Page 61 of First Impressions
She gave a quick nod and stepped away from him.
“I have to go home. I have to find a way to tell my mother and the rest of my family. We need to figure out how to find her.”
Darcy’s jaw clenched. “Of course.” His hands released her and she immediately felt the loss of support.
Numbly she walked back inside the house, Darcy trailing behind her, hoping she could hold it together in front of his sister. As they re-entered the room, Beth saw the concerned and questioning stares from Phil and Georgiana.
“Phil, I’m sorry. T-there’s been a small family emergency. I need to get back home.” Her voice only shook a little as Phil’s eyes widened in shock and he set down his fork and stood up immediately.
“Of course. Of course.” He came over to her and put a supporting hand on her shoulder. “Thank you both so much for your hospitality and for lunch; it was delicious. Georgiana, it was a pleasure talking with you; good luck at school. Darcy, we’ll be in touch.” He reached out to shake Darcy’s hand.
Georgiana had stood up at Beth’s announcement and now walked over to her and enveloped her in an unexpected hug.
“It was wonderful to meet you, Beth. I hope everything is ok and that we’ll get to see each other again soon.” Beth could have cried at the sincere kindness that emanated from her. She hugged Georgie back biting her own lip in an effort to avoid tears. Even after only meeting her less than an hour ago, Beth knew that she could have become closer to this girl than all of her other sisters; well, besides Jane of course; she instinctively felt a bond between them, a bond that would eventually wither and disappear as she had effectively severed her future with Darcy.Don’t think about that now. Think about Lydia. Think about Jane.
Focus.
“Thank you,” she responded quietly, pulling herself out of Georgie’s embrace and turning to Darcy.
“Mr. Darcy. I’m sorry we have to leave so abruptly. You have a beautiful home and an even more beautiful sister. I can see why you treasure her so much.” She gave him a small smile.
Even though he looked like he was about to say something back to her, she was reminded of the urgency of her situation when her phone began to buzz again. She broke from his stare and answered the call from her dad as she and Phil were escorted out by Darcy and Georgiana.
“Dad?”
“Beth, have you talked to Jane?” He sounded distraught.Her parents knew.
“Yes. I’m on my way home now. Does mom know?” As if in answer to her question she heard a loud wailing sob in the background.
“Yes. She’s hysterical. What was Lydia thinking? Did you even know she was seeing this George person? Your mother claims she had no idea.”
“I don’t know. She didn’t say anything to me. I’m so sorry dad—” she broke off as she began to cry again. Phil took the phone from her as they reached the car and talked to John as Darcy helped Beth into the car.
“What do you need me to do, John? Does anyone have any idea where he would take her or where they would go?” Phil waved at Darcy and got in the car, focused on his conversation.
Beth looked out the window and watched Darcy as he listened to what Phil was saying. When Phil asked her dad those questions, she saw Darcy’s face harden as he turned and stalked back into the house, pulling out his cell phone just as the door closed behind him. Phil got in the car and drove them back to the city as fast as possible.
Chapter Forty
“Hello? Jane?”Beth called as she walked into her parent’s home, Phil not far behind her. “Dad?”
Beth heard her mother’s cries coming from upstairs and she was about to go up the stairs when Jane appeared in the hall from the kitchen.
“Beth! Thank God you are here,” she said as she walked toward her sister to give her a hug.
Jane’s eyes were red and swollen from crying and Beth was pretty sure that hers were not much different. As she embraced her sister, she saw Charles coming out of the kitchen holding two cups of tea. She was surprised to see him and when her body stilled and pulled back, Jane turned to look at Charles and then sheepishly back to Beth.
“He was at the apartment when I got Lydia’s message. He refused to leave me when I was so upset,” she explained to Beth as a blush crept onto her face. “And then when dad called me that mom was beside herself, he brought me home. We were just making some tea to bring up to mom. She won’t stop crying and she keeps saying that she won't eat until we find Lydia.”
Of course, she won’t.Beth couldn’t help but roll her eyes, which earned her a hard stare from Jane. Of course, their mom was upset; her daughter was pregnant and missing but her pessimistic self couldn’t help from wondering how much of her distress was caused by the thought of the gossip that would ignite once word got out and what she was going to have to tell her ‘friends.’
“She’s a mess, Beth. Take it easy on her,” Jane said as she moved past her to give Phil a hug. “Thank you for coming; I know dad could use your help.”
Beth blushed as she said hello to Charles, unable to give him a hug since he was holding the tea cups.I wonder how much Darcy has told him. What if he told him everything that we did?That would be awkward.What if he told him how I refused him?God, that would be so much worse. Sheshuddered and moved towards the stairs, eager to get into a larger crowd of people; even if that crowd included her hysterical mother.
They entered the sitting room that adjoined her parent’s bedroom. Her mother was lying on the chaise, arm draped over her face wailing‘Why?!’over and over again. Her father was sitting in the chair next to the fireplace with his head in his hands, clearly distraught and at a loss over how to console his wife.
“Hey, Dad,” Beth said as she moved toward him to give him a hug.
