I feel a bit bad for the cliffhanger (but that won't prevent me from doing it again) so here's another chapter. Time to share the news with Elizabeth's family.
The gentlemen took a few moments to remove their outerwear then were led through the house to Mr. Gardiner's study. The butler opened a door and announced them. They entered looking over the room. To their surprise Mr. Gardiner was not alone. In the room with him were his wife, niece, and brother-in-law. The door closed behind them. The sound spurred Mr. Darcy to speak.
"I apologize for coming without introduction or invitation..." he began but was quickly cut off by Mr. Bennet.
"You told Gardiner's man you needed to speak about Elizabeth."
"Indeed, sir."
"Please be civil, Bennet." Mr. Gardiner said to his brother-in-law then turned to his guests. "I am Edward Gardiner. I assume you know my brother and my niece, Jane." He motioned to the woman beside Jane. "This is my wife, Marian."
Mr. Darcy introduced himself, his cousin, and friend. Everyone was seated.
"Now if you would be so kind, sir," Mr. Gardiner said, "what matter about Elizabeth do you need to speak of?"
"I wished to inform you of her location and state of health."
"Where is my daughter?" Mr. Bennet said rising.
"Papa, please let Mr. Darcy speak." Jane said sternly. "Surely we will find out what we wish to know faster if you do not interrupt."
Mr. Bennet turned his gaze to his eldest.
"You sound like your sister." he said returning to his seat.
"I thank you for the compliment."
"Your daughter is at my home, sir."
"How..."
"Papa."
"Pray continue, Mr. Darcy." Mr. Bennet said with a sigh.
"The method of her arrival was..." Mr. Darcy paused to consider the right word.
"Unconventional." Colonel Fitzwilliam supplied. "Bewildering, distressing,..."
"Thank you, Fitzwilliam." Mr. Darcy said with a glare. He sighed. "There is no easy way to tell it. Miss Elizabeth arrived in her trunk."
"Did you say in her trunk?" Mrs. Gardiner asked.
"Yes madam." he replied. "Early Saturday morning a trunk was delivered to my home. Upon opening it my cousin and I discovered Miss Elizabeth unconscious among her clothing. She appeared to have been victim of a severe beating."
The ladies gasped.
"She is quite bruised but the doctor believes there is no internal bleeding."
"Has she regained consciousness?" Mrs. Gardiner asked.
"She is aware but cannot move. She cannot even open her eyes. We all thought her unconscious. It was my sister who discovered Miss Elizabeth's ability to communicate."
"How does she communicate?" Mr. Bennet asked.
"She moves one of her fingers. Georgiana discovered this late last night. From the brief conversation she found out that Elizabeth does not remember the attack or how she came to be in the trunk."
"Do you know who sent Elizabeth to you?"
"Our cousin, Anne de Bourgh, wrote the address that brought the trunk to Darcy's. She initialed it so we would know she sent it." Colonel Fitzwilliam said. "However we do not believe that was the original destination."
"Why is that?"
"There was another address written on the back for a less respectable part of London."
"Less respectable?" Mr. Gardiner asked.
The colonel pull the paper from his pocket and passed it over. Mr. Gardiner looked at the address and paled.
"Gardiner?" Mr. Bennet asked.
"I have had to make deliveries along this street. It is not an area a respectable lady should be."
"Why would someone send Lizzie to such a place?" Jane asked.
"I am afraid we do not know, Miss Bennet. We have found out little thus far. Our main concern has been the safety and health of your sister as well as contacting your family to inform you of her location." Mr. Darcy said.
"Yet you waited two days." Mr. Bennet said. "My daughter's reputation could be severely injured by all this, sir."
"We endeavored to come sooner but did not have an address for the Gardiners until this morning."
"You could have sent a letter to Longbourn."
"I feared if I had news of my letter to you would have found its way to Kent. Since Elizabeth arrived in her fully packed trunk someone there must have been the one to harm her. If news reached them about her location they may try to harm her further."
"How do you know it was her trunk? It could have been anyone's trunk with clothes thrown in."
Mr. Darcy stamped down his ire at the man. He reminded himself that the older man was concerned for Elizabeth and angry that she was harmed. He wanted someone to vent his anger on and Mr. Darcy became his target. Mr. Darcy took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
"Several of the dresses in the trunk I saw her wear in Kent and in Hertfordshire. Letters were also found in the trunk in a pocket sewn into the lid."
"That is Lizzie's trunk." Jane said. "Aunt helped her sew the pocket in when she visited at Christmas."
Mr. Bennet only nodded.
"My sister found the letters this morning that is how we gained the address."
"Why did you not just ask Miss Bingley?" Mrs. Gardiner asked. "She called about a month ago."
"My sister claims she did not recall the address nor could I find anything on which it was written." Mr. Bingley said. "She was quite surprised when I asked for the information as she did not know I had learned Miss Bennet was in London."
"She did not tell you?" Jane asked.
"No. She did not. Darcy told me yesterday. It was the first time we had seen each other since his return from Kent." he explained. "He asked that I share the address with him once I obtained it as he needed to speak with your uncle. I did not know about your sister being at his home until this morning."
"I have endeavored to keep Elizabeth's presence a secret, both for her physical protection and that of her reputation." Mr. Darcy said. "Besides the three of us and my sister only select members of my staff, who have been charged with her care and protection, know about her being in my home."
"And the doctor." Mr. Bennet said.
"The doctor is a friend of mine." Colonel Fitzwilliam said. "I served with him in combat. Many men are alive today because of him. He worthy of our trust and confidence. I would not have suggested him otherwise."
"We thank you for your care in this situation." Mr. Gardiner said.
"If I may ask, sir, what news have you heard in regards to Miss Elizabeth's departure from Hunsford?" Mr. Darcy asked.
"We were informed her departure was your aunt's doing, Mr. Darcy." Mr. Bennet said. "Gardiner's man was informed and brought a letter from my cousin which stated that Elizabeth was forced from the parsonage on Friday. The reason they gave was the defense of your name and reputation."
Suddenly Mr. Bennet's animosity made more sense.
"Darcy and I left a week prior, you cannot blame him for any of this." the colonel said sternly.
"According to my cousin, Elizabeth came to Rosings on Friday to speak with Lady Catherine. He wrote that Elizabeth made claims against your cousin's honor and wished your aunt to write him and force a marriage." the older man said. "Lady Catherine demanded Elizabeth be removed from the parsonage immediately. As Mr. Collins was visiting his patroness at the time he immediately sent word for Elizabeth's things to be packed and brought to Rosings. Once they arrived he claimed to have put my daughter in a hired carriage on the way to London."
"My man arrived on Saturday to retrieve Lizzie." Mr. Gardiner said. "He was told that she was sent home by post the previous day and may not have arrived by the time he had set out. Mr. Collins wrote his letter and John brought it to me."
"Did Mrs. Collins say she saw Miss Elizabeth leave?" Mr. Darcy asked.
"Mr. Collins has forbidden his wife to speak with anyone in my family." Mr. Bennet interjected. "She did however manage to sneak a letter to Gardiner's man."
"She said she went to Rosings when Lizzie's things were taken but Mr. Collins refused to allow her to see Lizzie before she left. Lizzie was kept in the back parlor." Jane said quietly.
"She must have been injured while at Rosings for Anne to have changed the address." Colonel Fitzwilliam remarked.
"Has your cousin not written about why Elizabeth's trunk was sent to your home, Mr. Darcy?" Mrs. Gardiner asked.
"Anne will not write to me directly." he said. "Her mother wishes us to marry. If Lady Catherine found out we corresponded she would use it to try to force a marriage."
"Could she not write your sister though?"
"She may in time but my aunt would likely read the letter before it was sent. Anne has very little time to herself and very few allies at Rosings. Her lady's companion is nothing more than a spy for my aunt. The woman arrives first thing in the morning with her maid and does not leave my cousin's side until the maid departs her in the evening. She even goes out with her in her phaeton most of the time."
"How terrible for her."
"Anne bears it well." Colonel Fitzwilliam remarked. "We have tried to remove her from Rosings but her mother swears she will not allow Anne to leave Kent without a husband. She is adamant that Darcy be that husband though neither are inclined to marry the other."
"You said your cousin sent Elizabeth to your home." Mr. Bennet said. Mr. Darcy nodded. "What was her interaction with my daughter like? Were they on friendly terms? If so Elizabeth may have gone to Rosings to visit Miss de Bourgh. It would explain her arrival at the house though not her departure."
"I did not notice anything more than a passing acquaintance between them." Mr. Darcy said.
"Anne thought very highly of Miss Elizabeth." Colonel Fitzwilliam said. His cousin looked at him surprised. "Just because you cannot talk to Anne without Lady Catherine calling for a marriage does not mean I cannot."
"Do you believe Lizzie was friends with Miss de Bourgh, Colonel?" Mr. Gardiner asked.
"Anne is quiet and reserved, given her mother it is not surprising. I do not know for sure that they formed a friendship but I know my cousin was very impressed with Miss Elizabeth's ability to speak her mind to our aunt. She also found her comments to Darcy fairly amusing, especially when she bested him in the conversation."
"If it was much like her time at Netherfield, I am sure that was quite often." Mr. Bingley said.
"Indeed." the colonel said with a nod. "Never have I spent a livelier time at Rosings, I assure you."
"Perhaps Lizzie could gives us a better understanding of her acquaintance with Miss de Bourgh." Jane said. "She may not remember the attack but she could remember something else that may help."
"We shall make arrangements to have her brought here." Mr. Bennet said.
"The doctor does not believe she should be moved at present." Mr. Darcy stated.
"I would like to speak to this doctor myself, sir."
"Of course. He is due to return today around one."
"Then you may expect me as well."
"Of course, sir. You and your family are welcome to visit anytime during your daughter's stay. I will be sure to inform my staff as soon as I return."
Mr. Bennet nodded and Jane thanked him. Mr. Darcy gave his address then the gentlemen took their leave and departed.
Please let me know what you think.