Gentle Reader,
I hope your spring is going well. I live in Chicago, where we are experiencing the last snap of winter's grasp, and I'm annoyed by that. In my non-writing life, I occasionally dog sit for neighbors, and while I wrote this a few months ago, I was watching a Yorkshire Terrier named Peanut, hence the name. That allows me to have dog-time without owning a dog and upsetting my cats. (In the past couple of decades I had a yellow labrador and then a rottweiler, both rescues). If you're interested in seeing photos of the dogs (and my cat children who are brats), check out gracesellersromance on Instagram. Thanks for all your comments and feedback. This story has not been "officially" edited so there are occasion typos, as you may have noticed. Thanks again for your patience.
Grace
With fires now roaring in the hearths to fend off the chill in Mr. Collins' former home, it felt more comforting. Elizabeth was pleased to have Charlotte at her side and not have to worry about coming face-to-face with Mr. Darcy or Lady Catherine for a few hours as they categorized Mr. Collin's possessions with his brother and several servants.
Charlotte dusted off an old piece of sheet music they had found in Collin's drawing room.
"Look, Lizzy. Who knew he was so musical?" Charlotte asked.
Elizabeth unwittingly made a face. "Perhaps he was a secret music aficionado. If his brother does not wish to keep it, I will take it. Mary is always eager for new music."
Charlotte placed it next to the other items deemed worth saving: a vase, a quill, and Collin's Bible.
Charlotte nodded, then paused, looking out the window. "Lizzy. Mr. Darcy is here."
Anger swept through Elizabeth at his name. She had vowed she would not speak to him again if she could help it, and she was determined not to.
"Will you speak to him, Charlotte, and tell him I'm unavailable to see visitors?" Elizabeth quickly moved to the bedchamber away from the door.
Charlotte looked annoyed. "But, Lizzy, that is ridiculous," she said as the bedchamber door closed, and Eliabeth disappeared from the front door.
A moment later, Elizabeth heard Darcy's knock on the door. It was true that hiding from him was silly, but she would have done anything at that moment not to face the man who had broken her sister's heart.
"Miss Lucas," she heard Darcy's distinctive voice. "Good afternoon. I wished to speak to Mrs. Collins."
"She, er, is engaged at the moment," Charlotte said tentatively. "But I would be happy to fetch her. Is everything all right?"
No, Charlotte. Elizabeth swallowed bitterly, shocked that her friend completely ignored her request.
"Thank you, yes."
His voice sounded cheerful too. Elizabeth's anger spread. That vexing man!
Charlotte entered the bed chamber, closing the door behind her. "Lizzy, Mr. Darcy wishes to have a word. You cannot hide from him."
"I said I was indisposed! Why did you not tell him?"
"Because you are not! I'll not lie to Mr. Darcy. He is a good man."
Elizabeth's face heated uncomfortably and she felt at a loss for words. Charlotte did not know the details of Mr. Darcy's betrayal. She glared at her friend before she marched out of the room.
Mr. Darcy stood at the threshold of the front door, tall and with a serious look on his face.
"Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth said, not even attempting to smile at him.
"Mrs. Collins, I am sorry to intrude, but I wonder if I might speak with you."
Elizabeth let the door close behind her and clasped her hands together tightly.
"Might we step inside and out of the cold?"
Elizabeth sighed loudly, opened the door, and allowed him to follow her to the small sitting room off the entrance. "How may I help you?"
Darcy seemed to move to a chair for a moment but instead paced around the room.
"What is it, Mr. Darcy?"
He turned to her, his eyes boring into hers. He looked almost breathless.
"In vain I have struggled. I can do it no longer. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I love and admire you."
Elizabeth very nearly laughed aloud at this. Was this some joke on her he was having at her expense? 'He paced back and forth, seeming truly upset. Elizabeth was shocked. Then he began to list the numerous reasons why he should not love her and how pained him to do so despite herself. As he spoke, Elizabeth grew more and more angry.
Elizabeth crossed her arms and waited for him to finish his lamentations.
Finally, he stopped pacing. "Will you say nothing at this?" Darcy asked.
"Indeed, what can I say to this? You admire me despite your reason, even against your character? How flattering, indeed! It is every woman's wish to hear this from a suitor," Elizabeth's voice shook.
Darcy's nostrils flared. "This is your reply?"
"Here is my reply. I am well aware of my inferiority to you, you–and your aunt, and some friends–have taken every opportunity to make it clear, and I thank you for listing it so carefully for me now. Very kind indeed."
Shocked, Darcy's dark eyes flashed as he stood back and said nothing.
Elizabeth could not hold back. "How do you expect me to react? I am sorry to cause you or anyone pain, but I never sought your attentions, and I suspect your suffering will be short-lived."
Mr. Darcy stood very still.
"Are you not the man who helped separate my sister from your friend, because you find my family inferior? What a happy friend are you!"
He spoke, his mouth twitching. "This is what you think of me?"
"What else am I to think? Do you deny it?"
Elizabeth's hands trembled and she clasped them in her skirts to hide. The ridiculous irony was she was finding today's crest-fallen-looking Darcy more handsome than ever. His eyes were large and liquid, and if she were being honest, his neat cravat around his neck seemed to broaden his shoulders.
"Why should I deny it? It seemed unwise for him to attach himself to a family of fortune hunters. I only wish a friend might have done so with me."
Fortune hunters! Elizabeth was incensed, and fury pushed her to say words she would not have otherwise. "My sister was never after Bingley's fortune."
"She may not have been, but other members of your family seemed so inclined."
Elizabeth paused. "These are the words of a gentleman? What of your behavior toward Mr. Wickham?"
Darcy looked as though she slapped him.
Finally, he laughed. "Wickham, indeed. You take an eager interest in that man's concerns."
"Because I do not wish to see my friends reduced to poverty at your infliction! Nor deprived of their chosen livelihood for sport! From the moment of our first meeting, I knew you to be arrogant, but your disdain of others and your derision of them is so fantastic, I am convinced you are the last man in the world I would wish to marry."
Darcy inhaled heavily before turning and gazing out the window. "This is your opinion of me," he said quietly. "By your calculation, my faults are heavy indeed. I understand perfectly and will not waste anymore of your time."
He turned to the door. "Good day, madam." He bowed without looking at her and swept out the door. A moment later, she heard the front door close and she heard the jingle of the horse's bridle along with hooves growing fainter.
Elizabeth stood still, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
Mr. Darcy just proposed. And she had rejected him.
She sank into a nearby chair just as Charlotte came into the room.
"Lizzy, what did you do to poor Mr. Darcy?" Charlotte gazed out the window at the dust Darcy's horse kicked up as it left.
Elizabeth tried to speak, but all that came out was an exasperated sob. "I do not know."
Charlotte kneeled at her side. "What happened?"
Elizabeth chewed at her fingernail. "Mr. Darcy made me a proposal of marriage. And I said no."
Charlotte looked shocked. "Whyever would you do that?"
More tears of frustration came. This was not what she wanted. She had not wished to marry Mr. Collins, and she did not wish to visit Rosings. She was tired of being pulled here and there. She wished not to be here at all. She felt overwhelmed and exhausted.
Elizabeth put her face in her hands. "Because I hate him. He divided Jane from Mr. Bingley. He's rude and arrogant. He insists on having things his own way. Do you not agree?"
Charlotte frowned. "I think he's a decent man. He certainly is rich. And tall and handsome. Gentlemen like him usually wish to have things their own way."
This made Elizabeth want to cry harder.
"There, there. I'm sure you can mend whatever you fought over. He is a reasonable man, I'm sure he'll reconsider."
"No," Elizabeth said and stood up. "I do not wish to marry anyone. I want to return to Longbourn."
Charlotte paused and placed her hands on her hips.
"Lizzy, may I ask you something?"
"Of course, Charlotte," Elizabeth said, wiping at her tears.
"Did you love Mr. Collins?"
Elizabeth nearly coughed into her handkerchief. "It was not a love match. You knew that."
"But you married him…"
"Yes, to keep us in Longbourn." She wiped her eyes. "And because he was dying. I know it's horrible, but if he was going to pass, it would be better that we have somewhere to live." Elizabeth looked back at her.
Charlotte nodded. "So you did not love Mr. Collins?"
Elizabeth shook her head.
"But you married him for Longbourn. And you do not love Mr. Darcy, but you will not marry him? Even for Pemberley? Lizzy, if you are trying to be a fortune hunter, you are doing rather poorly."
"Oh, Charlotte, don't tease. Not right now."
Charlotte came to Elizabeth and draped her arms around her shoulders. "Lizzy, you made a sacrifice for your family. I would have done the same. Anyone would have."
Tears burned Elizabeth's eyes again.
"Lizzy, I have been watching you and Mr. Darcy all week, and I am not surprised he offered for you. He watches you when he thinks you aren't looking. He is taken with you. Are you sure you could never grow to love him?"
"How can I? He hurt Jane so. He believes my family is inferior. Do you also know what he did to Mr. Wickham?"
Charlotte shook her head, and Elizabeth quickly explained what Mr. Wickham had told her.
"There is something is wrong there. It doesn't match with Mr. Darcy we've seen this week. There must be something in it we do not know."
"Charlotte, the only thing we do not know is why Darcy is such a villain," Elizabeth said, noticing a figure on horseback out the window. "Is that Colonel Fitzwilliam?"
Both women peered out at the cold landscape. It was the Colonel. He dismounted his horse and cheerfully carried a basket he had attached to the saddle.
"What is he doing here?"
"Maybe he's here to propose to you, Lizzy," Charlotte whispered.
"Oh, do stop," Elizabeth said and opened the front door.
"Greetings, ladies!" Colonel Fitzwilliam called to them as he approached. "I come bearing a gift!" He glanced around. "Is Mr. Darcy not here?"
"Mr. Darcy has been here and left only moments earlier," Elizabeth said as she dabbed the last of her tears away.
The Colonel reached them. "Did he? How odd."
"Can we do something for you, Colonel?"
"I am under orders to make a delivery, but…" he paused, frowned briefly. "No matter. May I present to you, Sir Peanut." He opened the basket and Elizabeth saw the soft brown eyes of a small yellow dog.
"Where did he come from?"
"Do you not recognize him? He's the same dog found here the other day. But he has been bathed and cleaned."
Elizabeth squinted. "Yes, but how? I thought Lady Catherine's groundskeeper took him away?"
"Darcy and I encountered him and he explained Lady Catherine's orders and that it upset you. So Darcy offered to keep him in his room for days. He gave me specific instructions to deliver the dog to you at 11 am, and it's half past."
Charlotte reached in and pet the dog. "Oh, how kind!" She looked pointedly at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth frowned but gently lifted the dog out of the basket. It had a clean handkerchief tied neatly around its neck, and indeed, was a whole shade lighter now that the dirt was gone. "How darling," Charlotte said. "What a surprise that Mr. Darcy took interest in the dog."
"I think he was more interested in pleasing you ladies. Though he does like hounds. Always had them around Pemberley."
Elizabeth said nothing but simply held the dog in her arms. She was happy to see it again, that it was well and clean, but the knowledge that Darcy may have rescued it to please her stunned her.
"Lady Catherine will not allow the dog in her home."
Here the Colonel smiled. "Darcy has arranged everything. His valet has created a bed for him inside his quarters and several servants have been compensated for taking care of him. Darcy and I have been pulling off maneuvers under her ladyship's nose for some time. We are quite skilled at it."
Charlotte patted the dog's head. "How lucky you are, Sir Peanut."
"I see you have more company," the Colonel said as they spied Mr. Robert Collins ambling down the lane to his late brother's home. "I will take this vagrant back to his temporary quarters. If you wish to visit him, ask Darcy's man. But he is for either of you, if you'd like him."
Charlotte grinned widely, and Elizabeth wondered for a moment if she fancied the Colonel. Charlotte's gaze moved shyly toward Collins' brother, Robert coming up the drive.