a/n: the longest installment yet. enjoy!

Darcy immediately withdrew his hand from Elizabeth's waist.

"Of course, Mr. Tennyson," he muttered reluctantly, taking a step back and bowing his head. "Thank you for the honor, Miss Bennet," he softly said as he reached for Elizabeth's hand and gently placed a kiss upon it.

"I will take my leave now." And with that, Darcy strode away out of sight with Elizabeth staring after him.

"Lizzy? Dearest?" Matthew questioned, attempting to direct Elizabeth's attention back to him. Hearing Matthew call her name, she snapped back and faced her fiancé.

"Matthew? You—you were not to be here for a couple days longer," Elizabeth stammered, as her realization of his unexpected arrival slowly sank into her.

"Are you not glad that I am back? I traveled as fast as I could after finishing with my business just to see you at an earlier time. I missed you dearly, my Lizzy," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist as he swayed to the music.

"Yes—most surprised, but I am glad that you are back," Elizabeth murmured half-heartedly, wishing that Matthew would somehow withdraw his affections for her.

"Lizzy, dear, are you all right? Has he done something to you, that Mr. Darcy? You seem a bit—distracted," Matthew continued, his voice sounding concerned.

"No—no—I am fine. I am just a bit tired. But no matter, it is nothing a little bit of rest cannot fix," Elizabeth reassured him, her eyes still searching for Darcy.

"Are you looking for someone?" Matthew questioned, observing Elizabeth's darting eyes.

"No—Matthew—please, excuse me for a moment. There is somebody I need to check on," Elizabeth responded as she tried to leave Matthew behind.

"I will come with you. Things are always easier when accomplished with two people," he insisted, making a move to follow Elizabeth.

"Matthew, this matter is nothing that cannot be handled by a single person. I will ask you for help if assistance is needed. However, I must ask that you respect my choice of finishing this task alone," she answered, her voice hinting slight annoyance as the tension between them increased.

Knowing Elizabeth's stubborn nature, Matthew knew that he would have no other choice but to consent to Elizabeth's wish.

"As you wish, dearest Lizzy," he muttered unhappily. He had traveled by night for hours without rest in the chilly night, covering numerous miles in hopes of seeing Elizabeth. To his great dismay, she regarded him with little attention—a treatment he was unfamiliar with. In the past, Elizabeth had always given him her undivided attention whenever he was with her. Save Jane, he had always been her priority. Tonight, it was different. Tonight, half of her attention was spent on another man, wasted—on that proud and insolent man named Darcy.

Sensing Matthew's tensions rise, Elizabeth sighed and turned to address him again.

"Matthew, dear, you look exhausted. This business of mine will take a while to complete, and I believe it best for you to get some rest back at home. Your family must be eager to see you."

Matthew stared back at Elizabeth in confusion. Why was she dismissing him so abruptly? After so many days of separation, should she not be longing to spend time with him? Matthew's brows slightly furrowed and he surveyed Elizabeth. She did not look angry or displeased—only anxious and irritated. But what was the cause of her annoyance? Certainly he had nothing to do with it, for he had only just returned. However, he knew from Elizabeth's character that inquiring after her sentiments in an untimely manner would only make matters worse.

Elizabeth felt Matthew's dismay and sought to comfort him. She knew that he was the most innocent in the entire affair. His being in the wrong place at the wrong time was his only crime. And that was a crime he could not be charged against. After all, it was Elizabeth who allowed him into her life. She was the one to blame for her irrational stubbornness.

"Do not think that I do not appreciate you for traveling in the freezing night just to see me," she said, looking up to meet his eyes. His emerald green eyes piercingly gazed back at her; as if he felt that looking deeply enough into her eyes would unlock all the secrets Elizabeth tried to hide.

"Because I do appreciate your efforts—very much," she continued. After a slight moment of hesitation, she stood tip-toed and softly kissed Matthew on his cheek. Matthew responded to her affection by leaning down and kissing her squarely on the lips. Elizabeth instinctively broke apart from the kiss and was embarrassed that she had done so too quickly. She discovered that she could not bring herself to kiss Matthew that way—not with what she felt for Darcy. Matthew leaned forward to settle another kiss upon Elizabeth's forehead. As he was doing so, Elizabeth saw behind him a very flustered looking Darcy.

She stood back and let out a small gasp. Darcy had seen everything. Although she did not know how long Darcy had been observing her, she knew that Darcy had seen her initiate the kiss with Matthew. On his face was not only a look of pure jealousy and shock, but also a look of wounded betrayal.

"What is it, Lizzy?" Matthew asked, anxious to know what had triggered his fiancé's bewildered reaction.

"Nothing," she lied, trying to recompose her face. After another pause, she continued, "It is late, Matthew. You should be getting home. Good night," she said.

Half comforted and still half uneasy, Matthew proceeded to leave the ballroom. On his way out, he glimpsed towards the direction Elizabeth was looking at. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the unmistakable figure of Darcy walk across the crowd and out of sight.

Elizabeth glanced around the room. Darcy was nowhere to be seen. She could not have imagined a worse timing for Matthew to return. Just as she was familiarizing herself with Darcy again, he turns up and ushers Darcy away. Elizabeth was overcome by an intensive wave of emotions. Her playful interaction with Darcy during their dance reminded her of how it used to be between them. Elizabeth had always taken the initiative of teasing Darcy, and Darcy would happily oblige and exercise his sense of wit in return. For a brief moment, Elizabeth felt that she was together with Darcy again—all her troubles had melted away from her and she rejoiced in his presence. For a short moment in time, he was hers. She was deeply saddened that the moment had ended so quickly.

She continued walking onwards, hoping to run into Darcy. She suddenly felt the urge to listen to everything Darcy had to say and regretted that she had continuously turned him down and refused to hear him out. On her absent-minded trek, she walked straight into Caroline Bingley.

Caroline abruptly paused and said, "Miss Elizabeth—what a surprise to have you at such a close distance to my face. Pray, does my new sister ever watch where she is going?"

"I am sorry, Miss Bingley. I will make sure that it will never happen again," Elizabeth coarsely answered, wincing at the thought of Caroline becoming her sister-in-law.

"But I suppose your arrival is of some timing. I have been meaning to talk to you. After all, you are part of the family now. I now find it necessary to address some affairs to you that a woman cannot hide from her own sister," she continued on after dismissing Elizabeth's apology with a wave of her hand.

Elizabeth blinked at Caroline and her face furrowed in confusion. She had no idea what Caroline spoke of and the idea that Caroline cared enough for her to share private matters with her was bizarre.

Ignoring the look of bewilderment on Elizabeth's face, Caroline signaled for Elizabeth to follow her, and the two made their way out of the ballroom. With a few twists and turns around several halls and corridors, Elizabeth soon found herself in a private room she had never before seen. Its walls were richly furnished and on its walls hung portraits of Caroline and her sister. Elizabeth suspected that it was the part of the manor where Caroline and her sister stayed in during their visits. Just as Elizabeth was beginning to survey the portraits, Caroline spoke.

"Do have a seat, Elizabeth."

She now addressed Elizabeth without a title. Whether she was patronizing Elizabeth's presence or felt that her new status as sister-in-law did not require her to do so, Elizabeth was unsure.

"What do you wish to speak to me so urgently about?" Elizabeth questioned, daring to pry into Caroline's business first. Elizabeth no longer had any fear of offending Caroline, for she no longer had power over Jane and Charles's marital affairs. Jane was happily united with Charles and none of Caroline's schemes could tear that apart.

"Matters concerning Mr. Darcy. I witnessed the two of you dancing tonight. It was pleasantly charming," Caroline spoke in a casual tone, helping herself to a glass of wine by the table.

Elizabeth frowned. What would Caroline have to say about Darcy? That it was out of propriety to dance with one who was not her betrothed? Or was she too afraid to address her obvious jealousies to Darcy and instead resorted to flinging them in front of her face instead?

Caroline, sensing Elizabeth's confusion continued.

"Before I continue with the subject of Mr. Darcy anymore, I have a few things that I would like to say. I understand that we have never been off in great terms, Elizabeth. However, as your new sister-in-law, it is my wish that we establish a good relationship for the sake of both our families. There is no greater honor than having a harmonious family. Therefore, I am willing to set behind our disagreements in the past and gain a new acquaintance."

Elizabeth had to exercise all of her self restraint to keep her jaw from falling agape. Here was Caroline Bingley, extending an amiable offer of friendship to her. Of all things Elizabeth thought she would address, this was one among the last. As Caroline spoke, Elizabeth carefully observed her and found, strangely enough, that Caroline had nothing but an earnest look upon her face. She did not find an ounce of behavior that betrayed Caroline's sincerity. Aware that Caroline was observing her reaction with careful scrutiny, Elizabeth hurried to respond.

"For the happiness of my sister and her marriage with your brother, I would like to start anew with you. Our past no longer matters—it is of our relationship now that does. Therefore, I readily accept your friendship and am honored to become your acquaintance," Elizabeth said, with no other option but to submit to Caroline's offer.

"What I am about to tell you is something that I feel you should know. As a sister of Jane's also, I feel that I should do everything in my power to protect her dearest sister. It will give you great pain to know, Elizabeth, but I feel that you will be better off with this piece of understanding," she said before pausing to see how Elizabeth would respond.

Elizabeth was thoroughly lost in her attempt to grasp Caroline's intentions. How drastic a character change Caroline had undergone! Was it possible for her to so dramatically change in such a short amount of time? Just a few days ago she addressed Elizabeth with overbearing condescension and sneer. Now, Caroline was addressing her with utmost civility without a hint of patronization.

Although she highly doubted the possibility of Caroline's personality ever changing, she was reminded of Darcy's dramatic change in character. She had learned then that first impressions did not truly reveal the person within and had since sought to limit her prejudices toward certain individuals. Perhaps Caroline was truly ready to accept her as a member of the family and no longer envied her. Perhaps she had thought too poorly of Caroline's personality and should remove her biased assumptions. Perhaps Jane had been right all along—people are not always as they seem.

Elizabeth did not want her prejudices to stand in the way again. She had learned from that lesson a few years ago—and it was not a lesson she will ever forget. Patching up the harm her prejudices had caused took up a great amount of effort. It was an effort she never wanted to undertake again if it could be avoided. Finally, Elizabeth concluded that she would judge Caroline as she spoke, taking sure to observe her behavior closely.

"And what exactly is this piece of understanding that I lack the knowledge of?" asked Elizabeth, a mound of possibilities piling up in her head.

Caroline paused and hesitated as if she did not know how her thoughts could be best presented.

"It is difficult for me to say, Elizabeth. But as your sister and well-wisher, I strongly advise you to keep your distance from Mr. Darcy. I believe that with this way, you can protect yourself from receiving further pain."

Elizabeth sat, aghast. Was this another one of Caroline's schemes to keep her away from Darcy so that she could take him for herself?

With an unconvinced and determined look, Elizabeth firmly asked, "Why?"

"It is in my belief that Mr. Darcy will inflict more pain on you. Did he not already with his departure?" Caroline asked, redirecting the question back at Elizabeth.

"I will not deny that his departure has given me pain, but what reason do you have that makes you so sure that Darcy will hurt me again?"

"Elizabeth, it is undeniable to anybody that Mr. Darcy once loved you. Admittedly, I was dreadfully jealous of you, with you being the person he devoted his attentions to and showered admirations for. In my jealousy of you, I often patronized you—and for that, I offer my deepest apologies," Caroline said, her face contorted into the lines of true sincerity. "However, it is in my doubt that Mr. Darcy loves you any longer," she finished, earnestly looking at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth sat motionlessly in her seat as all Caroline had said sunk into her. It was true then, that Caroline had indeed been envious of her once upon a time. Whether she was still envious of her at the moment, Elizabeth could not tell.

"What justifies your belief that Mr. Darcy does not love me any longer?" Elizabeth defiantly questioned, her eyes daring Caroline to challenge her unwavering belief.

"In all of two years, Mr. Darcy has never communicated with you."

Growing tenser in her seat, Elizabeth's eyes widened.

"How do you know that?" she asked, surprised that Caroline would so intimately know of Darcy's affairs.

"As I have said before, I was exceedingly envious of you. Therefore, I constantly questioned Mr. Darcy whether or not he had written to you, for I dearly wanted to know if he still had any lingering affections for you. It shames me to admit that I had been hopeful that he had grown detached over you since he chose to leave England without your company. Every time I asked him that particular question, he always seemed very exasperated. One time, he even told me that you were lost to him."

Elizabeth's heart sank. Caroline had spoken the truth—Darcy had not written to her. And now, it became clear why. She had long ago suspected that his affections for her had diminished when he made not a single effort to communicate with her. Now, her suspicions were confirmed.

After a pause, Elizabeth asked the question she longed to have answered.

"During your stay in Italy, did he mention me at all?"

Caroline looked at Elizabeth and slowly spoke, choosing her words with great care, "Your name did come up a few times during a conversation between Georgian and I. However, whenever your name was mentioned, Mr. Darcy did not address to it in anyway."

Elizabeth slowly nodded as the reality of the words sank into her. Who was she to think that he still loved her? Elizabeth silently berated herself for her naivety and foolish dreams. However, another voice spoke to her, reminding her that Darcy had professed his love to her again after he had returned. She quickly stated what was on her mind.

"Not long after Mr. Darcy returned, he told me that he still loved me. If what you say is given credibility for, then what do you suppose Mr. Darcy means?"

Caroline's face momentarily colored before she quickly cleared her throat.

"As much impropriety as this statement contains, I must say that no matter what, men will always be men. However unknow their nature may be, it cannot be ignored, and their flaws must not be overlooked. It is to my conjecture that Mr. Darcy is envious of you, pained that you have found another companion while he was gone. I believe that it adds on even more to his pain that he has yet to find a suitable companion while his old love is already settled to be married."

Elizabeth stopped and pondered Caroline's statement. There was no denying that what Caroline said contained a great deal of truth. It was possible that Darcy was jealous of her engaged status and sought to win back her attentions. Perhaps his regret of leaving her grew when he saw that she had found another; perhaps his acts of affections were triggered by his feelings of envy and not by what he truly felt for her. After all, he did accuse her for being the one who left him.

After a slight hesitation, Elizabeth decided to ask another question to validate Caroline's claims.

"If Mr. Darcy is envious of me finding another, it would reflect upon none other than poor character. Do you aim to keep your distance from such a man? Feelings of envy are dangerous and unpredictable things. If he is capable of such thoughts and takes them to the extremity of reinstating his sentiments for me, is it not possible that he will hurt those around him without hesitation as well?"

Caroline stared at Elizabeth before recomposing herself. Of all things Elizabeth Bennet was, she was not a fool. Elizabeth had asked that question knowing that Caroline was as attached to Darcy as she was. Her demand to know whether or not Caroline will keep her distance from Darcy would tell Elizabeth of her opponent's true intentions. Caroline knew that she had to respond carefully and without a falter. One wrongly uttered word would reveal her true intentions to Elizabeth. It was a mistake she could not afford after progressing so far in her scheme.

"I have talked this matter over with my sister during my visit. She advised me to keep my distance and pass that piece of wisdom onto you. I will take her advice, for I have seen what he has done to you; witnessed all the pain he had knowingly inflicted upon you. It is a pain—no matter how deep my affections for him are—that I will do everything in my power to spare myself from. Knowing this, I have decided to cast away my feelings for him and allow myself to begin courting other gentlemen. Mr. Darcy is no longer who he was to me," Caroline slowly said, as tears began to form in her eyes. She sighed and pitifully glanced at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth had never seen Caroline in such a state before. She had always been haughty and pretentious, and her display of her emotional side was extremely unfamiliar. This led Elizabeth to believe Caroline's sorrows and regrets, for never had she imagined anyone such as Caroline Bingley to be capable of coming so close to tears in front of an unfamiliar acquaintance. In her usual proud and strongly authoritative manner, Caroline would never have allowed anyone to witness her on the verge of tears. It would be a weakness she would never expose to the public; a fault that would inevitably threaten the strength and effectiveness of her authority.

"So it is settled then, that we should both keep our own respectable distances from Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth said, standing up from her seat.

"I believe that you are correct, although I cannot but think how unfortunate that is. Remember, Elizabeth, do not allow Mr. Darcy to get in the way of you and Mr. Tennyson. If you allow him to, you may lose Mr. Tennyson as well and end up with more pain. Pray, dear sister, that you be cautious of your actions as I will be careful over mine."

Caroline curtseyed with great civility and left the room, leaving Elizabeth still standing. Elizabeth leaned against the armchair and was overwhelmed by all she had been exposed to in the last hour. The matter was more complicating than she thought. Although she was surprised at so easily trusting Caroline, Elizabeth could not find anything that she could hold against her statements. There was no harm in following Caroline's advice of keeping distance—it was a solution that Elizabeth herself had heavily considered and even executed for a few days. Nothing she said had conflicted with the truth; all that she had said simply reminded Elizabeth to snap away from her fantasies and return to the world of reality.

As Elizabeth opened the door slowly and peered down the hall, she saw the tall and broad figure of Darcy walking down the hallway. Their eyes met in a quick instant as he made a move to walk towards her. With a slam of the door and a quick dash, she hurried away from Darcy, unable to listen to any more explanations he had to offer. She had heard enough explanations in one night and knew not what she would do if another person offered a whole new interpretation of what she had just heard. Determined to keep her distance from Darcy once again, Elizabeth ran to her room, ignoring the calls of Darcy after her.

Once inside the safety of her room, Elizabeth flung herself onto the bed and groaned in frustration. Just earlier in the night, Darcy had felt so close to her. However, she knew that such closeness demanded impropriety. Elizabeth let out a heavy sigh. A hopelessly drunken mother, a memorable dance with Darcy, a conversation with Caroline—it was all too much to bear. Elizabeth crawled under the covers and drew herself close. The bed seemed so big and empty; Elizabeth felt small and lonely. Tonight, when she needed her most, Jane would not be there.

a/n: this chapter was particularly difficult to write. it was hard making Caroline seem convincing enough for a intelligent person like elizabeth to believe. i hope i have not stretched anyone's character too much and have dropped enough clues regarding Caroline's true intentions. also, i hope that this was not too confusing to read. please review! suggestions welcome!