Elizabeth could hardly believed what had just happened. The proud, arrogant William Darcy had just proposed to her. 'He's in love with me' she thought. Her flattered feelings quickly faded however when she recalled the particulars of the proposal.

"Your family has no money, no importance, so this is definitely beneath me and the sphere I come from. However, this will be a great improvement for you and your family. Also there is the matter of the prenuptial agreement you will have to sign. As much as I love you, if we ever divorce, your family will encourage you to take me for all that I have."

"How dare you!" she told him. "Do you think that I am so desperate that I will marry you, despite your feelings and treatment of myself and my family? You have done everything in your power to separate your Charles and Jane and yet here you are proposing marriage to me? No, MR. DARCY I will not marry you. From the first moment I met you, I was impressed with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit and your selfish disdain for the feelings of other. I would not marry you if you were the last man on earth. So take your money and self-importance and leave now, please." With that she had thrown him out.

Elizabeth never told her sister Jane about what happened with William. She would have to explain so much if she did. She would have to let her know that it was Mr. Darcy who convinced Charles that he should not be involved with her. She would also have to tell him the awful things he had said about their family. 'I do not want upset Jane anymore. She is already suffering the pangs of a broken heart. This would only upset her more.' So Elizabeth called the only person she could share this with - George Wickham.

"I told you Darcy was that way. He thinks everyone should just cater to him because of his money."

"You were right George."

"Well I'm glad you told him off. I'm sure he was not expecting that!"

"Oh you should've seen the look on his face when I asked him to leave. I thought he would pop a vein in his head." Elizabeth said.

"Listen Lizzy, why don't we go out tonight? We can have a nice dinner and talk."

"I'd like that." So they made arrangements and met for dinner.

George Wickham and William Darcy had grown up together. George's father worked for the Darcy family and they were very close. George told her how jealous William was of his relationship with his father. Because of that jealousy, once Mr. Darcy died, William promptly fired George from his position and set about making his life miserable. George was forced to make his own way in the world and he did. He was working for the rival company and making good money. He was also a pleasant, charming man. He made her feel so special. She really liked him.

They had a lovely time at dinner. The next day at work, Elizabeth received a dozen roses from George at her job. She was taken with him. He continued to wine and dine her for the next 3 months. Meanwhile, Jane's love life was revived as well. Charles Bingley began once again to court her. They soon announced their engagement. Her mother was so happy. "My Janey is engaged to a very rich man. OH he is so handsome too. Think of the lovely home they will have. Home, it will be a mansion. Oh Oh Oh!!!" Mrs. Bennet just rattled on. 'No wonder Mr. Darcy thinks we are mercenaries'. Elizabeth was truly happy for her sister. It had pained her to see Jane so broken hearted. She no longer blamed Charles for what had happened. She knew him to be diffident and realized that because of his close relationship with William; he relied on his judgment heavily. She wondered what had caused him to change his mind, but she did not inquire of her sister.

Jane's wedding was lovely. She was her maid of honor. William Darcy was the best man. 'Great, just what I need.' They had not seen each other since his disastrous proposal. The first time they had seen each other was at the wedding rehearsal. George Wickham had come with her and it was obvious to everyone that they were a couple. That William was shocked was evident. 'How could she be with him? Does she know what she is getting in to? I have to warn her'. So at the wedding, William waited until they were alone and decided to speak with her.

"Elizabeth…"

"Miss Bennet to you!"

"Miss Bennet, I could not help but notice that you and Mr. Wickham are together. Are you a couple?"

"Yes we are! However I don't think that is any of your business."

"Perhaps it is not my business, but I feel it is my duty to warn you that Mr. Wickham is a very dangerous man. He is not to be trusted. I wish you would not see him."

"Well Mr. Darcy now I know you are the most presumptuous, arrogant, selfish man I've ever met. You figure that since you cannot have me, that no one should, especially the man who you feel took your father from you." Darcy's eye's widened with surprise. "Yes Mr. Darcy I know all about your dealings with George, how horribly you treated him. You were a horrible friend to him and a horrible friend to Charles. I don't know why he even deals with you. You certainly are worthy of him or George!"

"Miss Bennet, I do not know in what way Mr. Wickham has imposed himself on you. However, I assure you, I have done nothing to wrong him. He is a dangerous man. I realize you will not believe me, and so I will only ask you to please be careful and to take care of yourself." With that William went away from her. She did not tell George about that meeting. She did not want him to be upset by Darcy's slanderous words.

William on the other hand was very much disturbed by what he had seen and heard. 'She is under the impression that I have wronged that horrible person. She will never believe anything I say to her. How do I warn her?' Mr. Darcy decided to write her a letter.

Dear Miss Bennet,

I am writing you this letter, because I believe you are in grave danger. Please read what I am about to say to you. I realize you probably will not believe what I am telling you, because it is from me. But I must tell you any way, for your own safety.

I am sure George told you of our connection with each other. I am also sure he told you that once my father died that I just fired him and left him without any means of taking care of himself. However, I am sure he did not mention that he was fired for embezzling funds from the company. I am sure he also did not mention that the funds he took, I let him keep and did not pursue legal action against him.

What I am most sure that he did not mention is my younger sister Georgianna. I doubt he told you that he married her, abused her badly and left her pregnant and near death to go live with another woman. Fortunately she recovered and child is alive and doing well. The emotional scars he left her with will not heal as easily as the physical ones. I wanted to press charges against him and have him thrown in the jail, but my sister would not consent to it. So once again, he received a lump sum of money from me and he and Georgianna were quietly divorced.

I hope that you will be able to see the truth in these words before you find yourself in the same situation.

Sincerely Yours,
William T. Darcy

When Elizabeth read this letter, she was shocked. 'What a horrible slanderous thing to say about someone!' she thought. 'But why would he make up such a lie involving his sister and niece?' Elizabeth struggled with this question. 'It must be a case of his jealousy. George is not capable of this. However, I will ask him why Mr. Darcy would say such things.'

She asked George that evening when he came over to her apartment about what Mr. Darcy had said. At first he sat there stunned. He quickly recovered and told Elizabeth his version of the story. "I figured he would say I was embezzling money. However, the money he is referring to his father left to me. He had no choice but to let me have it. It was in the will. As for Georgianna, yes we were married. However, it was not I who left, but she. The child he is referring to is not mine, but the result of an illicit affair she had while we were married. It was her lover who beat her when she decided to come back to me. Oh Lizzy, I could never do the things he has accused me of. Do you believe me?

"Yes of course George. I knew it couldn't be true."

"Lizzy, I have fallen in love with you. You are so beautiful and intelligent. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

"Oh George, I don't know what to say?"

"Say yes."

"Yes George. Yes I will marry you."

He then kissed her and hugged her. Elizabeth was not able to see the evil smile on his face.