Everybody laughed at his words except the duchess, who looked genuinely shocked by her husband.
“Mr Bennet, how can you say such things?”
“Your Grace, you have married a sarcastic and playful man,” Elizabeth replied with amusement. “It is how I grew up, surrounded by jokes and mockery, and I do not think I have exchanged it for anything better by promising to marry this gentleman,” she added, looking at her betrothed with affection.
“Is he always like that?” asked the duchess.
“Yes, madam, he makes fun of everything.”
“Enough,” Thomas said cheerfully. “Do your duty, Mr Darcy, and introduce this marvellous young lady to her new home.”
As the newly betrothed couple departed, the duchess’s expression altered and became troubled. Her husband noticed the change and raised her hand to his lips.
“I forbid you to worry,” he said, and Mr Bennet nodded. He did not know the whole story, yet he had confidence that his uncle would discover a solution.
Their eyes turned towards Mr Kendall, seated between Lydia and Kitty in the last row of chairs.
“Yes, Uncle Thomas is right; no harm has been done.”
“Are you certain of your man's findings?” the duchess asked Thomas, still unable to master her concern.
“Yes, I have complete confidence in him. But, dearest, let this evening conclude upon the glorious note upon which it began. Tomorrow morning I shall discuss everything with Mr Kendall, and I am certain we shall reach a satisfactory conclusion.”
“What am I to do?” asked the duchess.
“Nothing. From now on, I shall take care of everything.”
At last, Henrietta sighed with relief. Never before had she known what it meant to be protected, yet with Thomas, they faced every difficulty together. She wondered what it would have meant to enjoy such a feeling throughout an entire lifetime. Elizabeth had shown far better judgement than she herself had possessed fifty years earlier when she chose a respectable and trustworthy man with whom to share her life. Bravo, Elizabeth, she thought as she took the arm of her own man. Fifty years of suffering seemed cancelled by the endurance of their love. Aboveall, hope flourished in her soul, completing the happiness she had finally found.
Chapter 27
Elizabeth and Darcy did not wait for another second to leave the room. Grateful for the opportunity to escape together, the two lovers ran hand in hand down the hall like children. Darcy opened a door at the end into a small parlour and invited her in. She thought he was showing her the house, and, delighted, she turned to him for an explanation. But she was wrong, all he wanted to show her was his love and his arms entwined around her lean body in a loving embrace.
“Stop,” Elizabeth said, but her voice was nothing but an unconvincing whisper. Throughout dinner, the tremor caused by his earlier caresses had not left her body. The memory of their kisses made her wonder where that love had been hidden all this time. Looking at her betrothed, who could not take his eyes from her, she marvelled that she had ever believed her love different from Jane’s. Standing close to him, Elizabeth radiated joy, her beauty crowned by her happiness. She was his betrothed, and yet he needed to keep remembering that it was not a dream.
When he had dared to take her hand under the table, she had paled and then blushed, nibbling her lower lip.
“Do not bite your lip; only I have the right to do that,” he murmured while she looked fearfully around her, scared that someone might hear them.
“Sir!” she whispered with reproach.
“What is it, my lady? These are words of love.”
“These are indecent words,” she continued in the same tone.
“Well, my lady, from now on, I have the right to be as indecent as I want!”
“Why did you bring me here?” she asked, trying to look out from his arms to see the room.
“This is your parlour, madam,” he replied while his hands stroked her blissfully. “I cannot wait a whole month,” he continued, near her ear.
“Fitzwilliam! We have been betrothed for only three hours, and you are already impatient to marry.”
“Elizabeth!” he said, imitating her tone. “What are you talking about? I have loved you since November and craved having you by my side since Kent!”
“Craved?” she asked, blushing, but she did not know if it was that word that was tormenting her or his hands, becoming more and more…indecent.”
“Yes, craved, yearned for you while you took riding lessons.”
