Mary met her suitor in the entrance hall after she had changed out of her riding habit into a day dress. They walked into the drawing room where both sets of parents were sitting and talking.
When they walked in and Bennet saw the determined glint in their eyes, he knew exactly what was going to happen. Beside him his wife tried to hide her smile so he knew that she too knew and he had to reign himself in and pretend to be a little stern. It had been a near thing with them as well and he appreciated that they were truly respectful despite the hardship he had imposed.‘I am about to lose a bet. Bedford was correct, saying they will ask to become betrothed before the week was out and it looks like today is the day.’
“Is there something that you two want to ask me?” he asked aloud, his brow arched in challenge, no one missing that it was the same as his second daughter would occasionally do.
“Yes, Papa, there is. Would you meet with us in your study, and Mama as well?” Mary asked hopefully.
“Unless Hugh’s parents feel uncomfortable with hearing what you want to say, you may as well get on with it here. Bedford, Rose, any objections?” he smirked as he looked over at the other two who were also trying to hide their amusement as both shook their heads. “The floor is yours, my dear Mary, for you and your Hugh.” Bennet sat back and waited for the inevitable request.
“Lord and Lady Longbourn…” He was cut off by a smiling Bennet.
“Are we not formal today…” Bennet was then interrupted by his wife.
“Allow the boy to speak unmolested, Thomas. You can tease him afterward!” Fanny slapped his arm playfully, winking at her daughter whose heart raced. That could only mean one thing, she had her mother’s full support and hopefully her father’s!
“In that case I will refrain from comment until you complete what you want to say.” Bennet pretended to frown, and it was not too hard. He was losing his precious and precocious Mary before he had gotten to fully know her!
“Thank you, my Lord. As I was trying to say, I asked Mary earlier today,” seeing Bennet getting ready to berate him for what he assumed was a proposal he pressed on before the man could condemn his non-actions. “I did not propose, Sir. You had imposed the two months and I would never put Mary in a position to choose between me and disobeying her father.” Hugh nodded at Bennet in a promise and Bennet visibly relaxed. “What I asked Mary today is if she would support an application to you, sir, to end the time restriction today.”
Bennet ruminated and then looked at his wife who shot him an ‘I told you so’ look. Knowing that she had no objection to ending the courtship early, had in fact told him to terminate his restriction before the week was out if they had been unwilling to contradict his edict, he turned to his middle daughter.
“Mary, do you support Hugh in this? Is this what you want?” he asked her. No one else in the room mattered; this was a question from a father to his daughter and only her response counted.
“I do, Papa. I thank you for wanting to give me time to know my heart, but it has long known that I will be happy with no one else,” she responded with no equivocation.
Birchington smiled at his beloved’s words but said nothing as Lord Longbourn and his daughter held a silent communication upon which no one else needed to intrude. He could see his future self with Mary at his side silently asking his daughter if she was sure despite the man next to her, and only her answer would matter to him then as only Mary’s mattered to Bennet now. Then he decided no man would be good enough for any of their daughters and they would all just be locked in towers.
Bennet exhaled and he nodded at their Mary. “In that case, I see no reason for the courtship to keep an imposed minimum length. You have my consent to propose when you see fit, young man.” As Bennet gave his permission, he felt the same sense of loss that he felt when he had handed Jane to her husband in the church.
“By your leave, I would like to request a private interview with Lady Mary please, sir,” Birchington requested.
“My boy does not let the grass grow under his feet,” quipped the Duke to Longbourn, “and I think you owe me a case of your best French cognac. As much as I hate to say I told you so, I told you so.” The Duke’s jest had the Duchess and Countess giggling like schoolgirls while the children smiled and Bennet resigned himself to losing a case of his cognac.
“You may use my study, as long as the door remains cracked open and you have no more than ten minutes!” the Earl commanded, likely the last time he could use that tone with his Mary, winning a playful smile from her.
“More time restrictions Longbourn?” The crack earned the Duke full throated laughter.
“Hill? Do post someone outside the study with a loud gong and ring it should someone come within twelve feet of the door. Loud enough I will hear it through the sliver, if you please,” Mary requested, taking Hugh’s hand and leadinghimfrom the room to the laughter of all four.
“My soon to be daughter Mary will be a heck of a lot of fun to have around as often as I can get them to stay with us.” The Duke smirked and the Earl nodded, hating that he had missed out on so much time with his unique and incredible daughter who would soon be a future marchioness.
“I know,” Fanny slid her hand into his, “but if she gives us five daughters just like her, we will be in for most amusing holidays,” she consoled her husband.
“Five Marys would be a blessing indeed.” He squeezed her hand in return. They had not hidden the truths of Mary’s childhood from the Duke or the Duchess so that they almost appreciated her as much as her parents did.
In the study after they closed the door to within one to two inches of being shut, Hugh dropped onto one knee and took both of Mary’s hands in his own.
“I could give you a long, flowery speech, but we know each other too well for that Mary. You are the only woman that I have loved and will ever love. Without you my life will be empty. You bring light into my life and you are the only woman that I could ever marry. I love you as you are and look forward to loving you as my wife as we walk our chosen path together. Our titles put us in the spotlight, so let us show the world the value of a love match such as they have never seen.
“I ask you to bind your life to mine for the rest of our days. Mary Karen Bennet, will you end my lonely existence and agree to be my wife, my partner, my marchioness, and my helpmeet?” He beseeched her, his throat husky with promise, longing, and love.
Mary had tears of joy streaming down her cheeks and was too choked up to speak at that moment so she nodded her head most vigorously.
“Is that a yes, my Mary?” he teased. He stood up still holding her hands as he helped her to calm herself.
“A most definite and emphatic yes, Hugh!” she answered after taking a breath. “There is none other but you I would ever agree to marry, so yes. I would answer the same if you asked me a million times, as I do this first one. Yes, Hugh, I will marry you.” She raised herself onto the tips of her toes and captured his face in her hands as he bent toward her not doubting her intention, kissing him for the first time.
His arms wound around her, appreciating this gift of knowing she wanted his addresses, wanted to kiss him, and wanted to press tighter into him. The tease of her fingers along his cheeks and the glide of her nails down his neck was almost his undoing.
