Chapter 8 #2
“Yes, oh yes, I will absolutely grant you a formal courtship,” Elizabeth replied breathlessly, feeling as if she could float on the wings of happiness.
She stood, in need of some action, and despite wanting to fling herself into his arms, did not, but just barely was able to hold herself in check.
Darcy chuckled as he stood with her, unwilling to allow so much space between then when he no longer was required to.
“You must allow me to tell you how ardently I love you, Lizzy, and I cannot wait until you become my wife and we are never parted again,” Darcy murmured as he looked down into her eyes, his hand holding hers as tightly as she held his.
“I love you too, Will, more than I ever imagined it was possible to love the man that I want to marry.” She promised softly.
Darcy was transfixed by her, unconsciously leaning down toward her until she licked her lips in invitation.
He glanced up into her eyes to verify she knew his intention and would grant him this gift.
Unlike the time on Oakham Mount where they stopped themselves, his lips brushed against hers.
It was a chaste kiss, but her feathered exhale was the promise of so much more.
Will ached to kiss her again, but he did not want to give Andrew cause to repine his decision.
Just as they stepped away from one another, there was a knock on the door, and Andrew entered before he received an answer. “Is there something you need to ask me, Will?” he asked, knowing full well that his sister accepted the courtship.
“Lizzy has done me the honour of accepting a courtship. We request…” Andrew cut him off before he completed his request.
“Considering that I was the one that gave permission for you to ask, you know you both have my consent, but I want you to know you have my blessing. For some reason, your family arrived while you were talking to this Sprite,” Andrew shared.
“A little bird must have told them that there would be news to share, but before we go talk to them, there is one more from whom you must get consent, Will.” Bennet stepped into the study.
It was a short interview for Bennet had long known the outcome of their story as assuredly as he had for any book he had read, and Elizabeth’s birth father added his consent and blessing.
He and Andrew revealed that they had spoken an hour earlier when Andrew called on Bennet House and shared his thoughts with Bennet and Tammy.
They had agreed that the plan was an excellent way to protect Elizabeth from unwanted attention.
As the four entered the drawing room where the three families waited, Richard and the de Melvilles were announced. Elizabeth did not miss the look of happiness on her brother’s face. “Itch? Is there something that you need to tell us?” she asked suspiciously.
“Yes,” responded Richard in confusion. He did not miss the trays with champagne flutes ready on the sideboard, nor the expectant looks on everyone’s faces. “Wait, how did you know I would have news like this?”
“This was not for your news,” Andrew said as he looked pointedly at his sister and Will, who were standing next to one another with bemused expressions.
“Lizzy and Will? I thought not before June?” Richard frowned.
“I will explain after we toast them, and it seems you as well,” Andrew stated. “I was about to announce that Lizzy and Will have entered into a formal courtship. What is your news, brother?”
“That was to be my and Lord Jersey’s announcement as well,” Richard informed the gathering, although no one doubted that was the case as he had unconsciously reached out and twined his hands with Loretta, who beamed as she looked up at him.
His clear preference and hope for closeness were a tell no one could fake; she had often seen her father reach for her mother thusly.
“In that case, we have a double celebration.” Andrew proposed a toast to Lizzy and Will, which Lord Cyril followed with one for Loretta and Richard.
For those not privy to his reasoning, Andrew explained why he had changed his mind on the timing.
He revealed that he would have granted a request to shorten his deadline to his sister’s birthday if he had been asked, which caused Elizabeth to give Will a smug ‘I told you so’ look.
Given the logic behind the expedited courtship, an announcement was sent to the Times by Andrew, accompanied by one from Lord Cyril with the information on his daughter’s courtship.
It was unprecedented to announce a courtship in the papers, but given the reasons for the courtships, it was decided that it was a prudent step.
Both couples accepted the congratulations and hugs with humour and amusement.
It was long understood what would happen for Elizabeth and Will, but Richard and Loretta were the welcome surprise to ensure that this was truly a newsworthy day.
Elizabeth was pleased that her friend Retta would one day become her sister.
As Elaine watched, her heart tightened with a tinge of sadness that her beloved Reggie was not there to share in the joy with the rest of his family.
This would have been the happiest of days for him.
For Lizzy and Will to come to the point, yes, but for his second son to have such a wonderful future ahead would have eased the last of his worries.
“Does that mean we will have two brothers named William?” Tom Bennet asked.
“That is why I am Will, and your brother is William, Tom,” Will grinned.
“You see, silly, and besides, Will is much taller than William,” Kitty told her twin brother.
“He is not that much taller!” Tom did not enjoy being corrected by his sister.
It was decided that an impromptu celebratory dinner would be held at Matlock House. The previously planned dinners from Darcy House and Bennet House would be brought over to make sure there was sufficient repast for all.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The next morning as he broke his fast, the Earl of Granville was reading the Times of London.
He was busy scheming as to how he would affect a compromise, if needed, to gain Lady Elizabeth’s dowry of, he believed, greater than one hundred thousand pounds.
Like many of his ilk, he over-calculated his ability to charm and was confident that he could direct her away from Darcy—after all, Darcy had no title.
He was feeling smug until he reached the society pages and read the two announcements.
He went into a rage which sent dishes flying from the table and crashing to the ground in a mess of food and broken china.
“This will not deter me!” he yelled at the wall.
“I will have to compromise the chit, and the sooner, the better.” He was sure they would be at some of the same balls, so he stalked to his study to see what invitations he had received.
When he saw none, he yelled for his butler.
When no one came, he remembered that he had let the man go as he could no longer afford the salary.
He then summoned his housekeeper, one of the handful of servants that he retained.
“Yes, my Lord,” the woman curtsied to the master.
“Where are all of my invitations?” he demanded.
“There are none, my Lord,” came the answer, and he angrily waved her away.
He did not want to think about it, but it was not the first season that the invitations had dried up.
His gaming and cavorting had become the fodder of many a scandal.
His behaviour on its own would not have caused his being distanced by the Ton, but he had been involved in too many scandals, and word that he was not able to meet his financial obligations had not helped.
He threw the snifter of brandy in his hand into the fire, causing a momentary flash of flames as the alcohol was consumed.
He would have to pay attention to her habits and see if he could catch her out and about one day.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
After the announcements had been published, both couples received a note of royal congratulations and an invitation for Lady Elizabeth and her suitor to Buckingham House.
There were many other congratulatory notes received, even though some who had hoped to have the lady or her suitor as a daughter or son did so begrudgingly, but would not do anything to run afoul of such a powerful family.
The fortune-hunting daughters and parents mourned the loss of the Honourable Mr Richard Fitzwilliam as well once word of his true worth was discovered. For their male counterparts, the loss of Lady Loretta and her five and thirty thousand was not a happy occasion.
Elizabeth immersed herself in the season, enjoying the balls and soirées that she attended.
The fact that Will was always with her made her enjoy that much more.
Now that they were formally courting, Andrew had lifted his two-dance restriction, so the two routinely danced the first, supper, and final sets at each ball that they attended.
Richard and Loretta were revelling in their courtship, and they would dance the same three sets as Will and Lizzy at any ball they attended together.
The more time they spent in one another’s company, the more they both understood none was better suited to either of them.
They talked about anything and everything and quickly discovered they had many interests in common, not the least of which was horses.
Loretta did not just love to ride; she would join her father’s hunt as well.
It looked like Wes was fated to be Richard’s brother, just not how they would have preferred it to happen.
As yet, he did not have a lady that excited his interest; but he did have to admit he had never held the depth of feeling Will Darcy had for Elizabeth, and in seeing their evident love, he finally accepted that what he felt was no more than an infatuation.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As it usually was, the visit to Buckingham House was a roaring success.
The Queen seemed to never tire of hearing Lady Elizabeth Fitzwilliam play and sing.
The royal stamp of approval was bestowed on the couple from her majesty.
Once they married, the Darcys would become distant cousins to the royals, so the Queen’s approval was positive, especially as it would become widely known in society that the possible match was looked on with a friendly eye by the royal family.
After the visit to the royals, Will and Elizabeth met Richard and Loretta, Georgiana, Kitty, Tom, and Alex at Gunter’s. Originally Jane and Perry were to join them, but they had sent their regrets stating that Jane was somewhat fatigued.
“Did you enjoy your time with the royals, brother?” Georgiana asked.
“I will wager that our brother did not notice them as he would have been staring at Lizzy in that besotted manner of his,” Alex ribbed his older brother.
“Sorry to disappoint you, baby brother, but I was aware of my surroundings. I cannot help that Lizzy has the voice of an angel that makes it impossible to concentrate on anything else when she sings,” Will responded.
Elizabeth blushed at the praise from her suitor. She looked around when she felt the eyes of someone outside her party on her, but in seeing nothing amiss, she dismissed it as unimportant. Instead, she turned to her cousin Georgiana and younger sister to talk to them.
The Earl of Granville was sitting in the corner and scowling at them.
As he was watching them, he lauded his luck at being at Gunter’s at the same time by happenstance.
He could see that it would be suicide to try anything inside of the establishment, as that damned Darcy never left her side.
As he always ignored servants, he did not notice the huge footman looking at him as intently.
He was wise to refrain from any attempt where he was.
He would not have been able to get close to her before he would have been dealt with, but he needed to marry her soon.
He could not stave off the sale of his estate and townhouse for too many more days!
He owed the bulk of his debts to a man they called The Spaniard, who would not hesitate to take his estate to satisfy his debts.
He waited until the party he had been observing left Gunter’s before he stood and paid his bill.
Even though money was in short supply, he needed to keep up appearances.
Granville followed them back to Grosvenor Square and waited, but waiting did nothing for him as he did not see his quarry again that day. He reluctantly made his way back to his shell of a townhouse on St James Square.