Chapter 3
It was about to get dark, and the thieves decided to rest on the edge of a not-very-busy road. They had been riding for much of the afternoon, and the horses were exhausted. The ruffians allowed the prisoners to refresh for a few minutes, and to prevent Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy from causing trouble, Smith bound them hand and foot and gagged them. Then, they locked them in the carriage on the side of a road hidden among the trees of a lush forest.
The bandits planned to spend the night in the nearest town, sleep at the small inn, and spend some money they had stolen drinking and playing cards.
"Tomorrow, we shall come back early and get you something to eat," Smith said seriously. "I warn you not to get your hopes up that someone can rescue you because not even the devil himself comes through this path. Also, I shall get some paper and something to write on so you can send your family a letter. Darcy, you will tell your relatives the amount of money to send us and make sure they let us go to Scotland."
"I hope the lovebirds have a good night. This carriage does not look comfortable, but I would trade it for my bed if I could have the pleasure of sleeping with your wife, Darcy," Cole said, caressing Elizabeth's cheek.
Mr. Darcy tried to react but could not move or say anything. He only relaxed when he saw Elizabeth look at him concerned.
"Be thankful that this fellow is tied up and you are armed, Cole. You can tell he is very overprotective of his wife, and I think if you were going man-on-man, you would not have much of a chance against him," Jack added with a laugh.
"These rich boys do not know how to fight like a real man, let alone satisfy a woman as pretty as this. If I could, darling…."
"Enough! We cannot continue wasting time here, or do you want someone to see us? Besides, Cole, we are not pestered married women; we are just thieves! I do not want to have to tell you that again. Now, let's go; we need to rest and recover our energy," said Smith. He tossed a blanket to the prisoners, then closed the carriage door, and finally, they drove off.
Mr. Darcy tried to calm down to think and find a solution to their urgent circumstances. Unfortunately, he was aware that they were in considerable danger, and he had no idea how they could get out of it. But as if that were not enough, he felt increasingly exhausted and visibly ill.
Elizabeth was getting increasingly nervous, and even though she wanted to cry, she knew she had to stay as calm as possible so as not to make the situation even worse than it already was.
Twenty minutes after the ruffians left them alone in the middle of nowhere, it got completely dark, and the chill of the night began to set in.
Elizabeth noticed that Jack had not tightened his gag enough, and after struggling for nearly half an hour, she finally managed to take it off.
"Mr. Darcy, are you alright?" Elizabeth had noticed that he had been coughing much of the journey, and she was worried about his health. She remembered that Charlotte told her Mr. Darcy could not travel to London with his cousin because he was ill.
For his part, Mr. Darcy could only stammer a few words because the gag did not allow him to speak. He was anxious and afraid that something could happen because they were locked and abandoned in a remote place far from everything.
"Mr. Darcy, there is only one way to get that gag off you, I hope you will excuse me for what I am about to do, but I think we need to be able to communicate."
Elizabeth approached Mr. Darcy and began with her teeth to move his gag. She could hear his ragged breathing and scent and was grateful for the darkness of the night that hid her deep flush.
Mr. Darcy could not believe the irony of the situation. He had dreamed for months of having Elizabeth that close and that she would show him her affection with caresses and kisses. At that moment, he felt her mouth and lips on his cheek, and despite the pressing state they were in, he could not help letting his mind get carried away by the thousands of sensations that her closeness provoked in him.
"I made it," said Elizabeth, and she sat as best she could in the front seat from where Mr. Darcy was sitting.
"Thank you, Miss Bennet, you did very well to take off my gag so we can talk," Mr. Darcy said, still nervous. After asking Elizabeth how she was, he decided to be honest. "Miss Bennet, I am afraid we are in a complicated position, and unless someone finds us, I think we shall have to spend the whole night locked in my carriage." He could not keep talking because he started coughing.
"Mr. Darcy, you are not well. Maybe if we talk to those men…."
"Do not worry so much, Miss Bennet. I indeed had a bit of a cold, but that is all, and I am better now, although I still have a cough. Besides, I doubt these criminals are interested in my health. What I wanted to explain to you is that our only chance to escape will be during the day. Under your seat are a knife, a gun, and a bag of coins that will help us get to a safe place. For now, we must resign ourselves to spending the night here. If my calculations are correct, we are heading north somewhere between London and Derbyshire."
"I understand, sir," Elizabeth replied. She was frightened but did not want to show it.
Finally, Mr. Darcy explained to Elizabeth a little more about what she had to observe as they traveled to determine where they were. He told her that she would look to the right side of the road and he should look to the left.
"Miss Bennet, please remember to record any important details in your mind. If we manage to escape, it will not do us any good if we do not know where to ask for help."
"Please, do not worry, Mr. Darcy. I have a good memory and shall remember anything that might help us."
After talking for almost half an hour, they both fell silent, thinking about their precarious circumstances. Elizabeth began to ponder all the horrible things that could happen to her, and to avoid further worrying, she decided to start a conversation.
"Mr. Darcy, what were you like as a child? You know, I was always getting into trouble, and my mother did not hesitate to discipline me. She wanted me to be like Jane, calm and patient. Unfortunately, I was the complete opposite of my dear sister, and I did not like to sit for long periods," said Elizabeth with a laugh.
Mr. Darcy understood that Elizabeth was frightened, so she was trying to talk about anything to distract her. "I was a fairly quiet child, and while I loved spending time outdoors playing with my dog or riding my horse, I also really enjoyed reading. I was an only child for many years, and there were not many children my age for me to play with. There was only one boy my age, but he could be quite unpleasant that I would rather play alone," Mr. Darcy explained.
"I understand," Elizabeth said, and she preferred not to say anything else because she knew he was speaking about her friend Mr. Wickham. Although she continued to think that Mr. Darcy had been tremendously dishonest with that poor gentleman, she could not be so unfair and not thank him for protecting her from those criminals. He was in such a big problem only because he had tried to protect her and was sincerely grateful. She did not know what she would have done without his protection.
"From the first moment I saw you, I found you to be a very cheerful young lady, and I was impressed with your ability to enjoy everything around you. Even without losing your composure, you tolerated impertinent people like Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley at Netherfield and my Aunt Catherine at Rosings. I do not have the ability to respond to an insult with witticism or subtle irony as you do, and that seems to me something to admire," said Mr. Darcy sincerely.
"Thank you, but I must tell you that I cannot always successfully control my emotions. I think you know that better than anyone because…well, you know what I mean," Elizabeth said a little tensely.
"I know what you mean, Miss Bennet. But do not worry about it anymore. Now we have more pressing matters to worry about, and I think we should try to sleep. But first, I would like to ask you two questions, of course, if you do not mind," Mr. Darcy said tentatively.
"I don't mind if the questions are not too personal."
"They are not, and if you think they are, please do not feel obligated to answer them." Mr. Darcy took a deep breath and began to speak. "The day of the assembly when we first met, I remember that you were talking with Mrs. Collins, and while you smiled, she looked at me. Why? Considering what happened a few days ago, I guess it was not because you were particularly interested in me."
"Did you think I was talking about you because I was somehow drawn to you?"
"It is not the first time that a woman who barely knows me tries to attract my attention, especially if she has heard the rumors about the extent of my fortune and the splendor of my estate."
"But those things are not that important for me, Mr. Darcy," said Elizabeth, a little flustered.
"I know that very well, and it is one of the reasons why I thought... But you have not answered my question."
"I was telling Charlotte what you said about me to Mr. Bingley. I must confess that I wanted to jest about it to hide how much it offended me to be insulted by someone who knew nothing about me. My mother has always told me that I am not as pretty as Jane, which has made me feel a little insecure about my appearance," Elizabeth explained honestly. She did not know why she talked about personal matters with that gentleman. Maybe it was to put her mind anywhere and forget about the nightmare she was living.
"I am sorry, Miss Bennet, but what comment are you referring to? I do not remember talking about anything in particular with Bingley that night."
Elizabeth, imitating Mr. Darcy's voice, said, "I suppose she is tolerable, but she is not handsome enough to tempt me."
At that moment, Mr. Darcy remembered what he had said and, embarrassed, began to apologize. "I am so sorry, Miss Bennet. I do not know why I said that. That night I was in a terrible mood, and Bingley would not leave me alone and insisted that I should dance. I promise that I did not even see you... I am so sorry, Miss Bennet, my behavior is inexcusable, but…"
"I sincerely forgive you, Mr. Darcy. Believe me; it does not matter anymore. You said you had two questions, and if you keep apologizing, I shall fall asleep and not be able to hear your other question," Elizabeth said in an amused tone.
"You are right; thank you for your sincere forgiveness, although it will take a long time before I can forgive myself for insulting a woman who did not deserve my contempt. But please, believe me when I say I never meant for that comment to be heard by anyone other than Bingley," Mr. Darcy concluded.
"I understand! But now, I want to hear your second question," Elizabeth replied.
"Well, my other question is related to Mr. Wickham. Why did you mindlessly believe in that gentleman's words if you have known him for even less time than me and have no reference for his character."
"Because he seemed sincere to me, I suppose." Elizabeth could not say anything more because it was only at that moment that she realized that she had taken Mr. Wickham's word as accurate without having any evidence.
Mr. Darcy began to cough again, and Elizabeth became very apprehensive because she knew that spending the cold night in a carriage could worsen his health. She took the blanket with her teeth and tried to cover Mr. Darcy even though she could hardly see anything.
"Please do not do that, Miss Bennet. My clothes are much warmer than yours, and the temperature is dropping rapidly," Mr. Darcy said and could not continue speaking because he began to cough again.
"You are ill, sir! Please do not try to deny it," Elizabeth replied worriedly.
"If you do not cover yourself, you will get ill, too," Mr. Darcy replied briskly. But on second thought, he realized there was only one way they could both sleep without freezing. "Forgive me for what I am going to propose, but I think you should sit next to me so that we can both cover ourselves with the blanket and share our warmth. I think it is the best for you and me."
"I think you are right, Mr. Darcy. Under the circumstances, we must do everything possible to protect ourselves from the cold," replied Elizabeth, embarrassed.
She sat beside Mr. Darcy and, using their teeth, managed to cover themselves. Then they settled in as best they could and, after several minutes, managed to fall asleep.
P&P
While Elizabeth was lost in the middle of nowhere, her family assumed that she was in Kent enjoying the company of her dear friend Charlotte.
In London, Jane was embroidering a handkerchief for her uncle while Mrs. Gardiner reviewed some documents. Mr. Gardiner had told her that Jonas and his friend were coming to dinner.
"After dinner, the men will discuss business at your uncle's study. If you wish, dear Jane, you can retire to your room, and I shall stay reading these papers.
"You do not mind if I leave you alone, aunt. I am a little fatigued," said Jane.
"Of course not, my dear. That is why I offer it to you." Mrs. Gardiner was concerned about Jane; she was sadder every day, and nothing seemed to motivate her. Elizabeth would arrive in another week, and she hoped that would help her to recover.
"Thank you, aunt," Jane replied and continued to embroider.
Five minutes later, Mr. Gardiner arrived, and after changing clothes, he went to the drawing room to talk with his wife and niece and to wait for the guests.
Just at the agreed time, Jonas and Mr. Bingley arrived at the Gardiners' house, and the butler took them to where their host was.
"Jonas, how nice to see you again and so soon," Mrs. Gardiner chirped.
"It is my pleasure to visit you and your husband, Mrs. Gardiner. I feel happy to be here again, in your house," Jonas said sincerely, greeting Mr. Gardiner with a handshake.
Mr. Bingley was watching the kind lady and her husband, waiting to be introduced, when he suddenly sensed that someone was looking at him.
"Miss Bennet," he gasped as he stared at his wonderful angel. She looked as beautiful as ever.
"Mr. Bingley," Jane replied, unable to help but blush.
P&P
When the ruffians arrived the following day, they found Elizabeth sleeping curled on Mr. Darcy's torso while he watched her protectively.
"It is time to continue the journey; I shall untie your hands so you can eat and refresh yourself. After that, you will write a letter to your family, Darcy. I suggest you do nothing stupid, or she will suffer the consequences," Smith said menacingly, pointing at Elizabeth.
"You don't need to threaten my wife, her safety is my priority, and I shall not do anything that could put her at risk. You have my word," Mr. Darcy said very seriously.
Smith smiled and added playfully. "I believe you, Darcy; I can tell you are very much in love with your lovely wife."
Elizabeth could not help but blush and be very curious to know Mr. Darcy's real feelings towards her. She found it hard to believe that a gentleman, as proud and implacable as he, could still have feelings for her after how she rejected his insulting marriage proposal.
Once Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy had eaten and refreshed themselves, they climbed into the carriage, and Mr. Darcy wrote the letter to his uncle. Then, they continued north, making only necessary stops to rest the horses.
Elizabeth was increasingly distressed. Mr. Darcy was visibly ill even if he tried to hide it. After two days of intense travel and sleeping in the carriage in the cold of the night, he was feverish and coughing non-stop. She begged the thieves to find a doctor or at least an apothecary, but they laughed in her face. Mr. Darcy could not talk anymore because he was exhausted, and Elizabeth wanted to help, but she could not do anything.
On the third night of the trip, the ruffians did the same as the first night. They left the carriage in the middle of nowhere and went to spend the night at an inn. They went to a bar to play cards and drink. Cole drank too much and disrespected the bar owner's daughter. After that, he and Jack got into a fight with the owner and three of his sons. As a result of that incident, Cole and Jack were severely beaten and jailed by the town magistrate because they refused to pay for the damages they caused.
To avoid trouble, and before his accomplices opened their big mouths, Smith threw the letter he intended to send to Lord Matlock the next day into the fire, left the bar, and rode as far away from that place as possible, forgetting about his accomplices and the prisoners.
That night, Elizabeth hardly slept worrying about Mr. Darcy's health, and she prayed that he would recover or that someone would find them. "Do not worry, Mr. Darcy, we shall get out of this tangle somehow."
"Thank you, Miss Bennett. Please do not worry anymore and rest," replied an exhausted Mr. Darcy as he felt like the woman he loved was very close to him.
P&P
Thanks to everyone who leaves comments and enthusiastically follows the story.
In the next chapter, you will know what happened to Mrs. Taylor and the rest of the passengers, and Elizabeth will try to find a safe place for Mr. Darcy.
See you soon!
Saludos