the trunk closed. He stood at one end while his cousin took the other. Together they carried the trunk out of the study.
They passed Mr. Davis who offered his assistance. Mr. Darcy declined and asked him to send the housekeeper to the guest room in the family wing. The man nodded and hurried off. By the time the two men had carried their precious cargo up the stairs Mr. Darcy's housekeeper, Mrs. Taylor, was coming up the servants' stairs at the end of the hall. The colonel asked her to open the door. She did so quickly. The two followed her inside and set the trunk down. Colonel Fitzwilliam moved to the door and closed it tight as his cousin opened the trunk. Mrs. Taylor gasped as Mr. Darcy lifted Elizabeth from the trunk. Her surprise was pushed aside as she hurried to assist her employer settle the injured woman on the bed.
"Fitzwilliam, write your letter." Mr. Darcy said once Elizabeth was settled.
The colonel nodded and left the room.
"Mr. Darcy, sir, it may not be my place to ask..."
"I trust you, Mrs. Taylor. I shall explain."
Mrs. Taylor nodded. Mr. Darcy dropped into a nearby chair. He explained how he met Elizabeth and his visit to Rosings, leaving out his failed proposal.
"The trunk arrived a short time ago. I believe my cousin Anne addressed it to me. The label had another address on the back for a...less respectable part of town."
Mrs. Taylor listened silently to his story. She knew there was more to his story than what he had told her but she would not pry.
"You said the young lady has family in town."
"Yes but I do not know their name or address save for it is on Gracechurch Street."
"You know her family in Hertfordshire though. You could write them."
"I could but I am not close to the family so a letter from me might draw attention. I am afraid news of her presence here will reach Kent. I do not want the one who hurt her to try to harm her again."
"Perhaps her family in town can be located."
"That would be better. I could speak to her uncle in person and he could write her father. His letter would not draw so much attention."
Mrs. Taylor nodded.
"Given how the young lady arrived and the possibility that she might still be in danger, it might be best that the rest of the staff not know of her presence." Mrs. Taylor said. "There are a few maids that can be trusted to keep her presence secret. Since this room is in the family wing there would be no need for the other maids to be in here."
"Fitzwilliam is sending for a friend of his who is a doctor."
"I will call Miss Darcy's lady's maid to assist me in changing her. Do you believe the clothing in the trunk to be hers?" He nodded. "I shall look for a night gown for her then."
Mrs. Taylor moved to the trunk and looked through the clothing. Mr. Darcy moved to the bed and studied Elizabeth's face. Now that she was lying on her back it was easy to see that she was breathing, although shallowly. He thought about how she had come to be in his home. A knock came at the door bringing him from his thoughts. His cousin entered the room.
"Carson should be here soon." he said. "Has she woke?"
"No." Mr. Darcy said rising.
Another knock brought the arrival of his sister's lady's maid. The situation was explained quickly then the men turned to go. Mr. Darcy turned back suddenly.
"I want all doors to this room kept locked." he said. "Only the door to the sitting room may be used to enter and exit this room. I will have a footman stationed in the sitting room at all times."
The two ladies nodded. The men two men exited through the door leading to the sitting room.
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