He leaned down slowly to make sure that she wanted to be kissed and was caught by surprise when she closed the rest of the distance and placed her lips on his with a chaste kiss. They separated by less than an inch and in seeing her tacit permission, Richard kissed her. This time it was a far more passionate kiss and he drew her lower lip into his, as he tasted her sweetness.
He felt her arms wind around his neck as she pulled them together so that they were touching on every plane of their bodies. His tongue explored her lips and he felt her open her delighted lips so their tongues met for the first time. Knowing that if they did not stop, he may compromise her right there in the sitting room with the unlocked and cracked open door, Richard stepped away to break her hold and the moment. Seeing the look that spoke of a feeling of rejection, he chuckled and shook his head.
“My dearest love, as much as I would like to do nothing more than to continue kissing your sweet lips, I am afraid that I will not be able to regulate myself as a gentleman. I pray that you do not require a long betrothal, as the sooner that we marry the sooner we will never be parted again.” He waited to see she understood his exact meaning and nodded when her delectable lips formed a perfect ‘O’ as she blushed.
“Then you did the right thing. For now!” she teased playfully, a smile now proving her pleasure at his words. He groaned, desperate to bask in all sides of this woman without the need to pull back.
“I need to go ask your father for averyshort engagement.” He scowled, but her bright laugh made him grin.
As soon as he left the drawing room, the other four Bennet ladies in residence returned. There was no need to ask what had transpired as there was no mistaking Jane’s look of pure happiness, nor was it hard to miss the rather large ring.
While she was being congratulated and hugged by her mother and sisters, Bennet entered the room with a stupidly happy, grinning, soon to be son-in-law.
“Richard has requested the hand of our eldest, Jane, and I have given both my consent and my blessing.” Bennet then looked directly at his eldest daughter. “You will be a very happy woman, Jane, and God help anyone who ever tries to cross or cheat the two of you.” He chuckled.
“As you are to be my son, Richard, you must call me Fanny or Mother Bennet, no more of this ladyship nonsense. And the same for your sisters to be, you will use their first names.” The Countess allowed no room to gainsay her, should someone have considered it, as she kissed her son-to-be on the cheek, her happiness more evident than even his or Jane’s.
“I have a feeling that the ball on the morrow will now, in addition to introducing the newly elevated Bennets and Gardiners, become an engagement ball. I will send a note to our godmothers and I am sure as soon as they know I will have the right of it,” Elizabeth teased as she kissed her soon to be brother on his cheek like her mother had. She was soon followed by Mary and Kitty who kissed a cheek each simultaneously.
“One younger sister was bad enough,” teased Richard, “but now I will have five! What am I getting myself into?” he joked as he winked at his betrothed. Just before he and Jane were about to walk to Matlock House to inform the Fitzwilliams of their joyous news, the two Darcys were announced.
Georgiana, astute as ever, took one look at her cousin and the lady standing so close they were practically touching and knew something momentous had occurred. She assessed them both critically and spied the ring on Lady Jane’s finger. She recognised the ring as Aunt Elaine had shown her late mother’s jewellery to Tiffany and her but a week earlier and what had her aunt said? That it would be given to Richard when he…
“RICHARD! Did you just ask Lady Jane to marry you?” the young girl blurted out before she could stop herself. Georgiana covered her mouth in mortification at her outburst.
“You saved us telling you Georgie, do not feel uneasy. William, Georgie, I have asked Jane for her hand and she consented. The Earl too has bestowed his consent and blessing, so yes we are betrothed and will marry.” He winked at his charge.
Even though he felt somewhat envious that it was not himself betrothed to an all-together different Bennet sister, Darcy expressed his heart-felt best wishes for the couple, and his sister joined him hugging the betrothed couple while expressing her pleasure that they would all be cousins. The newly engaged couple excused themselves for the short walk to share the happy tidings with the Fitzwilliams. It was freeing to be able to make the walk with only one chaperone now that they were betrothed. They knew that they would be chaperoned until their wedding, but neither cared as the end was in sight.
Lord and Lady Longbourn withdrew, leaving their three daughters to entertain the Darcys. The younger two huddled with Miss Darcy, while the soon to be oldest unwed Bennet daughter sat with Mr Darcy on a settee with an appropriate distance between them. When the housekeeper answered the bell pull, tea and snacks were requested. While they waited for the refreshments to be delivered, Darcy turned to his settee partner.
“I have never seen Richard so happy and there was no mistake the love verily oozing from your sister. A blind man would be able to see how much they love each other.” He teased their closest relations in an attempt to lighten his own mood. She acknowledged the reference to his mistaken interference between her sister and Bingley but did not comment on it.
“Yes, they are very much in love. It is an especially happy occurrence when one finds one’s perfect match in all ways,” Lizzy agreed.
“Very true, Lady Elizabeth. I hope that all of us will find that one day,” he stated distantly. She saw the wistful look he gave and understood that he was referring to them, but despite considering it she was not ready to give him a sign just yet. The refreshments arrived shortly and Elizabeth performed the duties of hostess.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As soon as Richard strutted into the family sitting room like a preening peacock with Lady Jane holding his hand and wearing his late grandmother’s ring, there was little doubt as to what had occurred at Bennet House. The Earl was extremely happy for his son, and it did not hurt that they would be family to the richest people in the realm and gain another ally in the Lords. Those considerations were secondary; his main concern was that his son was loved and he loved his betrothed in return. Unless one was blind, deaf, and naïve, there was no mistaking the felicity that he saw in front of him.
“Congratulations Richard, Lady Jane,” the beaming Earl nodded at them. “Welcome to the family.” There was a bevy of congratulations and wishes for the couple’s felicity before Jane could respond.
“I thank you all for your wishes, but as we are to be family please call me Jane,” she offered to all assembled.
“If that is the case, then I am Elaine or Mother Fitzwilliam, and my blowhard of a husband,” the Countess teased her own beloved, “is Reggie or Father Fitzwilliam. I am so glad to gain a third daughter, and one who brings four sisters with her.”
“We are to be sisters, Jane! Oh my, Georgie will be envious that I am gaining another five sisters, all of whom she loves as much as I do,” Tiffany added with effervescent joy.
“Georgie will be the Bennets’ cousin, and who knows, one day she may have the same status as you, Tiffany,” Richard replied cryptically. The Countess rolled her eyes. There was not a person who had been in a room with the two of them that did not know Darcy hoped to win Lady Elizabeth’s heart for his own.
“Have you two set a date yet or decided where would you like to marry?” Marie asked.
“We have not discussed it with my parents yet, but as we walked here, Richard and I decided we would like to marry in the middle of June from the Longbourn Church. The manor house at Longbourn is being renovated, but as I own Bennet Fields and Lizzy owns Bennet Park, there will be more than enough room to house everyone who will be invited. The Fields has thirty chambers, and the Park has above twenty. We are going to return to Bennet House to speak to Mama and Papa now.” Jane smiled at their obvious approval.
“Do you think it would be an imposition if I walk back with you?” the Countess asked.
“Us too,” Marie, Anne, and Tiffany chimed together.
