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“They are well. Mrs. Bennet purchased a home here. Mary is now married to Mr. Phillips’ law clerk and Lydia and Kitty are... well they are still silly, just older.” William noticed Charles’ smile fade but saw it quickly replaced with a forced one.

As William looked between the couple, he surmised that something was wrong, but he could not help asking, “And Miss Elizabeth? I assume she is married with a child of her own by now.”

A sob escaped from Jane, as she rose and ran from the room. Both men stared at the door through which she disappeared.

“Charles, I am sorry if I said—”

Charles’ hand in mid-air stopped William. “You are not to blame, Darcy. Let us go into my study, and I will explain.” They stood, and William silently followed his friend out of the room, puzzled by what had just transpired.

~~~*~~~

After Charles had poured each of them a full glass of brandy, he motioned for William to have a seat and wearily sank down on the sofa across from him. Their eyes met, but Charles looked away, trying to gather his thoughts. He could relate only what had happened to Lizzy up to a certain point, then he would lie to protect her until he was sure of William’s cooperation.

Taking a deep breath, Charles looked back at his friend. His drink had not been touched, and his eyes were still locked on him. The decisive moment had arrived. Does he still care enough for Lizzy to help her? Charles wondered.

No longer patient, William slid to the edge of his seat, leaning forward. “Where is she, Charles?”

“I suppose, being out of England, you have not heard.” William’s head slowly moved back and forth. “Steel yourself, my friend.”

“Charles!” William sounded more desperate than angry.

“Elizabeth is dead.”

The glass of brandy William was holding hit the floor.

William started to speak, looked about dazed and then stood. Showing no concern for the broken glass, he managed to walk to a window, where he clung to the frame, looking faint. Charles rang for a servant to clean up the spill, and afterward poured another glass of brandy and brought it to him. Without turning, William took it and drank the entire glass, grimacing as it burned his throat.

With much anguish he forced out, “How?”

“It is a long story and not very pretty. You have had a long trip today, my friend. Why do we not get some sleep, and I will explain everything tomorrow?”

“No!”

Charles startled at the ferocity of the outburst. Then he relaxed as, head hanging down in defeat, William pleaded in a defeated whisper, “Please! I must know. I will not sleep until I know.”

Charles squeezed his friend’s shoulder. “Then let us sit down. It will take some time to tell everything.” Charles led William, who seemed in a fog, to a chair near the fireplace, taking the one next to it.

“It began right after I left for London. Lizzy went to visit her friend, Charlotte Collins, in Kent.” He saw William’s jaw tighten. “According to Jane, while she was gone a gentleman leased Monteagle, supposedly to use it as a hunting lodge. He was half-English and half-Italian, Count Stefano Gianni Montalvo de Cavour, if I have pronounced his name correctly.”

William said nothing, but his eyes burned into Charles as he continued. “He is about eight and thirty, blond and quite handsome, I am told.” William frowned at the description.

“Jane said that, at first, he appeared very amiable, and after it was bandied about that he was wealthy and unmarried, her mother and every other mother in Meryton set about pushing their single daughters in his path. Count Stefano began to attend the assemblies and danced with many an available lady. He even danced with my Jane, but to Mrs. Bennet’s chagrin, after he spied Lizzy, he singled her out for his attention.”

William stiffened and turned as if to study the flames leaping from the charred logs in the fireplace, but Charles was convinced that he was listening by the white of his knuckles as he gripped the arms of the chair.

“Jane thinks the count was drawn to Lizzy because she wanted no part of him. She told me that when Lizzy came back from Kent, it was with a deep sadness. She was not the impertinent, teasing girl who had left. She had no tolerance for flattery, his least of all. She saw right through his easy manner and was quick to point out his inconsistencies. It seems the more she resisted the man, however, the more Count Stefano pursued her. When he could get no satisfaction with his attentions, he asked Mr. Bennet’s permission to court her, even without Lizzy’s consent.”

“Mrs. Bennet, of course, was eager to force the match, but Mr. Bennet would not make Lizzy agree to a courtship. Jane said Mr. Bennet did not trust the man; thus, he was thwarted. With Mr. Bennet’s untimely death, however, Mrs. Bennet went absolutely mad. She fretted and cried over Mr. Collins’ taking possession of Longbourn. You remember him, do you not?”

William nodded, recalling the simpering idiot his aunt had named as her rector.

“I suppose she was right in that regard. That worm barely waited until Mr. Bennet was cold in his grave before he appeared to claim his inheritance. He said Lady Catherine de Bourgh encouraged him to immediately take what was rightfully his.”

William stood and began to pace, clenching and unclenching his fists, livid that his aunt had interfered so cruelly. “Vicious woman!”

Witnessing William’s ire, Charles swallowed a large lump in his throat to continue. “After that, Mrs. Bennet would not cease lamenting that if Lizzy had performed her duty and married Mr. Collins, they would not have found themselves in such a quandary. Jane tried to point out that she, too, could have married Collins, but Mrs. Bennet would not hear of it. She said Jane was too beautiful for him, and that she was destined for a rich man, but that Lizzy should have been sensible.”

Charles shook his head in wonder. “It could have been my Jane forced into a loveless marriage with either of those... I should never have left.” Unspoken was the fact that William was largely responsible for the departure that left the Bennets so vulnerable. Lost in unpleasant memories for the moment, Charles rose and walked over to stare into the darkness outside, trying to compose himself.