“William!” she chided, laughing. “What am I to do with you? There must be some means by which the colonel may convince you of his fidelity.”
“Why are you so determined to prove him innocent?” he asked suspiciously.
She sighed, squeezing his hand. “Because he is a good man, William, and he shared with me something of his grief at losing you. I passed him a moment ago—he is delaying his departure by every moment he can, and his face is that of a boy who just lost his best horse. I beg you, will you not speak to him?”
He straightened, blinking rapidly and looking straight ahead.
“You are fond of him, William,” she reminded him in a soft voice. “I know you do not truly wish to banish him from your life.”
“Do you think it was easy for me to order him away? I have Georgiana to protect, and now you as well! Lord willing, Elizabeth, we will have children someday, and any heir to the Darcy estate would seem vulnerable unless I root out this conspiracy!”
A knowing smile played at her lips. “Children, Mr Darcy? I was under the impression that a gentleman must first propose before building a family.”
He started. “But I have proposed!”
“I would prefer not to remember Rosings,” she chuckled.
“What do you call early this morning, if not an understanding?”
She tilted her head away, still smiling, and surveyed her fingertips. “My sister asked me the same question. I did not know what to say to her, for without the surety of words exchanged, a woman may not feel secure in an engagement.”
For the first time that day, a genuine smile threatened his expression. “Allow me to set your mind at ease, then.” He fell to his knees before her chair, retaining her hand, and placed it over his chest. “My dearest Elizabeth, I have held you these many months in my heart. You were my companion, my courage, my rest. Will you hold me now in truth, build a future here with me, and spend the rest of your years with me?”
Her eyes were moist and her throat was working tightly. It was a moment before she could speak properly, but she traced his eyes and cheeks with the fingers of her other hand, then leaned forward to press a tender kiss to his lips. “Yes, William,” she whispered.
His form relaxed. “I cannot carry on without you, Elizabeth. Do you think, perhaps, that your father would approve an engagement if I wrote to him? I dread parting from you for so long.”
“I think, under the circumstances, that you have no business traveling to Hertfordshire to secure my father’s blessing. Other concerns are more pressing, are they not?”
His eyebrows rose in agreement. “Then it is settled. You shall remain here while we await word from your father, and then we will marry as soon as may be.”
“I cannot remain in your house without a proper chaperon,” she replied lowly.
“A chaperon?”
“My father entrusted me to Colonel Fitzwilliam’s care. It seems fitting that he might remain as such.”
His face darkened. “Was this an elaborate attempt to manipulate me into agreeing to your plan?”
“Manipulate, no!”
“Then what do you call it?”
“A reasonable solution, William. You must see that.”
“I see that you are exerting all your charms to keep my cousin here. What is your interest in this, Elizabeth?”
She withdrew her hands. “I ask you to do what is right, William. You are searching in the wrong place if you begin with the colonel. Why do you not investigate Mrs Annesley, who seemed to leave Georgiana vulnerable at all the worst times, or the account books, which do not balance properly? Why the colonel?”
“This is the first I have heard of Mrs Annesley,” he confessed.
“It would not have been, if you had not been so determined to pursue the wrong avenues.”
“Elizabeth,” he sighed and rose, standing uncomfortably before her. “You must trust me to know what I am about. I know what I heard in Portugal, and I know my estate and family. I think it likely that Richard is, indeed, innocent in intent, but he was well known to those who held me. I cannot risk it.”
“Have you at least spoken to him about it?”
“I have heard enough lies—”
