Page 2 of Timing Is Everything

Elizabeth was in shock. She had been unable to take much notice of her surroundings after reading the news concerning her father. As she slowly regained her senses, she realized that she was alone in the room. Assuming Mr. Darcy had excused himself and returned to Rosings Park, she tried to locate the letter from her uncle in order to go to her room and pack her belongings. She needed to be ready when her uncle’s carriage arrived in the morning.

When Mr. Darcy returned to the room, he was alarmed to find Elizabeth on her hands and knees. Thinking that something had happened to cause her to fall, he rushed to her side.

“Are you well? Can I help you to stand?”

Not expecting his return, Elizabeth sat up quickly, knocking her head on the table she was looking under.

“Please take care,” Mr. Darcy said, gently grasping one of her arms to help her rise. “It would not do for me to return you to your mother injured.”

“I am quite well, under the circumstances,” Elizabeth insisted after regaining her feet, barely holding on to any semblance of composure. “I am at a loss as to what happened to the letter from my uncle. I cannot find it.”

“I am sorry. I thought you were aware that I took it with me,” Mr. Darcy said, pulling the letter from his pocket. “I needed the address of your uncle in order to send a reply.”

“Why would you send my uncle a reply? I will see him on the morrow.”

“I have instructed him to escort your sister to Longbourn in the morning. If I escort you to Hertfordshire tomorrow you will be able to arrive at your home a day earlier than anticipated. I assumed you would want to hasten home as quickly as possible.”

Elizabeth looked at Mr. Darcy, stunned. Fresh tears started pouring as she processed the generous offer. She did not know how to reconcile the gratitude she felt for this man, with the anger she had felt for him just moments before he arrived. Taking a deep breath, she decided to just be grateful that he was making it possible for her to return home in the morning.

“I do not know how to thank you. I would very much like to return home as soon as possible. I am afraid I need to pack my things.”

“I have already arranged for a maid to gather your belongings. I have also sent a note to Rosings Park instructing the Colonel to prepare to leave in the morning. I am afraid that if I left him behind he would skin me alive.”

“I do not know why you have taken on so many of my concerns, but I do thank you. It will be a relief to be with my family at this time.”

“I am just grateful that I am able to be of use,” Darcy asserted, grasping her hand. “I remember the death of my own father. The compassion of a friend can ease your suffering.”

“Are we friends, then?” Elizabeth asked, slightly confused.

“I have considered us such for quite some time,” Darcy answered, with a small upturn of his lips.

They were interrupted at this moment by the return of Charlotte Collins and Maria Lucas.

“What has happened, Lizzy?” Charlotte asked, walking towards her friend.

Seeing the sympathy in her friend’s eyes caused Elizabeth’s tears to again flow freely. As Charlotte reached her, Elizabeth easily fell into a comforting embrace. As Darcy felt the loss of Elizabeth’s hand from his own, he found himself growing jealous at the intimacy which was allowed between female friends that propriety would not let him offer.

While Elizabeth took comfort in her friend’s arms, Darcy began explaining the circumstances. “Miss Elizabeth received an express relaying the news of her father’s death. In the morning I will escort her back to Hertfordshire so that she can be with her family.”

As Charlotte listened, she was glad that her husband had decided to stay behind at Rosings Park. They had been playing whist with Lady Catherine and Colonel Fitzwilliam when the servant called them away. Charlotte was anxious to find out the cause, so Mrs. Jenkinson had been enlisted to take her place. Mr. Collins had opted to stay behind until Lady Catherine was no longer interested in playing cards.

“Come, Elizabeth,” Charlotte said. “I am sure you would like to retire to your chambers and prepare for the morrow before Mr. Collins returns.”

“Thank you, Charlotte,” Elizabeth agreed, stepping away from her friend and walking towards the door to the room. Before walking through it she turned back to face Darcy, with a tremulous smile on her face. “I will see you in the morning, Mr. Darcy.”

It was not until she was sitting on her bed, surveying the trunks that had been very efficiently packed by a servant, that she realized she was clutching a handkerchief with the initials FD embroidered on a corner. She fleetingly wondered where it had come from before lying down, still fully clothed, and crying herself to sleep.

Chapter 2

As Darcy watched Elizabeth walk away from him to return to her room, he realized that he was being left with Miss Lucas. They had been in company many times, but had never really had a conversation.

“Miss Lucas, have you enjoyed your visit with your sister?” Darcy asked, falling back to social niceties.

“Oh yes! I will have so much to tell my family about,” Maria exclaimed, then paused and the smile on her face fell. “Well, it was an enjoyable visit, but I don’t know what will happen now. Lizzy and I were planning to leave together next week. It really is so dreadful. Everyone knows that Lizzy was her father’s favorite. Now I don’t know how I’m supposed to be getting home. I suppose my father will be able to come back for me. Or I could go by post, though I have never travelled by post before. Do you think it is very frightening?”

As Miss Lucas talked, Darcy started debating with himself over whether or not he should be inviting her to join them in the carriage in the morning. If Maria had plans to travel home with Elizabeth, he did not want to leave her stranded in Kent. But, he also did not particularly want her in the carriage with them. With just him, Elizabeth, Fitzwilliam, and a maid, there would at least be a small semblance of privacy, especially after leaving his cousin in London. That would be gone with the addition of Miss Lucas.

Just as he was chastising himself for his selfishness, and getting ready to invite her along, Mrs. Collins returned to the room.