Without realising she had done so; Elizabeth’s arm was wrapped around Darcy’s arm by now. She loved the feel of his strength she felt in the muscles below her hand. If it were possible, she would never relinquish her hold on his arm.
The feel of her dainty hand on his arm thrilled Darcy. Since reuniting with her in Hertfordshire, he had decided to take things slowly and not frighten Elizabeth with his ardency. That plan was about to be thrown to the wind because the looks she was giving him were loaded with love, of that he was certain.
For a time they did not speak, just enjoyed the closeness they felt between them. Sometime later, they exited the grove into a field. There was a hill on one side of it. On the flat summit of the hill was a folly built in the form of a small Grecian temple.
The younger girls walked up the hill and sat down on a bench to one side of the structure. Darcy led Elizabeth onto the marble floor on which the temple was built.
“You see there, over the tops of the trees, that is the manor house.” Darcy pointed to the southwest.
“It looks like a large building,” Elizabeth observed.
“That it is. When we return to the parsonage I have an invitation from Anne for you all to join us for dinner on the morrow, you will be able to see it from up close.”
“Do not forget, I will see the infamous over-ordered gardens as well.” Elizabeth smiled at the thought of the former mistress’s illogical obsession with control.
“If I would like to address you privately, do I make the request of your cousin? Oh, he is your brother-in-law now.” Darcy paused. “That is unless you think it is too soon to do so?”
“No, it is certainly not too soon, and yes, William, you would ask my brother William’s permission.” Elizabeth glowed with pleasure as she could guess why he wanted to address her and she could think of nothing she would like more.
There was no need for more words. Their eyes said all that was needed. Soon enough they were on their way back along the path they had walked to the folly.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Even if there was no great variety like that served at Rosings Park, the morning meal was both enjoyable and tasty. At its completion Darcy followed the master of the house into his study where he was to work on his sermon.
Permission was granted for the courting couple to meet in private, with the proviso the door would not be closed all the way and would last no longer than ten minutes. The two Williams repaired to the sitting room where the four ladies were to be found.
“Mary dear, Darcy would like to have a private interview with Lizzy, which I have granted. We should away for ten minutes,” William Bennet announced.
A most unladylike squeal of pleasure escaped from Giana’s mouth. She clapped her hands over it in embarrassment. Mary and her husband led the two younger girls from the sitting room.
The door was closed about three quarters of the way. Elizabeth was standing in the centre of the room as Darcy fell onto one knee in front of her and took her hands in his own. “Elizabeth the love I feel for you is immeasurable. Besides loving you, worshiping the very ground you walk on, I respect you in every way.
“I almost made the mistake of thinking about the disparity in wealth and societal position between us, before my heart changed and I realised in every way that counts we are equal, in fact in many ways you are my superior like in your kindness and joyful nature.
“Our intelligence is very well matched. Never have I met a woman who can not only articulate her positions in the cogent fashion you do, but you are able to defend them with logic and facts thereby showing me more often than not the error in my conclusions. Elizabeth, you are everything and so much more than I have ever wanted in a wife, a partner in all things. Please say you will marry me my dearest, loveliest, beloved Elizabeth.”
For a moment Elizabeth had thought William was about to list all of the reasons she was his inferior in wealth, connections, and society. She was beyond pleased she had listened to what he actually said and not operated from her sometimes hasty assumptions. Thankfully she had finally learnt not to jump to conclusions without the requisite information.
“Your being away after your Aunt’s passing has proved the axiom about distance making the heart grow fonder. When you requested the courtship I had tender feelings for you, but I was not in love with you yet. While we were separated, it hit me that my life would be empty without you in it and I was, in fact, ardently and irrevocably in love with you. Based on the way you always treat me as an intelligent being I have no doubt you respect me. Never once have you dismissed something I have said just because it was a lady who stated the position.
“So in answer to your question, yes, William, absolutely yes, I will marry you.”
He released her hands in order to stand up. Once standing, he again took one hand in his and drew her very close to him until they were almost touching. Darcy looked at his fiancée to gain permission and Elizabeth looked up at him and was so caught up in the look of intensity that she could only nod her head in the affirmative.
Elizabeth’s mouth suddenly felt dry and her heart thumped against her chest like a drum beating inside of her. He whispered her name and as she looked up, it seemed as though he was moving very slowly until she felt the light pressure of his lips on hers. Suddenly, she felt very hot as he pulled her even closer and her arms which seemed to have a will of their own found their way around his waist.
Darcy pulled his head back and looked into Elizabeth’s eyes to make sure she was sanguine with the kissing. He saw no trepidation, just a burning passion in her eyes.
He lowered his head again and the kisses were deeper, more insistent now. He let his tongue play over her lips. Her mouth opened instinctively allowing his entry and their tongues touched tentatively and then duelled vigorously. The sensations this action caused were exquisite. The kiss lasted until they had to stop to breathe, and they reluctantly pulled away from each other. Her breathlessness left her standing on legs which felt wobly from the passion she was experiancing. They both looked at each other with silly smiles on their faces.
She floated upon a sea of sensation unlike anything she had ever imagined. Scattered impressions drifted across her consciousness. She then noticed something hard pressing against her hip. Elizabeth could scarcely draw breath. Having grown up on a working farm, she was sure she knew what was pressed against her.
Before they could kiss again, or she allow her hand to brush over his hard appendage in error, they heard the clearing of a throat in the hallway. The newly engaged couple practically jumped apart.
With two quick strides Darcy went to look out of the window. As was his wont when he needed to distract himself and cause evidence of his arousal to shrink, Darcy thought of Caroline Bingley which had the intended effect causing his arousal to shrink in an instant.
By the time Mary and William Bennet entered, Darcy had turned around and was standing next to his fiancée with no visible evidence of his former excitement.
