The Guest | F. Darcy

Chapter 10: Arrival in London

Adele barely held a sob of relief when she saw two carriages with Marshall crest coming to halt in front of the Parsonage. They had already discussed it, Lady Marshall and her, that she would be travelling to London after she had stayed a considerable number of days in the county. It had been her luck that she needed an escape at just the right moment. 

However, it would be difficult to disclose the reason for her fat tears, for she was sure that the moment she saw her, she was not going to feign strength. Her luggage was packed in the carriage soon, sooner the carriages were leaving the premises. The noble lady had been smart enough to send a maid as a chaperone (because for now there was no one but Lady Marshall).

She had let Mr Collins kiss her hand and hugged Charlotte tightly. But when she embraced Elizabeth, she felt something different. Adele felt her sister's hesitation and that something was wrong, especially when she kept glancing at the entrance of the parsonage at short intervals. But she put her worries away. For all she knew, it may have been Richard she was waiting for.

She did not need more than what was already on her plate. She had no doubt the man she had loved for more than a decade would look at her with hatred that she would deserve. And then her breath hitched and her heart thundered.

She had left the letter at the writing desk.

The moment the words left Miss Elizabeth's mouth, Darcy felt his blood run cold. The woman left. He truly didn't know if he should be angry for not saying goodbye to him (and he may have taken the chance to make it right) or hurt that she had planned to leave so abruptly (for surely Lady Marshall wouldn't be able to provide her with a carriage in such short interval, given that Adele somehow sent the letter that early.

He let out an exasperated sigh, the woman was infuriating. 

"Do you have any inkling as to where she must have been gone?"

Elizabeth thought hard but shook her head. "I do not. Adele did not even tell me that she was leaving but at the breakfast table this morning. She did not say where but a friend had sent the carriage and she was going to her.

It may be Lady Marshall or they may be some other friend Adele had made during the London seasons, he couldn't say. But since the season in London was midway, they all would be there. He decided what to do.

"Miss Elizabeth," he bowed, "thank you for the information. I truly appreciate your help."

"Darcy! Miss Elizabeth!" a happy voice called them and they both turned to see Richard coming their way.

Darcy glanced at Elizabeth to witness a bright smile on her face at his cousin's arrival. The woman liked him and this time, he was not going to do something thoughtlessly. He was just going to be a spectator and see what unfolds between them.

"Colonel Fitzwilliam," Elizabeth greeted with the same bright smile.

"What are you two doing here?" he turned to Elizabeth, "Miss Elizabeth, I was at the parsonage to meet you when your friend told me that you were out walking and that Adele left this morning."

"Yes," she replied, "and that was the news I was just conveying to Mr Darcy."

Richard frowned lightly at Darcy, "Is everything good with you and Adele? Even yesterday it was all chaos."

Darcy smiled sadly.

"Did you not tell her how you feel?" Richard asked, right in front of Elizabeth. Maybe by yestereve's incident, Richard got an inkling of her knowledge on the subject.

"I did, yesterday."

The colonel let out a hearty laugh. "And the lady ran away this morning. How charming you must have been, Darcy!"

Darcy winced but he heard the present lady's light laugh. He pressed his lips together, the lady had heard him yesterday and knew the full blow of Richard's words on him. Yet she found it amusing. 

"I was just leaving for Rosings then," Darcy said, and then bowed again at Elizabeth, "I thank you again for your assistance, Miss Elizabeth. I hope you have a good day."

And with a nod at his cousin, he turned and left.

The ride to the Marshall Residence was not that long in the fine carriage but yesterday and today had made her exhausted. She went in as John, Lady Marshall's London Butler opened the door for her, and asked him where the lady was.

"Miss Bennet," he started and she already dreaded what it was, "the lady has taken to be ill and she is resting in her chambers."

Her throat constricted, "And am I allowed up there?"

He nodded grimly. "But Lady Marshall asked me to send you up no sooner than tomorrow. She ordered that you take the refreshments and sleep properly. And not to worry about her, she was just under the weather."

"Is she though?"

John hesitated but shook his head. She pursed her lips and nodded at him. 

"I will do what she asked," she smiled sadly, "I do not want the first words she says to me after so long to be 'get the hell out of here, you silly girl'."

The butler smiled kindly. "perhaps nor does she."

Adele headed to the inner parlour that Lady Marshall always let her use and sat down on the sofa with an unladylike thump. She was beyond exhausted now.

But she felt guilty about burdening the lady with her when she was ill. And somehow, she still thought about what would happen if someone read the letter.