Mr. Darcy's Kindness by Rose Fairbanks

Author:Rose Fairbanks
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rose Fairbanks
Published: 2021-08-18T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

August 4, 1812

Darcy House, London

“Mr. Darcy,” his valet, said while shaking him awake. “Sir, Mr. Bingley says it is an emergency.”

“Leave off, Haines,” Darcy shrugged and rolled over. He had been ill with the fever afflicting many in London but he had little true desire to overcome it. Perhaps in death, there would be relief from the torment of knowing Elizabeth married another. He had returned Bingley to Jane and they were engaged. Georgiana was nearly seventeen. She was no longer a child.

He had no purpose in life and no reason to fight the infection. He had not left his bed in weeks. Instead, he welcomed the times delirium claimed him. Then, he would dream of Elizabeth. Except, it had been over a week since his fever broke and he no longer felt consuming fatigue in his bones. It was a persistent, soul-crushing melancholy that now filled him.

“He says it involves a shared acquaintance. A Mrs. Collins.”

Darcy rolled to face his servant. “He said it was an emergency?”

“Yes. He swore you would wish to know. Shall I send him in?”

“Yes,” Darcy said and eased himself out of bed. He waved off Haines, determined that he could manage a few feet on his own. After putting on his robe, he hobbled to a chair near the fireplace.

“Darcy,” Bingley rushed in. “I know you are ill but there is no time to delay. You might have invaluable information.”

“Good God, man! What is it! What has happened to Elizabeth!”

“Mrs. Collins? She is perfectly well, last I heard. She ought to be at Longbourn by now. It is Lydia--the youngest sister.”

Darcy relaxed a minuscule amount. “Is she not in Brighton?”

“She was. Now we do not know where she has gone off to but it does not seem to Scotland.”

“Scotland!”

“She has eloped! With Mr. Wickham!”

Darcy’s heart thudded. He would never be free of that despicable man. Months ago, Anne had written to him pleading to explain Darcy’s history with Wickham to Elizabeth. Anne did not discern, at the time, that he was in love with her friend—that letter came later—but she cared deeply that her friend respect and esteem Darcy. He was vain enough and hurt by Elizabeth’s clear dislike that he had wanted her to know. Now, it seemed he had been a fool and allowed matters to be explained to the wrong sister. Elizabeth was Mrs. Collins and instead of exposing Wickham to her—who would never break that trust and share his private concerns with others—Darcy knew he ought to have exposed Wickham to others in Hertfordshire, to his colonel at the least.

“What is being done to recover her?” Darcy asked his friend.

“Colonel Forster has followed as far as he could find reports of them but was left stumped some miles outside of London. They hired a hackney instead of getting on a post carriage, so they certainly are not bound for Scotland. They must be hiding somewhere in Town. Mr. Bennet arrived at the Gardiners’ this morning.”

“He cannot mean to really marry her, she is not rich enough for him.

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