Chapter 19 #2
Elizabeth chuckled and threw her aunt a skeptical look. “I do not believe you had a plan at all.”
Mrs. Gardiner looked outraged. “Just because you do not see it, does not mean it does not exist.”
“Go on, then,” Elizabeth challenged. “Prove it.”
“Oh, very well, if I must,” said her aunt. “The cunning plan was to create such a sense of panic, you would inevitably come together.”
“Fiddle-faddle!” exclaimed Elizabeth, laughing. “I have never heard anything more absurd!”
“Perhaps that is taking it too far. But my little letters to Georgiana have been crucial in bringing you and Mr. Darcy together. You must acknowledge that much.”
“I do, and I am very grateful for it.”
“Are you happy, Lizzy?”
“I am over the moon. I could never have imagined that anyone could be so happy. I feel like bursting into laughing and skipping across the room.”
“What is to stop you? I am sure Maggie would love to skip around with you.”
“I think I had better not disturb my uncle. He is writing an important letter.”
“Then tell me more about your feelings for Mr. Darcy. When did you fall in love with him?”
“I think I fell in love with him when I saw the marble columns in his townhouse.”
“You know that is not true, Lizzy. If that were the case, you would never have turned down his first proposal.”
“I had my reasons, as you know very well.” Elizabeth thought back to that first proposal. It seemed like it happened a very long time ago. “I am very glad I did. He would have been insufferably smug otherwise.”
“That is no way to talk of your future husband!”
“On the contrary, Aunt Gardiner. It is the only way to speak about him,” said Elizabeth, laughing. “If I cannot tease him, then I might grow intimidated, and that will not do at all.”
The next morning Mr. Darcy set out to see his solicitor bright and early, then went to the Gardiners, bringing the settlement papers for Mr. Gardiner to look over. Having delivered them, Darcy asked if he could talk with Elizabeth privately.
“As long as you keep the door open,” said Mrs. Gardiner. “Despite evidence to the contrary, you are not yet engaged.”
Darcy led Elizabeth to a corner behind the door where they would not be seen and pulled her into his arms.
“I have missed you,” he said, ardently, as he spread his fingers on her back, drawing her even closer. “It was a long night without you.”
“I doubt that very much,” she replied readily, “since you have not even kissed me yet.”
“I will be more than happy to oblige,” he replied, bending to plant a kiss on the slant of her neck, just under her ear.
He was gratified to see the little shiver she gave in response.
It encouraged him to move his lips further, sliding them along the hard line of bone until they reached the soft base.
He could feel the fast thud of her pulse in the hollow of her throat.
“Mr. Darcy,” she said, breathlessly. “We had better stop.”
She was right. He raised his head reluctantly and planted a gentle kiss on her lips.
“We will continue another time,” he said, with a lazy smile. “We will have all the time in the world.”
“My father will be arriving soon,” she said. “What will you tell him?”
“That is why I wanted to speak to you, before more … pressing matters intervened.”
She smiled mischievously. “I asked for a kiss. You gave me—something else.”
His gaze followed the line of her neck. He was sorely tempted to go to the door and close it, but, fortunately, common sense prevailed. There were things they needed to discuss, and decisions to be made.
“Much as I would like to spend the day otherwise, we need to reach some agreement on what we intend to do next.”
“Then it might be more comfortable if we sit down,” she remarked.
“I do not know if you have given it any thought, yet, but I have no idea how strongly you feel about having a large wedding. Personally, I think, under the circumstances, that the sooner we marry, the better. My cousin, Colonel Fitwilliam, has informed me of a betting frenzy in the club after the events in Green Park. It is important to put an end to the gossip as quickly as possible.”
“I thought you were inclined to give them something to gossip about,” she said. “At least, that is what it seemed like yesterday.”
“I have been rightly chastised by your uncle for that. Let us just say, I was lost in the moment and leave it there.”
Elizabeth’s mouth twisted with indecision. “Rushing the wedding may give rise to a different type of rumor.”
“I agree, but on the whole, I believe it might be better to have everything over and done with.” He paused and cleared his throat.
“There is also the matter of my relations. I know you were displeased when I mentioned them in my earlier proposal, but it is an indisputable fact that they will make their displeasure very clear. I would prefer us to deal with them together, after we are married. If we give them half a chance now, who knows how far they will stoop to put a stop to the wedding.”
Elizabeth nodded but looked troubled. “I would have liked to marry in Longbourn,” she said. “Among the people who know me.”
Darcy looked at her tenderly. “Think about it. There is still time. I will have everything ready, and then we can decide what will be best. I will not push you to marry quickly if you would rather not do so. Your happiness is all that matters to me, my dearest Elizabeth.”
The clatter of a carriage followed by a knock on the door brought the conversation to an end. Elizabeth went to the window.
“It is Papa. He is here,” she said, gravely, curling her fingers into his coat and giving him a quick kiss. “You had better go. I wish you luck!”
“Thank you,” he said, his stomach knotting.
What would he do if Mr. Bennet refused to give his permission?
Mr. Bennet arrived as predicted, just before noon. He was closeted with Mr. Darcy for almost an hour, after which he came to speak to Elizabeth.
“I have spoken extensively to Mr. Darcy. I see two advantages for you in marrying him. He has more than one carriage, and he is in love with you.”
Elizabeth, who had been waiting anxiously to hear her father’s verdict, did not know whether to be relieved, or annoyed that her father was being so nonchalant about her future.
“Papa, please, I beg you to be serious.”
“I am being serious. Come, Lizzy, surely you know me well enough. This is not easy for me. To part with my only sensible daughter. To have you live far away. Let us just say, I was not prepared for this.”
“Oh, Papa!” she said. It struck her now that her whole life was about to change, and she was leaving everyone behind.
“I will recover soon enough. You know, I would not have parted with you if you were not in love. I came prepared to refuse Mr. Darcy my permission. I was worried that the fear of scandal would lead you to do something that would bring you nothing but unhappiness.”
“That was what I thought myself at first. That is why I refused Mr. Darcy’s – William’s offer.” She blushed as she said his first name in public for the first time. “However, I am now absolutely certain that he and I were drawn together by the hand of fate, and that he is the right person for me.”
“My other fear was, that by falling in love, you have become blind to Mr. Darcy’s faults.
After all, your acquaintance has been very short.
I was worried that you were acting too hastily because you are in the grip of an infatuation.
Thankfully, I am now reassured. Mr. Darcy is a worthy gentleman, and from everything I have heard from your uncle, and witnessed myself, I am now convinced that he will make you very happy. ”
He kissed Elizabeth on the brow. “I am very happy for you, Lizzy. I believe Mr. Darcy will do.”
Tears sprang to Elizabeth’s eyes, and she threw her arms around her father. “Thank you, Papa. Now my happiness is complete.”
“Enough, child,” he said. “We cannot stand around all day. There are things to be done, and papers to be signed. Mr. Darcy has informed me that he is waiting for your decision whether to marry at once, or to wait and have a proper wedding. I am convinced it would be best to marry at once. Your young man will be able to obtain a license very quickly, and I see no reason to delay. In fact, I would say, the sooner, the better.”
Elizabeth did not have a sound argument against it. It was not unusual for people to have small, private ceremonies.
“Very well,” she said, “I love Mr. Darcy, and I am eager for us to begin our life together.”
“Good,” said Mr. Bennet. “Then we can move ahead. Fortunately, Mr. Darcy had the foresight to have the marriage settlement prepared, or we would be running around like headless chickens.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Papa! Please do not let Mr. Darcy hear you call him a headless chicken.”
“What I said was quite the opposite. You need not rush so quickly to his defense.”
“Of course I will defend him. In case you have not noticed, I am going to marry him. Speaking of which, I would like to write to Mama to inform her about the wedding, but I do not know what you have told her so far.”
“Whatever you do, do not write to her just yet. My impression is that Mr. Darcy does not want to invite any of his relations, except for his cousin, who will be a witness. I think it would be better if only the Gardiners and I will be in attendance. That way, he can honestly say that no-one was invited.”
“Mama will be very disappointed to miss it.”
“Not for long. Once I inform her that he is a tall handsome fellow, with 10,000 a year, she will be too busy crowing the news to everyone in Meryton. You need not worry. You will be seeing plenty of your mother and sisters in the coming weeks. I do not envy poor Mr. Darcy. He is trying to escape his own relations, but he has no idea what is in store for him with yours.”
“I doubt whether Mama will even care if William is tall and handsome, when she hears about his fortune.”
They chuckled together and talked for a few minutes, until Mr. Bennet rose heavily.