A/N: Some replies to reviews first. Thank you for the reminder regarding the number of Gardiner children. I have made that change accordingly. As to the use of the word "infamous" regarding Darcy's letter, I did not change that. In Elizabeth's mind, and her father's ,the letter could only be infamous considering its author. As for the Gardiner's and Bennet's selling Elizabeth out for monetary gain, that is not what I was trying to present. They are seeing that Mr. Darcy does have some good qualities and are trying to get her to see reason, which she is not yet able to do on her own.
This will be a short chapter to hold you over. Sorry for the delay but work has been crazy!
Mr. Darcy could not bring himself to follow his cousin's advice and make a timely retreat. He needed this to be settled and settled now. He could not take any more angst. He was more than disappointed that Elizabeth did not read his letter and was very cross with her subsequent reaction. She was unwilling to absolve him of the wrongdoings of which she had accused him, even in the face of incontrovertible evidence. Her stubbornness was astonishing and infuriating. She would never love him the way he did her. He was done. He could not continue on like this and retain his sanity.
"Cousin, Georgiana, please excuse us. Miss Elizabeth and I need to speak privately." Darcy said quietly.
"I am not sure that is a good idea." Colonel Fitzwilliam countered with a meaningful look at his cousin. Darcy ignored his look and nodded at the door.
"It's fine, Colonel," Elizabeth mumbled assuming that Mr. Darcy would continue his oration on the evils of Mr. Wickham. She was too overwhelmed to battle with him at the moment and would allow him to speak.
Georgiana and the Colonel left the room leaving the door ajar. Darcy looked at Elizabeth without speaking for a few minutes. The look upon his face was one of devastation and Elizabeth did not know what to make of it.
"Miss Elizabeth, it pains me to say this but you may be correct in saying that a union between us will only bring anguish and sorrow. We have both made mistakes in our interactions but it seems like nothing I say or do will improve your opinion of me. Bingley and your sister are engaged and you have been given proof that George Wickham is a blackguard. Still you wish to persist in believing me to be dishonorable. I am at a loss as to how to proceed. Too many cutting things have been said in anger by both of us. I fear a positive resolution to this situation is impossible. Yes, I have retaliated to what I perceived to be slights on your part but I never wished to hurt you. I cannot say the same of your intentions towards myself. I must confess that I am not used to being challenged and may have not handled it well when you did so. I pride myself on being in control of situations in which I am involved. You are not like any other woman of my acquaintance. You care not for anything I can offer you. That is a new experience for me. I had thought that in time we would learn how to co-exist amiably. I see now that will never happen. Therefore, I release you from our engagement. I will not be the reason you live your life in misery. I will not do that to myself either. I will handle the arrangements quietly. Your family will not be sanctioned in any way. Have I finally done something of which you approve? Darcy said despondently.
Elizabeth was shocked. She did not know how to respond. She had finally gotten what she had wished for over the past weeks. Why was she not dancing for joy? The sincerity of his discourse puzzled her greatly. She had no idea how to deal with Darcy when he was not acting in an arrogant matter. Clever repartee was her forte but she could not think of one thing to say. How does one deal with decency from someone she thought incapable of the trait? She just continued to gaze at him with a perplexed look upon her face.
When she did not respond to him, Darcy walked closer to her. He imagined this would be the last time he would ever lay eyes upon Elizabeth Bennet. He felt his body begin to shake with both anger and despair. Darcy glanced at the door and upon seeing no one came closer to Elizabeth. He bent his head and kissed her. Just as she did in the carriage from Hunsford, Elizabeth responded to him and the kiss grew rather heated.
At that point, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Gardiner and the rest of the family entered the parlor. "I see you have resolved your differences." Mr. Bennet said with surprise in his voice.
Darcy and Elizabeth broke away from each other quickly. "No!" Elizabeth cried out, "Mr. Darcy just agreed to release me from the engagement. We are not to be married!"
"Considering what I just saw, you most certainly will be married and it will happen soon!" Mr. Bennet replied forcefully.
"Papa, no, you don't understand!" Elizabeth argued.
"Elizabeth Rose Bennet what don't I understand? Were you or were you not just kissing Mr. Darcy?" Mr. Bennet demanded.
"He kissed me!" Elizabeth replied with a very red face.
"From where I was standing his kiss was reciprocated quite enthusiastically." Mr. Bennet countered.
"Mr. Bennet, if I may, Miss Elizabeth was telling the truth. I did release her from her promise, most regretfully. I have come to the conclusion that there can never be a genial rapport between us. I was only saying farewell." an embarrassed Mr. Darcy interjected.
"Well, your farewell will be a short one as you will be going through with this marriage. Your courtship, if you wish to call it that, has been a comedy of errors. I was willing to wait and see how it would play out but now I am resolved. Your family, as well as my own, has witnessed your display. I am afraid that the two of you will have to learn to muddle through. I will not be swayed in this matter." Mr. Bennet said calling upon the resolve he discovered in himself during Darcy's visit to Hertfordshire.
"I agree." Mr. Gardiner replied. "This has gone on long enough. Elizabeth, you will have to learn to be less pejorative and let go of your deep-seated resentment in regards to Mr. Darcy. I would be happy to see a return of my sensible, happy niece who could laugh at other's idiosyncrasies. Mr. Darcy, I believe you will also have to learn how to approach life's difficulties in a less fractious and highhanded manner. Compromise is very important in a marriage. Neither of you seem to be willing to see the other's point of view. You both have much work to do."
Mr. Darcy said not a word. Normally he would take great offense at one who dared to impugn his character but in this case, he just listened wondering if he needed to adjust in some way. His cousin had suggested something very similar. He had much to think about.
"Uncle no, Mr. Darcy has released me. This is over. We can all move on now." Elizabeth stuttered. Her mind was still clouded from her kiss with Mr. Darcy. What was wrong with her? Was she such a ninny that a kiss from that man could render her incoherent?
"No Elizabeth, your life with Mr. Darcy is just beginning. I suggest you both try to start anew." Mr. Bennet replied.
"No!" Elizabeth declared. "You, you did this on purpose! You knew someone would come in! It was a trap!" she said to Darcy.
Darcy began to get angry. Once again, she imputed dishonorable motives to his behavior. "I did not, Miss Elizabeth! I released you as you wished. But I should not be surprised that you blatantly accuse me of a transgression that I did not commit. It is your normal mode of attack. The fact that your family entered the room was a coincidence."
"It was not!" she retorted.
"It was too!" Darcy replied back to her. "And your father was correct. You were as eager a participant in this kiss as you were in our first one!"
"What first kiss?" a bewildered Georgiana asked.
"I was not!" a mortified Elizabeth sputtered.
"You were too!" Darcy replied adamantly.
"Are you both five years old?" the Colonel chuckled. "What comes next? Darcy, are you going to pull on her pigtails? Miss Elizabeth, will you put a frog in Darcy's soup?"
Mr. Bennet could not help but chuckle at the Colonel's words. He was absolutely correct. They were both behaving like children and had been doing so since this debacle began.
"Margaret, please take Elizabeth upstairs. I think she needs some time for reflection. This has been an extraordinary day. Mr. Darcy, perhaps we can meet tomorrow to discuss the arrangements. I believe you have had a trying day as well." Mr. Bennet said wryly.