Elizabeth was reading Much A Do For Nothing for the seventh time -it was a really good play- when the doorbell rang. The young woman shut down her book with a sigh -again, it was a REALLY good play- and put it down on the coffee table before standing up to answer the front door with her best fixed smile.
Which was a paramount mistake : she wasn't able to maintain it when she met Darcy's cold eyes.
« Fitzwilliam ? » she said hesitantly, wondering on what grounds the man visited her friend or friend's fiancé.
« Good morning, Elizabeth » he answered back, with a nervous smile.
What ? Darcy, a nervous smile ? She must have been dreaming. She stared blankly at him, waiting for an explanation. He didn't fournish one, so she went on awkwardly.
« Uh –. Charlotte and Bill are in town right now, but you can come back in a hour our two I think. » she said, ready to close the door and go back to her favorite play.
Okay, so maybe it was a bit rude, but they weren't in the come-in-to-talk-and-drink-a-cup-of-coffee kind of Relationship.
« Actually, I desired to talk to you. »
Or so she thought. She did her best to hide her surprise and probably failed spectacularly.
« Real- Well, you can come in. » she said, repeating the mantra 'behave, Lizzy' in her head.
If one of them was going to loose their manners, it wouldn't be her.
Soon, too soon maybe, they both stood awkwardly in the living-room, Lizzy itching for her book and Darcy looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. Well, Lizzy wasn't the genius who suggested they could have a chat. She offered him a seat that he refused and crossed her arms, waiting.
Apparently, he needed a little push.
« What brings you here, then ? »
He paced a bit in front of the window before looking at her straight in the eyes.
« Elizabeth, I can't stay silent anymore. In vain I have struggled, but my heart couldn't defend itself. You won, no matter your non-existant connections, your ill-breeding, the lack of education of your youngest sisters and the atrocious behaviour of your mother or the carelessness of your father. »
Lizzy was so stunned she stayed speechless.
« Surely this comes as no surprise for you, you must have realised it along the years. A connection to you would tarnish my reputation to no end and I am perfectly aware of that fact. My family would take the news of our relationship quite badly, I am afraid. Most are sensible people after all and only wish the best for me. »
« Darcy - »
There was fire in Elizabeth's eyes but the young man was so engrossed in his speech he didn't notice her warning tone and kept going.
« However, I am my own master and they will come around eventually. Actually, I am hoping they will fall for you as I had, if only you sever some of the nefast ties in your life. Allow me to tell you how ardently I love you, dear Elizabeth - »
It was too much.
« You really don't. No ! Stop it, I am the one talking now ! » Lizzy yelled.
Darcy looked utterly astonished. What did he expect ?
« Your little speech was so disrepectful, I can't even believe you thought of it as a nice love declaration ! You said you loved me, Darcy, but since you entered this home, you only managed to insult my family and I. » she tried to say less loudly.
« The relationships you're talking about as if they're nothing are lifelong friendships and family bonds. Maybe people like you don't give a shit about their parents but I do, even if I found my mother ridiculous sometimes, my sisters a bit shallow and my father too trusting. They have their faults, they are humans. You had no right to point them out like you did. » she said fiercely.
Her face was red with indignation. How dare he !
« These last days, my opinion of you was improving, I almost fell on the trap and believed you were a nice, decent person. Do you realise how hurtful your discourse was ? You treated me as if I was nothing just because I don't come from money and have no reputation to speak of. »
She laughed at him, then. Her smile didn't reach her eyes.
« And that is not the worst. Did it not occur to you that I could say no ? You just assumed I'd look forward to a relationship between the two of us. You know what ? If you were the last man on Earth, I would not look for your company. You're the man that made my sister miserable. You can't have a heart, to be cruel enough to break hers. But here I forgot you denied George Wickham what was his.»
Darcy hadn't say a word since Elizabeth spoke but at his childhood friend's name he saw red.
« What on earth Wickham - » he started but the Bennets' daughter stopped him with a raised hand.
« Can you please stop interrupting ? He told me your shared history. Well done, Darcy. You must be so proud of you. How many more lives had you break ? I wonder, but I won't be one of your victims, I won't let you lock me up in a glass tower and not see my closed ones because they make you uncomfortable with their ordinariness. That is my response to your disgusting, condescending and awful speech. »
« Is that all ? » Darcy asked in an impersonal, controlled tone, once again cool and composed.
He sounded almost bored but she saw him squarred his jaw at some of her jibs. It was well deserved, in her opinion.
« I am quite certain I am finished, yes. » Lizzy said defiantly.
Darcy nodded and stormed out but didn't slam the door behind him. Lizzy felt empty. She hugged her book to her chest, made some sweet tea and drank it in her room, still holding her book like a teddy bear, trying not to cry.
It was how Charlotte found her, forty minutes later.
« Are you alright, Lizzy ? » she asked with concern.
She shook her head lightly.
« I think I caught something, I don't feel well. Would it be a great inconvenience if I couldn't make it for dinner at Rosings for tonight ? I'd rather just eat some soup alone and go to bed early. »
« Sure, love. Do you want me to stay with you ? » she asked gently, petting her head lightly.
« Don't worry, I'll be fine, you should go with Bill and have fun. » she said to Charlotte.
This night, she cried herself to sleep.