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Chapter 6

Everybody stayed frozen in time for such a long moment that the awkward silence became a tangible ringing about the room. Ella just stood there gawking, her mouth opening and closing in an attempt to salvage the situation and rescue them both, but she did not manage to utter a single sound.

"Elizabeth! I AM WAITING!" bellowed Mr Bennet.

InElizabeth'srush to extricate herself from Mr Darcy, she pressed her open hands firm against his chest as she regained her balance, instinctively resting the entire length of her body and full weight into his firmness and felt his muscles contract beneath her fingertips. With a gasp she quickened her efforts to get up her knee connected with his gut. Hard.

"Ouff, for the love of -" gruntedMr Darcy,with string of strong curses under his breath, that was most definitely not meant for gentle ears. Thankfully her father was not within earshot. She was not certain how much more the poor man could take, before steam erupted from his nostrils and ears.

"Papa, it is not as it seems." Elizabeth hurried to tell him, smoothing her skirts self-consciously. "The bookcase, the ladder, it – it swung open! How was I to know?! And then I tripped and-"

"ENOUGH!" Roared Mr Bennet."Mr Darcy,explain yourself this instant!" levelling him with glower that most men would bulk not Mr stood proud and faced her father head on.

"It is as Miss Elizabeth said, the bookcase is a door and as she had gone to select a book, Miss Elizabeth coincidentally chose the very book that turns the bookcase into a doorway which happens to open into my study. Upon seeing me, Miss Elizabeth rushed to leave but she lost her balance. I tried to stop her from falling but caught my foot on the ladder and well… then you entered to find us – uh - the way you did." he ground his teeth at the lack of eloquence in his explanation sounding weak to his own ears. In truth he sounded like a moron. His sister looked suspiciously like she was fighting the urge to laugh but then made the mistake of looking up at him and instantly quieted.

"Lizzy is that what happened?" Mr Bennet asked now ignoringMr Darcy,in his search for the truth.

"Yes!" she said louder than intended. Clearing her throat, she repeated herself once more, in what she hoped was calmer than her previous exclamation. "Yes, it is."

Unable to meet her father's gaze she stared resolutely at his right ear. Elizabeth couldn't look at the left one as that was where Jane and Ella stood. She was too afraid they would be able to see the part thatMr Darcyhad chosen not to mention the part where he had kissed her senseless against the bookcase.Good Lord, this was madness! She thought to herself as a blush stained her cheeks. Why did she always have to be so curious?!

"Well Mr Darcy, I know that Lizzy, Jane, and I shall certainly not spread any gossip that may harm my daughter's I count on you and Miss Eloise,to keep this quiet?"

"Of course, Mr Bennet and our staff here are loyal and would not allow any gossip to spread." answered Ella, after her brother had looked at her with a slight desperation as his jaw clenching spasmodically.

"I am glad to have that settled then." said Mr Bennet, still eyeingMr Darcy warily."But I must assure you that I will be having another private discussion with my daughter tomorrow and if I find any other reason behind us finding her in such a compromising position with you in this Library-"

"My Lizzy and Mr Darcy…COMPROMISED! MR BENNET?" All eyes went to the doorway of the library as the whirlwind that was Mrs Bennet, came in with all the dramatics of a Dame!Fitzwilliamhad never in his life been more tempted to choke a woman!I had been so close to escaping the shackles of matrimony!He thought to himself screwing his eyes shut and pinching the bridge of his nose trying to quell his anger and panic in order to maintain control over his emotions.

Elizabeth's world seemed to slow down from the first utterance of Mrs Bennet entering the room escorted by Hugo, who seemed frozen to the spot, his gaze continuously movingfrom Mr Darcy toElizabethto could not bring herself to even look atMr Darcy, she was furious with him and with herself! Now that her mother knew, all hell would break loose.

"Bloody hell!" Hugo cursed under his breath.

"You will insist he do the honourable thing by your daughter this instant, Mr Bennet!" demanded Mrs Bennet to her husband whose eyes rolled backwards, a pained expression contorting his features.

"No!" gasped Elizabeth, as Jane's hands flew to her moved to go toElizabeth'sside,but her mother stepped in her way.

"Bloody Hell!" cursed Hugo once more.

"You're all mad!Surely this does not change what had been decided moments ago?" said Fitzwilliam,clearly trying to remain calm but not doing a very good job of it.

"You mean to compromise my daughter and abandon her?! I heard my husband – Ohh, If he does not marry, Mr Bennet will call him out! Ohh it is too much! I need my smelling salts! Jane! Jane!" she said, clawing Jane's arm to support herself.

"Bloody Hell!" Cursed Hugo once more.

"Shut up, Hugo!"Mr Darcy,barked at his brother who was still looking around gormlessly.

"Papa, please?" Elizabeth pleaded in a quiet voice, rushing over to grasp her father's hand, her eyes searching his. She knew she would never be able to reason with her mother and in fact knew her mother would have tried to concoct a similar situation for either of her daughters with any gentleman of good fortune, let alone seeing this mansion of a town house in the most affluent part of London. But her father was a fair man, he would help her if he could.

"I am sorry my dear girl, I cannot see any way around this, I have to protect yours and your sister's reputations." said Mr Bennet, looking at his wife who had now stopped her panting and complaining, no doubt sensing her victory just around the corner. And then as if choreographed the whole room as one turned towardsMr Darcy who stood still as a statue, not looking at did not however take a genius to see that he was seething. Every part of his being screaming at his need to be anywhere but there, like a caged animal preparing to ward off an attack.

"Fitzwilliam?" said Ella, walking up to him and stopping a few feet away. If she could just get him to look at her, she might be able to see what he was thinking and know how to handle the situation. Ella knew her brother well enough to know that he never acted through his emotions or desires, he was always in control and never did anything without anticipating every outcome. Her and Hugo had joked at dinner, that there was an undercurrent of…somethingbetween MissElizabethand Fitzwilliam, and the way they had been looking at each other when they had come upon them, Ella knew there was something more connecting them, whether they knew it themselves yet or not.

"Mr Darcy?" It wasElizabethwho spoke this time although, she made no attempt to get any closer to him.

Fitzwilliamheard her, but still he could not move, he was trying to go through every possible way to extricate himself from this situation. Unfortunately, there was no conceivable way to do so without attaching a scandal to both of their names. With him it would eventually go away, but the damage would be irreparable to the Bennet's and they did not deserve that. His hands were tied. Taking a deep breath and smoothing his features, his posture became unyielding as he looked up and addressed the room all waiting his decision with bated breath.

"We will marry by the end of the month." he said, completely devoid of emotion or expression.

"Thank goodness for that!" said Mrs Bennet, clapping happily as though it were a genuine engagement. "My Lizzy and Mr Darcy!"

"No Mama, we cannot do this! I cannot marry a man who does not wish to marry me!" Exclaimed Elizabeth.

He raised a brow at her, "You do not wish to marry me either. We shall have to make the best of a bad situation." he said with finality, before giving a small, clipped bow and quitting the room.

"Bloody Hell!" said Hugo once more.

"Shut up, Hugo!" snapped Ella, as she raced out of the room spied him nearing the end of the corridor. She picked up her skirts and ran after him.

"Fitzwilliam." she called, but he showed no indication that he had heard her and rounded the corner. He did that sometimes; he would become so wrapped up in what was troubling him that he would put all those around him on mute.

"Fitzwilliam - STOP!"She shouted breathlessly, as she had followed him round the same corner. He stopped so abruptly that Ella skidded to halt, in her effort not to collide with his back. He turned to face her, his expression shuttered not allowing her in.

"Well?" he asked, after a few moments raising both his eyebrows as he shrugged impatiently. But she did not know what to say. What could she possibly say in this situation? She had never had to comfort her eldest brother; he always had the answers and had always looked after them and now it was her turn to do the same for him and she was failing him in colossal way. Her eyes began to fill with tears and her bottom lip quivered, completely of their own accord and she tried her hardest to maintain her composure but when he held his arms out to her, she failed at that too!

"I am sorry. I did not mean to snap at you, Ella. All will be well I promise, it is all a bit of a shock. Didn't you say earlier this week you would see me married this year?" he said, trying to inject a bit of levity into the situation.

"Fitzwilliam!"she said, crossly swatting his shoulder before burying her face back into it.

"Too soon?" he chuckled, but it didn't sound quite like him. Ella squeezed him tight a few minutes more feeling safe in his embrace. He didn't give them out often, but he really did give the best hugs! "Come now you must go and rescue Hugo and see our guests out. We men are useless at playing hostess."

"Goodness me, they deserve a medal for being stuck with him right now." she giggled.

"Make my apologies to our guests, but I fear I would be even worse company than usual if I was to return. And you all didn't think it was possible!" he said, as he stepped back. He bid her a goodnight and was so out of sorts he bowed… bowed politely to his sister before taking his leave. Ella stood for a minute more before a harried Mr Hudson appeared saying that Hugo was requesting her presence in the library. She asked Mr Hudson to ready the carriage to take the remaining guest's home and went on her way to her brothers rescue.