Thank you everyone who has reviewed. I appreciate all your kind words and am glad you are enjoying this story.
Upon entering the sitting room they found Mrs. Gardiner waiting for them alone.
"Has something happened? Is Elizabeth well? Mrs. Taylor said you wished to speak with me."
"Elizabeth is well but something has come to our notice which has caused her some...agitation." Mrs. Gardiner replied. "I hope you do not mind that I asked Mrs. Taylor to have the footman to step out. This is a conversation best had in private."
"I do not mind at all if that is what you feel is best."
"Are your cousin and friend aware of all that transpired between you and Elizabeth? If they are not and you do not wish them to know all, you want to ask them to step out as well."
"We are fully aware of Darcy's terrible proposal, if that is what you mean." Colonel Fitzwilliam remarked sitting down. "Bingley told me about his behavior in the fall and I told him about what happened at Rosings."
Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley took seats as well.
"And his interactions with her after his proposal?"
"You mean my letter. Yes, they know." Mr. Darcy said.
"We know that he wrote her though not the exact contents of the letter." the colonel added. "From what we have been told about it though I believe Miss Elizabeth may owe him another tongue lashing."
Mr. Darcy scowled at his cousin then returned his attention to Mrs. Gardiner.
"I know it was not exactly proper to write her..."
"Mr. Darcy, I am not going to scold you about writing my niece." Mrs. Gardiner assured. "What I wish to discuss with you is the location of the letter."
"What do you mean?"
"It is not in Lizzie's trunk. We have checked through all her letters and the pockets of all her clothes. Miss Darcy checked with everyone who has tended her. No one has seen it."
"Perhaps it was left at the parsonage." the colonel suggested. "If they were in a hurry to pack her things perhaps they missed it."
"I thought that myself but Lizzie said she carried the letter with her."
The group was quiet for a moment.
"She said?" Mr. Darcy suddenly. "She is able to speak?"
"Forgive my wording, sir. She wrote." Mrs. Gardiner explained. "She is able to move her hand now. Miss Darcy provided a slate and chalk. We had planned to tell you but I am afraid we were quickly distracted looking for the letter. Lizzie is quite upset that it could not be found. She thinks you will hate her for its loss."
Mr. Darcy rose swiftly and knocked on the door to Elizabeth's room. Jane opened the door.
"Excuse me, Miss Bennet, I need to speak with your sister."
Jane stepped back and he moved past her. The others in the sitting room followed. Mr. Darcy moved to the bed. Georgiana stood from the chair next to the bed and stepped back. Mr. Darcy gave her a smile of thanks and took a seat.
"Elizabeth, you are not a fault about the letter."
Her hand moved slowly as she wrote 'Georgiana' on the slate that lay beside her on the bed.
"If it comes out, we will weather it."
"Lady Catherine use to harm."
"She can try but my uncle will stand against her. He will not allow her to bring harm to the family by making what I wrote known." Mr. Darcy replied. "She cannot use it to force me to marry Anne either. With luck Anne will be in London tomorrow. It is as likely she found the letter as anyone else. We will ask her about it when she arrives. Do not worry over it now. Being upset will not help you heal."
She lay down the chalk and lifted her hand slightly. He reached out and clasped it. Elizabeth squeezed his hand and he returned the gesture.
"Enjoy your visit then rest."
She squeezed his hand again. He brought her hand to his lips and placed a kiss on the back before lying it back on the bed.
Mr. Darcy returned to the sitting room. His friend and cousin followed while Mrs. Gardiner remained in Elizabeth's room.
"What was in your letter that would upset her so much?" his cousin asked.
"I told Elizabeth about Ramsgate."
"What? You wrote about that?"
"I told her all my dealings with Wickham."
"Why?"
"He told her I denied him the Kympton living."
"Let me guess he neglected to tell her you paid him for it."
Mr. Darcy nodded.
"Are you speaking of that bloke in the militia in Meryton?" Mr. Bingley asked.
"He is in Meryton, where Miss Elizabeth is from?" Colonel Fitzwilliam questioned.
"He joined the militia there." Mr. Darcy said.
"He is not fit to wear a uniform, even a militia uniform. Did you speak to his commander about him?"
"No."
"Why not? If you had he could have kept an eye on him."
"If he discovered I spoke against him he could have caused trouble for us, for Georgiana."
"So you leave him to cause trouble for others? Miss Elizabeth said she has younger sisters..."
"They have no dowry to tempt him."
"Do you think that will stop him when he finds out about your attentions to Miss Elizabeth? He would ruin one of them to hurt you."
"If you think he might cause trouble for the Bennets or anyone in Meryton we should do something, Darcy." Mr. Bingley stated. "Jane's younger sisters were fond of the officers."
"Not to mention the debts he is likely to leave behind." the colonel added. "How many merchants did he nearly ruin in Lambton?"
"How can I go against him? I would be risking Georgiana."
The room was silent for a long moment.
"Tell Mr. Bennet." Mr. Bingley stated suddenly. "He knows Colonel Forster and the merchants. He could say he heard talk of him while he was in Town."
"Bingley is right. We should go to talk to Mr. Bennet."
"If he finds out that Wickham might harm his family because of me he might not allow me to court Elizabeth." Mr. Darcy remarked.
"I believe I know her well enough to say if she wants to be with you nothing will stop her." his cousin said.
"What if she realizes the harm he could do to her family because of me?"
"We have a chance to prevent him from harming anyone. You do not owe him anything, Darcy. You did all you could. You have honored your father on the matter of Wickham. Now you have to give that same respect and regard to Miss Elizabeth and those she cares for."
"I will talk to Mr. Bennet."
Thank you for reading.