Eliza and Will

Chapter 23

After returning home from Charlotte's house early this morning, I go for a walk straight away to clear my head. I'm still feeling tormented by the fresh information given to me by Robert and am unable to face my family as a result.

Part of me wants to inform Jane about the reason that Charles left but I know it will upset her. How can I tell my sister that Charles was persuaded by the ridiculous and pompous William that she didn't like him, and that our family are unbearable to cope with? It would wreck Jane's confidence as she would see it as a personal fault and not one of theirs. I hope Charles soon learns to stand up for himself and pursue what he wants in life, therefore he can reunite with Jane. However, it feels like an unrealistic dream at the moment.

I begin to walk through a deserted country lane before a car pulls up, startling me. I panic as the black Landrover is parked just ahead of me, causing me to fear for my safety. I am relived for a second as I recognise the person but then I am filled with anger and disgust as I process who it is.

William, my most despised person, faces me looking terrified. I suspect he is about to reveal to me and apologise for what he has just done, and I cannot wait to tell him exactly what I think about him.

"I've come to make amends," he begins, "And that I cannot bear...".

"What?" I demand.

"I can't be without you."

I freeze and look at him with a confused expression, as he delivers a very different ending to that sentence than I could have ever imagined.

"I love you," he remarks unexpectedly, shock echoing in both of our faces.

"William, I...".

"Its Will."

"No I will not call you Will!" I lose it then. "Is this some sick game of yours, that you ruin one sisters happiness and seek to do the same to the other?"

"How?" He utters in disbelief.

"How? Do you deny it?! You separated my sister and Charles for reasons that don't make any sense."

"They were indifferent, what do you expect? She had no interest in him and Charles isn't one who would be able to cope appropriately with your family without being taken advantage of." He looks slightly ashamed of his outburst as he adds "You, your sister and father I must exclude from this."

"My sister hardly shows her true feelings to me!" I insist, my voice breaking. I take a moment to compose myself before continuing, "And how dare you speak of my family that way. I'm fully aware about how they behave but nobody needs you sticking your snobbish nose in to sort anything out."

He appears taken aback before I state, "Your bad treatment of people extends to the likes of Wickham as well."

"Wickham?" He seethes in disgust, moving closer to me.

"You kicked him out and didn't give him his share of fortune that he deserved."

"So this is your opinion of me," he sighs. "Perhaps this misjudgement would have been avoided, had not your pride been affected by my honesty towards you!" he shouts.

My blood boils as I exclaim even louder, "From the first moment I met you, your arrogance and selfish behaviour towards others made me realise that you were the last man in the world I could ever be with!"

He looks torn from my response and moves slightly closer to me, leaning his head towards mine as if he's about to kiss me. I have a strange and burning desire to kiss him, but he backs away before I can even contemplate my irrational thoughts.

My mouth remains wide open in shock as he disapprovingly adds before turning away, "Forgive me for taking up your time."

I remain standing in the same spot long after he drives away, the rain having began to pelt down on my face. The one thing I can't understand is that despite my hatred towards him, there is a connection between us I cannot deny nor control.