“I will take the time, Elizabeth, to allay your father’s fears. Everything will go well, I promise.” They walked back toward Longbourn with plans of their life together.
After dinner, Mr. Bennet made his usual retreat to his library, and Darcy followed. “Mr. Darcy,” seeing this guest in his library surprised Mr. Bennet, “may I help you find something to read or would you care for a glass of port?”
“Thank you, Mr. Bennet,” Darcy cleared his voice,“but I would like to speak to you on a matter of importance.”
“Of course, Mr. Darcy, please have a seat. What may I do for you? It would give me pleasure to be of service to you.”
“Mr. Bennet,” Darcy paused, wondering how to tell Elizabeth’s father of his love, “I asked your daughter Elizabeth to be my wife, and she accepted my proposal. I come here tonight seeking your permission for our union.”
Mr. Bennet sat bolt upright in his chair and gripped the handles tightly. The color drained from his face, and he was momentarilyspeechless. “Mr. Darcy, are you sure? This is not some joke the family is playing, is it?” Mr. Bennet seemed to be looking for an explanation.
“Mr. Bennet, I realize you are unaware of my relationship with Miss Elizabeth. We have been more secretive than my friend Mr. Bingley. Our natures are not so open, but, I assure you Elizabeth and I are deeply in love; she agreed to be my wife.” Darcy’s voice sounded calmer than his body felt.
Her father got up and walked to the window before he spoke again. “Mr. Darcy, I do not wish to offend you, but Elizabeth is my favorite of all my children. Her nature will not be dictated to; Elizabeth has a spirit I would not wish to see caged by your society’s rules and regulations.”
“Mr. Bennet, I am well aware of your daughter’s spirit; she humbled me; I learned about myself thanks to her. I realize I offended Elizabeth at the Meryton Assembly, and from that you drew your opinion of me.” All this frankness made Mr. Bennet uncomfortable, but it also made him see Darcy in a different light. “When I saw Elizabeth care for Miss Bennet at Netherfield, I realized she was the type of person I would want to be a friend to my own sister Georgiana.We spent time together at Hunsford and most recently at my estate in Derbyshire. I did not fall in love with Elizabeth overnight; even when I thought we would never be together, my love for her stood the test. I adore Elizabeth.”
“Mr. Darcy, I understand your affection for my daughter, but you must understand as her father I want to be sure she is protected. You can provide for Elizabeth, no doubt, but I would like to speak to my daughter before I give my final consent. If Elizabeth loves you as you say, my consent will be yours immediately and willingly.”
Darcy thanked the man and said he would send Elizabeth to him shortly. “When you satisfy your inclinations, we may meet again regarding Elizabeth’s settlement, but please know I already decided to create a jointure for Elizabeth as part of the marriage articles; even without an heir, Pemberley will be hers.”
“Mr. Darcy, your being able to provide for Elizabeth is not my concern. Elizabeth will choose with her heart; if you own her heart, you are an incomparable man indeed.”
When Darcy returned to the drawing room, her increased attention to her needlework spoke volumes of her anxiousness. When he stepped into the room, her eyes shot up searching his face for reassurance; Darcy offered her a smile, giving her some relief. He walked casually about the room, talking specifically to Bingley and Miss Bennet, and, eventually, coming to stand beside Elizabeth.
“May I see your work, Miss Elizabeth?” he asked, wanting to talk only to her, but knowing he must wait.
“What do you think, Mr. Darcy?” she asked, holding out the needlework for his inspection; but his nearness ignited her passions, and she allowed her eyes to drift up his body just a little too slowly.
He bent down as if to inspect her work, but it was to her eyes he spoke. “Beautiful, Miss Elizabeth, absolutely beautiful,” he spoke from his heart. She blushed slightly.Then in a whisper he said,“Your father wishes to speak to you in his library.”Thus said, he stood and walked casually back to the settee across from Bingley and Jane and joined their conversation. Soon Elizabeth left the room.
Darcy’s attention to the conversation was minimal at best; of course, Bingley and Jane were happy just to be together; they were the acknowledged lovers.When she did not return right away, the more consternation Darcy felt. Had her father refused? Was the initial dislike for him enough to sway Mr. Bennet’s decision? After nearly an hour, Elizabeth reentered the room, giving him a great sense of relief; she came to sit beside him on the settee; and although she did not speak to Darcy directly, Elizabeth engaged Bingley, Jane, and Darcy in a lively conversation.They spoke of the rooms at Netherfield, Georgiana’s musical talent, and the neighbors, the conversation secondary to Darcy. What was important was he was sitting beside Elizabeth in her home. Tomorrow they would be acknowledged lovers also, and soon he would be sittingbeside Elizabeth intheirhome. It was enough for now.
When it was time to leave, Elizabeth stepped into the foyer with Jane as the gentlemen put on their greatcoats. Handing Darcy his hat and gloves, their fingertips intertwined for a few brief seconds. Elizabeth whispered,“I will tell Mama tonight. All will be known tomorrow.”
He leaned in as near as he dared.The familiar lavender overtook his senses.“As I said before, I have been waiting for you.Tomorrow cannot come soon enough.” Darcy reached out and squeezed her hand; they could not take their eyes from each other.
The ladies stepped out into the early fall evening as the men mounted their horses. Jane said a loving goodbye to Mr. Bingley while Elizabeth stood a bit apart staring up at the man she chose as her husband. Desire charged the air between them. Darcy looked at her as he always did; the stare so intense it used to make Elizabeth uncomfortable. Now it seemed so natural—so him. He leaned down from Cerberus’s back and touched her cheek lightly. “Elizabeth” was all he said. She caught his hand and kissed his palm. “Darcy” was her reply. Nothing else needed to be said; there was no more “Miss” or “Mr.”Their names were bound together as were their hearts and their minds.
CHAPTER 17
“Everything in his favor . . .”
At last came the day he was welcomed at Longbourn. In such awe of Darcy, Mrs. Bennet kept her comments in check except to offer him any attention or to mark her deference for his opinions. Mrs. Bennet was beside herself to have two daughters so well-placed; having Jane at Netherfield was one thing, but having Elizabeth at Pemberley would be an honor for the whole family. Mr. Bennet sought Darcy’s opinion again on the estate.They walked out over some of the property, and Darcy’s sharp eye for details impressed Mr. Bennet. They also spent some time discussing the marriage articles, and Mr. Bennet took note of Darcy’s good business sense.
“Mr. Darcy,” he said, as they sat in the library at Longbourn, “Elizabeth told me of your part in saving my other daughters’ reputations and your dealings with Mr. Wickham. It is my intention to repay you, Sir, for your efforts.”
“Mr. Bennet, Sir,” Darcy knew this conversation was inevitable, “my part in Mrs. Wickham’s marriage was nothing I could not afford. I freely admit to doing so for selfish reasons.To give relief to Elizabeth was my motivation. I never wanted the Bennet family to feel an obligation to repay me. I desired Elizabeth’s love, not her gratitude.You repaid me tenfold by giving me your daughter, Sir. Give me your respect as Elizabeth’s husband and keep your money, Mr. Bennet.”
Mr. Bennet chuckled. “Elizabeth also tells me you took great amusement in choosing Newcastle for Mr.Wickham’s commission.”
“It was the best I could do on such short notice,” Darcy smirked.
“Mr. Darcy, your value as a son is increasing by the moment. Of course, you will have to go some to catch up with Mr. Wickham. I am afraid I have a propensity for choosing amusing characters such as our own Mr. Collins and Mr.Wickham as myfavorites.The only foolish thing I can say of you is you gave your money to two of the most frivolous people in England, but you made up for it by falling in love with my Lizzy.” Darcy was not used to such tongue-in-cheek teasing from a gentleman, but he found nothing offensive in the conversation as he settled into the comfort of Elizabeth’s home.
In early afternoon Darcy and Elizabeth finally found themselves alone; they sat together in the copse holding hands. Darcy reached behind him and brought out a simply wrapped package. He handed it tentatively to Elizabeth. “I brought something with me from London for you.”
“Fitzwilliam,” she started, and then he saw the quizzical look cross her face.“How did you know I would accept you? Would you give me this package if I refused you?”
