While Mr. Darcy was happy to accept the dinner invitation, when Elizabeth found out about it she was distraught. Her worry for dinner became distant once her father told her why Mr. Darcy was staying.
Mr. Bennet sent one of his younger daughters in search of Elizabeth with instructions to come to his study at once. This was the second time in a single day that Elizabeth was told to report to her father's study and she feared that it was for as dire of a reason as it had been before.
She entered the study and saw, to her surprise, that Mr. Darcy was still there with her father.
"Eliza, please sit down," Mr. Bennet said with great gravity.
Instead of forcing her to sit on the couch that was much further from Mr. Bennet's desk, Darcy jumped out of his seat and politely offered it to Elizabeth. She sat with a quiet "thanks" and he moved to stand by the door, where he would be close in ear shot, but not standing over her.
"My child, you know of what we spoke of early and how I said I must speak to Mr. Darcy before letting you know if I had a solution to your…predicament."
"Yes I do, father." Elizabeth looked back to where Mr. Darcy was standing and wondered what exactly the two men had discussed that could possibly lead to saving her from ruination.
"Mr. Darcy and I have come to an agreement and you two will marry as soon as the banns have been properly read."
Elizabeth launched out of her seat. "Excuse me?" she all but yelled.
"Calm yourself and sit down. You heard me perfectly well. You will marry Mr. Darcy."
"I will do no such thing." She looked back at Darcy again as she sat, this time with venom in her eyes. She turned back towards her father. "He finds me, I believe the phrase was 'tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt him.'" Elizabeth did not have to think hard as to what exactly Darcy had said about her at the assembly. It would be forever sketched upon her mind. "Why would he agree to marry someone such as me that he does not even consider 'enough to tempt'?"
"Elizabeth," Mr. Bennet roared. "You will keep a civil tongue in your head."
"No, it is all right, Mr. Bennet. Miss Elizabeth is perfectly right to throw my own words back at me."
Elizabeth was not happy to have the man come to her defense. If she did not know it would send her father into ever higher flights of fury, she would do anything but keep a civil tongue. It was horrid of her, but something about Mr. Darcy brought out the worst in her.
"I must apologize for them, in any case. It was not meant for you to hear, Miss Elizabeth. That is not an excuse, though. I was in a fowl temper and would have said the same about any girl Charles had pointed out to me. You were simply the unlucky recipient."
"Is that supposed to make what you said better, sir?" Elizabeth snapped. Mr. Bennet considered stepping in again, but if the two young people were to be married soon, it might be for the best that they learn to resolve their quarrels themselves. So, instead, he sat back and watched them bicker.
"No it is not. It is merely me explaining the situation to you."
"Well if anything, I suppose it is better that it was me to receive your scorn. I am strong enough not to make it dent my armor, but if some other poor girl with a weaker constitution had been your target, I fear what it would have done to her."
"You are right. I must think better about what I say and who I say it around. Again, I give you my deepest apologies. You are more than tolerable, and quite handsome with the finest eyes I have even seen."
This compliment stopped Elizabeth short. She was perfectly happy to continue their argument, but in light of such a compliment, she did not know what to say.
Seeing his daughter with nothing left to say, Mr. Bennet clapped his hands once to gain there attention. "So now that this is all settled and past misunderstandings are cleared away. We can move on. The marriage shall take place mid-December, before the Christmas holidays."
There was little left that Elizabeth could say to argue the fact. She could do nothing but resign herself to the idea of marrying Mr. Darcy. She tried to tell herself there were worse fates, but in the moment, she could think of none.