The Quest of Time: Now or Never

First of all I want to apologise to everyone for this long wait. I was very busy and lost the inspiration to write the next chapter so I started to write other stories which are on fictionpress. But I got back to my tracks now and came up with a long chapter as compensation. I hope you guys are still interested in reading this story because I want to increase its pace now and will try to update soon.

I want to thank Loool, Miriam, ecentryke, Eloise, Gentileschi, somebunnyelse, Caliif, Sarahbarr17 and PapillondeGalloise. I'm sorry I couldn't reply to you guys but I am back now and hope you will like this chapter. Please read and review, these are the only things that make me go on.

Chapter 7

"What are you doing Miss Bennet", Darcy asked Lizzie as he saw her get a chalk from her bag pack and mark a tree on their way down from the hill to the lake.

"Oh, I am marking the path, so that I can find this spot later, when I want to come here again. These tyres marks won't be here forever so I am leaving signs, it's an old camping technique", Lizzie explained marking an arrow on a tree.

"How did you learn these techniques", Darcy asked.

"I go camping and hiking a lot", Lizzie answered.

"Do you go for hunting as well", Darcy asked nonchalantly.

"No, I don't hunt. Do I look like a cold blooded killer who murders innocent animals for amusement to you? Why would you ask such a weird question", Lizzie looked quizzically at Darcy.

Darcy looked at her irritatingly and said, "I have asked you the question because people make camps when they go for hunting in forest and hunting is a sport, not a cold blood murder of animals".

"Yeah, you might justify your cruel action by saying it is a sport but it won't change the truth. Is that the only reason people go camping in this time, to commit murder of wild animals", Lizzie said horrified.

"No, people also camp during war in enemy territory, but I considered hunting because women are not allowed in the battle field but you do include yourself in violent act and inappropriate cursing", Darcy said stiffly, not looking at Lizzie but straight ahead.

Lizzie looked at him angrily and said, "I acted violently before because you practically assaulted me".

Darcy stopped on his track and stared at her angrily and said, "I did not assault you. I was trying to help you then and I am helping you now". He arrogantly lifted his head a little high and walked ahead of Lizzie because he did not want Lizzie to see the shame in his eyes; he was embarrassed by his earlier behaviour towards her and did not want to look into her eyes.

Lizzie said sarcastically, "Gee, thanks a lot. Nice way to help people, accuse them of being a violent animal killer. Just because someone protects themselves and goes camping, it doesn't automatically make them a blood craving psychopaths". She couldn't believe Darcy's wired sense of reasoning and was insulted by the fact that Darcy thought of her as a barbaric killer.

Darcy did not answer Lizzie and the rest of the way was passed in silence. In ten minutes they reached the lake where Lizzie's car was stuck. Lizzie didn't want to ask Darcy for anymore help, she was little appalled by his arrogant and conceited behaviour, but she had no other option so she gulped her pride and asked, "Mr. Darcy, I cannot leave my car here in the ditch. Can you help me to get it out and hide it somewhere?"

Darcy was still looking at the red car in front of him and said, "Certainly, Miss Bennet. What is this object?" Darcy wanted to ask Lizzie so many questions but reflecting how their earlier conversations turned into arguments he was very cautious of the things he said.

"This is a car. It's like a twenty-first century carriage without horses", Lizzie replied hoarsely taking her boots and socks off from her feet and folding her jeans up.

Darcy only stared at her wondering what she was doing, he saw her taking off her shoes, pulling up her pants and then getting down in the lake. She looked at him irritatingly and said, "Come on now, what are you looking at, come and help me push it out of the water".

Darcy was still stuck at his place as if his feet were cemented in the ground, he could not believe Lizzie was actually asking him to push the thing out of the lake and she was in the water herself all ready to lift that heavy object, he wondered do all women in her time lack social demeanour or if it was only her. He could hear her shouting, "Are you going to help me or not". He broke his thought and simply nodded and went into the lake without bothering to take his boots off.

Lizzie was losing her temper seeing Darcy staring at her as if she had done some crime, a moment later he was standing next to her in calf deep water looking at her with a weird expression which Lizzie couldn't identify. So she simply instructed, "Push it on three", and without waiting for his response said, "One, two, three" and pushed the car with all her strength. Darcy continued staring at her for a second and then seeing what she was doing he pushed the car too. The car was struck at its place for few seconds, then moved few inches back but soon drop to the same place as before.

Lizzie let out a desperate groan from her throat, stood straight and annoyingly said to Darcy, "Come on, push a little harder. Don't you work out?"

Darcy looked at her with rage in his eyes and said, "I should not.... We should not do such thing. I will ask my servants to get this thing out of the water". He was angry, how this woman can ask him to lift such heavy object and then complain that he is not pushing harder.

Lizzie rolled her eyes at him and said, "And how are you going to explain your servants about the existence of this car and me", she could not believe how someone could be so arrogant and lazy, do anyone do their own work in this time or they have servants for everything. She could see the anger in Darcy's face, he opened his mouth to say something but then closed it and finally sighed took off his coat and said, "Alright, let's push it harder this time".

Lizzie nodded and they both pushed harder on the count of three, the car moved again and she saw Darcy let out a croaking noise and push harder using all his upper body strength and she did the same. Finally the car moved faster and was out of the water and mud and on solid ground, Lizzie slid on the grass next to the car panting, her head in both hands and saw Darcy standing next to her breathing heavily, wearing his coat.

She stood up, looked at Darcy and said, "Thanks a lot. I've to hide the car somewhere, I can't leave it here in the open for anyone to see. Do you know any place?"

Darcy thought for a moment and said, "There is an old barn behind the stable to store woods for fire, it is empty now. The car will be well hidden there and I will prohibit the servants to go there".

"Great, I'll do that tomorrow early in the morning, can't drive it there now for people to see it. I'll hide it in the woods temporarily, cover it with leaves, it will do for now", Lizzie said readily and Darcy agreed with her. Lizzie grabbed a bag from the trunk full of her clothes, and collected few other things, loaded everything in the carriage they both rode from Pemberly and Darcy helped her with carrying the things, looking at everything she had with amazement.

After Lizzie picked everything she needed, she went back to her car and slid in the driver's seat, she saw Darcy looking at her with astonishment near her window, she thought for a second and said with a smile, "Want to go for a ride? Come on in" and opened the passenger door.

Darcy looked at Lizzie taking many astonishing objects out from the hidden compartment at the back of her car, she had kept many metallic and shiny objects in there. She took some things form the secret compartment and stashed everything in the small bag, she also took a large bag and few other random objects. He wanted to ask her about every single thing he saw but refrained himself. He helped her load the things into the horse carriage mostly because he wanted to touch and feel the objects himself and then he saw her get inside the car. He could not believe when she asked him to get inside for the ride, he was shocked and perplexed but it was not needed to ask him twice, because for the first moment he saw that red metallic object he wanted to touch it, see it from inside and most of all know and see how it worked.

Darcy touched the car door which Lizzie had opened for him, it felt cold and smooth, he hesitantly got inside and sat on the chair, it was soft and grey. The inside of the car was more mesmerizing for him than the outside. There were so many small things to notice inside, he wanted to touch everything with his own hands like a small child but was controlling himself, he did not want to behave rudely sitting on her car and tampering with things he had never seen in his life before. She asked him to close the door and he grabbed a small thing which looked like a handle and closed the door little too forcefully without realising the weight of the metal door and the whole interior was filled with a banging noise. Then he heard a small click and simultaneously saw a small raised object on the door to automatically slide down. He touched it with his fingers and it did not felt like anything he had touched before, it was neither metal nor wood or glass, it felt something new. He looked out through the glass, everything was so clear, he had never seen so clear glass before.

Darcy was distracted when Lizzie spoke, "I would've asked you to wear the seatbelts but I don't think it is necessary now", she was looking at him quizzically. He wanted to ask about the seatbelts but was distracted when she put a key somewhere hidden from his view by a round wheel like object, it looked similar to a steering wheel one see in ships without the spikes but it was smaller. He wanted to touch that too but saw Lizzie turn her keys and the car shook a little on its place. Darcy could feel the vibration running through his own body and he could not refrain himself from speaking anymore and asked inquisitively, "Pray, tell me, how does this object works. I am utterly curious to know how this car moves without horses to pull it forward".

"Hmm, how do I explain this to you", Lizzie thought for a moment and then tried to simplify the process and said, "The car runs on fuel, mostly petrol but mine is a hybrid", she looked at Darcy who looked puzzled, so she said, "petrol is oil. There is an engine in the front under the hood", she pointed in the front of the car and continued, "The engine burns the oil for power and turns a motor. The motor then turns the gear which rotates the wheels and which in return moves the car forward or backward. That is the basic principal, but in reality it is very complicated and please don't ask me to explain it to you because I don't know it myself", Lizzie looked into the rear view mirror, put the reverse gear and backed her car. She heard Darcy let out a loud gasp as soon as the car moved, she was scared that Darcy will jump out of his seat and ran out of the car so she pushed the break, stopped the car and looked at him with concern and asked, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am alright. Please, do not concern yourself Miss Bennet on my behalf. I was taken by surprise when the car moved", Darcy explained himself embarrassingly. He felt little panicked trapped in the closed confine space where he could not hide his shock and displeasure of his own reaction. He never felt comfortable showing his emotion and fear to people and especially to strangers. He wanted Lizzie to stop looking at him like that so he tried to distract her by pointing at the wheel, "Is that to course the car to proper direction?"

"Yeah, it's a steering wheel, to turn the car left or right. I am going to move the car again, try not to get surprise this time", Lizzie said with a grin and Darcy gave her an angry glare. She turned the car around and took a path to the woods looking for a secluded place. Darcy didn't speak again for the whole ride but Lizzie saw from the corner of her eye that he was inquisitively staring at the dashboards, lights, radio, music player and quite literally every single thing inside the car, even the floor mat, toy on the dash board and the one that was hanging from the rear view mirror. She was surprised how cool Darcy was, if it had been her from nineteenth century who met someone from the twenty-first century with a car, she would have eaten his brains out with all the questions with her sense of curiosity. She finally found a perfect place and stopped the car behind a large bush. She unlocked the door and showed Darcy how to open the door and they both got out quietly.

Lizzie picked the dried leaves and branches from nearby and started to cover the car with it and Darcy did the same watching her, no one spoke anything for the next five minutes it took them to cover the car completely. After it was done, Lizzie took few steps back and said with a smile, "Now, that's done, no one will find it in here. I'll come tomorrow and take it back to the barn you were saying earlier", Darcy nodded and both traced their steps back to the horse carriage.

"What is a hybrid", Lizzie heard Darcy say on their way, who was not looking at her but was walking beside her and she simply said, "Huh?"

Now Darcy looked at her giving a curious looked and said, "Earlier you said that your car was a hybrid, I was wondering what that means".

"Oh, that hybrid. It means that my car runs on oil as well as electricity", Lizzie explained.

"Electricity", Darcy asked.

"Oh my God, don't tell me electricity hasn't been invented yet. Shit, this will cause major problems", Lizzie cursed. This definitely would cause lots of difficulty for her, all the devices, her laptop, her car, each and everything is useless without a power supply. She was having doubts how she would survive and find her way back if she couldn't even use any of her gadgets for study and experiments.

Darcy flinched hearing Lizzie curse and said roughly, "If absence of electricity would cause you inconvenience, you must find another means to perform the task you desire".

"Yeah seems like I have to learn to live in the Dark Age now", Lizzie said disappointedly.

"This is not a Dark Age Madam. It is your ignorance which makes you think that everything in this time is ancient and obstructive", Darcy said unpleasantly.

"Yeah I know it's not your fault that you don't understand what I am missing, because you have never seen it", Lizzie said cynically. Darcy curled his fist on his side with rage, he increased his pace and reached the carriage, and he took his seat and pulled the carriage forward as soon as Lizzie sat next to him little awkwardly.

The ride again passed in silence but as soon as Lizzie saw the Pemberly grounds she uneasily said, "Mr. Darcy, we should think of a cover story of why I am here".

Darcy furrowed his brow and asked, "A cover story, Miss Bennet".

"Yeah, a cover story. We just can't say the truth to people that I crashed here from future, I don't think anyone will believe it in the first place and even if they did, I've no idea what they will do to me. So, I think we should come up with an elaborate lie which explains my presence here and my strange behaviour", Lizzie explained herself, she was talking so fast that Darcy had to slow down the carriage to listen to her.

He thought for a moment and said, "Yes, you are correct. I do not appreciate lying but a lie would be more sensible for someone in your condition then the truth".

Lizzie rolled her eyes and continued, "I think the best thing would be to say I am not from around here but from a far and strange place which would explain the way I talk and clothes I wear". She was waiting for Darcy to contradict her but he remained silent so she carried on, "Maybe we can even say that I am here for some work, carry out few experiments and we met through a common acquaintance, let's say Mr. John Smith and you invited me to stay at your place to help me out, what do you reckon Mr. Darcy", Lizzie asked him who was looking at her bewildered.

Darcy could not believe how conveniently Lizzie came up with her so called cover story, he was confounded by the ease she came up with all those lies and now she was waiting for his approval. He did not know how he felt lying through his teeth for her but he agreed and asked, "What are you going to say if anyone ask about the place you come from or the work you do or this Mr. Smith who I have never met."

"Oh, that's too easy, I'll say I'm from America", Lizzie said with a smirk, she said the first place popped in her head, she thought about America because Chris was American, he had told her numerous stories of his growing up there which she could easily make her own and she had been to States and she could fake to be American if it was required. She wondered for a second to came up with a reason why she was in Derbyshire and an automatic answer came to her, "And I am Naturalist or an Explorer who goes to different places and studies those places, and I am here to do some exploring and carry out some experiments. And I came to know about you through a friend of mine, Mr. Smith who is an American trader and you two know each other through some business you did few years ago. How's that for a cover story", Lizzie asked with mischief in her eyes.

Darcy was again dumbfounded by her slick lies, and smiled despite of himself, "That cover story sounds convincing enough, I will agree to it" and stopped near the stable.

"Great, I think I like this new me too", Lizzie smiled and jumped from the carriage and started to grab her bags.

"Leave your things as it is Miss Bennet, I will ask a servant to carry all the things to your room", Darcy stopped her but Lizzie still carried all her bags and said, "I like to do my things myself, I don't like to be dependent on other people to do my work for me".

Darcy made his way inside his home and saw Lizzie struggling with bags on the stairs, he gave her his hand and said, "You might not like to be dependent on people to do your work but you certainly agree to let them help you". Lizzie gave him a glare, sighed and gave him one of her bags. Both of them made their way to the same parlour she sat few hours ago.

Darcy asked her to take a seat and went to fetch someone. After few minutes he came back with an old woman and said, "Miss Bennet, this is Mrs. Reynolds, she will be helping you to make your stay comfortable here. You can summon her if you need anything" and looked at the old woman and said politely, "Mrs. Reynolds, this is Miss Bennet, she will be a guest here for few days. Please make sure to attend to her every need".

Lizzie saw Mrs. Reynolds looking strangely at her, she might have been looking at her jeans, T-shirt and Jacket but then she smiled and bowed and said politely, "It is nice to meet you Miss Bennet, your room will be ready in few moments".

"It's nice to meet you too, please call me Lizzie", Lizzie said with a smile and gave her hand to shake but the old woman looked at her hand confusingly not knowing what to do. Lizzie awkwardly backed away her hand remembering people do not shake hands at that time and said, "Thank you for everything".

Mrs. Reynolds bowed again politely and said to Darcy, "Master Darcy, you had not anything to eat since morning, shall I call the maids to serve lunch for you now".

"That will be agreeable and please tell the maids, Miss Bennet will be joining too and inform me when the guest room is prepared", Darcy said nonchalantly to the old lady who bowed and went out leaving Lizzie and Darcy alone in the parlour.

Lizzie looked around thinking about the morning how she had made a fool of herself thinking she was in some kind of reality show and saw Darcy staring at her. She casually started the conversation, "Thank you again Mr. Darcy. I have to say you have a very beautiful house", Darcy nodded his head politely but still didn't say anything.

Lizzie uneasily moved around and said, "It's a very large house, do you live here alone".

"No, my sister lives here too", Darcy said coolly pacing in the room.

"Oh, where is she", Lizzie inquired.

"She is not here at the moment. She is residing at our house in London".

"Oh, you have another house in London, is it a palace like this one too", Lizzie joked but saw Darcy who only glared at her. "Aren't you a rich and conceited jerk", Lizzie muttered under her breath and was now getting uncomfortable by Darcy's staring and pacing.

"Do your parents live here too", Lizzie wondered.

"No, they are not with us anymore", Darcy replied without showing emotion and Lizzie was curious why he was behaving so coldly. The silence between the two prevailed and Lizzie was thinking of saying something but suddenly she heard a knock on the door and a young woman dressed as a maid entered, bowed and said, "Master Darcy, the guest room is ready to be occupied".

Lizzie sprung from her seat wanting to get away from cold and silent Darcy and said cheerfully, "Thank you very much, if you could show me the room, I'll be on my way". Darcy gave Lizzie a sharp look and then nodded to the maid who gestured Lizzie to follow her. Lizzie grabbed her bags again and this time the maid helped her and took her to the next floor.

Lizzie was speechless to see the her large room, if she thought the parlour was magnificent, the large marble stairs were grand then she had no words good enough to describe her large, luxurious room. It was almost three times the size of her bedroom, the walls covered with green patterned fabric, a very large four poster bed covered with expensive sheets and a large table in one corner, chairs near the fireplace and a very large window. Lizzie dumped her bags on the floor and went to look out the window, the view was breathtaking, she had a full view of the beautiful Pemberly gardens full of flowers, fountains and statues. She felt like she was in some Presidential suite of a five star hotel. The maid whose name was Anne helped Lizzie with the bags and somehow Lizzie convinced her to call her Lizzie instead of Miss Bennet which made her felt like a school teacher, at least when they were alone. Lizzie instantly liked Anne, she was seventeen years old and was working there for two years, she was sweet, kind and funny. She was curious about Lizzie too and Lizzie knew that all of the servants were wondering about her but no one could ask the cold and arrogant Darcy so Anne was asking her the questions. Lizzie expertly told her cover story and was happy that she could convince at least one person with her acting skills.

After an hour Anne came back to take Lizzie to the dining room where Darcy was waiting for her. Lizzie wished that she could eat her lunch alone in her room but didn't say anything, she was glad that Anne was there to escort her otherwise she would have got lost in the maze of the big corridor, halls and rooms, in one word, she could describe Pemberly as a palace. When she reached the dining room, she saw Darcy sitting at the head of the table silently staring at the door. She gave him a polite smile when he stood up from his chair and she took her seat at a chair next to him. She wanted to sit on the opposite side for there would have been an excuse of not talking to him instead of sitting next to him in uncomfortable silence but she did not want to be rude.

In few moments, servants brought the first course which looked like tomato soup; Lizzie was waiting Darcy to begin before jumping on the food in front of her because she was starving but Darcy only looked at her and said evenly, "How do you find your accommodation Miss Bennet, I believe you are comfortable".

"Yes, I am very comfortable, the room is great, very big though. I don't need such huge room, I don't think I can pay for such a luxurious room", Lizzie said little agitatedly, she wanted Darcy to stop talking and start eating so she could put something in her mouth after a long time.

"You do not trouble yourself by paying the rent as I have said to you earlier, you are here as a guest not a tenant", Darcy said stiffly and much to Lizzie's relief started to eat his soup slowly.

"No, no, I want to pay as I have said earlier. Don't worry about me, I'll find a way to make up for everything you are doing for me. I'll be completely out of your way, you'll think I'm invisible", Lizzie said not looking at Darcy but looking at her food controlling herself from picking her bowl of soup and gulping everything in one move. She also started to eat her slowly and they both fell silent again.

The second course was served after few minutes, a beautiful platter of chicken. Darcy was eating silently because he noticed earlier how hungry Lizzie looked so he did not want to disturb her but he saw Lizzie looking at him awkwardly. He raised his eyebrows, and asked, "Is there any trouble with your food Miss Bennet".

"The food is great but.... umm..., the thing is I am vegetarian", Lizzie explained sheepishly.

"Is that suppose to mean something, you being a vegetarian", Darcy asked quizzically. He did not know what that meant, was it some kind of twenty first century religion.

Lizzie shook her head and said with a sigh, "It means that I don't eat animals, no meat or fish, nothing. Only plants, fruits and vegetables".

"Why is so, is it because of your religion, you are this vegetarian", Darcy asked doubtfully.

Lizzie rolled her eyes on that, "No, vegetarian is not a religion, it's a lifestyle. I don't eat dead animals because it's cruel to kill animals for food or entertainment, it's for the very same reason I don't hunt", Lizzie said thinking about their earlier conversation.

Darcy was little taken aback by her declaration; he wondered how the life in the future was to make people think like that. He determinedly said, "But the animals are bred and raised for food, there is nothing wrong with that".

"What a surprise I don't agree with you again. I think killing innocent animals is cruel, so please don't get offended if I decline to eat this delicious food in front of me", Lizzie said cynically, she knew Darcy will not understand her believes and she didn't want to argue with him again and tried to drop the subject.

Darcy only signalled his servant standing at the back and said, "Please ask the cook to prepare some food which do not contain animals for Miss Bennet". The servant looked astonishingly at Lizzie and then bowed and left. After ten minutes the maid came with a plate full of fruits, bread and some dish made with potatoes and Lizzie quenched her hunger by concentrating on her food silently but from the corner of her eyes she could see the maid, servants and Darcy staring at her. She sighed internally thinking everyone must think her as some crazy woman, she made up her mind to ditch any of the lunch or dinner from there on onwards. She decided she will eat in her room or the kitchen or if required will cook her own food.

Darcy was sitting in his study and was thinking about how his day turned out to be. He woke up early in the morning and decided to go for a ride to clear his head but he stumbled upon Lizzie, a creature from the future with whom he did not see eye to eye and was having arguments anytime either of them opened their mouth. He was finding her very difficult to converse to but still he wanted to talk to her, ask questions and know more about her. It had been four hours before she excused herself from the table and disappeared, and what a disaster it was so he called for a maid to instruct them about Lizzie's food habit.

"Can I get you anything Master Darcy", Darcy heard a young woman speak politely.

"Yes, can you inform Mrs. Reynolds or the cook to make something particularly for Miss Bennet for the dinner as she does not eat any animal's meat", Darcy instructed. He waited for the maid to agree and leave but she stood there clenching and unclenching her palms at her side.

He gave her a sharp look to say whatever she wanted to say, so she hesitantly began, "Miss Bennet said she could not join you for the dinner, Master Darcy. She asked me to apologise to you for any trouble she had caused on her behalf if you asked for her".

"Does she wish to eat her supper in her room alone then", he asked agitatedly.

"No Master Darcy, couple of hours ago Miss Bennet called for me and asked me to bring some bread, water and fruits. I saw her pack the food and water into her large bag and she told me that she had to do some work outside and asked me to tell you to not worry for her, she will see you tomorrow and then she left", maid said in one breath.

Darcy was angry now, he was tired of Lizzie's antics and asked little too loudly, "Did she say where she was going" and saw the maid flinch and take a step backward little scared. He soon regretted raising his voice when the maid answered squeaked with fear, "No Master Darcy, she did not say anything about her intended destination. She only said if things did not go well she will see me tomorrow".

"Thank you, Anne. I am sorry if I scared you", he apologised quietly and dismissed her.

Darcy started to pace the room now getting angrier at Lizzie, he was thinking what was wrong with her, how can she leave without telling him anything, and where she will go and do in the night. He could not understand what would make her do that. He saw outside the window, there was still little sunlight, if he would hurry, he could find her and bring her back safely.

He went to the stable, saddled his horse and rode into the sunset with a clear destination in his mind because he knew where she would be.

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