Beginning, Section II
Jump to new as of August 17, 2000
Jump to new as of August 21, 2000
Jump to new as of August 23, 2000
"Andrew was right away granted my fathers permission to marry me," Elanore stated thoughtfully, as she and Emily walked through the beautiful gardens of Pemberley.
"I'm positively delighted," Emily said sincerely. "Have you set a date for the wedding yet?"
"No. We aren't quite sure yet. My parents and I are going to visit his family at Longbourn within the next week or two. We will set the date then."
"And you will meet his family as well, I presume?" Emily asked, trying her hardest not to crack a smile at the thought. She couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Elanore meeting Mr. Collins, her mother's cousin and Andrew's most humble father.
"Yes. Em, what do you know of them? Do you know them to be... good people?"
"Indeed, Elanore. They are most decidedly the best of people you shall ever come in contact with. The are your husband-to-be's parents, after all. Mrs. Collins is a saint. She has lived with Mr. Collins for many a year now, and she hasn't left him, no matter how annoying he becomes." Emily said.
"Andrew said as much. He says his mother is rather plain looking (or so he is told) but on closer acquaintance, no one would ever notice anything wanting. I do look forward to meeting her. I don't look forward to meeting is father though. I know that sounds awful, Em, but from what Andrew has told me...! He says he loves his father, but he is a very embarrassing man. Do you know this to be true?"
"Indeed. Mr. Collins is a very good man, but he can become...embarrassing, and a little annoying. I'm sure you will learn to love him in time, though. And as his soon-to-be daughter-in-law he will love you with every inch of his heart. He has a very large heart, Elanore. He loves many people."
"That is quite a compliment, Emily. Is it true, or are you trying to comfort me in my distress?"
"Both, Elanore. It is very true, and telling you the truth is my way of comforting you." Here Emily paused thoughtfully. "Do you like being complimented? Because Mr. C--" She finally asked.
"I hear Mr. Collins does an excessive amount of that too," Elanore laughed. "Andrew says he was named after a Catherine de Bourgh's husband. It was some sort of compliment to the lady, for she had no sons to name after her very dear husband; or some such nonsense. If Mr. Collins followed customs, Andrew's name would be William. I'm thankful, however, that his name is not William. I don't believe I could love a William half as much," Elanore said jokingly.
The ladies walked quietly through the shrubbery, toward the house. The spell of silence was broken by no one for some time. Elanore finally broke it, however, by saying, "Emily, can you not tell me whether or not you love any certain man?"
"Oh, I see how it is, Elanore! Once you become 'happy' you are bound and determined to make the most determined old maid into the wife of some man!" Emily smiled jestingly at her friend.
"Seventeen is hardly an 'old maid', Emily," Elanore protested.
"Yes, but in the future, I shall be the oldest, ugliest, meanest old maid on earth! That is my goal. For now, however, I'm just practicing," Emily said playfully.
Elanore still wanted an answer, and she would not be sidetracked by Emily. "Well...is there someone?" Elanore pressed.
"I'd rather not say," Emily murmured. She gazed into the sky. She wondered how many times in her life she had done that, hoping Alexander was looking out into the deep blue sky, thinking about her, as she thought about him every day.
"Then you are in love!" Elanore cried wildly. She laughed mischievously. "Who's the man, Emily? Come now, I tell you everything!"
"Of that I have no doubt. My life is not an open book for every one to read. Telling my feelings to someone makes the possibility of earning his love disappear, little by little. Are your questions and words supposed to encourage me? No I don't want to tell you--not yet, at least. Maybe someday, perhaps after I marry him," Emily paused to laugh at the possibility. "But not now. Maybe not ever," Emily said decidedly, and poor Elanore was resigned to leave it at that, for they were just entering the house, and Elanore did not believe it would be at all advantageous if Mr. or Mrs. Darcy overheard the conversation.
The Walker family left for Longbourn with in the next week, and a two weeks after that the Darcy's received an invitation to the wedding that was to make Mr. William Collins the happiest of men, and in reality, it was to make Mr. Andrew Collins and the soon to be Mrs. Andrew Collins two of the happiest people in creation.
Mrs. Darcy was quite surprised that Andrew and Elanore were rushing so quickly into marriage. "It seems they have known each other but a day!" She complained to her husband. She hated the thought of Emily's best friend getting married, for it seemed to predict Emily's wedding, and leaving Pemberley.
"My dear Eliza!" Mr. Darcy said, as he wrapped his arms around his wife. "Do you not remember those weeks before we were married? We both wished we had set an earlier date. I myself had hoped for a fortnight after that first Easter...but you would not have me then."
"You are a very funny man, Mr. Darcy, but if you had not badgered me into it, I would not have married you at all!" Mrs. Darcy laughed.
"And how, pray, did I 'badger' you into marriage, Mrs. Darcy?" Mr. Darcy asked.
"By being so nice and likable. I have never been able to resist a likable man."
"So there has been more than one likable man in your life?"
"No, just one, but I could never resist him," Elizabeth said teasingly.
By that time the wedding between Mr. Collins and Miss Walker was all but forgotten, and violently thrown into the back of the minds of both Mr. and Mrs. Darcy. The only thing that could be thought about was each other as they kissed. They still did, and always would love each other so much.
The Darcy's felt quite responsible for the upcoming marriage. If Andrew had not come to visit Pemberley, he would not have met Elanore at all. In light of that, and their good terms with both the families involved, Mrs. Darcy and Emily volunteered to help with the wedding preparations, and Mrs. Walker and Elanore readily agreed to their help.
The few weeks before the wedding moved along swiftly. Every day was full of busyness. Although she was staying at Netherfield with her Aunt and Uncle Bingley, she did not see Alexander. Alexander had gone to London to attend to a few business affairs, and planned to be home in time for the wedding. At first, Emily had thought Alexander had left for London, simply to evade any confrontation between himself and the women he loved--Elanore--who was on the verge of marring a close relative of his. But, however, after much deliberation, Emily decided that could not be right. If Alexander still loved Elanore, why would he plan to come to the wedding at all? Surely he would not want to see the women he loved wed to any man but himself!
Mrs. Walker suggested that Elanore, Emily and herself spent one full week in London, to buy pretty dresses, and fabric, and ribbons, and flowers, and everything that was needed to make the wedding wonderful, and to make the beginning of the two lovers lives together even better. Emily did not want to go, but as a brides maid, it was her duty to help Elanore in every way possible, even if it meant doing something she did not wish to do.
"I love London!" Elanore cried rapturously as she climbed out of the carriage. Emily grunted her agreement as she climbed out after her friend.
"Indeed, Miss Darcy," Mrs. Walker said, as she climbed out after Emily. "You are very lucky to have a friend such as Elanore, who will invite you on such wonderful excursions. I have noticed that since your last sister's (was it Miss Anne?) marriage, your parents have not given you as many pleasureful journeys. You should be exceedingly grateful to both of us."
Emily did not like to feel like she was being forced to be grateful for something--especially something she was nothing but unhappy about--and that made her very moody.
"You are right, Mrs. Walker," Emily said with Lady Catherine condescension, "I should be very grateful to you, and I am. You can not begin to guess how grateful I am to get away from Meryton and everyone in it. Of course it is very doubtful that my parents would ever even think of taking up our townhouse in London, and seeing the sights as a family."
Mrs. Walker was quite taken aback at Emily's reproof. She had gone through her entire life in Derbyshire feeling that her only daughter was inferior to Emily Darcy. When Andrew Collins name was first spoken in her house, by her daughter, she had naturally assumed that Emily would marry him, and her daughter would marry someone with lesser quality, and standards. She always felt that Emily got everything good and wonderful in the world, leaving what ever was left for poor Elanore. But this time Elanore had won the battle. Elanore had won the love of Andrew Collins. 'Of course Emily is in love with Andrew,' she thought to herself. 'What young lady would not love him. Her anger must be stemmed toward her jealousy of my poor daughter, because in Andrew's eyes, she is the beauty, and Emily is ugly and haggard. Poor Elizabeth must be heart broken that her daughter did not catch Andrew!'
"You must be tired after the long journey, Miss Darcy," Mrs. Walker said out loud. "You do have a rather delicate constitution. I pride my self on the fact that my dear daughter does not get warn out as easily as you do. I suppose, however, that's what comes to the girl whose parents let her sit about the house, employed at nothing, day in and day out." She gave Emily a significant look, then put her nose in the air as she led Emily and Elanore into the small, dingy house where they would be staying for the next week.
The Walker Townhouse had belonged to the Walker family for years. It had been handed down to Mr. Walker from his father, and since Elanore was the family's only living relation, she would get the house as part of her inheritance, along with their large home in Derbyshire (which was nothing compared to Pemberley; unless, of course, you asked Mrs. Walker, who believed it to be much more than Pemberley). Over the years, however, the house had fallen into disrepair. It was dirty and drafty. Many an occupant had caught an awful cold from staying in that house. Mrs. Walker had assigned one servant to take care of the house, but since the family rarely stayed there, she ceased to take good care of it.
"Well, this is cozy, isn't it?" Mrs. Walker said, trying to fool her daughter's companion into believing it really was.
"Indeed," Emily lied, not wanting to further hurt Mrs. Walker's feelings.
"It used to be better," Elanore whispered to Emily as they climbed the dimly lit staircase to the room where Emily would be staying.
"I can imagine that it used to be the talk of the town. It was probably once a grand estate, where balls and parties were held in honor of birthdays and other grand occasions. But when no one came, the house grew quiet and lonely. Finally it grew tired of waiting for something to happen, and bowed its dear head in despair, letting it self die, and rot," Emily whispered.
"Humm, something like that. I doubt that this house has feelings though, Emily. You really ought to pull your head down from the sky. It can't be healthy to live a dream life. You'll never find a husband if you make all men think you are insane," Elanore said crossly.
"So now you are the expert on men," Emily retorted, furiously. Emily was upset that she was being mistreated first by Mrs. Walker, and now by the women who was supposed to be her best friend.
"Well, since I'm getting married...I believe I do have the upper hand, haven't I?" Elanore asked, equally angry.
"You are getting married, so now you believe you have the right to treat me ill. Is that how everything works now?" Emily asked. She was getting angrier by the minute. "Maybe you are just upset because you are having second thoughts about marring Andrew. You know as well as I do that Mr. Alexander Bingley is in town, and you hope to run into him. You hope that the presence of his cousin (me) would draw him here, so you might be able to work you charms on him, so he can steal you away from Andrew."
"You poor disillusioned girl!" Elanore cried. She was upset that this girl, who was supposed to be her best friend, was accusing her of such nonsense. "How could you believe I would have second thoughts? I love Andrew more than any man on earth. Where do you come of believing yourself to have the right to accuse me of such rubbish?" Elanore's voice grew louder, as her she grew angrier. "My mother was right. You are in love with Andrew. You said once that you would tell me who you loved once you were married to him. Does that mean you are trying to steal Andrew away from me. Are you trying to separate us?"
"My goodness!" Emily whispered, scrunching up her face like she always did when she was especially mad. "Why on earth would I want to marry Andrew. I detest his father. What would make you think I would want to marry into a family such as that? They are practically penniless, and live in an ugly house which was entailed upon them."
"So you hold the fact against them? You are such a prejudice little girl! I could never believe you to be so mean to those who are not as fortunate as you and I. Take it back, Miss Emily, take it all back!"
By this time Emily had been driven to far to comfortably take any of what she had just said back, so she opened the door to her room, walked in and shut it; leaving a bewildered Elanore standing in front of the door. What was it that they were really fighting about? How had it all started? Elanore suddenly felt awful. In her anger she had said many things she normally would never have said, especially not to Emily.
She was about to nook on the door, and ask for Emily's forgiveness, when Emily threw the door open. "You are still here?" She asked. Her eyes looked sad. She looked at the floor, obviously very embarrassed, and suddenly shy.
"I'm sorry," Elanore blurted out.
Emily looked up at Elanore, shock now covered her face. "I--I'm sorry too. I should never have said such awful things about Mr. Collins and Andrew. Please forgive me."
"Only if you forgive me," Elanore said.
'And that is how true friends should act,' Emily thought to herself, as she gave Elanore a hug. Although both were disgruntled, and tired from their journey, they had patched up their battered and bused friendship, and for that, both girls were eternally grateful.
Emily took another sip of her tea, before she said, "Do you think we will go shopping tomorrow?"
"Oh!" Mrs. Walker cried indignantly. "You are bored of our company already, are you?"
'Indeed, Mrs. Walker, one could not begin to express how quickly one tires of your chummy company!' Emily thought, condescendingly. She said, however, "No indeed, madam. It is quite cozy and nice here, just the three of us, but it has been some time since I have seen the sights of London, that I am rather impatient to begin again."
"As you should be, Miss Darcy, but 'Patience is a virtue, virtue is a grace, and all put together makes a very pretty face!'" Mrs. Walker recited.
'That's probably one of the few things Mrs. Walker ever set about to memorize... something to demoralize me,' Emily thought, but she only smiled, and said nothing.
"Mama!" Elanore cried. "Emily is our guest. You should not make her feel so uncomfortable. She was paying you a compliment." Emily threw a thankful glance at her friend, before taking another sip of her bitter tea.
"Did you make this tea your self?" Emily asked Mrs. Walker. Mrs. Walker readily gave the affirmative. She was more than willing to show off her handiwork to stuck up Miss Darcy. "It shows," Emily said, trying her hardest to keep the sarcasm from creeping into her voice.
"Thank you, Miss Darcy," Mrs. Walker said. "That is a very sweet compliment, and more readable than the last, I might add."
'You might add a few small numbers, but when it gets to the bigger, I'm sure you would be quite lost," Emily thought. She looked down at her tea in time to hide the roll of her eyes.
"If you please, Madam, there is a visitor here to see you," Polly, the one servant in the house said.
"Show the person in!" Mrs. Walker shouted rudely, for she did not like Polly very much, and wished to be rid of her as soon as possible.
Polly curtsied, and stepped away from the door. Emily was shocked when Alexander walked into the room.
"You may leave now, Polly," Mrs. Walker said, and with a final curtsy, Polly was gone, closing the door behind her.
Emily stood and curtsied to Alexander's bow, blushing the entire time. Elanore's face was not with out a blush either. Her cheeks were a brighter shade of red than Emily's. However, Alexander did not notice Elanore's blush, for all he saw was the bright shade of scarlet inflaming his dear cousin's cheeks. Could it be possible that the blush was a result of some deeper feelings toward him?
"How's my little cousin?" he asked Emily.
"As you can see, Alexander, I'm not that little any more," she answered, her words were filled with meaning.
"Then how are you Miss Darcy?" he asked, changing his question. he felt sure he understood the full meaning of her words. She meant to tell him she was old enough to fall in love, and old enough to be loved, didn't she?
"I'm quite well, now. And you?" Emily asked.
"Now that I have seen for my self that you are in London, I couldn't be better." He then turned his attention to Elanore, leaving Emily to ponder the meaning of his words. "Miss Walker. I hear from my mother that you are to be married at the end of next week. How splendid! You couldn't have chosen a better man than Andrew. I am certain the two of you will be quite happy together."
"Yes, I'm very sure we shall," Elanore said, but it was not Andrew that was in her mind, or strumming the her heart strings, or causing the fierce blush on her cheeks.
"It is very good to see you once again, Mrs. Walker," Alexander said, taking the good lady's hand in his own.
"Yes, I am happy to see you once again as well," Mrs. Walker said, suspiciously. She had long suspected a certain preference on her daughter's part for Alexander Bingley, but her falling in love with him was not to be born! Andrew Collins was written in the will of one Lady Catherine De Bourgh. He was entitled to half her fortune once he picked a bride, and the day he was married, half her wealth would be given to him to do what he pleased with. Alexander Bingley, on the other hand, was the fourth son of a wealthy man, but being the fourth son had no great benefits, and an amount of wealth that was not to be called a large fortune, if it could be called a fortune at all, that is.
"Will you be home in time for the wedding?" Emily asked.
"Yes. I wouldn't miss it for the world! I shall be home two days before, and probably no earlier," Andrew replied.
The conversation did not last much longer than that. Andrew had only stopped to visit for a moment, for he had business in that part of town.
"I'll see him out, Mother," Elanore said, jumping up as Alexander began to excuse himself.
"There is no occasion for that, Elanore," Mrs. Walker said nervously. Her every thought was on how Mr. Bingley must love her daughter. Elanore was going to marry Mr. Collins if her life depended on it!
"If I do it, Polly will not have to be called," Elanore entreated her mother, hopefully. Alexander looked confusedly at his cousin, but her face betrayed nothing of Elanore's plot in begging to see him to the door.
Mrs. Walker slowly complied, and watched them leave the room together.
"I smell a rat near by," Emily tried laughing, as she choked down her tears.
"You don't think...Elanore doesn't have feelings for him, does she? And Mr. Bingley, he doesn't love her, does he?" Mrs. Walker asked. She found the need to lean on Emily to find out any news about her daughter's love affairs.
"Not two months ago, Mrs. Walker, Elanore expressed to me her deep feelings of love for Andrew," Emily began. She took a deep breath, and continued, "Not two months before that, Elanore expressed to me her deep feelings of love for Alexander. I don't know what she feels. I don't believe she knows what she feels."
Elanore walked with Alexander to the front door. When they stopped at the door, she stepped ahead of Alexander, and put herself between himself and the door. "Do you think you will be able to visit again before we leave?" She asked delicately.
"I would certainly hope so, for I greatly enjoy your company. However, I depends on how soon you are to leave," Alexander said.
Elanore immediately took his first statement to mean he greatly enjoyed HER company, and detested that of Emily and Mrs. Walker. She smiled shyly at Alexander, her heart beat quickly, as she said, "We will leave after you pay us a second visit."
Alexander nodded. "Well, I really must be going," He said, trying give her the hint to move away from the door, with out making her feel bad.
"But you will come back!" Elanore cried, not moving herself one inch away from the door.
"I'll try," Alexander said. He couldn't help but feel nervous about this plan. It seemed almost as if Elanore was hinting at his visiting only herself. This seemed highly improper. Elanore was engaged to be married! "Now if you please, I really must be going," he said quietly, trying not to lose his patients.
"Emily," a soft voice said. Emily turned from her seat at the dressing room table to see Elanore standing in the door way. She was pale, and hardly looked like herself.
"What is it, dear?" Emily cried. "Are you unwell? Is there anything I can get for you? Shall I call Polly?"
"N-no, you needn't do that," Elanore stuttered. "There is something I must tell you. I haven't been able to sleep all this night, and I knew somehow that you would be awake, and you would understand."
"What is it?" Emily repeated.
"I thought you would like to be the first to know that I am going to run off with Alexander, and marry him," Elanore said bluntly.
"What?" Emily said dumbly. She couldn't understand what she had just heard. Perhaps she wasn't hearing correctly.
"I'm going to elope with Alexander."
"Is that what you discussed with him this afternoon?" Emily demanded, trying her hardest to keep her cool. "I cannot believe Alexander agreed to such a scream!"
"He hasn't yet, and we haven't even talked of it. I just know he will, and I'm sure he loves me. You should have heard some of the things he said, and the expressions on his face as we spoke. He seemed almost sad to be leaving me, and upset that I was to be marring someone other than himself. You understand, Emily, that there is no other way to do it than to run off."
"And I thought you cared about Andrew's feelings," Emily scoffed. Now she was angry. She couldn't imagine Alexander agreeing to the plan, especially since it included hurting Andrew.
"Andrew?" Elanore asked. "Why, I do care about his feelings. How could you be so cold, Emily?"
"Cold." Emily repeated. "Do you believe it's 'cold' to ask what you are going to do about the feelings of the man you were about to marry?"
"Well, that's what I need to talk to you about. I realize that Andrew will be upset about losing me, for I am quite a catch, if I do say so myself. That is where you come it. You will help smooth the situation over for him. Walk with him. Talk with him. You will have to fill my shoes in his mind. I'm sure that with a little effort you will do nicely."
"Yes," Emily said, "I'm sure I shall. And maybe, as time passes, he will grow out of his love for you, as he is bound to do, and he will transfer all that love he had centered on you to me. Then I shall marry him."
"That's quite impossible, Emily. He loves me, and he will never be able to outgrow it, or transfer it to anyone else." Elanore said. The anger rose in her voice. Imagine Andrew falling in love with Emily!
"Well, you seem to have been able to transfer your love rather quickly. You told me that you could never love anyone but Andrew, and I believed you. I was foolish then. I am resigned, however, to never be foolish again. I am never again going to believe a word you say. Now, would you please remove yourself from my sight. I never wish to look upon your face again." And Elanore left, running back to her room with her tail between her legs. She hadn't expected Emily to react like that!
Emily Darcy sat just within the meager library at Netherfield. The sun shone brightly in the window on Emily's right, and the birds chirped their sweet melody. Everything around her seemed so happy. There was a hustle and bustle to get everything ready for the wedding; the wedding which Emily knew was never going to happen.
"How could Elanore be so stupid?" Emily asked her self aloud. She didn't understand what had possessed Elanore to fall in love with another man, when she was as of yet still engaged to Andrew. No word had come from Mrs. Walker, stating Elanore's removal from London, and in the same light, no word of apologies came from Elanore to Andrew. To everyone in the house but Emily, everything was normal, and pristine. The only worry to trouble anyone were those of wedding plans, not the weddings actual occurrence, that was a given!
Emily fell back onto the cushioned couch, and picked up the book she had been reading. She was reading her favorite play, by William Shakespeare, "Julius Caesar". It was a play filled with betrayal of friends, and ill feelings. The play had always seemed irrelevant to real life, until that moment. At that moment Emily was had reached the point of no return. Either she betray Elanore's confidence to everyone and save Elanore from her fate, or she let Elanore's stupidity play out without any intrusion. She didn't know what do do.
Emily gazed blankly at the page of her book. What was she going to do?
"Miss Darcy! It's a delight to see you once again," a familiar voice said. The voice came from the door, and Emily knew in an instant that it was Alexander. She dared not look up from her book, for fear that her excitement at seeing him would show too much. Now that he was undoubtedly a married man, it would be quite improper.
"Hello," she murmured, still starring at the page of her book.
"What are you reading, Emily?" Alexander asked.
"A book," Emily replied, hoping her voice wasn't shaking too much.
"What book?" Alexander asked, feeling he was not getting anywhere in the conversation.
"Just a book," her nervousness had somehow gotten hold of her tongue, and it made any real speech quite impossible.
"Aaah," Alexander said. He wrung his hands nervously. He was at a loss for words. It seemed like Emily was shunning him, for some reason. "Well, I must be going," He said after standing in the library entrance for a few minutes, while Emily "read" her book.
Emily looked up just in time to see him turn sadly around, and walk out of the library.
After their brief encounter, Emily and Alexander saw no more of each other until the next day. The next day, which was the two day mark before the wedding, was a rather exciting one for everyone at Netherfield and Longbourn. The intense excitement and electricity in the neighborhood increased ten fold, when the bride-to-be and her mother showed up in their carriage. Elanore was all smiles, and happiness, but she seemed to shun Emily and, surprisingly, Alexander.
"Andrew!" Elanore happily gasped, when she saw him. She acted happy to see him, but Emily noticed how every once in a while, she would cast sheep eyes on Alexander. When Alexander caught her significant look, Emily saw him look away; embarrassment covered his face.
'I wonder,' Emily thought, 'did something happen between them in London?'
Everything Elanore said seemed to be directed at everyone but Emily. When Elanore looked at the group, she seemed to blot out Emily's face.
'Perhaps she thinks I told them,' Emily thought, feeling suddenly happy at her choice not to tell anyone of Elanore's plan. No matter how Emily thought about it, however, it still felt awful to think that a women who had once been her best friend was omitting her presence.
That evening Emily decided to visit the Collins' at Longbourn. She was shown by a servant into the parlor, where found Elanore sitting alone.
"Excuse me," Emily murmured. She hadn't expected to find Elanore there, and she now found herself in an extremely awkward position. "I thought the Mr. and Mrs. Collins might be here."
"Their not," Elanore said dully. She reclined on the couch in a highly unladylike fashion.
"Then I won't detain you any longer," Emily whispered. She curtsied, and was about to exit, when Elanore said,
"Are you happy now?"
The question surprised and confused Emily, so she turned and asked, "Happy about what?"
"You have what you and I have both always wanted," Elanore said, in a tone that indicated that Emily should have known that.
"What did I always want?" Emily asked, feeling even more confused.
"Alexander," Elanore said savagely. She got up, and began to pace back and fourth in front of the mantle.
"What are you talking about?" Emily asked.
"I'm talking about how we both loved Alexander, and you are the winner."
"The winner? Alexander doesn't love me, if that's what you mean," Emily said.
"That's precisely what I mean, and he does. I heard it myself," Elanore said. "He came to visit two days ago--I should say he came to visit you. I had asked him to visit me, so I naturally assumed that's what his visit was for. Almost immediately after he entered the house, he said, 'Why, where's my Emily?' And I explained that you had left, but I was glad he had come to visit me so soon. Then I began to pour out my plan for us. He looked more and more cross as I went on, until he finally stopped me, saying, 'You can't mean to think I ever loved you?' and I said I had received every indication that he had, and he said, 'No! I love Emily.' and rushed out of the house. I presume that from there he hurried to Netherfield to propose to you."
"He didn't," Emily said. She was angry with Elanore for upsetting Alexander. Why was Elanore such an annoyance all of a sudden?
"Well, I must be going," Emily murmured. She got up and left, without responding to Elanore's pleas to come back. Emily would rather die than have another conversation with Elanore Walker!
As all stories must, this story has almost reached its end. In defiance to Emily and Alexander, Elanore did marry Andrew Collins on the set date. It was a beautiful wedding. Everyone agreed that Elanore was the most beautiful bride who had ever graced Longbourn with her presence. She was all smiles and happiness, except when she saw Emily and Alexander together.
The romance between Emily and Alexander moved slowly. Both were unsure of the other's feelings, but both were in love with each other. Love was proved to conquer all, and Emily and Alexander were married from Pemberley a year later.
Emily and Alexander were very happy together, but the romance between Andrew and Elanore did not last long. Of course, Andrew continued to love Elanore, but she didn't love him. As time passed, she slowly fell away. She was weak when she met George Wickham Jr. The two of them ran off together, leaving Andrew behind, to pick up all the pieces of his broken heart.
The two romances have proved something, though. Love can be both a tool of evil and a tool of great and miraculous things. It is indeed sad that some, like Elanore, used love for all the wrong things, while causing hurt and pain to those who loved her. Because of her wicked actions, her mother and father, and all the Darcys', and Collins', and Bingleys' would have nothing to do with her. Her husband quickly divorced her. From that day on, nothing was heard from her again.
On the other hand, Emily's love was pure, which brought great joy to her husband, her children and all those around her. Hers was a beautiful, kind love that everyone in the world should possess.