Chapter 17: July 1815

"Lizzy!" Darcy's voice, filled with alarm, came crashing down the hall from his study, causing his wife to leap from her seat by William's cradle in a fright. The baby, who had just fallen asleep, woke up with a cry but his mother, for once, took no notice. She ran to the door and met Darcy there.

"Goodness, Fitzwilliam! What is the matter?" she cried, seeing his white face.

"Richard has been gravely hurt. They don't know if he will survive and the surgeons are considering amputation."

"Good God," she gasped, turning as white as he was.

"They have taken him to London. I have to go to him, now. I can get better doctors than those blasted army surgeons."

"Of course you must go now!" Lizzy said firmly, pulling herself together with an effort even though her son's wailing made thinking nearly impossible. Nurse Rosa rushed in and began to quiet the screaming child, casting an anxious look at the Master and Mistress.

Darcy pulled Elizabeth out of the room and shut the door. Let the nurse understand later. Now Lizzy was able to think. "I shall have food packed in your saddlebags, so you needn't stop. Your other things shall be sent after you as soon as they are ready," she added.

Darcy put his arms around her and let his head rest a moment on her shoulder.

Lizzy realized for the first time just how much his cousin meant to Darcy. She remembered the words in his letter: For the accuracy of any of this you can refer to Colonel Fitzwilliam who is acquainted with all the particulars. She knew that Darcy trusted few people completely. Richard was one of those few.

Darcy straightened, seemingly ashamed of his momentary weakness. He caressed her face once and then, too impatient to send a servant, ran off to find the steward and inform him that he would be making an unexpected journey.

In the stable-yard a quarter of an hour later, Darcy was ready to leave. Calmer now, he lifted William from Kitty's arms and held him for a moment before returning him to his aunt with a gentle kiss on his little forehead. Georgiana, who had been hastily acquainted with the general state of things, was weeping quietly. Darcy gave her a little shake and whispered a few broken words of comfort as he bent to kiss her cheek. Lizzy stood by the horse's head. There were so many people about that she knew he could not say goodbye as he would wish. He embraced her quickly and then kissed her hand.

"You will bring him here to recuperate when he is well enough to travel?" she asked, trying to reassure him of the future.

He nodded and smiled in understanding of her meaning. "Yes. We shall come home together as soon as he is out of danger."

He turned and swung himself into the saddle. A moment later he had galloped off down the drive.

Lizzy went over to Kitty and took her baby into her arms. She buried her face in his soft gown, taking comfort in him and hiding her tears. Kitty went to Georgiana and put her arms around her, trying to comfort her. Elizabeth was glad the two had become so close. Kitty would see that her friend cheered up.

Elizabeth slipped into the house with William and made her way to the topmost window overlooking the drive. She did not see Darcy. He was perhaps on the road already. She sat there with her little son sleeping tranquilly in her arms until dinner time.

While Elizabeth was thus engaged, Kitty and Georgiana were sitting in the latter's room, sewing on some little gifts for the village children. Georgiana's eyes were still red, but she was stitching away bravely at a rag doll for one of the little girls.

"Georgie?" Kitty began carefully, not wanting to upset her friend again, but still curious. "Can you tell me more about Colonel Fitzwilliam? I know little of him other than that he is your cousin, and a soldier of course."

Georgina sniffed pathetically, and Kitty said hastily, "If you would rather not, I understand."

"No, it's alright," replied Georgiana with a watery smile. "Talking about him somehow makes me feel more certain that he will recover."

Kitty nodded, and Georgiana continued. "The Colonel and my brother have always been very good friends. Mr. Bingley is Fitzwilliam's only other friend who comes near to being as close as he and Cousin Richard are." She paused as if in thought and then added, "I don't know if you know that the Colonel is my other guardian."

"I didn't know. Why him?"

"I suppose Fitzwilliam could have asked any of my relatives, but he wanted Richard. My mother's family, the Fitzwilliams, live in Yorkshire, and Cousin Richard was the only one who stayed with us after Father died. Fitzwilliam was only twenty-three and just recently graduated from university. I was only eleven. Richard, who I believe was twenty-five, encouraged and assisted Fitzwilliam as best he could as he took over the management of such a large estate. He was also a help to my brother in his dealings with…" she paused, and then fearing she would arouse suspicion in her friend by her struggle to form his name, finished quickly, "With Mr. Wickham." Further than this she would not continue.

Kitty did not notice anything amiss. Lizzy always had trouble with the name as well and Kitty did not suspect any other reason than those which she knew already. She did, however, observe Georgiana's blush as she paused and, unable to forget all of Lydia's training, laid it at Cupid's door.

"Do you like the Colonel?" she asked confidentially.

"Why of course. I love him dearly," Georgiana replied in a pained voice. "If he should die..."

"And do you think he likes you back?" Kitty asked in an eager whisper, ignoring the last part of her companion's statement.

Georgiana's eyes widened, and a deeper blush overspread her cheeks as she realized what Kitty had meant. "Oh, no!" she cried quickly. "Not like that Kitty. I could never love the Colonel like that. He is more like an uncle to me than a cousin even. And still more like a brother. No, it would be too strange!"

She spoke earnestly, and Kitty saw her distress and said no more, realizing that it was somehow unfair to speak of the possible affections of a man who might at that moment be breathing his last. Secretly, she vowed that if the Colonel did recover, and came to Pemberley, she would watch him carefully and see if she could detect any trace of love in his eyes for his fair cousin. She felt sure that Georgiana had been feeling more than she said a few moments ago, and she thought that it was all nonsense about saying no if he asked her.

Richard stood again on the battlefield, suffocating in a dense fog. He bent over Farley's body but, as his eyes focused on the dead man's face, it became Anne's face, stricken, tear-stained. The face changed again, and it was Darcy's face, expression stonier than he had seen it since his marriage to Elizabeth. Her face too, flitted across his mind, along with another, more vague, resembling Elizabeth but not her. Darcy's face again, now with hope filled eyes, closer, bending over him. The fog receded a little and Darcy's voice came floating down from somewhere far away.

"Richard? Are you awake Richard? Can you hear me?"

He tried to answer but the word became a moan and Darcy's face drew back a little, looking disappointed and weary.

The fog closed in again.

A/N: What do you all think of this chapter? I love reviews and am also looking forward to reaching 100 followers in the next few days. Thanks again to all of my loyal and new readers. :)