“News?” she said, wide-eyed. “What is it?”
“Mr. Darcy and I intend to marry.”
“Oh. I knew you would marry,” said Maggie, in a matter-of-fact manner. “Mr. Darcy loves you.”
Elizabeth laughed at the child’s perception. “It was very clever of you to see it, Poppet! Are you pleased?”
Maggie giggled and threw her arms around Elizabeth. “Of course. It means Mr. Darcy will come again, and I can show him how well I have been taking care of the rocking horse. I am going to go upstairs now to polish it.”
She ran off.
“So tell me now, Lizzy, what do you think of my cunning plan?”
“Your cunningplan? Aunt Gardiner, you cannot take credit for everything, you know.”
“I see you still have no idea what my cunning plan was.”
Elizabeth chuckled and threw her aunt a skeptical look. “I do not believe you had a plan at all.”
Mrs. Gardiner looked outraged. “Just because you do not see it, does not mean it does not exist.”
“Go on, then,” Elizabeth challenged. “Prove it.”
“Oh, very well, if I must,” said her aunt. “The cunning plan was to create such a sense of panic, you would inevitably come together.”
“Fiddle-faddle!” exclaimed Elizabeth, laughing. “I have never heard anything more absurd!”
“Perhaps that is taking it too far. But my little letters to Georgianahavebeen crucial in bringing you and Mr. Darcy together. You must acknowledge that much.”
“I do, and I am very grateful for it.”
“Are you happy, Lizzy?”
“I am over the moon. I could never have imagined that anyone could be so happy. I feel like bursting into laughing and skipping across the room.”
“What is to stop you? I am sure Maggie would love to skip around with you.”
“I think I had better not disturb my uncle. He is writing an important letter.”
“Then tell me more about your feelings for Mr. Darcy. When did you fall in love with him?”
“I think I fell in love with him when I saw the marble columns in his townhouse.”
“You know that is not true, Lizzy. If that were the case, you would never have turned down his first proposal.”
“I had my reasons, as you know very well.” Elizabeth thought back to that first proposal. It seemed like it happened a very long time ago. “I am very glad I did. He would have been insufferably smug otherwise.”
“That is no way to talk of your future husband!”
“On the contrary, Aunt Gardiner. It is the only way to speak about him,” said Elizabeth, laughing. “If I cannot tease him, then I might grow intimidated, and that will not do at all.”
The next morning Mr. Darcy set out to see his solicitor bright and early, then went to the Gardiners, bringing the settlement papers for Mr. Gardiner to look over. Having delivered them, Darcy asked if he could talk with Elizabeth privately.
“As long as you keep the door open,” said Mrs. Gardiner. “Despite evidence to the contrary, you are not yet engaged.”
Darcy led Elizabeth to a corner behind the door where they would not be seen and pulled her into his arms.
“I have missed you,” he said, ardently, as he spread his fingers on her back, drawing her even closer. “It was a long night without you.”
