At first I thought it would be Darcy at Elizabeth's door, based on past entree into her room, but knocking? Twice? Then I thought the doctor, but again, knocking loudly, to draw attention to his going to her room? (But then he might want the scandal to force marriage. Blech.) It wouldn't be Jane. The Colonel seems an unlikely candidate. So it's got to be either Georgiana or Ann, though the latter is about as likely as the Colonel. My guess (and hope) is for Georgiana as the mystery visitor. [crosses fingers] Still loving the story Ellen!

Ellen, you're killing us!!!!! I'm really hoping that Darcy is at the door after overhearing all of Lizzy and Jane's conversation. Maybe I'm living in a fairy tale, but I can't stand any more angst. I can't wait until chapter 20.

Oh, please, can't Dr Hampton compromise Anne? They're perfect for one another.

After some thinking on this chapter I'm beginning to believe it would be Georgiana.
But should it be Darcy, I hope Elizabeth would not spoil the meeting by this stupid notion of hers:
... she pondered (...) whether he would perhaps ask her to become his mistress with his fiancée under his own roof!

I just started reading this story the other day and am hooked! I hate what Hampton has done to Elizabeth and I hope he won't get away with it. I love the idea of Darcy falling in love with Elizabeth without having ever seen her. I so wish for the surgery to be a success and for the first face that Darcy sees to be Elizabeth's. Will he find her to look like his mental picture of her? Will he find her to be beautiful no matter how she looks? Will Darcy rescue her from Hampton? Or, will she keep her word and go to Nova Scotia only to have Hampton die enroute?

You've left me with so many questions, I'll not be able to resist reading each chapter as it is posted!

Love your story. Can't wait for the next chapter. Thank you.

Welcome to the new readers, and thanks for your input!

Chapter 20 is almost done. We've got a holiday weekend right now in the U.S., and after it's over and we're back to our normal routines, I'll be able to post.

and after it's over and we're back to our normal routines, I'll be able to post.

R~ <-- all anticipation!

Waiting, waiting, waiting

Have a great holiday weekend!

Chapter 20 has just been posted, my dears. Enjoy! I know you will... An absolutely amazing turn of the plot! Fantastic.

Thank you Ellen - your story is simply excellent!!

Absolutely wonderful! Loved Darcy being the one in Elizabeth's room, love the way it all came together, although I suspect we are not at the end yet.

I do hope that Darcy doesn't let Hampton do the surgery after all... and I had hoped Anne would end up marrying Hampton instead, although again, I believe you may yet have some more twists for us.

I really loved the bit where Elizabeth's thought turned to Darcy's prowess on horseback and the bit about the Colonel being all nudge nudge! Hilarious.

Great chapter, can't wait for more.

Sandra

Yes! Yes! Yes! The good doctor gets caught. I have a sneaky suspicion that Darcy can see. Hmmmm. I was so so glad it was Darcy in Elizabeth's room and that he knows EXACTLY how she feels about him. Thank goodness for Jane. Continue soon! Cindy

Hi there,
I hope I am doing this right but I have to tell you how much I have loved this wonderful story. I was hoping that Jane would speak to Mr Darcy, I am so glad that she did. Come on Hampton take Anne in stead I am sure she would love to go to Nova Scotia in Elizabeth's stead. She would be very far away from her domineering mother there. Also she has tons of money.
Many Thanks
JoJW6M

Oh YES Dr. Blackmail's true character has been revealed. Yah hoo. So much has come to light In just 1 chapter, it was great. Love your story.

HeHeHe!!! I am sooo glad the Doctors true character has been revealed!! Excellent chapter!

Perhaps for better effect I should disrobe and join you in bed!

Of course he should! I loved this naughty Darcy.

This chapter was pure delight and joy. Thank you so much.

I wanted Darcy to be in the door, but I was positive it’s gonna be Jane or even Dr. Blackmail.
Jane taking things under control? Hard to believe! Well done girl, well done.

How many chapters are left, you say?
And why I have a feeling it went just too smoothly? That, after all those misunderstandings, machinations, and intrigues it is just too good to be truth?

I don’t like to see anyone being humiliated. I believe there is some good in him; I understand his yearning to have a wife. Yet, his scheme and the blackmail were simply inexcusable and dishonorable.

Basia

Oh that was delicious!! The evil doctor finally gets his comeuppance, but what about our beloved Darcy? Will he regain his sight or will he be content to see with his hands forever? Post again soon, Ellen, we're all anticipation.

Love that it was Darcy in room and what a scene! Beautifully written..I loved that you did not torture us too long....leading Jane to Darcy was excellent! Yea Janey! Cant wait till the next chapter!

Yey! I guessed correctly! And Jane saved the day. Just lovely, lovely, lovely, Ellen, and the bedroom scene was so sexy! I will have this big grin on my face all day - thanks to you!

I don’t like to see anyone being humiliated. I believe there is some good in him; I understand his yearning to have a wife. Yet, his scheme and the blackmail were simply inexcusable and dishonorable.
I meant Dr. Blackmail here of course.

I can't believe that in this state of joy and excitement I forgot to ask: but what about Darcy's eyes now?
I didn't want Dr. to operate him, but how is he going to have eyesight back?

Jane is a hero!!! Bless her! I'm so glad the truth was revealed, at every turn, too. What I'm curious about, though, is how did Darcy know that the Colonel was winking and smirking??? Can he see? I say let time heal his poor eyes...who knows what could happen? Either way he and Elizabeth will have each other and that's all that really matters.

Bless Jane indeed, Rita!

I for one can imagine Anne marrying the doctor after all. She'll forgive him, and won't mind travelling with him to Nova Scotia. I'd love to be away from a mother like she has as far as possible, even the end of the world! LOL

how did Darcy know that the Colonel was winking and smirking???

Good point. Actually, poor, dear Jane was absolutely mortified that she had to ask for this favor from the Colonel, and told Darcy so.

Hi Everyone! Been on vacation for the last few weeks. Glad I can post again, but I have been reading the updates...I have the new iPhone and it works great for reading the stories on Mrs. Darcy's site!

Cant remember how to get a quote to italics but I LURVE the line in this chapter: "The material of the coverlet that separated them was insufficient to insulate her from the heat emanating from his body; it soon spread to her own."

Rita: Good point! How could he see the winking? Maybe he can partially see.

This a great story Ellen. Thanks for making my day too!!!

Great angst releaving chapter. Of course, one must never underestimate Lady Cat. But, for now, AHHH.

I'm glad you had Jane serve some useful purpose. In the canon & FF more often that not, Jane never seems to understands what's going on re Lizzy or alternately knows but takes no action to lend assistance to bring D&E together. Jane is described as being caring & but based on the canon how she is crafted for FF she often seems oblivious. So, nice to see Jane step up to protect Lizzy AND Darcy.

Hmm . . .why is he looking for Darcy?

". . . absently rubbing the cover of the book he held, before giving a slow nod to no one and leaving the room in search of his erstwhile patient."

Does the doctor want to apologize to Darcy and say in effect the anticipation of the . . . hrummph . . . p-word made me kinda crazy; therefore, I acted out of character?

STEVIEB

OH! Thanks for not having the doctor go forward w/ the experimental eye surgery.

Hurray for Jane! And the Col. wink wink, nudge nudge, say NO more! LOL! Holy Cow, Ellen! How could you leave it there? I was ALL into it! When Darcy stole into her room for a kiss and a cuddle. When Darcy did a set down on Mr. Blackmail. *sigh* I WANT MORE!!! Please!

Marvelous chapter 20, Ellen. So glad that the evil doctor has been foiled in his plot. (BTW, what he did was more 'extortion', i.e. criminal coercion, than 'blackmail'.)

I was glad to see Jane stepping in to save the day. Such a change from so many fanfics lately in which Jane is criminally oblivious to her 'dear sister's' needs.

I suspect that Darcy the Beholder will have at least one functional Eye with which to observe the Beauty of his beloved Lizzy. (that's on my wish list, anyway.)

Hampton has at least 3 erstwhile patients. He will have no reason to see Darcy, as he knows that Darcy has essentially dismissed him from his presence. He might want to apologize to Lizzy--that would be the only honorable thing to do. I suspect that Hampton, so caught up in his desire for Lizzy, was unaware of Anne's interest in him, although now he knows. I can't really see her overlooking his dishonorable actions at this point. (Would anyone run off thousands of miles--even to avoid a mother like Lady Catherine--with a man who had shown himself to be so untrustworthy? I would be surprised if Anne has the courage for such a leap of faith. She couldn't think he had any real interest in her, after all.)

I look forward to the next happy developments. (recognizing that there will be no joy for Lady C.--tough!)

(BTW, what he did was more 'extortion', i.e. criminal coercion, than 'blackmail'.)

You're absolutely right, of course, Margaret. Thanks for pointing that out!

Though dictionary.com also defines "blackmail" as:
any payment extorted by intimidation, as by threats of injurious revelations or accusations.
I think that suits, too, don't you think?

YAY ELLEN!!

that's all I have to say!!!

Frances

Go Jane! Go Darcy! Go Jane! Go Darcy! (collapses in exhaustion after doing an extended high school football cheer)

I really enjoyed this chapter, Ellen. Darcy being sexy, Jane being brave, and Dr. Hampton being defeated all thrilled me. Just the pick me up I needed after the angst in the earlier chapters.

Looking forward to your next post with great anticipation!

Oh YAY!!!!!! Thank you Ellen, thank you! This chapter was absolutely fabulous!

I'm thankful it was Mr. Darcy that snuck into Elizabeth's room and thankful that they both managed to admit they loved each other. Thankful for Jane's intervening in the affair of Elizabeth and the Doctor. And soooooo thankful that Darcy told him to forget the surgery, that he would rather spend a lifetime of darkness than see Elizabeth hurt.

And I'm thankful for you Ellen, for a chapter that doesn't leave me wanting to throw something at my computer because I didn't have the next chapter to read!

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!!

Wow, have you made a whole bunch of peoples' day or what? Count me amoung them, overjoyed! First, seeing a new chapter posted, then seeing it start with Mr. Darcy as visitor and end with Mr. Hampton's plot thwarted. Yippee!

Okay, so where are we going from here? Is there lots left to the story or are we nearing an end? Ooh, I loved the suggestion above that Darcy can already see (maybe he hasn't really been checked out recently?).

Ellen

'Blackmail' doesn't really fit, because Lizzy isn't being forced by the threat that Hampton would reveal something bad or embarrassing that SHE did. She's not acquiescing to keep him quiet. She's being forced by the threat that HE will do something bad (not perform Darcy's surgery).

Blackmail = Pay Me (do what I want) or I will Tell what You did

Extortion = Pay Me (do what I want) or else I will hurt YOU. Blackmail is a subset of extortion, but the Lizzy/Hampton case doesn't fit the subset.

Margaret,
I’m afraid the fault is all mine. Angry with Hampton I called him Dr. Blackmail and I guess it just sticked to him. English is not my native and I’m not a lawyer. In my language I would call him blackmailer because he putted Elizabeth in the position (even if not expressed openly) – if you don’t agree to be my wife, Darcy won’t have his eyesight back. For me it’s emotional blackmail. But, like I said – I’m not an expert here.
I’m sorry for any confusion I have caused.

Thank you for posting. Love your story and love this latest addition. Thank goodness for Darcy's resolve to talk to Elizabeth and thank goodness for Jane's help in the matter. Bedroom scene was "HOT" even if it was a above covers. Can't wait for more.

Diane

Margaret, I will defer to your greater knowledge on the subject. Basia, my dear, I will not pin any sort of blame on you; I'm not in the legal profession either but I am in the language profession and should have been more careful.

In any case, I'm just glad everyone's so involved with the story.

Thanks for the relief!! I'm so glad that Elizabeth finally cracked to Jane and that Jane interfered. Maybe the colonel's misguided idea does have some good points. I almost felt bad for the doctor at the end of that chapter, though. Almost. He manipulated Elizabeth, but all of his hopes were gone just like that. Oh well. Now, let's see the developments between Lizzy and Darcy!

Soooo good! This story just keeps getting better and better!!! :)

Ellen, I have no idea where you're going with this. The doctor is lucky he hasn't been taken up for blackmail. I certainly wouldn't trust him as near my eyes as Eastbourn for fifty pounds!

I am so happy with the outcome of the chapter! I bet it is asking too much for Mr. Hampton to be gone for good. I would rather have a blind and happy Darcy than an unhappy sighted one. Thanks!

What a great chapter-- loved it!!

Blackmail = Pay Me (do what I want) or I will Tell what You did

The meaning of the term in this case is in the eye of the beholder...

However, he most certainly has put an unethical pressure on Elizabeth whom he knows is in love with someone else and who does not want to marry him. It's totally objectionable, and I hope he will soon regret his ways and make amends.

If I were Darcy I wouldn't have him touch my eyes. I'd rather remain blind all my life than take such a huge risk. Of course I hope his eyesight will return, but if not he will have beautiful, intelligent, sweet Elizabeth by his side. His sight or lack there off won't stand in the way of their happiness...

*Sigh" Mrs Darcy's such an incurable romantic!

Ellen

I wanted to mention that you've described an interesting evolution in Hampton's character during the course of this story. One is certain, at the beginning, that he thinks of himself as an honorable person. But once he's decided to pursue Elizabeth and discovers Darcy's interest, he starts on a series of actions to thwart Darcy that become increasingly evil.

He intentionally doesn't mention to Darcy anything about Lizzy from his visits to Longbourn--to stifle Darcy's interest in her. He knows that Lizzy is attracted to Darcy and is determined to squelch those feelings by any means. He insinuates to Lizzy that Darcy might become permanently disfigured, although he knows he's overstated the case. He witholds his Nova Scotia plans from Lizzy when he should have mentioned them the very first time he applied for her permission for the courtship. He forces his attentions on Lizzy, although he sees her merely tepid responses to him. Finally he succumbs to the temptation of coercing Lizzy to agree to marry him as the price of performing Darcy's surgery. All this pressure on a young woman he does not even love, but merely wants to use.

It was a relief that Darcy declined to have the operation, since it's likely the doctor would have intentionally failed (since there would be no expert to tell the difference).

It seems that only when Darcy refuses that Hampton realizes how far he's fallen. (or does he?)

Margaret
(I didn't mean to cause anyone discomfort about the extortion/blackmail issue. I just prefer precision in language.)

(I didn't mean to cause anyone discomfort about the extortion/blackmail issue. I just prefer precision in language.)

I don't think you did cause any comfort, Margaret, and it's your perfect right to like precision. So, please don't worry about it. I suppose you're a lawyer.

IMHO, the term 'blackmail' and certainly emotional blackmail, was a propos in this case, even though every lawyer would deny that in a courtroom, probably with success. However, by using this term everybody in this community reading this story understands what kind of man he is, of what he is capable. Sometimes one must choose a term, even though not entirely correct, to express in a succinct way what he means. I'm a translator by profession and through the years I've learned to read in between the lines, I've learned what people mean rather than what they say exactly.

I thank you for your input, Margaret, it certainly made us think.

Oh!! Well done Jane! Poor Anne!

Now, if Lizzy has run away in an effort to escape Mr Hampton's clutches and still get Darcy his surgery, I will be very upset with her!

I'm really enjoying this story - all its twists and turns are so unexpected and thrilling

I just prefer precision in language

Margaret,

Generally I can agree that precision in a language is important. But the problem is that a common speech – and, after all, this is the kind of a verbal communication we use daily and when posting comments – is imprecise . Its imprecision is unavoidable. To be precise – in a common language we use terms that do not have explicitly marked denotation. The confusion appears sometimes when we use a term which has a defined meaning in a law language, scientific language, sociological language or any other specialized jargon.
I don’t see a problem in using a word “Blackmail” for what Dr. Hampton did in my comments, but probably if I was the prosecutor in the court it would be incorrect.
When I ask my husband how the weather is today and he says “It’s warm” – I understand what he means, even if he is not precise and doesn’t tell me exact temperature or humidity. What is “warm” for one doesn’t have to be for another. “Warm” weather in January it’s not the same as “warm” weather in May. Calling several people standing on a bus-stop a “group” is natural in common speech, but incorrect in sociological slang.
Every day we use terms like “kid”, “teenager”, “young person” even if we don’t know the exact age of a person we’re talking about. You can say about a boy that he’s a teenager even if you’re not sure whether he is 15 or 17. But in Polish law these two years has a great meaning – 17 year old, still being under age, can be judged as an adult. 15 year old, for the same crime, would be judged as a child.
Every single day we use many imprecise terms and expressions – “add some salt to soup”, “I’ll call you later”; “How are you? – I’m fine”. Or: - “he is fat”; - “Why are you saying he is fat?” – “Because he weights too much”; - “What if he loses 10 kg?” – “He won’t be fat then”; “What if he loses 2 kg?” – “He still will be fat”; - “What if he loses 5 kg?” – “Eeeee…”

But, after all, commenting on stories should be about fun and pleasure, about expressing ones emotions. And - as long as we can communicate and understand each other – surgical precision is not necessary.
That’s why I’m going to stay with calling Dr. Hampton – Dr. Blackmail.