39. Chapter 36: Keep me safe oh God!

Ch 36:Keep me safe, O God*

Well into the small hours of the morning, the merry party continued in the parlor. The violent storm still pelted the windows with rain, and the powerful winds rushed, but they were easily ignored in the comforts of warm fellowship. Finally though, with most of the party yawning deeply, it was necessary for all to retire.

"I am afraid we rarely entertain such large parties," Mr. Bennet apologized awkwardly. "So we will have to make some accommodations for everyone."

"Oh, Papa," Kitty cried excitedly, "I believe we already have the problem solved."

"Indeed?" Mr. Bennet raised his brows, a touch of amusement in his voice. "Well do not keep us in suspense, dear girl. Allow us all to share in this intelligence."

Blushing, Kitty giggled. "We girls," she glanced at her sisters, "can double up in Mary's room and in mine, so that we may speak a bit more yet tonight. Since Lydia and I share my room, there is plenty of space for five of us in the two chambers."

"Since Jane's room and mine share the dressing room, we thought that Colonel Fitzwilliam, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Pierce might make use of our rooms so that they might have a bit more space between them," Lizzy offered a little uneasily. I hope I have not been too improper suggesting Mr. Darcy stay in my room.

Darcy and Richard exchanged surprised looks, each swallowing hard at hearing the prospect they had not earlier considered. Sleep in Lizzy's bed! Gracious, what a thought. I do not believe I can do such a thing, despite all issues of propriety being resolved. Surely I cannot! Darcy felt a flush rising up his neck.

"Mr. Bradley," Mr. Gardiner turned toward the vicar, "if you are willing, you may double up with me tonight. We are both early risers. We might use those hours to reminisce over old times whilst the younger crowd sleeps the morning away."

"Thank you, Edward," Bradley smiled warmly, "I would enjoy that very much. Although I suspect there are some stories you would prefer were not recounted among so many witnesses." He laughed knowingly, an eyebrow lifting.

Gardiner chuckled. "You can hardly expect me to own such a motive now can you?"

"Well, I suppose then, my dilemma is solved with very little trouble to me!" Mr. Bennet laughed, yawning. "I will escort the ladies above stairs to prepare their rooms for company and retrieve their necessities. I shall return shortly when it is safe for the rest of us." He laughed, sharing a knowing look with his brother. Mr. Gardiner nodded somberly.

I wonder what is afoot? Bradley glanced about the room. Their cousin Collins did not attend us at dinner tonight, and no mention was made of him. There is something not right. I think Edward and I are going to have a long talk yet tonight.

Mr. Bennet led the way up the stairs, his eyes scanning the hall for any evidence of unwanted company. Satisfied, he took a candle from the hall and lit the lights in Jane's room first, then Lizzy's, leaving each door carefully open. He moved on to their dressing room, surveying it carefully before pronouncing it satisfactory. He nodded briefly at his eldest daughters, dismissing them to retrieve their needs from their rooms.

He moved to Mary's room, then Kitty's, studying them carefully. "I suppose you would like this door kept open," he laughed as he propped the door between the adjoining rooms open. "Why do I suspect that you will get little rest tonight, despite the fact I know you are well past the time you should be sleeping!"

Kitty reached up and kissed her father's cheek, "Indeed, Papa, it is so. And I suspect you will indulge us tonight, as you so often indulged us as little girls!"

He sighed heavily, the warmth in his eyes betraying him. "Ahh, you know your old father far too well, child. Enjoy yourselves, my dear. It has been a long time since you have indulged so." Lizzy and Jane returned, and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Well then, girls, Miss Bingley, I will bid you good night and escort the gentlemen to their rooms for the evening." He nodded at them and began to walk out the door. Before leaving, he paused a moment to whisper in Lizzy's ear, "Remember, child, lock the doors. Mr. Hall will be in the corridor for the first few hours tonight, then your uncle will take watch, then I will. Rest assured, nothing will happen before we remove your cousin from our company." With that he left.

Lizzy and Jane rushed to the doors, laughing as they turned the keys. "Now we are safe from all their gentlemanly seriousness!" Lizzy joked, though her sister recognized that her eyes were entirely too solemn.

"What fun we shall have!" Kitty exclaimed, giggling like a young girl. She dashed to the wardrobe and threw open the doors. "I must show you what I just finished! I put pin tucks in the ribbon along the sleeves. It took me ever so long to finish, but it is so beautiful!"

"Well do not keep us in suspense!" Louisa insisted, dropping on to the bed. "You have only been telling me about it for a week now. I simply must see it!"

Mr. Bennet led the rest of his company to their rooms just a few minutes later. After the gentlemen were settled in, he summoned Hall. The butler had been dismissed earlier in the evening to get a few hours of sleep. Now he was commissioned to keep watch over the girls while their father and uncle slept the few remaining hours until dawn. Finally the hallway was empty of all but the butler and his master.

"All right then, I believe it is time for me to retire as well," Mr. Bennet remarked. "If you have any concerns at all, Hall, wake me. Do not give it a second thought."

"Yes, sir," he replied energetically. "I am honored to keep watch over the Miss Bennets tonight."

Mr. Bennet nodded and removed himself to his rooms.

Collins paced nervously across his room, the light of the single candle flickering dimly. The waning flame cast uneasy shadows that danced across the walls. Occasional flashes of lightning washed out the shadows, bathing the room in an unearthly eerie blue. The ensuing thunder rattled the windows and shook the walls.

Surely they must all sleep sometime! How long have they been talking and giggling! How unseemly is their behavior. They are not little girls! I am ashamed that any relation of mine could behave so. It will be a relief to finally leave this place. How will I endure having one of them as a wife? He jumped nervously as thunder crashed in the background. At least Miss Elizabeth is pleasant enough to look at. That is some consolation. But when I bring her to Hunsford, she will learn what is expected of a proper clergyman's wife. And she will conform. She will regret her treatment of me at the assembly. She will learn the meaning of submission and respect.

He strode briskly to his door and pressed his ear against the wood. Finally! There is silence. With determined purpose, he took up the candlestick and pushed open the servants' door. He smiled darkly as the unlit passage was revealed. Carefully closing the door behind him, he paused a moment to allow his eyes to acclimate to his new environs, dim shadows planning along the dusty walls. Now, which way? He screwed his eyes shut trying to recall the layout of the house. Clucking his tongue softly, he turned to the right and began counting doors. Finally he arrived at his destination.

His heart pounded and his breath came short. Lady Catherine will thank me for the sacrifice I am making for her honor. He held his breath as he pushed the plain servant's door open. The hinges creaked softly and he cringed. The vicar stood rigid, waiting, but heard nothing except slow steady breathing. Collins softly released the air from his lungs as he tiptoed into the room.

His candle was nearly a stub now, barely casting enough light to see where his feet fell, but he made his way to the bedside without disaster. Looking over the sleeping form in the bed, back turned to him, he licked his lips. You will be mine, cousin. He sat boldly on the bedside and reached for the sleeper's chest, expecting his hand to meet soft femininity. To his great dismay, he met the hard planes of a very masculine chest. Collins gasped.

"What the bloody hell!" Fitzwilliam swore, still half asleep as he bolted upright in bed.

Collins jumped and cried out, dropping the candle. The weak glow touched his nightshirt, and it blossomed into flame.

"Good God!" Fitzwilliam shouted as he recognized the situation. "Fire! Fire!"

Immediately, Darcy jumped from the chair in which he slept. "What's wrong? Where's the… " His eyes focused on the parson. "Fire! Fire!"

Panicked, Collins beat at his blazing night shirt and ran from the two unexpected occupants of the room. Throwing himself through the door, he encountered Bingley and Pierce in the hallway. Collins screamed in fear and pain and turn to run the opposite direction.

"Fire!" Hall shouted, springing from his chair. He dashed for the girls' rooms, pounding on every door along the way.

Blanket in hand, Darcy emerged and rushed towards Collins, but the terrified parson ran from his would be rescuer, bits of flaming cloth falling from his body as he ran. The carpet and nearby drapes burst into flames. "Stop! Do not run!" Darcy yelled, to no avail and Collins turned to run the opposite way again.

Bingley and Pierce moved to cut Collins off. But he evaded them, only to run through the tall window at the end of the hall. He fell, screaming, to the ground below.

A blast of chilling wind suddenly blew through the hall, fanning the flames into greater life. The corridor glowed with an eerie orange. Darcy turned to attack the fames with the blanket in his hands. A moment later, he was joined by his cousin.

Gardiner's door opened to reveal a panicked face. "Bradley's hurt! He tripped. I think his leg is broken!"

Lizzy and the other ladies poured into the passageway.

"Bingley, Pierce, help Bradley out of here!" the colonel ordered, smoothly, taking charge.

"Mary, get Louisa and Kitty out of here. Jane, go wake Hill and get the servants out!" Lizzy exclaimed, rushing for another blanket. Jane rushed to the stairs.

Suddenly Mr. Bennet appeared, "Girls, get out of here! Hall, get them out!" He began to choke on the smoke and stumbled. A moment later, his own night shirt was ablaze.

"Papa!" Lizzy shrieked, rushing toward him with a blanket. She threw it over him and worked to smother the flames.

A moment later, Darcy was at her side. "Elizabeth!" Darcy hissed, "Please get out!" He rushed to wrap her father in the heavy blanket he carried. The flames finally smothered, he pressed Mr. Bennet toward his daughter, "Help your father out!"

Lizzy could not argue. With her uncle's help, she assisted her father down the stairs and out the front door.

Once outside, Lizzy immediately searched through the moonlight and drizzle to find her sisters. Jane stood in a knot of servants. Some distance away, Mary knelt beside Mr. Bradley, assessing his injuries. Lizzy guided her father to Mary and left him in her care.

Pierce and Bingley immediately confronted her. "Is everyone out? Can you tell if anyone is missing?"

"It looks like Jane has all the servants with her. Mary and Kitty are there with the injured. Mr. Darcy and his cousin remain inside fighting the fire. Only Mr. Collins is still missing."

"Where is the nearest source of water?" Bingley demanded.

Pausing a moment to think, Lizzy's eyes widened. "The rose garden! Mother had a cistern dug there!"

"Yes, I know it!" Pierce exclaimed, rushing away.

"The stable! There are large sacks there, I am sure they are already wet!" Lizzy stammered.

"Of course!" Bingley nodded and ran for the stables.

Looking up, Lizzy saw the eerie glow in the second story windows, smoke pouring from the broken window. She choked on a stifled sob.

Inside, Darcy and Fitzwilliam valiantly fought the blaze, beating the growing flames down with the heavy woolen blankets, coughing and choking on the smoke. Moments later, they were joined by Bingley and two stable boys, laden down with heavy wet sacks. With renewed vigor, they attacked the fire, finally gaining headway against it with their new weapons.

The Bennets' tenants began to arrive, alerted by one of Netherfield's grooms that had come with Bingley's party. Near the cistern, Mr. Clay organized his sons to fill and carry buckets. Minutes later, Pierce led a group in carrying vessels filled with water. They added their efforts to the others already working to subdue the fire, and began to advance against the conflagration. As the minutes slowly passed, other tenants, both of Longbourn and Netherfield, arrived to assist in the efforts. Finally, hours later, as the sun peeked over the horizon, they emerged from Longbourn, sweaty and weary, but successful in their efforts.

Darcy found Elizabeth immediately at his side. She looked up at him, the concern evident in her eyes as he gave her a quick rundown of the situation. "It is done. The fire is out. I do not believe that the structure of the house itself was damaged. We will have to examine it carefully in the light of day. It is my expectation that the damage can be recovered."

"Thank you, sir, for all you have done for us," she whispered hoarsely. Forgetting herself for just a moment, she grabbed his hand and pressed it to her cheek.

"I am truly pleased to be of service to you," Darcy replied, a sudden energy cutting through his exhaustion. "How many were injured?"

"Your vicar. We believe his leg is broken. My father suffers burns and a twisted ankle. Louisa… Miss Bingley cut her arm badly on broken glass. Betsy, a maid has some burns as well. Those seem to be the most severe injuries. There may be one or two others, but none very serious. We have been very lucky indeed."

A grim expression haunted her eyes and compelled him to ask, "What of Mr. Collins?"

Lizzy swallowed hard, shaking her head. "He was not welcome at dinner…" She turned away.

Unguarded in his weariness, Darcy caught her upper arm, "Did he try to harm you?" She tried to pull away. "Elizabeth! Tell me!"

"Before my father returned… I was in his study waiting for him, to speak to him as you counseled me; but Mr. Collins arrived instead. He renewed his offer to me, quite forcefully. Uncle Gardiner and Papa arrived before he…"

A dangerous glimmer flared in Darcy's eyes. "If he imposed himself on you…"

Lizzy shook her head. Pulling Darcy by the hand, she led him around the side of the house, she pointed to a dark heap lying in a puddle, on the ground. "It no longer matters," she whispered, pushing him toward the mysterious mass.

Darcy stepped forward, the puddle splashing under his still bare feet. Cautiously, he knelt, squinting in the still dim dawning light. His brows furrowed as he reached out to touch it. Finally, he realized it was a human form and he rolled it over. Staring up at him with empty, lifeless eyes was Collins, his throat slashed by a large shard of glass still embedded in his neck.

He suddenly realized the red glow of the puddle was not the dawn's light, but blood. His gut knotted and he tasted bile. Darcy felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw his cousin's weary face. "He is dead."

"Several times over by the looks of it," Fitzwilliam murmured as he hunkered down beside Darcy to examine the body. "I would wager he broke his neck in the fall."

"He may have drowned as he was face down in the puddle." Darcy reached out to touch the standing water, leaving tiny ripples in the pool.

"Even if he survived all that, he certainly could not have walked away with this." The colonel flicked the glass shard. "After what he just did, I cannot say this is not fitting."

"It is not for us to make such judgments," Darcy muttered softly. He glanced up at Lizzy, whose arms were wrapped protectively around her sides. "But I will confess that I am relieved." He pushed himself to his feet, wiping his hands on his shirt. "You should not be looking at such a sight, Miss Elizabeth, it is certainly not fit for a lady's eyes."

Fitzwilliam followed suit. "My cousin is correct. Leave him. I will tell the grooms to put the body in the barn until a decision can be made what is to be done with it. I hope that is agreeable to you, Miss Elizabeth. I understand he is your cousin…"

"No, no," Lizzy protested, suddenly choked with tears, "let it be done as you suggest, sir. I cannot thank you both enough for all you have done this night."

Unable to answer, Darcy simply took her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm. She smiled up at him, the enormity of recent events crashing down upon her.

"Madam, Bingley has arranged for your family, your guests and the injured servants to remove to Netherfield. There is nothing more to be done for now." Fitzwilliam raked the matted hair back from his face.

Lizzy sighed heavily, "I cannot say how much I appreciate his hospitality to us all."

Together they walked to the waiting carriage. Jane peered out from the dark interior. "Mary and Mr. Pierce have gone ahead with Louisa, Mr. Bradley and Papa. Kitty and Uncle Gardiner followed them with Betsy and Mr. Hall, who were both burned trying to quench the flames. Mrs. Hill has made me promise to get you to Netherfield. She will manage here for now."

"And you, Jane, are you well?" Elizabeth asked softly.

"As much as can be expected, Lizzy, but I am uninjured. Have you found…"

"He died in the fall," Fitzwilliam quickly replied. "I have instructed the grooms to take care of the remains."

Jane sat back heavily in her seat and drew a shuddering breath. "I see. Shall we go, Lizzy?"

Lizzy looked over her shoulder at the house she had always called home. Several windows were broken and some smoke still flowed from them. Large soot stains marred the stone work, insulting the usually cheerful appearance of the house. A deep sadness descending upon her. She sighed and allowed Darcy to hand her into the carriage. Once inside, she became aware of her bare feet and thin nightdress. She shivered in the night air. A moment later, Fitzwilliam dropped a warm rug over her and Jane, firmly tucking them in. From the corner of her eye, she thought she saw him squeeze Jane's hand.

"Drive on," Darcy called, settling in beside his cousin. Slowly the carriage pulled away from Longbourn, its wheels crunching wetly on the road toward Netherfield.

*PS 16:1