Chapter Twenty-One #2
Elizabeth stared at her in astonishment. "My reputation?"
Before anybody else could answer, Darcy crossed the room and quietly took her hand in his own.
Mr Bennet's eyebrows rose to his hairline, and then the room erupted.
Jane, already close to tears, hurried towards her sister with a stream of apologies which nobody could properly hear.
Bingley followed immediately behind, attempting to comfort Jane whilst at the same time assuring Elizabeth that he had done everything in his power to prevent the story spreading, until even he appeared uncertain to whom he was speaking.
Mrs Bennet gave a little cry, clasped both hands dramatically to her bosom and demanded that somebody explain everything from the beginning. Mrs Gardiner made several determined attempts to restore order, but found her calm voice entirely overwhelmed by the general uproar.
Lucy, delighted that the adults had at last become as noisy as the children, climbed onto the settee and began bouncing enthusiastically whilst announcing that pirates always shouted before they fought. George immediately informed her that respectable pirates most certainly did not.
Colonel Fitzwilliam, recognising a lost cause when he saw one, folded his arms and watched the proceedings with undisguised amusement, remarking to Mr Gardiner that he had seen cavalry charges conducted with less noise.
Through it all Mr Bennet remained perfectly still.
At length he drew a slow breath. "Stop."
It was not a loud command, but there was something in his voice which cut cleanly through the confusion.
The room fell gradually silent. Jane released Bingley's arm, Mrs Bennet lowered herself reluctantly into the nearest chair and even Lucy, sensing that the game had unexpectedly changed, climbed down from the settee and stood quietly beside Colonel Fitzwilliam.
Mr Bennet looked slowly around the assembled company before his eyes came to rest upon Darcy, who still stood beside Elizabeth with her hand resting securely in his own.
"I have never found gossip to be a reliable guide to the truth," he said calmly.
"Meryton has always preferred invention to accuracy, and I have no intention of allowing my opinion of either my daughter or yourself to be formed by idle speculation.
Nevertheless, I have travelled sixty miles because my eldest daughter arrived home in tears and my wife became convinced that Lizzy's reputation had been destroyed.
I think, therefore, that I am entitled to ask one plain question. "
He paused for only a moment. "Mr Darcy, what are your intentions towards my daughter?"
Darcy answered without the slightest hesitation. "To marry her, sir." Darcy's gaze never left Mr Bennet's.
"I love Miss Elizabeth Bennet with all my heart.
My greatest hope was to travel to Longbourn tomorrow to ask your permission to pay my addresses to her formally and, if she would consent to become my wife, to ask for your blessing upon our marriage.
Whatever rumours may have reached Hertfordshire, they alter neither my honour nor my intentions.
I esteem your daughter beyond every other woman in the world and should count it the greatest happiness of my life if she would do me the honour of becoming my wife. "
He turned to Elizabeth and his face softened. "I love you, my heart. Will you marry me and share my life with me?"
There was no hesitation. "Yes," Elizabeth said, tears of joy filling her eyes. "A thousand times yes, Fitzwilliam Darcy!"
For several moments nobody spoke. It was Bingley who finally shattered the silence.
"Sir," he burst out, taking an involuntary step forward, "if everybody is declaring themselves today, I really cannot remain quiet any longer.
I love Miss Bennet just as sincerely as Darcy loves your daughter and, if you can possibly spare two daughters instead of one, I should be the happiest man alive if you would allow me to marry Jane. "
Jane gave a little cry and covered her face with her hands.
The room dissolved into happy confusion.
Mrs Bennet burst into tears. Lucy, observing that everyone appeared delighted, began clapping vigorously and demanded to know whether there would now be two weddings.
George declared that there ought certainly to be two cakes if there were two weddings, whilst Colonel Fitzwilliam gravely informed him that military precedent was entirely on his side.
Mr Gardiner crossed the room to shake Darcy warmly by the hand before doing the same to a thoroughly overwhelmed Bingley.
Jane had not yet found her voice and could only smile through her tears as Elizabeth caught her eye, the sisters looking at one another with an astonishment that needed no words.
Darcy had eyes for nobody but Elizabeth.
He drew a little nearer, still holding her hand as though he feared she might vanish if he relinquished it, and smiled with a warmth she had never before seen upon his face.
It transformed him utterly. All the reserve which had once seemed so natural to him had fallen away, leaving only a man who looked as though the world had suddenly become brighter than he had ever believed possible.
At length Mr Bennet cleared his throat. "Well," he said, looking from one beaming gentleman to the other, "this has turned into a remarkably expensive afternoon. It appears I am about to lose two daughters instead of one."
Mrs Bennet looked at him in horror. "Lose them? Mr Bennet, what can you mean? We have gained two excellent sons! Oh my, I have flutterings as I have never felt before. I cannot bear so much happiness!"
Mr Bennet simply laughed and to her surprise, placed an arm around her, squeezing her tightly.
Elizabeth felt Darcy's fingers tighten gently around her own. Looking across the room at Jane, whose hand had somehow found its way into Bingley's, she thought that perhaps even the fiercest storms sometimes left the world kinder than they had found it.