Beautiful Eyes

‘And at that moment I saw the life leave her beautiful eyes, even if she was not dead…’
 
Mr. Darcy paced up and down the hall as his cousin smirked. Colonel Fitzwilliam had never believed that the great Fitzwilliam Darcy would fall in love.

‘Beautiful eyes?’ he raised an eyebrow.

Mr. Darcy came to a halt, looking absent-minded. ‘Beautiful eyes, fine eyes; there is no material difference.’

‘For an acquaintance, you take great liberties in your description of Miss Bennet,’ said the Colonel as his grin widened.

Darcy’s eyes cleared. ‘Well, I—’

Deciding to be merciful to his cousin, Richard dropped his grin. ‘I understand that the subject of her sister’s elopement with Wickham is sensitive for you. Pray, continue with your account of your rescue of Bingley which you never did properly finish. Miss Bennet showed great interest in the matter.’
‘Did she? Wait,’ Darcy’s eyes widened, ‘you were the one who told her of the matter?’

The Colonel shrugged sheepishly. ‘I never mentioned the lady’s name.’

Darcy shook his head while looking horrified. ‘No! No wonder she refused my pro-‘

The Colonel raised his eyebrows, widening his eyes and leaving his mouth hanging open. Suddenly, he began to laugh, ‘Darcy, you asked her! You finally asked a lady to marry you,’ he was almost choking with laughter, ‘and she refused you. I cannot say I blame her!’

Darcy gave him a withering stare. The Colonel looked apologetic as he watched his cousin resume his daily haunt. Suddenly, Darcy turned to face him. ‘And why, pray, are you of the opinion that the prospect of marriage to me would be distasteful?’

The Colonel’s eyes flittered around the room, ‘Why, I never said anything of the sort. I noticed that you were always staring at her in Rosings and eavesdropping on her conversations.’ Darcy opened his mouth to speak but Richard shook his head. ‘She knew you did but could you blame her for attributing it to the dislike which she felt you had of her? Oh, and when did you propose?’

‘During our visit to Hunsford.’

‘That accounts for your severe ill-humour at the time. But it seems as if you two have at least become friends during her stay in Derbyshire.’

‘Yes, it does seem so.’ A pause hung over the room.

‘In which manner did you propose to her?’

‘You assume that it was offensive.’

‘You know that you are continually giving offence wherever you go, even without intending to do so.’

‘Very well; I told her of how ardently I admire and love her,’ the Colonel repressed a smile, ‘but I soon insulted her family and implied that I wanted to marry her against my will, against my reason and even against my character.’

The Colonel looked incredulous. ‘You really are an idiot, Darcy!’

Darcy nodded and said softly, ‘I know it; I have been a great idiot.’

‘What happened next?’

‘She told me of her opinion of me. From the very beginning of her acquaintance with me, my manners had impressed her with the fullest belief of my arrogance, my conceit, and my selfish disdain for the feelings of others. She charged me with being the means of ruining the happiness of a most beloved sister.’

‘So the lady was not insensible to Bingley?’

Darcy looked tired. ‘No, I simply assumed that she was.’

‘Pray, continue.’

‘She also charged me with reducing Wickham to his current state of poverty.’

‘What! And what did you do?’

‘Soon after she told me that I could not have made her the offer of my hand in any possible way that would have tempted her to accept it, I left.’

The Colonel guffawed, ‘She speaks her mind!’

‘Yes, she does. I should have told you months ago that I delivered a letter to her in the park, informing her of Wickham’s true nature.’

‘You did what?’

‘Miss Bennet would never seek to harm Georgiana’s reputation.’

‘I know that,’ Richard admitted. ‘But for you to trust somebody—’

A brief silence hung over the room.

‘I must go, Richard, and convince Wickham to leave Miss Lydia Bennet.’

The Colonel swung an arm around Darcy. ‘And I shall go with you, to London and beyond.’ Darcy raised an eyebrow. Richard allowed his grin to escape. ‘I simply must see Miss Bennet’s reaction to your second, and, I hope, last proposal.’