Falling Like Snow

Seven | The Snowstorm

"What have they forgotten?" Lizzie muttered, hurrying to the door. She had declined the invitation to join everyone else; as she would have been accompanying three couples (Jane and Charles, Charlotte and Caroline, and Mary and Edwin), Lizzie knew that she would have ended up as quite the third wheel.

Her smile faltered as she opened the door.

To William.

She gaped at him, every thought eddying out of head except one: Maybe he did walk here every morning. Edwin isn't here to drive him now.

"Hi," he said. The weak morning light formed a halo around his tasseled hair. Her heart beat faster, and she continued to stare. What was there to say?

"You didn't pick up," he said helplessly. Wordlessly, Lizzie opened the door wider, inviting him in, but he made no move to enter. "Walk with me? Like before?"

Blinking rapidly and coming back to her senses with a crash, Lizzie laughed breathily. "Give me, um, a moment." Her hands shook as she laced up her boots and donned her coat, carefully avoiding looking at him. She felt his eyes on her, never leaving for a moment, and the intensity took her breath away when she finally turned to face him. "I just need to tell Jane I'm going out," she added. Pulling out her phone, she fumbled to type a quick message to Jane.

Going walking with William. Don't know if I'll be back when you return to Netherfield

"Okay," She said. "Okay."

"Okay," he responded, smiling, and offering her his arm. Taking it, Lizzie wondered what they would say to each other - wondered what there was to say. Too much and not enough, and everything in between...

"I told my aunt that she wasn't welcome at Pemberly anymore," William told her quietly.

"Janna said. I- I presume that you are the one that reported Mr. Collins to the police?" She couldn't look at him, overcome with embarrassment and scared to read whatever emotions were written across his face; his gaze was fixed on the path directly before them, rather than at her. The cold stung their exposed skin, leaving her with a faint blush that brought out the colour of her fine eyes even more spectacularly than usual. William couldn't help but think that she looked like a winter angel, descended from Heaven to bless him with her presence. What he done to deserve spending time with such a divinity, he couldn't say, which made every second all the more precious.

Clearing his throat and banishing all thoughts of her perfection from his mind, he answered nervously, "I did. I hope I did not overstep, yet if you believe me to have done so, I fear that I shall not be able to bring myself to regret my actions. Perversely - and I am sure that this does not reflect well upon me, but I will entrust you with the truth regardless of the prospective wisdom or folly of such an action - I am particularly glad to find that my aunt has become embroiled in the scandal. Unfortunately, I can't say that I am surprised at her crimes."

"Then you are convinced of her guilt?" Lizzie probed doubtfully. No matter how much he claimed to be against her, that he had endured Lady Catherine for so many years spoke volumes about, and emphasised, the value he held in familial relationships.

His vehement conviction belayed that doubt. "I would only be suspicious of corruption and bribery if she were pronounced innocent! Of course, I feel terrible for Anne, but from what Janna has told me, Anne herself isn't too sorry about her mother's pending downfall."

They lapsed into silence again. Eventually, Lizzie could avoid it no longer. "I never said thank you," she paused, scrounging up the courage to continue her expression of gratitude. Sensing that she hadn't finished, William gave her space to think. She struggled with the words though, giving up and finishing lamely, "So: thank you for rescuing me from Mr. Collins."