Chapter 10

Elizabeth went to her suite of rooms instead of bothering to find where her father and Lydia had gone. She was certain she would be reunited with them soon for Lydia could never bear being scolded.

Mr. Darcy's words in the hallway haunted her. He did care for her. As she paced before the fireplace, she began to realize she cared for him too. Why must their mutual attraction reveal itself at such a terrible moment?

The shame over Lydia's behavior burned in her breast like the hot coals of the fire. It was one thing to suppose her youngest sister had behaved in a most scandalous manner, but quite another to hear it confirmed from the mouth of the rake responsible.

When she considered Lieutenant Wickham part of her family, Elizabeth felt ill. He was nothing more than a liar and a fortune seeker. Lydia had no fortune, but with Jane married her situation had changed drastically. Poor Jane! How she would bear the shame of Lydia's foolishness was beyond Elizabeth.

Before she might think through Lydia's options, her father knocked and entered with her teary-eyed, yet defiant, sister. "She will pass the day and night in your care, Lizzy. We will leave for home come the morrow."

Mr. Bennet left them and Lydia looked to Elizabeth with a challenge in her eyes. She whirled and rushed to the door without a word of warning, but Elizabeth had known she might do just such a thing since she had helped care for Lydia since she was just a toddler.

“You will not cause further distress for our family, Lydia. Not in Mr. Darcy’s home and not while I have any say in it, you may be certain of that. Papa’s health has suffered in order to find you and restore you to our family. Sit down and explain to me how you could love someone like Lieutenant Wickham.”

Elizabeth released her and stood with her hands on her hips before the door blocking any further attempts at escape.

Lydia flounced toward the window on the far side of the room and flopped down on the blue velvet chaise like the spoiled child she had always been. “I do not have to justify my love for my husband, Lizzy. Papa cannot have it annulled as we have consummated our vows.”

“Papa could make a complaint to Colonel Forster, Lydia. As it stands now, Captain Denny was brought to help return your groom to his regiment for punishment for leaving his post without permission. As it stands, he will be punished. The question is whether Papa will allow you to see him ever again.” Elizabeth softened her voice for she did not wish to hurt Lydia, only to make her see the facts of her situation.

“I will wait for him if they lock him up. Papa would not dare to keep me from him for I would tell all of our friends and neighbors how we were married over the anvil.” Lydia said, seeming quite happy with herself.

“Papa cares very little about gossip. He could arrange for you to be sent far to the North to live with Aunt Victoria. You had not thought of it had you?”

Lydia’s face fell and she began to wail and cry over how unfair everyone was and how they cared nothing for her happiness. Elizabeth covered her ears before pulling the bell by the fireplace to call for Fiona.

When the maid came, Elizabeth asked for tea to be brought and then went to her reticule to find whether she had any of her mother’s nerve tonic left.

A grudging giggle escaped her lips as she found the small brown bottle. This entire trip she had dosed her poor father for his health and now she meant to dose Lydia for her hysterical outbursts. She wondered when she might be the one in need of a tonic. Likely before midnight if Lydia did not settle down.

When the tea arrived, Elizabeth thanked Fiona and sent her away. “I will serve my sister as she is in no mood to be courteous to a soul who might cross her path.”

She poured Lydia a cup of tea and arranged a small sandwich on a plate with some fruit. Elizabeth looked to Lydia and found her staring out the window. In the blink of an eye, she poured the tonic into the tea and stirred it quickly.

After Lydia had finished her cup, she would tell her about the dose of nerve tonic as she did not like lying though Lydia certainly required something to soothe her tantrums.

“Come let us eat and have our tea, Lydia. You will have a horrible headache if you only wail and scream. Papa will be speaking with Lieutenant Wickham and may arrive at an agreeable arrangement if your husband has the good sense to listen.” Elizabeth said as she went to stand before her sister with her hand out.

Lydia stood and took Elizabeth’s hand. For a moment, she seemed the scared little girl Elizabeth remembered from their childhood days whenever she was presented with the specter of her older sisters finding out about her small misdeeds.

Elizabeth’s heart gave a squeeze. Yes, her youngest sister had behaved in a terribly shameful fashion if the lieutenant was truthful regarding the anticipation of their vows in Hertfordshire, but Elizabeth thought she must feel some regret.

If Lieutenant Wickham had only gone to their father and sought her hand, he would have found Mr. Bennet only too happy to see another daughter married off with his wife quite pleased in the bargain.

But Lydia had not chosen to follow a sensible path and her husband was not the kind to play by the rules laid down by society.

The sisters sat before the fire and ate in silence. Lydia drank her tea and her demeanor slowly changed to one of complacency. Elizabeth thought better of revealing the truth about the tonic for she did not wish to give Lydia reason to begin her complaints once more. It would be just as easy to reveal her secret after Lydia had taken a good long nap.

When they had finished their meal, Lydia took a quilt from the foot of Elizabeth’s bed and made herself comfortable on the chaise lounge by the window. In but half an hour, she was sound asleep.

Elizabeth awoke with a start as a cold draft sweeping down from the chimney chilled the skin on her arms. She sat up and looked with apprehension to the chaise. Lydia was there and she too sat up abruptly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

The light from the window was muted and Elizabeth hoped they had not slept so long. She stood and went to the clock on the mantel. It was just past five. They had slept for several hours.

Lydia called excitedly that it was snowing and Elizabeth hurried to the window. She could not see the moors at all now, only the furious white snow that blew every which way.

Fiona knocked and entered, ready to help them dress for dinner. “I came earlier and removed your tea cart whilst ye two were sleepin’. Tis time for dinner now.”

She went to Elizabeth’s closet and began searching for a dress. “That snow will surely keep us all inside for days. It will no be a pleasure to trudge through it on me way home tonight.”

Lydia clapped her hands with delight. “That means we cannot leave on the morrow as Papa hoped. I will get to see George again at dinner.”

The maid pulled out a gold velvet dress for Elizabeth and crossed the room to the other closet. She searched it and came out with a dress for Lydia and Elizabeth gasped.

Fiona curtseyed before the ladies. “Please pardon me, won’t ye? I unloaded your sister’s trunk whilst ye slept.”

“I did not think of unpacking her things since we were supposed to leave in the morning. Thank you, Fiona, you are most efficient.” Elizabeth smiled at the maid and turned to Lydia.

“I believe Papa will wish for you to have a tray brought up for dinner rather than join the party downstairs.”

Lydia took her dress from Fiona and stuck out her chin as Elizabeth often did when she was determined to have her way. “Then he may send me away in front of everyone. If I only catch a glimpse of my George, it will be worth it to know he is well.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Papa said I am to keep watch over you Lydia and I say you will have your dinner here with me.”

Fiona interrupted them. “Are ye speakin’ of the handsome lieutenant then? The one that came this afternoon? He is to remain downstairs and take dinner with us. He’ll no be dining with Mr. Darcy nor the like of such fine young ladies as yourselves whilst at Fitzwilliam Manor.”

Lydia had taken off her day dress on her own by this time and she stood screeching with her dinner dress over her head. Fiona looked to Elizabeth and the two went to help Lydia into her garment.

When they were done at last, she pushed them away and ran for the door. Poor Fiona had fallen for she was smaller in stature than Lydia. Elizabeth helped her to her feet before setting off after her sister. “I am sorry, Fiona.”

The young maid dusted off her rear and laughed. “It is no great surprise to see a young lass in love this near Gretna Green, miss.”

Elizabeth’s cheeks burned as she rushed from the room after her sister.