Hi everyone, I frankly don't know how to start this. I got so many reviews for the last chapter, so many reactions, I don't know how to reply really :) I'm grateful for those who keep reading and I'm sorry for those who have been offended by this story, but I will not try and paint a rosy picture just for the sake of aesthetics. I will also not make the characters redeemable just so they could be relatable, I'm sorry :) Some of these characters are wholesome, some of them are reckless harmful human being, some of them are both. It's just the way life goes. No character can be made of light; there is always some darkness. As for Mr. Cosgrove, it is important that he caused a reaction. He is wicked, but there are also reasons why he is that way which will be revealed. Paradoxically, he sees what he does as the only right thing in the world. It's what humans do sometimes.

Again, I am sorry for having offended some of you. It's just a story, don't take it to heart. And if you have taken it to heart, maybe it will make you think, I hope :) Thanks for the reviews and for your thoughts, much appreciated!

Now unto the chapter.

Wise men keep telling us history has a way of repeating itself.

One Mary Bennet must have been thinking the same thing, because the circumstances were all reminiscent of another time when another Bennet girl had fallen ill at Netherfield.

It had been a year since Jane Bennet and Charles Bingley had fallen in love on account of the lady's short stay Netherfield and Mary Bennet could firmly attest that, while everything was inviting the mind to fancy a similar outcome on her part, Phillip Cosgrove was no Bingley and she was no Jane and no love could ever transpire between them, much less a feeling of cordiality.

But it could not be denied that it was a strange coincidence.

Kitty had insisted on staying to nurse her poor sister. The family had been announced by a dispatch.

Phillip Cosgrove was beyond himself with contentment. He had never expected his plans to take such an advantageous turn. He had certainly not bargained on this peculiar event, unlike Mrs. Bennet, who had waged all her luck on one autumn shower.

Of course, it was rather tiresome that Kitty Bennet was staying at Netherfield as well, but she did sometimes prove to be an entertaining and amiable presence, therefore he did not mind her as much.

The physician attended to Mary Bennet day and night, the servants waited on her hand and foot and she had all the comforts someone in her current state would need. If she was not so inclined to despise Mr. Cosgrove, she would be quite grateful to him.

But as it was, all she could muster to feel was something vague, akin to indifference, which meant she harboured no belligerent feelings, for the time being.

'Your fever has not gone down yet,' Kitty said one afternoon, placing her hand on her forehead. 'It's a very stubborn cold, I tell you.'

'Stubborn like me?' Mary asked, raising an eyebrow.

'Worse actually. See what pretending to be ill gets you? Now you really are bedridden.'

'I suppose I have learnt my lesson. Thank you, Kitty, for staying with me,' Mary said, patting her hand weakly.

'Well, of course! Do you think I would just leave you here with strangers?' Kitty said, smiling sadly.

'No,' Mary admitted smiling.

'Besides, you would do the same for me. We're sisters and we must take care of one another,' she continued.

'Yes, and you've been a good sister,' Mary said.

'So far,' Kitty added, laughing. 'Wait till I upset you again.'

Mary laughed as well. Kitty was a great comfort.

'But Mary, you must really thank Mr. Cosgrove, not me. He's been all attention to us! Really now, I hardly see how you can think of him as mean and foul, when he has been nothing but a devoted gentleman!'

'I will thank him for his diligence, but right now I am indisposed. I only wish to spend time with you,' Mary replied quickly, trying to avert the subject.

'Well, you ought to show your consideration. I feel very embarrassed, he's been so kind.'

'You shouldn't. It was his duty to be kind. And he has done his duty,' Mary said quietly.

'Well, it's so stuffy in here! I should crack a window open,' Kitty said, getting up and going to the window.

'The estate is so beautiful. Oh if only you were able to come with me on a walk, Mary...'

'I will be very soon.'

'Not at this rate, your fever has not gone down at all,' Kitty repeated. 'Well, we shall have to wait and see.'

'Pray for me and I'll get better. God shall help me through this,' Mary said, turning her head into her pillow.

'Yes, God...' Kitty muttered indifferently, looking out the window.

That evening, Kitty and Phillip sat in front of the fire for two hours talking and reading. The few guests he had called for supper had not shown up due to the heavy pouring outside, but they were expected to come the following day. Meanwhile, he had to content himself with Kitty's less than stimulating conversation.

She talked to him about the Ball at Netherfield and compared it to the one Mr. Bingley had held the previous year.

'It was such a lovely event. After that fateful evening we were all sure Jane and Mr. Bingley would surely marry. They looked so much in love. Of course, no one expected the same from Lizzie and Mr. Darcy. There was a general feeling of animosity between them, at first. And at the Ball, no one suspected Mr. Darcy's reasons for dancing with Lizzie, although my sister Lydia had her suspicions.'

'Oh, did she?' Phillip asked indifferently. 'I suppose she had a good eye. For who indeed could possibly see the hidden connection between an intelligent and impulsive young woman and an arrogant and bored young man?'

Kitty did not sense the sarcasm in his voice and nodded her head vigorously.

'Indeed, no one did. We all thought nothing would come out of it.'

'Nothing would have come out if he had been indifferent. But he chose to belittle her in the beginning. This shows interest,' he countered.

'Perhaps you are right. I never thought of it that way,' Kitty agreed, smiling.

'Tell me, Kitty, have you ever felt disappointed?' he asked all of sudden, looking deeply in her brown eyes.

'Oh, you mean jilted, I suppose?' Kitty asked blushing.

'No, disappointed. Have you ever felt disappointed in those around you?'

Kitty opened her mouth in surprise, then closed it quickly. She was fishing for words.

'Well...I suppose I feel they ought to behave better,' Kitty stammered, thinking it was what Mr. Cosgrove wanted to hear.

Phillip nodded his head and sighed. He took another glass of brandy and gulped it down quickly, but with such grace that Kitty did not even notice.

She looked down into her book, knitting her eyebrows.

'This book is full of intricate passages, dear me...' she said, smiling to herself.

Phillip looked at the grandfather clock and rose quietly.

'Well, I am afraid I must leave your charming company for this evening, Miss Bennet. I do apologize but I do have some letters of business to attend to. I am sure you will have all the comforts you will need without me and should you require anything, do not shrink from calling the servants. Mr. Pentrose, the butler, is just outside the door.'

'Oh, of course, thank you so much, Mr. Cosgrove, for all your attentions,' Kitty stammered, getting up hastily. He kissed her hand and patted her shoulder and made his way out of the room.

Kitty watched the door shut quietly after he left. She sighed and walked over to the table in the corner. He had left his brandy glass on the tray. She looked around the room, making sure no one was about to enter, and took hold of the decanter. She poured herself a thimble in his glass. She kissed it and then drained it down slowly.

Someone knocked at Mary's chamber. She raised herself on her elbows.

The maid who was sitting in the foreroom went to open the door. Mary heard some whispers, before the door shut again. She heard steps coming towards her bedroom.

The door was opened slowly. A figure in the shadows.

He walked into the room and sat down at the end of her bed, looking at the wooden floor.

Mary pulled the sheets around her body tightly.

'I am not dressed properly. This is no way to behave. Please be kind and leave,' she said out of the darkness. There was only one candle lit in the adjacent room, throwing a peculiar weak light.

'Have I ever been kind?' he asked, looking at his hands.

'No. Then forget kindness and please, just leave.'

'If you tell me to leave like that, you know I won't, Miss Bennet,' he said, looking up.

His eyes bore into hers with a frightening scrutiny. It was as if he was peeling off her eyelids.

'What do you want then?' she asked, sitting up.

'I wanted to discuss arrangements with you,' he said, pressing his hand on her foot lightly under the covers. She drew it away quickly.

'I know it must inconvenience you but I will recover and there will be no need for further arrangements. I will return home soon.'

'That is not the kind of arrangement I meant,' he said smiling. 'Although I have noticed you haven't been very grateful for my attentions.'

'Should I be? Wouldn't any decent host do the same?'

'Perhaps, but I have given it my best, which cannot be said of everyone. You might wish to be nicer to me.'

'Nicer?' Mary scoffed. 'I cannot believe I am hearing this. I am incredibly well-behaved as it is, really. After what you have told me, I should not even deign to look at you.'

'And yet you are looking at me quite intrusively.'

'You are the one who burst in here announced in the middle of the night,' she retorted.

'It is not quite so late. And I have the right to come and visit my future fiancée.'

'I hardly think so. I am not your fiancée, Mr. Cosgrove. And never shall be.'

'Oh, I think I can change your mind about that,' he said, drawing nearer to her side.

His hand touched her cheek almost gently and drew his fingers down her jaw-line.

'Physical contact does not affect me,' she blurted out, moving her head.

'You know I can make you marry me so why must you make me resort to schemes? Why not accept me as it is, without too much commotion?' he asked, smiling.

'This is the nineteenth century. You cannot oblige me.'

'I shouldn't have to. You should consent on your own.'

'You are right; why would I not consent to marry a man who is clearly insane?'

He chuckled. 'A man who appears to be insane is much less harmful than one who appears to be prim and proper.'

'I don't know about that, but I wouldn't have either of you.'

'I'm afraid you are going to have to choose me,' he said.

'Let me make one thing clear,' she said drawing up to him. 'You will never have me.'

He ran a hand through his hair and laughed.

'What ever do you mean by "have you"?' he asked. 'Do you think I want you? Someone as plain as you shouldn't make such suppositions.'

'I frankly do not care. I am just letting you know,' she said wrinkling her nose.

'You are very proud for someone so humble in position and looks,' he stated, dragging his finger down her shoulders.

'I have things to be proud of which you could not comprehend.'

'Oh really? Is it your intellect? Your book collection? Your anthology of clever thoughts?'

'Don't mock me. You are full of "clever thoughts" but have none,' she spat. 'At least I have my mind.'

'Your mind!' he repeated in awe. 'I wouldn't give two cents on your mind.'

'I'm afraid you would, otherwise you would just ignore me,' she snapped. 'But you taunt me because you know I am not stupid.'

'Oh, Mary Bennet,' he said languidly, 'you see right through me don't you? I taunt you because, unlike others, you have a conscience. And it will be joyful to watch you lose that conscience.'

'Because I would know if my conscience was slipping away and it would hurt me,' she finished.

He smiled broadly. 'Ah, we make such a pair already.'

'Well, Mr. Cosgrove,' Mary replied crisply, 'if you think you will be able to harm me, you are sadly mistaken. I will crush you like a snake.'

Her black eyes sparkled into the night and pierced his.

He was left speechless. His entire face was decomposed.

She coughed loudly and looked away.

He pulled her arm roughly towards him.

'What did you say?'

'You heard me,' she retorted. 'I will step on your venomous head, the way Jesus did to the devil.'

Before his eyes, Mary Bennet had turned into a wild, dangerous creature, her voice low and powerful, her eyes ablaze.

'Will you?' he asked silently, gripping her arm tightly.

'You can be certain of that. If you do not harm me, I won't harm you. But if you do, then I will have no mercy on you,' she finished.

Phillip knew he should have laughed. What could a poor country girl ever do to him?

But something in her tone and expression made him pay heed to her words and remain quiet.

A sudden fire inside of him turned cold. He felt the sweat trickling down his back. It was very warm in the room.

'I see there is a side of you unknown to me. I look forward to be acquainted with it,' he said, staring at her pale-white long neck.

'You shouldn't. You will not like it,' she said coldly.

Her hot breath hit his chest like a sword. His fingers moved over from their grip over her arm, until they landed on her neck.

'You are very plain, Mary Bennet,' he spoke hoarsely. 'But I must confess...'

His face drew nearer to hers, until their noses touched. She remained still and cold, her eyes spiteful and withdrawn.

'I must confess,' he said, 'you are...'

She raised an eyebrow in annoyance.

He lifted his hand from her neck and placed it on her forehead.

'You are burning,' he finished.

She blinked surprised.

'You are feverish,' he concluded. 'Probably too much excitement.'

She pulled his hand away and lunged for the medicine on the bedside table.

He was quicker and found the bottle faster. He took a spoon in his hands and poured some liquid in it.

She yanked the spoon from him and swallowed its contents quickly, looking away.

'You know, Miss Bennet, that if you do not marry me, others will suffer,' he said matter-of-factly.

'Others? If that is a threat...'

'No threat, Miss Bennet. I would never be so callous. But I wouldn't want to harm your little sister, Kitty. The darling girl is quite in raptures. One move on my part and she will be quite in love. And if that happens, you know she will be at my mercy. I could jilt her in the most miserable of ways. I could shame her and make her ineligible for any other man. It is up to you, Miss Bennet. Choose your sister's fate.'

Mary felt her ears were cheating her. There was no other explanation for what she had just heard.

Her skin turned cold and her mouth became dry. Her fingers started trembling in anger. She felt the sheets wind around her body, trapping her in a cage. The ceiling was falling on her shoulders. And she was becoming more and more aware that it was getting harder to breathe in the stuffy room.

'Shall I open a window?' he asked politely.

'You, you could not be so vile!'

'Do not compliment me, Miss Bennet. I might blush.'

She grasped his shirt between her fingers tightly.

'If you as so much attempt to hurt her, I swear I will...'

'You will what?' he dared her. 'There is nothing you can do.'

'I will make you regret the day you met her,' she spat out angrily.

Phillip almost fell off the bed. Her anger was growing every minute and it made for an unnerving sight.

'You're a little lioness, aren't you?'

'I will fight you,' she said and snatched her hand away.

With that, she turned to the other side of the bed, pulled her robe around her and rose to her feet.

She walked to her boudoir quickly and shut the door.

Phillip looked around him as if he had woken up from a dream. The feel of her was still on his skin. He rose and rubbed his hands against his breeches.

The candle light died out.