Chapter 19 #2
“I am so happy, Charlotte. Why cannot everyone be as happy as me?” Elizabeth gushed as she held her left hand up for Charlotte to inspect.
“As far as I know, Jane is not far from that feeling; she has accepted a courtship with Viscount Hilldale. I believe it will not be long before they too are betrothed. I expect our Mary will not be far behind. Richard Fitzwilliam was well on his way to being in love with her when she hid her true self away. He already recognised she was more than she showed as she held herself back. I have the feeling when he sees her, someone will have to help him raise his jaw from the floor,” Charlotte opined.
“As much as her looks, or perceived lack thereof, have never been a factor, they will not hurt.”
After Charlotte wished Eliza happy, the two returned to the drawing room.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
William Collins had five days left before his release from gaol.
His resentment towards all those who he felt had wronged him reached the boiling point.
How could the spiritual head of the Church of England have done what he did?
He had believed all the lies the Bennets, Miss Lucas, and the Dudleys had told about him!
On one hand he dreamed about revenge, but then it hit him that unless and until his cousin was sent to hell without a male child, he was homeless. He admitted to himself his cousin looked hale and hearty and would not be going anywhere anytime soon, so what was he to do?
His self-worth had been tied both to his position as a pastor and his association with Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
Now both were gone. His cousin had come to see him a few days ago and had informed him how the former Colonel Fitzwilliam was now master of Rosings Park, and that his former curate had been given the living at Hunsford.
At the same time, Cousin Bennet made him an offer. Join in breaking the entail and he would receive five thousand pounds and a first-class ticket on a Dennington Lines ship to the Canadas with a promise never to return.
His gut reaction was to reject the offer out of hand.
But after his cousin departed the gaol, Collins had cogitated on his situation and realised it was his only option.
He had no more than fifty pounds to his name, as he had not been in his position for more than three months and he had no prospect of earning more.
As much as it irked him to do anything which would benefit his cousin, the money and a fresh start would allow him to be free. Collins asked the guard to have someone take a message to Mr. Bennet at Longbourn to inform him that his terms were acceptable.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Bennet was about to accompany Andrew to the drawing room so that he could announce his courtship of Jane when Darcy knocked on his door.
“Come in Darcy; let me see what my second announcement will be.” Bennet saw the look of pleasure on the man’s face, so he was sure Darcy’s question had been met with a positive response.
“I requested Elizabeth’s hand in marriage, and she has accepted me,” Darcy said as soon as the study door was closed.
“Sit,” Bennet indicated the chair in front of his desk.
“It would have been my preference to make sport of your inauspicious beginning with my daughter at this moment, but I will spare you. I know you apologised to Lizzy for your ill-advised slight at the assembly, and once she saw past Wickham’s lies, she began to enjoy your company,” Bennet stated.
“I count myself a most fortunate man as she finds me tolerable enough to tempt her,” Darcy averred self-deprecatingly.
Bennet was heartened to see the man who could be dour at times was able to make sport of himself.
He was also secure in his understanding of Lizzy.
She would not have accepted Darcy unless she loved him.
Before Charlotte, it would have been much harder to say goodbye to his daughters and watch another man replace him as their protector.
Having Charlotte had changed all of that.
Bennet would still miss his daughters, but he had a partner and helpmeet now, one he liked and respected, who was his intellectual equal.
“You have my consent and my blessing,” Bennet related as he stood and offered his hand to his future son-in-law. Darcy stood and clasped Bennet’s hand firmly.
“It will be my most important duty to make your daughter happy always,” Darcy promised.
“You had better,” Bennet ribbed. “You do know I was a champion fencer at Cambridge, do you not?” Bennet asked as his head indicated the foils hanging on the wall behind him.
“You are the Tommy Bennet!” Darcy exclaimed. “When you come to Town or visit Pemberley, we must fence. As an incentive to visit us, have you heard about the library at Pemberley?”
“I once heard Miss Bingley waxing eloquently about it, but I thought it was hyperbole. Is it true?”
“If anything, that lady understated the library’s collection and size,” Darcy smirked when Bennet lit up at the confirmation.
“Then I suppose Charlotte and I will have to check on my daughter often,” Bennet stated.
“You will all be welcome anytime, Bennet, with or without notice,” Darcy offered.
“Be careful what you ask for, Son!” Bennet jested as the two men headed for the drawing room.
Elizabeth had been keeping her left hand out of everyone’s sightline as she did not want to pre-empt her father’s announcement.
When Bennet and Darcy returned to the drawing room, the latter went to stand behind his betrothed.
Darcy gave a slight nod as he entered the room which caused Elizabeth to beam—not that she doubted the outcome.
“It is my pleasure to inform you that Jane has accepted Andrew’s offer of a courtship.
Words of congratulations flowed until Bennet held up his hand.
“It is also my pleasure to tell you that William asked a question of Lizzy,” he did not miss the smiles on the betrothed couple’s faces.
“Sorry, belay that. Not just a question, the question! He asked for her hand in marriage, and she accepted him…” If Bennet was about to say more, but no one knew, as a blond streak launched herself at her brother just then.
“I take it you approve, Gigi?” Darcy asked.
“Yes, William, I most certainly do! At last I will have a sister. Five sisters!” Georgiana spied the ring when she reached for Elizabeth’s hand. “Lizzy, Grandma Darcy’s ring is perfect for you.”
Anything else anyone wanted to say was lost in the melee as each sister needed to see the ring, hug Elizabeth and Darcy, and express their joy at gaining a brother. Jane and Andrew were not forgotten as they received their fair share of the well wishes.
“My sister would have loved your Lizzy,” Lord Matlock said gruffly to his nephew.
“I know, Uncle Reggie. Both she and Father would have loved her had they the chance to meet her,” Darcy stated with confidence.
Mary hugged both sisters and congratulated them, though Jane noticed her wistful look when she returned to her seat next to her. “He will be here soon, Mary,” Jane promised quietly, patting Mary’s hand, understanding well what was ailing their sister.
Last to hug and well wish the sisters had been Charlotte, who graciously omitted any ‘I told you so’s’ as she expressed her joy. “Do you have a wedding date in mind, Eliza?” Charlotte asked.
“We have not discussed it yet. I know I do not want a long betrothal, and I feel certain enough of my William to say he feels the same,” Elizabeth surmised.
By the time the betrothed and courting couples fell into their beds that night, they felt well pleased by the events of the day.