Chapter 3
"Thank you very much, sir," said Jane, taking up her handkerchief.
"Excuse me, miss. Do you need anything? Please tell me how I can help you." Francis needed to know if this woman was real or a product of imagination. After so many months at sea, he thought he might be confused. It was not possible. The woman of his dreams was real.
"Thank you very much, sir. I do not need anything; I am well but just a little sad." Jane wiped away her tears, not knowing why she was crying in front of a stranger.
"Miss, I am Captain Francis Coleman. Allow me to help you to sit on that bench for a few minutes until you feel better. If you prefer to return home, please allow me to accompany you."
"Thank you, Captain. I think it would be good for me to sit for a few minutes and look at the ocean. Thank you very much for your kindness, but I assure you that it is not necessary for you to accompany me. I shall sit and look at the sea and listen to the sound of the waves. I know that in a few minutes, I shall be better."
"If you do not mind, I would ask you to let me sit next to you. I do not want to leave you alone if you feel sad.
Jane smiled, walked to the bench, and sat. Francis sat next to her, and without saying anything, he observed her and could not believe that almost fifteen years after seeing the statue of Aphrodite, he would meet her in person. He still was unsure if she was real or just a product of his imagination. The afternoon was beginning to fall, and many people were walking along the path that surrounded the coast. It was not possible that he was talking to himself, and no one had noticed.
"Captain, I am Jane Bennet… and I do not live here…" Jane explained. She could tell Captain Coleman was worried but did not know what else to say.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Bennet," Francis said. 'Jane Bennet, what a pretty name,' Francis thought as he wondered why Jane was so sad. "You know, Miss Bennet, one day, an old sailor told me that sometimes it is better to share what troubles our soul with someone and that there is no one better than a stranger who will not judge us. My sailors and I spend months at sea, and I am the only person they trust. So you can trust me; I am a good listener."
"Thank you, Captain…"
"Coleman, Francis Coleman."
Jane remained silent for several minutes, thinking until she finally followed Francis's advice. She felt distressed and had kept her despair to herself for so long so as not to worry Elizabeth and not to cause problems for her family. Perhaps talking to a stranger would allow her to finally release all her sad memories."
Francis was a little nervous, thinking that perhaps he had been too bold, and in his eagerness to help that beautiful young lady, he had achieved the opposite.
"Captain Coleman, I am twenty-two and do not know what will happen to my life. Someone broke my heart, or at least that is what I have believed in the last months. My mother always told me that one day I would get married and be very happy, but today, I doubt that is true. And as if all that was not enough, my little sister is so irresponsible, and my father does not seem to care. Captain…" said Jane, looking at Francis, "You do not know how I would like to embark on one of those ships and go in search of adventure to be able to earn money and build a life for me and my sisters instead of sitting here waiting and praying to God to have mercy on me and my sisters."
Jane told Francis a few more details about all the things that had occurred to her in the last few months, and she shed a few tears as she did so. Jane could not stop talking, and with each word she said, she felt a tremendous weight lift off her shoulders.
Francis could not believe that there was someone so foolish and immoral to play with a young lady's feelings. She seemed timid and innocent, and he felt an irrational desire to protect her. That scoundrel, not happy to play with her feelings, abandoned her without giving an explanation or saying goodbye. But as if that were not enough, the beautiful and delicate Miss Bennet had parents who seemed quite thoughtless. Francis could not believe that Mr. Bennet and his wife would have allowed a flirtatious and innocent fifteen-year-old girl to go on vacation to a place where she would be surrounded by men who could abuse her trust.
"I am very sorry, Miss Bennet… I hope that you and your father are in time to save your sister."
"Thank you very much, Captain Coleman. The old sailor who told you it was good to share our sorrows was correct; I feel much better. And you are an excellent listener. Although I have the same problems I had twenty minutes ago and still do not know how to solve them, talking to you has given me a little peace. Now, it is time to return to the inn. It will get dark soon, and I do not want my father to worry."
Francis knew he could not keep Jane any longer but did not want to let her go either. "Please, Miss Bennet, allow me to escort you to the inn. It will do me good to walk."
"It is very close to here; it is unnecessary, Captain."
"I shall feel more at ease if you allow me to accompany you."
"Alright, you have been so kind that I cannot refuse your generous offer."
Jane felt calmer. The Captain had been patient and caring, so she decided to ask him some polite questions to be friendly and show gratitude. "You plan to stay in port for a long time, Captain."
"At the moment, I know that I must stay at least a month. But in two more days, I shall have a definitive answer. Since I took over the Venus, we have made only minor repairs, and the last time we crossed the Atlantic, we encountered two big storms and part of the stern was seriously damaged."
"I understand. Is Venus the name of your ship, Captain?"
"Yes… It is a bit of a long story, but it is the name I gave my ship when it was assigned to me. I wanted to call it Aphrodite, but it was a bit long and difficult for some sailors to pronounce, and since both names represent the same goddess, I believe I was correct to choose Venus."
When they reached the inn's door, Jane bid him a warm farewell. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Captain Coleman. I wish you the best in your future travels."
"The pleasure was all mine, Miss Bennet."
Jane curtsied and entered the inn. Francis stood in the street watching until Jane disappeared from his sight. 'This will not be the last time we see each other, my dear Miss Bennet. Now that I found you, I cannot let you go so easily.'
Francis walked for almost two hours before returning to the barracks where he was staying. Fifteen years ago, he had fallen in love at first sight with the statue of an Olympian goddess, and that day, he had fallen in love at first sight with a young lady from Hertfordshire.
P&P
The following morning, Mr. Bennet got up early, and after breakfast with Jane, they both left for the Forsters' house. Fortunately, it was only six blocks from the inn, so they decided to walk and take advantage of the sea breeze and the excellent view of the beach and the ocean.
Although it was a little early for social calls, Jane insisted to her father that they must get to the Forster house before the Colonel would begin his work day. She knew that Mrs. Forster was too young and immature to understand how serious the situation was. They should resolve that matter by speaking directly with the Colonel.
Colonel Forster was very surprised to see Mr. Bennet and his daughter and assumed that something wrong had happened in Hertfordshire, which was why that unexpected visit happened.
"Please come in and tell me how I can help you, Mr. and Miss Bennet."
"Thank you very much for receiving us so early, Colonel. We have come looking for Lydia. She needs to return home with us." Mr. Bennet explained.
"Has something happened in your family, Bennet?" Colonel Forster asked worriedly.
"No, it is my daughter who does not know how to behave and who is planning to do something reprehensible and imperil the reputation of our family."
"I am sorry to hear that, but please clarify the matter, Mr. Bennet. I am curious to know what is occurring in my home."
Mr. Bennet and Jane sat down and explained to the Colonel everything they had learned from Lydia's letters to Kitty.
"For that reason, Colonel, we believe it is best for Lydia to return home and not continue to be exposed to the danger of interacting with men who may take advantage of her innocence and irreparably damage her reputation and our family's good name," Jane explained.
"I understand, but I do not share your concern. My men are well trained, and I doubt that any of them would dare to challenge my authority and try to flee with a young lady who is under my care." Colonel Forster could not help but feel a little offended at Mr. Bennet and Jane's suspicions.
"My daughter has no limits, Colonel. She can be very rebellious and cause many problems if you contradict her. It is best that I take care of her." Mr. Bennet conciliatorily replied.
"I see. Unfortunately, Lydia is not in Brighton at the moment. My mother-in-law has not been feeling well in recent days, and your daughter accompanied my wife to visit her mother. Yesterday, I received correspondence from Harriet, and she informed me that they would return in three more days. I assure you that you have nothing to worry about; my mother-in-law lives in the middle of the countryside. Bennet, there are no men there for your daughter to run away with," the Colonel explained contemptuously.
It seemed to Jane that Colonel Forster's reaction was quite disproportionate and that he had no reason to feel offended. Mr. Bennet had explained that Lydia could be a very unmanageable and irresponsible girl and that nothing happening was his fault.
After about twenty minutes of unpleasant conversation, Jane and her father left the Forster house. The Colonel promised to notify them when Lydia would return to Brighton, but they did not trust Lydia and would be alert.
"Well, dear Jane, I suppose we must stay a few more days. As soon as we get to the inn, I will notify Mr. Davies that we will stay for a few more days. A few days of this beautiful landscape shall not hurt us."
"Father, I am worried about Lydia. I have the impression that the Colonel does not know my sister, and for that reason, he did not understand the gravity of the situation."
"Do not worry so much, Jane. He said he would let us know as soon as Lydia returned. After that, she will be under our care, and this situation will be finally resolved. Now, I shall talk to the innkeeper. After that, I shall get my book from my bedroom and sit on one of these benches to read while listening to the crashing waves. Jane, you should do the same and enjoy this unexpected vacation," said Mr. Bennet, smiling.
Jane did not share her father's optimism. She thought it was essential to know the name of the officer trying to cajole Lydia and wanted to convince her to elope with him. But it was clear that neither Colonel Forster nor Mr. Bennet would be of much help, and she needed to learn how to resolve everything without support.
Although Francis had fallen asleep late, he had woken up early and full of energy. After breakfast, he walked near the inn where Jane was staying, hoping to see her again. Therefore, he was delighted when he saw her walking with a man who must have been her father. Without thinking twice, he approached and greeted them.
"Good morning, Miss Bennet."
"Good morning, Captain Coleman. Father, yesterday when I was walking down the street next to the coast, I met the Captain," Jane said a little nervously. She did not expect to meet him again and prayed that he did not remember everything she had shared with him the day before.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Captain Coleman. Do you like to play chess?" Mr. Bennet asked.
"Yes, Mr. Bennet, and I think I am pretty good," Francis replied.
"How about we play a game of chess, and you give me a chance to see how good you are," Mr. Bennet said defiantly.
"I think it is excellent, Mr. Bennet."
Francis walked with Mr. Bennet and Jane towards the inn. He had found the perfect excuse to be close to Jane and learn a little more about her.
P&P
Mr. Darcy had dreamed about Elizabeth, and in the morning, he was a little insecure and prayed that everything that had happened the previous evening during dinner had been real. Fortunately, at breakfast, Elizabeth had been as kind as the day before, so he had no doubt that she had forgiven him and perhaps was giving him a second chance.
Mr. Darcy would have liked Elizabeth to travel in his carriage, but he knew that was impossible. Having her company and exciting conversation would have helped him to be less anxious about what would happen to them in the following days.
After almost four hours on the route, both carriages detoured until they reached a beautiful place surrounded by hills, a green meadow, and a small stream. While the horses ate and rested, Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth, and the Gardiners improvised a picnic to appreciate the landscape, eat, converse, and rest.
Once they finished eating the snacks and fruits they packed at the inn, Elizabeth wanted to walk and look at the landscape and the valley surrounding the hills.
"Miss Bennet, may I accompany you?"
"Of course, Mr. Darcy."
Elizabeth had been trying to remember something about Mr. Darcy the night before but could not. However, she sensed that something else had happened between them. For some reason, she could not understand why being around that gentleman made her feel nervous. Last evening, Mr. Darcy behaved in a manner that was inconsistent with two people who were, at best, distant acquaintances. Besides, he had said so many things that she did not remember. So she decided that before he started talking about topics she would not comprehend, Elizabeth wanted to use the opportunity to get some information.
"Mr Darcy, have you seen Mr Bingley and his family in recent weeks? I hope they are well and have made a decision about what they want to do with Netherfield."
Mr. Darcy felt a little guilty but wanted to be honest with Elizabeth. "I have not had the chance to have a serious conversation with Bingley since I returned from Kent. After our… discussion, I… Miss Bennet, although I have managed to see and appreciate many things differently today, when I returned from Kent, I was confused, and I suppose I got carried away with my anger. In two more weeks, Bingley and his sisters will spend a few weeks in Pemberley. I want you to know that I intend to explain everything we discussed in Kent and suggest that Bingley make his own decisions..."
As Mr. Darcy spoke, Elizabeth did not know what to think or say. Apparently, she and Mr. Darcy had spoken about Mr. Bingley and disagreed about something. Also, Mr. Darcy seemed apologetic about something and considered talking to Mr. Bingley. Elizabeth wondered how to investigate what had happened without Mr. Darcy realizing she could not remember anything about their past interactions.
"Do you think Mr. Bingley allows himself to be influenced by others when he has to make an important decision?" Elizabeth planned to ask broad questions using the little information she had.
"Unfortunately, Bingley is still very young and does not always know what to do when facing a difficult situation."
"I apologize if the question is inappropriate, but how old is Mr. Bingley?"
"He turned twenty-four a few months ago."
"How old were you when you assumed control of your family estate?"
"I had just turned twenty-two when my father died."
"You were even younger than Mr. Bingley when you took on a tremendous responsibility, and I imagine you did not depend on others to know what you should do."
Mr. Darcy smiled and replied, "I have always listened to those who know more than me, but I have always made the final decisions."
"Then, why do you make excuses for Mr. Bingley's actions? He should know that his absence from the estate affects the neighborhood around Netherfield."
"You are correct, Miss Bennet. If I am honest, I believe that given Bingley's friendly nature, he often defers to the opinions of others to avoid conflict."
"Maybe you know him much better than I do. But I know many people who do not do what they should simply because they are negligent," Elizabeth said, thinking of her father.
"Bingley is a good person, but like everyone, he has flaws that he must learn to overcome."
"You can give him good or bad advice, but the final decision will always be the one he decides to make."
Mr. Darcy felt relieved because he felt that Elizabeth was telling him that she forgave him. "Miss Bennet, if we get closer to that ravine, you will have the chance to see the valley and the mountains that surround the lake."
"It sounds exciting; let us walk there then."
Mr. Darcy offered his arm to Elizabeth, and they walked for several minutes. They remained for a few minutes observing the landscape while Mr. Darcy explained a little more about the history of that territory. After almost ten minutes, they made their way back to the carriages to continue their journey.
"Miss Bennet, in two more weeks, not only Bingley and his family will arrive at Pemberley, but also my sister. I would like to introduce you to my sister, of course, if you do not have any objection. She wants to meet you."
"It would be an honor to meet your sister, Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth replied. She wondered why the young lady wanted to meet her. She looked at Mr. Darcy for a few seconds to see if he was serious, but he just looked at her with curiosity. Who was that man who was there with her? Was he the proud or unpleasant man her mother had once talked about over breakfast or the gentle, kind man she had met the day before at the inn?
Finally, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth reached the carriages, and it was time to say goodbye. "If you continue on that path, you should reach Lambton in less than an hour. I will continue along this path, which takes me directly to Pemberley."
"It was a pleasure sharing with you yesterday and today, Mr. Darcy. We greatly appreciate all your kindness," said Mrs. Gardiner.
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. It was also an unexpected wonderful surprise to see you, Miss Bennet," Mr. Darcy said.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Darcy. It was a real pleasure to enjoy this wonderful afternoon with you," said Mr. Gardiner.
"Mr. Gardiner, do you like fishing?" Mr. Darcy asked. He could not let the Gardiners go without ensuring he would see them again.
"Indeed, Mr. Darcy, I really like fishing."
"How wonderful! Please accept my invitation to fish with me. The ladies can use the opportunity to walk around the small lake. One of my men can show them the gardens if they prefer. Afterward, we can have luncheon on the terrace and study the maps so you can decide which places you want to visit."
Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were a little surprised by the sudden and generous invitation. They did not want to be rude and not accept it, so they proposed an alternative.
"What do you say, Mr. Darcy, if we leave it until the day after tomorrow? Today, we have to settle in at the inn, and tomorrow, I want to visit my cousin to let her know that we are in Derbyshire," explained Mrs. Gardiner.
"Of course, the day after tomorrow sounds much more reasonable. I shall send you one of my carriages so your horses can rest after the long journey."
"Thank you very much for everything, Mr. Darcy. Before you leave, allow me to return the book you lent me," said Elizabeth.
"It is not necessary. When you finish reading it, you can return it to me."
Mr. Darcy said goodbye to the Gardiners again and offered his hand to Elizabeth to help her into the carriage. She had taken off her gloves, and part of the sleeve of her dress had rolled up, revealing part of her arm. He noticed a scar he had never seen before, and it looked rather recent. He wanted to ask her what had happened, but he reacted when she was already inside the carriage.
As the Gardiners' carriage began to move away, Mr. Darcy got into his own and set off for Pemberley. He had spent a lot of time watching Elizabeth, and when she played the piano at his aunt's house in Kent, she wore a dress whose sleeves covered up to her elbows, revealing the bottom of her arm. He had not noticed any scars.
'What has happened, and why do you have that scar on your arm, my dear Elizabeth?' Mr. Darcy wondered. 'I shall have time to find out.'
"Lizzy, what have your sisters and parents told you about your relationship with Mr. Darcy?"
"Jane told me that when she visited Hertfordshire, Mr. Darcy had not been very friendly and that he had not made any friends. My mother only mentioned him once or twice and said he was a proud and unpleasant man. Aunt, I, too, am a little surprised by the way he has behaved, but I think we managed to establish some friendlier relationship when we met in Kent."
"That must be it, my dear," replied Mrs. Gardiner.
She did not want to confuse her niece further, but she remembered very well that Elizabeth felt great animosity towards that gentleman. When they visited the family during Christmas, Elizabeth told them how Mr. Darcy had treated Mr. Wickham, believing everything the officer had said. For now, she preferred to keep that information to herself. Although Elizabeth did not notice it, it was all too evident that Mr. Darcy felt more than friendship for her beloved niece. Depending on what happened in the following two weeks, Mrs. Gardiner would talk to her husband and make a decision about what was or was not necessary to share with Elizabeth.
P&P
Thank you to everyone who enthusiastically follows the story and leaves supportive comments.
As I already told you, this is a short story of about fifteen to twenty chapters. If you have started reading it, remember that once I have finished writing it, I will remove it from this site.
Also, my daughter edited and published "I Already Knew You" by Miranda Flan in K and KU. She publishes my stories as a way to earn money since her university studies do not allow her to work. Many thanks for your support.
In the next chapter, Lydia returns to Brighton, and Francis makes an important decision.
See you soon!
Saludos,
Yo
