Once lost, is lost
"I will not."
Elizabeth's declaration rang strong and clear through the church.
Every pair of eyes in the church focused on her, every pair, except those of Mr. Darcy. He stared straight ahead, at the altar.
Every pair of ears strained to hear what would be said next.
Without turning to look at Elizabeth, in a tone so low to be heard by only those gathered before the altar, Mr. Darcy said "If you please, vicar, ask again."
The congregants, hearing only the rumble of his voice, and not the actual words, all leaned forward in their pews.
Mr. Wilson, the vicar, started "Wilt thou have this Man …"
Elizabeth interrupted. "No, I won't."
Still Mr. Darcy did not look at her. Without raising his voice, he said "Ask one last time, vicar, just to be sure."
Mr. Wilson drew in his breath and held it. He did not know Mr. Darcy. The man stood before him, showing no emotion, making his request with no more inflection than he had been asking to pass the salt during a dinner. He did know Miss Elizabeth Bennet. He has christened her in this church twenty years before. He had watched her grow up. He knew of her temper, and gauging by the colour rising in her face, it was about to manifest itself. He let out his breath. "Wilt thou …"
"No! A thousand times, no!" Elizabeth threw her bouquet down. It hit the toe of Mr. Darcy's left boot and the flower heads shattered. A cloud of petals fluttered up and then falling, covered Mr. Darcy's boots and clung to the hem of her wedding dress.
There was more than one gasp from the congregation.
Mr. Darcy did not react. He still had not looked at Elizabeth. He said "Miss Bennet."
"What?" Elizabeth snapped.
"Miss Jane Bennet" Mr. Darcy said.
A whispered question rippled through the congregation: "what was happening?" There were no good answers.
After a pause of four beats Jane answered "Yes?"
Not looking at Jane, Mr. Darcy asked of her: "Miss Bennet, if Mr. Bingley were to attend on you, would you greet him with an open and honest display of affection?"
Elizabeth turned and faced the left side of Mr. Darcy. She gaped at him. He did not so much acknowledge her with even a flicker of his left eye.
After a much longer pause of eight bets Jane said "Yes, yes, I will, if he …." Her voice trailed off.
"I will do what I can Miss Bennet, but please understand that I cannot guarantee anything" said Mr. Darcy. He did not see Jane nod her agreement but he assumed it occurred.
He turned clockwise away from Elizabeth, towards his supporter, Col. Fitzwilliam. "Fitzwilliam, I'm off to Pemberley; could you take Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley to Darcy House?"
"Yes, of course."
"Good, give me a week and then send them to me."
"Is there anything else I can do?"
"Not now, we'll talk later."
"We certainly will." Col. Fitzwilliam patted Mr. Darcy on his left arm. "Take care."
Mr. Darcy completed his turn and faced the congregation. He started to take a step but stopped.
In a loud and clear voice, he addressed the congregation.
"This wedding is a consequence of an innocent misunderstanding between Miss Elizabeth Bennet and myself that was made out to be a full-blown compromise by parties other than the two of us for motives of their own. Compromise having been called my honour was engaged. And so, I proposed to Miss Elizabeth Bennet and she accepted me."
"Notwithstanding the circumstances of our betrothal know all of ye gathered here today that I, Fitzwilliam Alexander Darcy, of Pemberley, in Derbyshire, attended at this church today, before you, ready, willing and able to marry Miss Elizabeth Rose Bennet, of Longbourn, here in Hertfordshire. Furthermore, I was happy to do so, as evidenced by the very generous terms of the marriage settlement that I have entered into with her father. Terms that not only include very generous pin money and jointure for my wife, but also generous support for my wife's mother and unwed sisters in the event of the demise of her father. I invite you to apply to Mr. Bennet for confirmation of the particulars and generosity of these terms."
"But now I stand before you, my hand having been rejected, not once, not twice, but three times for reasons unknown to me. So, as far as I am concerned, honour has been satisfied. If there be any repercussions from this wedding failing to proceed let them fall on the head of Miss Elizabeth Bennet alone; I leave here with a clear conscience. Good day to you all."
Mr. Darcy started walking down the aisle. When Georgiana reached out to him, he shook his head, and gestured at Col. Fitzwilliam. She nodded back at him.
As Mr. Darcy approached the church door his valet, Stephens, opened it for him and handed him his hat. Mr. Darcy continued on to his coach, not looking back. Stephens waited for Col. Fitzwilliam to escort Miss Darcy and Mrs. Annesley out of the church and then he pulled the doors shut in the face of others trying to follow.
An explosion of noise erupted in the church, rattling the windows and awakening the bats in the belfry.