Darcy stopped a respectful distance away.
“I do not merely love you, Elizabeth.” His voice roughened on her name. “I love the woman you are within this family, and thelife that surrounds you. Your intelligence, your wit, your loyalty, your courage, your capacity for affection—I cannot imagine a future I would value more highly than one in which I am permitted to share those things.”
Elizabeth blinked rapidly.
Outside the library, the house continued as it always did. Footsteps crossed the hall. Lydia tittered somewhere near the drawing room. Mr. Bingley’s voice carried faintly through the door. The ordinary sounds of Longbourn had never seemed so precious.
Darcy’s expression softened when he saw the tears gathering in her eyes.
“If I have mistaken your regard, say so, and I shall trouble you no further. But I cannot remain silent while another man seeks what I desire above all else.”
He reached for her hand. Not boldly. Almost uncertainly.
Elizabeth placed her hand in his.
The Success of the Campaign
Elizabeth had scarcely any notion how much time passed after she placed her hand in Darcy’s.
The world seemed to contract to the library, the fire on the hearth, and the earnest expression in the face before her. He drew her toward him slowly, giving her every opportunity to retreat. She did not. When his lips met hers, the kiss was warm and reverent and astonishingly tender for a man who had once seemed carved from reserve.
Elizabeth had kissed no one before. She had no basis for comparison. She knew only that the moment seemed new and strangely inevitable, like some part of her had been moving toward it from the first evening he had attempted, with increasing desperation, to apologize for his behavior at the assembly.
Darcy lifted his head and rested his forehead lightly against hers.
“Elizabeth,” he murmured, and the way he said her name made her wish never to hear it spoken differently again.
The library door burst open.
Thomas and Toby stood upon the threshold like two avenging cherubs, Lydia peering over their shoulders.
For perhaps two seconds, all three stared.
Then Thomas threw both arms into the air.
“Finally!”
Toby bounced so violently that Lydia was obliged to seize the back of his jacket to prevent him from launching himself into the room.
“We did it!”
Lydia pressed a hand to her mouth, though this did nothing to suppress her laughter.
Elizabeth sprang backward, cheeks blazing.
Darcy, to his credit, retained a degree of composure, though the color in his face deepened considerably.
Thomas whirled and tore down the hall at full speed.
“Papa!” he shouted. “Come without delay!”
Toby took up the cry.
“Mr. Darcy is kissing Lizzy!”
Elizabeth covered her face.
“I shall never recover.”
