The room was slowly coming into focus.
It was late in the evening for the only light Lizzy could make out in the room was the dim glow of a candle flickering near the door.
Propping herself up in bed and staring out into the faintly lit room, Lizzy began to remember all that had transpired that day.
Taxing thoughts began to fill her consciousness as Mr. Darcy's face traipsed through her mind.
How long she had been in bed she did not know, for she did recollect bidding Jane and Mr. Bingley good bye, but she did not recall falling back asleep.
Sitting quietly still atop the bed Lizzy listened for any signs of life in the house.
Nothing, not a sound came from the hallway or from the floor below. Everyone must be asleep, Lizzy presumed, as she now fully became aware of the lateness of the hour.
Inching herself to the side of the bed, Lizzy found that standing was to be a precarious task. She wondered silently how her body and mind could withstand any further strain.
Steadying herself on her feet, Lizzy reached for her wrap and walked towards the window.
Pushing the drape aside she now had a full view of the night's sky.
Bright and splendid a sea of stars beamed back down at Lizzy as she allowed her mind to wander through the events of the day.
She was so glad for Jane that she had found love, and on her sister's wedding day Lizzy craved that she too could feel that same joy. Love, Lizzy pondered, was a challenging emotion.
After today she was not sure Mr. Darcy would ever forgive her or ever see her again, let alone love her. Love, Lizzy thought, how quickly it can wound.
She knew after sitting in his carriage today that she had truly injured him. For such a proud and exclusive man as he was Lizzy now found it illuminating that Mr. Darcy could also be pained by love and her love more significantly.
Looking at the stars once more Lizzy thought of her feelings for Mr. Darcy. She knew strongly that she loved him. If she was hesitant of this fact before, her actions today at the house were proof enough that her heart still hungered for him.
Running past Mr. Bingley this afternoon, frantic to stop Mr. Darcy from leaving, solidified her feeling for him. She was willing to do anything, even risk embarrassment, to win him back. How relieved she was that Charles mentioned nothing of their earlier conversation to Jane or her father.
Standing in the starlight Lizzy began to feel as if she had acted worse than Lydia. How imprudent she had been to betray Mr. Darcy and her true feelings for him. She wished she could take back her actions and her belief in Lady Catherine's lies.
Turning from the window Lizzy again felt an invisible pull guiding her to Darcy's token of love. Wrapping her shawl tightly around her Lizzy advanced quietly from the bedroom into the hallway.
Before taking a step towards the staircase she listened for signs of life from the Bennet household.
Again silence, all Lizzy heard as she crept down the stairs was the distant snores of her mother floating in the air.
Quickly Lizzy came to rest at the entrance to her father's study and pushing the door open she began her recovery of her gift.
With the velvet bound treasure and message in hand Lizzy sat near the window of her father's study.
In the starlit hush of the room teardrops began to fall onto the necklace she held in her palm, and looking towards the night sky Lizzy questioned if Lady Catherine would be pleased to know how well her plan had worked.