Chapter 10
TEN
It was above half an hour before the commotion ceased, and another quarter beyond that, before Lydia asked, “Do you think we can release them yet?”
Harold, seated next to her on the hall floor with his arm looped about her waist, paused to consider the locked door. “Hm, perhaps soon. I would give it another ten minutes, just to be safe.”
Lydia sighed and rested her head against her husband’s shoulder to wait a little longer.
“What is going on up here?”
Startled, Lydia and Harold sat up straight and looked to the top of the stairs where Mrs Gardiner had suddenly appeared. Her countenance was set in lines of suspicion as she beheld her youngest niece and new nephew.
“Oh, ah, merely having a moment to ourselves, Aunt.”
Mrs Gardiner’s raised brow did not suggest any credence of Lydia’s excuse. “And where is Elizabeth? I saw you come up here with her some time ago. Only after Miss Harper and I quieted the children did I realise how long it had been since I had seen either of you.”
Lydia exchanged a glance with Harold, who seemed to quail at being found out by Mrs Gardiner. It was an excellent thing that she had more than enough boldness for the both of them.
Mustering the most innocent tone she could manage, Lydia asked, “Is she not back downstairs?”
Perhaps her manner had been a touch too innocent, for Mrs Gardiner only appeared to grow more suspicious. She crossed her arms and demanded, “Where is Elizabeth?”
Lydia pressed her lips tightly together and said nothing, so Mrs Gardiner shifted her narrow gaze to Harold. “Do you know where my other niece has gone, Mr Stone?”
Poor Harold was no match for direct interrogation. He swallowed and pointed at the study door. “She is in there with Mr Darcy.”
“What?”
“Harold!”
With an apologetic grimace, Harold confessed all. “We locked her inside with Mr Darcy in the hope of reconciling them. They have been trapped together for three-quarters of an hour.”
Mrs Gardiner’s eyes popped open wide and she hurried to the study door, scolding them along the way, “Of all the harebrained, nonsensical schemes! And after everything Mr Darcy has done for us…”
She fumbled with the key a moment, before the lock released and she could disengage the latch. It swung open to a scene which caused Lydia to jump to her feet with a delighted squeal.
Therein, Mr Darcy had Elizabeth pressed up against one of Mr Gardiner’s bookcases as he appeared to devour her. One hand was tangled deep in her demolished coiffure, while the other was engaged in holding them upright where he gripped the shelf above her sister’s head.
Elizabeth was as deeply immersed in the activity as Mr Darcy, her head tilted so far to one side that it nearly rested on her own shoulder.
Her hands were no less occupied than his, and clutched him firmly against her by keeping a white-knuckled hold on his waistcoat and cravat.
Her mouth moved vigorously in tandem with his, and Lydia was quite sure that they were savouring one another.
“My goodness!”
Mrs Gardiner’s exclamation was what informed the lovers that they had an audience at last. Mr Darcy wrenched his face away from Elizabeth’s, and Lydia was certain that she heard a distinct pop when he did so.
Both of them gaped at the incursion with eyes as wide as cake plates, chests heaving from their exertions.
The next moment, Mr Darcy had flung himself to the other side of the room and begun babbling apologies. Elizabeth joined him in jabbering excuses, and their voices overlapped into a hodgepodge of indistinguishable nonsense.
It had been a rather loud outburst, so it was unsurprising when Mr Gardiner arrived on the scene a few minutes later, demanding to know what was going on.
His wife was quick to explain, a smile quivering on her lips. “Mr Darcy and Elizabeth have been in here making amends.”
“What?”
“Kissing.” Lydia giggled. “Or counting one another’s teeth, I am not sure.”
“Lydia!” Elizabeth cried, her face turning from pink to crimson. Mr Darcy appeared equally discomposed, as he shifted from foot to foot.
Mr Gardiner fixed the Derbyshire gentleman with a steely gaze. “What do you have to say for yourself, sir?”
“Ahem, I apologise for the, er…circumstances,” Mr Darcy winced, “but I am pleased to announce that Miss Elizabeth has just made me the happiest of men by accepting my hand.”
From there, any pretence of severity melted from Mr Gardiner’s face, and he congratulated the couple, stepping forward to shake Mr Darcy’s hand. Mrs Gardiner followed suit, hugging first Elizabeth and then Mr Darcy, welcoming the latter to the family.
Lydia was not to be denied her rightful share of the celebration, and scooped Elizabeth into her arms the moment Mrs Gardiner had released her. Elizabeth laughed and returned the embrace fiercely.
Elizabeth drew back, absolutely glowing with joy, and said, “I am afraid we have stolen your thunder, Lyddie.”
“Oh, pooh. None of that,” Lydia exclaimed, waving away the implied apology. Then her wicked grin reappeared. “Although I will accept your admission that my way of getting husbands is not so bad after all.”
Elizabeth laughed and pulled Lydia in for another hug.