50 ways to reject a proposal Chapter 3 - Darcy - Elizabeth, a pride and prejudice fanfic

I've decided to collect all my 'Rejections' in this compilation.

You will find some of them familiar, others I wrote but did not post before.

Of course, the majority play out at Hunsford.

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P&P Chapter 34

"In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."

Darcy spoke well; but there were feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed; and he was not more eloquent on the subject of tenderness than of pride. His sense of her inferiority—of its being a degradation—of the family obstacles which had always opposed to inclination, were dwelt on with a warmth which seemed due to the consequence he was wounding but was very unlikely to recommend his suit.

Elizabeth tried to compose herself to answer him with patience, when he should have done. He concluded with representing to her the strength of that attachment which, in spite of all his endeavours, he had found impossible to conquer; and with expressing his hope that it would now be rewarded by her acceptance of his hand. As he said this, she could easily see that he had no doubt of a favourable answer. He spoke of apprehension and anxiety, but his countenance expressed real security.

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Darcy was so focused on explaining to his beloved Elizabeth all the obstacles he had overcome due to his overwhelming love for her, that he did not pay attention to the expressions which flitted across Elizabeth's countenance.

He had reached the stage when he was asking for her hand when he noticed the look of disbelief on her features. While he had expected the disbelief, he had assumed that it would be a disbelief born of overwhelming joy. Instead, the disbelief was mingled with puzzlement, and he even noticed the slight curl of her luscious lips which spoke of disgust rather than joy.

Only the momentum of determination kept him going to utter the final and most important words, 'I now hope that you would accept my hand in marriage.'

Elizabeth waited a moment before she asked, 'Are you finished with insulting me and my family?'

Darcy frowned at the unexpected question and remained mute as he tried to comprehend the meaning.

Since he made no further comment, Elizabeth took that as on indication that he had finished his speech and calmly replied, 'No, thank you.'

'I beg your pardon? Did you just decline my generous offer?' Darcy could not believe that the woman he loved had just rejected his offer of marriage and his anger started to rise.

'That is correct. At least the part about my rejection. Whether the offer was generous is debatable.'

'I just explained all the reasons why my offer is most generous.'

'You mean all those insults you uttered?

'But I spoke nought but the truth.'

'Perhaps you should look to the behaviour of your own family before you denigrate mine.' When Darcy looked as if he would object to that statement, Elizabeth carried on, 'You call my mother loud and mercenary. Perhaps she is by some standards, but compared to your own aunt, my mother is a model of decorum. She at least has the excuse of needing to have five daughters settled securely. What excuse does your aunt have for declaring you engaged to her daughter? I am assuming the statement to be false since I do not believe you would be offering for me if you were truly engaged to your cousin.'

The reminder of Lady Catherine caused Darcy to glower, but he had to admit that Elizabeth had a point. His aunt had only one daughter, who would have no trouble finding a husband, as long as it was not himself, due to her status as the heiress of Rosings. Yet Lady Catherine loudly declared that he and Anne were engaged. Yet he had mentally chastised Mrs Bennet for expressing similar hopes at the Netherfield ball.

He was not given a chance to refute her statement as the lady continued inexorably. 'You also called my mother rude, but she did not call you tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt at a public assembly.'

Darcy gasped as he was reminded of his ungentlemanly remark which he had made at Meryton. At the time he had considered himself justified in squashing any hopes of those country bumpkins for catching such an eligible man as he knew himself to be. But now it seemed that he had squashed any hopes for happiness for himself instead.

Before he could launch into an apology, Elizabeth continued again, 'You also called my female relations gossips. Are they any worse than your cousin who was pleased to inform me that you had congratulated yourself on splitting up Mr Bingley from my sister, and breaking her heart in the process? Not only that, you also exposed the one to the censure of the world for caprice and instability, and the other to its derision for disappointed hopes, involving them both in misery of the acutest kind.'

Elizabeth huffed as Darcy cringed on hearing that his cousin had unwittingly set the lady against him. It was even worse that Elizabeth implied that he had been wrong about Miss Bennet's feelings. On consideration, the lady had always acted with the utmost propriety and propriety dictated that she must not show a preference for a man until he had declared himself. Darcy should have thought of that, but at the time he was so consumed with fear of falling for Elizabeth that he seemingly accepted any excuse to avoid her company, even if it meant destroying Bingley's happiness.

'You also deride the behaviour of my youngest sisters, who are of a similar age as your own. Can you honestly tell me that Miss Darcy has never behaved foolishly? Girls of that age still have much to learn. Perhaps my mother should not have them allowed into society, but in a small community such as ours, girls have always been safe, since our neighbours have daughters or sisters of their own.'

Although Darcy was certain that the reference to Georgiana was simply a general statement about young girls' foolishness, the comment hit him like nothing else had. The youngest Bennets might laugh and flirt and even giggle incessantly, but they had not agreed to an elopement. Yet his sister had planned to elope with that scoundrel despite having had a much better education than the Bennets. How could he be such a hypocrite?

As Elizabeth opened her mouth to continue her tirade, Darcy held up both hands in defeat as his shoulders slumped.

'Please, stop. There is no need to detail my failings any further. You have my most profound apologies for all my offences against you and your family. I see now that I have only myself to blame for my current embarrassment. I will trouble you no further.' He bowed and went to the door. Just before he exited, he turned back and said, 'I wish you every happiness,' and quit the parsonage.

Once she was alone again, Elizabeth let out a deep breath. What was that man thinking? Did he truly consider himself in love with her? If he did, he must have an unusual concept of love to think that she would respond kindly to having all her faults and those of her family listed during a proposal of marriage.

She had to admit that he was quite observant. He had missed only one thing but that was the crucial point.

He never realised that Elizabeth did not even like him.

~50~