“I know,” Elizabeth sighed. “There is no one quite like him.”
He led her back into the house and into the parlour; everyone went silent and stared at him expectantly. Determined to do things right – for there had been enough things that had gone wrong! – he asked Mr. Bennet if he might speak with him privately.
“Very well, Mr. Darcy, if you insist on it,” Mr. Bennet said. “But I suspect we both know that I will give my consent most readily.”
The room erupted into joyous laughter as Mr. Bennet and Mr. Darcy left the room together. “You said yes!” Georgiana’s voice rang out.
“I said yes,” Elizabeth agreed, happy tears in her eyes.
Chapter Fifty-Six
Colonel Fitzwilliam wasted no time in sending his mother news of his cousin’s engagement.
Dear Mother,
Darcy has committed himself; you will have a niece by marriage come February. You will find her most charming, Mama, I promise you. Georgiana says she cannot imagine a better sister, and I think I must agree with her.
That said, if you wish to meet the bride, consider coming to Meryton as soon as may be. Mr. Bingley would be happy to have you here, I am certain. His older sister is our hostess, and she has made us all very comfortable.
Your loving son,
Richard
***
A reply came the next day.
Richard,
I am not at all pleased that Darcy engaged himself without a word to me. And you should have seen your father’s countenance upon hearing the news!
Darcy does not require our approval, of course; he is the head of his own family! But it would have been courteous,I think, to have allowed us to meet the girl first, given what we know of her family.
Meryton is near enough that a visit to meet Miss Elizabeth is easy to accomplish. Expect me in two days’ time.
Your concerned,
Mother
The Colonel immediately went downstairs to inform his hostess that she was about to receive the Countess of Matlock. It is very much to Louisa Hurst’s credit that she did not faint, gasp aloud, or in any way betray surprise or concern. She nodded, thanked the Colonel for letting her know, asked after the Countess’ dietary preferences, and then went to speak with the housekeeper and Cook.
The Colonel then went to find Darcy. His two cousins were sitting together; they both looked up when he strode into the room. “Mother is coming in two days,” he announced.
Mr. Darcy frowned. “Has she some idea of stopping my engagement?”
“I think she understands that she cannot stop it, but she is not pleased that she was not permitted to meet Miss Elizabeth before you made the commitment.”
Mr. Darcy shrugged, irritably. “Elizabeth and I need no one’s permission, nor do we plan to delay the wedding for any reason or any person, other than to wait until February to demonstrate respect for Mrs. Bennet. I love my Aunt Eleanor, but she shall not deter me from my set course.”
“I understand, Darcy, but she is my mother and your aunt. She deserves your consideration and respect; I hope you will be polite.”
“I am always polite,” Mr. Darcy said. “But why did she help rescue Lydia, if she was so opposed to my marrying into the Bennet family?”
“She agreed that you had done wrong by not disclosing what you knew about Wickham, and that it was right for the family to assist in righting that wrong.”
“Very decent of her,” Mr. Darcy said, his voice heavy with sarcasm.
Georgiana spoke up. “She cannot stop Lizzy from becoming my sister! Can she? Brother?” Her voice was worried.
