Mr. and Mrs. Jennings expressed their congratulations to the newly married couple.
Mrs. Jennings looked at the two and asked, “What a surprise this is! How long have the two of you known each other?”
Darcy replied, “We met only upon coming onboard the ship.”
“So the two of you just met? You did not know each other before?” Mr. Jennings asked incredulously.
“That is correct,” Darcy replied.
He could tell by Jennings’s look that this did not bode well with him. Knowing his tendency to speak his mind without giving thought to what he said or how he said it, Darcy was quite surprised when he simply raised an eyebrow in a manner indicative of inner speculation and silently nodded.
The Jenningses soon left, and after spending what Darcy considered a reasonable amount of time allowing Elizabeth the chance to visit, but not so much time that she would become too wearied, he offered up an apology that they must leave and reached down to lift her up again.
“Come, Elizabeth. Let us go down and get your things.”
He carried Elizabeth quickly down to steerage, very much aware that she was becoming weaker and weaker. He took the three flights of stairs easily and agilely. Bringing her in, and per her direction, he brought her over to where Mrs. Rawlings and her girls were. He set her down and she sat toward the foot of the woman’s bed. She was glad to see that Pauline and Penelope had improved and Mrs. Rawlings seemed a little bit more on her way to recovery. Darcy had agreed to step out until she had broken the news to her.
“I have something I need to tell you, Lenore.”
“Oh, Elizabeth, I understand you hurt your ankle today. You must want your bed back,” Mrs. Rawlings contritely said. “I have been expecting that. You have been unwell yourself. It would be very wrong of me to insist on keeping it.” She began to pull the blankets off of herself, but Elizabeth stopped her.
“No, no, Lenore. You stay right where you are.” Elizabeth found herself at a loss to explain what had transpired that day. “Lenore…” Elizabeth looked down at her hands that she was rubbing nervously together. “Today I was…” She paused, almost afraid to say the words. “Today I was… married, and I shall no longer be travelling in steerage but in the room with my… with my… husband.” Her heart tightened when she softly uttered those words, as suddenly a more acute awareness of what she had done, the vows she had taken, swept over her.
She looked into Mrs. Rawlings’s face and knew she needed to explain. “Lenore, today Mr. Darcy and I were married. I wanted to come down and tell you myself when I came to get my things.”
Mrs. Rawlings’s face showed a great deal of surprise. “Mr. Darcy? When did you meet him? How did this happen?”
“I actually met him the first day on the ship.” She had not quite met him then, but rather bumped into him. There was no need to go further into that.
Mrs. Rawlings reached out for Elizabeth’s hand. “Please forgive me, Elizabeth, but can you really know a man in such a short time?”
Elizabeth nodded. “Do not worry, Lenore, he is a fine man.” She felt awkward discussing this and greatly desired to change the subject. She reached into her large pocket and withdrew the napkin. “Here, I brought you something from my dinner.”
Mrs. Rawlings looked with amazement as Elizabeth slowly opened the napkin. Her eyes widened as she recognized the delectable array before her not just by sight but also by the pleasant aroma.
“Elizabeth! How did you come upon such fare?”
“That does not matter. I just want you and your daughters to enjoy something that might make you feel a little better and help you get your strength back.”
“You are too kind, Elizabeth. That husband of yours got for himself a mighty fine lady!”
“That was him who brought me in. He is outside the door, waiting to retrieve my things. May I ask him in and introduce you?”
“Yes, please, I should like to meet him.”
Elizabeth called for Darcy. That he was feeling the uncomfortable effects of steerage was very noticeable. Its stifling air and putrid odours began to take a toll on him.
He walked back in and Elizabeth introduced him to Mrs. Rawlings and the girls. “It is a pleasure, Mrs. Rawlings. Elizabeth speaks highly of you.”
“Thank you, sir. You have chosen well, Mr. Darcy. There is none finer than Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth blushed, grateful for the darkness of the room. She quickly pointed out to Darcy where her things were, and he picked them up, helping her put them in her duffel. “I shall take these to our room and return for you shortly.”
He turned to leave, and Elizabeth turned her attentions back to Mrs. Rawlings. “Oh, Elizabeth, he is indeed a fine-looking man. When did all this happen?”
Elizabeth knew she could not lie to her friend, but she did not have to tell her the whole truth. “We became acquainted on early morning walks together. He and I both arose at sunrise and found we enjoyed many similar things.” Elizabeth marvelled at how easily those words came.
Mrs. Rawlings nodded, still at a loss to understand this, but very happy for her friend.
Elizabeth played with Pauline and Penelope, who were well enough to have some energy, but still not well enough to venture up. They eagerly partook of the delicious offering that Elizabeth had brought down.
Before Darcy returned, Elizabeth carefully hobbled over to Mrs. Trimble, finding she could put a little more pressure on her ankle without too much discomfort. Mrs. Trimble was very pale and weak, but it was apparent that she was more than grateful for Elizabeth’s visit.
Elizabeth sat down with her, giving her a portion of the food she had set aside. As she watched the woman take only small bites and eat meagrely, she wished she could pass on some other morsel of strength to her. She was concerned about her appearance; she looked almost as if she was giving up the fight to get well. If she could barely eat the tasty supply of food Elizabeth brought her, she certainly would not be able to eat the food the rest of the passengers were getting.
Elizabeth remained with her for just a short while, and then returned to Mrs. Rawlings until Darcy came back down.
“I shall visit you tomorrow, Lenore.”
Mrs. Rawlings put up her hand. “Now Elizabeth, you are just married. You need to be with your husband and not worry about us! Besides, I can see that you are still not well. We are doing just fine!”
Elizabeth shook her head and smiled. “If I can, I shall see you tomorrow!”
Elizabeth stood up as Darcy came over to her. He assisted her in walking to the door and out. He began to reach down to lift her up, but she stopped him. “I can walk on my own now, thank you.”
Darcy paused, taken aback by Elizabeth’s stubbornness, but only for a brief moment. “Not when there are three flights of stairs and I am around to carry you!” He spoke his words and lifted her up with such authority that she tensed with anger.
“Put me down, please! I can walk on my own!”
“Elizabeth, do not be a fool! It has been only a few hours since you turned your ankle and you are still unwell! Just relax and let me carry you.”
Elizabeth had not the strength to fight him. This evening had taken its toll on her, but deep down inside she knew he was right. Being carried in his arms was affecting her in quite a different way, and she was disconcerted to find there was something stirring within her as he carried her through the now darkened ship to his room—now their room.
Darcy sensed Elizabeth’s fighting spirit doing battle with her diminishing energy. “Just relax, Elizabeth. You are tired. Rest your head against my shoulder.”
Elizabeth felt that relaxing was the last thing she could allow herself to do. She feared what might happen if she relaxed in his arms. She kept herself rigid and tense, purposely avoiding that which she knew she needed and wanted—to lose herself in the arms of the man who was now her husband, because she knew he would only be her husband for a very short time.