They walked to the sofa where Elizabeth sat, and he remained standing.
“We have ten minutes,” Darcy informed her. “Ellie, or should I say Elizabeth, I am sure my attention to you has not gone unnoticed. I have been falling in love with you since soonafter that night at the assembly in September. Now my love and respect for you has blossomed and is as ardent as any has ever loved another before.”
Elizabeth thought about teasing William but decided this was not the time. “I have not missed your attentions, and they have been welcome.”
For an instant Darcy was struck dumb. He had hoped she returned his regard, and from what she had just said, it seemed she did. “I believe that had you been a Bennet and not Ellie Wendell, we would have ended up at the same point’ although it may have been a longer road with more obstacles, but find one another, we would have. I am certain that it was ordained that we should find each other, one way or another. You, Elizabeth Elaine Wendell, are my soulmate, the one who completes me; you Ellie, are the yin to my yang.”
“Like I have, I can see you have also read the works of Confucianism,” Elizabeth observed. “But you should know I feel the same. I too believe even had we not been family, we would have found our way one to the other.”
“I do not want to rush you and was worried that your Wendell parents would want you to remain at home with them for longer, but they are more interested in your happiness than any selfish desires they may have. Ellie, I love you with all that I am. If you need more time and would prefer an official courtship first, then I will wait as long as you need…” Darcy stopped speaking when Ellie stood and placed one of her delicate fingers on his lips.
“Silly man, I love you too. There is no need for a courtship, as it would be superfluous.”
The instant he heard her words, Darcy dropped to one knee before she sat again, and took her hands in his own much larger ones. “All that remains is for me to ask you if you will make me the happiest man in the world. Ellie, will you marry me?”
“Yes, William, I would like nothing more than to be your wife. I will marry you and no other.”
As quickly as he fell onto one knee, Darcy was up again. He gently pulled Ellie closer to himself. As she tilted her head back and closed her eyes, he lowered his head until their lips met for the first time. They both felt the frisson of pleasure which radiated out from their lips and suffused the whole of their bodies.
The first kiss was a very chaste brushing of the lips, but each subsequent one deepened. Darcy wrapped his arms around the small of her back while Ellie’s arms snaked around his neck. One of her hands found its way to his hair and caressed his curls. Darcy was about to allow his tongue to touch her lips to see if, as he believed she would, she would allow it entry when the maid in the hallway cleared her throat, indicating their time was up.
When they stepped back, Elizabeth did not miss the rather prominent bulge in William’s trousers. Rather than tease him, she kept her eyes on his. “Do you require a minute or two while I collect the parents for us to speak to them?”
All Darcy could do was nod while he felt the tips of his ears burn. As soon as Ellie left the study, he thought of Caroline Bingley, causing a rapid deflation of his reaction to the kissing of his fiancée. How well that sounded! Barring any parental objections, he was engaged to Ellie.
A few minutes later, Elizabeth and both sets of her parents entered the study. Much to Darcy’s delight, none of the parents objected. Their betrothal was official.
The news was shared with those in the drawing room, and congratulations flowed freely. In the middle of it all, Barney and Charlotte arrived and announced their own engagement, which only made the celebration last longer.
The two newly engaged couples decided to defer discussions regarding a wedding date.
Chapter 27
Elizabeth Elaine Wendell thought she was living inside of a dream. She was engaged to William and could not have been happier about it.
Her thoughts wandered to the pledge she and Jane had taken when they were much younger, Jane had been fourteen and Elizabeth eleven. They had sworn that they would never marry for anything but the deepest love and respect, just like they saw between Mama and Papa on a daily basis. Grandmama Beth had also told them stories of how much in love she and the late Grandfather James had been.
Now that pledge had been honoured. Jane was completely in love with David, and he with her, and the same could be said about Elizabeth and William.
Since accepting William and both her Bennet and Wendell parents bestowing their consent and blessings on their engagement, Elizabeth had felt as if she were floating on a wispy cloud high above the earth.
“Mother and Father, I think that it is time for me to live under your roof again, that is, until William whisks me off to Pemberley. Also, I want to officially take the name Wendell again. I spoke to Mama, Papa, and Grandmama Beth, and they all agree that is how it should be,” Elizabeth stated. After the furore over the dual engagements that day had lowered to a dull roar, Elizabeth had requested a few minutes with her Wendell parents.
“Ellie, there is nothing we would like more,” Cilla responded with a wide smile on her face. “However, we neverwanted to pressure you. As long as you are ready for this change, we welcome it.”
“I promise you, Mother, unless it was what I truly desired, I would not have agreed with Mama when she opined that I was ready,” Elizabeth assured Mother.
“In that case, we will be beyond pleased that you want to use the Wendell name again, and to have you join us at Netherfield Park,” Cilla enthused. She had to try and regulate her excitement. This was the final step of Ellie’s return to their family, and Cilla could not remember this feeling of unbridled joy, certainly not since before Ellie had been kidnapped. “I will send a note to Catherine so that she will have the housekeeper prepare chambers for you.”
“What of William, he may not remain under the same roof now that I am his fiancée, may he?” Elizabeth enquired.
“No, Ellie, you are right,” Wendell said with a grin. “When William asked to address you, your mother and I discussed this. With your Bennet parents’ permission, William will move to Longbourn while you are at Netherfield Park. By the by, have you two spoken of a date to marry yet?”
“No, Father, we have not,” Elizabeth replied. “I still need to speak to Jane, because I have always dreamed of marrying in a double ceremony with her.” Elizabeth’s face fell as she realised something. “But that cannot be, can it? Jane will marry from Longbourn, and I am sure you would prefer I marry from Willowmere, would you not? I had even thought to ask Charlotte and Barney if they would join the same ceremony, but Charlotte will marry from Lucas Lodge.”
Cilla and Wendell looked at one another, communicating silently as those married for more than three decades and still hopelessly in love were able to do. Both nodded.
“Ellie dear, if Jane and Fanny agree, we are completely sanguine with you marrying from Longbourn. It is where yougrew up and became the estimable lady you are, and until we were reunited, it was the only home you had known,” Cilla assured her daughter. Seeing Ellie light up with pleasure was well worth the concession. Both she and Joseph were rewarded with their daughter throwing her arms around their torsos in turn and giving them each a warm hug.
