Chapter 23
Jane Bennet leaned weakly against the wood paneled wall of Bingley's library, her eyes watching Darcy warily as he paced restlessly around the room. Beside her, Bingley watched his friend through concerned eyes, his shoulders tense.
Charlotte Lucas sat in one of the large armchairs that were scattered around the room, her thin face worried as she glanced around at the people around her. A little ways away from her, Mary sat calmly at the desk she had been occupying before the attack, her hands deftly turning the pages of an older book with a fraying black cover. James stood at her side, his head slightly bent over Mary's shoulder, his brows knitted in concentration as he tried to read the tiny print. Occasionally, he glanced up at his cousin, his frown deepening when he saw the stress that Darcy was in.
It was Jane who finally broke the tense silence that had pervaded since Charlotte's arrival.
"Who was it that attacked us?" she asked, trying hard not to flinch as Darcy looked at her sharply.
James shrugged and looked over at his cousin. When it became clear that Darcy was not going to answer, he looked back at the eldest Bennet sister.
"I don't know who those vampires were, Miss Bennet," James said slowly. "However, I do not think that the attack was random."
"Of course it wasn't," Darcy snapped, breaking his silence at last. "They were probably sent to get rid of the Bennet sisters and Mr. Bingley."
"Do you think that Wickham was behind it?" James asked.
Darcy shrugged, although his eyes tightened in response to Wickham's name.
"Do you think they were after us specifically or were they after someone else?" Mary wondered aloud.
It was Bingley's turn to frown.
"Surely they must have known that Miss Elizabeth had left town," he murmured. "She has been gone for close to a week."
"Which leads us to another question," Darcy interrupted. "If Miss Elizabeth had left Hertfordshire in the company of Miss Lucas, why is Miss Lucas here now without Elizabeth?"
Charlotte fidgeted in her seat as all eyes turned on her.
"I- Elizabeth told me to come back here," she stuttered nervously. "She told me that there were parts of her journey that she had to do alone⦠She wanted me to stay with her sisters incase something should happen to her."
"In case what should happen to her?" Darcy growled.
"Why did she want you to stay with us?" Jane wondered at the same time.
Charlotte's face went red and she fidgeted some more.
"Lizzie told me about the vampires," she murmured. The Bennet sisters froze their eyes wide. "She wanted told me that three vampire hunters stood a better chance than two," Charlotte continued. "I was supposed to join you if-." Charlotte's voice broke off suddenly and she ducked her head. The others watched her in silence, already knowing the rest of the sentence.
"Why would Lizzie do such a thing?" Jane asked concern now eminent on her face. "She was the most adamant about telling others that vampires exist. She wouldn't even tell Papa."
"She must not expect to come back," Mary stated, her calm expression barely masking the panic that was rising within her. "That's why she sent Charlotte; she is Lizzie's replacement."
"Miss Elizabeth will not be replaced," Darcy snapped. He turned to face Charlotte, his blue eyes like ice. "Did she tell you where she was going?"
Charlotte shook her head.
"No, only that she was looking for someone."
"Did you ever find out whom that someone was?" James broke in.
Charlotte shook her head again, and then reconsidered.
"She was looking for a man," she said slowly. "Not a vampire, I think, although the man must have been captured by vampires to make Lizzie that worried."
Darcy's expression hardened and he turned away for a moment. Had Elizabeth found someone else while he was away?
"Why would Lizzie go looking for someone without us?" Mary wondered, slightly offended. "She more than anyone knows how dangerous a rescue mission can be. How could she attempt to do that alone? Why would she attempt it alone?"
"Did Miss Elizabeth give you any more information about the purpose of her journey?" James asked Charlotte politely.
Charlotte thought for a moment.
"Lizzie said something about a message a few times," she said. "I'm not sure what it meant, but I think that whatever the message was, it's what told her that the man was taken."
Darcy frowned and exchanged a look with James. He opened his mouth to add something when Mary cried out, her eyes widening as she stared at the pages of her book.
James was beside her in a moment, his own eyes going blank with shock as Mary lifted a slightly flattened envelope off of one of the back pages of the book.
"It's in Elizabeth's handwriting," Mary said weakly.
Jane walked quickly to her younger sister's side, holding her hand out wordlessly for the letter. Mary gave it to her, her skin still pale with shock.
Jane took a small letter from the envelope and unfolded it gently, her brown eyes growing darker as they scanned the letter's contents. She looked up when she had reached the end of the letter, her expression resigned.
"Well," she said finally, her voice hoarse with strain. "At least now we know who Lizzie is looking for."
"Who?" Darcy demanded, unable to hide his intense curiosity.
Jane met his questioning gaze, her face uncharacteristically hard.
"You, Mr. Darcy."
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters! All of the credit belongs to the amazing Jane Austen! Thanks to all of the people who reviewed!
