Page 19 of Roses from Pemberley
“Look, Darcy, I am not criticising his expertise but he does not know everything there is to know. After all, he must have seen many patients during his career, most of whom were likely already sickly…perhaps elderly. But, if someone is young and healthy to begin with, then of course their chances of survival are quite a bit higher.”
“Do you really think so?”
“I do. I have seen it in the soldiers I have fought with. Yes, some of them have had extremely high fevers - some even requiring an ice bath - but most of them survived.”
Darcy nodded, feeling a little bit less hopeless than before. “Thank you for that, Richard.”
“But why did you tell my mother?” asked Anne after a few moments of silence. “We were trying to help you keep it to yourself. But then you went ahead and confessed all.”
“I do not know,” said Darcy. “I suppose I did not care anymore. Or perhaps I simply wished to prove to Elizabeth - though she was not aware of it - that I was not ashamed…of anything.” He put his head in his hands and closed his eyes again.
“You should go to sleep, Darcy,” said Richard.
“But I do not wish to leave her.”
“Come then, Cousin,” said Anne, “let us go inside and ask Mrs. Collins for some coffee.”
“Shall I call Bingley?” asked Richard.
“Best not to,” said Darcy, “for I believe he wishes to get back into Miss Bennet’s good graces.”
Richard looked at him quizzically. “What do you mean? Is Bingley courting Miss Bennet?”
“He was,” said Darcy, “at least till I swayed him from her this past fall. I thought she was indifferent to him, you see.”
Richard suddenly slapped his palm against his forehead. “Are you saying that it was Miss Bennet from whom you saved Bingley?”
“Yes, but I was wrong. Apparently shedoeshave feelings for him.”
“Oh, good heavens…”
“What is it, Richard?”
“I…”
“Yes? What is it?”
“I…ah…told Miss Elizabeth about your interference.”
Darcy blinked. “You told Elizabeth that I separated Bingley from her sister?”
“Yes, but I did not know, at the time, that you were speaking of her sister. I was simply trying to paint you in a good light…allowing her to see how you take prodigious care of your friends. The thing is, she did not seem disposed towards you and…I wished to change her mind.”
Darcy put his head in his hands and let out a groan. “When did you do this, Richard?”
“The day before yesterday.”
He nodded dismally as his two cousins looked on. “I proposed to her that afternoon,” he said.
“Oh, no…” said Richard.
“Oh, yes,” said Darcy.
“She turned you down?”
“Of course, she did!”
“Oh, good Lord, Darcy. I am sorry. No wonder you wished to leave! It all makes sense now.”
