Chapter 14
Jane and I walked back into the house and I sank onto the couch, relief flooding through me as Jane tucked herself in beside me.
I pulled her close, gathering her into my arms, her head resting against my chest. It felt good to have solved the mystery, but at the same time, I was sad for Bill.
Jane and I sat together for a long moment as she let me hold her and draw comfort from her steadying presence.
The lamp on the side table next to me flickered once and I glanced toward it.
The ring box had appeared on the table again.
Jane shifted in my arms, and my heart stirred.
I gently lifted her head from my chest and turned so I was looking right at her.
I wouldn’t let anyone talk me out of this again, even if it was my internal voice of reason.
“Jane,” I said, “I love you. I’ve loved you since I first met you at club Meryton.
I should have recognized it for what it was and I should have told you.
I never should have left Austen Heights.
You even gave me a second chance when you came to New York, and I blew that by leaving again. I’m so sorry.”
“You didn’t blow it, Charles,” she said. “When you said you were leaving for Vienna, I got scared. I wanted to make it work, to follow you wherever you went, but I couldn’t leave my family with my father being so sick.”
“I know,” I said, taking her hand. “I know your family needs you. But I need you too.” I reached over to the side table and grabbed the ring box. “I’m never going to leave you again. No matter how long it takes, I’ll prove it to you.”
“You don’t have to prove anything to me. I trust you. I love you too.”
I was shocked–genuinely shocked. “How could you love me? I’ve been the most unmitigated—”
She pressed one finger to my lips. “You needed some time to learn to trust yourself. That’s okay.”
I snatched her hand and pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist. “I’m worried that I might be rushing things or that I might be too much for you.”
I wouldn’t have spoken those words aloud had it not been for the truth potion, but I guess it was good for me to lay myself bare because Jane said, “Charles, I don’t want you to change a single thing about yourself. You are just right for me.”
“Good, because I’m burning to ask you this question.” I slid off the couch and onto one knee. “Jane Bennet, will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she said, a few happy tears escaping her eyes. She pulled me back onto the couch and I kissed the tears off of her cheeks.
“I think I need to hear that again.”
“I’ll say it a thousand times. Yes.” She kissed my cheek. “Yes.” Then the other cheek. “Yes.” She may have been aiming for my forehead, but I captured her face between my hands, directed her lips toward mine, and got serious about the kissing.
When we finally came up for air, the room had changed.
Netherfield had re-decorated the whole space, presumably in honor of our engagement.
The wallpaper, formerly a subtle damask, had morphed into a heart print, and the sofa had somehow changed underneath us without us noticing.
We’d been quite distracted, but I was still surprised that we hadn’t felt it as the deep sofa had morphed into a shapely pink love seat.
The rest of the room’s decor was mostly the same, but the best part was that the tasteful art over the fireplace had been changed to a painting of Jane and I walking hand-in-hand up the front steps to Netherfield.
Jane laughed when she saw it. “What will Caroline think?”
“She and Netherfield get along great, I’m sure they’ll compromise on the design,” I said, grinning.
“Who do you want to tell about our engagement first?” Jane asked.
“My sisters. But visiting hours are over for Louisa today, so that will have to be tomorrow. Caroline and Jack we can video chat, but they can wait. Who would you like to tell?”
“My family, then Charlotte.”
“Perfect.” I stood, loath to leave the circle of Jane’s arms, but excited to share the news with the Bennets. I took Jane’s hand and led her toward the front door.
“What about your parents?” Jane asked, stopping in her tracks.
“We’ll tell them eventually, but I’m not in any hurry.”
She frowned. “They won’t be happy.”
“No, they won’t. But that won’t change my mind. I think they’ll get over it.”
She looked hopeful. “What makes you think that?”
“They forgave Caroline. She earned their respect by forging her own path and making it in the design world without any help from them. And they absolutely adore Jack.”
“Jack is high-fae.”
I turned to fully face her, though I didn’t relinquish her hand. “And you’re everything I’ve ever wanted and more. I hope they’ll come to love you for who you are. But even if they never do, I will never stop choosing you.”
“And if they cut you off?”
“They won’t. They know it would upset Darcy, and the last thing they want is to lose favor with the future king. Even if they did, it wouldn’t change my mind.
Jane smiled, content with my answer.
I forced myself to watch the road rather than Jane’s face on the drive to her family’s house, but I drove one-handed, refusing to let go of hers.
All the Bennets were pleased when they heard our news, but nobody was happier than Mrs. Bennet, who cried joyfully into her flour-dusted apron before hugging me so tightly I thought she might crack a rib.
Jane was radiant in her happiness, though I glimpsed a slight crack in her composure when she looked toward her father, who was seated in a chair with a blanket covering his knees.
Mr. Bennet, though pale, heartily welcomed me into the family and beamed every time he looked toward Jane.
I recommitted myself to doing everything I could to help Darcy in his mission to find a cure for Moonrot.
The Bennet sisters swarmed around Jane, wanting every detail.
She shot me an apologetic look as she was swept away for some wedding planning and, I presumed, girl talk.
I was more than happy to leave them to it, accepting the fizzy drink Wickham handed me.
“It’s Lydia’s newest contribution to the menu,” he said.
“It’s supposed to evoke the feeling of a new crush. ”
He raised his glass and I followed suit, then took a tentative sip. It tasted like raspberries straight off the vine, but if it had any magical effects, they were masked by the joy I felt at knowing that Jane and I would spend our lives together.
“Welcome to the family,” Wickham said.
I never thought I’d be happy to hear George Wickham say that, but recent events had shown him to be a much better man than we’d thought.
Eventually, Jane’s sisters released her and she made her way back to me. I pulled her close, and she banded her arms around my waist. One small command from Mrs. Bennet and the room was cleared faster than I’d have thought possible, leaving Jane and I alone in the sitting room.
The sounds of cracking eggs and spoons scraping against bowls rang out from the kitchen. This family knew well that the best way to celebrate was with comfort food.
“There’s been quite a lot of romance for you Bennet girls these past few months,” I said, smiling.
“Yes.” Jane sighed. “Now if only Lizzy could find such happiness.”
I thought of Darcy, cross and distracted as of late. “I think it’s time your sister and my best friend stopped denying the inevitable.”
Jane tilted her face up to mine. “You’ve made me so happy,” I murmured against her lips. She kissed me so thoroughly I forgot to look for a response, but eventually, she pulled away and said, “You’ve made me so happy, too.”
I would have kissed her all day, but her family ran out of patience and soon they drew us back into the sitting room.
Jane and I sat together on the loveseat, hands and hearts entwined as the laughter and joy of her family washed over us, and I knew this was where I belonged.
It had taken me a few tries, but I’d finally come home.