Page 44 of Saved By Mr. Darcy
“Yes, of course. Would you be so good as to push me to the library? I think I should like to see it one last time. I will speak with Miss Darcy there.”
“Of course, Miss.”
Penny pushed Lizzy to the library in silence. Lizzy took note of every inch of the hallway as she passed; she had grown to love this place dearly. She knew in her heart that she would not see Pemberley again. Penny pushed her to the large window without asking, for all who were in the house knew that Lizzy dearly loved the view.
And what a view it was!
She looked over every inch of the land that stretched out before her, the happy memories she had forged here in times of suchdifficulty playing through her mind. She had dared hope that, one day, she might have a shelf with her own collection here. It was not to be, for her future lay in tatters at her sister’s wretched feet.
The door swung open, and Georgiana entered. Her hair flew behind her as she ran to Lizzy’s side, falling to her knees and clutching at her hands.
“Lizzy! Lizzy, this cannot be true!” she cried. “You must not leave!”
“I must go, dear Georgiana. There is urgent business in Hertfordshire.”
“What business can be so urgent that it would draw you to travel when you are not fit? You cannot last days in a carriage with your leg. It must not be jolted.”
“I do not care about myself. It is too dreadful to bear.”
“Whatever has happened, you must take care of yourself. Where is Fitzwilliam? He will not want you to go. I will go and…”
“He is gone. He heard the terrible position my family has found themselves in and left.”
“That is not the man I know. He must have gone ahead in your place. I am certain of it; he knows that you cannot travel. That he did not tell you is only telling that he saw the matter so urgent he could not dally a moment longer.”
“Perhaps.”
“Tell me, dear Lizzy. I hope that you can confide in me, and that we may share the burden of worry together.A worry shared is a worry halved, that is what they say.”
“It is here, in this letter. The ruination of my sister, and my own in turn.”
“What has happened?”
It was too dreadful to speak of. Lizzy wanted to keep it to herself - perhaps if the words never left her, then this terrible thing would be just a dream. The moment the words were in the air, they could not be taken back. Georgiana could be trusted not to turn this into idle gossip, and though Lizzy knew the situation would be all too familiar to her, she must be told.
“My sister Lydia, the youngest of us all, went to Brighton with some friends of our family. I warned against it! I knew that she was too wild, and that the Forsters would not keep her in hand. And now she has gone, eloped some weeks ago. Who knows what terrible thing has become of her.”
“Weeks ago? Why have they only told you now?!”
“My mother…” Lizzy cleared her throat, the lie she was about to tell making her feel hot and uncomfortable. “My mother did not wish to impede my recovery with the stress of such a thing.”
“They have asked you to go home? They must know you are not nearly recovered!”
“Jane would not ask me, but I know my duty. I must go home.”
“I will come with you.”
“Your brother would not allow it.”
“My brother is not here. We shall take Mrs Annesley with us, and your maid, and travel to Hertfordshire at once.”
“You would do that for me?”
“I would do anything for you, Lizzy. You are my friend. You might be the first proper friend I have ever had.”
“You are my friend. And as you are my friend, I must tell you the truth of what has happened. I shall be ruined anyway, and I could not take you to Hertfordshire without telling you the truth. Oh, I am sorry for it. The man my sister has stolen away with, he…”
“Is he a terrible rogue? Will he harm her?”
