Page 11 of Saved By Mr. Darcy
“Do not tell Lizzy of this letter. It shall only upset her, and we must not cause her any more pain! Excuse me, please. I must go and rest.”
“Of course.”
The two men watched as she left, though she walked slowly and with clear discomfort.
“She’s been struggling,” Mr Gardiner offered, heaving himself from his chair. He winced as the bruising and cracked ribs pained him once more. “We both have, in truth. Forgive me for my grumbling, sir.”
“Not at all. You have been through an ordeal, all of you. When you are ready to leave, I shall see you do so in comfort. Butplease, do not feel you have to leave Pemberley before you are ready. Mrs Bennet was right - it was my fault.”
“No, sir. Not your fault. An accident, that is all.”
“I will leave you to rest.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Mr Gardiner straightened, watching as Mr Darcy left. He was no wiser as to the man’s motivations, but he was certain of one thing; his actions were far more than a mere landowner’s responsibility.
∞∞∞
Darcy left the Gardiners to their rest, walking straight to Miss Elizabeth’s chambers. The door was ajar, and he was pleased to see Georgiana sitting by the bedside. She held a bowl of water in her lap, pressing a white cloth against Miss Elizabeth’s forehead.
“Fitzwilliam,” Georgiana looked up from her task with a smile. “I wondered why I had not seen you this morning.”
“How is she?” he asked, taking a step into the room.
The shutters were closed, the room lit by candles. It felt unbearably suffocating, and he could not help himself. He walked to the windows and pulled the shutters open. The room flooded with the morning light. He opened a window, too, welcoming the slight breeze and chorus of birdsong. That was better; how could Miss Elizabeth be expected to recover in such a stifling environment?
“She is weak,” Georgiana said softly, making no comment on his interference. “It is strange. I do not even know her, and yet I feel concern and love for her as though she were my sister. How can that be, that one can care so greatly for a person one has never spoken to?”
He did not doubt that Georgiana was sincere in her sentiment. She had always been a sensitive soul, quick to form attachments. He tensed, remembering how badly this charming quality had been abused and manipulated by those who would do her harm. Now, Georgiana was often more cautious in her behaviour; withdrawn, perhaps, a quality he saw in himself that he did not want for his sister. Such a quality had done him no service at all.
“I believe you would be great friends. Miss Elizabeth is a lively sort, with a quick and imaginative mind. She would be a fine companion for you, I’ve no doubt.”
Some months ago, he might have said anything but. Perhaps he would have said that Miss Elizabeth Bennet did not hold enough accomplishments, nor did she have a temperament conducive to being a good influence on a young girl such as Georgiana. He knew now that he was wrong; he had had all this time to consider his mistakes. And now, Miss Elizabeth was here - and he could not correct his wrongs, nor could he tell her just how much he still loved her. She loathed him still.
And he deserved it.
“Mrs Gardiner said the same. She said Lizzy-”
“Miss Elizabeth.”
He did not dare to think of her as Lizzy, even for a moment, for doing such a thing would allow himself an intimacy he was not entitled to. If he were to think of her as Lizzy, much less utter theword out loud, he would begin to think of her as something more than just his guest. She had made it quite clear in the past that she did not wish for such a close attachment to him. He would respect that, even if those around him slipped into informality.
“You love her, don’t you?”
Georgiana’s voice interrupted his thoughts, and he looked up.
“Georgiana,” he said warningly. “You do not know what you are saying.”
“I thought as much when you made mention of her in your letters to me when you were in Hertfordshire. You spoke of her in a manner I had never seen before; you certainly did not hold such reverence for Caroline Bingley.”
“You are wrong.”
“Am I? Take these past days. I have never seen you so distraught, brother, not even after the death of dear Papa. You pace outside this room day and night. You do not eat, or sleep. You look to be in worse health than either of the Gardiners, and you have not suffered their misfortune.”
“I am concerned for her health. That is all.”
“And yet, you do not patrol the halls outside Mr and Mrs Gardiner’s room as they recover their strength.”
