Mr. Darcy arrived back at Rosings with determination and headed toward his chambers to write to Bingley. Col. Fitzwilliam found him on his way.
"Well hello cousin! What has you so worked up?" Col. Fitzwilliam's face was all good humor, but quickly switched to concern upon examination of Darcy, whose face clearly betrayed his agitation.
Darcy hesitated before speaking. "Come with me to my chambers I would like to share some news with you." Col. Fitzwilliam followed willingly.
Once the door was closed, Col. Fitzwilliam did not wait for Darcy to start. "What is this news, cousin, could it be so dreadful? Are we to stay longer in this forsaken place?"
Darcy almost smiled. "Yes, I believe we will. But when you learn the reason perhaps you will forgive me as another has not."
His interest truly piqued now, Col. Fitzwilliam nodded his head for Darcy to continue.
Darcy paused again, "I have proposed to Miss Bennet." He finally let out abruptly.
"Oh my! Well then . . . allow me to offer my congrat . . ."
"Oh no, that will not be necessary, she rejected me."
"Rejected you? Is she out of her mind? On what account did she reject you?"
"On many accounts, let me assure you. You have seen how I behave around her. I am not myself, she discomposes me so. You even made fun of me for it! I blundered on about non-sense as I laid my heart at her feet. I was stupid enough to mention how unsuitable her family is and how I struggled to overcome my feelings for her."
Col. Fitzwilliam laughed. "Yes I have seen your abominable behavior around the lady and suspected she had a unique effect on you. But I did not think your discomposure would go so far as to allow you to insult her. Though, I admit I had not expected your admiration to go so far as to suggest marriage, either." He said the last almost to himself. "How did the lady react?"
"Oh she should have slapped me! Instead she told me how disreputable a person I am; how she has long loathed me; and how I am nothing but arrogant and self-serving. On top of my behavior she cited my wrong-doing towards others. You know how I told you of my removing a friend from a lady? the lady was her sister and, if Miss Elizabeth is in earnest, the sister was in fact in love."
Here Col. Fitzwillaim sighed and interjected, "I am sorry cousin, I told Miss Bennett what you said while speaking of your loyalty to your friends."
"No need to apologize, she seems to have believed me capable of such cruelty already. My greatest fault was my behavior toward Wickham."
"Wickham! How is he acquainted with the young lady?"
"He is in the militia in Herfordshire now. I know not what specifically he told her, but she certainly believed I was the villain of the pair."
"Surely such lies can be corrected. You have evidence on your side."
"Yes, I offered her my side of the story, but only after . . ."
"After what?" Col. Fitzwilliam was curious at his cousin's sudden reticence.
"I accosted her!"
"WHAT?"
"We were standing there, inches from each other, and I just could not take it anymore. The anger in her face was too much. I . . . kissed her . . . passionately." Darcy ended feebly.
"DARCY! She is a gentleman's daughter!" Fitzwilliam almost screamed.
"I know," Darcy said quietly.
"She had just rejected your advances!"
"I know," a little louder.
"Her reputation would be ruined had someone seen you!"
"I KNOW! Believe me I feel the impropriety of what I have done." Darcy bellowed.
Fitzwilliam paused then continued more evenly, "How did she react?"
"I suppose she was shocked, but then she seemed to be enjoying the moment, until . . ."
"Until what?" Col. Fitzwilliam said with some impatience.
"Until something in her face changed to a look of horror. I let her down and left, abruptly, but she ran into me again on her way back to the parsonage."
"Let her down?"
Darcy ignored this.
"Then I apologized and explained about Wickham. I believe that she believes me, though it took more explanation than I would have liked. She does not want to believe me. She will undoubtedly look for an alternative possibility. She maintains that I am the last man in the world she could ever be prevailed upon to marry." This was said with bitterness that could not be contained.
"She said that?"
"Yes, twice."
"Then why are we staying?" Fitzwilliam was holding back the exasperation from his voice remarkably well, or at least he thought so.
"She does not wish to marry the bumbling idiot that she knows to be me, but she does not know the real me. I will make things right. I will show her who I truly am. And you will help." Darcy had an almost manic quality to his determination now.
Fitzwilliam laughed. "How do you expect me to help work a miracle. She sounds quite set against you. Perhaps you should just let her go. You did accost her after all. She has a real reason to dislike you, even hasn't as many as she thinks she does."
"No! I could not do that. Had I been able to let her go I would never have proposed to her. I will not accept her ill opinion of me."
"And how am I to help? You have not addressed that." Fitzwilliam was almost amused now.
"If ever she asks about me, or anything I have told her, I would like you to tell her the truth, the whole truth." Fitzwilliam's eyebrows raised at this directive.
"I suppose I can comply with such a request. What of Anne and Aunt Catherine?"
"Anne will be pleased. She wishes me to marry so that Aunt Catherine might give up her hopes regarding the two of us. I hope to include her in my plans. In fact I will go speak with her in a moment. Catherine need not know anything. She will see my changed behavior toward Miss Bennet, that cannot be helped, but I will ensure her curtesy toward her guests when they are here."
"Ah, so you intend to curb our Aunt! This I will gladly stay to watch." Fitzwilliam truly was entertained now.
"Yes, and in that I may require your help as well. But primarily I wish you to walk out with me, or pay calls on the Parsonage with me. I do not wish to alarm Miss Bennet by my presence alone. I wish her to feel comfortable with me in company after my horrid behavior. If, however, you occupy too much of her attention, I may resort to physical violence on your person."
The last was said with such seriousness that the Colonel almost blanched before realizing his cousin was in jest, at least in part.
"I will assist as I can. I greatly enjoy her company."
"Yes, perhaps too much so." Darcy turned away from his cousin so that Fitzwilliam could not see his face.
"Come now, cousin. She has a fine spirit that no man would find unappealing, and she is quite beautiful. You cannot be upset that I admire a woman just because you do as well. You are simply bothered by the fact that she prefers my company when I am friendly and you are grave."
"Yes, well that will no longer be the case. Tomorrow morning we will call on the Parsonage. For now I have a letter to write. I will see you at dinner." With that abrupt dismissal, Darcy shuffled Col. Fitzwilliam out of the room.
Darcy sad down and began his letter to Mr. Bingley. He expressed his regret for interfering with Miss Bennet and how Miss Bennet was currently in London. He went so far as to encourage his friend to renew the acquaintance, for Bingley had been in low spirits of late as well. He closed the letter with a hope of staying with him at Netherfield in a few weeks time, if that was agreeable to its Master.
The letter was posted immediately and Darcy went in pursuit of his cousin Anne. She was easily found in her private sitting room. Darcy and Anne were fairly close, but never wished to show any regard for each other in the presence of Lady Catherine, for fear of getting her expectations up. He had no doubt of her assistance.
"Anne! I am glad to find you alone."
"Hello cousin. Why do you seek me out?"
"I know we haven't discussed the plan of your mother's in years . . ."
"Oh Fitzwilliam! Please do not tell me you came here to propose! You may wish a wife, but my wishes have not changed." She said as theatrically as she could.
Darcy cut her off with the same tone of false seriousness. "No, Anne, calm yourself. I did not come to propose. I have already made a proposal today and do not wish to be rejected again."
Anne looked at him in shock. "Are you in earnest? Who, besides me, would reject the great Mr. Darcy?" She was teasing him, but serious in her question. Then realization struck. "Miss Bennet! Your odd behavior of late was because of Miss Bennet?"
He nodded slightly.
"Oh cousin, I'm glad you have never tried to court me if that is how you behave."
"Thank you for that, cousin."
"Don't get ill-tempered with me. Why did you come to tell me this if you were rejected?"
"Miss Bennet has many mistaken ideas about my character. I wish to show her a better side of me. I would like you to aid me in whatever way is feasible. Nothing to arduous, of course. But perhaps I could come with you when you call on the parsonage? Or you could encourage that party's presence at dinner?" Darcy looked at her hopefully.
"I suppose I could assist you in those ways. I was thinking of taking a drive in my phaeton in the morning. If you drove, we could stop at the parsonage."
"Brilliant! I planned to go with Richard already, but with both of you I can attempt to demonstrate my purpose to greater effect. Then we can invite them for dinner! Thank you Anne!" Darcy kissed her hand as she smiled and bowed her head. He rushed from the room to organize his other plans and elicit the desired invitation from Lady Catherine.
Lady Catherine proved as malleable as Darcy could wish, once he stated his intention to stay for a few days or so longer than expected. He also mentioned that he had perceived a growing regard between Anne and Mrs. Collins and thought that was something to be encouraged as it might encourage more activity and improved health. Lady Catherine had noticed nothing of the sort, and did not think much of her daughter having an intimate friend, let alone a parson's wife. However, Darcy's hope of improvement to Anne was taken a sign that he planned to marry her soon, pending her capability.
The Collins would be shocked by the number of additional invitations they would receive over the next month.
By the time Elizabeth reached the parsonage she was out of breath, having run the entire way, and startled a maid as she dashed up the stairs of the house. Charlotte and Maria were not at home. She knew they had gone to the village as she set out for her walk. They must have been caught in the rain as well to still be there.
Elizabeth was glad to be alone. She needed time to allow all the information of the last hour to sink into her consciousness. She paced around the room while she thought.
Oh how I hate that man! His presumption! To claim he has never tried to seduce innocent girls after what he did to me! And Wickham! Could Mr. Darcy have told the truth? Why would he lie? He has always demonstrated a great fondness for his sister. Surely he would not make up lies that slandered her character. But why would Wickham lie? I suppose that is easier to answer-no one liked Mr. Darcy. Wickham became well-liked and well-regarded by providing an excuse to not like Mr. Darcy. But Wickham did not go to the Netherfield ball after claiming Mr. Darcy could not scare him away. He also slandered Mr. Darcy to the entire village after claiming he would not. And he told me of the ill-treatment after knowing me but a day. How could I have trusted him so inherently, unquestioningly?
Wickham is not worth my thoughts, nor my regrets. But Mr. Darcy! What came over him? Could he really feel something for me? How could he have thought I returned his regard enough to marry him?
No, he would not have concerned himself with whether I cared anything for him. He assumes any young woman would be thrilled to accept an offer from him. How dare he! How dare he make so many presumptions while insulting me! And then to think my forgiveness could be bought with a trinket!
But if he brings Bingley back to Jane . . .
He was the one that separated them in the first place. His behavior towards them has never been justified. Encouraging Bingley would only fix something he broke in the first place. . . . Oh but how happy Jane would be if Bingley found her in London! Perhaps at least that much good can come of all this.
What else will he try though? Will he tell people of what happened? Col. Fitzwilliam? Mr. Collins? Lady Catherine? Surely not! She would be furious at him. He would not resort to spreading rumors about me in order to force me to marry him . . . would he? No, no, certainly not. He will come to his senses tonight and realize that he never truly wished to marry me. But perhaps I should make and effort to leave sooner than intended. I cannot face being around him after what happened today!
Elizabeth spent the next hour with such thoughts running through her head. By the time Mrs. Collins and her sister arrived home, Elizabeth had fallen asleep, emotionally worn out. She claimed later at dinner than she had not been feeling well, which garnered sympathy without questions.
..
Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I appreciate the encouragement to keep writing. Unfortunately it will probably be some time before the next chapter is done. But, I promise it will be more substance and less filler, unlike this one.