Darcy’s eyes met Elizabeth’s. Elizabeth stared at him, she frowned consideringly. Then she walked towards him, pulling something small out of her reticule. Darcy’s stomach leaped as she came close, but her expression did not encourage him.
She stared at his face with her fist gripping some small object. Bingley followed behind Elizabeth, walking up to the two, which Darcy rather thought was unkind of his friend.
The silence hung, and even though Elizabeth had approached him for a purpose, she opened and closed her mouth. She said nothing. Elizabeth’s gaze looked everywhere but Darcy’s eyes.
Darcy felt scared in his gut, like when she paced during their argument, before she threw his ring away. She needed to give him an opportunity to speak and explain. He had never loved her so much as he did in this church, as she nervously stared at her fist.
“Miss Bennet, no opportunity—” Darcy’s voice cracked, and he squeaked. Why did Bingley need to watch? He loved Elizabeth, and he would tell her. Darcy began, now confidently, “Untilnowno opportunity has presented to us for you and I to speak at length since my arrival in Town. I have yearned to speak with you.”
“I must…I must apologize to you.” She did not look up from her closed fist. Her voice was quiet, and sad. The collar of her dress was lilac. Elizabeth held out her hand, and he expected her to open it to display what she held, but the fist remained firmly closed. “Mr. Darcy, I should not have ended matters between us in a fit of anger. I was unkind; I was wrong.”
“I as well. I was mistaken to tell you not to speak to me. I was mistaken to believe we never could disagree, and I was mistaken when I did not…respect you enough. I was mistaken when I did not…did not seek to speak to you again, before I left.”
“Do you mean that?” She pushed her hand up towards him. “I could not mail it. But it is yours.”
“What?” Darcy looked curiously at Elizabeth’s fist which she still had not opened.
She stared at her hand. Was that a tear on the edge of her eyes? She opened her hand so he could see. The ring he gave to Elizabeth, she was returning it to him.
Darcy’s stomach seized. No. No. Not yet. She must let him apologize. He could explain why they would be happy. Heneededher. He could not go back to Pemberley without her. And… “Please,Lizzy.No.”
“I cannot…I must not keep it.”
“Do you wish to return the ring?”
“I…”
“I do not wish it back. I do not wish matters to be ended betwixt us — Elizabeth Bennet I yet…I yet ardently admire and love you. I yet wish you for my companion, my partner in life.” He closed her fingers over the ring. “Give me the chance to convince you that we might yet be happy, give me a chance, I beg you. Just give me a chance — if…if you yet believe you must return the ring, once I have spoken, I will accept it, but not until you listen.”
She brushed away tears from her eyes. “YounowdemandIlisten to you! You would not let me speak a word. What will you do if I refuse to let you speak a word now?”
“I waswrongto not listen to you. Wrong, and I have learned. I beg you to not repeatmyfailing.”
Her eyes were wide, and staring into his.
“Please, believe, Lizzy. We can be happy. I cannot depart, not until I have made every effort to convince you to accept me once more. I ought have done this before. I ought have never allowed you to leave.”
“You never allowed me to leave, Mr. Darcy. I chose to leave.”
“You are right. You are right. It was your choice. Italwayswill be your choice. I allowed my anger and my pride, my abominable pride in my family, in my character, and in my rights to make me ignore that which was most important to me, to my happiness, and toourhappiness. I will not again.”
Bingley cleared his throat. From how Elizabeth started, Darcy thought she too had forgotten he was there. “None of this. None of it. You both came to your senses — think of the arguments you two had with each other. And to make love to each other in achurch. I never did the like.”
Both Darcy and Elizabeth stared at Bingley.
“What?” He flushed.
“Really, Bingley?” Elizabeth replied crossly. “This is no time to interrupt us.”
Darcy extended his arm to Elizabeth. “We perhaps should leave; it has been brought to my attention that this is such a conversation as is not appropriate for a house of God.”
“I…” She hesitated and looked at Darcy. He wanted his eyes to convey everything he felt and thought. She returned the ring to her reticule and took his arm, saying, “A house of God is a perfectly appropriate place for such a conversation — it adds solemnity. This is not a matter of flirtation, but of reason.”
Bingley threw his hands in the air. “Icounsel you both against such a match, but it is notmypermission you must seek, Lizzy.”
“I seek no one’s permission.”
“Upon my word. A house of God is no place for a proposal of marriage,” Bingley replied stoutly.
