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“Do you think for one moment you would find happiness with him? The mere fact that you were able to marry above your sphere once by no means suggests you might do so a second time, that you might ever be so fortunate again. It is one thing to marry a naïve young man from a wealthy family, but your Mr. Darcy is no doubt a worldly gentleman of sense and education. He will never marry someone such as yourself; someone who is so far below him in consequence it is laughable.”
The realisation of his worst fears since first laying eyes on Darcy and Elizabeth in each other’s company finally having come to fruition, Geoffrey Collins would not be persuaded by what he perceived as her feeble attempts to deny the undeniable truth.
“Elizabeth, no pardon me, Mrs. Carlton—at least give me some credit for recognising lust when I see it, rather than continue to question my understanding. This has everything to do with him. For you to continue to deny it renders you all the more foolish, dare I even suggest duplicitous.
“In the end, it is for the best we do not marry, for if he has not staked his claim on your body as of yet, from what I know of his kind, it is merely a matter of time. Better, it should be with his mistress than with my wife!”
“You have purposely misread my meaning to suit your own selfish reasons. I implore you to be less condemning. We remain as family and our paths are bound to cross yet again. You shall see. My decision has nothing to do with Mr. Darcy!”
“Yes, our paths no doubt will cross again, which is why I ask you one thing. Admit the reason for your change of heart has everything to do with your feelings for this other man, and I will release you from this engagement with no accusations of breached promises or the like.”
Elizabeth stood firm, unmoving, speechless. It was more than that. He had to see it, even if he sought to assuage his hurt pride by wounding her own. Unforgiving looks on both sides quickly gave way to loathing, neither of them willing to bend.
Finally, Geoffrey Collins conceded. “You disgust me! You both disgust me! You two deserve each other!” He turned to quit the room but just then stopped and turned to meet with her unrelenting posture.
His thoughts by then were of how he had grown to care for her. What a disappointment she had been, forfeiting her promise, letting him down, and destroying his daughters’ hopes for a mother’s love. He had thought of her as an intelligent, sensible woman. He asked himself yet again how he had been so wrong.
“I shall take my leave of Hunsford at sunrise. Furthermore, I shall not upset Gillian and Emily with an abrupt uprooting of their stay. I will leave with the excuse of bringing their governess here to look after them. Mind you, when I return in four days hence, I shall not expect to find you here. Make whatever excuse you deem as necessary upon your departure.”
With that, he turned away once more, and upon quitting the room, closed the door forcefully.
Frozen there, it was as though time stood still before her, as Elizabeth considered what had become of her life and the uncertain, immediate future. Fragments of intense emotions abounded—alarmed and yet relieved, unsure and yet hopeful. At last, she was free.
