Hullo again everyone! As I just finished chapter ten of this story, here is chapter three for you. You will find a little more of Jane's own words early in the chapter, so as always, I curtsey to the mistress herself. Many thanks, as always, to all the support in comments - as well as to all you silent lurkers just reading along. I appreciate each and every one of you!

Chapter Three

Pushing to her feet, Elizabeth rubbed her hands together and paced away from Darcy.

"Miss Bennet, are you well?" he asked again.

She was, in fact, struggling to hold back tears. Elizabeth did not wish him to see how affected she was and worked to regain command of herself before she spoke.

"I am…" She paused and drew a ragged breath. "Pray forgive me, Mr. Darcy. I for once am without a coherent thought."

A sound suspiciously like a chuckle caused her to turn back to him with an exasperated expression. Darcy sobered at once. "In no fashion do I mean to make fun," said he. "I just could never have imagined hearing you essentially describe yourself as empty-headed."

"What?" said she, and then it dawned on her that her words could well be interpreted that way. Elizabeth could not hold in her embarrassed giggle any more than he had.

"I am quite overwhelmed at the moment, Mr. Darcy," she said when she had settled herself again on the fallen tree. "I am glad to have the truth of Mr. Wickham and also ashamed of my own conduct in regard to him. I am honored by your confidence in me as regards your sister—you can be certain of my discretion there—and yet I find myself wondering how, seeing what effect such a disappointment has surely had on her, you would so willingly bring a similar disappointment on another young lady?"

Elizabeth watched Darcy's expression flicker between emotions. "I have explained why I acted as I did."

"And as you also stated, your motives appear to me as insufficient," said Elizabeth. "Jane loved Mr. Bingley—she still loves him. When he did not return to Hertfordshire, when his sister intimated in a letter that there would soon be a marriage between him and Miss Darcy, her heart was broken. You grossly mistook modesty for indifference and justify your mistake by claiming to be doing your friend a good service. You then further excuse your actions by reminding me of the improprieties of our family. Do you think me ignorant of their faults? I assure you, sir, that I have long been aware of them. Along with my sister Jane, I have tried to bring what order to their conduct I can, but frankly it is not for us to be mother to our sisters while ours still lives. All Jane and I can do is our very best; the rest even we are forced to ignore for the sake of our equanimity."

She tilted her head as she looked up at him. "Can you honestly say that there is no one in your own family whose behavior gives you pain? In my experience there is such a person in every family. But then, I suppose in yours it is acceptable to be insolent and insulting because they are rich and nobly connected."

That Elizabeth spoke of his aunt she did not think could be any clearer, save for speaking the lady's name aloud. Although she no longer felt any desire to hurt him for what he had done to Jane, she could not help herself pointing out that she was not alone in being forced to endure untenable relatives. At least he did not have to live with his…

Darcy's eyes widened in surprise at her words and his jaw clenched, but he did not refute her claim.

Suppressing a smile over this small victory, she sighed and said, "Tell me, Mr. Darcy, how would you have explained yourself to Mr. Bingley had I accepted you?"

His eyebrows drew together. "How do you mean?"

"I mean how were you going to explain to him that it was not right that he should marry my sister, but it was perfectly acceptable for you to ignore every reason you gave against their match to marry me?" Elizabeth pressed.

"I…" Darcy sighed and looked away from her. "I do not know. I confess I had not thought so far ahead as that. I only knew that I could no longer deny that I had…"

His gaze returned to her, then he looked away again in the direction from which they had come. "I daresay you do not desire a repetition of my sentiments."

Elizabeth could not then say what she desired or did not. The compliment to herself and Jane, such as it had been, was not unfelt. It soothed the sting of hearing her family's conduct so spoken of, in tones of such mortifying—yet admittedly merited—reproach. The justice of the charge against them struck her too forcibly for denial, and her sense of shame in that quarter was severe. Elizabeth reflected on how materially the credit of herself and Jane must be hurt by such impropriety of conduct and began to feel depressed beyond anything she had ever known before.

However, the two of them having been singled out as models of virtuous conduct did nothing to alleviate the contempt which she felt two-fold: that the very virtue which was in her sister so prized was also to condemn her, and that the conduct of their relations had greatly contributed to her misery.

"I… I begin to think, perhaps, that I have been from home too long," Elizabeth said then, and rising, she started to walk back towards the parsonage. Darcy surprised her by choosing to remain in her company, as he immediately fell into step at her side.

They walked in silence. Elizabeth's mind was now too full of aggravation and confusion to make her at all inclined to conversation, and Darcy seemed likewise reflective. She wondered if his thoughts in any way mirrored her own, for all she could seem to think on was the proposal of last night, the kiss, and the revelations of that morning. She did not agree that he had been right to convince Mr. Bingley to give up on Jane even as she was forced to accept that his opinion of the rest of her family was justified. She also could not fathom how she had been so incredibly foolish as to believe in Mr. Wickham's claims without any form of proof.

She still could hardly believe that Mr. Darcy, of all the men of her acquaintance, had asked her to marry him! That he was in love with her—or had been. After all, she had severely disappointed his hopes. It was, perhaps, certain that his regard had not entirely been done away with by her refusal, but nor could it be as strong as it had been only the day before. Not after she had abused him so abominably.

They why kiss me? she wondered. I simply can't understand why he kissed me…or why I kissed him.

Oh, what a fool she was! In her mind he had not been a gentleman, but neither had she been much of a lady. It was as difficult to admit this to herself as it had been to accept how much her family's conduct was also responsible for Jane's disappointment.

Elizabeth and Darcy were nearing the parsonage when movement at the door caught her eye. A trunk had been set outside, and the Collins's man-of-all-work was then carrying out another. Charlotte stood watching this with a handkerchief in her hand, and it looked as though she were weeping. Increasing her pace, Elizabeth hurried to her friend's side to console her, only just realizing as she stopped next to Charlotte that the trunks were her own.

"Charlotte, what is this?" she asked. "Why are my trunks here waiting?"

A horrible thought struck her, and she took hold of Charlotte's arm in renewed agitation. "Please Charlotte, tell me what has happened! Have you heard some dreadful news of my family? Is my mother or father ill, or my sisters?"

Charlotte sniffled as she shook her head, her eyes widening as she took in the presence of Mr. Darcy. "No, Lizzy, it is not your family. It… It is you."

Elizabeth straightened her posture. "Me? My dear Charlotte, I completely fail to understand you."

"Mrs. Collins," said Darcy in a low yet commanding tone, "pray tell us what has happened."

Charlotte looked between them. Tears continued to fall down her cheeks as she explained, in halting sentences, that she'd been given instruction to turn Elizabeth out of the house for "scandalously unladylike conduct." Mr. Collins's note, delivered by a Rosings footman, said that such a person could not be allowed to remain under his roof while his wife's unmarried sister was in residence.

Elizabeth's astonishment could not be greater. "What?" was all the reply she could then muster.

Darcy stepped closer. "Was this alleged misconduct detailed, Mrs. Collins? What does the witness say Miss Bennet has done?"

Charlotte's gaze flickered between them again, then she said, "The note stated that my husband had it on good authority that Elizabeth was seen attempting to compromise you yesterday, sir… while we were at tea."

The kiss. Someone had witnessed that completely unexpected kiss. Oh, if only they had also overheard Mr. Darcy proposing to her—that alone would explain why they were kissing!

Elizabeth felt her chest constrict. Perhaps someone had heard—but not only Darcy's proposal. Whoever it was that had witnessed their impropriety afterward surely had also heard her vehement refusal. They must have assumed she had thrown herself at Darcy in a fit of regret and had kissed him to assure him she had spoken in error. But who? They had been alone in the parlor.

But not the house, she reminded herself dejectedly. The Collinses had but four servants, and any one of them could have observed herself and Darcy through a window. This servant had apparently spoken to their master, who naturally reported all to Lady Catherine. She, no doubt, was the true instigator of the plan to turn Elizabeth out, as her cousin was too much a buffoon to take such an idle report seriously. This would not prevent him telling his patroness what the servant alleged to have seen, however, and being determined to secure her nephew as a husband for her daughter, Lady Catherine had prompted Mr. Collins to remove what she now perceived as a threat to her ambition.

"Charlotte, I beg you would believe that I didn't—I couldn't!" Elizabeth pleaded. "Surely you must know I would never jeopardize my reputation or that of my family in such a way!"

Charlotte smiled weakly. "I believe you, Lizzy—of course I do! But it was pointed out that you had refused to join us for tea, and neither did Mr. Darcy make an appearance."

Elizabeth turned briefly to look over her shoulder at Darcy, and found his countenance to be full of anger, though whether at himself or her she was unsure. Turning back to her friend, she said, "I did not go to tea because I genuinely had a headache. I had… I had received some news which I'd found unpleasant and did not feel up to company. Mr. Darcy did call while you were at tea, but only in the hope of discovering that I was feeling better."

It was on the tip of her tongue to confess about Darcy's proposal, but if they were to have any hope of keeping that particular unpleasantness between them, she could not. Nor would she use it to save herself from scandal—she had refused him, and surely Darcy would resent her taking it back just to secure her reputation. Not to mention that revealing the whole truth could force them to marry, which she did not believe in that moment either of them wanted.

"Miss Bennet, you need not keep from Mrs. Collins what else we spoke of yesterday," said Darcy then.

Elizabeth whirled to face him. "You cannot mean it."

A sardonic smile lifted the corners of his lips. "Well, perhaps do not reveal the more mundane details, but the main point may be made clear."

Elizabeth searched his gaze—why was he doing this? Why should she reveal that he had made her an offer that she had refused?

"Lizzy? What is he talking about?" Charlotte asked.

Darcy inclined his head, and Elizabeth signed in resignation. She turned to Charlotte and said, "Yesterday, when Mr. Darcy came to the parsonage to check on my welfare, he availed himself of the opportunity to ask for my hand in marriage."

Charlotte's eyes widened in shock, then she smiled as the emotion changed to excitement. "Oh, Lizzy—I knew it! Did I not tell you that Mr. Darcy admired you? Begging your pardon, sir, but in observing how you so often looked at my friend, and her revealing that you frequently joined her on her walks, I could not help but think that you had begun to form an attachment to her!"

"No apology is necessary, Mrs. Collins," said Darcy.

"Charlotte, I have refused him!" Elizabeth cried.

"Refused him?" Confusion was clear in Charlotte's voice and expression. "I do not understand, Lizzy. Why would you be walking with him again today if you have refused him?"

"Charlotte, I—"

A warm, heavy hand was laid gently on Elizabeth's shoulder. "Mrs. Collins, Miss Bennet, it would seem, was not so observant as yourself," Darcy began. "I quite surprised her with the revelation of my regard, and she requested some time to consider my offer."

Elizabeth was again amazed. Whatever had happened to "disguise of every sort is my abhorrence"? She then bitterly thought that perhaps, having schemed to prevent Mr. Bingley's learning Jane was in London, Darcy had developed a sudden taste for subterfuge.

"Pray forgive me, Elizabeth, but what is there to consider?" asked Charlotte. "Mr. Darcy is one of the wealthiest men in England—you would want for nothing! You would be mistress of a grand estate in the country and a house in town, and probably be given more pin money than my husband earns in a year!"

Only her love for Charlotte and a wish to preserve their friendship prevented Elizabeth from lashing out and embarrassing her before Mr. Darcy with the words I don't want to be like you, doing whatever I can to spend as little time with my husband as possible because I cannot stand to be in his presence.

She knew Darcy could feel her tension by the way he gave her shoulder a slight squeeze; she'd almost forgotten his hand still rested there, and she refused to dwell on the sense of comfort she felt in having his support.

Drawing a steadying breath, Elizabeth said, "Charlotte, even with such a man making me an offer, there is much to consider. I honestly do not even know if I am ready to marry. You also know perfectly well that my situation in life and the character of my parents and younger sisters—even my person and disposition—are all equally against me. Mr. Darcy might well be thought a perfect match for me, but I will not be thought a perfect match for him—a match between us would be seen as a degradation."

Charlotte reached for her hand. "But Lizzy, my dear, the wife of Mr. Darcy must have such extraordinary sources of happiness necessarily attached to her situation, that she could, upon the whole, have no cause to repine!"

Stepping closer and lowering her voice to a whisper that Darcy no doubt still heard, she added, "He loves you, Lizzy—I am sure of it. Perhaps you do not much like him now, but that will change! I know it will. If you would but give him a chance to show you his affection, your feelings are bound to change for the better."

Again, Elizabeth's self-command was strained as she bit back another retort which would have caused her friend pain.

"Charlotte? Is Lizzy staying after all?"

Maria's timid question sounded from the parsonage doorway. Darcy's hand dropped from Elizabeth's shoulder on seeing her.

"No, Maria, I am not staying," said she. "I have been cast out based on hearsay, and even were Lady Catherine and Mr. Collins to rescind their judgment, I would not stay for their having the audacity to be so cruel as to not even listen to my side of the story."

A sudden rush of anger for having been so easily judged and dismissed from favor—even favor which was pompous and insolent—coursed through Elizabeth, and she crossed her arms as she said, "Tell me, Charlotte, how did Mr. Collins and his esteemed patroness propose that I should get home?"

Color quickly filled Charlotte's cheeks, and she refused to meet Elizabeth's gaze. "You… you are to make your own way, as… as women of such impudent character and loose morals surely have their means."

Elizabeth now began to shake with fury. "How dare they?!" she cried, and only Darcy's hand returning to her shoulder prevented her saying more.

"Mrs. Collins," said he, "I beg you would be so good as to serve your friend some tea and keep her from wandering off until I return."

"Wandering off?" Elizabeth retorted as she turned to look up at him. "Just where am I supposed to be wandering off to with one trunk in my arms and the other no doubt strapped to my back? How far do you imagine I will get in such a state?"

The same sardonic smile with which he had favored her before appeared again. "I do not doubt you would think of somewhere to go, and be halfway there by dinnertime," Darcy quipped. "Nevertheless, pray be here when I return with my carriage. I should not be longer than half an hour."

At this, he bowed and strode quickly away, headed for Rosings. "Come, Lizzy," said Charlotte. "Let us take Mr. Darcy's advice and have some tea."

Elizabeth acquiesced with reluctance, having no desire to enter a house she had been thrown out of. As she stepped through the door, she found herself wondering which of the Collins servants had been spying on her and Darcy the day before. No doubt all of them are spies for Lady Catherine, she thought angrily, as Charlotte led her into the dining parlor and directed her to sit at the table before going to the bellpull to summon a servant. Maria joined her there, looking utterly confused, leading Elizabeth to wonder if she had been made privy to the contents of the note which had dictated her removal.

Peppermint tea was ordered, and when the housekeeper came in with the tray a short time later, a suspicion as to just whom it was that had seen or heard what happened between Elizabeth and Darcy occurred to her. The lady lifted an eyebrow and wore a look of "What is she still doing here?" in her eyes.

"That will be all, Mrs. Poole, thank you," said Charlotte, dismissing the housekeeper, who was also the cook, before she busied herself with preparing the tea.

"I'd consider hiring a new housekeeper if I were you," Elizabeth muttered.

"What do you mean, Lizzy?" Maria asked.

"Nothing, except… Suffice it to say that a private communication between myself and Mr. Darcy was overheard and relayed to both Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine. That is why your sister has been ordered to turn me out."

"What will you do now, Lizzy?" Charlotte asked quietly.

"Seems I haven't much choice, does it not?" Elizabeth rejoined. "The only way to prevent a scandal will be to do the very thing I swore only yesterday I could never be prevailed upon to do."

"And what is that Lizzy?" asked Maria.

Elizabeth took a sip from the cup of tea she had been served, savored it, then swallowed and sighed. "It means that I will have to marry Mr. Darcy—that is, if he will still have me."