Page 27 of Sweet on Mr Darcy

Darcy’s two grooms came running from his carriage and went to assist Mr Lovett’s horse as Kitty and Lydia emerged from the garden, drawn by the commotion.

“Are you both entirely mad?” Mr Bennet roared, dragging Mr Lovett away from his phaeton and shaking him vigorously. “What the devil were you about?”

“What possessed you?” Darcy roared as he dragged Mr Painswick over to Mr Bennet and Mr Lovett to be dealt with. “You call yourselves gentlemen? How dare you!”

“How could you be so reckless?” Charlotte cried, displaying all the wrath of a mother who has just seen not only her family but also her infant nearly killed. “You could have killed my child! You endangered almost our entire family! Driving like lunatics with ladies in your contraptions, our daughters, whose safety you were entrusted with! Explain yourselves, sirs!”

Lucas wailed in her arms as she shouted at the men in a terrible rage. Kitty rushed to her and took the babe, disappearing into the house with Lydia to calm him in the nursery.

Elizabeth cared for nothing but Jane, who was now being supported towards the cottage by Mr Bingley.

“Jane! Jane, are you hurt?” she cried as she threw her arms around her sister, whose sobbing was beginning to subside.

“Miss Elizabeth, is this your sister?” Mr Bingley inquired as he led Jane to a soft patch of grass where she could sit for a moment and collect herself.

At Elizabeth’s nod and garbled introduction, he continued. “Miss Bennet, do you feel pain anywhere?”

Jane nodded and raised her left hand only to yelp in pain. Mr Bingley felt her wrist and her hand thoroughly.

“I am no physician, but it seems you have sprained your wrist at the very least, Miss Bennet,” he said. He then shouted, attempting to be heard over the noise of the others. “Miss Bennet needs a physician!”

Charlotte left off her enraged chastisement and rushed to Jane’s side. “Jane, can you walk into the house? Where are you hurt?”

“Her wrist is most certainly sprained, if not broken, Mrs Bennet.” Mr Bingley explained.

Georgiana called her brother’s grooms and began to give them orders. “You must go into town directly and fetch the physician for Miss Bennet at once!”

Darcy left the other men and approached. “Both of you go. Take the carriage. Bring the physician back with you. Harry, you find the physician. John, you find an ice house. Bring the physician and ice for Miss Bennet’s injury back with you.”

“And the magistrate!” Mr Bennet called from several feet away, where he still ranted and raved at the two young men. “This wilful recklessness cannot be overlooked!”

“Go to the home of the magistrate and inform him that he is needed at the Bennets’ cottage without delay,” Darcy instructed the Bennet’s hall boy, who tore off as if it were his own mother who was injured.

Elizabeth accompanied her sisters and Charlotte inside, where they assisted Jane in removing her clothes, checked her for unseen injuries, then dressed her in a nightgown and dressing gown, while doing their best not to cause pain to her injured arm.

The physician arrived not long before the magistrate. Kitty and the nurse had calmed the babe. Lydia and Georgiana were assisting Mary in her bedroom. Elizabeth left Jane with Charlotte and the doctor and went downstairs to see what was happening outside. Miss Bingley, who had said little to nothing during the ordeal, seemed to have returned to her cottage.

Mr Bennet was pacing back and forth in front of the gentlemen, still raving in fury. “My wife and I entrusted our daughters to your care. You have repaid us with a degree of stupidity that I would be reluctant to believe if more than half of my family had not nearly been killed by it.”

“We humbly beg your pardon, sir, but no real harm was done,” Mr Painswick objected.

“Indeed, these things happen when a gentleman is attempting to impress a lady,” Mr Lovett agreed.

Mr Bennet lunged at the men as Darcy restrained him.

Mr Bingley was incensed. “Miss Bennet was injured due to your abominable arrogance and recklessness!”

The magistrate arrived a moment later, and the matter was explained by the gentlemen present, all of whom would write a signed statement about what they had witnessed.

“Even if the ladies had not been obviously terrified and held in your carriages against their will at such speeds, such gross irresponsibility displays an abominable criminal negligence. At least six ladies and three gentlemen were endangered, to say nothing of the risk to an infant child. And injury to at least one lady, to say nothing of the risk of your horses.” The magistrate tutted in grave disappointment. “You young bucks are not only disgraced, you are in trouble. I am sending for the constable, who will take you both into custody. You will be dealt with by the courts in Sandwich. The constable will transport you there on Saturday. We do not tolerate such recklessness in Ramsgate. There are too many visitors to allow such endangerment to the public.”

One of the magistrate’s servants was sent for the constable. The men were soon taken into his custody.

Mr Bennet returned to his house to see to the welfare of his family. Mr Bingley returned to his cottage, promising to call upon them the next morning to learn of Miss Bennet’s condition, while Darcy stole a moment alone with Elizabeth after handing his sister into his carriage.

“Are you certain you are unhurt?” His voice was deep and laced with concern.

“I am.” Elizabeth smiled shyly. “Thanks to you, sir.”