Chapter 10: Forced
Elizabeth watched helplessly as her mother and others rushed out of the ballroom.
Darcy and Elizabeth tried frantically to move away from each other. Elizabeth's dress was tangled on shirt.
"Oh! Lord! What happened? Mr Darcy, how could you?" Cried, Mrs Bennet.
"Mamma, you are mistaken. I ran into him in the dark. Nothing else happened." She said, finally getting her dress untangled.
"Lizzy, why are you crying then, if it was an accident?" Her mother asked furiously.
Until that moment, she had not realized how distressed her face looked. She had been crying profusely when she ran out of the ballroom.
Darcy was furious. I have misjudged her. She is just like the rest. She has trapped me.
Elizabeth did not know how to reason with her mother.
"Sir, I think you will be an honourable man and do your duty. We do not want to discuss the details and tarnish your character." Mr Philip said.
"Tarnish my character? My foot. She ran into me. And for what I can see, she did it on purpose."
"Mr Darcy, what do you mean?" Elizabeth asked with rage.
"Do not tell me you had no hand in this, Miss Bennet. You have achieved your goal."
Mr Bingley was shocked to see the state of affairs.
"Darcy, we better head to the library. Mrs Bennet and Mr Philip, please come with us."
Jane comforted Elizabeth. "Lizzy, it will be all right. Do not worry." She wrapped a shawl around her sister.
Elizabeth was mortified. She could hear the people around her gossip about both of them.
I need to clear this. Who was that lady who yelled about the compromise? If she had not gathered, attention nobody would have known.
She searched frantically for the maid.
"Lizzy, who are you searching for?"
"There was a lady who yelled about the compromise after we fell. Jane, something is not right here. I need to find her."
They searched everywhere but could not find Dorothy.
I can explain what happened. I will explain to everyone. Elizabeth thought.
She decided to head to the library. She saw the disgust on Darcy's face the moment he set eyes on her. Mr Bingley was trying to pacify both sides.
"Uncle Philip, you have to listen to me. It was just an accident. It was nothing more. It was dark, and I ran into him."
"Then why were you crying, Elizabeth?" He asked bluntly.
Elizabeth could not answer. She hesitated.
"I was upset about something. It has nothing to do with Mr Darcy."
"Is that so, Miss Elizabeth? You were dancing happily with me a few minutes ago. Then suddenly something upset you to cry?" Darcy asked with disgust.
Jane knew Elizabeth was hiding something with reason. She felt sorry for her sister.
"All of you need to believe me. Mr Darcy has done nothing wrong. It was an accident. I apologize for this situation. Mamma, let us go home."
"Do not be ridiculous, Lizzy. Mr Darcy had agreed to marry you."
"What?" Elizabeth asked with agitation.
"Why don't you save the trouble of feigning ignorance. Your plan has worked. You will be Mrs Darcy." He said sarcastically.
Elizabeth's anger rose.
"I have no wish to be Mrs Darcy. I did not plan this compromise."
"Really? How come you had someone waiting in the dark to announce about it as soon as we fell? I told you that I was leaving Netherfield tomorrow. So, you decided to act swiftly to accomplish your plans. I thought better of you."
"I did think you were a sensible person too. You seem to have no idea of my character. I could not give myself the worst punishment than being trapped in a marriage with no love and respect. I know you agreed to marry me to save my reputation. I do not think any such kindness is required on your part. I repeat, this is an accident. I will not marry you to save my reputation."
"Lizzy! Stop it at once. You cannot put our entire family in disgrace. He has agreed to marry you. Now you shut up."
"Mamma! You cannot force me. We do not like each other. There is no reason to come to this conclusion."
"If you do not marry him. Our family would be shunned, with disgrace. Do you want your sisters to bear the brunt of your strong headedness?"
They heard sounds of argument from outside. It was Mr Bingley arguing with his sisters.
"Charles! Don't you see it? Her family is mercenary? They are a disgrace. You cannot marry her. Let us leave this place." Mrs Hurst cried.
Elizabeth did not understand whom she was referring.
"Lizzy, Mr Bingley proposed to me. I have accepted. We are engaged." Jane said reluctantly.
Elizabeth was extremely happy for Jane. She understood what Mrs Hurst was arguing about with Mr Bingley.
Oh! No! They are trying to talk Mr Bingley out of his proposal because of me. If I do not accept to marry Darcy, Jane will be affected.
She was baffled by the reality of her position.
A footman entered the library and spoke to Mr Darcy.
"Sir, there is nothing wrong with your horse. They say there was no message sent from the stables. You were misinformed. I have brought the footman who gave you the information." Mr Bingley joined them just then.
"Darcy, what is it about your horse?"
"The reason I left the ballroom was to attend my horse. This man here told me that Spartan was in distress. Why did you lie to me?" Darcy asked furiously.
"Sir, one of the maids gave me this information. I did not recognise her. I cannot find her now."
"Bingley, this is all well-orchestrated." He looked at Elizabeth fiercely.
"If you are insinuating that I sent you the message about your horse, you must be out of your mind. I did not."
"Everything adds up to you. You are the one who is caught in the compromise with me. You are the one responsible for it. Do not act like a victim here. Disguise of any sort is my abhorrence. I have agreed to marry you. I am an honourable man. I will keep my word."
"You do not have to marry me. I am telling you again."
"Do you wish to tarnish my character then? Almost the whole ballroom heard that woman yell my name? Do you think I can just leave, as if nothing ever happened?
Elizabeth was distressed beyond measure. She wished with her whole heart that her father was alive. Oh! Papa! I miss you. I need you to get me out of this mess.
"Mr Darcy, Elizabeth's uncle Mr Gardiner is her guardian now. I will send him an express to be here as soon as possible. We can discuss this matter in detail when he arrives. I think we will leave now." Elizabeth had no choice. She looked at Darcy. He looked away in resentment.
She did not know what to do. Mr Bingley squeezed Jane's hand and gave her his assurance.
The Bennets left Netherfield. The younger sisters giggled about Elizabeth's compromise.
Mary chose to give Elizabeth advice on how to accept fate.
Jane was silent. Mrs Bennet was joyous. "Lizzy, do not be so sad. It is wonderful. You will be the mistress of Pemberley. I will have two daughters married. We could even buy Longbourn from that horrid man. Oh! How wonderful?"
Elizabeth wept in silence.
Once they reached Longbourn, she ran to her room and fell in her bed.
"Lizzy, please do no cry. I can understand how you feel."
"Jane, I cannot marry him. I do not love him. He resents me. Our union will be a grave mistake. We will be miserable for the rest of our lives."
"From what Mr Bingley tells me, Mr Darcy is a very honourable man. He will treat you well after marriage."
"I cannot marry him. I just cannot."
"We will see if there is a way out of this when Uncle Gardiner comes. You were hiding something when they asked you about your tears. Tell me, what happened?"
Elizabeth related what she had overheard from Officer Denny. Jane was aghast.
"I cannot believe it. How dare he spreads falsehood about your character? Why didn't you say anything there?"
"Maybe I should have. Mr Darcy already accused me of staging a compromise. I did not think he would believe it if I say the officers were gossiping about my affair with Wickham. Oh! Why did I ever get upset by their talk? If I had dealt with it differently, I would not have left the ballroom crying."
"Do not be so harsh on yourself. Any woman with principles would have felt the same."
"Did Mr Bingley say anything?"
"He is not worried about what happened. He proposed to me during the dance. I related the news to Mamma and was searching for you. It was then that we heard the woman scream about the compromise."
"Jane, I have not seen that woman before. It looked as if she was waiting there to act out a plan. If we find her, we can prove that I did not compromise him."
"But we looked for her. She must have left the place sighting trouble. Lizzy, Mr Darcy will not go back on his word. He has assured Uncle Philip that he would marry you."
"What if I protest. What if I cannot accept this? Do you think I will bring unimaginable disgrace to our family?"
Jane was silent. She knew that Elizabeth's reputation would be tarnished if she did not marry Darcy.
Elizabeth saw the hesitation in her sister. She understood that her decision would affect her family viciously if taken for her benefit. Her mind and heart were in agony. The accusations laid down by Darcy angered her. He thinks the worst about me. There will be no scope for happiness if we are married. I cannot live a life of resentment.
She knew that Mr Bingley's sisters were trying to coax him out of his proposal to Jane citing her alleged disgraceful behavior.
What am I to do? Oh! Why did I ever go to the ball?
She cried herself to sleep. The next day, Mr Gardiner arrived.
"Oh, brother! We have such good news. Mr Bingley proposed to Jane. They are to be married. Lizzy's situation is a little problematic. But I hope you can assist us."
Mr Gardiner saw the ghastly look on his favorite niece's face. He called her into the library.
"Elizabeth, are you all right? What happened?"
She explained all the events in the order they happened.
"You say the officers gossiped about your relationship with Mr Wickham?"
"Yes! It was all falsehood. I have met him some times during my morning walk. I have not even locked arms with him. I could not reveal it to Mr Darcy as he was already accusing me of compromising him. I cannot marry him, Uncle. He does not even like me."
"Did you find this woman who gathered attention?"
"I have never seen her here. I do not know who she is. But if I see her, I would be able to recognise her."
"I have a meeting with Mr Darcy at Netherfield now."
"Can I come with you?"
"Certain not. I heard how words got heated between you both. You must understand that this is not a situation you can alter by sending him away or going about your life as if nothing happened. The repercussions will be great and not to our liking. I am not the one who would force an unsuitable marriage. I will have to speak with Mr Darcy and see what sort of person he is."
"Whatever sort he is, I do not love him. I cannot marry out of compulsion."
"Unfortunately, we are not in a situation for choosing such a luxury. You are an intelligent girl; you know how this world works."
He hugged her and assured her that everything would be alright. But deep down in his heart, he knew that she was broken. He did not know if Darcy was the man who would help her heal. He headed to Netherfield, wishing Mr Bennet was still alive.