“I shall find her, or I shall find a way to ensure that none of you suffer more than you already have.”
His words lingered in the room long after he had departed, for neither woman spoke for some time.
At last, Elizabeth rose.
“Rose has prepared everything. I do not know how to thank you for what you are doing. I should like us to leave as soon as possible, even if we do not travel many miles today.”
Mrs Cooper instructed the servants to load Elizabeth’s luggage into the carriage, yet she would not allow her to leave immediately.
“There is something I wish to tell you, but I need to speak to the rational Elizabeth, with not the slightest trace of pride or prejudice.”
“Alice!”
“Exactly that tone is what I do not wish to hear.”
“I cannot accept anything,” murmured Elizabeth.
“Yes, you can. You shall accept from me a sum sufficient to allow you to act freely in whatever becomes necessary. That is not open to discussion. But there is something else I must tell you, something far more difficult. A few days ago, I examined the cameo Mr Darcy gave you.”
Elizabeth was immediately on her guard, but Agnes was determined that she should accept every possible form of assistance.
“Please look at me differently.”
Elizabeth smiled faintly and nodded, evidently accepting the request.
“You are right. I must look at matters from the perspective of our present situation. Pride is of no use.”
“Yes. There are moments in life when accepting help is not weakness but wisdom. Where is the cameo?”
“In my trunk.”
“I want you to wear it around your neck and keep it concealed beneath a scarf at all times.”
“You are frightening me,” said Elizabeth.
“That is exactly my intention. In my opinion, and I know something of such objects, your cameo is extraordinarily valuable—”
“Oh! He gave it to me deliberately,” she whispered.
“Yes. I am certain he did. He gave it to you so that you might be free from anxiety for some time, and you must regard the gesture as one of extraordinary generosity. Do not allow foolish notions born of pride to enter your mind. You and your family may need money, and you must not hesitate to sell it if doing so becomes necessary to help Lydia.”
Those were the magic words.
At once, Elizabeth accepted the idea without protest. If nothing else, Lydia’s folly had at least achieved that much: it had persuaded Elizabeth to accept help.
“Yes, that is sensible,” she said. “But how much can it possibly be worth?” she added, with a trace of apprehension.
“A great deal. Here is the name of the London jeweller who can value it properly and offer you a fair price.”
She handed Elizabeth a slip of paper bearing the name Mr Darcy had given her, but in her writing, not his.
Then she called for the children, both of whom were weeping bitterly at the thought of losing Elizabeth. Only after she promised that they would meet again, whether in Derbyshire or in London, did they finally allow her to leave.
Once inside the carriage, Elizabeth closed her eyes and drew the cameo from beneath her shawl. Holding it in her hand, she thanked him silently.
At last, she believed herself loved in the manner she had always dreamed of being loved. Yet she wondered whether she would truly be able to sell the cameo, or keep it forever as a remembrance of a love she was certain she would never feel for another man.
Chapter 33