AU Pride and Prejudice

Reminder In this AU ALL ESTATES except Pemberly, are within either walking distance, or no further than a day's drive.

Unbreakable Bonds

Previously:

"That is it. I have got to go home and get some decent sleep. This overtime is killing me." With that, he headed out the door, thus missing hearing a sizzling as if wires were finally being burnt out.

Arrival -wrong spot - Close Enough

Ch. 5

The sun had set, and the stars were twinkling in the sky. A woman, dressed in a simple gown and a shawl, was walking along the road that led to Mr. and Mrs. Philips' home. She looked weary and pale, as if she had traveled a long way. She had no companion, no carriage, no luggage, except for a small bundle that she clutched to her chest.

She saw the lights of the house in the distance, and felt a surge of hope. Perhaps she could find some shelter and kindness there. She quickened her pace, ignoring the pain in her feet and the cold in her bones.

Mrs. Philips was sitting by the window, enjoying a cup of tea and some good -healthy- conversation -with her sister, Mrs. Gardiner. She glanced outside and saw a figure approaching. She squinted her eyes and recognized the woman as a stranger.

"Who is that?" she asked, curious and suspicious. "She does not look like anyone from the neighborhood."

Mrs. Gardiner followed her gaze and shrugged. "Perhaps she is a traveler who has lost her way. Or a beggar who wants some charity. Or a spy who has come to steal our secrets."

Mrs. Philips scoffed. "You cannot be serious, dear sister. What secrets do we have to steal? And what would a spy want with us? We have nothing of importance to warrant such attention." She decided to go out and see what the woman wanted. She put down her cup and wrapped a shawl around her shoulders. She told her sister to wait for her, and went to the door.

Mrs. Philips opened it and saw the woman standing on the threshold, looking faint and exhausted. She had a thin face, dark hair, and bright eyes. She looked young, but there was something that shouted that appearances could be deceiving.

"Good evening, madam," Mrs. Philips said, politely but still kept her manner somewhat stiff, as she did not yet know if it was friend or foe at her door. "What brings you here at such a late hour?"

The lady opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She swayed on her feet and dropped her bundle. It fell to the ground with a thud, and something soft and colorful spilled out of it. Its contents were nothing unusual: a small amount of clothes, some clean linen and stockings, a small toiletry kit, and a sewing kit. None of it drew attention except the quilt, which was made of patches of different fabrics.

Mrs. Philips frowned. The quilt did not look like anything that was made in her neighborhood. It had strange patterns and colors, none of which she had ever seen. She wondered where the woman had gotten it from. Had she stolen it? Had she made it herself? Had she brought it from a faraway land? Mrs. Philips did not have time to ask, for their unexpected visitor suddenly collapsed on the ground. She fell with a groan and lay still.

Mrs. Philips screamed. She ran to the woman and tried to wake her up. She felt her pulse and found it weak and irregular. She felt her forehead and found it hot and feverish.

She realized that the woman was ill and in need of help. She called for her husband, who came running from where he had been reading his paper in his favorite chair in the parlor. He saw the woman and the strange looking quilt and the gentelman could not help but look puzzled and alarmed.

"Who is she? What is she doing here? What is that thing?" he asked, pointing at the quilt.

"If you do not know that then I am not telling you, nor do I care at this moment!" Mrs. Philips cried. "She is sick and needs someone to give her aid. Come, help me carry her to the guest room. We must send for the doctor at once."

They lifted the woman and Mr. Philips carried her to the guest room. The room was a small but cozy chamber on the second floor of Mr. and Mrs. Philip's home. It had a window that one could overlook the garden if they wished. The walls were painted a pale yellow, and the curtains were a matching plain pattern. The furniture was simple but elegant, made of dark wood. There was the typical wardrobe, dresser, nightstand, and writing desk; all were covered or held, various ornaments or books.

Mrs. Philips pulled down the covers and her husband laid her on the bed. Then they covered the stranger with a blanket. He then stepped out into the hallway and sent a servant to fetch the doctor and waited anxiously for his arrival.

Mrs. Philips and Mrs. Gardiner went to step out, only to hear the sick lady begin to mutter. Curious as to what she might say, they leaned in closer. Sadly, what she was saying was not articulated well; in fact, it was outright mumbled, except for the names of Kitty and Mary.

"She knows our nieces?" Mrs. Gardiner was shocked. "But how? I have never seen her in London or on any of my travels anywhere."

"Do not look at me," Mrs. Philips said, her eyes wide. "I have never seen those girls with this lady."

"Maybe we should have someone go fetch them?" Mrs. Gardiner suggested.

"Not at this time of night," Mr. Philips said, who had stepped back into the room and heard their conversation. "After the doctor has checked this lady out and after everyone has gotten some sleep, then we can send for Mary or Kitty if necessary."

Adelia was oblivious to any of their talk as pictures of her walking and walking down multiple dirt roads flashed in her mind. She had thought by what Mrs. Bennet had said, Longbourn should not have been that far once Adelia went through the door. Now she only knew they needed to be found, for more than once, the lady had to dive for cover as men reeling with a sense of no good had been spotted.

The men in her dreams disappeared and Adelia once again saw herself stepping up to the fireplace, unsure what to expect. It was then that she had felt a jolt of electricity. A flash of light and then nothing other than a sense of falling over and over. Another scene flashed into the dream.

She stepped into the fireplace and felt a jolt of electricity. She saw a flash of light and then darkness. She felt herself falling, falling, falling. She did not know where she was falling or what awaited her at the end of the fall. She only knew that she had to find them. Find them and hope her coming really was needed by Miss Mary and Miss Kitty.

"That should stop her from tossing and turning," Dr. Johnson said, shaking his head when Mr. Philips asked if he recognized the lady. "I have never seen her." He then gave instructions as the fever had already shown signs of breaking. "If it keeps going down, I doubt we have anything to worry about. If it shoots back up, do what you have to in order to break it and send for me immediately." With that, he left.