Heavy rain continued to pour overnight, keeping Netherfield's residents and guests within. The lack of outdoor physical activity was beginning to frustrate a few of them. When Elizabeth went down for breakfast, no one else was in the parlour except for Mr Darcy who was staring out the window. She was about to reverse her steps, hoping her presence would go unnoticed, but then the gentleman greeted her.
"Good morning, Miss Elizabeth."
"G-good morning, Mr Darcy. I hope I am not too late for breakfast."
"You are not, however, I think the inclement weather has not given the others any inducement to rise on time," he smiled at her.
Not knowing how to react to the man's gaze, the lady slowly walked towards another window and studied the depressing sight.
"How is Miss Bennet?"
"She is still in bed. She has slept better than the night before."
"That is good to hear."
Mr Darcy settled on a seat where he could admire the handsome lady's profile. The pair remained in silence for a good quarter of an hour before someone intruded on their peaceful moment.
"Good morning, Mr Darcy, Miss Eliza," announced Caroline, displeased about the gentleman's fixed look on the country bumpkin. "I am sorry that the weather prevents you from going out for a ride, Mr Darcy."
"It is but a minor inconvenience. I can use the time to meditate on other pleasurable things," Darcy replied, barely taking his eyes off Elizabeth. While waiting for the rest of the party to join them, Caroline tried to engage the man in conversation to distract him from the other lady but had no success.
"I hope you slept well, brother," Caroline greeted Charles who was the last person to arrive.
"I was awoken in the middle of the night by the housekeeper. A man was found on our grounds," he reported to the astonished group.
"A man? Who is it?"
"We do not know. He is still unconscious. Mr Jones has been called for to examine him," Charles added.
"Upon my word, Charles! Are you saying that you have allowed stranger inside the house?" Caroline exclaimed. "What if he is a dangerous man? He could be a bandit or a fugitive!"
"He is unconscious and feverish. He cannot do any harm while he is in such a state. I have asked servants to keep watch on him," Charles explained to his disbelieving sister. "None of the household staff recognise him. He is not a local. They suspect it is someone travelling who met an accident due to the slippery roads."
"Meryton is a very safe and peaceful town. There is hardly any crime here, and if ever there is any, it is most likely to be a minor offence," Mrs Bennet reassured them. "I remember last month, Mrs Long made a huge fuss over losing one of her earrings. She thought someone had stolen it. As it turned out, she had merely dropped it on the dance floor at the assembly."
"Oh, and we have the militia stationed here. There are so many handsome officers! They will keep us all safe!" Lydia giggled.
"But we must still be careful," Mr Collins cautioned. "The unidentified man may not pose a real threat at present, but he might carry some contagious disease. It is best he is isolated from us."
"Oh, no! We do not want to risk any of us becoming ill," Caroline gasped.
"In the meantime, he is safely hidden away in the furthest guest room. We will just have to wait for Mr Jones's advice. The apothecary might as well live here given the number of patients he has to see."
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
The afternoon and evening found the Netherfield party leisurely passing the time using similar amusements as the day before. At one point, Caroline grew tired of feigning interest in a book. Her goal had been to impress Mr Darcy that she was developing her mind by extensive reading, but she noticed that he was paying her little attention.
"Miss Eliza, you must miss the outdoors. It is a shame that it still has not stopped raining for long enough to make the grounds suitable for walking, though you probably would not mind getting your hems dirty with mud," Caroline remarked.
"I would willingly suffer more in aid of a dearest sister," Elizabeth stated.
"Of course, our charming friend Jane. She is such a sweet, gracious girl. When she feels well enough to come down, perhaps she may wish to try her hand at our exquisite pianoforte. It is a Broadwood," the hostess drawled.
"Jane does not play, unfortunately."
"Pity. But she does have an angelic face and a beautiful smile," Caroline proclaimed before getting up and started walking around the room with an air of elegance. After failing to make Mr Darcy's head turn to observe her, she hovered behind the man who at the time was occupied with writing a letter to his younger sister Georgiana.
"Mr Darcy, I do not know how you manage all your correspondence. Do you not wish that someone could take some of the load for you?" she hinted.
"I do not think anyone ought to write my letters to my own sister."
"Oh, so you are writing to dearest Georgiana! Please send my regards to her. And tell her that I long to see her again and hear her play the instrument. She is such an accomplished young lady," she spoke in an effusive tone.
Hearing no reply, Caroline continued, "She must have grown a few more inches since the last time I saw her."
"She is probably the same height as Miss Elizabeth now, or a little taller," Mr Darcy eyed the lady pensively.
"I cannot wait to see her again in a few months! Mr Darcy, you write such lengthy letters and so evenly as well! Unlike my brother whose words I could barely make out. Half of the ink goes into the blots on his paper, and the other half spills on his shirt."
"That is not true, Caroline. Some of the ink splatters onto my cravat and the rest lands on my hands and face," Charles corrected his sister.
"Hmpf! You are just so careless," she sighed.
"Darcy's letters are so long because he chooses so many four-syllable words."
"Your ridiculous supposition is absolutely inaccurate," Darcy smirked.
"Now you are boasting!" Charles laughed.
"Your preposterous accusation is unwarranted and unjustified," Darcy declared.
"Your skill in the language is undoubtedly admirable, Mr Darcy. I wonder what your favourite four-syllable word could be," Elizabeth teased. "Miserable, despicable, contemptible, overbearing, superlicious--" she mumbled to herself but the man did not miss her words.
"I am undecided as to whether I should feel offended by the exclusively negative compilation of adjectives you have attributed to me. Are you deliberately misunderstanding me?" he asked.
"Five-syllable words! You have outdone yourself, sir. Impressed I may be by your extensive vocabulary, I cannot profess to be particularly intimidated," Elizabeth countered with little difficulty.
"I have a disinclination to allow this invigorating conversation to deteriorate into animosity," Darcy found their intellectual exchange quite enjoyable and the lady intriguing.
"That would be unfortunate, unnecessary and... unsatisfactory," Elizabeth relished delivering the last word.
Six syllables! She is unequivocally extraordinary, Darcy almost said out loud.
Before he could resume a witty retort, Caroline suddenly excused herself from company. Despite doing nothing specifically taxing, she dramatically claimed that she was exhausted and expressed worry that she may be coming down with some illness. She waited for a concerned reaction from Mr Darcy but Charles quickly requested that Louisa escort her upstairs so Mr Jones could also examine her but this was declined, opting to retire early instead. She had no desire to witness Miss Eliza brazenly monopolising Mr Darcy's attention.
Not long after, the apothecary appeared to share his report about the unknown patient. He provided a brief summary of his examination then said,
"I think he will soon regain consciousness. Just ensure his rest is not disturbed. It would not do well to unsettle him," the elder man recommended. "He is murmuring something. I am not entirely sure what he is trying to say. It sounds like… colonel."
Later that evening, Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy were both awoken by the housekeeper.
"I am so sorry to disturb you, but Colonel Fitzwilliam would like to speak to you. He says it is urgent."
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
Unedited chapter. I will try to organise my thoughts later this week. But yes, the colonel is here! Till next time.