What?“I thought you enjoyed our silences?” Darcy could not believe she misunderstood him.
“Miss Bennet, I thought…as you and I have been spending time together”—Richard wrinkled his brow—“that our afternoon walks and tea…”
Jealousy sprang from Darcy’s breast. His desire to propose dimmed as he learned that she did not, in fact, welcome his company. Then he felt something like anger. Did a woman beneath his notice play him the fool?
Then Wickham grabbed Miss Bennet by her waist and pressed her to his body.
She shrieked. “Unhand me!” Elizabeth struggled in his grasp.
“I am afraid that no one will marry you, sweet Miss Bennet, but me. You understand, dearest, after Darcy cheated me out of the living, that I must marry for fortune! You will be MrsWickham.” He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to hers. After a rough kiss, she wriggled in his embrace, attempting to escape, but he was too strong.
Darcy’s heart raced. “Unhand her!” How could Darcy rescue her from the blackguard without hurting her or his cousin in the process?
Richard scoffed. “I see you remain a thief.”
“A thief? What do you mean?” Miss Bennet’s eyes widened with fear, her gaze fixed on the gun that was now pointed at the colonel.
Where did he pull a pistol from?
“Wily Wickham forgot to inform you that Darcy paid the grand sum of three thousand pounds on Wickham’sownsuggestion that he was not suited for the living, and that he wanted to study law.Witha thousand already given him from Uncle George’s will. Within two years, it was wasted on idleness, dissipation, and loose living.”
“I was cheated out of what is rightfully mine!” Wickham yelled, spit flying out of his mouth.
“No!” Miss Bennet exclaimed as she struggled. “I will not marry you!”
Wickham barked. “I will have you, Elizabeth Bennet, and your thirty thousand pounds!”
Darcy’s fear burned in his soul as the woman he loved was caught between two men scuffling over the gun. Elizabeth stomped on Wickham’s boot and pulled away from him violently. Darcy was about to reach out for her, but it was too late.
He watched in horror as Richard twisted Wickham’s gun hand to a precarious position. Wickham fought strength for strength against Richard. Amongst the confusion of the tussle the gun fired, and blood spattered on Richard’s face and neck.
Wickham stared stupefied as he watched Miss Bennet stagger towards Darcy who rushed to her side before she collapsed to her knees. Richard stood horror struck, the sound of the gun shot echoing in everyone’s ears.
“No!” Darcy caught her as colour drained from Elizabeth’s face. His hand was already stained with her blood. His ears ringing, he could not feel Richard’s hand on his shoulder, could not hear Richard’s entreaties or the sounds of footsteps running away. All he saw was his Elizabeth, all he felt was her hand slip slowly down his arm as her eyes fluttered shut,
“I feel…” she managed through laboured breaths.
“No, no, no…stay with me, dearest, loveliest…”
With one last show of strength, she clasped tightly to Darcy’s forearm, her last sight his eyes. “Not handsome enough to tempt you…”
Her hand slipped from his arm, and the light in her eyes dimmed as she stared blankly at the blue sky. Never had he felt such heartache as he rocked her in his arms. “Foolish. Foolish. She heard me—all this time I did not know she heard me.”
This was not how our story was supposed to end.
Darcy was agitated; his pacing would wear a hole in the rug. Tears had tracked down his face, and he felt there were still more to shed. Darcy’s heart felt like it had been ripped from his chest. Sorrow soon turned to anger at Wickham. Bitterness consumed him, he took a glass and poured some brandy to take the sting away.
Darcy then sat by the fire, wiping his face with his free hand, a brandy in the other hand. His attention rested on the books; there was one that seemed to stand out. He rose from his seat and slid the book out from the shelf. He did not know why he felt compelled to read suddenly. Surely, he was too sore of spirit to concentrate on a book. Then he read the title;Part of Something Greaterby Diane Ferguson. He took another sip of brandy, tenderly caressed the smooth leather of the covering, and then opened the book to the first sentence.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that if the universe grants you a second chance, you try to correct past wrongs.He gulped down the rest of the brandy and settled himself to read.
If only there was a way to have a second chance, he would surely have put his idiotic pride aside to be able to court Elizabeth properly.
Chapter 4: Part of Something Greater
by Diane Ferguson
Rosings Park, Kent
