Not needing to be told twice, Darcy headed towards Bennet with speed.
Chapter 27
Suspecting that Darcy would not let the grass grow under his feet with regard to forwarding his relationship with Lizzy and having his supposition proved correct were not the same things for Bennet.
“You may address Lizzy,” Bennet agreed reluctantly. “I assume we are speaking of a courtship and not an engagement?”
“I will indeed request a courtship, as an engagement would be precipitate. I know the strength of my feelings and have done for some time. However, for Elizabeth this is a beginning, and I want her to have as much time as she feels she needs,” Darcy clarified.
Bennet was well pleased that Darcy was taking Lizzy’s wants and needs into account and not basing his actions on his own desires only. As hard as it would be to give a second daughter over to another man’s protection, Bennet was comforted to a degree by his belief that Darcy’s consideration of Lizzy’s feelings could only portend positively for the future. That is, if at some point he proposed to Lizzy, and she accepted Darcy. Bennet knew it was when and not if, but he was not ready to acknowledge that fact yet.
“Then go to it. You have ten minutes. Wait here, I will send Lizzy in, and remember the door will remainopen.” Bennet stood and made his way around his desk. He was aware that the feeling of wanting to hold onto his daughters as long as possible was selfish. He also knew he would never act on those feelings and place his own contentment above that of his children.
He strode to the drawing room, where he found his second daughter watching the door expectantly. The look onher face confirmed that when Darcy proposed, she would accept him. “Lizzy, you are required in my study,” Bennet stated, his voice gruff with emotion.
Fanny looked at her husband expectantly with a questioning look. Her look transformed into a smile when Thomas told her what was occurring at that moment.
Darcy had been admiring some of the varied collection of books Bennet had in his library when Elizabeth entered. At first he did not hear her enter thanks to her slippers silently padding on the thick rug. However, when he detected the light lavender scent Elizabeth preferred, his nose told him she was present. He turned to look at her, his whole face lighting up with delight.
“Did you want to see me or examine Papa’s books?” Elizabeth asked archly.
“Teasing woman,” Darcy returned. His smile was so pronounced that both dimples made an appearance. “As you remember everything, I am sure my interest in you has never escaped your notice. I wanted to make sure you were ready to formalise a relationship before I spoke.”
“Well then, it is time for you to ask me what you desire,” Elizabeth said.
He stopped in front of the woman he already loved. Darcy knew he needed to be careful and not overwhelm her with his feelings. He took first one of her hands into his one hand before he took the other.
Without knowing what the other was feeling, each of them felt frissons of pleasure and excitement radiate throughout their bodies from where their ungloved hands were touching. For some moments, they just stood frozen in time as they enjoyed the intimate contact between them.
“Elizabeth, it has been since possibly the first time I met you, when you thrashed my then arrogant self at chess, that I knew you were exceptional. When we met again when you were eighteen, it did not take me long before I realised that I had met my match. I am very pleased I took Hurst’s advice to allow you to reach the age you are now before declaring myself.
“You are very beautiful, and your magnificent eyes have always fascinated me, but you are so much more than your beauty. There is no need to extol your intelligence, as you know how much I respect your abilities. In addition, you are kind, compassionate, and generous. The way you befriended Gigi without the expectation of anything in return, when you noted how shy she was, and helped her bloom into the self-confident young lady she is today, told me all I needed to know about your character.
“I know what my feelings for you are, but that is of no significance unless we both feel the same way. Hence, I am requesting that you agree to enter into an official courtship. I am willing to wait for as long as it takes for you to know the true nature of your feelings for me before I propose. I very much hope we will arrive at that point, in your own time, where you will want to hear the next question from me.”
“For one who can be quite reticent, that was a well-thought-out and cogent speech. It pleases me that you are willing to allow me the time I need to discover the depth of my feelings and the state of my heart. I can tell you that I am not indifferent to you and have the beginnings of tender feelings. As such, it is with pleasure that I accept your offer for an official courtship. I look forward to my heart swelling and making room for you in it as we proceed.” Elizabeth felt warm all over at the look of pleasure William displayed at her acceptance. “Waithere, William, and I will send Papa to you so that our courtship may become official.”
Darcy first lifted one of her hands, gently rotated it until the underside of the wrist was displayed and touched her pulse with his lips. He heard her gasp but she made no move to withdraw her hand. Then he repeated his actions with her other hand before releasing both of them.
“Oh my,” was all Elizabeth could manage as she blushed scarlet to the tips of her ears and felt the heat suffuse the whole of her body. Mumbling incoherently was a new experience for her.
While William grinned like a Cheshire cat, Elizabeth managed to force her body to follow commands again and made her way back to the drawing room. She nodded to Papa, not trusting herself to speak yet, and cocked her head in the direction she had come.
Bennet was resigned to the result of the conference in his study. He walked towards his sanctuary to hear the inevitable words from Darcy.
“Well, Lizzy?” Fanny quizzed.
“Papa has gone to William. I will wait for him to make an announcement after he speaks to William,” Elizabeth managed as she found her voice now that her heartbeat had slowed to an almost normal level.
“So, your father will have something to announce.” Fanny smiled widely but said nothing more.
Just before the two men returned to the drawing room, Gigi and Mrs Jenkinson entered, having washed and changed.The former made her way to sit with Catherine and Lydia, while the latter joined the Firth sisters on a settee.
Not a minute later Bennet, with a grinning Darcy following him, walked into the drawing room. Bennet cleared his throat, which made certain he had everyone’s attention. “Darcy has requested to court Lizzy, she agreed, and I have bestowed my consent and blessing.”
Gigi jumped off the sofa like she had been shot out of a cannon. “Lizzy, William, I am so very happy!” she exclaimed as she hugged first the former and then the latter.
The three youngest Bennet sisters soon joined in conveying their hearty congratulations.
