A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing. I got a couple of speculations-interesting but not what I had in mind. I must add that Knitting Princess's tends in the right direction, but not exactly. It will be a few more chapters before the truth (or the plot) is revealed. So keep trying!

Seeing that quite a few of you have been harsh on Mr. Darcy, I rewrote some parts of this chapter to make it clear that his pig-headed behavior in regard to Elizabeth is in fact insecurity caused by profound humiliation-to be called the last man she would be prevailed on to marry! Ouch! That would mean he could be watching her marry Mr. Collins before she would marry him. Ouch! Ouch! See whether you agree. If you don't, I will try to make it even clearer.

I will post three relatively short chapters this week. From now on, things will move at a much faster pace. So hold on to your bonnets!

Chapter 21

Mr. Darcy had another night of fitful sleep, thinking about Elizabeth marrying another. He was in poor humor when he entered the breakfast parlor. His cousin was already at the table, enjoying a hearty meal, but he had no appetite.

He noticed the Colonel wearing a large smirk and eyeing him with mischief.

The previous evening, the Colonel had received an urgent summons from his mother. He dutifully went and was 'requested' by his mother to be her escort to the first evening soiree at the Trumbull residence. Having heard so much about the rich widow, the Colonel accompanied her without complaint.

"Good morning, Darcy! I met your Miss Elizabeth Bennet last evening at Mrs. Trumbull's soiree!"

Mr. Darcy visibly started when he heard his cousin's proclamation. She had tortured him through the night, and tortured him still, but he would resist her relentless hold on him. He forced down his emotions and said nonchalantly, "Yes? How did it go? Did she tell you she had met you before?"

The Colonel was intently watching Darcy's reaction to this piece of intelligence, and he did not miss the initial shock. He decided to play with his stoic cousin a little.

"I could not get within three feet of her. So many distinguished men from government crowded around the vivacious Miss Bennet that one would have mistaken her to be the heiress! I also sensed she was avoiding me."

Mr. Darcy's remained stoic, but his strained voice betrayed his inner turmoil when he said, "Indeed."

That was the entire response for the Colonel to decipher, and decipher he did. He sometimes felt that he knew Darcy's heart and mind better than his own.

"You know well enough you cannot hide from me. I can tell she is still very important to you. Out with it! Perhaps I could help before I disappear into the unreachable murkiness of Windsor Castle."

"You cannot help, Richard. Only time will help. Elizabeth Bennet is the only woman I have ever… who has ever turned my head—the same head that says I am over her. I will forget her. Too much water has passed under the bridge and, as cliché as it sounds, it describes how I feel."

"As stubborn as ever! You should know I cornered her in the hall, so to speak, when she was sneaking away after spotting me making my way toward her. I, of course, did not allow it. She is a well-mannered young lady. She asked about my battlefield injuries and my trip back from the Continent. Apparently, she visited Pemberley, and Reynolds told her about your going to Spain to rescue me."

"I should talk to Mrs. Reynolds about discretion."

"Darcy! Don't be an ass! Reynolds is the height of discretion and loyalty. Please do not embarrass and humiliate the dear old lady. Miss Bennet was mindful to tell me Reynolds mistook her as an intimate friend of the Darcy family and volunteered the information."

"And of course, Miss Bennet failed to correct the wrong impression she conveyed."

"What has come over you, Darcy? You proposed to Miss Bennet. If she had accepted you, Reynolds could have been speaking with the mistress of Pemberley!"

"Ah, there lies the catch. She did not accept the proposal. In fact, she said I would be the last man she could be prevailed on to marry. She should never have gone to Pemberley."

"Still bitter about the rejection, I see. I agree she was excessively harsh. I shall not bother you further about the woman who so vexes you. She, on the other hand, was gracious and asked about you."

"What did you say?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"She knows far more about me than I do her. It is only fair I know what you told her."

"The logic is not so clear to me: you did not want her to know about you, and now you want to know about her because she knows about you. My headache returns just thinking about this tangled mess of your feelings. Have mercy, I am but a poor soldier!"

The Colonel watched his cousin closely during this exchange and understood for the first time how much Miss Elizabeth Bennet meant to the outwardly stoic but inwardly passionate master of Pemberley.

"I told Miss Bennet you and I experienced some harrowing events during the retreat to Portugal."

"What was her reaction?"

"She seemed thoughtful for a long moment, and then expressed her warm regards for our successful return to England."

Mr. Darcy stared ahead, but his face was solemn.

"You do not want to know anything else about the gathering? Miss Bennet's numerous admirers? The heiress herself?"

Mr. Darcy winced ever so slightly when he heard the second question. He replied woodenly, "Miss Elizabeth Bennet is an accomplished and beautiful woman, inside and out. I am heartened to find out I did not waste my affection on a nonentity. I wish her felicity in matrimony with a worthy gentleman. She will choose well. As for Mrs. Trumbull, she is unknown to me. What she does with her life is none of my business. When will you begin your equerry duty?" Darcy changed the topic suddenly.

The Colonel saw exactly what was going on—his cousin was finished with the topic of Miss Bennet. He, however, would not give up so easily. He had to put in one last word.

"Darcy, I will disappear into the nadir next week, but beginning tomorrow, I need to be at Whitehall to be drilled for Court etiquette. Today is the last day you will see my bonny face for a long while. Eventually I will be assigned a two-week on, two-week off schedule to tend to every need of our dear monarch. Before I leave tomorrow morning, I must get this into your thick skull: you are by no means over Miss Bennet, no matter how you convince yourself. I suggest you go over to the Trumbull residence and confront your own demons. It is possible when coming face-to-face again with Miss Bennet, you may decide nothing of your former… love remains, and you will know it was an experience in your past and move on with your life without her. Otherwise, knowing you, you would always wonder, and turn into a bitter, sour man before your old age."

The Colonel half expected Darcy to just ignore his advice and remain glum. However, his cousin's face relaxed to show a pensive but no longer sullen expression. Further, he rejoined with a hint of lightheartedness, "You have indeed become a matchmaker par excellence. More than just making the introductions, you also give advice to imbeciles lost in the matters of the heart. Let us talk in my study."

Once inside the completely private sanctuary, he continued in a detached voice, "I convinced myself I should have gotten over her rejection. After what I saw on the Continent, my humiliation at the hand of a country maiden seems insignificant. However, the mere mention of Elizabeth receiving a highly coveted offer has made me lose sleep for the past few nights. I must concede that the feelings and ardent love I could not then repress, which led to my impulsive proposal, have not at all diminished. I almost drove myself insane trying to figure out who might have won her hand. And then you confirmed for me what I have been dreading—Elizabeth was surrounded by admirers. I apologize for being so short with you just now, Richard. I am a novice in the land of love, and it shows."

The Colonel was heartened to hear such a fervent confession from his very private cousin. He jumped up and said, "There is no time like the present. Carpe diem! Let's go to the Trumbull residence this minute to snatch back your love."

Mr. Darcy laughed out loud at the enthusiasm of the Colonel.

"You remember the Bard quotes and Latin phrases from your schooling but forget common civility. It is not yet polite calling hours, and the ladies are also probably not available for callers if they had a late gathering last night. Moreover, I am not convinced it is up to me to reclaim 'my love' after what she said—in no uncertain terms—she would never marry me. If Elizabeth has found someone she favors, I was serious about wishing her joy in matrimony. What you said about 'facing my own demons' is more to the point. I need to know once and for all that—regardless of how I feel—I must submit to the lady's choice."

It finally dawned on the Colonel that Darcy's continuous denial of his deep feelings toward Miss Bennet was a desperate measure to protect his still-broken heart. Knowing full well that his stubborn cousin would not be receptive to this new understanding, he said instead, "You may be right, but then you may be wrong. However, I feel a certain premonition that this matter needs to be settled as soon as possible. I often have feelings like this before major battles."

"Tell me about the heiress. If I am going to call on her, perhaps I should know what, or whom, to expect."

"If there was a crowd around Miss Bennet, there was a mob around Mrs. Trumbull. Those men were shameless, pushing one another to jostle for the best position. From what I could overhear, they were all complimenting her on her novel, even though she has never admitted to being the authoress. No one could have known those obsequious fools were, in fact, august gentlemen, among whom were up-and-coming stars of Parliament. Other than that, Mrs. Trumbull appeared to be quite delectable—ah, was that too indelicate? She is more handsome than I remember. Her only fault is she is too clever for the likes of me. If you decide to give up Miss Bennet, Mrs. Trumbull may be an adequate substitute. They both possess an air of… playful impertinence, and Mrs. Trumbull possesses an immense fortune."

"I do not understand the concept of substitution in love. If I pursued Mrs. Trumbull, it would be for her alone. However, her fortune precludes any potential interest from me. Any lady that wealthy must prefer to have her own way all the time."

"You are no beggar, and you also like to have your own way all the time—and usually get it. But I see your point. Too many people wanting their own ways usually leads to war. Ask Boney."

Mr. Ford, the butler, knocked on the door. The carriage to take the master to his club was waiting.

"I almost forgot. I am to meet Bingley today at the club. What are your plans?" asked Mr. Darcy.

"I shall spend some time with my other cousin. She should be in the breakfast parlor by now. Then I shall put my affairs in order before going off to serve the King."

The two cousins went to the breakfast parlor together. Miss Darcy was indeed at the table with the all too familiar novel open next to her eggs and kippers.

Mr. Darcy chatted with his sister for a few minutes before leaving to see Mr. Bingley. He did not know what to expect. His friend's letters had been even more indecipherable than before—or could it be he had less patience now for Bingley's frivolous goings-on?