I want to thank the reviewers whom have taken the time to let me know what they think. I appreciate it very much and it makes me try for another chapter in Darcy's POV. Thanks to my new and highly appreciated beta Eb Evans, there are less errors and I hope more reading pleasure for you. All remaining errors are all mine. I await your reactions on what I've concocted here with...
William Chapter 2
The utter shock of seeing her there still reeled in his system; he was transported back to Hertfordshire. More specific, Netherfield hall and the one time in his life he had felt complete. Remembering his incandescent happiness at that time made the pain he was still feeling come back with a vengeance. All the emotions of feeling betrayed and abandoned by the only woman he had loved in this miserable lifetime intensified, like a rekindled flame. He had tried, oh god had he tried in the years to let go and carry on, but he still saw her everywhere. She was in his homes, in his bedchamber, at his breakfast table, roaming the paths on Pemberley's grounds. But she was not; she had left him while she had promised to be his.
The second shock was her son... he must be her son. His son! There could be no mistake, it was as if he looked back in a looking glass in years gone. His exact image he saw there. Her daughter was her faithful image as she had been then. Seeing his and her image standing beside each other was a cruel reminder of what could have been. Not for the first time he asked God, why? Why had she abandoned him? After giving him, the most precious gift she had to give as a woman. He was sure she had been as happy as he was, when he asked her for her hand in marriage. Yes Mr. Darcy, Yes I will marry you, she had breathed happily before kissing his lips again. Smiling the smile he had longed for, the loving and happy smile she had for those she cared for.
That night he had received an express from Richard, his friend, cousin and now brother. His assistance had been urgently required, Richard's father the earl of Matlock, had had an apoplexy. Moreover his brother the viscount had been in a duel and had been hurt badly, causing his father to have said apoplexy. The whole Fitzwilliam family had been in a panic; the earl had recovered but in the end the viscount had not been so fortunate.
Before he left Netherfield that night he had written to Mr. Bennet 'because he could not write to his betrothed without consent of her father', much less, a father who had not given his consent to their betrothal, and further, a father that did not know of their betrothal, or even an attachment between them. So he had kept it short, asking him to inform Miss Elizabeth he would come for her, but he did not know when yet. He had been kept busy with his family but had written again after two weeks, requiring the same message to be conveyed. He never had a reply to that letter or the numerous others he had sent, asking if he could come and call on Elizabeth.
He knew why, when he saw the marriage announcement in the morning paper two and a half months after having last seen Elizabeth. That was the day that the little faith he had in humanity died a painful death. Every illusion he had had to have someone to love, and be loved, was stripped away with no relief of hope that things would get better. Since then he was mostly void of feelings and emotions. Oh he had done his duty to his inheritance and produced an heir and a spare, with no feelings for all involved. He had thrown himself in his work, even starting to labour beside his tenants in the fields, exhausting his body, but it did not work for his mind. His mind was such a dark place he became afraid of it, so if things got too much, he drowned himself with spirits. Not that that helped, it was still there when he recovered from such over indulges. But it gave him some hours respite from his misery. Somewhere he knew he had hurt his family and spears friends. But he just could not help himself; he felt as dead inside as his late wife was. Except for the anger and feelings of betrayal ... yes he kept that alive all right.
But having another son... he had not known, not an inkling he had had. His child. Their child. If he had known she was carrying his child he would have abducted her, even against her will. He would have hunted her down, propriety be damned, he would have gone to Gretna Green to make her his in a heartbeat. If he had known...
She has much to answer for, he thought. And I will make sure I get those answers. After being so numb for so long, he himself was somewhat fearful of the fury he felt.