Chapter 8 #2
“I think I had the same dream,” he replied quietly. “I was uncertain of its meaning, but it was the reason I told Bingley that I was wrong about your sister and encouraged him to return to Netherfield. It was why I warned people in Meryton about Wickham.”
“The dream made me reconsider what I knew of you. When you left Netherfield, I thought I hated you and that my feeling was returned. I had to reevaluate everything I knew of you,” she said.
“It made me realise how selfish I had been. I have never been comfortable in society, but I did not realise how poorly I treated others until the dream version of you pointed out all my faults. Night after night, I heard you accuse me of arrogance, conceit, and a selfish disdain for the feelings of others. And in the day, those words echoed in my head. I had to rethink everything I thought I knew and I have striven to be better. I will never be a social person, but I will attempt to do better. For myself and for you, my love.”
Elizabeth smiled tenderly at him and reached out and touched his cheek.
“Your goodness was always there, William. You are a good man, have always been a good man. Perhaps a bit misguided at times, and you will never be the most sociable of persons, but I think, in essentials, you are very much as you have always been. I was too blind to see you as you were because you had insulted my vanity.”
“Forgive me, dearest,” he whispered, pulling her into his embrace and caressing her cheek with his hand.
“That dream haunts me, and even though I know I am no longer that man, I have been hesitant to say too much. What you said to me in my dream … I deserved every bit of it. However, I am to depart in two days, and though I know I will see you again, I wanted to have things settled between us. Elizabeth, you know that I ardently admire and love you. I want no other as my wife. I know that in marrying you, I am gaining a bride of unequalled worth. You are my superior in every way that matters, and I will allow none to speak ill of you. Please, my darling girl, please say you will be my wife.”
“I will, William. I would be honoured to marry the best man I have ever known. I love you.”
“Elizabeth,” he breathed, “we have gone about this whole thing in an unusual manner, I am afraid. But, since you have truly accepted my proposal, might I ask to seal our resolve with a kiss?”
Her cheeks heated. “I am uncertain, William. I … I have never been kissed before.”
“And I have never wanted to kiss a woman as desperately as I want to kiss you, Elizabeth,” he whispered.
“How many women have you kissed?” she inquired, taking a step back, causing him to relinquish his hold of her. She stared at him with a curious yet slightly accusing expression.
He contemplated the matter for a moment. “Two,” he replied, grinning. “No, three.” At a look from her, he elaborated. “My mother, Georgiana, and I believe a kiss on the cheek from Mrs. Reynolds, Pemberley’s housekeeper, once or twice.”
She pinched his arm. “I did not mean that kind of kiss. I meant the kinds of kisses between husbands and wives, William.”
“None before you, Elizabeth,” he said earnestly.
“I grew up with Wickham taking advantage of whomever he could. He taunted me because I did not act in the same manner. Many of my peers at Eton and Cambridge acted similarly, but I never did. I cleaned up too many of his messes to want to be like Wickham. When my father passed away, I was too busy, and I had a young sister to watch over. I could not imagine taking advantage of any woman in such a way.”
“I confess that I am relieved.” She hid her head bashfully before finally answering. “Yes, William, I would happily seal our agreement with a kiss.”
He reached out to take her chin in his hand and lifted her face to look at him. Lifting his other hand to her face, he gently cupped her cheek. His heart was beating madly, and he knew she could feel it where her hands rested on his chest. Her eyes fluttered closed as his lips descended on hers.
The kiss lasted only a moment before he drew back slightly and opened his eyes.
Seeing Elizabeth’s eyes still closed, he leaned in and kissed her again, moving his lips along hers, following his natural inclination.
She responded in kind, and this kiss lasted several moments before they both pulled away.
“That was lovely,” she whispered as he pressed his forehead to hers.
“It was,” he murmured in a husky voice. “I did not want to stop.”
Elizabeth took a deep breath and stepped back. “It is getting late. I will be missed soon at the parsonage.”
“Yes,” he reluctantly replied, as his arms fell to his sides. “And now separating from you will be so much more difficult. I could delay my departure from Rosings.”
Boldly, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
He had to bend a little once he realised her intention and smiled at her lovingly.
“It will be that much harder to hide from your aunt and my cousin as well, my darling William. No, you should keep to your schedule, though I may write to my uncle and see if he can send his servant a day or two sooner. Perhaps Maria and I can cut our visit short by a day or two. I can ask Jane to claim some sort of emergency that requires my presence in London sooner.”
“I would like to meet your aunt and uncle, if it might be arranged for me to visit them while you are in town. Or before you arrive, if it would hurry your journey to London,” Darcy said.
She beamed at him. “Tomorrow morning, I will bring you a note for my uncle. You can tell him of our understanding even if it will not be official until you can speak to my father,” she said, then hesitated.
“There is one reason I am glad you will not return to Netherfield with me. I will need to speak to my father about you before you arrive. I am afraid I was rather vocal in my initial dislike of you, following the assembly, and while my understanding of you changed even before I left for Kent, I did not say as much to my father. He may be rather surprised by your request otherwise.”
Darcy nodded. “I understand. Your understanding of me changed, but without knowing if the dreams were real, you did not want to say anything. I have … well, I have not said anything to anyone about my dreams. I told Richard in January that I would offer for you when I saw you again, and while I was almost certain I would see you here, there was still a chance it was simply a dream.”
“We must go,” she said reluctantly.
He pulled her in for a quick kiss. “I love you, Elizabeth,” he said.
“As I love you, William.”