While Darcy preferred not to expose his plan before everyone, he could not request a private audience with her. He needed the assembled group to play its role in his scheme for it to succeed. “That depends on you. My family arrived today from London for the wedding.”
Mrs. Bennet squirmed in her chair. “The earl and countess?”
Richard winked. “As well as the Right Honorable Lady Catherine de Bourgh.”
Darcy addressed Elizabeth directly. “I believed my motives to be unselfish, but you were right about my sister.”
“And you were right about mine,” she confessed.
Her admission fueled Darcy’s courage. “From the beginning, you have borne the circumstances forced upon you… our engagement… with grace and good humor.”
“A forced marriage?” whispered Miss Bennet, lips parted, looking between her sister and Darcy.
“I hope you believe me when I say that, at the time, in Bingley’s study, I did not see another alternative. Over the next weeks, I did not want one.” Darcy’s voice faltered, but he pressed on. “You were never given a choice, Elizabeth, but I have the means to give you one today.”
Mrs. Bennet stopped fanning herself.
“Mary, the smelling salts.” Mr. Bennet spoke in a low tone.
“Ha! I knew it had to be a compromise! There is no way Lizzy would marry before me otherwise,” Lydia boasted.
Kitty hissed. “Oh hush, Lydia! You would sooner ruin us than see your sisters happily settled. You ought to be ashamed.”
The rebuke from her erstwhile partner in crime silenced her.
Darcy waited impatiently until the room fell silent. “Here is my offer, if you wish.” He swallowed hard. That was not enough, so he downed the rest of his tea. Clearing his throat and taking a deep breath, he said, “If you would rather have your freedom than marry me, I”—rubbed his hand over his face and clutched his stomach—“I will jilt you to marry my cousin Anne de Bourgh.” He talked as quickly as he could, anxious to be rid of the detestable words. “I shall make myself out to be the worst sort of rascal to spare your reputation. You will have your friends’ pity, but you will not have to endure their scorn.”
“You would ruin your reputation, cast shade on your own honor, for Lizzy?” asked Mr. Bennet.
“Have you gone mad?!” Mrs. Bennet exclaimed. She fanned her face and called for her salts.
“If Elizabeth asks it of me, I would do it.” Another hard swallow. “Furthermore, my solicitor will prepare a settlement to be paid to Elizabeth and dispensed in the manner of her choice to demonstrate legally that I was the one at fault. I also have it on good authority that Lady Catherine means to offer a bribe of two thousand pounds.”
“I would settle for no less than five thousand,” offered Richard.
Mr. Bennet stood. “It is a tidy sum to secure a lady’s independence. What say you, Lizzy? Your freedom and a fortune—or Mr. Darcy. He places you in the enviable position of having your own choice in the matter.”
Richard rose to his feet with a bow. “It would give me great pleasure to call Darcy out publicly. I can also ensure the sympathy of the earl and countess.”
“Will you sit down?” Darcy snapped.
“I can be very convincing, I assure you.” Richard gave another bow.
“If you refuse to sit, then is there not somewhere—anywhere—else you would rather be?”
With a roguish grin, Richard held one arm out to Mrs. Bennet and the other to her eldest daughter. “Care for a stroll in the garden, ladies?”
Mr. Bennet followed suit, gesturing with his hands for the others to join him.
“I would take the money and run!” Miss Lydia exclaimed.
“Nobody cares what you think on the subject,” Miss Mary said dryly, shoving her sister out to the hall, leaving Darcy alone with Elizabeth.
They stood facing each other for an eternity. Her eyes, always so open and expressive, instead were a closed book. He would give his entire fortune, even Pemberley, to know Elizabeth’s thoughts.
Finally, she spoke. “I need a few minutes to think on the matter alone.”
He nodded. What else could he do? He was at her mercy.
