“May we postpone that discussion until later, when our child or children are a reality?” he asked. “What I can promise now is that we shall decide everything together, whether it concerns a child's future, Pemberley, or anything else.”
“That suits me perfectly.”
“Is that truly all you want?”
He was looking at her with that mischievous expression which one of their children would surely inherit, and she smiled.
“Yes, that is all.”
“So you do not wish to hear that I love you.”
“Oh, Mr Darcy,” she replied, “I have known for a very long time that you loved me.”
He looked at her, trying to maintain a serious expression whilst waiting for her to continue.
“But you still have not proposed to me!” she exclaimed with faint irritation.
“That is true,” he replied, rising to his feet.
Elizabeth hoped he would take her into his arms again, but instead Darcy opened again the cameo case and, with the utmost care, fastened it around her neck. He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment before saying, “It is not enough.”
He disappeared without a word, leaving her alone in that beautiful room, which, it seemed, would soon become her drawing room in London. But he left the door open, and, quite unintentionally, Elizabeth overheard Georgiana ask, “Did you propose to her?”
His laughter filled the hall, but no answer came. Instead, he spoke quite reproachfully, “I hope you have not been standing in the hall ever since you left.”
At that, Elizabeth could restrain herself no longer. She stepped out of the room and declared, “No, Miss Darcy, he did not propose to me.”
And the scene became both amusing and touching, with Georgiana staring at her brother in disbelief, close to despair. “Then what have you been doing for the last hour?”
Darcy looked from her to Elizabeth. He wished not to laugh, but failed entirely, which only made Georgiana more indignant.
“Good heavens! She will leave again, and you still will not do what ought to be done.”
Then she turned fully towards Elizabeth and said, “Miss Elizabeth, would you like to be our wife—”
“Georgiana!” he cried.
“His!” she continued, pointing at her brother.
The hall filled with laughter, his and Elizabeth's alike, whilst Georgiana looked on in bewildered consternation.
Elizabeth, however, felt sorry for her. She stepped forward and embraced her.
“Well, yes, I should like to be both brothers' wife…or at least his.”
This produced such happiness in Georgiana that she no longer knew whom to embrace first, him or her. In the end, she embraced them both.
“Good heavens, I am so happy.”
“May I remain alone with my fiancée now?” asked Darcy. “Without any more listening at doors?”
“I was not listening at the doors,” she protested, but blushing at the same time, as it was certain that at a moment or two she had indeed listened, hoping to hear what she had wished for ever since she had seen her brother dance with Miss Elizabeth at Pemberley.
Elizabeth, knowing exactly what would have happened in their house with all her sisters listening, gave him a reproachful look, perhaps the first of a long series of alliances between his wife and his sister.
“Come,” he said impatiently to Elizabeth, taking her hand and leading her towards the staircase.
Then he stopped, for Georgiana had not moved from the spot and was still watching them with undisguised affection.
