She gritted her teeth and took a threatening step closer. “I amquiteserious, Mr Darcy. From our earliest acquaintance, I was impressed by your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain for the feelings of others!”
Darcy was reeling with shock. Elizabeth was… refusing him? And she thought him selfish and conceited? He stared, open-mouthed, as she continued her litany against him.
“In our every meeting, you have shown yourself to be the most ungentlemanly of men! I have long believed you to be the most prideful man of my acquaintance, and you have certainly proved it today with your callous disregard for my sentiments! You bully, and you insult, andthisis the behaviour of a gentleman? Yet even before today’s events, my opinion of your character was decided when I heard Mr Wickham’s tale of your dealings with him!”
Wickham! Again! Blast that reprobate!“You take an eager interest in that man’s concerns!” he snarled.
“Who that has heard his misfortunes could not take an interest?” Elizabeth resented Darcy’s insinuation. She was not in love with Wickham, but at present, the latter man’s company would have been a great relief.
“Hismisfortunes! Yes, they aregreat,indeed!” Darcy’s voice wrung with sarcasm.
“And ofyourinfliction!” she cried back, affronted that Darcy could even yet deny his infidelity regarding a man of his father’s affections. “You have deprived him of the advantages which were designed for him, disregarding the will of your own father and leaving him destitute!”
His eyes narrowed menacingly. “What could you possibly know of my father?”
Her face sparkled with righteous indignation. “I know that his son is thelastman in the world I couldeverbe prevailed upon to marry!” With that, she turned on her heel and sped back to the house.
JaneandMrBingleyhad indeed toured the garden together, but as it happened, the garden was rather small. Feeling they ought to act as chaperones for the newly “engaged” couple, they bent their steps toward the stream when the audible splashing of stones revealed Elizabeth’s location. They remained a discreet distance away, but they were near enough to see everything, had their inclinations tended toward such a vicarious amusement.
Jane cautiously revealed to Mr Bingley that Elizabeth was unlikely to take this engagement talk with equanimity. Without actually admitting that her sister stoutly disliked his friend, she tried to prepare the man she favoured for what was likely to be a very turbulent period in her family.
Bingley laughed. “I admire Miss Elizabeth’s spirit. She will need it in spades to stand up to Darcy! He has long needed someone to set him down. Darcy is the finest man of my acquaintance, Miss Bennet, but he is not entirely without fault, as none of us are. Miss Elizabeth possesses every virtue that he lacks, I believe. I am surprised I had not seen it before, but Miss Elizabeth may well be the perfect match for him. I confess, I look forward to seeing how things will play out.”
Jane was not so certain. She was quite sure that her sister would fight the marriage kicking and screaming, but she knew as well as everyone else that by now, there was little else to be done. Even should their father wake this hour, he would not be able to undo the reports already spread abroad, some even by his own wife. She only hoped that Lizzy had been entirely wrong in her opinion of Mr Darcy and that she might come to see that… very soon.
A sudden shout from the direction of the stream diverted their attention. Darcy and Elizabeth were both standing up now, the gentleman holding his face. It was obvious they were exchanging heated words. They could not make out much of what was said, but they could hear the fevered pitch of Elizabeth’s anger and the restrained fury in Darcy’s voice. Jane groaned.Oh, Lizzy, must you make this so difficult?
She dared a glance at Bingley, but instead of reflecting horror, his face was showered in unbridled delight. “Indeed, Miss Bennet, your sister is a marvel! I say, no oneevertells him what-for! I’ve feared for years he would fall prey to some simple-minded woman of fashion who will agree with everything he says. Miss Elizabeth will keep him on his toes. What a fearsome thing it will be to behold!”
They watched in helpless wonder the grand finale when Elizabeth delivered her blistering valedictory riposte. Her voice was raised clearly enough for them to hear every word she said. Jane sighed painfully. “Oh, Lizzy….”
She looked up to Mr Bingley, her face apologetic. He smiled encouragingly back at her. “Do not worry, Miss Bennet. I will collect my friend, and we will call tomorrow, or perhaps yet again this evening. Please send word if there is any change in your father’s condition, or…” he glanced toward the house, “... any other developments.” He smilingly raised her fingers to his lips and daringly brushed a gentle kiss on her knuckles. Jane blushed prettily as he took his leave.
Elizabethflouncedupthestairs, angrily making as much noise as she could. Her mother’s door stood ajar. Perfect… she is gone to Meryton to brag about my conquest. It is too late to stop her—I will have to set her right when she returns! Elizabeth sought refuge in the only place that made sense.
Mary looked up from her book when Elizabeth softly opened the door. She clenched her fists and locked her arms by her sides, struggling to calm herself for her father’s sake. “How is he?” Hope shone in her eyes.
Mary stood with perfect equanimity. “He is the same. Mrs Hill brought some broth, and we got him to drink some. Mr Jones has not yet returned.”
Elizabeth sat hard in the chair next to Mary’s, blocking Mary’s exit from the room and forcing her younger sister to sit back down. Mary was not often the most observant of people. She could see that her sister was upset, but she did not trouble herself to investigate. The assumption that their father’s condition accounted for all of Elizabeth’s irritability sufficed for her.
Mary resumed her reading while Elizabeth stared hopefully at her father’s rising chest.Please, Papa, wake up! I need your help! We all need you.She closed her eyes, and tears began to tumble down her cheeks.
“Why do you not use your handkerchief? There is no sense in making your eyes puffy or spoiling your gown with the drips,” Mary observed practically.
Elizabeth looked down at Mr Darcy’s handkerchief, still clutched between her fingers. She had forgotten about it. Her eyes blurred, and she acquiesced. Once she could see clearly, she began to examine the cloth. It was very fine and embroidered simply with his initials in brilliant blue.FD
Elizabeth ran her fingers over the even stitching, wondering vaguely if Mr Darcy’s mysterious younger sister had worked this for him. She felt sorry for the girl, stuck with such a proud, disagreeable older brother as her only relation. Well, almost her only relation. Elizabeth’s lip curled when she remembered there was evidently a noble aunt and cousin. Then again, according to Mr Wickham, Miss Darcy was just as arrogant and unpleasant as her brother and surely did not want or need her pity. Another Miss Bingley, no doubt.
Her thoughts rumbled turbulently between the two most offensive men she had ever met. Complete opposites that they were, both had tried to claim her in marriage that very morning, without the warning of a courtship or even the courtesy of a private audience. She still felt certain that she could have eventually rebuffed Mr Collins, even without her father's support and heartily against her mother’s wishes.
Mr Darcy, on the other hand, was not a man to be gainsaid. He was certainly used to having his way. What, then, would have possessed him to propose to me? she silently demanded again. We cannot stand each other! He barely speaks to me, and I have been anything but deferential to him. Surely, he should have been looking for that perfect woman of accomplishment of whom I have heard him speak. I should have expected him to marry one who is just as proud as he is, who would never trouble him with disagreement!
Elizabeth grimaced. She hated to think of having to be in company with whatever woman Mr Darcy deemed worthy of himself. He had been quite clear thatshewas not that woman, with her low connections and lack of sophistication! And what else was it? Her family he despised, andshe—why, she was barely tolerable!
Anger seethed through her very pores. She could almost spitefully accept his proposal with the single intention of making his life miserable, but the thought of spending the rest of her days with the staid and silent Darcy was a depressing one.What would Miss Bingley give to be in my shoes!Even the temptation of teasing Miss Bingley lost all its lustre.What am I to do?
“Itseemswehaveworn out our welcome, old friend!” Bingley’s jovial tones caused Darcy to turn. “We had best be… Darce?” Bingley studied his closest friend’s face. He would have expected outraged anger or silent, boiling resentfulness. Instead, Darcy looked utterly stricken. His face was ashen, his eyes stark and staring.
