He sighed again. “I am uncertain how to do that. Over the last several years, I have not had to consult with anyone, have not wanted to do so. Georgiana was too young, but Elizabeth, I have spoken to you about several matters already, have I not? I am not saying that I will never forget to consult you, but I do want your opinions. ”
Elizabeth smiled at him. “And I appreciate it, William. I will do my best to remind you and not grow angry if you fail to consult me, but I reserve the right to make my displeasure known.”
Darcy smiled broadly at her, showing his dimples. These smiles were rare, and Elizabeth enjoyed each one he showed her. “I look forward to it. Somehow, I know that your anger will only serve to make you even lovelier.”
His jaw clenched, as a memory struck him. “Elizabeth, do you believe that dreams can, at times, be prophetic?”
“I am uncertain.” She hesitated a moment, seeming uncertain before she blurted out, “Throughout the winter, I had recurring dreams about meeting you here in Kent. I do not think the events in the dream will come true, not now, and haveoften wondered if the dream was a warning or a message, or something else entirely.”
His eyes flashed to hers, and he came to stand next to her. “Tell me about your dream,” he said, his voice rough.
She closed her eyes and took a steadying breath. “You proposed to me, and we argued, heatedly. It was awful.”
“I outlined all my objections to you, and you threw my separating your sister and my friend into my face. And Wickham,” he bit out, and Elizabeth’s eyes flew to his.
“How—” she stammered.
“I think I had the same dream,” he replied quietly. “I was uncertain of its meaning, but it was the reason I told Bingley that I was wrong about your sister and encouraged him to return to Netherfield. It was why I warned people in Meryton about Wickham.”
“The dream made me reconsider what I knew of you. When you left Netherfield, I thought I hated you and that my feeling was returned. I had to reevaluate everything I knew of you,” she said.
“It made me realise how selfish I had been. I have never been comfortable in society, but I did not realise how poorly I treated others until the dream version of you pointed out all my faults. Night after night, I heard you accuse me of arrogance, conceit, and a selfish disdain for the feelings of others. And in the day, those words echoed in my head. I had to rethink everything I thought I knew and I have striven to be better. I will never be a social person, but I will attempt to do better. For myself and for you, my love.”
Elizabeth smiled tenderly at him and reached out and touched his cheek. “Your goodness was always there, William. You are a good man, have always been a good man. Perhaps a bit misguided at times, and you will never be the most sociable of persons, but I think, in essentials, you are very much as you have always been. I was too blind to see you as you were because you had insulted my vanity.”
“Forgive me, dearest,” he whispered, pulling her into his embrace and caressing her cheek with his hand. “That dream haunts me, and even though I know I am no longer that man, I have been hesitant to say too much. What you said to me in my dream … I deserved every bit of it. However, I am to depart in two days, and though I know I will see you again, I wanted to have things settled between us. Elizabeth, you know that I ardently admire and love you. I want no other as my wife. I know that in marrying you, I am gaining a bride of unequalled worth. You are my superior in every way that matters, and I will allow none to speak ill of you. Please, my darling girl, please say you will be my wife.”
“I will, William. I would be honoured to marry the best man I have ever known. I love you.”
“Elizabeth,” he breathed, “we have gone about this whole thing in an unusual manner, I am afraid. But, since you have truly accepted my proposal, might I ask to seal our resolve with a kiss?”
Her cheeks heated. “I am uncertain, William. I … I have never been kissed before.”
“And I have never wanted to kiss a woman as desperately as I want to kiss you, Elizabeth,” he whispered.
“How many women have you kissed?” she inquired, taking a step back, causing him to relinquish his hold of her. She stared at him with a curious yet slightly accusing expression.
He contemplated the matter for a moment. “Two,” he replied, grinning. “No, three.” At a look from her, he elaborated. “My mother, Georgiana, and I believe a kiss on the cheek from Mrs. Reynolds, Pemberley’s housekeeper, once or twice.”
She pinched his arm. “I did not mean that kind of kiss. I meant the kinds of kisses between husbands and wives, William.”
“None before you, Elizabeth,” he said earnestly. “I grew up with Wickham taking advantage of whomever he could. He taunted me because I did not act in the same manner. Many of my peers at Eton and Cambridge acted similarly, but I never did. I cleaned up too many of his messes to want to be like Wickham. When my father passed away, I was too busy, and I had a young sister to watch over. I could not imagine taking advantage of any woman in such a way.”
“I confess that I am relieved.” She hid her head bashfully before finally answering. “Yes, William, I would happily seal our agreement with a kiss.”
He reached out to take her chin in his hand and lifted her face to look at him. Lifting his other hand to her face, he gently cupped her cheek. His heart was beating madly, and he knew she could feel it where her hands rested on his chest. Her eyes fluttered closed as his lips descended on hers.
The kiss lasted only a moment before he drew back slightly and opened his eyes. Seeing Elizabeth’s eyes still closed, he leaned in and kissed her again, moving his lips along hers, following hisnatural inclination. She responded in kind, and this kiss lasted several moments before they both pulled away.
“That was lovely,” she whispered as he pressed his forehead to hers.
“It was,” he murmured in a husky voice. “I did not want to stop.”
Elizabeth took a deep breath and stepped back. “It is getting late. I will be missed soon at the parsonage.”
“Yes,” he reluctantly replied, as his arms fell to his sides. “And now separating from you will be so much more difficult. I could delay my departure from Rosings.”
Boldly, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. He had to bend a little once he realised her intention and smiled at her lovingly. “It will be that much harder to hide from your aunt and my cousin as well, my darling William. No, you should keep to your schedule, though I may write to my uncle and see if he can send his servant a day or two sooner. Perhaps Maria and I can cut our visit short by a day or two. I can ask Jane to claim some sort of emergency that requires my presence in London sooner.”
