Author's note:
I've done very little writing before and none for the past few years, so I'm a bit rusty, but will hopefully improve! Feedback is welcome :) I'm also very short on time, so I'm trying for 80/20, so I can get chapters out regularly - I'm editing of course, but going for good, rather than perfect. I've got a decent outline planned, but I'm trying to write the chapters in order, so I can still take suggestions on board. I hope you enjoy the story!
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Prologue - Compromise
"You were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry!"
"Had you behaved in a more gentleman-like manner"
Fitzwilliam Darcy strode across Rosings Park, taking no heed of his surroundings, reliving the past 15 minutes in flashes.
"Your character was unfolded in the recital which I received many months ago from Mr Wickham"
He halted.
'On that front, at least, I may defend myself!'
He stalked back in the opposite direction, welcoming the shift from mortification to action. 'Miss Bennet should at least be informed that I'm more gentleman-like than that cad!'
He strode on.
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"You were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed upon to marry!"
"Your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others"
Then:
"You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you"
Elizabeth felt nauseated. She had initially been shaken by the encounter, but as that subsided, guilt began to set in.
She hated that man, but unlike Mr Collins, his speech indicated that he genuinely seemed to care for her, even if his actions never had. She was still furious when she recalled the things he said about her family and her station, but she had never expected Mr Darcy to think well of her, so she wasn't disappointed at all.
Conversely, she thought with increasing horror, Mr Darcy had just experienced the woman he loved rejecting him, brutally - all his hopes dashed in the cruellest way imaginable. No amount of arrogance or pride made a good man deserve that.
She stood up quickly - she may be able to catch him to apologise, soften the blow a little.
She dashed to the door and flung it open, only to be knocked to the ground by someone entering from the other side.
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Darcy rushed back into Hunsford, bypassing the maid with a tip of his hat and a mumbled 'excuse me', and dashing back to the sitting room where he had left Miss Elizabeth.
He reached for the door handle, but tumbled into the room as the door gave way abruptly, only just managing to put out his arms, to prevent him crushing the figure beneath him.
Elizabeth found herself on the floor, but couldn't quite understand what had happened. She tried to move but was trapped by a body, and realised with horror that it was, "Mr Darcy!"
"Miss Bennet! Are you well? Have I crushed you?"
He rolled over to the side, cautiously, without putting his weight on her any further. As they were still in the doorway, he seemed to be having trouble standing up.
"Please forgive me! I was walking too quickly, and the door just gave way, and – but are you well, Miss Bennet? Are you injured?"
He looked at her so tenderly, and for the first time, she began to perceive in his countenance what he had proclaimed to her earlier - he genuinely cared about her.
"I'm unharmed, Mr Darcy," she said, attempting to move her body backwards enough to allow her to sit up, "And if I had not been rushing out the door myself, this would not have occurred. So, I hope you can forgive me as well."
"Of course, Miss Bennet, but please allow me to help you to stand," replied Mr Darcy, anxiety growing in his voice, "It would not do for us to be found like this."
He reached for her hand, then her waist, then her hand again, seemingly unable to work out a way to help her that would be both delicate and effective. Just as he placed his hands on her waist, Elizabeth was startled to hear a shout from behind him -
"Oh! Mr Darcy! And Miss Bennet! Caught in the act!"
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Mr Collins hurried back to Hunsford to retrieve his sermon notes. Lady Catherine often gave him direction on his sermons, but it was rare that she wanted to hear his thoughts. So, when, shortly after Mr Darcy rushed out of Rosings, she asked to hear Mr Collins' work in progress, he dashed off, rehearsing his ideas aloud.
Rushing through the door and heading towards his study, he stopped in his tracks when he passed the sitting room.
"Oh! Mr Darcy! And Miss Bennet! Caught in the act!"
Mr Collins could scarcely believe it - his cousin was obviously a woman of low morals. The Good Lord must have protected him from the inevitable scandal of having a wife like that by 'redirecting' him to his Charlotte.
But still, Miss Elizabeth was staying in his household, and it was up to him to protect her.
And Mr Darcy! To think a relation of the excellent Lady Catherine would behave in this manner. Well! There was nothing for it -
"You'll have to be married!" he cried, "Mr Darcy, you have compromised my cousin, in my own home, and I demand you make this right."
The disgraced couple had managed to get to their feet while he was speaking.
"But it was an accident, Mr Collins! We have done nothing wrong!" cried Miss Elizabeth.
"Please, Mr Collins," said Mr Darcy, "I know this looks scandalous, but it was really quite an accident. The three of us are the only ones who know, and it can stay that way. There's no need for Miss Elizabeth and me to marry."
"Oh, I'm sure you would like to get out of this, Mr Darcy - Miss Elizabeth is, after all, quite beneath you - but I will not have that. What if she is with child? No, I cannot have my family disgraced! Or yours - oh, what will Lady Catherine say?"
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After 15 minutes of observing, and occasionally participating in, the argument, Elizabeth began to disengage. 'Why, oh why, did this have to happen?'
She was grateful for Mr Darcy valiantly trying to talk sense into Mr Collins - whether this dramatic turnaround of his wishes was for her sake, or simply because he didn't want to be joined to someone who despised him, she wasn't sure - but it was to no avail.
When Charlotte, Maria, Lady Catherine and Colonel Fitzwilliam arrived on the scene a few minutes later, a numb acceptance set in. She would marry Mr Darcy.