If Only In His Dreams (14 page)

Mr Jones pronounced Caroline’s death as he took the vial from Hurst.  Opening the vial, Mr Jones determined that the liquid was most likely belladonna.  “Your sister appears to have taken her own life, Mr Bingley.  You have my deepest condolences.”

“Hurst, go to your wife.
Louisa should hear the news from you or me.  I will remain here with Caroline.” Bingley stated as he attempted to stave off the flood of tears.  Once Hurst had left the room, Mr Jones and Bingley carried Caroline’s body to the bed. 

“I will send for
the
undertaker to come take care of your sister.” Mr Jones stated.  As he prepared to leave the room, Louisa Hurst ran in the room with Hurst close behind her.

“Caroline, oh sister, what have you done to yourself?” Louisa cried as she sat on the side of the bed.  “What was wrong with you to cause such behavior?  What should we have done to protect you from yourself?”

“Louisa, dearest, it was not your fault.  Your sister was not in her right mind.  She would not have allowed you or your brother to assist her, as she would never have acknowledged anything was wrong with her.” Hurst said as he placed a hand gently on her shoulder. 

“Your husband is correct, Louisa.  Caroli
ne was truly ill and has hidden the truth from all of us.
  She made the decision to behave the way she did; we are only guilty of not seeing just how ill she was.” Bingley stood and walked
out of the room.  He did not pay attention as to where he was walking until he found himself outside the door to the rooms where Elizabeth was being tended to.  He knocked lightly on the door and was pleased to find Jane Bennet to be the one who answered it.  “Miss Bennet, I know that you are quite busy with your sister, but would you spare a moment to speak with me on a matter of extreme importance?”

Confused by his behavior, Jane nodded her head.  She turned to inform Lady Anne that she would be down the hall for a few moments; then Jane followed behind Bingley as he led her to a sitting room nearby.

Alex had watched the exchange between his sister and Bingley, and though he knew that it would be improper for them to be alone in the sitting room, there was something in Bingley’s expression that begged forgiveness in allowing them a few moments alone.

Jane took a seat in the sitting room and waited for Bingley to begin.  She watched him pacing arou
nd the room until finally;
he came to a halt in front of her.  Kneeling down in front of her, Bingley took hold of her hand.  “Miss Bennet, I have been struggling for days as to how to approach you.  I have found that my life is not complete unless you are at my side and I beg of you, I plead with you, to accept me and do me the great honor of agreeing to be my wife.”

“Mr Bingley, I am pleased to hear the words from your lips, as I had hoped you would make me an offer.  Though I am
pleased to accept you, I also realize that there is something wrong.  Your expression and your eyes tell me that something drastic has happened.  Please, tell me what has taken hold of your heart to cause you so much pain.”

The tears that had been welling up in Bingley’s eyes began to overflow.  “You know of your sister’s condition, of how she became to be so ill?”  Seeing her nod her head, he continued.  “Are you aware that my sister, after poisoning your sister, took leave on horseback?  Mr Hurst located her and when he attempted to bring her back to the house, she stabbed him in his shoulder.  Mr Hurst ended up punching her to control her, knocking her senseless.”

“Mr Bingley, how awful for you to endure; is Mr Hurst well?”  Jane asked cautiously. 

“He will recover, though we need to keep watch of signs of infection.  I pray that he does not take a fever.”

Jane knew that this was not the end of the story.  “What has happened since then?”

Bingley took Jane’s hand in his own, bringing it to his lips and kissing the back ever so
gently.  “My sister, Caroline, has…she took…”

“Did Miss Bingley do something to cause harm to someone else?” Jane asked, frightened at the possibility that someone else was injured.

Bingley leaned until his forehead rested against Jane’s.  “My sister has taken a fatal dose of poison.  She has taken her own life.  I found her just moments ago.”

“Mr Bingley, please accept my condolences.  How terrible, you found her dead?”

“Indeed, I found her, though I am not certain that it is horrible.  Perhaps it is horrible for me to say this, but her death eliminates having to deal with her crimes that she has perpetrated against others.  Is it heartless of me to feel relief
rather than grief?”

“No, Mr Bingley, it is quite understandable after all that Miss Bingley has done.  I am not sorry to know that she is dead, though I know it is better to forgive.  She nearly killed my
sister
and your own brother in law as well.
” 

“I wish to begin a new life.  Starting today, I wish to begin a new life.  I will no longer be responsible for my sister or her actions.  I wish to begin a life with
you by my side.  Marry you if you are willing and
raise a family with you, to be the master of my own property.  Please tell me that you will make me the happiest of men and agree to be my wife.”
Bingley was looking Jane straight in the eyes, pleading with her.  Jane took a moment before she nodded her head.  “Yes, oh, yes. I will marry you.”

Chapter 14

Elizabeth woke with a headache that made her groan as she attempted to open her eyes.

“Lizzy, can you hear me?” Lady Anne asked.  When Elizabeth nodded, Lady Anne continued.  “Are you in pain, Lizzy?”  Again, Elizabeth nodded.

There was movement in the room and
low voices speaking in the background.  Elizabeth attempted to open her eyes, and in finding the light causing her headache to become more painful, she closed them again.  Then she heard someone enter the room.  A familiar voice spoke softly to her.

“Miss Elizabeth, it is a true pleasure to see you waken.  You gave us such a fright, young lady.”

“Mr Jones?” Elizabeth whispered.  “What happened?”

“You had a mishap, but fortunately you have survived.”  Mr Jones stated.  He began to examine his patient and determine any damage the poison had done.  “What is the last thing you remember, Miss Elizabeth?”

“I was at Netherfield Park, having tea.  What sort of mishap could have occurred while I was having tea?”

“There was some hemlock in your tea.  Fortunately it was not a fatal dose.”

Elizabeth’s eyes quickly
opened
, and she raised her hand to shield them from the light.  “How did hemlock come to be in my tea?  Was anyone else poisoned?”

Lady Anne leaned forward, taking hold of Elizabeth’s hand.  “My dear girl, Miss Bingley placed the hemlock in your tea, no one else was poisoned.  As Mr Jones has stated, fortunately it was not a fatal dose.”

“What has become of Miss Bingley?  Has she admitted to committing this crime?”

Lady Anne shook her head.  “No, she did not admit to it, though the vial was found in her gown’s pocket.  It was found after the men went in search of her, and sh
e stabbed Mr Hurst with a knife.”

A gasp escaped Elizabeth.  “She stabbed her brother in law? And what do you mean, the men had to search for her?  Where was she?”

It was difficult knowing just how much information to tell Elizabeth in her condition.  Looking at the apothecary who had known Elizabeth all of her life, Lady Anne saw him nod for her to continue telling the young lady the truth.  “Miss Bingley left the house just after you were taken ill and brought to this room.  Mr Jones informed us that you had been poisoned, so William and Mr Bingley went to confront Miss Bingley.  She had left the house and made her way to the st
ables, taking one of the horses, and rode off.  Mr Hurst was the first to locate her, and she stabbed him in the shoulder. The other men located
them just after Mr Hurst had been stabbed.”

“What will come of her?” Elizabeth asked as she closed her eyes.

“Lizzy, we just learned a few moments ago that Miss Bingley has taken her own life.  She had some other poison in her rooms and she took it when no one was looking.  Mr Bingley discovered her after she was already gone.”

Elizabeth attempted t
o sit up.  “Oh, poor Mr Bingley,
to have to endure such trials and then to be the one to discover her dead body, it is too much for one to bear.  Is there anything we can do to aid Mr Bingley?”
 

“You must rest, Lizzy.  You are still
quite ill.  Miss Bennet is with Mr Bingley.  I believe that Mr and Mrs Hurst are in their rooms, wishing some time to sort through all that has happened.”

“Please, I must do what I can to help.  I will be fine.”

“Miss Elizabeth, I beg to differ.  You are quite fortunate that Miss Bingley did not know what she was doing.  If she had, you would not be here with us.  I, for one, am pleased that you survived her attack against you.”  Mr Jones said with a smile on his face.  “Now, I insist that you remain in bed until I
tell you otherwise.  You will most likely have a headache for a few more days, and we will need to see if you can hold down food.  You had quite a spell before you collapsed; we need to ensure that you will be able to tolerate some nourishment or you will not have the strength
stand up.”

“
I know that William will not hear of you getting up from this bed until Mr Jones says that it is safe for you to do so.” Lady Anne stated, giving her future daughter a stern look.  “He has been so worried and
he will insist that
anything that you might need for your comfort be provided for you.”

“This is not necessary.  I assure you, I will be fine.  Give me an hour or so and I will be myself again.” Again, Elizabeth attempted to rise from the pillow.  Mr Jones placed a hand on her shoulder and gently, but firmly, refused to allow her to rise.

“Miss Elizabeth, I am certain that your brother and Mr Darcy will both agree with the use of rope to hold you to the bed if you do not cooperate.  I know, after all these years, that you have never been a good patient, but it is necessary for you to do as I tell you.
”

“And if necessary, I will send William in here to make sure that you comply with Mr Jones’s directio
ns.  You had best know this now;
my son can be very stubborn.  He is very much like his father.”  Lady Anne laughed as she remembered her own husband’s ways.

“Very well.” Elizabeth finally conceded defeat.  “I promise to behave myself.”  She yawned and had difficulty keeping her eyes open any longer.

“That is good.  Now, sleep my dear girl.  I am so very relieved that you will soon recover.”  Lady Anne’s words nearly caught in her throat, as a tear rolled down her cheek. 
Elizabeth had become important in all of their lives and the thought of her dying was overwhelming to the current Mistress of Pemberley.

Not long after Elizabeth was sleeping soundly, a soft knock was heard on the door.  Lady Anne was certain that it was her son.  She had insisted that he take care of the issues with Miss Bingley, so that once it was over with, Darcy could spend time with his fiancé uninterrupted. 

Opening the door, Lady Anne felt the pain that was apparent in her son’s expression.  “Lizzy is sleeping now; she woke for a short time, and we have told her what has happened.  She had a strong headache, and is weak, but Mr Jones is sure that she will recover fully if she heeds his direction.”

“Thank heavens.  I have been unable to concentrate on a
nything else. Thank you, Mother;
for keeping watch over her.”

“Of course I would.  She will soon be my daughter, not to mention how dear she has become to all of us.  And the way she makes you smile leaves me with no doubt that you will have a loving marriage, like your father and I had.”

A solitary tear escaped and rolled down Darcy’s cheek.  “I pray that it will be as happy as your marriage always appeared to be.  The look in Father’s eyes when he watched you enter a room, the smile that would grow when it was obvious that he was thinking of you; it was always clear that you loved each other dearly.”