Author's Note:

I do not own the rights to Pride and Prejudice, or the characters in it...although I wouldn't mind having Mr. Darcy for awhile...lol...

Chapter 8

The next day Elizabeth arrived at Pemberly early, and found herself almost too nervous to enter its great halls. With a brief thought of the evening before, and the man she had spent it with, she knocked on the vast doors.

The butler opened the doors a moment later and showed her into the morning salon, bowed to her and left, assuring her that Fitz would be here momentarily. There was nothing to do except wait.

She took a seat and glanced around the finely appointed room, noticing treasures from varying decades, and a few family paintings.

She found herself wondering what it would be like to belong to such an old and powerful family. With her marrying Fitz, she would belong, but not as much as if she would marry Mr. Darcy himself. 'Oh Elizabeth, what a mess you make of things' she thought as she came upon Mr. Darcy's portrait.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the door opening and Fitz walking through it, crossing the threshold and walking up to Elizabeth, taking her hands in his. She looked up into his and saw his love for her written clearly on his handsome face. Love that she did not return. Or likely ever would.

"Fitz, can I talk to you please? I'm afraid it's rather important. Do sit, please" Elizabeth said, leading Fitz to the settee and sitting herself next to him. She took his hand in both of hers and studied his face for a few moments, trying to delay doing what she knew had to be done.

"Fitz, you know I care for you, very much actually. And I know you l..love me, but I don't think it's fair, this arrangement of ours." At the look on his face, she quickly added, "No, not unfair to me, unfair to you dear. It really isn't fair to you. Just imagine, being married to a woman who loves another, who really only agreed to marry you because she was running from her feelings and herself. But I'm not running any longer. It is past time I told you the truth. Fitz, I am in love with your cousin, William. Oh please do forgive me, if it wasn't for my pride, I would have just accepted his proposal and then none of this would have happened. Please say something, Fitz" she finished, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Well Elizabeth, what would you have me say? That I'm not hurt or angry? I never lie to a lady, so I cannot say those words, or words similar in meaning. I know you do not love me, you have made that clear from the day you accepted my hand, but you also informed me that you did not love my cousin, either. But now you do? Which one is it, Elizabeth? You cannot have it both ways, I'm afraid. If you truly do not wish to marry me, I will not hold you to your words, but I would at least like the truth before I release you from our engagement" Fitz said, the hurt and anger clear on his face and in his voice, trying to restrain his harsh feelings. A gentleman through and through.

"I know I told you I did not love William, but I was trying to convince not only you, but myself of this fact as well. When he proposed, I was shocked and surprised, and hurt all at the same time. I'm sure you don't know what occurred that day, so just let me say that he threw my lowly birth and lack of money and connections at me. Not the best way to convince a person you love them, I'm sure you agree. So with my pride hurt, I refused, telling him I did not nor ever would love him, and that I had no wish to see him in the future" Elizabeth explained, pausing after this to take a deep breath to steady herself.

But so lost in conversation, neither of them heard the door open, nor did they see William poke his head through the small opening, eavesdropping on them. When in love, a bit of stealth is needed at times, I'm sure you'll agree.

"But shortly after that, I came to my senses and realized what a fool I had been, no matter how he had gone about proposing to me, he had proposed to me, and if anyone would look at the situation, they would come to the same conclusions that William himself had pointed out. And about my sister and Charles, I still do not agree with him about that, but if the situations were reversed, I could see myself making the same choices regarding my sister. So I had nothing left to blame on him except honesty, which I could not and cannot punish him for. It is a quality which seems to run in the Darcy family. I know I have made a mess of everything, and I only hope that one day you can forgive me, and learn to trust me again. That, and that you find a woman who loves you as much as I love William" Elizabeth finished, tears coming to her eyes at the last sentence.

A sentence spoken with such conviction and force that Fitz could not find it in himself to doubt, nor want to. He did love Elizabeth, but as he did love her, he could not hold her to their engagement when she felt so strongly about another man.

Meanwhile, in the doorway, William stood in complete shock, wishing he had been here for the beginning of this conversation. He began to hope, as he had scarcely allowed himself to hope before. And began to feel guilt for clobbering his cousin in the face.

"Well my dear, if this is how you truly feel, and I have no doubt that it is, then of course I will call off the wedding. Better now than leaving me at the altar, I suppose. Just, can I tell you something? A bit of advice?" At Elizabeth's nod Fitz continued.

"My cousin is a proud person, as you know very well by know. He is also fiercely loyal to those he loves and trusts. But he is also an extremely jealous person as well. Just remember that in the future when you catch a young man's eye, and mabey even converse with him, and William walks over and belt the poor thing in the face. And trust me, he does have a strong right jab" Fitz said, rubbing his own nose with the last sentence.

"Oh, if such an event ever occurs, he will have to answer to me, and let me inform you that I too have a strong right jab, and he should do well to remember that" Elizabeth answered, not at all surprised that William was the jealous type. He always did hate when she would converse with other gentlemen, or in Wickham's case, not so gentlemen. In fact, privately Elizabeth thought seeing William knocking another man out simply for talking to her would be amusing. Not that she would ever admit to it.

At that moment the two of them heard what sounded like a snort come from the doorway. They both turned and upon seeing William there, they both reacted in completely different ways; Fitz started laughing uncontrollably, while Elizabeth's face became red and she stood and rushed to the door, pulling William through it and slapping his face.

"How DARE you spy on us like that Fitzwilliam Patrick Darcy?! I cannot believe such behavior! What has come over you to act thusly, William? Well, have you nothing to say for yourself?"Elizabeth scolded, a dark look upon her face.

"My dear, please do forgive me, and you too, Fitz. I truly did not mean to eavesdrop like that, it just happened, as these things do on occasion. I was entering the room and heard you conversing, and I did not want to interrupt, but I heard my name spoken and could not help myself. Along with being proud, loyal and jealous, it seems I am also a curious person by nature. Surely you can find it in your heart to forgive me, darling girl" William finished, forgetting his cousin as he stared into Elizabeth's dark eyes, losing himself in the bottomless orbs.

Fitz, feeling uncomfortable, cleared his throat before saying " Yes of course I forgive you, but it seems Elizabeth is harder to convince. If you would excuse me, I will leave you to beg for forgiveness, William. Miss Bennet, I, well that is to say . . . I mean . . . oh forget it. Good day, Elizabeth."

As the door closed behind Fitz, William turned back to Elizabeth and took her arms in his hands, drawing her closer to him. He brushed a few stray curls from her face, trailing his fingers lightly over her face as he did so. He bent and gently kissed her forehead, breathing her scent in as he did so.

"Did you mean what you said, Lizzie? That you are willing to put up with my faults and weaknesses for the rest of our lives? That you would consent to be my wife if I ask you again? Know now, that if you refuse me again, I shall never ask you again. I could not bear the pain, thricely given. It was hard enough the first time. Please do not make a second. My darling Lizzie, will you marry me? Will you consent to be my bride, my wife, the mother of my children, my companion in life? Will you let me spoil you, argue with you, will you share your passion and beauty with me? Would you consent to spend a life full of love and happiness with me? Please, I cannot seem to live without you in my life. I realize now that my life was empty before I met you. You came into my life with such force, and it seems I am totally dependent on that force now. Marry me?" William asked, his voice hoarse and quiet. Trying to keep the tears in his eyes at bay.

"Oh my love, my darling, of course I shall marry you. Try to stop me from doing so! I have not wanted much in my life, but I want you with such a force, with such strength, I know now why people write those silly sonnets we once discussed. Do you remember? But of course you do; you always remember things like that don't you? How I love you so!" Elizabeth exclaimed before kissing William passionately on the lips.

After a few moments, the couple separated for air, simply staring at each other with silly grins on their faces. The rest of the day they spent in each others company, stealing kisses when alone, grinning as if the world belonged only to them, and simply sitting quietly, each thinking on the events which led to this blissful feeling. Contentment washed over them, and all was right in the world.

That is until someone knocked on the front door.

Elizabeth was just bringing tea to the sitting room for William, who was in there reading when she heard a knock at the door. Instead of waiting for the butler, she set the tea service on a table and walked over to the door, pulling it opened. And nearly slammed it quickly shut again.

"Mother, what on earth are you doing here?" exclaimed Elizabeth, completely at a loss for words.

"Well it's not every day I find out one of my daughters is marrying into one of the mst wealthy families in Derbyshire, is it?" replied Mrs. Bennet, pushing her way past Elizabeth, her eyes greedily taking in the rich surroundings.

"What on earth are you talking about mother? How could possibly know already, when we haven't had the chance to tell anyone?" Elizabeth asked, absolutely confused at the situation. They had only become engaged six hours ago, how could her mother know already . . . unless . . .

"Mother, just who is it I am supposedly engaged to?" She asked slowly.

"Why Colonel Fitzwilliam, of course" Mrs. Bennet replied.

Author's Note:

Thanks for all of the get well soon wishes, and all of the AMAZING reviews guys!!!!I am soooo glad you all like this story so much, and I do truly enjoy writing this...it has been so long because of the broken pelvis thing...and now physical therapy, I've just been soooo busy, but inspiration struck tonight and I wrote this whole chapter in a half an hour...I went back over it of course, but tell me if it seems too rushed or choppy, ok???

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!Please keep the reviews coming, I read them all and try to keep them in mind when writing the next chapter...things are coming together nicely, but you know I have to throw a few kinks in the road...but don't worry, they are engaged now and will stay that way, ok??? I'm thinking 10-15 chapters...lemme know what you think...longer shorter...don't write anymore at all...but I will still write it cause I like it so much...enough babble...read, review, live...lol

Maria