"Sir, I would prefer that you not see this shocking sight. Lower that candle."
"I beg your pardon, Elizabeth. For one startling moment, I could not make sense of what I was seeing. But perhaps you should not see it either."
"She is a woman, sir. She possesses nothing I have not seen before. But I do expect you to return to our bedchamber. Go out that door and fetch your friend so that he may deal with this disgraceful situation. I shall remain here to chaperone your faithful Reeves."
Caroline had injured her shoulder and could not push herself up with that arm. She was forced to roll over and use her other arm for leverage.
Elizabeth heard Reeves groan as Caroline rolled across his legs.
The woman managed to push herself upright, but then sank back onto the cot.
"Oh, my leg." She began to weep.
Fortunately, Reeves had already drawn up his legs and was able to slip from the cot on the far side.
Elizabeth went into the adjoining room and lit another candle from the banked fire. She carried it back and held it near the leg Caroline was clutching with her uninjured arm.
Caroline was moaning in pain.
A large blue swelling had already risen beneath her knee.
Elizabeth had seen enough.
Leaving the woman in the darkness, she returned to her bedchamber and pulled the sheet from her bed. She carried it back and wrapped it around Caroline's shoulders.
Caroline drew it tightly about herself as best she could with her injured shoulder.
She was weeping in earnest now.
Elizabeth stood nearby while Reeves remained at the entrance to the dressing room.
"Sir," Elizabeth asked, "are you much injured?"
"No, Mrs. Darcy. She struck the cot near the center. I believe she hit the iron hinge that joins the wooden frame and then fell against the hinge on the other side." I shall have a bruise or two, but nothing serious."
At last, after what felt like hours, though it could only have been a quarter of an hour, the door opened, and Mr. Bingley entered. He was still dressed in his trousers, but wore a banyan tied about his waist.
Elizabeth stepped away from the cot as Mr. Bingley approached his sister.
"Caroline, have you been injured?"
She continued to weep.
He turned to Elizabeth.
"Sir, from what Mr. Reeves was able to ascertain, she struck her leg against the iron hinge, and when she fell, she landed shoulder-first on the hinge on the opposite side. A terrible knot has risen on her leg, and I suspect there is a similar injury to her shoulder. She is unable to use that arm."
"Caroline, I must take you to your room. I shall support you on your good side, but you must stand and help me."
She did not cease weeping, but she did struggle to her feet.
The Darcys watched as she limped from the room on her brother's arm.
When they were gone, Darcy turned to his valet.
"Reeves, did you suffer any harm?"
"She fell on me, sir, but most of her weight landed on the frame. I shall have some bruises, but I have suffered no serious injury."
