He needed quiet.
A strong emotion filled him. He could not describe it, and he hardly understood. It was about Elizabeth, it was about seeing her holding Emily until she fell asleep, and it was about watching her walk off to dance with another man.
He could not wish to give a name to the warmth that filled him when he thought about Elizabeth, nor the anger when he thought about Mr. Sykes.
He was not wholly under his own control.
Two horses, one straining towards the base, the earthly, and the vile, the other towards the heavens, and beauty, and the spiritual.
But which horse was which?
Darcy no longer knew.
Angry voices came up the hall. “You will do as I say. You will not antagonize my friend, and you will marry him if he is so kind as to still make you the offer.”
Mr. Collins pulled Elizabeth by the arm, while Mr. Sykes strolled behind, with a slight drunken stagger. He grinned like a cobra. Darcy stood in a dimmer corner and the group could not see him as they stopped.
Elizabeth stepped away from both gentlemen and glared without saying anything at the two.
“You will marry him,” cried Mr. Collins. “I am the senior man of your family, and I tell you to marry him.”
No reply from Elizabeth.
Mr. Collins added, “I promise you, I will have you thrown out. You will starve in the hedgerows. All your family as well. Is this how my generosity is to be repaid? Is this how my kindness is to be repaid? I did not need to marry your sister. I did not need to give you and your family a place to live. I still do not need to. And you defy me?”
“My hand in marriage is not yours to determine, but mine.”
“I am in the place of your father!” Then in a low tone, which attempted to menace, and which had echoes of Lady Catherine’s habitual tones, he said, “Cousin Elizabeth, I am most seriously displeased.”
Darcy stepped into the flickering light of the candelabra. He angrily interposed himself between Elizabeth and her cousin. “I am most seriously displeased as well. Have you taken leave of your senses, Collins?”
“Mr. Darcy, as much as I respect you as the honoured nephew of my benefactor, this is a family matter.”
“I am most deeply disappointed to find that someone who is so closely connected to the estate of my daughter acts as you do.” Mr. Darcy was filled with rage at him. “I promise you, I will not forget this.”
Mr. Collins paled. “Mr. Darcy, I do have respect for your opinions. But you are a father. Do you not agree that a daughtershould show a filial respect and piety to the wishes of the man God has set above her, and—”
“Youare not Elizabeth’s father. And I would wish my daughter to show no respect at all to a fool who has not the slightest concern for her happiness or wellbeing.”
“Now, now. Mr. Darcy, surely you know about Lady Catherine’s opinions on how daughters are to be raised.”
Mr. Sykes watched Darcy with a tilted head.
Elizabeth looked between them all with wide eyes. She was trembling slightly, and her face was pale.
“As for you, Mr. Sykes.” Darcy stepped towards the man. He was quite prepared to slap him and demand satisfaction, though Darcy did not know for what insult.
Sykes backed up. He laughingly raised his hands. “No, no, no! Mr. Darcy, Miss Bennet is a fine looking girl. Pretty and full of spirit. But I’m not fool enough to fightyouover her. If you want tohaveher, you mightenjoyher without anything said to the contrary byme. As great entertainment as it would have been to break her like a wild horse, I have ample sources for entertainment in other places.” Mr. Sykes bowed to Mr. Collins. “Apologies, old fellow, but I must remove myself from the lists. Darcy’slanceis too long and accurate. Hope he’ll come up to scratch for you, but even if he will not, I am done. I’ve more than one girl who has agreed to dance with me in the other room. Buh-bye.”
Collins looked in confusion between the two of them after Mr. Sykes left the hallway. “Surely not. Mr. Darcy, you know that you must build your life as a sacred shrine to the memory of the sainted Anne de Bourgh, and—”
“He does not mean to marry me,” Elizabeth said quietly. “He has after all promised himself to never marry, and he does not break his promises. You need not worry, nor hope.”
“What you ought to worry about,” Darcy said, “is that I will find a way to make your life difficult in Hunsford if I hear that you have made Miss Bennet’s life difficult, or that of her family, because she did not choose to marry as you ordered her to.”
“Mr. Darcy, you know that I am the loyal servant of your aunt. She hoped to see Mr. Sykes find a good wife. One who would not, perhaps, allow him to drink so much. And Miss Elizabeth lives under the pole of my tent. It is my place to dispose of her as I will—”
“I am determined to live in London with my aunt and uncle,” Elizabeth said clearly. “No more living under your Abrahamic authority. I shall return with them after they visit for Christmas.”
