Almost as soon as they were on their way Elizabeth drifted off to sleep. Sometime later she was half-woken by the jostling of the chaise and heard Mr. Darcy saying, "You should sleep. Wilkes tells me you were awake all night."

"Yes, sir," Rachel answered softly as if she were unsure whether to reply.

"You have done everything possible for Miss Bennet and there will be much to be done when we arrive at Pemberley. Resting now is the best thing you can do. If Miss Bennet were awake she would tell you the same, I am sure."

Whatever Rachel replied was too soft to hear. Their voices sounded muffled and far away.

Mr. Darcy spoke again. "I hope you are not keeping yourself awake with misguided self-reproach. You did very well in coming for me when you did. You should never have been put in the position you were with Mrs. Younge. In the future, I will be more careful."

He sounded so kind. Of what was he speaking? She would open her eyes and ask, in another moment she would… she would…

Elizabeth opened her eyes several hours later, Rachel and Mr. Darcy were both asleep. She went back to sleep and did not wake again until they stopped to change horses. By then she almost thought it could have been a dream, and had decided not to ask either of them about what she had heard. The next several hours passed slowly, she and Mr. Darcy talked now and then of inconsequential things, but the long silences between them were not awkward. They were both tired, the sleep they had gotten in the chaise was not the sort to refresh, but as the day wore on Elizabeth noticed that Mr. Darcy seemed to be particularly drawn. He did not sound at all like himself as they approached a post station and he said, "This will be the last time we will need to change horses."

When they stopped, he seemed to stumble a little when he climbed down from the chaise. "Mr. Darcy," she asked softly, "are you unwell? You look pale."

"I am only tired and stiff from the journey." He replied, "We will take some refreshment here and then it will not be much longer until we get home."

Elizabeth did not question him further, but she noticed that Mr. Wilkes, who had come forward to assist them, frowned and watched Mr. Darcy with a worried expression. The tea and food they ordered did seem to revive him for a time but after an hour or so he was nodding off again, and a short time later he started shivering. "Mr. Darcy?"

"Only cold."

"It is not cold." Elizabeth removed a glove and put her hand on his forehead. "You are feverish, the cut must have become infected."

"Mmm…"

Euphrosyne made a soft noise. Mr. Darcy opened his eyes and smiled at her, "Save your feathers until you are grown little one. Georgiana will see to me. She is already gone for a healer."[i]

Elizabeth would have been glad to believe Georgiana had gone for a healer but could not be convinced he knew what he was saying.

Euphrosyne, who had been on Elizabeth's lap, stood, moved to Mr. Darcy's lap, curled up in a ball, and purred loudly. [ii]

It was only a few more hours until they arrived at Pemberly, but it felt to Elizabeth as if this part of the trip took longer than all the rest. As soon as they stopped in front of Pemberly Mr. Wilkes was at the carriage door helping Mr. Darcy out. Elizabeth jumped down beside him and took his other arm but she only had to help support him for a short time before a man, whom she took to be the butler came out at relieved her of the duty. She almost disliked letting go of him but she knew the man would do him more good.

A footman held the door and a woman who must the housekeeper was coming toward them. "He needs a healer." Said Elizabeth. "Someone you can trust."

"I am here."

A woman in a dark green hooded cape had entered behind them. Startling everyone.

She pulled a feather from beneath the cape. "Georgiana brought me this so I knew I was needed here. Bring him to the nearest room where he can rest, and I will need boiling water as soon as possible." She glanced at Elizabeth, "Come I will need your help."

The housekeeper rushed off and the men took him into a nearby room and laid him on a sofa. The healer quickly removed her cape and set down a bag she was carrying. She studied the cut on Mr. Darcy's face, touched his face, sniffed at the cut, and took a vial from the bag.

"Sit him up." The two men did as she said and she held the vial to Mr. Darcy's mouth. "Drink."

He took a swallow and it made him cough, "Burns."

"Drink it down."

He did as he was told. "He can lay down now."

Elizabeth had picked up Euphrosyne when they pulled up in front of Pemberley. Now she placed her on Mr. Darcy's chest where she resumed her purring. The healer nodded. "Good."

She went to a nearby table removed a few more vials and some tools from her bag, handed a cloth and one of the vials to Elizabeth, "Clean as much as the cut as you can with this."

Then to the men she said, "Hold on to him make sure he doesn't thrash about."

"Won't thrash." Darcy murmured "…little one…"

But the healer ignored him. Elizabeth did as she was told while the healer worked on grinding the feather tip. As she worked she said, "If the bleeding starts again that is just as well. Do not try to stop it."

"Very well."

Mr. Darcy did not thrash about, he did not move, or respond in any way.

The housekeeper, whom Elizabeth would soon learn was named Mrs. Reynolds, was back quickly with the boiling water.

"Good." Said the healer, now poor it for me slowly, a few drops at a time while I mix. "Wait. And… now… a little more… wait…wait…now…only a drop or two more…wait…now."

When she was finished she brought the mixture to Mr. Darcy and said to Elizabeth, "Move."

Elizabeth stepped quickly out of the way. The healer took a small brush and applied the mixture to the cut on Mr. Darcy's face.

"Is he not to drink it?" Asked Elizabeth.

"No."

Elizabeth and Mrs. Reynolds stood watching in silence as the healer continued her work. At last, she nodded and stepped back. "That is all I can do for now. He needs to rest and heal. The drought I gave him will keep him asleep for several hours at least. In his current state, it would not do for him to drink anything, he might choke and waste it, and it is faster to get it directly in the blood, at least from what I have learned, I have never worked with a griffin feather before. Are there any more questions?"

"How long should it take to work?"

"There is no way of knowing. Anything else?"

"Is there anything we should watch for or anything in particular we should do for him while he is resting?"

Keep him warm but not too warm. A light blanket only. If he sweats keep him dry. If his condition changes send for me. The draught I gave him should keep him in a healing sleep. If he wakes, do not let him get up. He may have small sips of broth if he wakes enough to be aware he wants it. Anything else?"

Elizabeth looked toward Mrs. Reynolds, who shook her head, then at Mr. Wilkes who asked, "Can we move him to his bed or somewhere more comfortable?"

"Best to leave him for now. If he wakes and wants to move you can move him then, but make sure he has plenty of support the draught will make him dizzy, or just carry him, whether he likes it or not. Anything else?"

When it was clear the others did not have more questions, Elizabeth asked, "May I know your name?"

"I am called Hester."

"I am Elizabeth Bennet and this is Euphrosyne."

"She is your bonded."

"Yes."

"She does not look big enough to put down."

"She isn't really but she wants to help Mr. Darcy."

"Then you need to stay close."

"Yes."

"It is better if she continues her care. Are you willing to stay with him?"

"Yes of course." To be honest she was glad to have a reason to be allowed to stay with him.

"Are there any more questions?"

"No."

"I will return in the morning."

Without another word to anyone, Hester packed up her things, put on her cape, and walked out of the room. Elizabeth suddenly realized what it was that had been striking her as odd. It was not only that she did not bother to be polite, which under the circumstances Elizabeth had not given any thought to, everything she said was said in a monotone and she did not meet anyone's eye when she spoke. Yet there was a strong sense of confidence about her that gave one the sense that rather than deference, she could not be bothered with such mundane trivialities. Elizabeth wondered what it would be like to be so skilled that no one cared about social niceties.

Mrs. Reynolds followed Hazel out of the room. She returned a short time later with a tray and said, "I took the liberty of bringing you some dinner and there is broth and goat milk for Euphrosyne.[iii] Rachel has been shown to your room to unpack your things.

"Thank you."

"Is there anything else I can do for you, Miss?"

"Nothing for me. Has anyone been sent to inform Georgiana?"

"Miss?"

"She will know his feelings but not what is being done for him or what Hester has told us. All it will take is for someone to go to her and say what has been happening. She will understand well enough."

She noticed Mrs. Reynolds exchange a look with the men.

"I will go to her before returning to my duties," said the Butler. "I believe Mr. Darcy would wish it."

After he left Mrs. Reynolds turned to Mr. Wilkes. "You heard Hester he will be sleeping for some time. Go and have your dinner. I will eat once you come back. I will ring you if anything changes."

For a moment Elizabeth thought he would protest but he seemed to see the wisdom of it and left them.

Mrs. Reynolds pulled up a chair nearby and the two of them sat in silence while Elizabeth fed Euphrosyne. After a while, Mrs. Reynolds stood and put a hand against Mr. Darcy's forehead. It was what Elizabeth wished she could do herself.

"Is he still feverish?" She asked softly.

"Yes. He is about the same." Mrs. Reynolds was looking at Mr. Darcy as tenderly as a mother would her own son. "Hester is a talented healer. She is a bit odd but she will see Mr. Darcy right and then there is the feather."

Elizabeth wasn't sure if Mrs. Reyolds was saying it for her benefit or attempting to reassure herself.

"Georgiana gave my sister a feather when she was ill," Elizabeth told her. "It made a remarkable difference." There was no point in telling her it had made no difference for Miss de Bourgh.[iv]

Mrs. Reynolds's eyes widened but she did not comment.[v]

"Have you worked for Mr. Darcy long?"

"Since he was four years old, when I came here as a maid, or rather I have worked for his family since then, and lucky I am to have fallen in with such a Master, if I were to go through all the world I could not find a better. I have not heard a cross word from him in the whole time I have worked here."

Elizabeth was tempted to say that Mr. Darcy must spend a lot of time away from home for that to be the case but held her tongue. Mrs. Reynolds was clearly fond of Mr. Darcy, and it would not do to offend her.

"That is... remarkable."

"Indeed Miss, But I have always observed, that they who are good-natured when children, are good-natured when they grow up; and he was always the sweetest-tempered, most generous-hearted boy in the world."

Can this be Mr. Darcy! She had been wrong about many things, she knew he was capable of great kindness, but never a cross word since he was four years old?

She struggled to keep her expression neutral, but Mrs. Reynolds must have noticed her surprise for she added, "I say no more than the truth, and what everybody will say that knows him. He is the best landlord, and the best master, that ever lived; not like the wild young men nowadays, who think of nothing but themselves. There is not one of his tenants or servants but what will give him a good name. Some people call him proud, but I am sure I never saw anything of it. To my fancy, it is only because he does not rattle away like other young men."

"I am glad," said Elizabeth, "To hear such a fine account of him. So many people's happiness are in his guardianship, mine include, at least until Euphrosyne is old enough to leave her mother."

Mrs. Reynolds nodded, and Elizabeth thought she detected relief and approval in her expression. She wondered if Mrs. Reynolds had suspected her of having designs on Mr. Darcy. She did not know how much Mrs. Reynolds had been told about her. She could easily have drawn that conclusion, given how fond she was of her master, she probably thought every woman wanted to marry him.

"You may rest assured, Miss Bennet, of his doing everything possible to make you comfortable while you are with us."

"My Aunt spent the greater part of her youth in Lampton. She has spoken of Mr. Darcy's father as an excellent man.

"Yes, ma'am, that he was indeed; and his son will be just like him - just as affable to the poor."

Elizabeth felt that if this topic were to continue, she would be in danger of either offending Mrs. Reynolds by saying something less than glowing about Mr. Darcy or reawaking her suspicions by saying more in his praise.

Instead, she said, "Mrs. Reynolds, I would like to instruct Rachel not to wait up for me. Could you have her sent for or have someone pass on my instructions?

"Of course, Miss." As she stood to ring the bell Elizabeth finished feeding Euphrosyne and turned to her own dinner. A maid entered a short time later and Elizabeth gave her instructions for Rachel.

As Elizabeth finished eating Mrs. Reynolds checked Mr. Darcy's forehead again, "Still feverish but now quite so warm as before I think."

Having finished her meal Elizabeth drew her chair closer to Mr. Darcy and reached out so that she was touching Euphrosyne. It had to be done, they could not continue to be separated, no one could possibly question her motives for being in contact with her bonded, even if her bonded did happen to be on top of Mr. Darcy. And yet it felt very intimate, almost as if she had her hand on his chest.

Mr. Darcy opened his eyes, muttered something that sounded like "ballroom" and went back to sleep. Elizabeth and Mrs. Reynolds sat in silence watching him breathe.

i It is unclear if Mr. Darcy was delusional or actually understood Euphrosyne. It was her intention to offer him a feather but under the circumstances, it would be a reasonable guess. It is also possible that he understands Griffin's noises better than he thinks and with his defenses down he isn't convincing himself that he doesn't.

ii As with cats a griffin's purr can lower blood pressure, regulate breathing, and lower stress hormones helping people cope with illness and promoting healing.

iii She wouldn't be able to nurse and stay with Darcy.

iv It would seem that feathers work something like an antibiotic, only better. They work remarkably well for fighting infection but have never been known to heal a chronic condition, as seems to have been the case with Anne de Bourgh.

v Griffin feathers do not grow back, they don't give them away lightly.

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