If Only In His Dreams (13 page)

Darcy’s heart nearly stopped.  “What can be done for Lizzy?” he asked, not caring that others had heard him use her name so
familiarly. 

“Bring me a pot of coffee, as well as some castor oil and mustard.  I do not believe she has ingested a lethal
dose
of the poison, for she is still breathing.  Hemlock can cause a person to stop breathing as well as the vomiting, nausea, weakness, and more.  Hopefully we are in time to keep from any permanent damage taking place.”

Darcy began to pace in the hall, while Jane Bennet, who had arrived while the men were searching for Caroline, Lady Anne and Maggie assisted Mr Jones.  Bingley joined the men waiting in the hall.

“Where is your sister?” Darcy asked, not really wishing to know, for he knew, at the moment, that if she were within his reach, he would strangle her.

“Locked in her rooms.  Her personal maid is with her and I have three footmen standin
g guard.  Hurst is in his rooms,
when Mr Jones is finished with Miss Elizabeth, perhaps he could take a look at Hurst’s injury.”

Alex and Darcy both nodded.  Alex decided to ask the difficult question.  “What will happen to your sister now?”

“I was waiting to speak with you both before deciding.  I believe that the magistrate should be called, that Caroline should be punished, but how do we do so without bringing shame on all of us?”

“I do not know how Mr Darcy feels, but I believe that she is quite ill.  For her to cause harm to not only my sister
, but to her own brother in law,
something is seriously wrong with her.  My opinion is that we should send for a doctor from Town to examine her.  Perhaps placing her in a sanitarium would be best, rather than
what we would all suffer if we took legal action.”  Alex did not wish to see the two men he had come to think of as close friends harmed
by Caroline Bingley’s behavior,
as it would cause harm to his sisters as well.

Nodding his head, Darcy agreed.  “Mr Bennet is correct.  Miss Bingley would not suffer near as much as Lizzy and all of us would if we turned her over to the constable and have a trial.  It is obvious that she is very ill in her mind.  It would be best to have a doctor come from Town and determine if we should put her in a hospital.”

Bingley agreed with his friends.  “I do not like the idea of Caroline in the such a place, but it is better than the possibility of her being sent to the gallows for attempting to murder Miss Elizabeth and Hurst.
  The best we could hope for turning her over to the constable would be transportation and she would never survive that.”

The door to Elizabeth’s room opened and Mr Jones came out.  “
It is too soon to tell, but I feel that Miss Elizabeth should fully recover.  She is beginning to breathe easier, and her pulse rate is better.  We will continue to give her the mustard and castor oil mixture, as well as coffee.”

“Mr Jones, my brother in law has a wound on hi
s shoulder that needs tending
.  Would you be able to care for him as well as Miss Elizabeth?”

“Certainly.  At the moment, all we can do is wait to see if Miss Elizabeth responds, so show me to your brother’s rooms.”

Chapter 13

Mrs Hurst came from her husband’s chambers, tears streaming down her cheek.  Seeing her brother down the hall, she walked quickly to him.  “Charles, why did this happen?  What is wrong with our sister that she would cause such harm?
”

Bingley embraced his sister, holding her in his arms as she sobbed.  “I do not understand it either, Louisa.  Heaven help me, I cannot understand her reasoning.  I knew she was jealous of Miss Elizabeth, and we both know that she wished to be the future Mistress of Pemberley, but to deliberately poison Miss Elizabeth and then
to stab Hurst.  How is Hurst fairing?”

“It was a nasty wound, and I pray that it does not become infected.  How is Miss Elizabeth?” Mrs Hurst asked.

“We are still waiting for her to awaken.  Darcy
is
going to wear a hole in the floor in front of her door, his pacing is
growing faster and faster as time goes by and no word from inside the room.  Miss Bennet and Lady Anne are in the room, so they will inform us when there is more to know.”

“Where is Miss Darcy?  Has anyone spoken to her?” Mrs Hurst was trying to think of ways she could be helpful in this situation.

“I believe that she may be in the music room.  I do not think anyone has spoken to her, as they did not wish to worry her.”

“Should I
go and speak with her.  Speak with her as to what has happened?  I am sure that Lady Anne and Mr Darcy have not had the time to consider speaking with Miss Darcy.”

Louisa had always had a strong motherly instinct and Bingley realized that, at this moment, it would be beneficial to Louisa to have something constructive to do.  “That would be most appreciated, Louisa.  If there is any news, I will come to the music room to find you.”

She made her way down the hall as Bingley determined the fate of his other sister.  Knowing that Louisa and Hurst would agree with whatever decision he made in regards to Caroline’s future, he still wished to hear their opinion.  He would speak with Louisa after she had a chance to expel her energy into caring for Miss Darcy.
  So, stepping closer to the door of his brother in law’s rooms, Bingley took a deep breath and knocked lightly.  He heard Mr Jones bid him to enter.

“How is he, Mr Jones?  Is the wound severe?”

“I believe that Mr Hurst will survive the wound.  We will need to keep a close watch to ensure that no infection develops, but I believe we have it well cleaned.”

“Hurst, do you feel well enough to speak?” Bingley inquired.

“I am groggy, but I believe I have enough of my senses to know what is happening.  You wish to discuss Caroline, am I correct?”

“I do.  You were the only one who knows what
she did to you, how it happened,
can you tell me the particulars?”

Hurst looked at his wife’s brother, seeing the pain in the younger man’s eyes at what his sister had caused them all.  “I caught up with Caroline and told her that she needed to return to the main house on an urgent matter.  I reached over and took hold of the reins and was pulling her horse alongside my own.  She asked as to the nature of the urgent matter and when I told her that we were in need
of
information as to what she had placed into Miss Elizabeth’s tea.  Caroline shouted that she did nothing to cause Miss Elizabeth any harm and attempted to pull the reins from my hand.
  I held on tightly, and that is when she suddenly swung at me with a knife, sinking it into my shoulder.  She continued to try to free herself from my hold on the reins, and as I began to be drowsy from the loss of blood, I decided I needed to do something to stop her until help could arrive.  So I punched her straight in the face.  She was unconscious as soon as she fell from her horse.  Forgive me, but I did find it satisfying to strike her so.”

“I do not blame you at all, Hurst.  I am grateful that you have survived.  At this moment, I wish that it had been me that was able to strike
Caroline.  It has been a long time coming, as she has done her best over the years to have her way at all times.”

“It is not your fault, Bingley.  The damage had been done long before you ever took over as head of the family.  Your mother, from what Louisa has told me, was the one who doted on Caroline, making her believe that she was far worthier than any other, deserving the very best in life.”

“Mother detested being married to a man of trade.  She felt that she was destined to be
mistress of some grand estate.  Caroline grew up with the same belief.  No matter how many times she was told to give up her fixation with marrying Darcy, she refused to accept that this was not her future.  I should have done more to check her behavior.”

“Your sister has been addled
brained when it comes to her standing in society.” Hurst grimaced as Mr Jones placed a final stitch.
  “I am sure that you are aware of Louisa’s difficulty in society, for Caroline always insisted on attending with Louisa and most who know Caroline do not wish to associate with her.  It has been painful to Louisa.  My own parents have denied our staying with them if Caroline travelled with us.”

“Forgive me, Hurst.  I knew that my sister was causing a great deal of difficulty for you and
Louisa.  It causes me a great deal of pain to know just how Caroline
has affected everyone’s lives.”  Bingley could not look at his brother in law.  “I have spoken with Darcy and Mr Bennet on the matter of what to do with Caroline.  As you were injured by her behavior, I wish for your opinion as well.”

“What have
Darcy and Mr Bennet determined would be a just punishment for Caroline?” Hurst asked.

“We should send for a doctor from Town and have Caroline placed in an asylum.  They prefer
to
not involve the law, as it would harm us more than anything.”

Nodding his agreement, Hurst looked Bingley in the eye.  “I agree.  Caroline has caused far too much damage
already;
she should not have the power to cause further harm.”

“Then you agree with this course of action?” Bingley displayed an expression of a lost child, wishing for someone to guide him in the right direction.

“Bingley, you have tried your best, as has Louisa.  It is time to put a stop to Caroline’s behavior.  She could have killed Miss Elizabeth and me.  What will she do in the future if she is not
stopped now?”

“That has been a concern to me as well.  Her mind must be addled to behave so viciously.  I have no doubts that she will attempt to justify her behavior, but there is no justifying attempting to murder someone.  I will send an express to Town for the doctor to come.”

Bingley then stepped down the hall to the music room.  He could hear his sister speaking with Miss Darcy.  Hearing Louisa’s patience and caring made him remember his childhood.  Whenever Caroline had been particularly vicious with her behavior, Louisa was there to soothe him.  Bingley had thought for years that it was a shame that Louisa had never had a child of her own; she was born to be a mother.

He then made his way down the hall to the door of Caroline’s rooms.  The footmen stated that there had been no movement from inside the rooms.  Bingley knocked lightly on the door and the maid opened it slightly.  Once she knew that it was Mr Bingley, she opened the door further, allowing him to enter. 

“Is she still unconscious?” he asked.

“No, Sir, she is in her dressing chamber.  She wished to refresh herself.  I was just about to send word that Miss Bingley wishes bath water drawn for her.”

“Very well, I will remain here while you make the request.
”  Once the maid had stepped from the room, Bingley approached the dressing room door.  “Caroline, I wish to speak with you for a moment.”

No sound came from within the room.  “Caroline, please open the door so I may speak with you.”  Still no sound came from inside the dressing room so Bingley opened the door and entered.  Seeing his sister seated in a chair with her back to him, he stepped further into the room.  “I know that you are furious with me, Caroline, but I intend to remain here until you allow me to speak with you.  I will explain to you what plans I have arranged for you.”

Still Caroline did not acknowledge him.  “Sister, I demand that you turn around this instant and hear me out.”  Bingley stepped closer, until he could touch his sister’s shoulder.  “En
ough of this behavior, Caroline,
turn around and listen to me this instant.”

Taking hold of her shoulder and expecting her to pull away, Bingley was stunned to see that there was no resistance at all.
  When Caroline fell back into his arms, Bingley realized that something was wrong.  Caroline’s body landed on the floor as a vial of liquid rolled from her grip.  “Caroline, what have you done?” Bingley cried out.  He then ran to the door and shouted for the footman to bring Mr Jones to him immediately.  Bingley then returned to his sister’s side, lifting her up into his arms as he prepared to carry her to her bed.  Before he could stand, Mr Jones entered the room, followed by Hurst.  Bingley was holding Caroline’s body close to his chest, tears threatening to flow down his cheeks.  One look at Caroline told Hurst that she was dead, most likely from her own hand.  He looked carefully to see if she had stabbed herself, only to find no wounds.  Then Hurst noticed the glass vial on the floor.  It was quite obvious that Caroline had taken her own life, most likely from poison.