Chapter 30 #2
“Be not concerned; just because I have very deep feelings for you, I am not assuming your feelings match mine, so this is not a proposal of marriage. My prior arrogance led me to believe that you were flirting with me, and if I ever overcame the nonsense I used to believe about the kind of match I thought I needed to make, and I should make an offer for you, then you would have fallen at my feet and accepted me without delay.”
Both of Elizabeth’s eyebrows shot up. She also owned that had she not learnt to listen intently, she would have taken great insult at Mr Darcy’s words rather than understanding that it was an explanation of the errors he had made.
“As soon as I understood you did not like me, I was able to fathom how pretentious that made me. I believe things have changed, so rather than assume, I will ask. Have your feelings towards me softened? If they are what they were before, then I will be silent on the subject I desire to canvass.”
“My sentiments have undergone so material a change since the period to which you alluded as to make me receive with gratitude and pleasure your present assertions of having tender feelings for me,” Elizabeth responded.
The happiness which her reply produced was such as Darcy had never before felt. “In that case, Miss Elizabeth, would you consent to an official courtship so you might discover whether your feelings will grow to match my own?” He requested.
“Yes, Mr Darcy; that is a request which is easy to grant,” Elizabeth agreed.
Although he very much wanted to express himself as a man violently in love would do and kiss his beloved Elizabeth senseless, Darcy regulated his desire.
She had not agreed to marry him—yet, only to a courtship at this point.
Instead, he took each of her hands into one of his own.
Thankfully she was not wearing gloves, so he lifted her left hand, gently kissed the upper side and slowly rotated her wrist until it was facing up.
Then he bestowed a lingering kiss over her pulse.
He repeated the same with her right hand.
Elizabeth felt hot and cold all at once, but of one thing she was sure: she greatly enjoyed the feelings evoked by Mr Darcy’s lips on her skin.
“When we are not in public, will you please call me William?” Darcy requested.
“I will be happy to do so, William, as long as you address me as Elizabeth or Lizzy,” she responded.
“Elizabeth is a very good name.” Before he could say aught else, there was a knock on the door, and Mrs Gardiner entered the room. “When do you return to Hertfordshire? I need to speak to Mr Bennet.”
“Is there news?” Maddie enquired.
“I granted William’s request for a courtship,” Elizabeth replied happily. “Did Papa cede authority to Uncle Edward so he may approve of a suitor for me?”
Maddie said nothing of the use of Mr Darcy’s familiar name.
She would do nothing to tamp down the unbridled joy she saw in both of them.
“No, your father did not. However, as you may have forgotten, we leave for Hertfordshire to return you home in two days.” There was no missing how the faces of both members of the couple fell.
“If Mr Darcy, his sister, and her companion transported you home, all of the proprieties would be observed.”
“But Aunt Maddie, Mr Darcy would have to turn around and travel back to London,” Elizabeth worried.
“Lizzy dear, where is Colonel Fitzwilliam residing while he waits to transport the miscreant to King’s Bench? Think on it. Netherfield Park has more than enough room, and as it is, Elaine will be the hostess there in a few days.”
“My aunt and uncle will be in Hertfordshire?” Darcy verified.
“Indeed, they will be, and the Hilldales as well. It should not surprise you that they desire to come to know Jane, and as we had a practically empty manor house, Edward and I invited them to remain for as long as they choose,” Maddie revealed.
“In that case, as long as Elizabeth agrees, we will convey her home on the morrow and accept your generous offer for us to reside at Netherfield Park.” Darcy paused as he gathered a thought.
“You must allow me to thank you and Gardiner for ridding us of that blight. Had he still been free in Meryton, I would not have taken the chance of putting Anna in his company.”
“The last report we received stated that his back is healing, so it may not be the worst thing for Anna to see him defanged. That will remove any residual power he has over her. Your cousin’s work with the hilt of his sabre will ensure, even if he manages to leave the prison at some point, he will never be able to trade on his looks again,” Maddie stated.
“Unlike in the past, that is not a decision I will take without first consulting Richard, and if he agrees, Anna. I need to take my leave; Anna is waiting impatiently to hear the results of my interview. She told me to ‘go to it’ and not to come home unless I succeeded,” Darcy reported with a wry smile.
“Unless you have a prior engagement, will you, Anna, and Mrs Annesley join us for dinner?” Maddie invited.
Darcy would not have refused, but seeing Elizabeth’s look of pleasure made it impossible to give anything but a positive response.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
When the Darcy coach came to a halt in Longbourn’s circular drive, the light flurry of snow which had just begun to fall less than an hour before the travellers arrived, kept the family from exiting the house in order to meet those arriving.
When her second daughter entered the drawing room followed by the two Darcys, Fanny’s inclination was to squeal with delight and begin with comments about how rich Lizzy would be.
When the express from Gracechurch Street arrived the previous day, Fanny had demanded she be allowed to read it to make sure Thomas was not teasing her.
He was not, and Lizzy was, in fact, being courted by Mr Darcy.
It had not been easy for Fanny to not begin talking of the jewels, carriages, and wealth Lizzy would have, but she had kept her equanimity, reminding herself that was who she used to be.
It had been close with Lizzy and Mr Darcy before them, but Fanny had been able to regulate herself.
Instead. she had graciously welcomed Lizzy home and asked to be made known to the young, shy looking girl.
Darcy had done the honours and after greeting the Bennets, he clapped Richard on the back and wished him all felicity for the future.
As Richard would keep an eye on Anna, he approached Mr Bennet and requested to speak to him.
“I received Gardiner’s express yesterday, so I will not sport with you and make you explain what it is you desire.
Lizzy also wrote me a letter, and as she is determined that I approve of the courtship and give you my blessing, that is what I will do.
I understand that both of you have changed the opinions you had of one another after your first meeting,” Bennet drawled.
“While it is true that Eliz…Miss Elizabeth did not have any charitable feelings for me, which was much deserved on my part; my feelings for her began and crept up on me, so I was in the middle before I realised I had begun. Knowing what her feelings about me had been, is why I offered her a courtship and did not offer the proposal as I would have had I been blind and selfish,” Darcy responded honestly.
“My only aim in life is your daughter’s happiness. ”
“You will do, Son, you will do.” Bennet stood and proffered Darcy his hand. “I will call you Darcy, and you will address me as Bennet.”
Darcy had no objection.
Back in the drawing room, Bennet announced the courtship was official and stepped back to stand with Darcy and Fitzwilliam while Lizzy was surrounded by her mother, sisters, and Miss Darcy, all conveying their delight.
It did not take long before Anna was on familiar name terms with the rest of the Bennet sisters.
She did not ignore the others, but she gravitated towards Mary with their shared love of the pianoforte.
When Mary suggested they play a duet, Anna agreed; the number of people present who she was not familiar with, did not lessen her desire to play with Mary.
Colonel Fitzwilliam asked Jane to sit to one side of the drawing room with him.
“The day after my parents, brother, and sister-in-law arrive, I will be escorting Wicky to his new home. Even though the seducer tried to prevaricate, Mr Jones stated that it is safe for him to be moved. I will be back in a sennight, at the most, and Jane, when I return, I would very much like to address you in private.”
“Richard, it will be my greatest pleasure to grant you said interview,” Jane replied as her cheeks blushed with pleasure. “I will miss you.”
“As I will miss you,” Fitzwilliam said. He would return as speedily as possible.
Rather than join Richard and William after dinner when it was time to leave Longbourn, Anna accepted an invitation to remain and be hosted by the Bennets. There was no hesitation when she accepted, and her guardians were beyond pleased that her spirits had been fully restored.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
When Darcy had conveyed the Gardiners suggestion to his cousin regarding Anna seeing Wicky as he now was, Richard had agreed. The next morning, they had put the proposition to her, and after the circumstances were explained to her, Anna had wanted to see him.
The visit had the desired effect; any power the libertine had over Anna was gone.