Chapter 8
During breakfast, Caroline talked about how wonderful the night before was at the Spencer mansion, while Louisa agreed with every comment her sister made.
"Charles, Alice Spencer is even more beautiful than I remember. Also, she is so elegant and amiable," Caroline said.
"And her uncle, Lord Robinson, is such a charming and distinguished man," Louisa added.
Mr. Bingley said nothing because Miss Spencer was neither pretty nor pleasant. Also, her uncle, Lord Robison, was rude and impolite. He knew these people only sought financial support and did not want to be the victim of their schemes. Some families tried to pretend they were interested in associating with them, but the Spencers were pretentious and haughty.
"Charles, today, dear Alice and her mother are coming to have tea with us. I hope you are here because it would be discourteous if you did not join us," Caroline said in a commanding voice.
"I asked the housekeeper to ensure everything was spotless and use the new china. It is an honor to have the Spencers in our home. Henry, please change clothes, and you can drink as much as you want once Alice and her mother have left," Louisa said to her husband.
Charles continued to pretend that he was reading the newspaper. He was tired and sad, and the last thing he wanted was to start an argument so early with his two sisters. But Mr. Hurst had a different disposition than his brother-in-law. He did not appreciate his wife and sister-in-law treating him like a child and telling him what he could and could not do. He knew that to make changes in that house, he would need his brother-in-law's support, so he had to make him see how his sisters controlled him.
"It will be difficult for Charles to be in two places simultaneously; I guess you must send a note to Aunt Amanda that you will not be able to call on her today."
"Charles, you must be here to greet Mrs. and Miss Spencer, and you should let Aunt Amanda know. Maybe you can go to dinner with her another day." Caroline tried to sound neutral so her brother would not realize they had been hiding information from him.
When Mr. Hurst saw how his wife and Caroline looked at each other, he realized he was correct. They had no intention of informing Charles of Mrs. Lewis's visit, and he would find out why.
"Aunt Amanda? What are you talking about, Hurst?" asked Mr. Bingley, confused.
"Yesterday, Aunt Amanda..." Mr. Hurts tried to explain, but his wife interrupted her.
"Mr. Hurst, could you please pass me that bread?"
"Oh, Charles, I was going to inform you that Aunt Amanda came yesterday. She wanted to talk to you and said you should visit her. But you can go tomorrow. Today, you have to receive our visitors, and I want you to have dinner with us this evening because we have to discuss what is happening to Mr. Darcy. It has been too long without us hearing from him, and he may need us. We may have to travel to Derbyshire and for that…"
Caroline intended to talk nonstop so her brother would not ask questions. Louisa, for her part, was nervous because she noticed that her brother was furious and preferred not to add anything.
"Why have you not told me that Aunt Amanda came to speak with me?" Mr. Bingley asked, interrupting his sister. He was pretty angry because they always kept information from him.
"Charles, we were going to tell you, but we were chatting about our friends' visits. It would help if you were not angry for so little. You can visit Aunt Amanda whenever you want."
"Well, I would like to visit her right now," said Mr. Bingley. He tossed the napkin on the table and stood up.
"Charles, remember to be back by tea time," Caroline said.
"I am sorry, Caroline, but I do not know when I shall be back," Mr. Bingley curtly replied.
"Charles, please be reasonable," Louisa added.
"Goodbye," said Mr. Bingley and left the room. He went to tell the butler to inform the coachman to prepare the carriage because he needed to leave in half an hour. His sisters also got up from the table and went after him.
"Charles, you cannot be so discourteous and show such disdain to Alice and her mother," Caroline said, trying to convince her brother.
"I barely know those ladies; they are your friend, not mine. Do not worry too much; if you are here, they will be happy. I suppose they come to see you; they hardly know me."
"But you are the head of this family, and since they are such good friends of ours, it is logical that they want to get to know you better, Charles," Louisa added conciliatoryly.
"Then you will have to inform them that I had other plans, and that is why I cannot have the pleasure of sharing a pleasant afternoon with them," Mr. Bingley said with sarcasm in his voice. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go to my chambers to change clothes. I plan to leave in less than twenty minutes."
Caroline and Louisa were furious. They had planned to use the opportunity to promote a rapprochement between Charles and Miss Spencer. But they would not give up so easily.
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Jane had fallen asleep late the night before thinking about the problems that plagued her mind. She usually got up early to help her aunt with the children but could not wake up early that morning. The weight of several days without a good night's sleep had taken its toll on her.
"Aunt, I am so sorry; I do not know what happened to me. I could not wake up earlier. You know that I like to have breakfast with you and be able to converse with my uncle before he goes to his office in the warehouse. I promise it will not happen again," Jane explained, mortified.
"Dear Jane, please do not worry about it. Sometimes, one needs to sleep a few extra hours to recover. But forget about that because I have excellent news for you. Very early today, a message came from Elizabeth," said Mrs. Gardiner, excited.
"Is everything alright? Is she coming home?" Jane asked anxiously.
"Oh, my dear, it would be better if you read it. It is brief, but it will help you clarify your doubts."
Mrs. Gardiner gave the letter to Jane. She read and reread it several times, and although it left her calmer, she could not deny that everything was still too mysterious and that something was happening to her sister that she did not want to tell.
"I hope hearing from Lizzy helps you, my dear."
"I do not know, Aunt. I cannot deny that I am glad that my dear sister has found a position to care for and guide a friendly girl. But I need to understand why Lizzy cannot give us more details. For example, tell us where she is and the name of the family she works for."
Mrs. Gardiner had thought the same thing but did not want Jane to worry more than she already was. Therefore, she tried to provide some explanations to justify the secrecy.
"Well, Lizzy said that in the next few days, she and the girl's family would travel to Scotland to spend some time there. She will probably send us the address when she is there so we can correspond. Also, she will probably give us more details about her new life because now she seems busy preparing for the trip. For the moment, we must be content that she is well and pleased with her new situation."
"You are correct, Aunt. You do not know how distraught I was without knowing anything about my sister. Although I confess I would not say I like that she must work to have a home, I think she seems satisfied with her new life. I know that my poor sister would have been the most miserable woman if my parents had managed to force her to marry Mr. Collins."
"Yes, that is for sure, Jane. Lizzy made a good decision when she left home and sought employment, avoiding a dreadful future. Furthermore, she spoke affectionately of the young lady she will care for."
"I hope all this is something temporary in my sister's life. As soon as I have a home, she will come live with me and will not have to work to survive," Jane said emphatically.
Mrs. Gardiner felt very sorry for her two nieces' situation. Both girls deserved better fortune, but their reckless parents had left them wholly unprotected, and they were doing the best they could to survive.
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Mr. Darcy paced impatiently outside his sister's room. His valet awoke him in the middle of the night to tell him that Georgiana was not feeling well. He got up immediately, and when he arrived in the room, he saw Elizabeth next to her sister, talking and trying to calm her. He approached to speak to Georgiana, but she could barely talk.
"Georgie, dear, do not worry. Everything will be well. The doctor will be here very soon, and you will be much better tomorrow." Mr. Darcy took his sister's hand and kissed her forehead.
"I am sorry, William; please forgive me for giving you so much trouble. I promise I shall be well so we can travel soon..."
"Georgiana, please do not worry about that anymore. Your brother and I have already decided to postpone the trip. Right, Mr. Darcy?" Elizabeth asked seriously.
"Yes, Mrs. Darcy. Georgie, we shall leave for Scotland only when you are well," replied Mr. Darcy. He did not want to look at Elizabeth because he felt embarrassed. A few hours ago, she tried to warn him about what transpired, and he preferred to ignore her.
"Lizzy, I am hot. Can you give me a glass of water… Please stay by my side, William. I want you and Lizzy to be with me," Georgiana said before she began to cry. She felt an intense pain in her lower abdomen.
Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth tried comforting Georgiana to soothe her, but the pain was more intense. Finally, Mrs. Reynolds brought some hot water compresses to try to ease the pain, but at that point, Georgiana was bleeding.
"Mr. Darcy, it would be best if you waited outside. We need to help Miss Darcy and to do so, we must remove some of her clothes," Mrs. Reynolds worriedly explained.
"What is happening, Mrs. Reynolds? And why has the doctor not arrived yet? Mr. Darcy asked desperately.
"Mr. Darcy, do as Mrs. Reynolds asks. I promise I shall not leave Georgiana's side and shall keep you informed," Elizabeth added, trying to reassure her husband. She felt very sorry to see him so distressed.
"Sir, the doctor will be here any minute. Please see to it and inform him of Miss Darcy's condition," said Mrs. Reynolds as she escorted Mr. Darcy to Georgiana's sitting room.
Georgiana's maid and Elizabeth were in charge of removing some of her clothes, cleaning the blood, and trying to calm Georgiana.
Half an hour later, the doctor finally arrived and cared for the patient. Within half an hour, he was able to inform Mr. Darcy of Georgiana's condition.
"Doctor, how is my sister?"
"Miss Darcy's situation is a bit delicate. The bleeding she suffered is a symptom that something is wrong with her child. She must rest until the bleeding stops," the doctor explained.
"And how long do you think it will take her to recover? We need to travel, and you know better than anyone why."
"Mr. Darcy, unfortunately, I cannot answer that question. In some cases, the ladies recover in a few days, and in others, they end up losing the child. Only time will tell what will happen to your sister."
"I understand," Mr. Darcy replied desolately. "Can you at least assure me that my sister's life is out of danger?" asked Mr. Darcy, afraid to hear the answer.
"I am sorry, sir, but I cannot answer that question now. For the moment, I administered some laudanum to Miss Darcy so that she could rest. The next few hours will be crucial to make a more accurate prognosis. For now, we can only wait. I advise you to rest, and I shall return in a few hours to see how your sister's condition has evolved."
"Thank you, doctor," Mr. Darcy said and asked one of the servants to accompany him.
It was at least an hour before dawn, and although he had not slept, he preferred to stay in that room. He knew that he could not sleep even if he wanted to.
"Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth said as she saw her husband standing in front of a window, watching the first rays of the sunrise. "Why do you not rest? I shall stay with Georgiana; she is asleep, and I plan to sleep in the armchair near her bed.
"I do not feel like sleeping; I just want to see my sister and ensure she is well."
"I understand; you can see her if you want, but she is fast asleep."
"It does not matter; I just want to see her and be next to her for a few moments." Mr. Darcy entered Georgiana's room and sat beside the bed, watching her and praying for her speedy recovery. After a few minutes, when he was sure his sister was alright, he let her rest and returned to the sitting room next to Georgiana's bedroom.
Elizabeth had asked a servant to bring a tray of tea and something to eat. She was exhausted, but she wanted to keep an eye on Georgiana. For some reason, she could not explain, Elizabeth had a horrible presentiment. She thought Georgiana's situation would not improve.
When Elizabeth was pouring herself a cup of tea, she saw Mr. Darcy leaving his sister's bedroom and felt very sorry to see his downcast face. "Mr. Darcy, would you like a cup of tea?"
"Yes, thank you, Elizabeth," Mr. Darcy replied, sitting in a chair near the window.
Elizabeth handed him the cup of tea and sat in the chair facing him. She did not know what to say and was exhausted. She planned to return to Georgiana's room and try to sleep for a few hours.
"Thank you very much, Elizabeth. Please do not go… if you do not mind, I would like your company for a few minutes. I want you to know that I am very grateful for what you have done for Georgiana. Even though she has known you for a very short time, I can see you have earned her trust and affection. Well, it does not surprise me. I still remember that you walked almost four miles to care for your sister when she was ill."
"And I still remember the horror on Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst's faces when they saw my muddy petticoat," replied Elizabeth, a little nervously. She did not want to converse with Mr. Darcy but realized he needed to talk to someone and was sorry to leave him alone.
"Bingley's sisters are very rigid with that sort of thing," said Mr. Darcy, smiling.
"And you? What was your opinion when you discovered I had walked several miles on muddy roads to inquire about my sister's health? I must be honest; I truly believe you have the same rigid views regarding certain social norms."
"You are correct, Elizabeth. I must admit that it did not seem proper to me that you walked alone but for different reasons than what you think." When Mr. Darcy saw Elizabeth's questioning face, he clarified. "I consider it dangerous for a young lady to walk alone in the field without protection. I think your parents should have made sure you traveled to Netherfield safely, but I appreciated your noble gesture in walking to Bingley's home to look after your sister."
Elizabeth was a little surprised to see the change in perspective of the always stern and pretentious Mr. Darcy. Without a doubt, his sister's situation had significantly affected him. Elizabeth wished to rest, but Mr. Darcy continued speaking.
"Georgiana is my only family; she is my responsibility, and although I failed her once, I am willing to do anything to protect her. When my mother died, sadness took over my father and filled every corner of the house. I was twelve, and I felt so alone and sad, and in Georgiana, I found comfort. She was two, and she was such a dear little girl... I spent hours and hours playing with her, and sometimes, I even fell asleep in her room. I remember reading all my favorite stories to her, and she always listened and paid attention. Later, when I went to school, I always wrote, and Mrs. Reynolds read her my letters. And on vacation, I took advantage of every moment to be with her…"
Mr. Darcy did not stop talking, and Elizabeth listened attentively. For the first time since she had known him, she could see his human side. In their previous interactions, he seemed to be in control of his actions and emotions. Seemingly, Mr. Darcy was human, after all.
"I understand very well your sentiments, sir. I also have many happy memories with my sisters," Elizabeth added, and she could not help but feel a little sad.
"Elizabeth, do you think Georgiana will recover?" Mr. Darcy asked.
"She is young and strong… Mr. Darcy, please do not waste a second of your time on negative thoughts; it is not good for you. Georgiana needs you more than ever."
"I know, but... My mother never recovered from giving birth to Georgiana. But you are correct; I should not waste my time thinking about that."
"I believe it is time for me to return to the room with Georgiana; I want to be by her side if she awakes. Please rest, Mr. Darcy. I promise I shall let you know if anything happens," Elizabeth said and stood up.
When Mr. Darcy saw that Elizabeth was about to leave the room, he also stood up and took one of her hands. "Elizabeth, I…"
Elizabeth was surprised when Mr. Darcy took her hand, but she was even more surprised when she saw how he looked at her. For his part, Mr. Darcy wanted to thank Elizabeth and tell her how pleased he was to have her by his side and that he had felt great admiration for her since he had met her.
"Mr. Darcy, I…"
"Elizabeth…" Mr. Darcy said and brought his face closer to Elizabeth's without knowing much of what to do. He wanted to kiss her, but above all, to look closely at her pretty face and beautiful eyes.
Elizabeth did not know what was happening but could not stop looking at her husband. Undoubtedly, he was one of the most handsome men she had ever met and whom many admired. She sensed that Mr. Darcy was going to kiss her and did not have the strength or the desire to look away from him.
"Madam, Mr. Darcy… Miss Darcy is very ill and in pain; please come see her," said Georgiana's maid, interrupting them.
Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth forgot about everything happening between them and immediately went to see Georgiana.
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Thanks to everyone who leaves comments and follows the story with enthusiasm.
In the next chapter, Mr. Bingley will have to make a decision when things get complicated in Pemberley.
See you soon!
Saludos,
Yo