Chapter 5

Mr. Bingley went to the Hurst's house to clarify the pending matter with his sisters. Unfortunately, Louisa, Caroline, and Mr. Hurst had gone to visit Mr. Hurst's aunt for a few days and were not in London.

Mr. Bingley spent the night there, and the following day after breakfast, he went to the club to wait for the proper hour to call on Jane Bennet.

"Jane, you seem a little distracted. Is something the matter?" asked Mrs. Gardiner, smiling.

"Aunt, I am a little nervous. Do you think Mr. Bingley will come to visit us today?"

"Of course, he will come to visit you with the excuse that he is coming to call on me. Yesterday he asked me ten times if it was alright for him to come this morning," Mrs. Gardiner replied, smiling.

Mrs. Gardiner and Jane continued to talk about the previous day's dinner and how nice it had been to speak with Jonas and meet Mr. Bingley again. But very soon, their joy would turn into worry.

"Mrs. Gardiner, a lady, and a gentleman say they need to speak to Mr. Gardiner urgently. They say it is about Miss Lizzy," the butler said, a little uneasy.

"Tell them to come here immediately," said Mrs. Gardiner, concerned.

Mrs. Taylor and her son-in-law introduced themselves and tried to explain the reason for their visit. "We are here to speak to Mr. Gardiner, and as we explained to your butler, it is urgent."

"I am sorry, Mrs. Talylor, but my husband is not here and will be busy most of the day. Can you please explain what had happened to my niece?" Mrs. Gardiner was anxious. She saw the woman so nervous that she understood that the situation was delicate and needed to comprehend what had happened to know how to proceed.

"Yes, Mrs. Gardiner, but please, if you do not mind, I think we would better take a seat." Mrs. Taylor took a deep breath and explained the reason for her visit.

"When the ruffians returned, they decided to take Miss Bennet hostage, and Mr. Darcy came to her defense saying that he was her husband."

"And what happened?" asked Jane and Mrs. Gardiner simultaneously.

"They were both abducted, and I pray to God they are well," Mrs. Taylor said, her voice cracking with anguish.

"Oh no, Lizzy," said Jane, forgetting how happy she had been a few minutes ago.

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Mr. Darcy got up a little after dawn. He was not feeling well because he still had not recovered from his illness. Undoubtedly, the last few days had been very intense for his physical and mental health. But despite how frail he felt, not even that managed to overshadow his immense happiness. The previous night, Elizabeth slept in his arms, allowing him to kiss her cheek and forehead while she cried, clinging to him. Although they had not exchanged words, that gesture had given him hope that maybe Elizabeth could give him another opportunity, and he was no longer the last man in the world she could ever marry.

Unfortunately, his hopeful thoughts were interrupted by a cough he vainly tried to control. Evidently, the cold of the night had not helped his recovery. He felt a little feverish and wanted to find a place where he could rest and plan what they should do. He knew that everything that had happened had forever damaged Elizabeth's reputation. Since she had been receptive to his attentions, he felt more secure in proposing that they continue traveling north and settle this matter in the only possible way.

Inside the old cabin, Elizabeth woke up abruptly when she heard Mr. Darcy cough repeatedly. It took her a few seconds to realize where she was and to remember the tragedy she was experiencing. Along with feeling uneasy about what would happen, she could not help but feel tremendously ashamed as she remembered what had happened the day before with Mr. Darcy. She did not understand why she acted that way and allowed that gentleman to kiss and hug her. Her only possible explanation was how distraught and desperate she had felt the night before, and he had been so tender that she could not help but find solace in his soft, comforting caresses. In recent days, Mr. Darcy had been almost a hero, and she found it hard to believe he was the same person she met in Hertfordshire.

But at that moment, and with a cool head, she knew that Mr. Darcy was the same person who insulted her when he told him that he loved her. Also, he was the one who separated her sister from the gentleman she loved. But as if that were not enough, he had admitted that he was proud that he had done everything possible to separate his friend from Jane. Besides, she remembered all that Mr. Wickham revealed about that man's character and that he had not tried to clarify it because it may all be true.

But Elizabeth understood that she had to be fair and did not want to forget all he had done for her and how he protected her from those criminals. She owed much to that proud man, so she was willing to put all her differences in the past. But it was quite another thing to allow him to take liberties with her or to make him believe she had some romantic interest in him.

Mr. Darcy heard movement and realized that Elizabeth had woken. With a heart full of hope, he went to say good morning. Although he would have liked to be able to kiss her like the previous night, he did not want to abuse her trust and intended to suppress his desire to hold her close until they could be married in Gretna Green. If his estimates were correct, they could arrive in another three or four days of travel. Afterward, they would go to Pemberley, and from there, they would travel south to face their families. Then they would return to their estate and stay there until a new, tastier scandal would occupy the attention of the tabloids and the gossipy ladies.

"Miss Bennet, it is good to see you awake. I hope you slept well," said Mr. Darcy cheerfully, and he smiled as Elizabeth blushed.

Elizabeth felt it was impossible to be more embarrassed when she saw Mr. Darcy look at her and answer as controlled as she could. "I can say that given the circumstances, at least I could rest." Elizabeth took a deep breath and added, "Mr. Darcy, I want to apologize for my behavior last night..."

"Miss Bennet, it is not necessary..." Mr. Darcy tried to say conciliatory, but she did not let him finish.

"Excuse me, sir, but I disagree. I was foolish and immature and should not cry like a little girl. We already have enough problems with everything that has happened to us, so I should not become a burden to you. I thank you very much for being so understanding with me, sir, but I want you to know that I prefer that we forget about that incident and pretend that nothing happened. I promise to control my fears so you will not be forced to comfort me." Elizabeth finished speaking and excused herself, saying she needed to freshen up.

Mr. Darcy had woken up with hope, and Elizabeth had smashed his dreams in less than five minutes. Clearly, her sentiments since her rejection in Hunsford had not changed, and she was only grateful for his protection. Besides, he felt like a fool because, just a few minutes ago, he was planning their wedding and the rest of their life together. As much as her contempt hurt him, it would hurt him much more to know that his wife despised him and that the woman he loved married him forced by the circumstances.

Mr. Darcy had even thought that perhaps he should give her the letter, but he remembered that he had been full of resentment when he wrote it. Although he had clarified many things that she had mistakenly believed, he knew that the tone of the letter was inappropriate and even imprudent.

"I am ready, Mr. Darcy. I think we should start walking to get to a place where we can ask for help."

"You are right, Miss Bennet. We had better get back to the main road immediately," Mr. Darcy said. He took the small bag where they carried their few belongings and left the cabin.

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth walked for almost an hour without saying more than a few words because they both had much to think about. Mr. Darcy was considering offering Elizabeth a possible alternative solution so she would feel a little more hopeful and not feel cornered into doing something she did not want to do.

For her part, Elizabeth wanted to talk to Mr. Darcy to clarify certain topics more calmly. She wanted him to explain why he had been so cruel to Mr. Wickham and judged Jane so harshly when he hardly knew her.

"Miss Bennet, I am sorry to interrupt your thoughts, but I would like to discuss something with you. It is not a pleasant topic, but I believe we need to discuss the matter and agree on what we should do given our current situation," Mr. Darcy said solemnly.

Elizabeth sensed what Mr. Darcy wanted to discuss and agreed with him. They should talk and try to reach an agreement. "Of course, Mr. Darcy, it is important that we resolve some matters. Besides, we do not have much to do either, so we can talk as long as necessary," Elizabeth added, smiling, but Mr. Darcy did not notice.

"Miss Bennet, I have been thinking a lot about our situation, and I know that you are an intelligent lady, and you must know that the repercussions of everything that has happened these days can affect us for the rest of our lives."

"I understand, Mr. Darcy. I, too, have been thinking much about it."

"I imagine that the option of a marriage between us is not an option for you. When I proposed to you not long ago, I still remember that you considered the idea reprehensible and eloquently explained your motives. That is why I think our best chance of avoiding that scenario is that once we get to the closest town, we can say we are siblings. I have enough money in this little bag to hire a maid to escort you back to London. My staff is discreet, and probably my cousin Fitzwilliam will handle the situation and ensure no one knows what truly happened. If we are fortunate, it is possible that no one knows about this incident, and we can forget about this ordeal. Do you not think we should try it?"

"It seems something very reasonable and possible to do. The sooner I can be with my family, the less chance this will turn into a scandal," Elizabeth replied thoughtfully.

If Mr. Darcy had any hope that Elizabeth wanted another solution, at that moment vanished. The enthusiasm with which Elizabeth had discarded the mere idea of being his wife was so evident that he was left in no doubt that what had happened the night before was nothing more than a mishap. Elizabeth's feelings for him had not changed, and she only felt gratitude. Perhaps for that reason, she tolerated his closeness.

Elizabeth realized that Mr. Darcy was not feeling well. He was pale, and from time to time, he would start to cough profusely. To prevent him from feeling worse, she decided to start a conversation to distract him.

"Mr. Darcy, it will be hard for the people in the next town to believe we are siblings because we do not look alike," Elizabeth said with a laugh.

"I do not think so, Miss Bennett. You and I have more similar physical characteristics than me and my sister. Georgiana is blonde, and you see, I have dark hair. But I do have to tell you that you and my sister are not alike at all."

Elizabeth thought that Mr. Darcy would remind her how accomplished Miss Darcy was and how insignificant she was compared to her. Therefore, she was surprised when he told her more about his sister.

Mr. Darcy sensed what Elizabeth was thinking and wanted to explain more about Georgiana and how important she was to him.

"Miss Bennet, my sister is a shy and rather reserved girl, quite the opposite of you. You are so cheerful and captivating, and you can talk to everyone without losing your charm. Sometimes some people think that my sister is proud and haughty, but the truth is that she, like me, does not have the talent to converse so easily with people she does not know well." Mr. Darcy smiled and added, "I know you told me to practice, but it is not that easy, especially when I know that most of the people who approach me do so intending to get something from me."

Elizabeth was quite surprised by that statement. She had never imagined that Mr. Darcy could be shy because ever since she met him, he seemed cold and knew what to do.

"Do you consider yourself shy, Mr. Darcy? In my interactions with you, you always acted so confidently, even when you insulted me…."

"I do not consider myself timid. But I prefer to listen to talk and observe before participating in what is happening around me. It is amazing what you can discover about people's character by observing them, especially when they do not realize it."

Elizabeth remembered all the times she had caught Mr. Darcy looking at her, and it seemed unrealistic to think he was analyzing her character. She always thought he was observing her to find a flaw so he could criticize her.

"I do not doubt what you say, but believe me, Mr. Darcy, you can also get to know someone by talking and discussing interesting topics with them."

"It may be, but for many people, it is easy to lie and deceive or distort reality. They know how to deceive and the charm to express all their lies correctly to make them credible."

"If a gentleman does not take the trouble to show others his true worth, probably anyone will be able to belittle his name because no one will want to defend him." Elizabeth knew he was referring to Mr. Wickham, and she realized again that she had never bothered to think that perhaps there was another part of the story that she did not know.

"My life is not easy, Miss Bennet, and every step I take and every decision I make affects not only me but everyone who depends on me. That is why I must be cautious with everything I do. The expectations of my family and those who depend on me are very high, and I do not have the freedom to do what I please without affecting others."

For the first time, Elizabeth saw the real Mr. Darcy. He was very similar to Jane. Her sister hid her insecurities behind a smile that seemed false to many, while Mr. Darcy did it behind his impassive and severe face.

"I understand, but if it is any consolation, Mr. Darcy, we all show only part of who we are. No one wants to expose their deepest feelings for fear of being hurt."

Mr. Darcy smiled bitterly and could not say more because he started coughing again. Elizabeth had hit the nail on the head because the one time he decided to express his deepest feelings, he was rejected, and that still hurt him.

"Mr. Darcy, it's best if you sit for a while until you feel a little better," Elizabeth asked Mr. Darcy to sit on a rock by the side of the road so they could rest a while. By this time, Mr. Darcy was no longer pale but rather flushed, and it was evident he had a fever.

"I think it would do us no harm to rest, Miss Bennet," said Mr. Darcy and sat to regain energy. He was not feeling well and was afraid of becoming a burden to Elizabeth. Although he tried his best to hide how poor he felt, he noticed Elizabeth looking at him with concern.

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Thanks to everyone who leaves comments and enthusiastically follows the story.

In the next chapter, Mr. Darcy's health deteriorates while in London, Jane and the Gardiners will try to find out more about Elizabeth's whereabouts.

See you soon!

Saludos,

Yo