Pride and Prejudice short stories

Tears

The maid opened the door and curtsied, "If you please, ma'am."

I briskly walked through the door and bowed, then looking up, I said, "Miss Bennet, I hope this...." I trailed off as I took in her face. She was deathly pale, with tears lining her red eyes.

"I beg your pardon. I must find Mr. Gardiner at this moment, on business that cannot be delayed." She choked out, "I have not an instant to lose." Two tears ran down her face, and she quickly looked away from me, a little bit of color blooming on her white cheek.

"Good God, what is the matter?" I cried, my heart thundering. She didn't or couldn't look at me. "Of course, I will not detain for a moment, but let me go, or let the servant go and fetch Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner." I continued, "You are not well, and you cannot go yourself."

"No, I must!" Elizabeth cried and took a teetering step toward me.

I launched for her, "Come, I insist, this will be for the best; hello there!" I called as I weaved my arm through Eliza's and guided her to the nearest chair.

The curly-haired maid appeared in the doorway with wide eyes. "Have Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner fetched here at once," I said in the evenest voice I could manage, "they walked in the direction of...." I looked at Eliza,

"The church," she whispered

"The church," I said to the maid,

"Yes, sir, at once," The maid said, concern written on her face as she quickly closed the door.

I turned back to Eliza and pulled a chair up so I was facing her, our knees almost touching.

I grasped her hand; it was agony not to enfold her in my arms. "You are not well. May I call a doctor?"

"No, I am well." She glanced at our hands, and I quickly let go, not wanting to make her feel more uncomfortable.

"Is there anything you can take for your present relief?" She shook her head, her lips wobbling. "A glass of wine? Can I get you one?" I pressed as gently as I could, my heart still pounding in my ears, "Truly, you look very ill." I said desperately as more tears welled up in her eyes.

"No, I thank you." She looked away from me to wipe her eyes, the blush still painted on her cheeks. "No, there is nothing the matter with me; I am quite well, and I am only distressed by some dreadful news I have just received from Longbourn." She barely finished the rushed sentence before a sob racked her body.

My chest ached as I thought through all the things that might have happened. Something might have happened to her father. Or mother? Or her sisters?

"I am sorry, forgive me," she said as she wiped her face, not looking me in the eye.

"No, no," I said, my voice just as horse as hers.

A pause

"I just received a letter from Jane, with news that cannot be concealed from anyone." She still didn't look me in the face. "My youngest sister has left all her friends, has eloped, and has thrown herself into the power of—" She dragged her gaze toward me. "Mr. Wickham."

The world went still.

"They have run away together from Brighton; you know him too well to doubt the rest. She has no money, no connections, nothing that can tempt him."

I stood up, needing to walk. To think.

"When I think that I might have prevented it!" She cried behind me as I faced the dining room, running my hand through my hair. "I, who knew who it was! Had his character been known, this could not have happened." She sighed shakily, "but it is all too late now."

"I am grieved indeed. Grieved, shocked." I said quietly, then I turned to her, "but is it certain? Absolutely certain?"

"Oh yes." She rasped, "they left Brighton together on Sunday night and were traced as far as London but not beyond. They have certainly not gone to Scotland."

"And what has been done? What has been attempted to recover her?"

"My father has gone to London, and Jane writes to beg my uncle's immediate assistance. I hope that we shall leave within half an hour." A lost look dawned on her flushed face, "But what can be done? I know very well that nothing can be done!" I looked at her, my broken heart shattering increasingly with each tear falling down her perfect face. "How is such a man to be worked on!" She exclaimed, "How are they even to be discovered?" She gazed at me, such desperation in her eyes. "I have not the smallest hope. She is lost forever, and our whole family must partake in her ruin and disgrace."

The look on her face was soul-crushing as I said quietly, "I am afraid you have long been desiring my absence." I couldn't look at her, "this unfortunate affair will, I fear, prevent my sister from having the pleasure of seeing you at Pemberley today."

"Oh, yes," She breathed, "be so kind as to apologize for us to Miss Darcy. Say that urgent business calls us home immediately...and if you would be so kind as to conceal to unhappy true as long as possible." She looked out the window. Defeated. "I know that it cannot be long now."

"You may be assured of my secrecy." I walked to the chair and picked up my hat and gloves, "But I have stayed too long. I shall leave you now."

"Yes. Thank you." She said, standing up while figuring with her handkerchief. "Goodbye."

I nodded to her and forced my ridged body to turn and leave the room.

After closing the door behind me, my knees buckled as I slid onto the wooden bench to the left of the door.

I held my head in my hands as I heard a broken voice whisper from the other side of the door, "I shall never see him again."

....

I sat staring at the piano in Pemberley's grand living room as Georgiana played merrily away at it. Bingley and his sisters were sitting on the silk couches near the empty marble hearth and listing to my sisters playing with smiles on their faces. Bingley's sisters showed noticeably more attention to Georgiana's playing than Eliza's just the other night.

"You are very quiet this evening, Mr. Darcy," Carolines said when Georgiana finished playing, her sultry voice protruding my crazed thoughts. "I hope you are not pinning the loss of Miss Eliza Bennet."

"What"

She stilled as she reregistered the deathly cold warning in my voice.

"Excuse me." I bit out as I stood from my seat and left the room.