Dis: the storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux
a/n I have not been publishing here because there is no notifications. I don't know if they deliver come back. I could be unable to send my site too many problems had paid twice to people to install them for me and has happened so we'll see.
Two weeks later
The other two Darcy ghosts wanted to know what happened to Charles; however, they were unable to leave Pemberley at will. They saw how sad Jane was and could see the Earl's son looking at her whenever he visited, so they waited for the news that Charles was pretending to be dead so she could marry again.
Lydia's fears were wrong because Mr. Darcy didn't care what her mother had done. He thought the head injury had made her mother act as if she were a mad person. Yet, she lived in fear that her mother would get better and reveal her secret. She needed to tell Lizzie as soon as she was better.
Lydia never told anyone that George was cold as ice. The few times George was with her, he wasn't loving; the only time was the first time when he believed she was Lizzie, but it never happened again. When they were in London, he seldom touched her, only when he was drunk. After they married, he stayed away from her, always sad.
Lydia decided she would not share her body with any man until she was married. That had been a great mistake, though she was sure her Mr. Darcy, Fergus Darcy, would never try anything improper.
William was by Lizzie most of the time. Lizzie was in a strange place all the time. Sometimes, she was back in her bed, her eyes closed, whenever Richard fed her rich vegetable and beef broth or had tea for her a few times a day, but she would be unconscious again. Wherever she was, Lizzie could 'see' Richard's swollen eyes from crying.
Miss Erika would bring the baby who wanted Richard to hold him and would cry until he was with Richard. He would lie in bed with Ricky next to Lizzie during those times. At night, he would lay by his Lizzie and would hold her, often crying, knowing how easily people could die; he feared the worst since she had been out for many days. He prayed, hoping God would listen to him. He wasn't in a good place.
The other Darcy ghosts liked to look at the Bennet sisters. "Or maybe we could be born as their children; they will be very good mothers. I'd like that. My mother was a very cold woman, and they are very loving." One said, and the other one agreed. "I seldom saw my mother; she had no time for me." Now, they hoped to be forgiven. The day they heard what happened to the Darcy babies, they wished to be granted a trip to scare the woman. They were like William; they were avengers, believing that the woman had no right to touch a Darcy baby, not whatsoever, and they wanted to scare her silly. They assumed they were scaring others for good causes, making sure everyone was safe.
By now, the fired nurse spread gossip all over Lambton, saying that Mr. Wickham probably was a Darcy and Mrs. Fitzwilliam was a trollop. She unwisely repeated that to the parents of Mrs. Gardiner, married to Mrs. Bennet's brother. They told her nobody cared, and she needed to keep her mouth shut, or she would hear from a solicitor.
But she didn't stop; she continued going to the shops to spread malicious lies about Mrs. Fitzwilliam and Mrs. Wickham. It was good none of the servants, but a few trusted ones knew who had injured Lizzie and her father. The footman, the son of Mrs. Reynolds's cousin, was hoping to learn more and be the butler one day, so his lips were sealed. The official story was that a madman had come through a window and escaped.
One day, when she finished shopping, she returned to her parents' home. The Darcy ghosts were waiting for her in her room but were not sure how they got there. They had heard the nurse was spreading awful rumors about the sisters. That day, Mrs. Wickham was crying, telling Mrs. Bingley what she had heard, angering them.
When the former nurse entered her room, the ghost floated before her. "He who lies about Darcys and their families will be forever haunted," one said, making scary sounds. The woman went on her knees screaming, asking God to forgive her.
Once again, they laughed and were back at Pemberley, wondering what was happening since they had no idea how to appear at places. They also visited the children, who saw and greeted them; the small children called them "Cuzins" and sent them air kisses. They had never played with their children much, but now, they liked to play hand puppet games with the little ones and visited them whenever they had a chance. Though the ghosts had changed, neither had noticed how much they smiled these days.
One suggested they needed to find out what was going on. They had heard rumors about Pemberley, but they couldn't search the library since the books were too heavy. They could move small books, but the older ones were large and heavy.
More Tragedy and a Mother's Love
One of his in-laws' footmen came to get Bartlett Fitzwilliam. He said he needed to go right away because his wife had a riding accident. Her parents had sent a carriage to take him to the estate, a couple of hours away. Before he left, he told Richard he didn't understand why his wife was riding a horse when she was due in seven to eight weeks.
Later, the same day, Richard's brother sent an express to please accompany his parents to his wife's funeral, to be held the next morning late. He wrote that his wife had fallen from a horse while riding to meet the one she loved, her former governess, an impoverished country gentry lady. The governess was her forbidden love.
The fall wasn't hard, and her lover went to get help. The parents were very angry, thinking their daughter hadn't gone back with Bartlett to be with her lover. She had lied, saying she wanted to be with her parents when her time came. She was still seven weeks away or so but too large to be riding. Her father had already told her once before not to do it again, so this wasn't the first time. Her older brother and younger sister were sad and angry, fearing the scandal sure to come.
The baby came early, a little girl who survived, but she didn't. Nobody knew if it had been the fall, but she bled too much and died right before Bartlett arrived. The governess waited outside because the wife's parents wouldn't let her in the house.
When she saw Bartlett coming out of the carriage, she screamed obscenities, saying he had forced himself on his wife. Far from the truth, she had sought him every time, wanting to give him an heir so she wouldn't have to share his bed again. Her parents wanted to keep Agatha, but he refused. When his mother arrived, she said the baby was his, and they would help until he married again.
Richard came for a day since the funeral was early the next day. He did not want to be away while Lizzie was out. He was surprised to see Bartlett was not sad but angry, feeling like a fool. But it would get worse.
The lover, a pretty young woman, five years older than Bartlett's twenty-one-year-old wife, came to the church, full of people. Bartlett asked Richard to take her out because, crazy with grief, she was calling Bartlett names and letting everyone learn the sordid details about his wife. Richard obliged and did it discretely. He told the woman he understood her grief, but she wasn't doing herself any favors. He got her name and promised her to help her find a job. Richard thought,what a month.
A Mother's Love
The day Richard left, Mrs. Bennet, who never woke up, died and went by Lizzie; a force had pulled her there. Since William was by Lizzie most of the time, he saw and heard every word she said while she stood by Lizzie, holding her hand. He saw how pretty was, thinking how odd it was that she looked like Lizzie and Jane both. He could see that all the Bennet sisters had inherited their mother's beauty and their father's good looks.
Lizzie was always in a meadow, quiet and peaceful, but she wanted to be back home for good. That day, she heard her mother and saw her, though her mother was a young woman. Her mother sat by her and held her hand, "My Lizzie, I am so sorry; something was wrong with me for many years; my head always hurt. After I passed, I could see something growing inside my head; I guess the fall made it come out. I didn't mean all the awful things I said or to hurt you. I lied; the officer who used me badly never came back. I didn't want to, but unwisely met him behind my home, I thought for kissing. My father, who found me, never told anyone what happened, but he wanted to kill him. Please tell that to Jane. I lied to my family, telling them my so-called lover was back and I was thinking of going with him. Who knows why I did it? I lied a lot because he never came back." She stopped to caress Lizzie's face, looking sad.
"If you wake up, tell your father I cared for him; I loved him, he was a good man; tell him there was never anyone else, and I lied. Also, tell Lydia I am sorry for giving her such terrible advice; I think I am at fault for Mr. Wickham and your husband's tragedy. I don't know what was wrong with me. It started when I was but a young girl;, I always had terrible headaches, but I feel at peace now. My dear child, don't die; your sisters and your family need you. I'm so sorry I treated you so badly and tried to kill you. Goodbye, my child; goodbye, my good child." She kissed Lizzie's forehead and was gone.
William went to look at his son, hoping Lizzie would get better. After listening to the mother, he knew Lizzie deserved a good life. Though he wondered why the mother thought she was at fault. He wished he could talk to George and find out. He talked to his father, who told him he could be with Lizzie if she loved him, and she could be with those she loved. There would be no jealousy; he said it was different but didn't say how.
Richard had to stay one more day to help his brother. He came to find that Lady Bennet had passed. He went straight to their room and saw William. He told Richard what he had heard. "Yes, I heard that people who have tumors in their brain behave strangely. I will tell Lizzie I heard her mother talking."
Lady Catherine's secret
Mr. Bennet healed slowly. Lady Catherine was by his side every waking hour; she had a bed in the drawing room attached to his room. She made sure he drank broth even when out. She had learned that those very sick were able to drink when out. He was talking and eating, but Lizzie was not back. He heard his wife passed, and Richard told him he had heard Mrs. Bennet talking to Lizzie and what she said. His aunt believed him because she had seen her share of ghosts. She saw her angry dead father at her brother's wedding, and also Anne, saying she was at peace.
Mr. Bennet was sad, though he had been fond of her, but he had never loved her. He never forgave her for Lydia and made Lydia pay; that had been wrong, particularly knowing his wife had been sick. Letting the babies go hungry was a sin, and he would make sure Lydia knew how sorry he was. After the doctor had looked under the bandage, he explained the bump was bigger, so now he was sure she had a tumor; he thought the fall had moved or made the tumor apparent. He was also sad she had lied, saying her lover was back, probably upset she had been used. Heaven knows why she did it, and he hoped she was at rest.
Lady Catherine wasn't happy Lady Bennet died and wouldn't press Thomas, seeing him sad. But she liked the idea of a big family, and Thomas had lovely daughters and three grandchildren for her to love so she would not be alone again.
One day, Lady Catherine sat feeding him, his left side still ached, and he couldn't cut his food. She enjoyed caring for him, surprising her nephews but not her brother, who liked seeing them together. His sister was happy and no longer sour.
"Thomas, you remember we promised to love each other forever. I will never forget our times together and have never regretted them; I am glad we had them. We should have run away, I think. You were in Cambridge when I was writing a letter, telling you I was increasing, and we had to make plans, and my father came into my room. He took the letter away from me and read it. He was irate and slapped me, throwing me against the wall. My mother came and was screaming, trying to pull me away. He also hit her face hard and kicked me. I was crying." She stopped to dry tears, remembering the awful events. Thomas Bennet was horrified and held her trembling hand.
"Sorry for crying, I'm very upset. Father told me I needed to marry right away, or he would send somebody to kill you. I told him I wouldn't marry that horrible old man. I was 19, and he was 55. My father didn't listen and left to talk to his friend. His lecherous friend said he would marry me, but the child would have to go. He didn't care, but he wasn't going to raise somebody else's child. He said I needed to go away until I had the child, and afterward, I could come back to him." She stopped to take a breath and calm down.
"They sent me to an estate far away, and I don't even know where it was located. They just put me in a carriage and took me there. I stayed locked in a room until I delivered our baby, a little boy. My father gave the child to the people that had me in their home."
She was crying and had to stop; she had never shared all these memories. Lady Catherine told Mr. Bennet, "What my father did was despicable; he said he wanted to kill you. I knew he meant it because he had already sent somebody to find you. He wanted to know so he could kill you. He forbade me to talk to you or never tried to get in touch with you, or he would kill you anyway. I was going to you when my father died. I didn't care about my husband, but you had just married Fanny."
She cried harder, "Oh my God, oh my God, oh my baby, oh my love." She couldn't say more.
"My love, where was that? Where were you? We need to look for our son. Your father probably had some records or something in his office. We need to ask your brother to help us." Thomas Bennet said.
She shook her head, "But I don't want him to know."
"Of course you do; we need to find our son. It's the right thing to do. Besides, he is the heir we both need and who knows what kind of life he has had. We must look for him if he is alive as soon as I am better. Please call your brother, and we will ask him to help." He spoke softly, holding her.
Lizzie
After Richard was back, he was anxious and worried, overwhelmed by death still at his doorstep. He knew Lizzie was next, considering the four dead within a few weeks: his cousin, George, his sister-in-law, and Mrs. Bennet. He remembered how easily people died.
This day, he sat by Lizzie, crying, "Don't die, my love, stay with me. Let's be happy; I will be the best man you could wish for.'' He bent and kissed her lips softly for the first time.
He breathed deeply. His Lizzie smelled so good, so clean, with no sickness's odor but instead so sweet, and her skin was very soft. She looked like she had just gone to sleep but was very thin.
Georgiana knew Lizzie and came twice daily to clean her teeth with tooth powder and brush her hair. She often put a little of the cologne Lizzie liked on her skin and rubbed lotions. Miss Erica and Mrs. Reynolds kept her clean, not wanting an infection, and Richard helped bathe Lizzie. He was her husband, and strangely, he felt no desire. He only wanted her to be alive. He also helped to bathe Mr. Bennet, remembering a couple of doctors saying to keep the wounds clean, though many thought it was nonsense.
That day, when he kissed her, she was dreaming Richard was holding her and kissing her. She liked it, so she opened her lips a little and opened her eyes. She blushed, seeing Richard's surprise.
He pulled back, touching his lips, "My love, you are awake, praise the Lord."
He went out the door, calling whoever could hear, "Lizzie is back," still touching his lips and smiling.
William heard that she was back and went to see her. That was the first time she saw him. "William are you here?" Lizzie asked. "Or am I still not here? Am I dreaming I can see you?"
"No dreaming, my love, it is me." He sounded like the lover he used to be. So, she thought she was still gone, and this was a dream.
He sat by the bed and held her hand. She could feel a cold hand on hers, so she wasn't imagining.
"Lizzie, could you ever forgive me? Could you still love me? I want to know." He kissed her hand.
"Of course, I will always love you. How I wish you had been all the time as you were with me when we lay together." Her eyes stung.
He kissed her hand with his cold lips again, "I also wish I had done that; I have been thinking, and I believe George was right to kill me. I didn't deserve any better. I wish George could hear me so I could tell him how sorry I am, and to ask to forgive me because I was so rotten, and I didn't help with his babies. I am so sad that I was that man. My father said when you pass, one can be with the ones one loved; but I don't want to pass now, no and no. I want you to stay and to be happy with Richard." He said, surprising himself, he really meant her to be happy with Richard. He wanted her to feel happiness that he hadn't given her.
"You should know that I love you, and I'll always will. I'll be waiting for you by your side." Saying that, he started fading away, and she thought she had imagined it. She would tell Richard; maybe he could tell her if she had seen William, but she hoped she had.