Could she? Would he? Was it even possible to…? The course of it all escaped her. Goodness! They only had one kiss.
She peeked at him out of one eye, not realizing they had been closed. He was frightfully appealing.
“Elizabeth?” His confused expression made her want to laugh.
Instead, she mustered up every bit of boldness she possessed and said, “I will be pleased to marry you on Friday.”
There! It was done.
From behind her, her mother shrieked, “Oh, Lizzy, I knew you could not be so clever for nothing. We are saved!”
Jane and Kitty applauded. Mary grinned. Lydia whined, “I was supposed to be the first to marry,” before she quickly changed her tune. “Since you will beat me to the altar, Lizzy, I will wear my blue dress and my new bonnet, so I look like the sister of a respectable gentleman wise enough to purchase it for me.”
With that settled, Elizabeth considered her need foran appropriate gown. Thank heavens she had not yet worn her gift from Aunt Gardiner. Suddenly, she could not wait to walk down the aisle on the arm of her papa to become Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Elizabeth Darcy had a lovely ring to it.
20
Early the next morning, Darcy, Bingley, and Mr. Crosgrove set out for Ashworth. Instead of the comfort of Matlock’s carriage, the older man insisted they travel by horseback.
On one stretch of road where they were undisturbed, Mr. Crosgrove said, “I feel sorry for you, young men.”
Bingley was the first to respond. “Why is that, sir?”
“You wear your wealth, inviting the attention of unsavory characters, peers, and those who are like barnacles clinging to the sides of a ship who view your assets as a statement of your character.”
“I never considered this, Mr. Crosgrove,” Bingley mused.
“Mr. Bingley, when you walked into Mr. Philips’s office with your expensive clothing and fine carriage, surely the price of leasing Netherfield Park was much higher than had you entered with my simple garments and my old horse.”
Darcy easily saw the truth of his words since that wasthe way of the world. “Sir, you do your gelding no favors by describing him as old. Anyone with an eye for horseflesh can see that, despite his years, his conformation is still sleek and well-muscled. I can imagine him once racing across fields or leaping fences without effort.”
The older man chuckled. “You have me there, Son. Old Bucephalus could run like the wind, and there was not an outcropping he could not sail over with ease. He was a rascal in his youth, though. There was not a man who stayed astride him other than myself. Even today, he balks when someone else approaches him with a saddle.”
No one had called Darcy “son” for over five years. The respectful appellation touched the farthest reaches of his heart, warming him to the man accompanying them. “I see your point, Mr. Crosgrove. I suspect that your presence at a gathering is often overlooked. When men discuss business, they assume that you either are not interested or you do not understand them.” He grinned. “Cambridge or Oxford?”
“Cambridge, a very long time ago.”
Puzzled, Bingley asked Darcy, “How did you know?”
Tipping his head to Mr. Crosgrove, Darcy said, “Bucephalus is one of the most famous horses of antiquity. It is doubtful that an uneducated man would know the name of Alexander the Great’s mount.”
“Bah!” Bingley snorted. “I went to Cambridge, too, if you recall, and I assumed it was the name of a prophet in the Bible, someone from the Chronicles.”
As soon as the laughter quieted, Mr. Crosgrove said, “No one in Meryton knows of my wealth, and no one needs to know. I worked hard and invested cautiously to ensure Martha’s care after my death. She will be able todo as she pleases. I will not have her bothered by greedy, grabbing men who would toss her aside as something worth less than her purse when she is far more priceless than any amount of coin.”
Darcy pondered the wisdom of Mr. Crosgrove’s approach. He was correct that men of Darcy’s former status wore their wealth in every aspect of their life. The best houses. The best garments. The best jewels. The best food and wine. The best entertainment.
I must speak to Elizabeth about this. To Mr. Crosgrove, he announced, “I suspect you will be pleased to hear that Miss Elizabeth Bennet accepted my proposal yesterday. We received her father’s blessing last evening. With the approach of several upcoming events, we plan to marry this Friday at eleven. Already this morning, Mr. Bennet and I applied for and received a common license. We will marry from Longbourn chapel.”
Once congratulations were offered, Bingley added, “They will stay at Netherfield Park until they find a residence of their own, hopefully nearby. Since Darcy has spent so much time with his betrothed, I am used to not seeing him throughout the day. My responsibility will be to keep others from encroaching on their time together in hopes that soon Darcy will do the same for me.”
“Ah, Miss Jane Bennet is for you, then?” Mr. Crosgrove boldly inquired.
Bingley’s cheeks turned fiery red. “If she will have me.”
Darcy diverted Mr. Crosgrove’s attention from his friend by inviting him and his wife to attend the wedding. “I would be grateful to have more than only Bingley and Petey on my side of the chapel.”
“Our pleasure, I am sure.” Mr. Crosgrove nodded. “You will have a fine wife with Miss Lizzy. She knows how to make the best amidst a variety of challenges. Should you return to the upper ten thousand, she will adorn your arm with grace. If you find you prefer a simple life, she will be just as happy.”
