It's been so fun to read your suggestions, with some of you hoping Richard fights Darcy (although that may confirm him as an unstable hot-head), while others are hoping Richard can accept what happened.

I'm so glad so many of you voted. Happy Veterans Day.

23. Darcy's Selfishness is Beyond Compare

"Miss Bennet?!" I roared in disbelief as I burst out of my chair and either threw or dropped (I am not sure which) my red apple. I saw the apple bounce once on the table and then it rolled across the table, in a diagonal line toward but to one side of Georgiana. My eyes traced its path as it dropped down and I heard it hit the floor with a juicy plop, but my mind was not concerned with the most likely damaged fruit. Its fate was of no significance to me, for I was thinking hard, about the fate of Miss Bennet instead, trying to reconcile this new intelligence with what I had thought I knew.

Darcy in love? Impossible! Inconceivable! How could he possibly fall for a woman whose antipathy toward him was evident for all to see? I recalled my belief that the year earlier Darcy had been attracted to her, but had not thought it of much significance as he believed in the separation of ranks almost as strongly as Lady Catherine.

I do not think Georgiana observed much of my initial reaction, for her eyes must have been drawn to the apple rolling toward her, and when the apple fell off the table beside her, she bent down from her seat to retrieve it. I was already reseating myself, eager to master myself at least outwardly for her sake (have as inscrutable of an expression as Darcy often wears when he is uncomfortable), when she pulled herself upright, the apple in hand.

"It is cracked and bruised," Georgiana announced, setting the damaged apple down on the table. I could see that a portion of its yellow inner flesh was exposed, the red skin split, torn around it. Georgiana wiped away the juice on her fingers with a serviette and picked up her slice of toast, taking another bite.

"No matter," I said absently, trying to steady my voice. "My horse will not care, although I suppose I should get another for myself." But I made no move to grab another, for food was the last thing on my mind now.

I was the apple, cracked and bruised, for Darcy had gone behind my back to apparently marry the woman I had decided upon (if she would have me, I had not presumed), the woman he had declared unfit for me on account of her family, the woman who hated him but had been fond of me. It made no sense.

"You are surprised at the news then?" Georgiana asked. "I would not have said anything if I did not believe that Fitz had already confided in you. I assumed he had, for he left from Rosings early. So he never told you that he planned to offer for his beloved?"

"No, he did not. He wrote a note citing urgent business. I knew nothing of true his errand."

Georgiana's lingering smile about Darcy's marriage then faded away, replaced by a wide-eyed look of worry. "I should not have told you then."

"No, all is well. I am glad you told me."

Georgiana still seemed uncertain but my awareness of this only occupied a small portion of my thoughts. The rest of them were fixed on contemplating what had happened and seeking to understand it.

I quickly reasoned that Miss Bennet agreeing to marry Darcy must have been an act of desperation on her part. I could not blame her for that very rational act, likely done in aid of her family, but as for him, he must have forced her hand, hurried her to the altar so I would have no chance.

I acknowledged that now Miss Bennet would never need to fear any material deprivations, but doubted she could be happy with the man himself. I believed I could have made her happy, that we would have both been happy, but Darcy had decided not to allow it and had the means to cut me off at the knees, deprive me and her of any chance, any choice.

I felt then that Miss Bennet was as much of a kept woman now as a courtisan, despite now bearing his name, in fact more bound as there was no escape from her master. I was certain then that Darcy had already had her, for he would not leave a thing like that undone. I hoped he had at least been gentle with her, that it had not been too awful for her.

But unbidden, I imagined the worst, in my mind made my cousin an equal villain to my brother. I had thought Darcy to be akin to a brother, a far better man than my own, but what kind of man betrays his kin in such a way, obtains through deception and trickery what he might have still gained through honest competition, rushes a woman into marriage rather than let her decide which man she prefers? Then, for I could not help myself, I imagined their wedding night as a horror of her: silent tears rolling down Miss Bennet's cheeks, her jaw clenched with pain as Darcy covered her, his hips snapping in an unrelenting pace as she held back screams, tried to accept the living hell her life had become.

I clenched my fists under the cover of the table cloth to ward off piercing anger and overwhelming despair. I argued with myself: Surely this is not so, if he truly loves her he would never treat her in such an infamous manner!

However, I had an answer for that: If he was willing to betray you, get married within three days, steal her to satisfy his avarice, how can you know that this is not his true character, with his true character being truly bad? If it is bad, he might do anything, claim anything to satisfy himself without accounting a wit for the feelings of others.

I knew that rationally I could not save the new Mrs. Darcy from her fate, but it was unfair, unjust. I wondered if Darcy understood the depths of his depravity toward her, toward me, and even toward Georgiana, given she would bear the consequences of such a union more than anyone else. At least my family had no single daughters whose prospects could have been dimmed had Miss Bennet consented to marry me, and while I was Georgiana's guardian to the world I was simply the least important of her cousins.

I determined that I should find out all I could from Georgiana, but it was paramount that I first learn . . . "Have they left for Pemberley yet?"

"I am uncertain," she responded. "The letter simply says they are leaving for Pemberley this morning."

I rejoined, "Well, then let us go see if they are still in town. I will call for a carriage, you fetch your pelisse and while we wait for the carriage I shall read his note if you will let me."

"I should like nothing better than to see them, to meet her," said she, "but Brother and I agreed we should not see each other after this happy event should take place. You see," she dropped her voice lower and leaned in toward me, "he did not want any association betwixt us to damage my marital prospects on account of the situation with her family. I am to live with the Earl and Countess from now on."

"Do they know that?"

Georgiana shook her head.

"No matter, I am sure they will be delighted. But as no one in town knows Darcy has married her yet, there can be no harm in visiting them today, can there be?"

Georgiana clapped her hands in excitement and squealed, "Oh, jolly good! We must go as soon as can be. I hope we shall catch them."

The note I read once, twice, thrice and by then had it nearly memorized before the carriage was ready. It read:

Dearest Georgiana,

I have excellent news. Miss Elizabeth Bennet consented to marry me straight away and the happy event took place yesterday in Hertfordshire. We arrived in London yesterday afternoon and leave for Pemberley this morning.

I did not want to keep you in suspense any longer than need be, but we were rather occupied yesterday. I shall post an announcement to the papers soon and you must feign ignorance until you hear word of it from such a source.

Thank you once again for your generosity, however little I deserve it, in sacricing your right to live at Pemberley and with me so that I might marry my love. I can only pray that when you come out you will gain a worthy husband and we might all be reunited then.

I shall be thinking of you and shall write again when we arrive.

Sincerely and with much love,

F.D.

It was perhaps a journey of only three minutes to Darcy's London home, but this was sufficient time to discuss Darcy's note to Georgiana with her and learn that Georgiana herself had given her permission to the marriage three days earlier. However, this was not sufficient time for me to decide what I should do when we arrived.

I did not want Georgiana to be exposed to any ugliness, but I dearly wanted Darcy to understand my anger, whether conveyed through words alone, or more satisfyingly at the ends of my fists. Darcy is skilled at fencing, can shoot well, but he is no pugilist. He never had to fight barehanded on a field slicked with blood and dismembered bodies after being unhorsed, wounded, his weapon broken, his comrades dying around him, begging for aid that will not come. Having survived this and more on the strength of my fists, I had no doubt I could give Darcy a thorough thrashing should I desire it.

We arrived at the front and I escorted Georgiana to the knockerless door. Seeing that, I wondered if in the mistress's chambers Darcy was even now imposing himself on his wife again, while she was still hurting from prior misusage.

After I knocked on the door with my knuckles and we were waiting for a response, I imagined pushing my way into the house, running up the stairs and down the hall, pulling Darcy from her, punching him in his bone box and watching him tumble to the floor. When I turned back to her, she would have covered her shame and be drying her tears, a relieved smile gracing her face. She would say "Oh thank God you have come, Colonel Fitzwilliam. I cannot countenance remaining with such a brute, but I thought I had no choice." I would reply, "Come away with me. I will require nothing from you but the pleasure of your company, knowing you are safe." I imagined her gratitude, how I would flee with her.

But of course none of that would happen, for it would not be respectable, proper. Such was material for a novel, not reality. No, no matter what happened today, she was now his 'til death took one of them. Mr. and Mrs. Darcy were tenants for life.

A/N: I am as eager to get to the meeting as you are. How do you think it will all go down given Richard's reactions this far?