Page 46 of He Taught Me to Hope (Darcy and the Young Knight’s Quest #1)

Elizabeth did not argue. They continued to walk in silence and soon came across the spot of a cosy picnic she had arranged through his staff.

It was a delightful prospect, exactly as she had in mind.

Elizabeth pulled him along by the hand and urged him to sit on the large blanket arranged on the ground.

Darcy was forced to shed his mask of remorse and despair in response to Elizabeth’s warm gesture. After studying the contents of the baskets and retrieving a bottle of wine and two glasses, he endeavoured to make amends for his aloofness.

“Thank you, my love,” he began, “I apologise for my sour mood of late. I am especially sorry for the havoc the situation with Anne has wreaked on our wedding plans.”

“I accept your apology, Mr. Darcy, and I have tried to understand, believe me, though it has been rather difficult at times.”

“I know,” said he, “which brings to mind a matter which I have given some thought.”

“What is it?” Elizabeth asked as she set the preparations of fresh fruit aside, and beheld him intently.

How he adored her. He missed her. His gaze rested on her tempting lips, but alas, he turned away. How can I even think to kiss her, when poor Anne clings to life pursuant to my cruelty?

“I received a letter from my uncle, Lord Matlock. Lady Catherine continues to recover from her recent bout with ill-health. However, she is not yet fit enough to travel. Lord and Lady Matlock will come to Pemberley in her stead.” Darcy took Elizabeth’s hand in his and caressed it gently.

“You should not have to suffer the indignities that are sure to come with my uncle’s arrival.

I think it will be best if Georgiana, Ben, and you return to town. ”

Elizabeth attempted to withdraw her hand. Darcy would not allow it.

“Is that what you want, Mr. Darcy?”

“I wish to protect you from what might be a long drawn out wait, as Anne’s situation remains unchanged.”

“Do you wish for me to leave Pemberley?”

“I never wish to be parted from you.”

“Good, for I shall never leave you. You might as well accustom yourself to that fact.”

“I would much rather you stay. However, my guilt is compounded when I think of how my attendance to Anne comes at the expense of Ben and you.”

“You must allow me to worry about such matters. Ben misses you to be sure, and only you can fill that void.” Elizabeth covered their joined hands with her free hand. “Allow me to share this burden with you. What this situation calls for is far more objectivity and fewer guilt-ridden obligations.

“I shall be mistress of Pemberley soon enough. I shall act accordingly. From this point, I shall assume primary responsibility for Anne’s care.”

“No, you do not understand. I cannot expect that of you. After all, she should see my face if, no, when she first opens her eyes.”

“On the contrary, sir, yours is the last face she should see when she first opens her eyes. This clinging spiral will never end otherwise.”

Darcy’s countenance was riddled with doubt. Elizabeth traced her fingers along his cheek. “Anne does not need you to tend to her, not as much as you have done thus far. You, on the other hand, are very much in need of some tender loving care, and I mean to be the one to provide just that.”

Elizabeth leaned forward to kiss him on his cheek then sat back. The two lovers gazed into one another’s eyes once again. Darcy studied her lips intently then leaned forward and kissed Elizabeth softly, tenderly, and ever so sweetly. His kiss was filled with all the love he had for her.

The two young lovers were in accord. They would try it Elizabeth’s way.

Elizabeth took over the care of Anne. Her army of nurses notwithstanding, it was Elizabeth, who sat with her, read to her, and saw to it the nurses treated her in a manner befitting the master’s first cousin.

As Elizabeth’s stamina waned, Georgiana, and even Richard, aided her in her care of Anne. Darcy too maintained a vigil of sorts, even if not allowed by those who cared for him most to remain in Anne’s room for anything longer than to look in on her and then promptly take his leave.

What is occurring with Miss Anne? Ben’s curiosity would no longer be satisfied with vague responses, having asked the question of his mama, his friend Mr. Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and even Miss Georgiana on many an occasion.

One day, whilst the grown-ups were having dinner, he took it upon himself to learn what was afoot.

Ben slowly pushed the door of Anne’s apartment open and peeked inside. No one was about, save an elderly woman. The sounds emanating from her corner of the room confirmed Ben’s suspicion she was asleep.

Ben looked up and down the corridor, and seeing no one around, slipped inside.

He tiptoed across the fine thick carpet to have a better view of the woman in the bed.

It was the first he had managed a glimpse of her since her arrival some time ago.

He had imagined her to be a wicked witch—clothed in black, a long crooked nose, warts and all—given the storm that had descended upon Pemberley with her arrival.

He stared at her for a full minute. She does not look like a witch.

In fact, I have seen her before. We met at Camelot !

Ben eased a bit closer to the bed. She does not stir.

Is she dead? Is she merely asleep? “Miss Anne,” Ben spoke softly, taking care not to disturb the loud woman in the corner.

He was about to reach over to tap Anne’s shoulder, when the grip of someone’s hand upon his own caused in him quite a scare!

Wide-eyed, his heart racing, Ben lifted his head to see Darcy towering over him.

“Mr. Darcy! You startled me!”

“I should think so. What are you doing in here, Ben?”

“I-I wanted to see for myself what is taking place. I want to know if what everyone is saying is true.”

“Everyone, Ben?”

“Yes, everyone! Everyone says Miss Anne may never recover. Everyone says should she recover, she will be the next mistress of Pemberley!” Ben wrapped his arms around Darcy’s legs.

“I pray with all my heart Miss Anne recovers, truly I do.” He looked up to meet Darcy’s eyes.

“Should Miss Anne recover, what does that mean for my mama and me? Shall we be forced to leave Pemberley?”

Darcy lifted his young friend in his arms and settled in the chair beside Anne’s bed. “Ben, why would you ask such a question? You know your mother and I are to be married.”

“The wedding was to have taken place by now. I cannot help thinking you might be obliged to reconsider once Miss Anne recovers. She is family. My mama and I are not—not really.”

“Ben, you are mistaken. There is no one else on earth who means more to me than your mother and you.” Darcy held Ben closely. “You are my family. Nothing will ever change that.” Just then, Darcy noticed what Ben had been clutching in his hands.

“What is this you have here?”

Ben offered up the book he had brought into the room. “I thought I might read to Miss Anne for a spell,” he confessed.

“Why don’t I read to both of you?” Darcy suggested while reaching for the book and adjusting Ben in his lap so he might follow along.

Darcy observed the inside pages and noted, “Ah, another tale of the Knights of the Round Table. Do you imagine Miss Anne will enjoy hearing of fierce battles, evil enemies, treachery, and the like?”

“Why, of course,” Ben asserted, feeling much more assured than he did a few moments earlier. “What is there not to like?”

“Indeed,” uttered Darcy. “Now where do I begin?”

With Ben’s assistance, the two flipped through the well-worn pages of the book. “I suggest we start here! This is one of my mama’s favourite passages. I am sure Miss Anne would approve.”

“We shall see,” Darcy uttered wistfully, “we shall see.”

Later on, Elizabeth entered Anne’s room planning to spend time with her and was surprised to find her two favourite people.

Both of Anne’s guests had fallen asleep, Ben in Darcy’s lap.

The hired nurse was fast asleep, as well.

What is it about this room that encourages such lethargy, she wondered as she attempted to remove the book, already threatening to fall from Darcy’s hand on its own. Darcy stirred and opened his eyes.

Elizabeth placed the book aside. “I never thought to find the two of you here. What are you doing?”

Darcy slowly recalled himself to his surroundings and was slightly embarrassed to have dozed off. “I followed this young lad,” he began. “It seems he was interested in reading to Anne.”

“That is surprising.”

“Indeed, it turns out the little fellow has been spending time in the kitchen or elsewhere amongst the servants, who no doubt have been speculating about my cousin’s fate and her opinion she has some claim over me.”

“Oh dear! Were you able to put his mind at ease?”

“I hope so. I reminded him the two of you mean more to me than anything in the world. It is absolutely true, you know. I love you with all my heart. Nothing will ever come between us—ever again. ”

In a bold display of “public” affection, Darcy graced Elizabeth’s lip with a passionate kiss. “I love you, Elizabeth.”

Richard happened upon a startling discovery when he entered Anne’s room the next morning. She sat in the window seat overlooking an expansive maze garden, her eyes flooded with tears. Richard’s approach from behind caught her unawares.

“Anne?”

“Oh, Richard, I have been such a fool!” she confessed, not bothering to turn and face him.

“Anne, how long have you been awake?”

“They are a family,” she spoke poignantly.

It had been enough said. “Yes, Anne, they are a family—never to be parted.”

“Whilst I stand here on the outside, looking in.”

“You know, Anne, it does not have to be that way.” Richard sat beside his cousin and lifted her chin to meet his gaze. “You can always make amends.”

“After all the havoc I have wreaked upon Fitzwilliam’s life, I hardly know where to begin.”

Not long afterwards, Richard joined Darcy, Georgiana, and Elizabeth in the drawing room. He stood in the middle of the room and announced, “Anne is awake.”

Abruptly tossing his paper aside, Darcy jumped to his feet. “How long has she been conscious?”

“Anne has been awake for some time. I had a good long talk with her this morning,” he uttered.

“I must see her, at once,” Darcy proclaimed.

Richard raised his hand to halt his cousin’s progress. “And you will, in time. For now, she asks to speak privately with Mrs. Carlton. ”

Darcy and Elizabeth glanced towards each other. Elizabeth smiled at him in reassurance, and then walked up the stairs to Anne’s apartment.

The mid-morning sun beamed through the crack in the shades, prompting Elizabeth to walk over to open the curtains as had been her habit each morning.

Elizabeth did not know what she might expect and thus was surprised to see Anne sitting up in her bed.

She was even more startled by Anne’s extended hand, silently beckoning Elizabeth to sit with her.

“I feel I owe you an apology, Mrs. Carlton,” Anne explained. “Cousin Richard tells me that you would be enjoying your wedding journey, if not for me.”

Elizabeth was not quite certain how to respond to what surely must have been the greatest change in sentiments she had ever witnessed.

Perplexed, she responded tentatively, “You are correct. Mr. Darcy insisted on postponing our wedding until you recuperated. Are you saying you are reconciled to this fact?”

“Indeed. Some would say it is about time.”

“What has occurred to bring about this change of heart?”

“I had a long conversation with Cousin Richard. He spoke at length of the mayhem my stubborn persistence has hurled on our family. However, that alone was not the deciding factor.”

“Then what was, if I might ask?”

“It was you, Mrs. Carlton. You see, I have come to realise it was you who sat by my side for so many hours, read to me, cared for me. You demonstrated such selflessness when you could just as easily have exhibited scorn or derision towards me, as I surely meant to do towards you, or would have done if the situations were reversed.”

“How did you ascertain my part?” Elizabeth asked in a half-whisper.

“Does it matter?” Anne asked. “Suffice it to say, I have it on good authority.” Elizabeth then wondered whether Anne had feigned unconsciousness. Had she recovered sooner than was known by her nurse? The question would remain unasked .

Anne espied a glass of water on her bedside table. She attempted to prop herself up, so she might have a drink. Elizabeth reached for the glass and handed it to her, even held the glass in her grasp as she aided Anne in taking a sip.

Anne smiled in gratitude. “You see I do not begrudge my cousin his happiness one bit,” she continued.

“I deluded myself far too long in believing he and I shared a future, despite his words to the contrary. I mistook his kindness for something more. He is a good man. He deserves more than the utter disregard for his feelings I have shown him these past years.”

Anne reached for Elizabeth’s hand. “He deserves happiness. I believe he has found that with you. Though I would never presume to think you two need my blessing, I wish to tell you that you have it.”