“Oh no, Andrew, the last thing I want is for you to remain silent; in fact, the opposite is true. My feelings match your own,” Jane revealed.
“We need to return to Lakeshore House. I must request a private interview with you from Gardiner, that is, if I have your permission for the same,” Hilldale stated as he looked at Jane lovingly.
“There is nothing I would like more,” Jane enthused.
They turned and walked back towards where Lizzy was standing; she had ceased walking when they had. “Lizzy, we are returning,” Hilldale stated.
Had she any doubt of the reason for their return to the house, it would have been dispelled the instant Elizabeth saw the glow of pleasure on Jane’s countenance, which was matched by the pure joy she noted in Andrew’s look. As they did not need to speak at that moment, Elizabeth stayed close to the two ahead of her until they reached the house.
It was the work of moments for Gardiner to give his permission for a private interview. The same restrictions were imposed as had been when Hilldale requested the courtship.
As soon as the maid was in place, Hilldale led Jane to the study.
With the door partially closed, rather than leading her to the settee as he had the previous time they had been alone in this room, he took her hands, which were now without gloves, as were his, and went down onto one knee. He looked up and saw Jane looking at him intently, lovingly, and with an air of anticipation.
“Jane Frances Bennet, you know that you are the first, and only, woman who I have ever felt like I wanted to get to know with an eye to the future. As I know that you are my other half, my much better half, I must assume that God neverallowed me to form an attachment to any woman until we met.
“I would be prevaricating if I said that you are not a very beautiful woman and your looks are not attractive to me, but it is so much more than that. If all you had was your beauty, I would not be on bended knee before you now. In you I have found the generosity of spirit I sought, compassion, honour, and unlimited goodness. At the same time, you have a core of steel and will defend those you love with all that you are. If all that were not enough, you are a very intelligent lady who will not defer to me or any other when she knows she is right.
“Like my father found in my mother, I always wanted a partner in life, a helpmeet, and a lady who would walk life’s paths next to me and not behind me. In you, Jane, I have found all of that and more. Add that to the fact that I respect and love you, there is no choice but to ask you the following: Jane Frances Bennet, will you make me the happiest man and agree to be my wife? Will you marry me?”
“Given the fact that I love and respect you more than I ever imagined I would be able to love anyone, there is only one answer I will allow myself to give you. Yes, Andrew, to and beyond an infinite number of times, my answer is yes, I will marry you,” Jane responded gleefully.
Hilldale jumped up as if shot out of a cannon. “Jane, you have made me more filled with joy than I imagined was possible.” He looked a little chagrined. “As I never expected to find a wife here, I do not have a ring to give you…”
Jane placed her finger on his lips, which she wished he would use for something other than talking, like kissing. “Andrew, I need no ring from you. When and if you give me one, I will accept it, but you have given me the most valuable gift I could imagine…your heart and your hand in marriage. That is all I need.”
“And that is one of the many reasons I love you.” Hilldale did not miss the look of desire in Jane’s eyes. Soon, his lips met hers, and they expressed themselves as a couple deeply in love are wont to do. They only pulled apart when the maid cleared her throat just outside the door.
“I will send Uncle Edward to you in a few minutes,” Jane stated. She had seen that Andrew needed a few moments to compose himself; she left the study and made a slow walk towards the veranda.
By the time Gardiner joined Hilldale in the study, the latter had nothing about which to be embarrassed.
“I assume you proposed to Jane, and she accepted you?” Gardiner enquired.
“Yes. Jane did me the greatest honour by agreeing to become my wife. We seek your blessing,” Hilldale requested.
“Mine is easy to grant,” Gardiner responded, “but for this one, I suggest you also see Jane’s father at Longbourn to gain his blessing. We wrote to him of the courtship, so it will not come as a surprise to him. Although, he may try and make some sport of you before he bestows his blessing.”
“It is nothing less than I expected. Jane has told me of the character of her parents and her other sisters,” Hilldale related. “She made a point to inform me of your brother-in-law’s penchant to seek amusement in the follies of others.”
“As he will be meeting Lord Hilldale and not Mr Hillman, my brother’s rapier wit may remain sheathed,” Gardiner opined. “Enough about Bennet. If my wife and Lizzy are not already aware, I have an announcement to make, though I am certain it will be superfluous.”
Gardiner was proved correct. As soon as Jane floated out onto the veranda, her aunt and sister knew. They had not needed any word from Jane in her dreamlike state to confirmwhat they believed. The look on her face was all they needed to see.
“Welcome to the family, Andrew,” Maddie said as soon as the men walked into the sunlight.
“It is about time Jane gifted me with a brother,” Elizabeth jested. “I am truly pleased for both of you. However, if you ever hurt my sister, Andrew, your life will not be worth living.” She was only teasing…partially.
“Making sure Jane is happy and content will be the most important thing for me to do for the rest of my days,” Andrew vowed.
“That is no less than I expected from you,” Elizabeth retorted with a smile.
“I need to write to Mama and Papa,” Jane observed. “Andrew, will you write to inform your parents?”
“With the Sabbath on the morrow and our departure the day following, I think not. We will arrive at Snowhaven within a day of the missive,” Andrew explained. “Also, this way I can surprise them with their new daughter-in-law. Mother and Father have been wanting to meet you for some years now. I must apologise if Mother hints about having grandchildren sooner rather than later.”
“I would by no means suspend any pleasure your mother finds in dreaming of her future grandchildren,” Jane replied. “Given youradvancedage, I can understand why Lady Matlock would be pining for grandchildren to spoil.” She said the last without allowing her smile to break through.
