She covered her hands with her face.
“All’s well that ends well,” he said, cheerfully.
She removed her hands and examined him. He tried to compose his features under her scrutiny, but he was not sure he succeeded. “You are remarkably cheerful, William. And you do not seem surprised, nor particularly curious. How did you knowMiss Bennet was at her uncle’s house and not in Longbourn? Why are you behaving in such a strange manner? Why do I have the feeling you are hiding something from me, Brother?”
Darcy smiled. The moment had come.
“Because, my sweet sister, I have news for you.” He had been holding back all this time, but he could not wait to tell her. “Miss Bennet and I are engaged to be married.”
The words burst from his mouth. He could not contain his elation.
Georgiana jumped up with a cry of joy. “Oh, that is the best news!! I am so happy! I think you will suit each other very well. How did this happen? And when? Oh, you must tell me all.”
Darcy was happy to oblige. Nothing could give him more pleasure than to talk about Miss Bennet.
“So this means I will be able to call her sister?”
“Yes.”
Georgiana was beaming. “Now there is no chance at all that we will be separated. I know, of course, that Miss Bennet will not be living with me in Cavendish Square, but she will never leave us again.”
“I very much hope so,” said Darcy, fervently.
She threw her arms around her brother. “That is the most splendid news in the world!”
“Come then. Let me ask Elizabeth to come inside. She had been waiting in the carriage while I broke the news to you. We can all inform Mrs. Annesley together, and you can offer your congratulations to— Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth. It felt so right to be saying her name for the first time in public. It made it all more real. Elizabeth was going to be his wife, at last!
Chapter 27
Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy had luncheon together at Georgiana’s house, then took their leave shortly afterwards.
“Shall we go back to my uncle’s house to see Papa?” asked Elizabeth. “He will be expecting you to go with him to work on the settlements.”
“Yes, but not just yet. I have something I want to do first.”
He opened the compartment under the carriage seat and brought out a small package wrapped in paper.
“What are you doing?”
“It is just a whim of mine. Would you be willing to indulge me?”
“I would be happy to do so.”
“Then follow me.”
To her surprise, he guided her to the oval garden in the center of Cavendish Square, unlocked the gate with Georgiana’s personal key, and walked to a bench, where he gestured to her to sit down. He unwrapped the package, laughter in his eyes. It was the leather-bound copy ofRomeo and Juliet.
“I stole it from Georgiana’s library.”
“So it is you who was the thief all along.”
“Remember the first day we came here you said you would like to read in the square that is not a square?”
“I remember it very well.”
“While you were away, I consoled myself by reading this book. It brought home to me how well Shakespeare expresses the complexities of finding love.”
