Page 47 of Fitzwilliam Darcy Undone
“You now see why I had to strip her powers? She is at times too emotional and if she could, you’d be seriously hurt or maimed by her anger.” Mama put on her bonnet and tied the fetching ribbon beneath her chin. “I shall have to have a serious talk with her. She’s going to find out the rest of us have magic and wonder why she doesn’t.”
“Oh, Mama.” Lizzy laid her head on her mother’s shoulder. “You did what you thought best. All will turn out fine.”
They finished their goodbyes and made their way downstairs and caught Lydia talking with Mr. Wickham through the carriage window. At their impending arrival, he whispered something in her ear and quickly walked away, joining his fellow officers who’d waited while he chatted with Lydia.
“What did Mr. Wickham say to you, Lydia?” Mama demanded after they’d entered the carriage and were on their way.
“Nothing that would interest any of you.”
“Lydia Eleanor Bennet. You will tell me what you spoke of, or I shall send you back the nursery and you won’t attend another party or ball for the next three years!”
“Fine!” Lydia crossed her arms in front of her chest and scowled at Mama. “He asked if he could have a dance at the ball Sir William plans to hold to celebrate Charlotte’s engagement.”
“And that is all, Lyddie?” Lizzy asked, sensing it was partial truth, but not all.
“If you wish to knoweverydetail ofeveryconversation I have witheveryperson I meeteveryday, then I suggest you attach yourself to my ribbons and stay close. Otherwise, I am not going to repeateverything I say toeverybody.”
“Fine, Lydia. It’s just that I don’t quite trust Mr. Wickham.”
“And he doesn’t trust you. In that you are equal.”
“Enough, girls.” Mama turned her attention back to Lydia for the final time before they arrived home. “We will discuss this tomorrow young lady after Lizzy and Mr. Darcy leave for their wedding trip, and if I find you are keeping secrets... well, let’s just say you will not be a happy girl.”
All too soon, Lizzy and Jane were alone in their bedroom. They’d briefly hoped to marry on the same day once Mr. Bingley had received Papa’s blessing, but as discussed in London, Fitzwilliam produced a common license and Papa made a public show of agreeing for them to marry without posting the banns. Mama had, at first, been a little upset but after a few quiet words from Papa, she’d agreed. However, she told Jane and Mr. Bingley they had to wait until spring as she demanded to host one proper wedding for her daughter.
“Are you scared, Lizzy?” Jane asked as they prepared for bed.
“No. I’m wanting all of this to be over and start my life as Mrs. Darcy.”
“Can you believe how well this all turned out. Why, it was only a week ago that I held the belief Mr. Bingley would never return. It must have been his sister’s doing. They were certainly no friends to his acquaintance with me, which I cannot wonder at, since he might have chosen so much more advantageously in many respects. But when they see, as I trust they will, that their brother is happy with me, they will learn to be contented, and we shall be on good terms again; though we can never be what we once were to each other.”
“That is the most unforgiving speech,” said Elizabeth, “that I ever heard you utter. Good girl! It would vex me, indeed, to see you again the dupe of Miss Bingley’s pretended regard.”
“And to think, tomorrow you will marry Mr. Darcy.” Jane did a small twirl of delight, her nightdress billowing around her calves. “We shall be married to best friends. Life cannot get any better.”
“Yes, it could,” Lizzy teased. “You and Mr. Bingley could close up Netherfield Park and buy an estate closer to Pemberley!”
“Oh, I couldn’t do that to Mama.” Jane looked at Lizzy in horror. “She’d never forgive me.”
“Jane, trust me when I tell you Mama understands better than most what it means to leave family for the man you love.”
“You are a strange one, Elizabeth Bennet.” Jane picked up a small decorative pillow and threw it at her sister’s head. “Mama’s family lives here in Meryton, not more than a mile from us.”
“Yes, what was I thinking? My brain must be addled from all the excitement.”
“Then I suggest we crawl into bed and fall asleep as fast as humanly possible.”
Lizzy waited until Jane had fallen asleep to quit their bed and sit by the window. She tried to reach Fitzwilliam with her mind, with no success. She still could only traverse small distances. The familiar creak of the family stairs to the lower level interrupted her concentration.
Opening the door just a crack, she caught sight of Lydia, creeping down the stairs, fully clothed, a small valise in her hand. Not wanting her sister to cry out and wake everyone, she slipped into the hall and crept down behind her sister. Who was Lydia meeting? And for what purpose? Unease settled about her shoulders like an itchy shawl. This had all the earmarks of an elopement. Only one question remained. Who was the prospective groom?
Lydia made her way to the westward facing drawing room, the one which led out to Mama’s rose garden and slipped through the terrace doors. She cursed the fact she was barefoot and briefly hesitated before running to the front vestibule where Hill kept a pair of old shoes to slip on if someone came to the door in the middle of the night. She shoved her feet in them and, although they flopped on and off her heels, hurried through the doors and began to scout around for Lydia.
A soft giggle at the far end of the garden had her speeding in that direction as fast as the loose shoes would allow. There was a little used gate which led to the road on that side of the garden and was obviously where Lydia was meeting her beaux. She careened around the corner and had gone two steps when blinding pain reverberated through her head and she fell, unconscious, to the ground.
~~oo0oo~~
“Well, gentleman, I believe I should return to Longbourn and get some sleep, otherwise Lizzy will have to leadmedown the aisle because I won’t be able to keep my eyes open.”
