Chapter 28 #2
“Thank you, my Lord. As I was trying to say, I asked Mary earlier today,” seeing Bennet getting ready to berate him for what he assumed was a proposal he pressed on before the man could condemn his non-actions.
“I did not propose, Sir. You had imposed the two months and I would never put Mary in a position to choose between me and disobeying her father.” Hugh nodded at Bennet in a promise and Bennet visibly relaxed.
“What I asked Mary today is if she would support an application to you, sir, to end the time restriction today.”
Bennet ruminated and then looked at his wife who shot him an ‘I told you so’ look.
Knowing that she had no objection to ending the courtship early, had in fact told him to terminate his restriction before the week was out if they had been unwilling to contradict his edict, he turned to his middle daughter.
“Mary, do you support Hugh in this? Is this what you want?” he asked her. No one else in the room mattered; this was a question from a father to his daughter and only her response counted.
“I do, Papa. I thank you for wanting to give me time to know my heart, but it has long known that I will be happy with no one else,” she responded with no equivocation.
Birchington smiled at his beloved’s words but said nothing as Lord Longbourn and his daughter held a silent communication upon which no one else needed to intrude.
He could see his future self with Mary at his side silently asking his daughter if she was sure despite the man next to her, and only her answer would matter to him then as only Mary’s mattered to Bennet now.
Then he decided no man would be good enough for any of their daughters and they would all just be locked in towers.
Bennet exhaled and he nodded at their Mary.
“In that case, I see no reason for the courtship to keep an imposed minimum length. You have my consent to propose when you see fit, young man.” As Bennet gave his permission, he felt the same sense of loss that he felt when he had handed Jane to her husband in the church.
“By your leave, I would like to request a private interview with Lady Mary please, sir,” Birchington requested.
“My boy does not let the grass grow under his feet,” quipped the Duke to Longbourn, “and I think you owe me a case of your best French cognac. As much as I hate to say I told you so, I told you so.” The Duke’s jest had the Duchess and Countess giggling like schoolgirls while the children smiled and Bennet resigned himself to losing a case of his cognac.
“You may use my study, as long as the door remains cracked open and you have no more than ten minutes!” the Earl commanded, likely the last time he could use that tone with his Mary, winning a playful smile from her.
“More time restrictions Longbourn?” The crack earned the Duke full throated laughter.
“Hill? Do post someone outside the study with a loud gong and ring it should someone come within twelve feet of the door. Loud enough I will hear it through the sliver, if you please,” Mary requested, taking Hugh’s hand and leading him from the room to the laughter of all four.
“My soon to be daughter Mary will be a heck of a lot of fun to have around as often as I can get them to stay with us.” The Duke smirked and the Earl nodded, hating that he had missed out on so much time with his unique and incredible daughter who would soon be a future marchioness.
“I know,” Fanny slid her hand into his, “but if she gives us five daughters just like her, we will be in for most amusing holidays,” she consoled her husband.
“Five Marys would be a blessing indeed.” He squeezed her hand in return. They had not hidden the truths of Mary’s childhood from the Duke or the Duchess so that they almost appreciated her as much as her parents did.
In the study after they closed the door to within one to two inches of being shut, Hugh dropped onto one knee and took both of Mary’s hands in his own.
“I could give you a long, flowery speech, but we know each other too well for that Mary.
You are the only woman that I have loved and will ever love.
Without you my life will be empty. You bring light into my life and you are the only woman that I could ever marry.
I love you as you are and look forward to loving you as my wife as we walk our chosen path together.
Our titles put us in the spotlight, so let us show the world the value of a love match such as they have never seen.
“I ask you to bind your life to mine for the rest of our days. Mary Karen Bennet, will you end my lonely existence and agree to be my wife, my partner, my marchioness, and my helpmeet?” He beseeched her, his throat husky with promise, longing, and love.
Mary had tears of joy streaming down her cheeks and was too choked up to speak at that moment so she nodded her head most vigorously.
“Is that a yes, my Mary?” he teased. He stood up still holding her hands as he helped her to calm herself.
“A most definite and emphatic yes, Hugh!” she answered after taking a breath.
“There is none other but you I would ever agree to marry, so yes. I would answer the same if you asked me a million times, as I do this first one. Yes, Hugh, I will marry you.” She raised herself onto the tips of her toes and captured his face in her hands as he bent toward her not doubting her intention, kissing him for the first time.
His arms wound around her, appreciating this gift of knowing she wanted his addresses, wanted to kiss him, and wanted to press tighter into him. The tease of her fingers along his cheeks and the glide of her nails down his neck was almost his undoing.
When she pulled back and met his eyes, hers flared at the intense desire in his.
Bringing her into his arms he kissed her most passionately drawing away with a minute left of their ten so they could collect themselves and settle before they returned to their parents.
They left the study hand in hand and walked back to the drawing room.
The newly betrothed Lady Mary Bennet felt as if she was floating on a cloud.
When the glowing couple entered the drawing room, still hand in hand, it was but proof of how exactly their parents had expected the interview to occur.
“Is there something that you would like to ask me, Birchington?” Bennet nodded for him to make his request, wondering how soon his Mary would be following Jane into the world in the care of another man.
“Lord Longbourn, Mary has satisfied my heart’s desire and agreed to become my wife.
I respectfully ask for your consent and blessing,” Hugh announced without taking a breath.
Looking at his wife and seeing her ‘do not dare’ look, Bennet relented and did not toy with the young man.
It was a wise choice, as the same warning was written in his daughter’s eyes.
Fanny he might have playfully ignored; Mary he dared not.
Her last revenge had been to switch out his port with coloured water, and after he had spat it out Hill had smirked as he had handed him a ransom note saying he could have it back so long as she was given a thoroughbred rather than a gelding.
Callisto had been hers that very night. He chuckled, anticipating the stories he would hear when he had port with his sons after dinners in the future, possibly looking forward to Hugh’s the most.
“Welcome to the family, son. You have my, our consent and blessing.” Bennet looked to his wife who nodded her head in agreement, “Never make me regret bestowing my permission, so never hurt or disrespect her,” he warned seriously, as is a father’s right when he is giving away such a precious jewel.
“If he does, Mary, you tell both your father and me. You are already the favoured of the couple,” the Duchess of Bedford added her voice. Then the Countess winked at him, Hugh’s surprise making all the parents laugh as they stood and hugged their child and soon to be child-in-law.
Hill was summoned and soon returned with a bottle of champagne and six tall flutes.
Once the health and happiness of the betrothed couple was toasted, Bennet stated that he would send out expresses to inform his daughters and family in Derbyshire as he preferred them hearing from him and not an announcement in the Times.
Fanny wrote a note to inform her sister and brother in Meryton, and the Duke said he would send expresses to Hugh’s older sisters and to their ‘cousins.’ The last was said cryptically with no further explanation forthcoming.
Bennet debated sending an express to Jane and Richard and decided to do so just in case they read the announcement first. Said announcement would be sent to the London papers in two days, making sure that expresses would be received well ahead of delivery of newspapers.
The following day one of the Bennet’s express riders arrived at Seaview.
Being the closest, the missive with the news of the betrothal reached the newlyweds first. Jane and Richard felt trepidation before they opened the letter as they knew it would have to be of a serious nature to have an express sent to them during their wedding trip.
The apprehension quickly changed to unbridled joy as they read the following:
Bennet Park
Hertfordshire
24 June 1812
Our dear daughter and first son,
This missive contains only good news, so please cease worrying, as I am sure you did when the rider handed you this.
Hugh and Mary are betrothed! They requested that I remove my dictate of a two-month courtship.
I was expecting the request. Having no doubt of their sincere and deep attachment of one to the other, I relented.
Hugh proposed to Mary but five minutes after and it was no surprise to anyone that she accepted him.
They were bestowed with my consent and the blessings of all.
After so many years of calling the Rhys-Davies ‘aunt and uncle’ they will now be family in deed.