Chapter 17
The answer he waited and hoped for did not come, at least not the one David longed to hear. Cassandra’s trembling voice, so soft he could barely perceive it, whispered as her tentative steps directed her toward the door, “You may do as you please, sir, and I shall do what I must.”
*** Elizabeth awoke with a painful sensation that her head was too heavy to be lifted. She moaned and leaned back against the pillow, momentarily disoriented. Then, gradually, the memories of past events overwhelmed her; the light of a sunny day was warming the room, as was the fire—burning steadily—yet she shivered.
Her senses told her to behave sensibly—surely there was no reason for distress! However, her fears would not vanish. It must have been very late in the day, and the others were likely wondering about her. What had they been told? What did they know? What would Miss Bingley say? Suddenly, that room seemed her only refuge; and, with a childish gesture, she pulled the cover sheets all around her and hid her face beneath them.
A gentle knock on the door startled her, and she hesitated a moment before inviting the guest to enter. Elizabeth actually breathed in relief when Georgiana’s sweet face, frowned with worry, appeared in the doorway.
“Please come in, dearest,” she said with an open smile, and the girl hurried to do so, sitting on the bed near Elizabeth.
“Oh, Elizabeth, I just discovered you are still at Netherfield and not feeling well. What happened? I am so sorry I did not come until now! But last evening you seemed fine. I never imagined… And William returned in the middle of the night. I know something must have happened, but nobody told me anything. Not even Cassandra is in her room.”
The young girl’s distress overwhelmed Elizabeth, and she could hardly hold back her tears. Georgiana’s voice was trembling, her face colorless, and Elizabeth took her hands, struggling for the appropriate words to offer in response. She briefly wondered if she should tell her everything, but instantly her own promise came to mind. She would not deceive Georgiana again, not even for the purpose of protecting her.
“Georgiana, there is no need to distress yourself so, dearest. Everything is well now. Please try to calm yourself, and I promise I will tell you everything.”
So for the next half hour nothing remained untold, not even Lady Cassandra’s scheme of pretending she had been the victim of Lord Markham’s attack.
But Georgiana did not feel better or calmer—quite the contrary. Her state turned worse as the story progressed, and her watery eyes told of disbelief for such an extraordinary revelation. The notion that a gentleman, the son of an Earl for that matter, could behave in such an outrageous manner, and the sudden revelation that a lady cannot be completely safe, even in the home of a close friend, made her spirits desperately low.
They continued to talk; there were many questions Georgiana dared not ask and many concerns she dared not express, yet Elizabeth masterfully succeeded not only in guessing them but also offering her friend the proper answers.
With no little gratitude, Elizabeth explained in every detail the extraordinary gesture Lady Cassandra had made; speaking of Georgiana’s lifetime friend seemed to bring a small smile to the girl’s lips. “Yes, Cassandra is wonderful, is she not?”
“Indeed she is; even more, she is generous and courageous. I have never met anyone like her.”
“You are both wonderful,” Georgiana said, her cheeks finally coloring while her face seemed to relax. “I am so fortunate that I will have you both with me from now on.”
Elizabeth blushed slightly, instantly remembering the day at Pemberley when Georgiana had first mentioned the possibility of Cassandra living with them after Elizabeth and Darcy married. It appeared the girl shared the same recollections as her smile grew and turned brighter. “I did tell you as much that day at Pemberley, do you remember?”
“Yes, I do remember,” Elizabeth replied, squeezing her hand affectionately. “Georgiana, I am fortunate that I will have a sister like you. I could not wish for anything more.”
“Well, it is good to know we are all fortunate.” Georgiana laughed and the tension in the room dissipated in a instant. “William will have an ally in you, as he and Cassandra used to argue a lot, and she won almost all the time.”
“Oh, I do not believe your brother needs an ally to take his side. I imagine he often allowed Cassandra to win, as he is a true gentleman.”
Georgiana leaned her head. “It is true that he is a perfect gentleman, but he did not allow her to win their arguments; he simply could not defeat her. Besides, even Mrs. Reynolds used to be on Cassandra’s side so trust me—poor William dearly needed both an ally and someone to comfort him.”
The girl burst out in even stronger peals of laughter, highly amused with her own words about her brother. Elizabeth joined her, yet the mere image of comforting Darcy gave her shivers of pleasurable anticipation. She blushed, ashamed at such improper thoughts while in her younger friend’s company.
A few minutes later, Jane, pale, with dark circles around her eyes—a sign that she had slept little—joined them. The elder Miss Bennet’s distress and worry were obvious, and Elizabeth’s somber expression returned.
At Elizabeth’s insistence and, clearly embarrassed by Georgiana’s presence yet incapable of dissimulation, Jane said with a faint voice, “Lizzy, if you are feeling better, we should take our leave. Miss Bingley is very upset with us.”
~/~/~/~ Charles Bingley pushed his chair away and stepped toward his sister who was still sitting at the breakfast table. His face was red with anger and his eyes narrowed in fury as he looked at Caroline.
“The betrayal of your unworthy friend, Lord Markham, seems to have made your senses and reasoning vanish, Caroline, so I will try very hard to forget the grave offense you have just brought to my fiancée. But that will be the last time you will speak to her in such a way. I shall not accept your rudeness any longer. And do not forget that in less than a month Jane will be the mistress of this house, and she will decide if you will be allowed to live in our home.”
“I should be angry with you, Charles, not otherwise! I went to bed last night knowing Lord Markham was well and contented. I woke up this morning to find he was gone! Instead, I found Jane and Eliza Bennet, who apparently had spent the night here! What reason could possibly induce Lord Markham to leave so suddenly in the middle of the night?”
“That is something you will have to ask the man himself when you meet him again, which I hope will not happen for the next fifty years!” He was furious and could hardly rein in his impulse to blurt out the truth.
“Not meet him again? Charles, how can you be so cruel as to say such a thing? You are simply jealous of my prospects of marrying into such a fine family, so different from that of your future relatives. I am sure that was the reason he left: he was offended by the improper company in which he found himself! What was that scheme with the Bennet sisters remaining over night? Jane had trapped you already, so maybe Eliza had hoped to accomplish something similar with Lord Markham.”
Lady Cassandra’s impersonal and very cold voice brought all eyes to her as she entered the room. “Miss Bingley, you should not harbor any hopes of ever connecting yourself to Markham the way you wish. Mr. Bingley was honorable enough to avoid telling you the truth, but I have no such scruples, so you can cease accusing the Miss Bennets of nonexistent deeds.” Bingley watched her in shock, suddenly forgetting his previous anger toward his sister; her ladyship looked shockingly different. Her face was pale, and bruises—now turned blue—were visible on her right cheek; her eyes—black circles around them, red and swollen as though she had been crying—seemed lifeless.
Though Caroline’s face colored highly with anger against such a statement, she could not gather her senses enough to reply as she would have wished. “How dare she? How insufferable—to speak in such a manner about Lord Markham.”
“Lady Cassandra, are you well?” Bingley hurried to offer her his arm.
“I am perfectly well, sir. Please do not disturb yourself. I am just tired, as I scarcely slept.”
She sat, and then continued, turning to Miss Bingley. “These bruises you see on my face, Miss Bingley, are proof of Lord Markham’s ungentlemanlike behavior. You should be pleased he did not remain longer and grateful if he never appears anywhere near you in the future.”
Caroline Bingley’s eyes opened widely in shock at such a statement. “Lady Cassandra, surely you cannot imply…”
“I am not implying. I am telling you frankly. You should accept the fact that Lord Markham came here, not to court you, but for mischievous reasons of his own. He took advantage of your credulity, Miss Bingley; forgive me for being so blunt.”
“This cannot be,” Caroline cried out, her cheeks suddenly pale, her eyes narrowed in anger.
“It is true.” Bingley’s tone was softened, as he was clearly affected by his sister’s distress. “He is not a man of honor, Caroline. He behaved like a savage and injured not only Lady Cassandra but Miss Elizabeth, as well. This is why she had to remain overnight: she was simply not well enough to return home. Markham told me he never had any intention of connecting himself with you; he declared as much in the presence of his father and other witnesses.”
“This cannot be! This cannot be…” Caroline’s voice grew lower and quieter, as her countenance wrinkled and darkened.
After many minutes, during which she seemed unaware of the others in the room and oblivious to her brother and sister’s worried inquiries, Caroline Bingley slunk from the room. Her expression made Charles look first at Louisa and then Lady Cassandra as a lump formed in his throat along with the sensation of a cold stone in his stomach. He had never before seen Caroline in such a state.
*** Later that afternoon, Elizabeth and Jane departed from Netherfield to Longbourn, accompanied by Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley on horseback and Georgiana sharing the carriage with them. When Darcy had informed her that he intended to go to Longbourn, Georgiana instantly took the opportunity to join them, as Netherfield was not a congenial place that day.
The Colonel behaved strangely all day, only leaving his room for a long ride, and then avoided all company. As for Lady Cassandra, Darcy was as worried as he could be—she looked far worse than the previous evening and refused to talk to him. She insisted she was well, only not desirous of company. She also declared she would be her usual self for the ball and demanded he allow her to rest without further disturbance.
Elizabeth also attempted to talk to Cassandra more than once during the day; but, though Cassandra showed a warm politeness and even forced a smile for Elizabeth, she remained equally restrained in saying anything else save that she was fine and would be even better the next day after several hours of rest.
Just before their departure, Elizabeth, together with Georgiana, visited Cassandra once more and were shocked to find her with tearful, swollen eyes and trembling hands. When they insisted, out of the deepest concern, on knowing the reason for her pitiable state, Cassandra’s reaction became almost violent, and she demanded they leave her in peace. Only a moment later, she controlled herself and apologized, averting her face from their scrutiny and assuring them they had no reason to worry; her present state was in no way related to either of them. She then thanked them and pleaded to be left alone for a time.
When they left her apartment, Georgiana was tearful and Elizabeth full of grief and remorse; she was afraid the previous night’s events and Cassandra’s self-imposed burden had affected her disposition. However, there was little any of them could do; Georgiana prayed and hoped her dear friend would soon recover, and Elizabeth struggled to find a solution.
Riding on Elizabeth’s side of the carriage, Darcy was far from light-hearted, although he was quite pleased to see Elizabeth so well recovered, at least physically. Earlier that day he had insisted on her not attending the ball if she felt poorly, but she had replied—with a mischievous, delicious smile—that she was well enough to dance more than one set with him. She looked well, no doubt, though she was obviously struggling to be her usual self. From time to time, her face clouded in concern and her eyes lost the liveliness of their usual sparkle. She was worried for Cassandra—she had told him that much—and likely there were other things upsetting her, too; the previous night’s trials were clearly distressing her greatly, but she forced herself to smile and chat amiably with her companions.
From time to time, Elizabeth’s gaze rested on his face, and he hurried to meet her eyes and smile comfortingly at her. He was trying to deceive her—in fact, to keep the truth from her—he knew that and felt equally disturbed and guilty for the decision he had taken. Nonetheless, there was no other option—Elizabeth had to feel safe and relaxed; she could not be forced to bear another distress, not for the world.
The party reached Longbourn shortly and barely entered the house when Mrs. Bennet hurried toward them, crying so loudly that Darcy was certain she could be heard in Meryton.
“Oh Lizzy, my child, you finally came home! Oh, let me see you, let me see how badly you have been injured.”
“Mama, do not distress yourself. I am very well; I am not injured at all!”
“Oh my child, you must be, I am sure, but you are trying to keep everything from me, as your father did. You two always find pleasure in vexing me! Mr. Bennet did not say a word last night; I had to be told by the servants how brave you have been! Oh, you saved Lady Cassandra from that horrible man, Lord something! Who cares if he is a Lord? Nobody really gives a care about him! Such a horrible man!”
Her state turned more and more agitated, and Elizabeth became pale with mortification, not so much because of her mother’s behavior, but because she was ashamed by the deceit of the story. “Mama, please, I really have done nothing. Please let us forget about this…”
“Nothing? Nothing? How can you say that? You saved poor lady Cassandra! Oh, I knew you could not have been so wild all your childhood for nothing! You are so brave; you always liked to climb trees and run across the fields!”
“Mama!” cried Jane. But Mrs. Bennet ignored her and took Elizabeth’s arm while directing everyone to the drawing room
“Oh, that poor, beautiful Lady Cassandra. Such a lovely, elegant lady! So pleasant and sophisticated—she always complimented my food and my dishes when she came to dinner. I like her very much—better than any other lady I have ever met! And everybody in town shares the same opinion! The poor dear—and that horrible man! My sister Philips and I are quite sure he attacked her to force her to marry him! As if she would ever have him! He is the most unworthy of men; I am sure of that, and not at all good looking! Hill’s niece works at Netherfield, and she declared that the man was quite ill-favored indeed! What nerve of him!
“Mrs. Bennet, your nerves will not last longer if you will keep yourself so excited,” Mr. Bennet intervened, but his wife still had more to say.
“Mr. Darcy, you should call him out and teach him a lesson; you are taller than that man, I was told, and have a much better constitution!” she continued, to Elizabeth’s utter shock.
“Mama! How can you say such a thing?” Elizabeth’s voice matched the scowl on her face as she looked from an imperturbable Darcy to a pale Georgiana.
“What? Am I not right, Mr. Darcy?”
To everyone’s astonishment, the gentleman bowed politely to the lady. “You are perfectly right, Mrs. Bennet.”
“See? See Lizzy? Mr. Darcy agrees with me!”
Elizabeth was heartily grateful to her father when, a moment later, he interrupted his wife quite unceremoniously and invited both gentlemen to the library to have a drink before dinner. She took advantage of the opportunity and, with a brief glance directed at Darcy, took Jane and Georgiana by their hands and hurried to their rooms to prepare for dinner.
Downstairs, Mrs. Bennet’s nerves discovered another reason for even greater distress: Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy were to remain for dinner, and she was not properly prepared for such an event! Oh, and the Gardiners were expected to arrive any minute—and tomorrow was the ball! She would gladly faint and ask for her smelling salts if she did not have so many things to take care of! And nobody around to help her! “Hill! Mary! Kitty! Where are you all? Come here this instant!”
*** To everybody’s delight, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner arrived an hour before dinner and the reunion was a pleasant one. Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, as well as Georgiana, were truly pleased to meet them again.
The dinner was generally a relaxing and enjoyable time. Elizabeth and Darcy spent the evening ‘speaking’ silently to each other, their eyes locked almost constantly across the table and later across the room. They were less talkative than the others; and, if such a state was common for Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth’s uncommon silence drew a few inquiries from Mrs. Bennet. Each time, however, Mrs. Gardiner managed to skillfully return her sister’s attention with an appropriate question about future happy events in their family, so Elizabeth could breathe easily the entire evening.
The gentlemen had retired for a drink, and the ladies were talking animatedly about the ball and the approaching wedding, when Hill discreetly fetched Elizabeth and directed her to the library, where her father was expecting her. She obeyed with no little surprise, but her surprise turned to shock when she saw Darcy waiting for her in the hall. He took her hand and directed her not to the library but into a small adjoining room. He closed the door behind them.
“William, what on earth are you doing?” She was half-amused, half-worried about his strange behavior in the proximity of her entire family.
“Do not distress yourself. I have your father’s permission to talk to you a few minutes; he suggested we use this room.”
She turned pale instantly. “William, what has happened?”
He held her hand tightly as they sat down together on a small settee, facing each other. Then he took both her hands in his.
“Please do not worry, Elizabeth. Nothing has happened, but there is something of importance I wish to talk about with you, and I do not think we will have another chance for privacy before the ball.”
She looked at him intensely and freed her hand so her fingers could stroke his face. “Something did happen…”
He averted his eyes, turned his head so he could place a soft kiss inside her palm, and then he smiled. She smiled back as he started talking, his voice soft and gentle. “My love, are you still willing to announce our engagement tomorrow night? And to share a double wedding with Bingley and Miss Bennet?”
“Of course I am… Why should I not be? I mean…if you are…” She stopped, a little disconcerted, not knowing what he intended.
“Very well then; this is how it will be. Your father seemed quite excited about making that announcement… I dare say he finds great amusement in anticipating the reactions.” He laughed shortly and she joined him, but neither of them sounded amused or tranquil.
“But, William, I am sure this is not what you wanted to talk to me about so privately. Though I do not mind spending a few minutes alone with you,” she said sweetly, purposely flirting with him.
His face lit with delight, and he lifted her hand to kiss it and then leaned forward, his lips brushing lightly against hers. She sighed and could not hide the regret when he withdrew only a moment later. “Something will happen…immediately after the ball… I have to return to London for a short time, as I left some unfinished business which needs my attention immediately. After that, I promise I will not leave you again until the wedding.”
Elizabeth turned pale instantly and any trace of a smile vanished from her face while she continued to scrutinize his. Some time passed in complete silence, only their eyes searching the others’ with intense interest and worry.
Finally, she breathed again and whispered, “Then you should go… If you say you need to go, I trust you completely. Last night you returned unexpectedly, so of course you had no time to conclude your affairs.”
Her voice, though weak, sounded determined, and her eyes never averted from his though they were moist with unshed tears.
“I…” Darcy tried to speak, yet his voice seemed more affected than hers. He averted his gaze for a moment, and then his eyes returned to lock on hers. “There is old business and some new, too… I just talked to Mr. Bennet and informed him about its nature.”
“I see…and will you tell me more about the nature of this business? Is it related to me?”
“It is,” he answered after a brief hesitation. “But I would rather tell you everything upon my return.”
“Can you not trust me now?”
“Elizabeth…”
His voice was beseeching her, as were his dark eyes. She felt unjust, ungrateful and ashamed—he had ridden wildly from London only to be with her; he showed the depth of his love when he believed her to be utterly compromised; he shared his private affairs with her father. He had already offered her much more than any other gentleman would have. How could she dare demand more from him? However, her suspicions were painfully and unbearably strong, so she needed to ask, she needed to know.
“William, early this morning, Mr. Bingley sent a servant to inquire after the Markhams. He discovered they departed during the night in the direction of their own estate.”
She searched his face thoroughly while speaking and did not miss the trace of a shadow on his countenance. “Has…has your business something to do with that part of the country? Please tell me you will not leave London.”
His eyes met hers, and she could easily read the turmoil inside him. His voice came as another proof, but it was his words that calmed her; she was certain he would not deliberately deceive her. “My business will keep me in London; I shall not travel to that part of the country. Please let us not talk more on this subject for now, Elizabeth. I promise I will tell you all you want to know when I come back.”
Her heart was still heavy and she felt somehow betrayed that he did not trust her enough to share his affairs with her. After all, she would soon be his wife. Yet, her senses forbade her to go further. He did promise he would tell her everything, and he did talk about those affairs with another gentleman he trusted—her own father. She could hardly ask for more. She had to trust him.
“William, I shall not insist further; and, if I did so before now, it was only because I was truly worried for you. Go my love. I shall wait for you here, but please finish all your business as I have no intention of letting you leave me again soon. I intend to keep you prisoner, sir.”
Neither her voice nor expression showed utter relief, but she undoubtedly gave him the opportunity of doing as he wished. She was proving to him that she respected his will and trusted his decision. And with her response she did confirm how perfect she was for him. The first thought that came to Darcy’s mind was to simply thank her! But he had little time to do it as her lips, soft and sweet, tantalized his, and then captured them daringly.
There was only love and tenderness expressed in their kiss. Their lips did not part for a long time as there was a stronger need for each other than the simple need for breathing. They separated only when a short knock on the door and Mr. Bennet’s voice forced them to do so.
~/~/~/~ She looked breathtakingly beautiful! David remained still in the main hall of Netherfield, looking at Lady Cassandra as she walked down the stairs, together with Georgiana. Everything was glowing around her, yet her face—still wearing the bruises, despite her maid’s obvious effort at concealing them—was pale and unexpressive, almost lifeless.
Cassandra saw him, and their eyes met only for a brief moment. He bowed to her, and she tried to force a small gesture of polite courtesy that barely succeeded.
Instead, Georgiana hurried to her cousin and took his arm. “David, are you well? I did not see you the entire day.”
“I am sorry dearest; I hope I did not worry you. I am simply in no mood for company lately, but I am well.”
“Indeed, you look very handsome.” He laughed nervously. “Thank you, my dear. You are only too kind. However, you truly are beautiful. I am sure all the gentlemen in the room will fight for a dance with you.”
Georgiana blushed violently and laughed back. “Oh, you delight in teasing me so! You know too well that I will not dance—I am not yet out and should not be here at all. But William allowed me to stay a little only to see Elizabeth and Jane, and then I will retire to my room. And in truth, I have not the slightest inclination to dance even if I could.”
He kissed her hand with affection and then smiled and winked at her. “Well, well, and I was tempted to ask you for the first set. Now I shall have to wait for another ball. If you will excuse me, I think the Bennets are here, and I want to greet them.”
He departed with only another short glance at Cassandra. Georgiana’s puzzlement grew until it became distressing: something strange was happening. She had never seen Cassandra so silent, and it had never happened for Cassandra and David to be in each other’s company and not talk to each other at all.
In another corner of the room, Bingley was looking around with eyes and mouth open in befuddlement: who on earth were all these people?
They had been arriving since morning—some of them were given rooms in the guests’ rooms at Netherfield as they arrived directly from London, and Bingley barely remembered ever having met some of them before. There were at least five families invited by Caroline and Louisa who were completely unknown to him. Of course, his sisters insisted they were old acquaintances, but Bingley kept wondering to himself, whose acquaintances? Certainly not his.
As for his sisters, he had been equally shocked to see Caroline’s disposition utterly changed from the previous day. She was neither angry nor rude anymore and had not mentioned Lord Markham’s name at all during the day. Was it possible for her to become so reasonable over night? Bingley could only hope for such a miracle.
Several of his guests—the ones hosted at Netherfield, Miss Something and her cousins—were just walking down the stairs, attended by a very accommodating Caroline. He politely bowed to them and expressed his hopes that they were comfortably installed at Netherfield. They said they were very pleased with their rooms.
He had no time to reply as that very moment Jane Bennet and her family entered, and he forgot everybody else around him. He hurried to her and instantly forgot about the other—too many—guests.
Mrs. Bennet’s attention was all bestowed upon Jane and Mr. Bingley, and she took great trouble in following them around the main ballroom and making some new acquaintances. Of course, the majority of those in attendance were families from Meryton, and toward them Mrs. Bennet directed her enthusiasm. Her pleasure in talking about Jane’s engagement and her future marriage knew no restraint. Her daughter—and implicitly she—was the beneficiary of this ball: it was an engagement gift from her betrothed, Mr. Bingley—together with some jewels, naturally.
Darcy was happy to be almost ignored by Mrs. Bennet. He could simply not take his eyes off of Elizabeth from the moment she arrived. She seemed serene and calm, and her eyes were sparkling with joy as she spoke to her sisters. Her beautiful face was wearing an open, bright smile and it actually shone when her eyes met his; yes, she was happy to see him, no doubt about that. All his worries disappeared for the moment as he walked toward her. He heard—slightly—some voices calling his name but he gave them little importance; whoever they were, they could wait.
This was the night their engagement would be publicly announced, so he did not think twice before offering Elizabeth his arm and walking with her into the ballroom. She cast repeated, teasing glances toward him and little smiles were twisting her lips as she spoke with a low voice.
If Mrs. Bennet was too closely engaged with Bingley and Jane to observe them, their obvious intimacy did not go unnoticed by other guests. Only a few minutes later, Miss Bingley’s friends from Town showed great curiosity in asking her about the woman on Mr. Darcy’s arm. Some of the ladies—to whom Miss Bingley had already spoken about the Bennet family since last winter—were very much inclined to agree with her: that Eliza Bennet was not a beauty at all. She was nothing compared to her elder sister, and her countenance showed nothing but self sufficiency and impertinence. The gentlemen were rather surprised to witness Mr. Darcy’s clear interest in a young woman of no consequence, but they were more tempted to understand his preference than not. Miss Elizabeth Bennet looked a very pleasant young lady, and the lively expression of her eyes and bright smiles was quite diverting.
The Gardiners joined Elizabeth as Darcy and Georgiana hurried to bring them all together with Lady Cassandra. The reunion with the Gardiners was mutually delightful, and Cassandra’s spirits improved slightly while talking to them. However she was very far from her usual self, Elizabeth could see that. And, as proof and to increase her anxiety, Mrs. Gardiner seemed to have noticed as well the change in her ladyship’s nature; more than once she exchanged short glances with Elizabeth, sharing their preoccupation. And then, there was the Colonel! Though he had always been so friendly with the Gardiners, this time he seemed to purposely avoid them after only a short greeting. He was staying somewhere in the other corner of the room, staring at them from time to time but never approaching. Elizabeth was so happy to be there, so pleased to be with Darcy and with all her beloved relatives, yet so distressed. Was it possible that the changes in both Lady Cassandra and the Colonel were due to the events of two days ago? Was their behavior different because of her?
Only a few minutes later, Mrs. Bennet approached their group and took complete control of their conversation. Even more, she noticed the Colonel watching from afar and called to him without any hesitation. The gentleman looked around slightly embarrassed—as were Darcy and Elizabeth who shared a quick glance at each other—then had no other alternative but to walk toward their animated party. To Elizabeth’s complete disbelief, Lady Cassandra took a few steps backward until she almost retreated into a corner.
Elizabeth could not miss the opportunity; though her ladyship’s gaze was by no means inviting, she followed Lady Cassandra and tried to keep a very low voice while addressing her.
“Cassandra, please forgive me for intruding, but I cannot go any further without asking you what happened? You look truly ill since yesterday…”
Cassandra laughed nervously to hide her surprise. “Why, thank you for the compliment, Miss Bennet. Not even Miss Bingley has been so blunt in expressing her disapproval of my countenance.”
Elizabeth, however, was in no disposition for a teasing chat. “Cassandra, you know what I mean. You are as beautiful as ever. I do not know when I have ever seen a woman more beautiful than you. But you look truly ill; you look troubled and distressed—and sad.” Her voice was earnest and inquiring; Cassandra was tempted to refuse to answer, but Elizabeth’s worried countenance changed her decision.
Yet, it was Elizabeth who continued to speak. “I have heard the rumors since I returned home yesterday. I know all of Meryton is gossiping about the attack and how I saved you, and I cannot allow the deception to continue. For that lie to be spread around and affect you…”
“Elizabeth!” Cassandra’s determined and severe voice drew Darcy’s attention, and he stared at them, puzzled. “Elizabeth, please listen to me carefully: there is indeed something that has bothered me these days. It is also true that I would rather not see anyone and be away from here. I am in no disposition for any gathering and attended this ball only because I did not want to disappoint Bingley, your sister and Georgiana—and even you. However, my disposition has nothing to do with Markham’s actions or with the rumors being spread—in fact, this gossip is exactly what I had hoped for, remember?”
“I see…” Elizabeth replied, obviously not convinced by her statement.
“Elizabeth, I will not talk to you about this, and I am asking you not to inquire further upon that subject. Please do not feel offended by my honesty; it is simply a matter too private to be shared.”
Elizabeth nodded silently, her disappointment obvious. She did not expect such a direct, cold rejection; she believed their acquaintance had become closer and more intimate, but apparently she was wrong.
“There is nothing that you or anybody else can do for me, Elizabeth. I shall be fine again, in time. And please believe me that your care and your genuine concern are not unappreciated. I do value your friendship.”
Elizabeth was certain she had never met anyone whose face was such a total expression of utter sadness. “Cassandra, I apologize for being such an annoyance… I…I only wish I could do something to help you.”
“Oh, but you can,” she said with a forced smile. “You can demand that Darcy dance every dance and at least one with Miss Bingley and one with Miss Cardington.”
Elizabeth looked at her in puzzlement, and Cassandra laughed. “Not to mention I cannot wait to see Darcy’s reaction at our surprise.”
“Did something happen, ladies? May I be of some service to you?”
Darcy’s voice took Elizabeth by surprise, as she did not notice his approach. He looked with equal worry from Elizabeth to Cassandra: the former smiled at him reassuringly, while the latter laughed again. “Well, Darcy, Elizabeth and I were just saying that now, as you are about to announce your engagement, you absolutely must change the poor impression you made last year—so you will have to dance every set.”
Darcy’s eyebrow rose at that obvious mockery. “Well, my dear friend, I am exceedingly pleased to see you take such a delight in laughing at me.”
“Thank you, Darcy. You are such a sweet, kind boy—as Mrs. Reynolds would say!” Elizabeth burst out in peals of laughter and immediately covered her mouth with her gloved hand. Darcy’s amusement was openly displayed in an immense smile.
“And,” Lady Cassandra continued as Darcy’s countenance changed instantly, “did you notice your old friend Miss Cardington?”
He cast a quick glance at Elizabeth and could see she was indeed intrigued. Trying to find a proper explanation, he had no time to reply as Cassandra continued, addressing Elizabeth. “Miss Cardington is one of Darcy’s biggest admirers—even bigger than Miss Bingley. In fact, I could safely say that Lady Cardington—her mother—chased Darcy for almost eight years as she had eight daughters and seemed to consider him the perfect husband for any of them.”
“Cassandra, this is not something to jest with,” said Darcy with a severe voice. “I have never done anything to encourage such behavior; I have never called at the Cardingtons’, not even once. If I remember correctly, I danced with Miss Cardington on one occasion a few years ago at a ball in my aunt’s home, but I never spoke privately with her, not even for a moment.”
“Oh, come now, Darcy, it was only a joke! You surely cannot presume Elizabeth would get jealous that there were other young ladies competing for your attentions! She already knew that; she had the best example ever in Miss Bingley.”
Darcy was indeed affected, and he was certain Elizabeth was, too. Not from some silly sense of jealousy—which would have been completely undeserved—but because he was reminded once again of how offensive and unjust he had been in his disastrous first proposal. He had accused Mrs. Bennet of improper manners and mercenary schemes to marry her daughters, yet many other ladies, members of the Ton, in a superior situation in life were doing the same thing all the time. He had held it against Mrs. Bennet because, full of prejudice and stupid pride, he had judged her more severely, more unfairly than those within his own circle. He was certain Elizabeth had similar thoughts and wondered—again—how he had been so fortunate as to gain Elizabeth’s forgiveness and her hand in marriage. He certainly did not deserve it!
“Oh, but I am jealous,” replied Elizabeth, and he looked at her in earnest surprise. She raised her eyebrow at him as she had so many times in the past and continued. “And I will surely not approve if you should dance more than one set with Miss Cardington this evening.”
Cassandra laughed once more, and Darcy was certain she had winked at Elizabeth. He stared at them in disbelief. “Are you both mocking me now? I certainly have not the slightest intention of dancing with Miss Cardington at all, not even half a dance! In fact, I plan to dance with no one except Elizabeth…” he paused a little and continued. “Oh well, maybe with you, too, Cassandra, and with Miss Jane…and…oh for heaven’s sake, how many sets are in a ball? And how many sets am I allowed to dance with you, Elizabeth?”
This time both his companions started to laugh so openly—despite their efforts at trying to keep their voices down—that Mrs. Gardiner and Georgiana turned to them and approached their little group, asking to be told the reason for such merriment. In a corner of the room, the Colonel was talking to Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Bennet, and cast brief, repeated glances in their direction.
The music finally started, and Mr. Bingley took his place with his remarkably handsome betrothed. It was universally acknowledged among the guests that Jane Bennet was absolutely, positively, extraordinarily beautiful. Never had Mrs. Bennet been so proud and pleased in her life, and there was not a single person near her who did not hear of it.
Elizabeth and Darcy talked very little during the first set. They spent the entire half an hour with eyes only for each other. Their hands touched and squeezed tenderly, and their fingers entwined briefly each time the steps brought them together. Darcy’s eyes left Elizabeth’s only to allow his adoring glance to travel along her face, to rest some long moments upon her crimson lips, then to move down to the creamy skin of her neck and return to meet her loving glance. Shocked by his own thoughts in a room full of strange people, all he could think of was the taste of her soft lips and the sensation of her arms embracing him.
Never had a set of two dances passed so quickly for Darcy, and never before had he regretted the end of a dance. He accompanied Elizabeth to her relatives while she congratulated him for his very elegant dancing skills. She was teasing him, and he adored her.
The next set Elizabeth stood up with Mr. Bingley and Darcy asked Cassandra. Georgiana had a very pleasant time chatting amiably with Mr. Bennet and the Gardiners. She was delighted to be able to talk—even to gossip openly a little—with people whom she could trust and with whom she felt safe. She was waiting impatiently for the moment she and Cassandra had been planning for two weeks.
For the third set, Elizabeth’s partner was the Colonel; and, during that half an hour, her feeling that something had occurred between the gentleman and Lady Cassandra became a certainty. It was not something the Colonel said but more the lack of his usual liveliness and his reticence in mentioning her ladyship’s name. The dance with the Colonel was more an awkward, embarrassing moment than a pleasurable one, and she could not help regretting her friend’s torment, especially when compared with her own present happiness. She was almost relieved when the music stopped and she retired to the place where Georgiana was standing. Shortly, Darcy joined them, and they had the opportunity to speak briefly before the next set.
Cassandra exited the house as soon as she could—she needed fresh air as she felt she could no longer breathe properly. She departed at a quick pace, hoping no one would see her as she could benefit from the solitude. It was a cold evening, yet she cared little. She simply could not bear all the noise, the people, the eyes staring at her, and the rumors. And she could not bear trying to keep her attention away from him.
In truth, nobody followed her as she sat on a stone bench for quite a while. She could hear the animated voices and the music from inside and suddenly realized it was time for that moment they had all prepared for so long. She forcefully wiped away a tear from her eye, breathed deeply and walked back toward the ballroom. There were many people around the main entrance—apparently they all needed a cool breeze to refresh themselves after the effort of dancing, and Cassandra tried to avoid as many as she could while briefly greeting others and quickened her pace inside. Hopefully she would be able to retire to her room shortly.
The Colonel’s appearance in front of her startled her; and for some time all she could do was stare at him. Cassandra needed many moments to find a few words to say or the strength to simply pass near him. He finally bowed to her while people around them cast quick glances at the strange pair frozen in the middle of the main opening.
“Lady Cassandra…”
“Colonel…”
“Would you allow me to escort you inside?”
“I…” He had already offered his arm and the hall was crowded, so she had little else to do than accept it. She took his arm tentatively.
They walked toward the ballroom; but, instead of releasing her hand, he put his palm upon hers, trapping it on his arm and quickly directed her to the left hall toward the library, hidden by the obtrusive eyes of the others. She barely had time to react; and, when she did, her disapproval was obvious.
“Colonel, what on earth are you doing? I have to go to the ballroom this instant.”
“Please forgive me; I will only delay you for a moment. Cassandra, are you well?”
“I am well enough, thank you for asking, sir. Let us return to the others.”
“You are very pale…”
“Colonel, please…” her voice sounded severe and cold and she pulled her hand from behind his arm. “As I already said, there is no need to worry about me. It is a ball, you know, you had better go and dance, I have noticed you barely danced at all and I am sure there are many ladies who would enjoy your company.” She was prepared to leave, turning her back to him, when he violently grabbed her hand and forced her to face him.
“I beg your pardon, Lady Cassandra? Did you just suggest that I go and dance?” Their eyes met in a silent, furious challenge while he continued, struggling to keep his voice down. “So this is your opinion of me? I am naught but a heartless cad who has put everything aside and is now ready to enjoy other women’s company? Did you take the trouble to consider that this might not be the true state of affairs? Or did you take any pains to offer me a single moment of your time or consider my situation in the slightest? Certainly not! Excuse me for detaining you so long, your ladyship. I shall leave you now.”
“David, please…” Her face turned pale and she seemed not to breathe at all. Her voice was trembling and this time she took hold of his arm. “Please forgive me. I did not mean to imply that. Forgive me for offending you; it was not my intention. I just… I know I have been cruel to you… I do not know what has possessed me… I did consider your situation, believe me. This is why I do not know what to do; I do not know if I should stay until the wedding or leave now. I cannot cope with this much longer.”
She could not fight against the tears which were now rolling over her cheeks. She covered her face with her gloved hands and turned to hide from his glare. Desperately, she ran from him and entered the first room she found—the library. In a moment he was behind her and, though she fought to push him away, he embraced her tightly until she finally abandoned herself in his arms.
Making no tender gesture or attempt at intimate contact, he only held her close to him. After a while he withdrew a few inches.
“Cassandra, there is no need for you to leave. I shall leave tomorrow morning after the ball.” She tensed and lifted her eyes to him. “But Cassandra, I still hope that someday you will change your mind and heart about me. I cannot give up this dream, nor can I give up on you. No, do not say anything. I expect no answer for now. Let us return to the ballroom, shall we?”
He did not wait for her reply but took her arm and escorted her from the library into the ballroom. No one seemed to notice their entrance, as the attention of the entire party was turned toward the musicians who started to play the first notes of the most infamous of dances.
*** Elizabeth spent many minutes searching the room for Lady Cassandra. Darcy was engaged in a friendly conversation with her father and Mr. Gardiner, Georgiana was chatting with Mrs. Gardiner as well as with Kitty and Mary. Jane was only preoccupied with Bingley who did not let her leave her side a single moment. Elizabeth was content, more than content with the development of the evening, but she could not ignore the absence of her friend.
Elizabeth walked around the room, greeting friends and old acquaintances and smiling politely to the new ones, but Cassandra was nowhere to be found. She intended to continue her search outside the ballroom when she heard Miss Bingley calling her name.
“Eliza, how lovely of you to come to speak to us!”
“Miss Bingley!”
“Miss Eliza, we have not been introduced earlier, have we?” asked Miss Bingley’s companion.
“Oh, I forgot about that; please forgive me,” said Miss Bingley. “Miss Cardington, allow me to introduce to you Miss Eliza Bennet, Jane’s sister. Eliza, this is my friend, Miss Cardington.”
“One chaser—two chasers” was Elizabeth’s first thought, and she barely suppressed the peals of laughter which attempted to burst out.
“Miss Eliza Bennet, I have heard so much about you!”
“And I about you,” replied Elizabeth, instantly casting a quick, amused glance toward Darcy.
“You must be very happy with your sister’s engagement, Miss Eliza,” said Miss Cardington.
“I am indeed. Mr. Bingley is a most worthy gentleman, and their affection is mutual. She will be very happy and deserves to be so.”
“Mr. Bingley is quite wealthy, too,” Miss Cardington added with a meaningful smile.
“Yes, he is, and my sister’s good fortune is even greater. A worthy, wealthy gentleman—is that not what all of us are looking for?”
Elizabeth was certain both Miss Cardington and Miss Bingley were disconcerted by her rather impertinent answer, but she continued to smile genuinely.
“Are you looking for someone, Miss Bennet? You seem very preoccupied scrutinizing the room,” said Miss Bingley.
“Yes, in fact I was looking for Lady Cassandra. Have you seen her, by any chance?”
“No indeed. However, I have to confess I did not look after her at all. But does Mr. Darcy not know about her? As far as I know, they are on very close terms, and I am sure you could ask Mr. Darcy, considering you danced the first set with him.”
Miss Cardington’s insinuating voice, instead of disturbing Elizabeth only amused her all the more. At that very moment she saw Lady Cassandra entering the room with the Colonel and she breathed in relief. She turned her full attention to the two ladies in front of her.
“Miss Cardington, I imagine you are a close acquaintance with both Mr. Darcy and Lady Cassandra since you know so much about them.”
“I am, indeed. Mr. Darcy and I have been very close acquaintances.”
“How fortunate,” was all Elizabeth could say.
“Yes, quite. And because of our closeness I have to say I was very surprised to see him dancing almost every set. I know he disapproves of this kind of diversion.”
“He is a wonderful dancer, though.” Elizabeth could not hide her smile as she replied.
“Yes, he is. I have had the pleasure of dancing with him many times in the past…However, I am sure he only tried to be polite to his friend. Mr. Darcy cannot find any true pleasure in dancing at a country ball.”
“Indeed, Mr. Darcy is all politeness,” said Elizabeth. With the corner of her eyes she noticed Darcy walking toward them slowly. She returned her attention to her companions and could see the expression of complete shock and disgust on their faces a moment later when the music started and the sound of a waltz invaded the room.
“Waltz? That cannot be!” cried Miss Bingley, turning to her friend to search her support. “Surely Charles has not lost his mind completely to admit such an outrageous thing.”
As to complete the disaster, Charles Bingley seemed he had lost his mind indeed as he smiled in utter happiness, took his betrothed’s hand and invited her onto the floor. With grace and raising both whispers of admiration and complete disapproval, they started to dance as Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner—both highly amused—joined them almost instantly. Then, shortly, Elizabeth could see the Colonel leaning toward Cassandra and whispering to her most likely an invitation as, after a very brief hesitation, she allowed him to escort her to the other pairs.
The rumors in the room were everything that Elizabeth, Cassandra and Georgiana, together with Jane and Mr. Bingley who were part of the scheme—had expected and the expression of complete shock on Miss Bingley’s and Miss Cardington’s faces was something to remember.
“I would have never imagined something like that, Caroline!” cried Miss Cardington. “If I knew, I must say I would have not accepted the invitation—I surely cannot allow being associated with such a scandalous event.”
“Please believe me, I am as shocked as you are, this is the most…”
“Mr. Darcy, what think you of that?” asked Miss Cardington the very moment when Darcy was close enough to them. She even moved closer to him and attempted to take his arm but he entwined his hands on his back, taking a step further to post a greater distance between them.
“Think of what, Miss Cardington?” His eyes rested on Elizabeth and locked with hers. He could see how amused she was.
“About that! About the waltz! How can you tolerate such a thing?”
“How can I tolerate? Indeed Miss Cardington, I am astonished. This is Mr. Bingley’s house and his ball and we are all his guests. It is not for me or for anybody else to tolerate anything. We can only retreat to our rooms if we are displeased with the development of the evening.”
His voice was polite, even friendly, but decided. Miss Cardington’s mouth and her eyes open widely and she kept staring at him, hoping she had not heard him properly.
“Mr. Darcy!” At Elizabeth’s voice, three pair of eyes turned toward her, but she was only interested in Darcy’s.
“I certainly hope you do not intend to retire to your room now, sir.”
“Surely not, Miss Bennet,” he replied, moving toward her, completely ignoring the others.
“I am glad to hear that, because I was wondering if you would do me the very great pleasure of dancing with me.”
He was surprised—she could see that and she found great delight in his reaction. She had waited for that since the moment she had learned to waltz. She briefly wondered if Miss Cardington and Miss Bingley were still about or merely fainted, but only for a moment as she cared very little about them.
“Miss Bennet, I wish for nothing more this very moment than to dance with you.” He offered her his arm and a moment later they were on the dance floor, tightly embraced in the flying rhythm of the waltz.
Elizabeth moved awkwardly at first, her feet seemingly refusing to listen to her as they had during their rehearsals. Maybe it was all the eyes staring at her or his hands touching her in public—or maybe the warmth of his body so close to hers—but she could scarcely gather her wits enough to dance as she had hoped she would.
“Allow me to direct you,” he whispered to her. “There is no need to worry about the dance steps; the music will conduct you—and so will I.”
She blushed violently and nodded in agreement. Her eyes were locked on his, one hand holding hers, his other arm encircling her waist; her head was spinning with emotion and happiness and, moment by moment, the sound of the music enveloped her as she forgot her anxiety about the order of the steps. As Darcy said, he was directing her.
“This is the most extraordinary surprise,” he said when he saw her more relaxed.
“It was all Cassandra’s idea, of course.”
“Of course.” He laughed. “And Bingley and Miss Bennet approved of it?”
“Without hesitation. I was very surprised to see Jane so willing to shock the entire neighborhood.” She laughed and her eyes sparkled with delight. “Cassandra was our teacher, and Georgiana played for us!”
“I see…there was an entire conspiracy meant to surprise me.” He smiled. “I am very impressed, I must say.”
“Unfortunately, I have not been a very apt pupil. My dancing skills are in great need of improvement. I am sorry I embarrassed you.” Her cheeks were crimson, and she was slightly uneasy.
“Embarrassed me? My dearest, you could not be further from the truth. I would tell you what I truly feel this very moment, but I am afraid I would embarrass you with such declarations.”
She blushed even more—her neck was burning as much as her cheeks—and averted her eyes from him to cast a quick glance around the room.
“Besides, you are a very good dancer; Sir William himself said so, remember?” She nodded and smiled at the memory of that dance—that fight—when Sir William interrupted them to express his admiration and to congratulate them for their superior dancing.
“However, it is true your steps are not perfect yet… but, as my aunt said last spring, you will never waltz truly well if you do not practice more.”
She laughed and closed her eyes for a moment, allowing the music to spoil her. “On the other hand you, sir, are truly proficient. Should I suppose you have practiced very diligently? And if so, may I wonder when and with whom?”
Her eyebrow rose and her lips twisted in a mocking reproach. Yet, he could see she was truly curious. “You may ask, and I will answer you…some day. However, we were talking about the improvement of your dancing skills. Would you allow me to tell you what I have in mind?”
“Please do, sir.” Elizabeth began to feel warmer—partially from the effort the dance required but also because of his closeness. The way he talked to her—so private in a room full of people—was even more distracting than his hands embracing her.
“I think what you need are some private lessons, and I am more than willing to be your teacher. We will be able to practice as much as you like once we are married. While in town these next days, I will take the opportunity to order a music box—a most special one—which will play the waltz for us, so we can dance any time we wish.”
She laughed with utter delight and did not dare allow her mind to imagine how their dance would be once they were married. She forced a lighthearted reply. “Oh, there is no need for a special private music box. Georgiana can play for us; she plays the waltz masterfully.”
Darcy looked at her with such an intense gaze that she forgot to breathe, and then he added, teasing obvious in his husky voice, “Dearest Elizabeth, if you think a private lesson would include the presence of my sister, then in truth you do not know the meaning of the word privacy. However, I will be more than willing to teach you that, as well.”
Elizabeth had no reply, for she was preoccupied with the attempt to remain upright as her knees grew weak and she fought to hide her embarrassment—a most pleasant embarrassment. Darcy did not fail to notice her uneasiness and began to apologize, but she interrupted him instantly. “When will you leave tomorrow?”
He was surprised by the sudden change of topic. “I planned to leave very early in the morning, immediately after the ball. David will accompany me.” He seemed tense and averted his eyes from hers.
“Will you not be too tired?”
“No indeed. I will go on horseback as I want to arrive in London as soon as possible and return immediately when I conclude my business.”
They were still waltzing and the dance floor became more animated and crowded. Several other pairs joined the first ones and the murmurs of disapproval diminished considerably.
“I…will you be leaving on the main path to London?”
“Most likely, yes. Why are you asking?” He seemed truly puzzled.
“I…I might take a walk in the morning and thought perhaps I would see you briefly before your departure.”
“Elizabeth…” His hand tightened its pressure on her waist and his fingers caressed her other hand briefly. “The ball will finish at dawn. You should be home and asleep. It is cold and you will be tired.”
“If you will not be too cold or tired to ride twenty miles to London, I will certainly not be so cold or tired as to not be able to see you for a few minutes.” Her eyes showed equal determination and entreaty—and he could do nothing but agree with her, pleased and grateful for her affection and devotion.
“Very well then. Within an hour’s time of your arrival back at Longbourn, I will wait for you in the wildish corner of your garden. That way we will have some privacy and still you will be close to the house and able to return safely inside. But I will stay only a few minutes.”
“That is a most perfect plan, sir,” she replied with a daring smile which expressed her contentment. “And, sir, I do know the meaning of the word privacy,” she added while the last notes of the waltz directed their steps around the dance floor.
*** She would faint, she was certain of it. She would faint, and thank heavens she was sitting on a chair so she would not fall on the floor. And Hill was not there with her smelling salts. As for her sister Gardiner, she could not have much support from her as she seemed to have also lost her mind; otherwise, why would she dance the waltz?
How could she not faint? How could she bear the extraordinary revelation which had just struck her as she was staring in shock at the dance floor, to witness such a flagrant breach of propriety at her daughter’s engagement ball? Waltz in Hertfordshire? At Jane’s ball? Who would believe it? What would people say?
Suddenly she cared not in the slightest about other people and very little about Jane and her Mr. Bingley.
Was it possible? Could her wishes and hopes be exceeded in such a way? Lizzy and Mr. Darcy? Mr. Darcy with his ten thousand of year? Yes, she would faint, Mrs. Bennet was certain of that. But there was no room for misunderstanding, not after she noticed the way they looked at each other while they danced, not after she remembered that he had asked her for the first set, not after she recollected all those instances when they disappeared to walk alone, and the way they always stayed close to each other when he dined at Longbourn. And her close friendship with Miss Darcy—that was all so obvious! And she had been so silly to see nothing! Nothing at all! And she had neglected Mr. Darcy for so long and paid all her attention to Mr. Bingley. Oh, she had been such a fool! Would Mr. Darcy ever forgive her? She must do everything in her power to accomplish that!
And Mr. Bennet…what was he doing? The music had stopped? Oh, so much the better. Her nerves could not stand that waltz much longer. What was Mr. Bennet doing there? It was supper time and he seemed determined to make a speech. What on earth has come over the man? An announcement? She rose from her chair, struggling to listen to her husband while trying to find a way to reach Lizzy and Mr. Darcy. Mr. Bennet was just talking about them. What was he saying? Oh yes, he said Lizzy and Mr. Darcy were engaged to be married. Oh well…she will still go to talk to them.
Mr. Darcy and Lizzy engaged to be married?!?!?! Was that what her husband had just said?
Mrs. Bennet fainted—and Hill was not there with her smelling salts.