Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Fitzwilliam Darcy was holding her. He had kissed her. He loved her—and he had asked her to be his wife.
The wonder of it seemed almost too vast to contain.
Until she had met Mr Darcy—Fitzwilliam, she corrected herself—marriage had been to her a distant notion, something abstract and inevitable, like winter or the turning of the seasons. She had considered it in theory, never in truth, and certainly never with him until very recently.
Still, since her grandfather’s return, she had been obliged to think of the matter of marriage more seriously, particularly after he had informed her that she ought to consider Colonel Fitzwilliam as a possible husband for her.
He had promised her her choice, but he had made it clear on several occasions that he felt the colonel ideally suited to her.
Upon meeting the colonel, she had known almost at once that he could never be the man she would choose. Her grandfather might wish it, and though the colonel had improved greatly upon acquaintance, he was a friendly sort of gentleman—amiable, honourable, kind—but not the companion of her heart.
Here, in this moment, there was no uncertainty at all.
Nothing in the world had ever felt so right as being held in Fitzwilliam Darcy’s arms.
She yielded more fully to the kiss, dizzy with the firm press of his lips against hers and the strength of the arms that held her fast. As his embrace tightened, her hands slipped upward to rest against the lapels of his coat, finding in them the steadiness she required to remain upright.
He broke the kiss, but did not pull away. Instead, he rested his forehead upon hers, their breath mingling as they both struggled to recover themselves. Her heart raced wildly, and beneath her palms she felt the answering thunder of his, beating in breathless accord with her own.
They lingered that way for several precious seconds.
Until the door behind them flew open.
“What in thunder is this?” the earl demanded.
Darcy moved at once. He turned towards the intrusion and placed Elizabeth behind him, his body forming a shield between her and the interloper.
Her grandfather would never harm her—of that she was certain. The knowledge that Darcy’s first impulse was to protect her sent a fierce, unexpected rush of love through her.
Stepping out from the shelter of Darcy’s arm, Elizabeth faced her grandfather squarely.
“Congratulate me, Grandpapa,” she said, her voice steadier than she felt. “I am engaged.”
The earl closed his eyes, but only for a heartbeat.
When he opened them again, his gaze went first to Darcy, whose hand had moved to rest upon her shoulder—offering his silent support, yet not restraining her or trying to take over.
The earl shifted his gaze from the young man’s hand to Elizabeth, and he met her gaze with a lifted brow.
“You are certain of your choice, Elizabeth?” he asked quietly, with a gentleness that Elizabeth had rarely heard from him.
“Even if Colonel Fitzwilliam is not who you desire, you have not yet experienced a Season in Town. If you wish it, I can insist that Darcy only court you until you have been introduced more fully in London.”
“I love him, Grandpapa,” Elizabeth said firmly.
“Perhaps I did not always feel the way I do now, and I realise you may have been influenced by what I wrote to you upon my first encounter with Mr Darcy. But outside of that one evening he has been respectful of me—indeed, encouraging of me. I did not always think so well of him, but I do now, and what is in the past is best forgotten.”
Her grandfather was silent for a moment, then nodded. “Darcy, come to my study in half an hour so we can discuss the settlement. Elizabeth, if you will come with me now, there are a few matters that I need to discuss with you before I meet with Darcy.”
“Very well, sir, but do not think you will persuade me to change my mind,” Elizabeth said, reluctantly drawing away from her intended. She smiled at him, and before she could get very far from Darcy, he took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips for a kiss.
“I love you, Elizabeth,” he whispered, before releasing her hand. “I will meet you in half an hour, sir,” he said to the earl.
Holding her head high, Elizabeth walked past her grandfather and into the passage. She heard a murmur of voices behind her and paused, listening, but the words were indistinct. She waited for her grandfather to follow.
“You did not threaten him, did you?” she asked. She meant it teasingly, for she knew her grandfather had her best interests at heart even if they did not agree on this particular matter.
“No,” he said sternly, but Elizabeth could see the hint of a smile playing about his lips, “but I did tell him he would no longer be permitted such liberties.” He sighed, and Elizabeth knew he was still troubled by her acceptance. She slipped her hand through his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze.
“We will need to make some decisions, but I am inclined to think we ought to go to London sooner than we planned. With your engagement, you can no longer remain under the same roof.”
Elizabeth would have protested, but her grandfather’s hand came to rest upon hers, and she paused.
“It is not proper for the two of you to continue in the same house. If the Hursts are willing to accommodate Darcy and his cousin, we may remain here a little longer, but it has always been my desire to have you debut in Town.”
That made Elizabeth stifle a groan, although she must not have been entirely successful, for her grandfather chuckled.
“It is necessary, my dear. It would, of course, have been required had you married the colonel; and since you have chosen Darcy, it must be done regardless. You are to be introduced properly. If my sister will not come to town, I shall request Lady Matlock’s assistance.
Regardless, we must secure a suitable companion for you.
I will escort you to such events as are appropriate, and Darcy may attend us as well; but you must have someone formally charged with your care. ”
“If I must,” Elizabeth said; but she smiled at him. “Might I ask Georgiana to remain with me? I have enjoyed her company, and though she might still visit from Netherfield, it would not be the same.”
Her grandfather shook his head at her fondly. “You know I shall not object, and I doubt Darcy will either. As much as I may have wished you to marry another,” he added pointedly, “it does appear you have him wrapped about your finger already.”
She laughed at this, but the humour faded as they entered the study.
“What do you need to tell me, Grandpapa?” she asked.
“I already know that I have my mother’s dowry of fifty thousand pounds, and that I am to have Netherfield as a part of my marriage settlement.
What can you tell me that I do not already know? ”
Her grandfather led her to one of the chairs before the fire and saw her seated before taking his own place opposite.
“That is one of the matters of which I wish to speak,” he admitted.
For several minutes he regarded the flames while Elizabeth waited patiently for him to continue. When at last he did, the subject startled her.
“As you know, my son—your uncle—died in the spring. We agreed there would be no formal mourning; the notice reached me too long after the event for it to carry meaning, and no one here remembers you had another uncle. Nevertheless, his death has left matters unsettled, and I have long intended to speak to you of them. It is, in part, why I believed Colonel Fitzwilliam so suitable for you and encouraged you to consider him.”
Elizabeth lifted her brows but did not interrupt.
“The loss of my son leaves me without a direct heir,” he continued, matter-of-fact. “There is, it is true, a very distant cousin; yet in consideration of my service to the Crown, I petitioned the Prince Regent, and he has been pleased to grant my request.”
“To grant what?” Elizabeth asked, tilting her head as she studied him.
“He has settled the remainder upon the heirs male of your body.” His gaze rested steadily upon her. “In plain terms, my dear, when I am gone, your son will be earl.”
She stared at him. “My son? Grandpapa, I have no son.”
“Not yet,” he replied. “But when you marry, I hope you will be blessed with at least two—or even more. Your eldest will inherit the earldom and its lands; a second may have Pemberley, and a third, Netherfield. Should there be but one son, I believe neither estate is so strictly bound that a daughter might not inherit if you wished it.”
For several moments, Elizabeth did not speak—could not speak.
Her son would be the Earl of Granfield one day.
Idly, she considered that it explained why he thought Colonel Fitzwilliam better suited; as the son of an earl, even a second son, he would have some understanding of what was required by a member of the peerage.
“Have you spoken of this to either Mr Darcy or his cousin?” she asked when she finally formed the words.
Her grandfather nodded. “I spoke to Fitzwilliam of my intention to petition the Regent when we were upon the Continent together this summer. At that time it was not official, but I had every reason to expect my request would be granted. When Darcy called upon me while you were still at Netherfield, I mentioned it to him as well. I knew then, of course, that he was at the very least intrigued by you, and I imagined such intelligence might discourage him. He, and his father before him, have on more than one occasion declined the offer of advancement to the peerage.”
Elizabeth turned to look at him more fully.
“You sought to dissuade him, yet he pursued me anyway? Truly, Grandpapa, I know that you liked the colonel for me, but you must know that he and I would have never suited. He and I are, in many ways, alike, but I do not believe that I could have ever come to love him.”