A week passed by after Davina's conversation with Elijah Mikaelson. Even though her anger against Kol was fuelled again, after finding out from his brother what he did to her best friend, she tried to stay as polite as she could to him when he came to visit the parsonage. She was a guest to the Rosza's also and she didn't wanted to cause a scene and embarrass them. Besides it would only be one more day before Kol and his brother were set to leave again. She also was glad that she herself would also return home soon. Cassie was already back at Longbourn and she was dying to see how her friend was doing in person. From the letters she got from Cassie she knew that she wasn't able to meet David in London, even though she had met his sister Mary-Alice.

The Rosza's and Cami were off to Rosings but Davina stayed behind. She told them she wasn't feeling well and that she couldn't come. Josh didn't want to hear of it of course. He was afraid of what Dahlia's reaction might be, but Cami saw the sincerity in Davina's eyes when she said she wasn't feeling so well. She was able to convince Josh that it was okay if Davina stayed behind. Davina was glad for her friends help. It was true that she wasn't feeling her best, but if the company they were about to visit was any different she would still have come. Still she was happy to have a good excuse to avoid Kol for today.

Davina enjoyed her time alone but when the doorbell suddenly rang she was surprised to see Kol Mikaelson entering the room. In a hurried manner he immediately began an inquiry after her health, imputing his visit to a wish of hearing that she were better. She answered him with cold civility. He sat down for a few moments, and then getting up, walked about the room. Davina was surprised. This wasn't the Kol Mikaelson she came to know in these last couple of months. The Kol Mikaelson she knew was full of confidence, shameless and without fear. But she said not a word. After a silence of several minutes, he came towards her in an agitated manner, and thus began:

"In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed and I can bear it no longer. These past months have been a torment. I came to Rosings with the single object of seeing you. I had to see you. I have fought against my better judgment, my family's expectation, the inferiority of your birth, my rank and circumstance, all these things, and I'm willing to put them aside and ask you to end my agony".

His words, so unexpectedly spoken confused Davina. The things he said to her about his status compared to hers were definitely true. She only came from a coven in a small town that didn't enjoyed the big status as some other covens from the cities did. And even though she herself was quite powerful as a witch, the reasons as to why she became so powerful was quite the scandal at the time. Child sacrifice in order to gain more power was taking it too far in the eyes of the magical community. Her coven barely recovered from it. The Mikaelson's on the other hand, were the first vampires. And even though Kol wasn't one anymore he was still a Mikaelson, and that brought a lot of status and obligations. To the outside world his union with her would be quite impropriate given her status.

But these words about her inferiority wasn't what surprised her the most. It was the fact that Kol was telling her that he had feelings for her. Wasn't he the one who had find her only tolerable? Wasn't he the one who flirted with woman only for his pleasure and to break their hearts like it was noting afterwards. Wasn't he the untamable Mikaelson according to everyone, who's main priority was himself? How could he be all this and have feelings for her?

"I don't understand" was all Davina could think of to say to him. She was trying to cope with all what was happening just now.

"I love you" Kol answered her when he saw the confusion in her eyes. "Most ardently. Please do me the honor of accepting my hand".

In spite of her deeply-rooted dislike, she could not be insensible to the compliment of such a man's affection, and though her intentions did not vary for an instant, she was at first sorry for the pain he was to receive. This because she could never accept his hand. She once made a promise to herself that if she were to marry one day, it would be for the right reasons. And even if Kol asked her because apparently his feelings for her were strong, she didn't feel the same. She still despised him for what he did to Cassie, for what he did to Oliver, for the way he acted. And was she feeling sorry at first for having to refuse him, it soon changed when she saw how confident he was in receiving a positive answer.

"Sir, I know that it is natural that I should feel gratitude for the feelings you say to have for me or for the offer you now are giving me and if I could feel gratitude, I would now thank you. But I cannot. I have never desired your good opinion, and you have certainly bestowed it most unwillingly. I appreciate the struggle you have been through and I am very sorry to have caused you pain. Believe me, it was unconsciously done and I hope will be of short duration. The feelings which, you tell me, have long prevented the acknowledgment of your regard, can have little difficulty in overcoming it after this explanation."

Kol, who was leaning against the mantelpiece with his eyes fixed on her face, seemed to catch her words with no less resentment than surprise. His complexion became pale with anger, and the disturbance of his mind was visible in every feature. He was struggling for the appearance of composure, and would not open his lips till he believed himself to have attained it. At length, with a voice of forced calmness, he said:

"And this is all the reply which I am to have the honor of expecting! I might, perhaps, wish to be informed why, with so little endeavor at civility, I am thus rejected."

"And I might as well enquire why, with so evident a design of insulting me, you chose to tell me that you liked me against your better judgement! If I was uncivil, then that is some excuse! But I have other reasons. You know I have". The fact that he seemed so clueless as to why she rejected him angered Davina. The fact that he felt she was uncivil in her answer to his proposal also provoked feelings in her. And when she thought of what he had done to Cassie and Oliver her anger towards him was complete.

"Had not my feelings decided against you—had they been indifferent, or had they even been favorable, do you think that any consideration would tempt me to accept the man who has been the means of ruining, perhaps forever, the happiness of a most beloved friend?"

As she pronounced these words, Kol changed color; but the emotion was short, and he listened without attempting to interrupt her while she continued:

"Do you deny it, Mr. Mikaelson? That you separated a young couple who loved each other, exposing your friend to the center of the world for caprice and my sister to its derision for disappointed hopes. And involving them both in misery of the acutest kind?"

She paused, and saw with no slight indignation that he was listening with an air which proved him wholly unmoved by any feeling of remorse. He even looked at her with a smile of affected incredulity.

"Can you deny that you have done it?" she repeated.

With assumed tranquility he then replied: "I have no wish of denying that I did everything in my power to separate my friend from your friend, or that I rejoice in my success. Towards him I have been kinder than towards myself." He went on to say how he watched them closely and was sure that her feelings towards David weren't as strong as his feelings for her. Davina wouldn't hear of it. She told him how wrong he was about it. Cassie was very shy and not one to show her feelings easily towards the outside world. But she was sure that this wasn't the only reason why he interfered. And even though David's status was higher than Cassie, compared to the difference in rank Davina and Kol shared, it wasn't that big enough for a marriage to feel out of place. Kol however seem to think of it quite differently but when she wouldn't agree he told her it was more than that. It was also the way her coven acted out in the open, the way Genevieve had paraded her witches, the way her coven required there power, the way Monique and Abigail had paraded themselves in front of other men. Kol himself wouldn't care less for these things. He didn't care about much, but he did care for his friend who brought him back to live. He wanted to protect his friend from all these things he didn't care about. The words Kol spoke to Davina about her coven hurt her, but she knew they were true. Still she couldn't forgive him for hurting Cassie or for hurting Oliver.

"And what about Oliver" Davina finally asked. "What excuse can you give for your behavior towards him?"

"You take an eager interest in that gentleman's concerns," said Kol, in a less tranquil tone, and with a heightened color.

"He told me of his misfortunes."

"His misfortunes!" Kol said. "Yes, his misfortunes have been great indeed."

"You ruin his chances, and yet you treat him with sarcasm?"

The subject of Oliver was a subject Kol didn't want to talk about any further. He knew that the subject was a very sensitive one. One that was better not to speak of while his emotions in this moment where so strong.

"So this is your opinion of me" Kol said finally. Thank you for explaining so fully. Perhaps these offences might have been overlooked had not your pride been hurt by my honesty..."

"My pride?" Davina asked surprised.

"...In admitting scruples about our relationship" Kol continued ignoring what Davina said. "Could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your circumstances?"

"And those are the words of a gentleman. From the first moment I met you, your arrogance and conceit, your selfish disdain for the feelings of others made me realize that you were the last man in the world I could ever be prevailed upon to marry."

As she spoke those last words she saw Kol walking towards her. She was expecting another reply but he remained silent. She saw how he was struggling for his words. And when words were completely lost to him he moved closer to her. For a moment Davina was sure he was about to kiss her. In a weak moment, while looking into his eyes she saw his sincerity and she wasn't sure if she would refuse him after seeing it in his eyes. She saw it for the first time in him. It was like a different person was standing before her. Was it because she had hurt him. It didn't matter because Kol pulled back from her and all the anger towards him returned.

"Forgive me, madam, for taking up so much of your time". And with those words he finally left her.

XXX

Two hours after Kol left the Rosza's and Cami returned. Davina wasn't there to welcome them. She wanted some time to herself. She needed time to think. She couldn't face them after what just happened with Kol. The next morning she woke up early. The others weren't awake yet and she decided to try to clear her head some more and left to take a walk. The park surrounding Rosings was huge and it allowed Davina to linger of for quite some time.

After a while Davina was startled by the sound of a horse. When she turned around she saw a gentlemen approaching her. She recognized him immediately. It was Kol Mikaelson. She stood frozen, waiting for him to approach her. She didn't knew what to do or say to him. But fortunately for her he made things easy on her. When he reached her he took out a letter and gave it to her. When Davina took it he quickly road of again and Davina was left watching him ride off.

As soon as he was ought of sight Davina quickly opened the letter. Desperate to know what was in it.

I shall not renew the sentiments which were so disgusting to you, but if I may, I will address the two offences you have laid against me.

Oliver's father was under my employment and was given the task of managing Pemberly in my absence. He was devoted to his task, even if I was far from a good employer. And in my death he still remained devoted. After my return from death he passed away himself. In his last moments I asked him how I could show my appreciation towards him for his years of faithful service. Something I clearly failed at in all the years he served under me. His only wish was that I would take care of his son. Provide him with a position as a clergyman that was soon to be available. But Oliver however had other ideas. He had no interest in joining the church. He demanded the value of the living which he was given and which he gambled away within weeks. He then wrote demanding more money, which I refused, after which he severed all ties until he returned to Pemberly last summer. When he returned I currently was staying at Pemberly along with my sister who needed some time away from our other siblings. At some point he declared passionate love for Rebekah whom he tried to persuade to elope with him. Rebekah, believed all his words and agreed. They left as soon as I was away on business and Rebekah left a letter to me telling her plans. When I found out she left I used a locator's spell and found they were in London. It wasn't hard to track them down, because they had no idea how to clock themselves. When I finally reached my sister I was relieved to find out the marriage was still to happen. I tried to convince my sister to return home and to protect her from the reaction from my other siblings if the marriage were to take place. She wouldn't hear any of it. When I spoke to Oliver after that and made it clear that he wouldn't receive any of Rebekah's fortune if the marriage would take place he told me money didn't matter to him. Still he left an hour after our conversation, leaving Rebekah devastated. In anger I wanted to avenge my sister, but she wouldn't have any of it. She still had feelings towards him and she made me promise not to go after him. We also agreed never to speak of it again, not even to our other siblings in fear of what they would do to Oliver. But also because news of Rebekah trying to elope and her spending a few days with a man while unmarried would ruin her reputation forever. I'm convinced by his behavior that his only reason for marrying Rebekah was her fortune. But maybe it was also to hurt me, because I was the one refusing him aid after he spent all the money I had given him in the first place. I never crossed paths with Oliver again until I saw him in Meryton.

As to the other matter, that of your friend and David. Though the motives which governed me may to you appear insufficient, they were in the service of a friend. If I have wounded your friend's feelings, it was unknowingly done and though the motives which governed me may to you very naturally appear insufficient, I have not yet learnt to condemn them.

Kol Mikaelson

Davina read the letter over and over again. Trying to memorize every word. Refusing to believe the things he said about Oliver. It was true that she never had any real feelings for Oliver, she simply enjoyed his company. She refused to believe her friend to be capable of something so cruel. But reading the letter more than once, she found no excuse for his behavior.

She firstly, refused to believe the content of the letter. But the sincerity in the words written on it made her see things different. He also wouldn't have made up a tale that could ruin his sister's reputation if it wasn't true. She knew that Kol didn't care about much, but she felt that he did care for his sister. But he must also still care for her, otherwise he wouldn't reveal this sensitive information.

Suddenly she came to the realization how inappropriate Oliver's behavior had been. How inappropriate it was to inform her of his business with Kol out in the open. How he suddenly had to go away for business to avoid Kol at the Netherfield ball. And how he took every moment to lash out at Kol in front of her and others while he wasn't around.

Davina felt the need to talk to Kol before he left today. To apologize for her behavior that now all of a sudden seemed so inappropriate to her. She felt ashamed for the way she defended Oliver to him. Still she didn't knew of Oliver's deeds before that, but it didn't excuse her for believing him so quickly before hearing all the facts of the story. She also came to the realization, that even though his words caused her pain he did spoke the truth when it came to her coven. But also when it came to the fact that a marriage to Cassie, wasn't considered a wise match when it came to David's position. And it surprised her even more that Kol was willing to overlook all those things for her.

She knew Kol would leave today, but still expected him to say his goodbyes to the Rosza's as a matter of curtesy. She hurried back to the house and when she arrived she waited eager for him to show up. She wanted to know if he was still angry at her. If he could forgive her for such inappropriate behavior. She realized that her anger towards him had disappeared and was replaced with a feeling of shame. A feeling of shame for her behavior against him.

When the doorbell rang she stood up immediately and was disappointed when she only saw Elijah standing there. He excused his brother who had to leave unexpectedly and was unable to say goodbye. Davina however realized that she was the real reason for his sudden exit. He wanted to avoid her and she couldn't help but feel sad because of this.