Chapter 24 #2
The following day while still at Netherfield Park, Darcy received a surprise letter.
His cousin Richard Fitzwilliam had developed deep feelings for Charlotte Collins, feelings she reciprocated.
Although he could not marry her immediately, as she was still in deep mourning, they already had an understanding.
He also announced the birth of Jonathan Collins, the new heir to Longbourn.
Darcy thought he would bring the good news to Charlotte’s best friend Miss Elizabeth. He knew she would be happy for her friend and celebrate the wonderful blessing for the widow to exchange a simpleton of a husband for one of the most worthy men in England!
However, when he arrived at Longbourn, the house was in uproar. What a surprise he had when he saw the person who had cause all the mayhem sitting in the drawing room with her brand new husband: Lydia had indeed gone to Gretna Green and married Captain Denny.
Captain Denny, it transpired was a second son.
Upon receipt of a letter from his father, a letter informing him that his eldest brother and the heir to their modest estate in Somerset had died in a carriage accident, Denny had wasted no time but proposed to his sweetheart, Lydia.
It was her idea to elope instead of doing the right thing by asking her father for his permission and blessing.
She had convinced him to sell his commission and surprise her family.
They were now on their way to Somerset to live with the elderly Mr Denny, planning to learn and understand the fundamentals of becoming the next owners of Featherstone Park.
But although Denny had avoided a whole heap of trouble with the war office in selling his commission, he now found he had acquired a new set of grievances.
For on their arrival at Longbourn he understood that their reckless behaviour had brought on Mr Bennet’s apoplexy attack and his new sisters deep disapproval.
However Lydia was typically oblivious and treated her father’s malady as trivial as something he would recover from promptly. “Are you not diverted Lizzy, that although I am the youngest, I am the first one to marry?” She giggled.
Elizabeth huffed, “Was it necessary to elope, Lydia? You could have come home to read the bans and have mama fuss over you with the wedding preparations.”
“La! I would not replace my romantic escapade with boring wedding preparations. It was an adventure.” She looked around the room, “I would have found husbands for all my sisters had papa agreed to take us all to Brighton.”
“Thanks for my share of the favour, but I do not particularly care for your way of getting husbands.”
Lydia just shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and helped herself of another biscuit.
“Do you not understand the seriousness of your actions Lydia? Our father may never recover.” Elizabeth said unhappily.
Lydia looked at Elizabeth and frowned, “He is an old man Lizzy, it is not my fault he was frail, and besides old people die every day.”
Elizabeth jumped to her feet, “I think I need some fresh air.” Then turning to Darcy she extended her hand towards him, “Mr Darcy would you care to accompany me?”
When they were out of the house Elizabeth almost ran blindly towards her favourite spot on earth: Oakham Mount!
She did not deviate from her path but sped through the country side as if she wanted to flee her own skin, desperately trying to blot over Lydia’s careless remarks from her memory.
Darcy walked by her side quietly allowing her to choose the pace, which was fast for a lady encumbered by several layers of skirts and petticoats.
They finally arrived at the nearby summit; she sat on a fallen log and dried her tears with the handkerchief he offered her. She then patted the spot next to her and he sat down.
“I am so sorry you had to witness such appalling behaviour from my sister, Mr Darcy. I will not hold it against you if you wish to leave Meryton and turn your back on us, once and for all.”
He shook his head, “Miss Elizabeth you have nothing to be ashamed of madam. Yes Miss Lydia, I mean Mrs Denny is young and thoughtless. But she is not murderous. What can I possibly say to excuse my own aunt who went about plotting to kill people, and executing her wicked plans to the letter?”
“She may not plot to kill people, but people may still die because of her reckless behaviour... and she sees nothing wrong with it.”
To that Darcy had nothing to say. It was true, while making excuses for the young lady would only distress Elizabeth further. He put his hand in his pocket and felt the letter from his cousin, “Ah I almost forgot,” he said taking the letter out, “would you like to read some good news at last?”
He passed the letter to Elizabeth who took it with trembling hands, so much was her anguish. But as she read it her expression changed from distress to delight.
“My dear Charlotte! She will experience real love and felicity in her married life after all; how wonderful!” She said folding the letter and giving it back to Mr Darcy, “She so deserves it.”
“I am sure she does.” Darcy looked at her and she fixed her eyes on him with a most tender expression.
“I am so glad for my friend, for she never dreamed of finding love when she accepted that simpleton of a husband, but she found it anyway. God works in mysterious ways... Kent was a blessing far more than I first realised.”
His heart beat wildly as he understood what she was saying, “Yes it was.” He cleared his throat. “But I also believe that the deep love that you have dreamed of all your life is at your own door-step... Elizabeth. All you need is to reach out and claim it.”
She looked at him confusedly at first. And then she held her breath as if waiting for an earth-shattering event.
Darcy got up from the log and dropped to one knee in front of her, “Dearest, loveliest Elizabeth I waited long enough, this will not do. Allow me to say how ardently I admire and love you.”
For a moment she only stared at him in astonishment while for a heart-stopping instant Darcy thought he had miscalculated.
“Tell me please that I do have a chance to win your heart. Tell me that you do not hate me the way you did when we were first in Kent. Tell me please that you are not resolved against me, that I am no longer the most odious man that you have ever known?”
She recognised the exact words she had spoken to Colonel Fitzwilliam in Kent about Mr Darcy.
She smiled, drying the last vestiges of her tears.
Offering him her hands she pulled him up to his feet.
Rather than say anything she simply nestled herself into his chest and sighed contentedly, as he held her tight, resting his chin on her head.
He was filled with wonder at how neatly she fitted into his arms.
She could hear his dear heart beating steadily through the wool of his waistcoat; it was beating for her. She now knew without a doubt that his heart belonged to her. And she felt a wave of love and a heavy weight of responsibility to protect that dear heart with all she had.
“So is this a yes?” He asked her breathlessly.
She looked up into his eyes smiling at him, “yes my dear Mr Darcy, it is definitely a yes.”
“Are you certain?” He asked teasing her.
“I am resolved Mr Darcy, and this is final. Nobody will persuade me against you my darling.”
He let go of her waist and very gently cupped her face with both hands on her cheeks. The kiss was first gentle and very tender. As he teased her lips with his tongue she opened it to him and the kiss intensified in warmth and depth.
After a few minutes of glorious bliss they separated, trying to catch their breath.
“My dearest love,” he said, “I am the happiest of men. I have waited for you since last November.”
“Last November? Surely not.
“Yes, last November, though I fought it at first.”
“Did you? I cannot blame you; I am not a good match for you. My family is a disgrace and I bring you no fortune.”
“Miss Bennet,” he said sternly, “I never want to hear such nonsense again.”
“It is not nonsense, Mr Darcy; I know that your family expected you to marry Miss de Bourgh, who is your equal in fortune and connections... I am so below you.”
“My aunt expected us to marry. But nobody else did, least of all Anne and I.”
“What about your sister and the Matlocks?
“Georgiana and Richard love you already, while my uncle advised me back in April, while we were still in Kent, not to lose you. As for fortune I neither care nor need it. Why would I need more money? I am rich enough for both of us. And as for connections, the Gardiners are wonderful people and I will be glad to call them my uncle and aunt.”
“What about the Bennets, the Phillips... and the Dennys?” She said, biting her lower lip.
“I am a gentleman and you are a gentleman’s daughter. As far as I am concerned we are equal.” He looked deeply into her eyes, “why are you trying to persuade me against you?”
Her face lit up in a beautiful smile, the first one since she had read the letters from Jane at Pemberley. “I am just presenting you with all the facts... but if you are resolved...”
“I certainly am, Miss Bennet.” He said solemnly.
“In that case Mr Darcy, you better ask my father...” A shadow crossed over her face, “While he is still with us.”
“I already have Elizabeth. And not only did he give us his permission but he also gave us his blessing.”
She gazed into his eyes lovingly, “You dear man, how I love you.”
His heart was bursting, “Say that again.” He asked.
“Say what?”
“Say that you love me.”
“My dear sir, I will say it ten thousand times a day until you get sick of hearing it.”
“Which will never happen,” He again found her mouth and kissed her until she could barely say anything coherent, while her knees threatened to give up under her. Finally they parted to take a much need breath of fresh air.
“The only things we need to complete our happiness now are for papa to completely recover and for Mr Bingley to propose to Jane.”
“Yes,” He said grimly, “Do not say anything to Jane, but I challenged him and asked him to either propose to the lady or let her go, to quit the neighbourhood once and for all. He shall not trifle with her affections while he remains undecided. I gave him until tomorrow to decide.”
She nodded and smiled lovingly at him, “thanks, Mr Darcy for being the perfect brother. My sisters will feel protected from now on.”
“Elizabeth, it is in my power to protect your family. Besides I promised Mr Bennet I would do it. But my darling, could you perhaps stop calling Mr Darcy?”
“What shall I call you?”
“William; which is what my sister calls me, and what my parents used to call me.”
“Very well Mr Darcy, William it is.” She chuckled.
He laughed happily and before they climbed down from the mount they spent at least a quarter of an hour in perfect silence, while their mouths were anything but lazy.