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I was getting muddled by that time, and had no idea how long I would remain conscious, but I heard Fitzwilliam pause by the door and say the oddest thing.

“Richard, I cannot explain why just now, but we need that cretin alive for some time. I demand a heavy burden, I know! Not only must you restrain yourself from killing him, but you cannot even willingly allow him die.”

Sergeant McDonald stepped up. “Will you trust him to me, Mr Darcy? I have failed Mrs Collins once, but I shall not do so again!”

The sentiment was extremely odd. What could the man possibly have done to fail her?

Fitzwilliam apparently felt this conversation was so important he would need to delay his treatment of Elizabeth, who was still well settled in his arms. “You did no such thing, Sergeant. Neither you nor anyone else could have predicted this, and if that is not the case, we all failed the ladies. I failed as much as you, but I suspect it would be more productive to reflect on what we can do in the future rather than the past. If you will take responsibility for him, I would be happy. You may have whatever funds are required, but he is never to set foot within a hundred yards of any woman ever again.”

“I have the perfect place. Leave him in my hands.” With that, the sergeant dragged the man away, and nobody knew or cared where he was going to.

Miss Bennet was not by any means finished, though she at least no longer felt the need to shout.

“Mary, find Lady Catherine’s coachman, go with him to the village, and come back with the best physician you can find. Either get the name of the best from Lady Catherine, or take Mrs Hewes with you, but do not come back without at least an apothecary. My apologies, Lady Catherine. I did not ask permission. May we?”

Mother seemed very subdued, sitting beside me along with Georgianna, but she rallied and started issuing her own instructions.

“That is a sensible plan. I must attend Anne, so may I depend on you, Miss Mary, to relay instructions? Tell Murphy to take two horses out of the traces before he leaves with you. I ask you to go so you can explain in detail what the doctor is to face. Go straight to Wilson, right next to the haberdashery. Tell the two footmen to take the remaining horses back to Rosings, and return within the half hour with my two best express riders and four best horses. They will be going to town for Darcy’s physician. The colonel will give them detailed instructions.”

She paused to organise her thoughts for only a moment, and I had to admit I was not the only de Bourgh that could claim some pride in a clear head.

“I also need them to bring all the linen bandages in the house, all the laudanum, my housekeeper, and at least five bottles of gin. They shall also bring three or four footmen and three maids so that we may do what needs to be done. Miss Bennet, are you quite capable of your assigned task?”

I was so proud of my mother. There in the midst of all the chaos, she and Jane Bennet were planning a campaign to save me and Mrs Collins, and doing so beautifully.

Miss Mary was hitching up her skirts and nodding vigorously at each point, and when Mother was finished, she made for the door like a shot, only to be slowed by Mrs Hewes to don her pelisse, which I doubt very much she would have remembered on her own. Then she was out the front door at a run again—presumably, since I could not see that far.

Mrs Hewes was now attending me, as I expected all along. She had obtained a bit of laudanum, so that was the end of what I heard, but I expect there was pandemonium all around. The colonel followed his orders and carried me upstairs while telling me he had seen worse and I would be fine. What a fine liar he was, but I did not hold any anger towards him.

It was some days before I really knew what happened next.

Secrets

Darcy

Years of difficulties, at the very least, taught me to focus on what was important, but I knew that I would be chastising myself for failing to protect Elizabeth at my leisure for the rest of my life, and if she died or did not recover, I would never be whole again. However, all of that could come later.

Jane organised the pandemonium like a general, and for that, I was grateful as I could not have done it, or anything at all that did not involve caring for Elizabeth. I was happy as I left the room to see that everyone else was snapping to at Jane’s instructions. What double and triple fools Bingley and I were, to abandon such a woman. Lydia was still a bit high-strung, but fortunately, Richard was there to keep her from killing Collins, and since she was only trying to complete my unfinished business, I could not be critical of her. I was not sure I would have been distressed by his death anyway, since every Bennet I cared about was now under my protection, such as it was; but I did not want Elizabeth distressed, nor did I want any of her choices taken away by me. I had done that one time too many. I was also not sanguine about advancing Wickham’s ascension to the helm of Longbourn, and keeping Mr Collins alive was a small price to pay.

All those thoughts took only seconds, and as I carried her in and laid her gently on her bed, Jane followed me, along with Catherine and Lydia with the bandages and things Jane demanded.

I alone knew what was about to be revealed, and did not feel I had the strength to reveal it to more than one Bennet sister at a time, so I spoke gently.

“Ladies, I am afraid I cannot tell you all now, but I know things about your sister that you do not. I also know a considerable amount about injuries from my time tending them on my estate, and I believe I must be the one to tend your sister. I am not a doctor, but I am the closest we have. I ask all of you except Jane to leave the room now. I will ask you to trust me and trust your eldest sister to do the best for Elizabeth.”

I worried about Lydia, as she was so angry a vein was still pulsing on the side of her neck, but Jane looked at her until she calmed. “Go help with Miss de Bourgh. Fitzwilliam and I will do as we must.”

With that declaration, she was asserting her authority as eldest sister and master of this house. With the use of my given name for the first time in their presence, she was telling them we reached some type of understanding they were not privy to.

Both girls were smart enough to work it out immediately. “All right, Jane. We will trust you, Mr Darcy.”

Without another word, they left, knowing the importance of our task, and I was content to know that I could trust both to do what needed to be done.

I faced Jane and spoke softly. “You will be shocked by what you are about to see, and I humbly request that you defer asking how I know until later. I have been your sister’s confidant this past week, so prepare yourself.”

She nodded, so I leaned down to the bed where Elizabeth was lying without making a sound or moving. I had checked her breathing and even listened to her heart when I laid her down, so I knew she was alive but hanging by a thread.

I gently inspected the wound on her scalp, then rolled her on her side to examine her arm. The dress was in the way, and I cursed how long it would take to get off without further injury, but then I saw a cleverly hidden slit in the side and knew what to do. I reached inside and extracted her knife, which I knew to be the sharpest in the house, and probably the sharpest knife in Kent. Jane gasped at the action but said not a word as I sliced her dress cleanly down a seam and removed the sleeve. Then I simply used the knife to cut all the buttons off the back in one slash, cut the rest of the bodice in pieces, and pulled the rest of the dress off her so I could inspect for other injuries. I needed to examine everything for injury, so her stays got the same treatment.