Page 12 of Through the Eyes of Love

Elizabeth found the list. “Are you practising these movements every day?”

“No dear, usually once a week. Betsy worries that I might overtax myself and worsen my condition.”

This information made her somewhat disappointed in Betsy Richards. The regular companion seemed to be doing as little as possible to help her employer. In Elizabeth’s opinion, she was only interested in keeping her position for as long as possible. If Mrs. Murray regained her strength, Betsy would be out of a job. Elizabeth promised herself to do everything she could to assist her employer.

They reviewed the instructions and decided what they should focus upon first. “I am grateful I can now walk from my temporary chambers to the drawing room with help, but there is so much more I wish to do for myself. I should like to be able to feed myself and walk without help. I dream that one day I can once again climb the stairs to my chambers.”

“Then that is what we shall aim towards. Let us begin with a short period of exercise every morning and then again in the afternoon if you feel capable.”

Beginning that first morning, Elizabeth and Mrs. Murray went through various movements to strengthen her arms and legs. Over the course of the next few weeks, her employer gained the ability to walk on her own using a cane and had more strength in her arms and hands.

“You are making fine progress, ma’am.”

“You are a remarkable young woman, Elizabeth. You will find a good man to marry you when you meet someone wise enough to overlook your birthmark and see all the good inside of you. When Betsy returns, I shall miss you reading to me every day as well as our spirited debates.”

“Thank you. I am grateful for the opportunity to be of help to you.”

* * *

Six weekslater

While Elizabeth and Mrs. Murray were discussing a book they had been reading, they received an unexpected visitor. Betsy Richards had returned. “It is so good to see you again, Mrs. Murray. I hope Miss Bennet has done a good job while I have been gone.” Elizabeth was eager to demonstrate how much she had accomplished in her time with Mrs. Murray. Betsy would be impressed!

“Yes, Betsy, more than satisfactory. I shall show you some of the progress I have made.” Elizabeth helped Mrs. Murray stand and handed her a cane. Betsy looked on with what appeared to be an insincere grin on her face. “I can walk with a cane and feed myself if the food is cut.”

When Mrs. Murray excused herself from the room, Betsy’s smile turned into a scowl at Elizabeth, and she crossed her arms. What could have caused such a change? Perhaps she was not as delighted at her charge’s progress as it seemed, and never expected her replacement to accomplish so much more than she had in such a short period of time. Elizabeth supposed that young woman’s position, she would fear she would soon be out of a job and be uncertain of what she would do next. It would be best to be wary of Betsy.

When Elizabeth was ready to leave the house, Mrs. Murray called her into the drawing room. “Betsy is upstairs unpacking. I wanted to give you this.” She handed Elizabeth a small cloth purse.

After a peek at the contents, Elizabeth was astonished at the money inside. “I cannot accept this. You already paid me for my time here.”

“Without you I would still be stuck in my chair, having to be fed. You have changed my life for the better. Now that you have shown me the proper exercises, I know what to expect from Betsy, or she will soon be looking for work. Please take this. I wish you the very best of luck, my dear girl.”

Elizabeth bent down to kiss her cheek. “Thank you for the opportunity to prove to myself that I am capable of doing tasks I never imagined. If you are amenable, I should like to visit you while I am still in Lambton.”

“Please do; it will keep Betsy on her toes!”

She walked back to Mrs. Hopkins’s house more confident in her ability to help others.

* * *

Pembrook Cottage

Day and night, depression and guilt filled Darcy’s mind. His estate had been destroyed while it was his responsibility to keep it safe. He drank brandy all day and privately shed copious tears. He could do nothing to save his family’s ancestral home—he was useless. So many had lost their livelihoods: those who worked on the estate as well as the many tradesmen in Lambton who depended on Pemberley to survive. His father had instructed him to do anything necessary to keep the estate from diminishing.Pray forgive me, Father.

He shouted at Mrs. Reynolds and the maids she hired. Did they not remember he wanted to be alone? Isolating himself had become a priority—did they not understand? The young women quit after working only a day or two. They told Mrs. Reynolds they could not endure how abusive the master was to them.Although he was in his cups, Darcy allowed Mr. Barton to enter his room every other day to apply a honey compound to his facial burns and change the bandages on his leg. Most days he refused to get out of bed, he hardly ate, and he drank as many bottles as Mrs. Reynolds could carry from Pemberley’s unaffected wine cellar. His sister, uncle, and cousin wrote to him to plead for him to rebuild, but to Darcy, it was a fruitless effort, so he stopped reading their letters.

This was all his fault: the destruction of the manor house and all it contained; the loss of the furnishings, books, and art that had taken his ancestors hundreds of years to collect. The rooms his mother had decorated and the furniture she had chosen were all very beautiful despite what Lady Beatrice thought—and now, thanks to him, they were ruined. The library, the work of generations, was gone, and nothing could be salvaged. No one could be blamed but Darcy himself.

Several weeksafter Darcy arrived at the cottage, Lady Beatrice and her father drove up the lane to Pemberley. As much as he loathed their presence, Darcy prepared to accept their call.

Their faces indicated that they both saw how much difficulty Darcy had trying to stand, and when Lady Beatrice saw his scarred face, she blanched, covered her mouth, and turned away.

“Darcy, Lord Matlock told me about the fire, and I wanted to see you for myself. I know your engagement to my daughter has been of long duration but after carefully considering your current circumstances, I shall release you from that agreement. I assume your contract was destroyed so I have had another copy made and have brought the papers you must sign to make the end of the agreement official.”

The offer was the best news Darcy had encountered in years! Their unexpected visit was distressing, but after LordMarkham’s proposition, he became overjoyed to see them both. “Yes, my lord, I agree that would be best. Where do I sign?”

After their signatures were in place, Beatrice opened her reticule and averted her face as she handed him her engagement ring and wished him luck in an absent manner. With a closer look at his former betrothed, it became obvious she did not appear the same as when she had visited a few months prior. He was shocked. Her gown was tight over her larger stomach and was straining at the seams. This could only mean one thing. Thank G-d the engagement was over—he could not be happier! Being compelled to marry a lady he could not tolerate would have been bad enough, much less being forced to raise another man’s by-blow as his own.