Mrs. Reynolds didn't usually worry after her Master. It wasn't in Mr. Darcy's nature to cause concern to anyone, least of all his staff.
But as she watched Mr. Darcy stride away from Miss Bennet's room in a rather agitated manner, it occurred to the housekeeper that her Master was acting very strange indeed.
In fact, his peculiar behavior hadn't manifested itself until the rescue of Miss Bennet...
Most odd, Mrs. Reynolds thought as she entered Elizabeth's room.
She began to retuck the covers around Miss Bennet's still form, checking for any odor or problem with the sheets. She thought she heard something as she bustled around, but put it off as a trick of her hearing.
She was just opening the window to refresh the room when she heard it again. Mrs. Reynolds paused and listened.
The room was silent, and a swift moving black form caught Mrs. Reynold's attention. It was Master Darcy all right, but what was he doing?
As she watched, he paced the driveway... then entered the rose garden. Then he returned a few minutes later, only to fixate on something in the distance.
For a moment the man was still, then he began alternating between pulling his hair out and waving his arms in obvious distress, jumping around and kicking at the ground. She could see his lips moving, but couldn't hear what he was saying.
Most peculiar, indeed.
Mrs. Reynolds turned back to the bed, and gasped in surprise.
Elizabeth Bennet's eyes were fluttering, and she moaned softly. Mrs. Reynolds crossed herself and hustled out of the room and downstairs to fetch the Doctor and her Master.
Darcy let loose all his frustrations as he flailed and kicked and jumped, swinging his head around like a madman. One image, and that damned woman was his undoing. Damned if he would let her cause this infuriating need within his system, he was the master, not she-
"Master... Darcy...?" A flabbergasted voice came from behind him.
Darcy spun around, composing himself as best as he could. Mrs. Reynolds and the Doctor stood at the side of the house, watching him.
"Yes Doctor?" Darcy said, slamming his calm facade in place as best as he could. He walked forwards quickly to shake the Doctor's hand.
"...Ah. Well, the good woman here informs me that your charge is awake. I was on my way in to see her. Quick incredible that she is awake this soon after the injury." The Doctor said, still eyeing Darcy carefully.
"Miss Elizabeth... she's awake?" Darcy said, with slightly more feeling than he meant to.
"...Y-yes, Master Darcy. That is what our good Mrs. Reynolds reports."
"Good, good." Darcy said, turning once more on his heel and stalking off to a more private area of his grounds.
The Doctor and Mrs. Reynolds exchanged glances.
"Very odd." The Doctor remarked.
"Most peculiar." Mrs. Reynolds agreed.
Darcy walked quickly around to the back of Pemberly, then turned aimlessly in a circle, battling the flood of relief that engulfed him.
Elizabeth was awake.
Elizabeth was awake.
By god's will, she was safe.
Now... what the hell was he going to distract himself with so that he stayed away from her room? Darcy began pacing again, then shook his head and walked back around to the front of the grand house.
As he passed around the side of the house, he observed a window open far above his head. Odd.
He was about to stride off and tell Mrs. Reynolds to shut the damn windows, when he heard a strain of laughter float down.
"...Really, Miss Bennet, please..." the Doctor's voice wafted down. Darcy froze. He waited, listening hard, but then a hand came out the window, pulling it shut.
Darcy swore under his breath. If only he could be there... without really being there. Like a fly, he mused, swatting at one that buzzed my his ear.
Then, it came to him.
Perhaps there was a way to be near to Elizabeth without really being there...
Darcy walked quickly to the front door. All he needed to do was investigate a little.
Elizabeth awoke with a fierce pounding in her head and a breeze on her face. Blinking back the light, she saw that someone had left the window open in her room.
Moving gingerly, she began stripping the covers off, marvelling at how soft the linens were. Placing her feet on the cold ground, she made to get up, but was assailed by a wave of dizziness.
After a minute of waiting for her head to clear, Elizabeth was able to stand and brace herself against the bedpost.
A sudden knock on her door made her jump. She looked down and saw that she was in only a plain nightshift.
"Miss Bennet, it's Mrs. Reynolds. I brought the good Doctor here to have a look at you."
Elizabeth's heart froze. Mrs. Reynolds? Why, she was the housekeeper at Pemberley...
The pieces came together.
"Ah... Enter." Elizabeth stammered after a moment, heart beating erratically. The door opened and the familiar old woman bustled in, followed by a sharp looking doctor.
"Really, Miss Bennet! Please return to bed!" The doctor protested.
"I was just shutting the window." Elizabeth replied with a smile, walking over and pulling the window shut before sitting back on the bed.
The Doctor looked on disprovingly, but then brought his bag in and set it on the bed, pulling out his listening device to begin the examination. Elizabeth didn't protest, but silently vowed that she would do everything in her power to leave Pemberley as quickly as possible.