Author's Note: I have added a little bit to both chapters 2 and 3. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 4

Elizabeth's face was flushed when she entered the house, and her family attributed it to a combination of the exercise and the cold. She joined them for breakfast and then returned to her room to prepare for their expected visitors.

When she returned downstairs, she was surprised to hear the sound of male voices in the sitting room. Standing outside the room, she listened for a moment before realising it was the officers. "Do they ever do any work?" she muttered under her breath.

Bypassing that room for now, she entered her father's study. "Papa, the officers are calling again. My sisters need to do more than visit with these men, for truly, what do we know of them other than what they tell us? They could be wastrels and rakes, for all we know. Lydia and Kitty are too young to be in company with these men so frequently."

"I thought you liked the officers and enjoyed their company," he replied. "Is not Mr. Wickham a favourite of yours?"

"No, he is not," Elizabeth stated directly. "I have considered how improper it was for him to share such personal information so quickly in our acquaintance. I spoke to Mr Darcy about him yesterday, and he confirmed that the man is the worst sort of man — exactly the kind my sisters need to be warned against. It is not as though any of these officers could afford to marry anyway. Surely Mama would not care to have one of her daughters forced to follow the drum because she compromised herself with a poor soldier. Not to mention the effect that would have on the rest of us should Kitty or Lydia get into trouble with their thoughtlessness."

Mr. Bennet looked at her sharply, seeming to consider her words carefully. "Your opinions of both men have changed considerably in the last day," he stated. "Is there something I should be aware of?"

Elizabeth flushed. "No, Papa, it is nothing like that. I observed both gentlemen when they met in our drawing room yesterday, and it was clear there was more to their history than Mr. Wickham had previously revealed. In fact, it appeared as though Mr Wickham was afraid of Mr Darcy and at the mention of Mr Darcy's cousin, a colonel in the regulars, the man nearly fled the house. After he left, I asked Mr. Darcy about 's accusations, and he informed me that Wickham initially refused the living and received compensation for it. He was only refused when he made the request a second time. I cannot hold that against Mr Darcy, and he has proof to support his claims, unlike Mr Wickham. I am afraid I was foolish for believing his tale so readily."

"So, Mr Wickham is a liar, or at least prone to convenient half-truths, but that does not make him a wastrel or rake," Mr Bennet countered.

"Mr Darcy said he holds a number of markers for debts Mr Wickham has left behind. He has been reluctant to make this public because of the connection to his father," Elizabeth told him.

"It is a chance all shopkeepers take when they allow unknown persons credit," Bennet said. "There is nothing I can do about it."

"Yes, but you are allowing these 'unknown persons' entry into your house and allowing them around your daughters. Lydia and Kitty would ruin all of us if they allowed liberties with one of these men or if there were even an accusation of such. Do you really think the respectability of our family should be on their shoulders alone?" Elizabeth protested.

"I will ban all officers from entering our home, would that please you?" Bennet complained.

"It would be a start, Papa, but that will not prevent my sisters from searching them out in Meryton. They need to understand that officers make poor husbands. In particular, they need to learn that no matter how handsome a man might be, it does not make him an appropriate suitor," Elizabeth insisted.

"Then tell them," Bennet retorted.

"I will, but my telling them will accomplish little as long as Mama is still promoting the officers as possible husbands," Elizabeth insisted. "Now that Mr. Bingley has returned, perhaps Mama can be persuaded that my sisters should not act in such a way that would scare him off again."

"If Mr Bingley is frightened off by a couple or three silly girls, then he does not deserve our Jane," Bennet replied with his usual sardonic wit.

Elizabeth could make no reply for a moment. "And if one of these 'silly' sisters succeeds in ruining the rest of us, what then, Papa? Will Mama's five thousand pounds be enough to sustain us all when we are made unmarriable because Lydia or Kitty runs away with an officer? Please, Papa, for once, try to think of what this unchecked behaviour might do to our family." That said, Elizabeth left the room quickly and, attempting to hold back tears, she ran straight into a man who was lurking in the hallway. She was sufficiently startled that she did not shut the door fully, and it remained slightly open behind her.

"Miss Elizabeth," came the smooth, oily voice of Mr. Wickham. "I hoped to encounter you this morning. Your sisters told me you would likely be found in your father's bookroom."

"Please step back, Mr. Wickham, you are too close," she said to the man, not liking the look in his eye.

"But Miss Elizabeth, we are friends, are we not?" he intimated, refusing to step back from his position.

"Perhaps we might have been had you not lied to me from the beginning of our relationship," Elizabeth said clearly and loudly enough for her father to hear through the door. "How many times did you insist that you were not afraid of Mr Darcy, yet yesterday in our parlour, you gave every appearance of being very afraid of that gentleman. In fact, when he mentioned his cousin, you quite literally fled our home in your desire to get away." As she spoke, she heard her father's steps approaching the door behind her. She also heard Mrs Hill answering a knock at the front door and knew that help would arrive in moments.

Wickham heard the voices at the door at the same time as Elizabeth. He took a step closer to her, and she attempted to step back, though she had nowhere to go. "Get away from me," she said loudly and moved her hands up to his chest to push him away. He looked to see who was entering and seeing Darcy and Fitzwilliam standing there, he smiled wickedly before grabbing Elizabeth's shoulders and dipped his head to kiss her.

Several things happened at once. Elizabeth raised her knee and connected it with his groin. Darcy rushed forward and grabbed the back of Wickham's collar to drag him away, and Colonel Fitzwilliam drew his sword, which he pointed at the rake's throat. Bennet opened the door behind Elizabeth, causing her to lose her balance and nearly fall. He put up his arms in a reflexive move to prevent it.

All three men were angry, but none were angrier than Elizabeth, who appeared ready to pummel the reprobate. After regaining her balance, she approached Wickham and slapped him across the face. "We are not friends, and whatever punishment you receive will not be nearly enough for you," she hissed. Turning toward the gentlemen who had just entered, she commanded shakily, "Please escort him away from this house."

Darcy shoved Wickham toward his cousin and, without words, indicated that he should take charge of the rascal. Fitzwilliam grasped Wickham by the collar and pushed him toward the door, sword still in hand. Before Bennet could react further, Darcy had Elizabeth in his arms. "Are you well, love?" he whispered. She did not speak but nodded, her face buried in his chest. He felt hot tears dampening his shirt.

Wickham saw Darcy holding Elizabeth. "I will ruin her and you both, Darcy," he called. "I will tell everyone I had her first. No one will want anything to do with her or her sisters then."

Fitzwilliam poked Wickham with his drawn sword. "Not if I kill you before we arrive at the camp," he said dangerously. "Between your actions today and the debts my cousin holds, you will be in the gaol before the end of the day. Anything you say will just be noise, as no one will believe you. And do not forget, I outrank you, and if you attempt to run from me, I have a justifiable reason to kill you. You and I are both in uniform, and you cannot refuse a command from a superior office. You are finished, Wickham." It was clear from his voice and the look in his eye that Fitzwilliam would take any opportunity to run him through if Wickham provided him the merest provocation.

Wickham protested. "I will keep my mouth shut; I promise." The group standing in the hallway heard his pleading tone and realized his false bravado was at an end.

Mr. Bingley had not spoken a word but was staring at Elizabeth in Darcy's arms. "I will … I will just go into the drawing room with the ladies, I believe. Darcy, I assume you and Mr. Bennet will want to speak of what has happened here. I will say nothing about this," he said haltingly, unsure what to think about what he saw.

Darcy and Bennet nodded, but Elizabeth still had her face buried in Darcy's chest.

"Mr. Darcy," Bennet remarked, looking carefully at the two, "I think you should come into my bookroom so we might speak. Elizabeth, I believe you ought to join us." Bennet immediately turned and entered the room, leaving the couple in the hallway.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and attempted to steady herself. Darcy kept one arm wrapped around her waist to provide both support and comfort. She smiled gently at him before whispering, "I believe we will have to tell Papa about our understanding sooner than intended. Not five minutes ago, I dissembled when I told him there was nothing between us. I was attempting to convince him of the need to do something about my younger sisters' flirting with every officer in sight. I also warned him of the potential for an officer to ruin us all, and not a minute later, I was proven correct." She sobbed again, and he drew her into his arms again to calm her.

"Are you well, my love?" he asked again quietly. "Did he injure you in any way?"

"No," she replied, her voice muffled against his chest. "He just frightened me. He was so close, and I asked him twice to step away. He saw you enter, and it was then that he attempted to kiss me. I kneed him in a … sensitive … area, and then you pulled him away before he could do more than touch my shoulders."

Their whispered conversation was interrupted. "Are you coming?" Bennet called from inside his study, his voice annoyed.

Elizabeth entered the room she had just exited on Darcy's arm. Mr. Bennet looked at her hand on his arm pointedly, but Elizabeth returned his look defiantly. "You told me not ten minutes ago that there was no understanding between you and Mr Darcy, daughter, but your actions just now would seem to imply that was not the truth," Bennet jeered.

"You asked if there was an understanding you should be aware of," Elizabeth countered. "It was not my place to say anything at that moment. However," she paused and looked over at Darcy, and he nodded, "Mr. Darcy intended to speak to you when he arrived today to request your permission to marry me. We happened upon each other at Oakham Mount this morning and spoke briefly. As we spoke, we realized that we cared deeply for one another, and he asked for my hand in marriage. I accepted."

"Mr. Bennet, I intended to do this in the proper way, but I am afraid I reacted to Mr. Wickham's actions toward your daughter rather forcefully," Darcy explained. "I … I love Elizabeth most dearly, and seeing her being importuned by that had affected me deeply. I have known the man too long to trust him ever to do the decent thing. I worried for Elizabeth when I saw him so close to her, especially when I heard her demand that he step away and put his hands on her instead."

He took a deep breath and continued. "Mr Bennet, I most humbly request your daughter's hand in marriage. I will care for her for the rest of my life and ensure she has everything she wants and needs for all her life. I will write to my solicitor to prepare a settlement immediately, although I will need to return to London to finalise it. Perhaps, when I go, Elizabeth can also come to London to obtain her trousseau and view Darcy House."

"You are assuming I will give my permission, sir," Bennet chastised.

"You will not?" Elizabeth and Darcy both asked, surprised.

"Elizabeth, you have always hated this man. Why would you suddenly agree to his proposal? Did he compromise you in any way?" Bennet asked insistently.

"No!" she cried. "He would not compromise me. I told you, I have come to care for him. I love him, and I want to be his wife." She looked at him as she said this and noted his quick indrawn breath at her declaration of love. "Yes, he offended me at our first meeting, but we have spoken of it, and I have forgiven him the slight. I agreed to marry him because I want to marry him, and I find myself rather thrilled at the prospect of being his wife."

"Because of what he has?" Bennet persisted.

"Papa! No!" Elizabeth fumed. "How can you believe that of me?"

"You reach your majority in February," Bennet said. "If you still want to marry, then you may do so when you no longer need my consent."

"I do not understand why you are refusing your consent, sir, and I cannot believe you truly think me so mercenary," Elizabeth said, tears filling her eyes.

He fixed his daughter with a glare. "Elizabeth, leave us, and allow me to speak to your irascible suitor privately."

She stared at her father with the same defiant look before turning on her heel to leave. Before she did, she turned to Darcy and mouthed, "I do love you."

Darcy smiled at her gently, mouthing, "I love you, too," just before she shut the door. He then turned to Mr. Bennet. "Is there anything I can do to convince you of my devotion to your daughter and gain your permission for us to wed sooner? Or to win your blessing and consent? I know it will pain Elizabeth to marry without either."

"I doubt you will marry my daughter. You will grow bored and forget her," Bennet stated baldly. "You are no longer welcome at Longbourn and may not contact my daughter again. You may not pass her any notes or messages, and if I find you are using your friend for that purpose, I will expel him from Longbourn as well."

"I will not grow bored, and I will marry no other," Darcy persisted. "Will you tell her of your decree, or will you attempt to persuade her I have deserted her? What will you do about Wickham's assault on her in your own home? How will you ensure no further harm comes to her as a result of what has happened today?"

"None of that is your concern, young man," Bennet ranted. "What happens to my daughter is of little consequence to you until February, and that is only if you bother to return. What does it matter what I tell her of your leaving the area? She does not care for you!"

Elizabeth burst into the room, having not shut the door fully to listen. "I do care for him!" she cried. "I love him. Why are you so insistent on my not marrying him? I do not understand." Elizabeth was in tears, and Darcy reached out to draw her into his arms once again.

"You want to marry him?" Bennet demanded. "You refused your cousin just days ago. How can you agree to marry this man? He will take what he wants from you and then leave you with a child."

"How can you believe that? What have I done to make you think I am so dishonourable?" Darcy demanded.

"I know your type, sir. You think you can have anything you want because you are so wealthy, but you cannot have my daughter," Bennet insisted.

"What can I do to convince you of my worthiness?" Darcy asked, trying to remain reasonable.

"Leave Hertfordshire and do not return," Bennet insisted.

Darcy took a deep breath. "I cannot do that," he said. "If you insist, I will leave Longbourn, but I will return on Elizabeth's birthday with a license in hand. We will marry that same day, that is, if you are agreeable, Elizabeth."

"I would marry you today if I could do so without my father's consent," Elizabeth said, her chin high as she defied her father. "I hate the thought of you going away for two months, but if we must be parted so we may marry on February seventh, then so be it."

His eyes shone with love for her, and, forgetting her father was in the room, Darcy captured her hand with his. "I will be here on the morning of the seventh, my love, license in hand unless I hear from you or your father sooner."

Bennet stood and once again ordered Darcy out of his home. Largely ignoring him, Elizabeth kept hold of her suitor's hand and escorted Darcy to the front door, where, in full sight of her father, she kissed him on the lips before telling him goodbye. She whispered the direction of her aunt and uncle in London and encouraged him to pay them a visit when he returned to London. Elizabeth was hopeful they would agree to convey a message or two for her during this time.

When Darcy left, Elizabeth ignored her father's attempts to speak to her and walked into the drawing room. She let Mr. Bingley know his friend returned to Netherfield before sitting and joining them. Her father sent Mrs. Hill in twice to request her presence in his study, but she ignored both of these, retiring to her room after Bingley left.

After luncheon, Kitty and Lydia decided to go into Meryton to see what happened to Mr. Wickham. They did not hear the commotion in the hall earlier, nor had Bingley mentioned what occurred. They only knew that he had excused himself from their company and never returned. Their father ignored their plans but just before they were to leave, Elizabeth and Jane announced their intention of joining them.

Darcy was waiting for Elizabeth in the bookstore as she had requested. Jane remained with her as a chaperone while Darcy informed his intended what happened to Wickham after his cousin escorted him to Colonel Forster. On Monday, Wickham would be transported to London, and passage would be arranged for him to be transported either to the Americas or Van Diemen's land with the understanding he was never to return to England. He would receive five hundred pounds, which the ship's captain would hold until he arrived at his destination.

The other news he shared was that he would return to London on Monday as well to arrange for Wickham's transportation and to begin work on the marriage settlement and arrange for the special license.

"I hate to leave you for any length of time, dearest, thought it might be easier to convince your father if I do as he asks," Darcy said as they walked. "Do you think you will still be able to get away in the mornings until I depart on Monday?"

At her nod, he planned to meet her each morning he remained in Meryton as long as it were dry. With Wickham locked away, it should be safe, and he did not worry about her nearly as much.

Too soon, it was time to leave, and Elizabeth slipped him a note and whispered that she looked forward to seeing him again in the morning.

"So that was your Miss Elizabeth?" Fitzwilliam asked later that evening as the three gentlemen sat in the study at Netherfield drinking a glass of whiskey.

"Yes, that was my Elizabeth," Darcy agreed. "You saw her only a moment, but what did you think?"

"She is pretty, though perhaps not as classically beautiful as I would have expected. Quite spirited, though, seeing how she responded to Wickham's attempt to compromise her. Did she tell you how she knew that particular move?"

Darcy barked a laugh. "She was playing cricket with other neighbourhood children some years ago. She lobbed the ball toward one of the older boys, a young man of around fifteen years to her ten or eleven. Inadvertently, she hit him in the fall of his breeches." Both men listening reacted as men are prone to do at any mention of an injury to that particular part of their anatomy, and they groaned in sympathy. "He fell to the ground, howling in pain, and Elizabeth approached to offer assistance. He put her off until he caught his breath again and then, at her insistence, finally explained how any injury to that part of a man's body would cause intense pain. The young man — I think she said it was Robert Lucas — explained that if she ever needed to protect herself from a man who sought to importune her, a knee to the groin would incapacitate him at least long enough for her to get away. It is apparently a lesson she has never forgotten, although this was the first time she had to put it into practice."

Despite their relative discomfort, both Bingley and Fitzwilliam laughed at the story. "It is a good thing she recalled that lesson, although I would have preferred to cut it off for him. She must have applied significant force, as he walked funny for several minutes and was reluctant to mount his horse to accompany me to visit the good colonel." Fitzwilliam's grin fell away as he continued. "Wickham is presently housed in the stocks for his assault on a gentleman's daughter. Forster agreed to keep the matter silent and allow him to be prosecuted through the military courts for conduct unbecoming. Once he is stripped of his rank and dismissed, he will be conveyed to London and debtors' prison or the docks for transportation."

"Good," was Darcy's reply before he took another sip of port. Both Fitzwilliam and Darcy stared darkly into their drinks for several moments. Bingley was wise enough to keep silent, and eventually, both men seemed to recover. Fitzwilliam suggested a game or two of billiards and the other easily agreed. Little conversation was held for the rest of the evening.

A/N: So ODC have come to realise their feelings for each other. It is quick, but they both have seen, through dreams, the eventual outcome and had time to reflect on it. I can't seem to write a Mr Bennet who isn't awful. I don't know why the story always ends up going that way. Chapter 5 is written, but needs some editing before it gets posted.