Her free hand flew to her mouth, and tears filled her eyes. She managed to nod and say, “A part of me wishes to disagree, but I know you are right.”
He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Then we shall postpone the rest ofthatconversation.”
“And take the time to relish this period,” she said, silently adding,the one in which we continue to fall in love and dream of what our lives—our life together—will be.
The colour of his eyes deepened. “I intend to savour every moment. Earlier, I was trying to determine how we might see each other as often as possible in the coming weeks. I must return to town soon, to see my sister and relations.”
“Miss Darcy must be missing you. I would not ever want to keep you from her.” She would be displeased with any man who attempted to separate her from her sisters. Mr Darcy liked her family and would never limit her intercourse with them; she would extend the courtesy to him in return.
A bubble of joy made her warm and a little dizzy. Hedidfeel as she did. She would not leave Netherfield an engaged woman that night, but in the not-too-distant future, hewouldpropose, and she would accept. “I hope I shall be able to meet her soon.”
Her hand was still in his, and he gently pressed it. “I have had an idea or two about that. I must consider it a little more, but we shall speak of it in a day or two, if that is acceptable.”
“Of course it is. Would it be too bold of me to saythat all that matters to me is that we shall have more time together?”
He grinned—she did likewise—and had just opened his mouth to speak when they were interrupted by one of his acquaintances.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
It was all Darcy could do not to whisk his Elizabeth away to where they could be alone. He supposed he should not call herhisElizabeth yet; he had not proposed—as tempted as he had been to do so—but regardless, she was his, and he was hers. He was content to wait for the day when their understanding would be a formal one—so long as that day happened within the next two months. Ideally less.
But they were at a ball, and other people had a right to their attention. He did not dance again, since he could not ask her a third time. She had already accepted a request for a set, and while she was with her partner, Darcy sought out Mr Bennet. He had no particular purpose other than having grown to appreciate his company and wanting to be on good terms with the man who would become his father-in-law.
“Ah, Mr Darcy. I do not see Lizzy. Have you lost her?” Mr Bennet said.
“She is dancing with Captain Farmer. I trust yourremark was not an indication that you believe I have been spending too much time with her. If you have any such concerns, I beg you would speak to me of them.”
Mr Bennet pursed his lips and shook his head. They were standing near a window—fortunately open to let some much-needed fresh air into the room—and Mr Bennet was turned towards the crowd, not Darcy. That, and the dim candlelight, made it difficult to see his expression.
“I am glad the two of you are on better terms. Since discovering that my old friend is your cousin, I have often reflected that, had we not let our correspondence lapse, you and Lizzy—and my other girls—would have known each other since childhood. It is an interesting notion, is it not? I wonder what difference it would have made to your lives.”
“I suppose we shall never know.” He did not find it helpful to reflect on what might have been; he had done enough of that after Ramsgate. Wickham being in Meryton was one of the issues he needed to sort out in making plans for the coming weeks. He had been considering speaking to Bingley about bringing Georgiana and her companion to Netherfield at Christmas, but he would only do so if he was confident she would not have to see the reprobate. Perhaps he would speak to Mr Bennet about it—and Elizabeth, naturally.
“True. I have been hearing a fair bit of gossip this evening. Recent events have taught me to pay attention to such things.”
When Mr Bennet paused and regarded him out of the corner of his eye, Darcy said, “Oh?”
“About you.”
“Me?” Darcy exclaimed, alarm shooting through him. What had he heard, and what effect would it have on his relationship with Elizabeth and her family? And why was it taking Mr Bennet so long to tell him?
“There is no doubt. Some of it was said to my wife, and she was quick to mention it to me. I do not know who approached her, but I have heard the same sentiment from several people, and they specifically mention your name.” The gentleman gave him an amused smile. “How happy they—meaning you and my Lizzy—seem together, and what a handsome couple you make. Oddly, my wife had not considered the possibility that you might develop…well, let us just call it an interest in Lizzy. She still has not, as incredible as that sounds. I believe it is a combination of her attention being on another couple and her understanding that we wanted to correct the notion that you found Lizzy lacking. Mrs Bennet was happy to assure me that now no one will ever remember that horrible assembly, as she called it, and although I was not there to witness it myself, I suppose I would give it the same name too. My wife thinks that you and Lizzy are very clever for how you are acting. I found her ignorance—which I shall correct soon—quite diverting, though not for all the gold in the world would I laugh at her.” He made a rueful noise. “I would notnow. I believe you and I have both learnt to be more careful with our words, and I know I am much improved for it.”
He continued before Darcy had a chance to devise a response. “Then there was Sir William, who said to methat you seem to find my daughter handsome and more tolerable company now. I shall not speak to him for at least a week for that. I would prefer not to hear that word for a decade. It is becoming too much of a joke in the neighbourhood, and it has never been and never will be at all diverting. He also went on about the pair of you taking an interesting—his word, not mine—path to liking each other, and that it reminded him of something from one of his wife’s novels. How, I ask myself, does he know what is in the astonishingly silly books I know Lady Lucas and my wife both enjoy so much?” Mr Bennet turned to face Darcy directly. “What do you have to say to all that?”
Darcy considered making a quip about not being familiar with Mrs Bennet’s reading habits but thought better of it. “I suppose it will be an entertaining tale to share with future generations.”
Mr Bennet grinned and patted his arm. “I look forward to sharing it with them, with an embellishment or two just for fun.”
Darcy chuckled, and they returned to observing the dancing.
Two days after the ball,Mr Darcy called at Longbourn. He brought Mr Bingley with him, but—as much as Elizabeth liked him—it was not his company she desired at present. Without doubt, it was the opposite for Jane. The sisters had shared confidences regarding the gentlemen during a long conversation the previous day. Jane had been surprised at Elizabeth’sdisclosure regarding her feelings, chiefly that she had been wholly unaware of how much her connexion with Mr Darcy had improved. Elizabeth learnt that, like Mr Darcy, Jane’s beau had hinted that he hoped to propose soon.
“I believe he wanted to know whether I would be receptive to receiving his offer,” Jane had said.
“And will you?”
The look of joy on her sister’s face had been answer enough, not that Elizabeth had needed one. For above an hour, the sisters had dreamt of the future, beginning with a double wedding and ending with many exquisitely happy years in which they, their husbands, and their children were the closest of families and friends.
