Now, it seemed, the choice was no longer his. Their destinies were tied together. However much Darcy would have preferred a more dignified and less shocking courtship, the result was at least acceptable. If nothing else, he could give over his attempts to forget her.
“I am sure you and Miss Elizabeth will be very happy together. Indeed, perhaps Miss Bennet and I will also soon be happily married. It is a pity you have stolen my thunder, Darcy. If all went well, I was planning to ask the young lady to be my wife within the next few weeks — before I was due to return to Town for a brief visit to look over Father’s holdings.”
Darcy gave a soft chuckle.“Ahh, I see. You wanted to ensure she was yours before you left the county?”
“Most certainly. And I am not ashamed to deny it. She is the most beautiful creature I have ever beheld!”
“Yes, you’ve said that,” Darcy teased.
Bingley got up and joined him before the hearth.“I am glad you have seen the error of your ways, my friend.” He clapped Darcy on the back, looking into the flames as well.
Darcy looked at him in surprise.“Error? What error?”
“Surely you have not forgotten? Our first night here in Netherfield, or rather, the first night out in society? At the Meryton assembly, you told me that Miss Elizabeth was not beautiful enough to tempt you. Obviously, she is possessed of other charms.” He raised his brows, but said nothing else as he sipped his drink.
Darcy looked away, frowning deeply. He remembered now. He had spoken clumsily in the heat of the moment, overwhelmed by all the curious eyes and whisperings throughout the room. There had been many eager mothers who, upon seeing Bingley enter the grand assembly, had thought to marry off their daughters to a man with five thousand a year. When they had found out that Darcy was worth twice that much, they had quickly changed their focus to him, particularly when it had become clear to all that Bingley’s attention was given to the enchanting Miss Bennet. And who could blame him?
He had all but forgotten ever speaking slightingly of Elizabeth. Since uttering the flippant words in confidence to his friend, he had come to find her a spirited, intelligent, and quick-witted young woman. Not to mention rather intoxicatingly lovely.“Please never utter that outside this room. I am ashamed I ever said the words.”
Bingley’s head shot up in surprise.“Really? I do not think I have ever heard you apologise.”
Darcy scoffed but was not offended.“I do not speak half as much as I listen, therefore my words rarely come back to haunt me.”
Bingley looked at him askance. “In this case, Darcy, I am very much afraid they might. A number of people overheard you. I rather suspect the lady herself was among them.”
Darcy grimaced. “Ah. You have a point. Indeed, perhaps I ought to apologise.”
“Excellent, see that you do,” Bingley said, grinning broadly. “It is not so bad, my friend. I am quite accustomed to speaking out of turn, I am afraid. Like the old adage, ‘Listen first, speak later.’ Wise words, and I wish I could live by them better in the heat of the moment. But, especially when I am faced with a pretty girl, my thoughts come out faster than my tongue can wag, and they all seem to get jumbled up on the way out.”
“Well, it seems that Miss Bennet has not noticed,” Darcy remarked. “On the contrary, I think you are doing remarkably well.”
He put down his drink and turned away from the hearth. The night was already well advanced, and Darcy suspected that sleep would elude him even once abed. But if he was to be fresh and alert for his appointment with Mr Bennet, he needed to at least try.
Bingley put down his glass for a footman to collect. He walked out with Darcy, placing his hand on his shoulder.“It will not be so terrible, Darcy. I predict a brood of children for you in the next few years, and a very happy, witty wife — which is what you have always said you wanted.”
To his own surprise, Darcy felt a smile breaking out on his face at the thought. “I suppose I did.” Hideously embarrassing as the events of the evening had been, he could not deny his bone-deep satisfaction at the thought of claiming Elizabeth as his wife.
Chapter 5
Elizabeth woke early the next morning, dry-eyed and unsettled. When she had finally fallen into a light sleep, the confusion and anxiety of her mind had been too great for much rest. Even now, as she prepared to go downstairs to join her family at the breakfast table, her stomach twisted in knots. If she could stomach even a few bites of dry toast, it would be a miracle.
Dressing was accomplished with little time and great indifference. When the maid had received her thanks and departed, Elizabeth looked at herself in the mirror, noticing the dark circles under her eyes. Sighing heavily, she smoothed the skirt of her cotton day-dress and pinched her cheeks to give them some colour.
Elizabeth grimaced at the results. After the many tears she had shed the night before, the added colour in her cheeks only emphasised the redness around her eyes.
“I give over,” she mumbled, and made her way downstairs. After all, it mattered little what anyone thought of her appearance. Elizabeth was far more anxious to see how her family would receive her now that they thought the worst of her. Her mother’s reaction the night before had not been promising. There seemed little reason to hope that Mrs Bennet would believe in her innocence now.
Everyone was already in the dining room when she arrived, and the room quieted as she entered. Elizabeth stopped in the door’s archway, sucking in a nervous breath.“Good morning, everyone.”
She hated the slight quaver she could not keep out of her voice. With an effort, Elizabeth kept her head up, refusing to look as if she were ashamed. She sat down in her usual spot beside Jane and poured herself some tea.
“Well, my dear, I trust you slept well?” her mother asked, giving her a beaming smile from the foot of the table.“We will need to start making preparations immediately if we are to get everything accomplished for the wedding in a timely manner. One does not want to let these things go on too long, you know.”
All the quiet chatter ceased, and every eye turned to Mrs Bennet. Elizabeth could think of no words for several moments, blinking slowly while she tried to understand what had just happened.“I beg your pardon?” Elizabeth asked. She was glad that she had not taken a sip of her tea yet, for she might have spit it out, so great was her shock. Poor Mr Collins would have been the unlucky recipient of the mishap, too.
“Did you sleep well?” Her mother asked again, raising her voice as though Elizabeth were hard of hearing. Mrs Bennet kept on eating as if nothing at all was the matter with what she had asked.“You know, we cannot begin making preparations too soon. I am sure Mr Darcy will not want to have a long engagement. It would be well for all involved to hold the wedding as soon as a license can be obtained.”
Elizabeth and Jane exchanged a dumbfounded look.“Well, no, Mama. As a matter of fact, I did not sleep a wink.” She glanced around, feeling her father’s disapproval from across the table.“I thought you were angry with me, Mama.”
