Page 173 of The Governess of My Heart
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The next morning, Elizabeth was surprised when Charlotte came to her room before breakfast.
“Lizzy, we need to go downstairs. You have visitors,” Charlotte said.
“Who is it?” she asked in surprise.
“Please come with me.”
The moment Elizabeth entered the parlor, she could not believe her eyes.
Along with Darcy stood Mr. Brooks, and Elizabeth could not understand anything about his presence.
“Mr. Brooks, good morning. Fitzwilliam, I do not understand…”
“Miss Smith, I wish I had the courage to make this visit long ago, and I must be honest with you that I was ashamed to acknowledge my own failings,” Mr. Brooks said, unable to look at her face.
Elizabeth did not know what to make of his words, so she looked at Darcy who remained silent.
“We should have believed you when you pleaded with us that day. You were our responsibility; whatever you underwent under my roof was because of whom we let close to our family. We chose to believe his words, which caused you such disgrace. I cannot tell you how much I have repented my actions since the day I became aware of the truth,” he cried.
“Sir, the only reason my husband and I didn’t step foot in your house, demanding an explanation for your ill-treatment of myfriend, was because Elizabeth stopped us. What made you come here now?” Charlotte asked with anger.
Mr. Brooks was silent, and Elizabeth finally understood Darcy’s involvement in the matter.
“Mr. Darcy came to our home last night with Simon,” Mr. Brook said.
“Fitzwilliam, you didn’t have to do this,” Elizabeth said with tears.
“I must admit this with shame; we have learned the truth months ago, not yesterday,” Mr. Brooks confessed with guilt.
“What do you mean? How?” Elizabeth asked in shock.
“Some months ago, I was a witness to what he was capable of, and the day he chose to lay a hand on my wife still haunts me. Unfortunately, she was not as brave as you, and without my help that day, she would have been ruined,” he cried with shame.
Elizabeth looked at him in horror.
“Since that day, Tracy has kept to her room in fear and shame. She is unable to sleep, unable to eat, and has not been herself. I cannot tell you how ashamed we were for not believing you then. Until now, she is unable to face the world,” he said with remorse.
Darcy was already aware of the details, as the previous night, he had dragged Mr. Dean to Mr. Brooks’ house, forcing him to confess his misdeeds.
“I was unable to publicly shame him as much as he deserved as it would damage our family’s name,” Mr. Brooks said. “I do not expect you to forgive us, but you must know we deeply regret our actions.”
“Why is she not here?” Charlotte asked.
“My wife keeps to her room all day, and our family has never been happy after the incident. She does not even spend time with the children, and I do not know whether she will ever be able to forget what happened and move on.”
“What happened to Mr. Dean?” Elizabeth asked.
Darcy did not want to disclose how he was treated by Lord Anderson and himself the previous night and shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
“Fitzwilliam, what did you do?” she asked again.
“Nothing, he will not touch another woman again, I can assure you of that.”
“Miss Smith, I do not know how to ask you this, but I must do this for my wife’s sake. If you can visit her for once, if she has the chance to beg forgiveness from you, she might be able to recover. Would you please consider this?” Mr. Brooks pleaded.
“Absolutely not; Elizabeth will not set foot in your house again,” Darcy cried.
