Chapter 2
The next day, Mr. Darcy sat in a chair next to Miss Elizabeth's bed, reading to her and holding her hand as he had done the previous day. Mrs. Collins came in the room to say that her husband would be home soon and he should go. He reluctantly left with the promise to return tomorrow as soon as Mr. Collins arrived at Rosings for his usual visit with his aunt.
This morning, Mr. Darcy had sent his cousin back to London and said he was staying longer on some pretext of estate business that needed his attention. With this excuse he was able to be away from Rosings for most of each day without raising his aunt's ire.
Mrs. Collins had debated what to tell her husband. He had been told that Elizabeth had tripped and fallen and the apothecary had seen her. It would be inappropriate for him to visit her in her bedroom, so further explanations could wait.
She didn't think Mr. Collins needed to be told that Mr. Darcy had found her and that they were engaged. Surely, Mr. Darcy needed to speak to Mr. Bennet before anyone else was told of their engagement, so she decided not to tell her husband just yet. She would talk to Mr. Darcy tomorrow to see how he wanted to inform the Bennets what had happened to Elizabeth. Since he was her fiancee, the task should fall to him, surely.
The following morning, shortly after Mr. Collins left for Rosings, Mr. Darcy appeared at the parsonage and a maid took him up to Miss Elizabeth's room. As before, the maid sat in a corner doing mending while Mr. Darcy read to Miss Elizabeth. She had not stirred since she had been found and he was very worried. Maybe he should send to London for his physician. He wondered if a country apothecary knew the best way to treat head wounds.
As he was reading aloud and holding her hand, her hand twitched, just a little. He stopped reading and looked at her, willing her to awaken. Her eyelids fluttered, then stilled. She started making a soft moaning sound, then stilled again. He called her name, softly at first, then louder, hoping she could hear him.
After a few minutes of fluttering eyelids, twitching hands and soft noises, her eyes opened fully and she blinked several times, her eyes unfocused at first then slowly regaining her sight.
"Sir?" she croaked. "Shhh.. " he said softly. "Here, drink this." he said as he helped her sit up and held up a glass of water to her lips. She drank a few sips, then closed her eyes and he let her relax back into the pillows.
When she opened her eyes again a few minutes later, she softly said "Are you the Doctor? I don't feel very good. My head hurts and my ankle hurts." Looking around she continued "Where are I?"
"Let me call Mrs. Collins for you." Mr Darcy said.
"Who? I don't know a Mrs. Collins. Is she your wife? Is this your house?" Elizabeth replied shakily.
Mr. Darcy was scared. What if she didn't remember him? What if she didn't remember his proposal? But if she didn't remember his proposal, she wouldn't remember turning him down. If Mrs. Collins introduced him as her fiancee, would it scare her? What would happen if her memories came back in the future?
"No, Mrs. Collins is your friend, Charlotte Lucas was her maiden name. This is her house and you have been a guest here for some weeks. You fell and hurt your head and your ankle and have been unconscious for two days. I am so very glad to see you awake again. Let me go for the apothecary. He will want to examine you now that you are awake."
Feeling elated and scared and anxious and nervous, he left the room to call Mrs. Collins and go fetch the apothecary. It would give him a little time to contemplate his own questions before talking to Miss Elizabeth again.