The entire company turned to look at Mr. Darcy, who became rather red. He replied, however, “And it is nice to see you again, Miss Lydia. As I suspected, you have found a warmer welcome at Longbourn than you had feared.”
With that, of course, Mr. Darcy’s involvement in Lydia’s rescue had to be explained. Georgiana stared at him, saying, “So that is why you went to London! It was not to see your man of business at all, was it?”
Mr. Darcy admitted that he had been summoned to Matlock House by the Countess, and it had been he who had taken Lydia to her aunt and uncle.
Lydia was then introduced to Colonel Fitzwilliam, who took her hand and said, “I can scarce believe that I am seeing you, Miss Lydia! I have helped Darcy here search for you these past months. You have had no lasting ill effects from your experience, I hope?”
“I have lasting effects, indeed,” she replied. “But they are not ill effects, as I believe my character to be much improved as a result.”
Mr. Bennet stepped forward to shake the Colonel’s hand. “My family is so very grateful to you, Colonel, and to Mr. Darcy, for all your efforts on our behalf.”
The two gentleman demurred, of course, saying that it had been no trouble, which everyone understood was not the case, and that they were delighted to have been of service, which everyone understood to be very likely the case.
Mr. Darcy said, smiling, “Miss Lydia, I see that you are covering your multitude of sins.”
Lydia looked puzzled for a minute, and then held up her gloved hands with a smile. “I am, yes.”
“Will not someone introduce us?” Georgiana said, plaintively.
Mr. Darcy looked chagrined. “I beg your pardon. Miss Lydia, this is my sister, Miss Darcy. Georgiana, this is Miss Lydia Bennet.”
“No, no, I am just Georgiana. Miss Lydia, I beg that you will come and sit beside me, so that I may tell you of my own history with George Wickham.”
Lydia sighed. “Miss Darcy – Georgiana – it is a sad way to be introduced, is it not? You already know all about my misadventure and are likely to think the worst of me.”
“Let me tell you of my own misadventure before you judge yourself too harshly,” Georgiana said. “Please sit with me.” Lydia joined Georgiana on the sofa, and the two girls began to speak in low tones, doubtless comparing their experiences.
Mr. Darcy rose and crossed the room to Mr. Bennet. “Mr. Bennet, may I have your permission to speak with your daughter privately?”
“You wish to speak with Kitty?” Mr. Bennet asked. “Or do you mean Mary?”
Mr. Darcy, familiar now with Mr. Bennet’s sense of humour, just closed his eyes and shook his head.
Mr. Bennet sighed. “I see you are not to be teased on the subject; truly, I had very much hoped for a son-in-law who might be teased! Very well, take Lizzy out to the garden.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam saw his cousin speaking in a low voice to Mr. Bennet. Fearing that his mother was about to be very much disappointed, he said, quickly and urgently, “Darcy, may I speak with you for a moment?”
But Mr. Darcy ignored him completely, going instead to Elizabeth and saying softly, “Your father has given hispermission for me to speak with you privately; he suggested the back garden.”
Elizabeth coloured, but rose at once and led Mr. Darcy outside. “You did not tell me that it was you who took Lydia to the Gardiners.”
“She begged me not to tell anyone in Meryton where she was; she felt that she needed to decide when and how to tell her family that she had been found. I did not like keeping secrets from you, but she extracted a promise from me.”
“I understand, Mr. Darcy; though I hope there will be few secrets between us.” She lifted her face to his.
He took off his glove and stroked her cheek. His touch was soothing at first, but then became something else, something that made her heart pound faster. She felt dizzy when he finally spoke. “Dearest, dearest Elizabeth! We have waited for this moment for so long, and now I find it difficult to tell you what is in my heart.”
Elizabeth tried to speak, but found that she could not. Her heart was beating so fast that she was certain the birds would startle out of the trees.
“We have been through so much, Elizabeth, and I believe that it has strengthened our bond, not weakened it. I cannot imagine a life without you! You in Pemberley’s garden, you at the breakfast table, you in my library, you in my – yes, in my bed! Please, dearest, say that you will be my bride, my beloved, my Mrs. Darcy!”
“I will,” Elizabeth managed. “Oh, I will!”
He pulled her into his arms, then, and his lips found hers. Together at last, they lost all sense of time and place, and they might have stayed there, locked together, until nightfall, hadthey not heard someone clearing a throat. They leaped apart at once, embarrassed, and there was Mary, standing about five feet away.
She looked at them calmly, then raised a brow and said, “Papa sent me to tell you that you had been alone long enough to get the job done.” With that, she turned and left.
Mr. Darcy stared after her and began to laugh. “Your father…”
