Hello! For anyone who read my first ever post last week, this is a totally different take starting from the same scene. It's quite ridiculous, but I wanted to try something absurd and see where it might go. If you preferred the tone of "Why would you tell me that", this might not be for you, but I am hoping to continue that one as well.
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PP Chapter 33 - Elizabeth and Colonel Fitzwilliam walking in Rosings Park
"he congratulated himself on having lately saved a friend from the inconveniences of a most imprudent marriage"
"I knew it!" Elizabeth shouted triumphantly.
"Pardon? I don't quite understand. What is it you know?" The Colonel asked, equal parts confused and alarmed by the outburst.
"I knew your arrogant, hateful cousin had to be behind Mr. Bingley's abandonment of my dear sister last autumn!" she spat spitefully before continuing. "It is his despicable interference that has left the kindest, most beautiful woman in the world utterly bereft and brokenhearted, while Mr. Bingley is viewed as a rake and an inconstant cad who willfully toyed with the heart of a gentlewoman! Admittedly he deserves such a reputation for leaving like a thief in the night after courting her for weeks, but I was certain he hadn't the backbone to do such a thing without Mr. Darcy's urging in the most strenuous terms."
By now Elizabeth had stoked her latent indignation into a furious inferno at the injustices committed by Mr. Darcy. The Colonel was so taken aback by this speech and the vehemence with which it was spoken that he hardly knew where to look. Darcy hateful? Bingley a cad? He had never considered, let alone heard, such a thing. For certain there were villains enough in the world, but he never considered his cousin among them. Colonel Fitzwilliam began stuttering half-formed apologies, such as Mr Collins might without the benefit of rehearsing, in hopes of quelling Miss Elizabeth's ire long enough for him to wrap his head around the situation. Clearly his attempts to bolster Darcy's character in Miss Elizabeth's eyes had been somewhat less successful than he had hoped.
Just as he was considering how to salvage the situation, or at least take leave of Miss Elizabeth with all his limbs intact, the sound of someone whistling a merry tune reached them from further down the path. Both their heads snapped in the direction of the sound just as Mr. Darcy rounded the bend.