Page 86
Book 3 Chapter 10
“Mrs. Bennet, I wonder if I might have a few minutes for a private interview with Miss Bennet?”
Darcy and Elizabeth were sitting so close together their arms were almost touching. Both appeared calm and in control, but would later confess to each other that there were excited.
“Of course, Mr. Darcy. The drawing room is unoccupied at present. Please leave the door ajar for appearances.”
Even Elizabeth was surprised at her mother’s calm. Once in the room Darcy wasted no time. Carefully dropping to one knee he looked up at Elizabeth.
“Miss Bennet, I find myself ardently in love with you. Please marry me.”
“Mr. Darcy, yes.”
Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled. Jane had tried to deflect the questions from her maiden sister, with limited success. Elizabeth was intrigued by the passion of the word ‘ardently’.
“May I kiss you?”
Darcy had returned to his two feet and held her hands in his. Rather than verbally respond she just impishly nodded. 23 seconds later she ran out of air and had to break the kiss. Little did she know it but her thoughts were the same as her older sister. It was not going to be a long engagement.
“Should I go and speak to your father or just saddle two horses?”
“Do not tempt me with a winter ride to the Scottish border. Off you go.”
Darcy stepped back but Elizabeth reached out and touched his arm.
“Gretna Green is not a choice, but neither is a six month engagement until my majority. The last day of January is a Friday next year. A wedding in any of the last ten days of that month is necessary for us to have a short wedding trip and still be at Itchenor in time.”
Darcy had to smile. He had his instructions! When he entered Bennet’s study at that gentleman’s command Darcy’s smile wiped out that of his host. Darcy watched as Bennet lowered his head and grimaced.
“You wish to speak to me?”
No enthusiasm, just resignation.
“Sir, I have just asked Miss Bennet to marry me, and she has done me the highest honour by accepting my proposal. I am here to ask for your consent and blessing.”
Thomas Bennet wanted to be awkward, wanted to gain some control over his life, and that of his family. But he knew it was not to be. Putting on a show of happiness he nodded.
“It is sooner than I would have liked, but I know my Lizzie. If she has consented then you have my own, and my blessing sir.”
Darcy could tell he was conflicted but was putting on a good face. He shook hands unreservedly. The shriek of happiness from the parlour told its own story.
“Let us join the rest of the family sir, save Elizabeth from dealing with her mother on her own.”
--
“Have I done something to offend your mother? It is less than a day since we became engaged.”
Elizabeth, Darcy and Mary were in the music room, the warmest unoccupied space at Longbourn. She grimaced at his question.
“You dealt with her initial effusions very well, although she is much better since Jane married. No, her problem is two-fold. The short engagement is not that dissimilar to that of Sir David and Jane. She will get over her disappointed of not getting to parade me around like some prize at the county fair. What has annoyed her is my intention to assist Jane with the birth of her second child. Getting each of us married off has been her life’s goal, she is happy at that success. Not being allowed to be present for the birth of a grandchild, that is in many ways a more troubling blow. And Itchenor is sufficiently distant that she cannot just turn up unannounced.”
There was nothing to say to that. Dealing with their mother on this was the problem for the two oldest Bennet sisters. He was best well out of the matter. Mind you his shrug was not the most helpful of gestures.
“Yes, thank you Mr. Darcy. It is something to be dealt with. Enough of this.”
The next hour was spent reviewing the options for the wedding date. The 24th of January seemed to be the earliest date that was reasonable, although far too soon for Mrs. Bennet.
“There is more to deal with, based on a fat letter of a dozen pages that I received from Jane yesterday. She had finally heard from Sir David, the mail to ships in the Mediterranean is sporadic at best. And that is being generous. Regardless, in his letter Sir David explained that the Duke of Buccleuch had reached out to him. I think the relation is third cousin, twice removed, meaning it harks all the way back to the age of great, great grandparents. If Sir David was not a decorated naval hero then I doubt they would have been so forthcoming but the connection is to be created, or renewed. When he returns from his latest deployment then the family are to stay with the Duke in London.
