Desperate Hearts: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Read online

  While they waited for the notes that signaled the first steps, Elizabeth observed “I had understood that you do not like dancing, Mr. Darcy. What has changed your perspective?”

  “I do not care to dance with those I do not know well. When my partner is known to me, and is lovely and graceful, then I would dance all night.” Darcy smiled what he hoped was a flirtatious smile, and was delighted when Elizabeth blushed and lowered her eyes shyly.

  Elizabeth’s happiness knew no bounds. Mr. Darcy had just told her that he found her lovely and graceful. Adding to the joy of dancing with Mr. Darcy was seeing Jane blissfully following Mr. Bingley in the dance just two places down the line.

  Two: Netherfield Park the following afternoon

  “You cannot be serious, Caroline! Now that we have invited the two eldest Bennet sisters to call and they will arrive at any moment, you tell me that you intend to cause Miss Bennet to become ill? I do not want to see our brother marry that penniless country chit either, but to resort to such mean-spiritedness! I cannot believe you would do such a thing, Caroline!” Louisa was aghast when Caroline told her that she had purchased a tincture that causes nausea from an apothecary in London some months ago to purge one of their spaniels who had eaten a wild plant that seemed to be making him sick, and was now planning to dose Miss Bennet with the tincture to embarrass her in front of their brother.

  “The desperate disease requires a dangerous remedy, Louisa,” Caroline replied smugly. “These Bennets are indeed nothing less than a disease plaguing our family name. We must purge them quickly and thoroughly.”

  “And what if you give her too much and she becomes seriously ill? How will you explain it to Charles, much less to her family, and how will you live with yourself? No, Caroline, I will not hear of it.” Louisa was angry and frightened.

  “Do not worry, silly. I made sure that I received explicit instructions for its use from the apothecary. Jane Bennet will simply appear to have contracted a stomach illness for a few days. And we all know how unpleasant are the symptoms of a sick stomach! Miss Bennet will surely not look the “angel” to our brother. Charles will be unable to wait to get her out of our house … and, I hope, out of our lives forever!” Caroline was not to be swayed from her purpose.

  At that moment, the butler announced the arrival of Miss Jane Bennet and Miss Elizabeth Bennet. After leaving their outer garments with a footman, Jane and Elizabeth entered the sitting room where Caroline and Louisa were waiting for them. Charles’ sisters greeted them warmly, altho’ Elizabeth felt that the warmth of the greetings was rather forced and superficial. Still, Jane had been so looking forward to making the better acquaintance of Mr. Bingley’s sisters that, if she also noticed the artifice, she did not let on.

  “Do let us sit here near the fire, Miss Bennet. The chill October air has invaded even this cozy chamber,” Caroline said as she showed them to a table surrounded by soft chairs in front of the blazing fire. Jane and Elizabeth smiled and took seats adjacent to each other. Caroline and Louisa did likewise.

  “I recall your mentioning that you enjoy mint-scented tea so we have a lovely green tea that we mixed with mint from our garden just for this occasion.” Caroline’s mouth was smiling altho’ her eyes held a touch of challenge. Jane did not notice; she was occupied with being pleased by Caroline’s solicitude.

  As the afternoon wore on and multiple pots of tea and plates of cakes were consumed, in the middle of a conversation about local flora, Jane began to feel uncomfortable. She tried to excuse herself but was not quick enough to leave the sitting room before casting up her accounts into a basin that inexplicably yet conveniently had been left on a nearby shelf, and which a footman had speedily fetched and brought over for Jane’s use.

  “Miss Bennet! What has happened? I do hope our cake and biscuit offerings did not cause you to become ill!” Caroline responded to the event just a little too rapidly. “I will speak to the pastry chef and see if the butter was bad, or perhaps a few of them were contaminated inadvertently with something noxious. I do hope the housekeeper did not buy adulterated tea – one needs to be so careful these days!” Caroline ventured a quick look and a wink to her sister as she made her way out of the sitting room and toward the kitchen. Louisa was speechless; she never expected that Caroline would actually go through with her devious plan!

  Caroline encountered her brother and Mr. Darcy, who had just returned home together, in the hallway and apprised them briefly of what had taken place (omitting the part about using the apothecary’s tincture). The two men rushed into the sitting room where they found Jane Bennet gasping for air, attended by her sister, who was holding her hand and speaking soothing words, and by Louisa, who seemed to be in shock.

  As Caroline followed the two men into the sitting room, she was taken aback when her brother called on the housekeeper to ready a room for Miss Bennet, who appeared quite ill.

  “But Brother!” Caroline protested.

  “She is our guest and has become ill in our home,” Bingley told her. “The least we can do is look after her while she recuperates from whatever is ailing her. The weather is too cold and damp to attempt to bring her back to Longbourn. She must stay here until her health returns.” Bingley was firm.

  Two footmen were recruited to transport Jane upstairs to a guest chamber. Elizabeth followed and helped Jane into a nightgown that Louisa had been kind enough to lend her for her sister’s use. Needless to say Elizabeth was most concerned at this turn of events. She had never seen Jane look so ill, and was determined to stay too and nurse her sister back to health. Mr. Bingley was more than happy to have both ladies as his guests. He dispatched a footman to Longbourn to advise Mr. and Mrs. Bennet of Jane’s indisposition and to fetch enough clothes for the two sisters for a couple of days. And to let the Bennets know that Jane would receive all the care she required from her sister as well as from the members of Bingley’s household.

  Mr. Darcy watched the drama unfolding and had the uncanny feeling that he had seen it before. In the recesses of his memory he recalled that Caroline had some weeks ago dosed his spaniel with some kind of concoction to purge its system after he ate something in the garden that caused him stomach distress. No, it could not be! Not even the scheming Caroline Bingley would be so cavalier about Miss Bennet’s health! He tried to put it out of his mind, but the image would not fade. He fully intended to speak with Charles about the “coincidence.”

  Darcy was not altogether displeased about these events, as they would keep Miss Elizabeth at Netherfield for some days. He certainly did not rejoice in the method, but he did appreciate the end result, and resolved to join Miss Elizabeth in the Netherfield chapel to pray for Jane’s full and speedy recovery.

  Three: Jane and Elizabeth at Netherfield Park

  Elizabeth had a dinner tray brought up to Jane’s room so she could stay with her sister while she ate. Not that she was particularly hungry; she merely accepted that she needed to keep up her own strength to be able to attend to her ailing sister. Jane drifted restlessly in and out of sleep. Elizabeth touched Jane’s cheek and forehead and was alarmed to discover that they were both much warmer than usual. Knowing she had to lower Jane’s fever as quickly as possible, Elizabeth took a fresh towel, dipped it in the cool water in the basin, folded it up, and placed it on Jane’s forehead.

  Hearing a light knock at the door, Elizabeth rose to see who it might be. She hoped it would not be Miss Bingley or Mrs. Hurst. When she opened the door, a maid she recognized as Rosalie dropped a curtsy.

  “Is there anything I can do for you or your sister, Miss? Anything I can get for you?” Rosalie asked. “I will stay with your sister tonight to watch over her as she sleeps so you can get some sleep yourself. I brought my mending with me; I thought you might wish to go downstairs to spend some time with the master and his guests before retiring.”

  Elizabeth stood aside to let Rosalie enter the room. “I do not require anything except a fresh pot of tea if it would not be too much trou
ble. And yes, I would like to go downstairs to select a book or two from Mr. Bingley’s library.”

  Rosalie smiled at Elizabeth as she placed her mending basket next to a soft chair near the fireplace. “Go down to the library and when you return I will fetch a pot of tea and a plate of bread and butter from the kitchen. I will stay here so do not worry about your sister.”

  “Thank you, Rosalie. I will not be gone more than a few minutes.” Elizabeth took her shawl and threw it around her shoulders, as it was somewhat drafty in the manor house, and left the room with some apprehension about leaving Jane with a stranger.

  “Go, Miss,” Rosalie’s smile was comforting. “I nursed my mother back to health when she took sick last year. I will take good care of your sister.”

  With one more glance at Jane, Elizabeth left the bedchamber to go downstairs. She stopped first in the sitting room – she was certain that Mr. Bingley would want an update on Jane’s condition. She found Bingley, the Hursts, and Caroline playing a card game. When the gentlemen noticed her enter the room they rose and bowed. Caroline whined at her brother about interrupting the game.

  “How does Miss Bennet fare, Miss Elizabeth?” Bingley asked as he approached her, with a look of genuine concern on his face.

  “Oh yes, Miss Eliza. Indeed how is poor dear Jane?” Caroline asked without even putting her cards aside much less looking towards Elizabeth.

  Elizabeth addressed Mr. Bingley, ignoring Caroline. “She is quite feverish, sir. I placed a fresh cool towel on her brow to help bring the fever down, but I fear my limited nursing skills are now exhausted. I do not know what else I can do for her.”

  “Then I shall summon the apothecary at once,” Bingley said as he reached for the bell pull. In barely a minute his butler Darrow had entered the room asking what he could do for Mr Bingley.

  “Mr. Darrow, please send one of the footmen to Meryton to fetch Mr. Jones to see to Miss Bennet. Tell him he can take the larger curricle, and to make haste. Miss Bennet is not well after being taken ill earlier and there is no time to waste.”

  “Very good, sir,” Darrow responded. “I just passed Jaxon in the hall; I shall send him straight away.” The butler strode out of the sitting room to talk to Jaxon.

  “Miss Elizabeth. May I be of service to your sister? I can send an express to my physician in London and have him here within a few hours.” Darcy had turned from the desk where he was seated, busily writing a letter to his own sister. “If she is truly ill she must have a physician to attend her, and Mr. Barris is one of the best. He has been attending to our family these many years.”

  Elizabeth was taken by surprise by the offer. “I thank you, Mr. Darcy, but I do not know whether the severity of her illness requires more than Mr. Jones’ services,” she answered him. “In any event,” she continued, “I would not like to bring your physician from Town this late in the evening. He would have to travel half the night, and it would be almost dawn before he arrived.”

  Bingley was the voice of reason. “Why do we not see what Mr. Jones says? We can always call for Mr. Barris on the morrow if necessary.”

  Elizabeth and Darcy both agreed that this seemed the sensible course of action. “Is there anything else you need, Miss Elizabeth?” Darcy’s concern was genuine, especially given his suspicions that Jane might have been deliberately poisoned by Caroline.

  “I thank you again, Mr. Darcy. I was on my way to the library to select a book or two to keep me company during tonight’s vigil. Perhaps you can direct me to that room?”

  “It would be my pleasure, Miss Elizabeth,” Darcy smiled, “but I fear you may be disappointed by the scarcity of choices in Bingley’s book room. Save for a few obscure titles it contains very little of interest, although you may happen upon a book or two of poetry.” Darcy looked over at his friend with a shrug and a grin.

  “You are quite correct, Darcy,” Bingley laughingly replied. “The library here at Netherfield was obviously neglected by the owner – or perhaps he took his books with him when he quit the house. And I have had neither the time nor the inclination to stock it properly, as I am not yet decided on whether I will purchase the estate or quit it myself.”

  At this point Caroline decided to enter the conversation, determined to acquaint Elizabeth with the closeness of her relationship to Darcy. “Mr. Darcy’s library at Pemberley is renowned for being one of the best in England, with many rare volumes in the collection. I have always enjoyed browsing the shelves of the Pemberley library during our many visits.”

  “Truly, Caroline?” Her brother raised one eyebrow questioningly. “I do not recall you spending much time in the library at Pemberley. Or any other library for that matter.”

  Caroline’s countenance began to redden as she huffed out, “Really, Charles! Of course I frequent the best libraries. How else would I be so well-read?”

  “Are you well-read, Caroline?” Bingley asked, not even attempting to disguise his sarcasm. “Which is your favourite Shakespearean play? What think you of Walter Scott’s latest work? Or even of Mrs. Radcliffe’s? Well?” It was out of character for Bingley to hector his sister in this way, but Darcy had mentioned the similarity of the symptoms of Miss Bennet and that of his own spaniel to him earlier, and he himself had noticed the convenient out-of-place location of the basin, so he felt no scruple in embarrassing her. His concern for Jane was affecting his usual easy-going demeanour, rendering him uncharacteristically peevish.

  Darcy decided to remove himself from the contentious discussion. “In any event, Pemberley is rather too distant to take advantage of its library tonight. Perhaps,” he said, turning to Elizabeth with a smile, “someday you will visit Pemberley and judge the quality of its library for yourself. In the meantime, please allow me to show you the way to Netherfield’s library.” He offered Elizabeth his arm which she accepted gratefully, and they left the sitting room to seek out the library. And left Caroline sputtering as she watched them depart together.

  “Caroline,” Bingley’s tone indicated that he was beginning a serious discussion. “How did Miss Bennet happen to take ill when she came to call? Did you by any chance help her along with her illness? I recall that some months ago after Darcy’s dog became ill after eating an unknown plant, you gave the animal some sort of treatment that caused him to purge his stomach. Did you give some of the same remedy to Miss Bennet to cause rather than cure an illness? Tell me the truth! And tell me why the basin was in the sitting room rather than in its usual location?” Bingley looked angrier than he had in a very long time.

  Caroline stood up, her face bright red as she lashed out at her brother. “How dare you, Charles! How dare you accuse me, your sister, of such a thing! I am as upset about her illness as you are!” With that, she turned and stomped out of the room.

  Charles, recognizing that Caroline had not actually answered his question, then turned on his elder sister. “Louisa? What do you know about this?”

  Louisa had no intention of exposing her sister, much less of partaking in the blame. “Charles, we were sitting here having tea and cakes and pleasant conversation when Jane Bennet took ill. Caroline went down to the kitchen to see if perhaps some butter had turned bad or the tea may have been adulterated. I do not know what she found in the kitchen. I had nothing to do with the choice of fare we served nor with how it was prepared. Perhaps Miss Bennet ate something unhealthful at home before she even came here. Heaven knows what kind of food their mother serves! Or perhaps she contracted a virus from one of her unclean sisters. I do not know what caused Miss Bennet to become ill. But I do know that you hurt Caroline very deeply with your accusations, and I will now go to see if she is well. Excuse me.” With that, Louisa also stormed out of the sitting room.

  Bingley looked at Mr. Hurst, who merely shook his head, shrugged his shoulders, got up off the sofa, and followed his wife out the door.

  Four: The library at Netherfield and beyond

  As they made their way to the manor’s library, Darcy and Elizab
eth passed Mr. Darrow, who was on his way to the sitting room to see if Mr. Bingley required anything else before Jaxon and Mr. Jones returned from Meryton. Darcy asked him to send one of the maids to the library to stay with the two of them while they perused the offerings. It was most important that propriety be observed at all times. Darrow stepped into an adjacent room where he knew that Lulu, one of the housemaids, was removing spent flowers from the vases. He emerged from the room with the maid, who then followed Darcy and Elizabeth to the library. When they reached the book room, Lulu took a seat near the door, where she could discreetly watch them as they browsed the bookshelves.

  Elizabeth was most disappointed when she perceived the nearly-empty shelves. Still, she valiantly looked through them, hoping to find a book or two that would hold her interest this evening. Darcy walked over to one of the far shelves, selected two volumes, and approached Elizabeth to display his findings in the hope that one or both of the books would interest her.