The Ashes of Longbourn (13 page)

             
Sitting next to Elizabeth was a young man who Mr Jones had briefly known from nearly a year past.  Fitzwilliam Darcy had returned to Netherfield, and it appeared that he had resurrected Elizabeth’s spirit from the pit of despair.  “Good morning to you all.” He said as he entered the room.  “Mr Darcy, a pleasure to see you at Netherfield again.  Ah, Mr and Mrs Gardiner, it has been a few years since I last saw you.  I believe you were visiting Longbourn when one of your children took a lesson from Miss Elizabeth’s childhood and climbed a tree, only to take a tumble.”

             
Mr Gardiner stood, shaking the apothecary’s hand. “Yes, our eldest thought it was impossible for a girl to climb the tree, so Lizzy challenged him in a race to climb it.  Of course, Lizzy won.”

             
Darcy had also taken to his feet, bowing to the man he had met when Jane Bennet had taken a cold while visiting Netherfield the year before.  “I am pleased to see you as well, Mr Jones.”

             
“And who can this young lady be?” Mr Jones asked.

             
At first, Darcy thought he meant Georgiana, but quickly realized that the man was looking at Elizabeth.  The change in her that had come about in the past day was remarkable.  “Why, allow me to introduce Miss Elizabeth Bennet, my fiancé.”

             
“Did you say fiancé?  What remarkable news.  Miss Elizabeth, you cannot begin to know how pleased I am to see you doing so well and such wonderful news of your betrothal.  I do hope you will indulge me a few moments to examine you.”

             
“We have been expecting you, Mr Jones.  And I do pray that you will indulge me in allowing me to be with Elizabeth during the examination.  I wish to know all we can do to improve her strength and make life as pleasant as can be.”

             
Mr Jones looked first to Elizabeth and then to Jane.  Seeing that the ladies approved of Darcy’s request, Mr Jones then turned to Mr Gardiner.  With a nod of the uncle’s head, it was agreed upon.

             
Darcy assisted Elizabeth by pushing the wheeled chair down the hall, into the sitting room nearby.  Once the doors were closed, Mr Jones opened his bag and took out his instruments.  He gave Elizabeth a thorough examination and announced how pleased he was with her improvement.  “My dear girl, you are finally returning to us.  I cannot be more pleased.”

             
With a blush growing on her cheeks, Elizabeth took hold of Darcy’s hand.  “It is due to this gentleman, Mr Jones.  He returned to me just as I had given up all hope.”

             
“Now, Mr Darcy, do you have any questions to ask of me?”

             
“Would you explain to me each of my fiancé’s injuries from the fire?  I wish for no secrets, especially when it comes to her health.”

             
“There were significant breaks to both of her legs, though the left leg was far worse in the breaks then the right.”

             
“May I be so bold as to see your legs, my love?” Seeing her nod her head, Darcy returned his attentions to the apothecary.  “I was told that there were scares from the different injuries.”

             
“If you look here, you will see the scar where the break was jagged and the bone pierced through the skin and was jutting out. I believe that there will most likely be problems with this leg, though we set it the best we could.  As jagged as the break was, it most likely did not mend as a clean break would.  On her right leg, you can see that the bones did not protrude when they broke, so their healing would be much better.  Here, you can see where one of the burning beams came down on her legs and burned them.  And we removed pieces of glass from the left leg, which are these scars here.”

             
Elizabeth was holding Darcy’s hand, squeezing as she listened, not realizing her reaction.  Darcy took his other hand, placing it lightly over hers. When she had looked into his eyes, she knew that he was not repulsed by the scars. She nodded her head and he nodded in return.

             
“Mr Jones, we planned to marry as soon as possible.” Elizabeth declared, her eyes never moving from looking in his.  “Do you see any difficulties that we need to be aware of?”

             
“Do you wish me to speak of the delicacies of relations between a husband and wife?” Mr Jones asked the couple.

             
Darcy refused to break eye contact with his wife.  “Yes, Mr Jones, we wish you to speak honestly and openly.  Elizabeth is frightened that she will be unable to be a wife to me.  I have told her that she needs not worry.”

             
“To be honest, Miss Elizabeth, if the paralysis persists, you are quite fortunate in the fact that the lack of feeling is in your upper thighs.  You are able to feel sensations when you need to relieve yourself, and your…womanly…your… the area which would be affected by wifely duties with your husband.  And, if I may be so bold, there are books which may be of aid in finding different manners of …performing.”

             
Elizabeth’s eyes lowered as her cheeks flamed from embarrassment.  Darcy smiled, taking a hand and placing it beside her cheek, caressing it lightly.  “And, if we were to be fortunate to become with child, would this be dangerous to Elizabeth’s health?”

             
“If she were to continue to improve as she has in just the short time since I last saw her, I cannot imagine there would be any danger.  As I said, she has all the sensations in the region of her body which would allow her to know if any pain or problem arises.  If you were to take proper care and, if I know Mr Darcy well enough, proper physicians overseeing such a confinement, you should be able to carry fine.  But there is no reason to believe that you will not regain the use of your legs.”

             
“As long as it has been since the fire, I believe it is time to accept that I will never be able to walk again.” Elizabeth said, attempting to be strong as tears fought to race down her cheeks.

             
“Miss Elizabeth, if you had recovered as you should have after all the trauma, I might agree with you.  But I will be honest.  You have not allowed your body to begin to heal until Mr Darcy arrived.  By not eating properly, not allowing the nurse I sent for to exercise your legs to keep the muscles strong, and in your determination to give up on life, your body was on the edge of the downward spiral that would have ended in your death, most likely within a month.  Your body had been ravaged to the point that it would have eventually given up.  That did not allow you to recover from the injuries of such a drastic nature.  I highly recommend that you begin the exercises I prescribed.  One of the surgeons from Town referred a nurse who is knowledgeable in such exercises and we can send for her.”

             
“I would like to know more of this nurse so that I can send for her or another nurse who has had experience with such trauma.” Darcy said.  “And whatever we need to help my fiancé build up her muscles, I will make certain is purchased.  She and I have already discussed her eating, and have begun by her eating often, though smaller portions.  Her stomach has not been used for quite some time, so it would be wrong to expect it to be overwhelmed so quickly.”

             
“Miss Elizabeth, had I known what an intelligent young man Mr Darcy is, and the love that he shares with you, I would have moved heaven and earth to have brought him here immediately after the fire.  I am pleased that he is here with you now.”  As Mr Jones stood to leave, he shook Darcy’s outstretched hand.  “Thank you, Mr Darcy.  You have saved the life of this very dear girl, and I, for one, am grateful.  Miss Elizabeth has always been a dear friend to my family.”

             
                            ~~~~~~~ ** ~~~~~~~

Chapter 11

             
By noon, another carriage arrived at Netherfield.  Lord and Lady Matlock, and Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, had responded to the express that Bingley had sent when he had received word of Darcy’s imminent arrival.  Darcy’s aunt and uncle were determined to see not only Darcy and Georgiana, but to finally meet the young woman who meant so much to Darcy.  Colonel Fitzwilliam had been concerned for his cousins, and, when he received word that Darcy had been found and was on his way to Netherfield, was granted leave for his family emergency.  He was one of the General’s favorites, and had proven himself time and again in battle, so the General was lenient.

             
They were shocked to learn of the rapidity of the couple’s plans to marry quickly, though the Fitzwilliam family held no issue with the wedding happening rapidly.

             
Though Elizabeth was still frail and thin, her zest for life had returned and it was clear to see that she was on the road to recovery.  The solicitor sent all the paperwork that Darcy had requested, as well as the jewelry from their safe, and Darcy’s valet delivered them as well as the special license.  It was decided that the wedding would be held in the drawing room of Netherfield that very evening.  It was uncommon, but the couple had no desire for fanfare, and only wished to be married.  Mr Gardiner sent word to Mr Phillips that he and his wife were invited to Netherfield for a family dinner, wishing to keep the news of the wedding as quiet as possible until the last moment.

             
Mr Gardiner had sent a runner to London to retrieve something for his niece.  The runner returned as the ladies were assisting Elizabeth in her preparations.

             
Mr Gardiner knocked on the door of Elizabeth’s dressing room.  Betsy opened the door and allowed Mr Gardiner to enter. For all she had been through and as ravaged as her body was, Elizabeth was radiant.  “Lizzy, I have a gift for you.  Jane, I wish for you to remain, for there is a gift for you as well.”

             
The sisters sat in chairs next to each other, with their uncle taking a seat on a settee that he pulled in front of them.  Madeline Gardiner sat down beside her husband.

             
“Knowing that Jane would soon be engaged after Mr Bingley returned, your father asked me to do a favor for him.  He gave me some pieces of jewelry which had been his mother’s, which he had held for you girls.  Thomas knew I had a friend in London who took old pieces and turned them into completely new pieces.”  Mr Gardiner held out two boxes, one for each of his nieces. “These were made from your grandmother’s necklace pieces.  Jane, yours is pearls and sapphires, a necklace with earbobs to match.  Lizzy, yours is pearls with diamonds and a single emerald in the center.  There were other pieces, two of which are still being made. They were for the other girls.  Those pieces will have their futures decided at a later date.  I am pleased that I have these treasures from your past, your family heritage, that were prepared for you at your father’s request.”

             
Tears were streaming freely on the faces of all in the room, including Mrs Hill and Betsy.  Mrs Hill stepped forward.  “Miss Lizzy, your father had a trunk made for you and Miss Jane, as he knew you would not be long after your sister in becoming engaged.  My son was the one who made them.  And he gave me something special to place inside the trunks.”  Mrs Hill motioned for the maids to bring the two wooden trunks into the room.  Opening the beautifully carved lids, Jane and Elizabeth found each contained a beautiful table cloth with matching napkins, as well as several exquisite handkerchiefs.

             
“Mr Bennet told me that his mother and his grandmother had made the items, they hand stitched each piece. After the fire, I forgot about them, as I had left them at my son’s house when I rushed here to tend to you ladies.  I remembered later on, but did not wish to bring them out while Miss Lizzy was so ill.  I did not wish to make her further displeased with life.”

             
Mr Gardiner patted the hand of the woman who had been so devoted to his nieces.  Realizing that his brother in law had made all these preparations for his daughters, had sent these precious pieces of their heritage to safe places in preparation to present them, Mr Gardiner wondered if Thomas Bennet knew that his time on earth was soon to be ending and wished to have these items safe in the hands of those he trusted. 

             
Reaching in his pocket, Mr Gardiner pulled out his handkerchief to wipe his face.  He then reached inside his coat’s interior pocket to pull out two beautifully carved hair combs made of wood, with beautiful flowers carved into them.  “My father made these as a young boy.  He held them until the wedding day of each of his children.  They were worn by your mother, your Aunt Phillips, and my dear Helen.  We thought it would be perfect for the grandchildren to have the tradition carried on.  Lizzy, you may wear them today, and, when Jane marries, I will present them to her if she wishes.  My own children will also have the option to wear them.  As you each have your own families, we can continue the tradition.”

             
“Uncle Edwin, I cannot believe that we have such treasures to bring our loved ones here for this special occasion.” Elizabeth said as she cried.  “Mamma wore these the day she married Papa. The jewels from Grandmamma, and the beautiful chests that Papa had made for us, with the elaborate stitching on the items made by our grandmother and great grandmother, I thought all of the pieces of our past were gone.”