“Yes, William, I accept your offer of a courtship.” Just after she accepted the courtship was the first time Darcy smiled enough to reveal his dimples. He was handsome, but when he unleashed that dimpled smile, he was devastatingly so. He placed a kiss on the underside of each of her wrists, which had the effect of weakening her knees.
After escorting his lady love to where the others were seated, Darcy made his way to Mr. Gardiner’s study with all haste.
Chapter 25
“Darcy what may I do for you?” Gardiner asked as the nervous-looking man entered his study.
“I have offered Miss Elizabeth—Miss Gardiner—an official courtship and she has accepted me. I request your consent and blessing to court your eldest daughter,” Darcy asked as evenly as he could, given the circumstances.
“As she has accepted you, I am not inclined to refuse, but humour me by answering a few questions,” Gardiner indicated Darcy should sit. “Are you aware when Lizzy was banished from Longbourn, she lost her share of her birthmother’s five thousand pounds and the fifty pounds per annum from her birthfather.”
“Mr. Gardiner,” Darcy began to reply.
“Gardiner,” Elizabeth’s father interjected.
“Gardiner,” Darcy began again, “I care not whether Elizabeth,” Darcy noticed Gardiner’s eyebrows rose slightly at the use of her familiar name, “is penniless. I have more than enough wealth for many lifetimes, so I am not in need of money or connections. I love your daughter. I have done so since I visited this house the first time. If it were not for my infernal pride and my misunderstanding of what my father meant when he told me to ‘marry well,’ I would have pursued her then. Mayhap it is better some time has passed, as she was able to see past Wickham’s and Mrs. Collins’s lies.” Darcy cogitated for a few seconds. “Before you ask about connections, all of my family, well the ones whose opinions I value, already love Elizabeth. From what I have seen in the short time I have been here she has a wonderful family, who I hope to call my own one day.”
“In that case, I see no earthly reason to deny your application, so I bestow my unreserved consent and full blessing. I hope to call you son one day,” Gardiner stated as he stood and offered his hand to the younger man, who looked as if his joy was going to burst forth from his body.
The two men entered the drawing room; there was no mistaking the meaning of the grin on Darcy’s face. Gardiner called Elizabeth to him. “It is my pleasure to announce Darcy has requested a courtship with our Lizzy and she has granted his request. They have my permission and blessing,” Gardiner informed the room.
Georgiana was the first to reach Elizabeth. “Lizzy, how happy I am! I could not have wished for a better sister than you.” The girl hugged Elizabeth tightly.
Tiffany took her turn. “You will be my cousin and sister because Rich is marrying your sister of the heart,” an excited Tiffany proclaimed.
“It is about time,” Richard told Darcy as he clapped him on his back.
“This is wonderful,” Charlotte hugged her best friend. “It is a pity we cannot have a double wedding,” Charlotte whispered in Elizabeth’s ear.
“Well, that depends on how long it takes William here to win my heart,” Elizabeth teased. Before either could comment they were surrounded by Elizabeth’s six sisters and brothers who all hugged them. They were more reserved with Darcy, but very happy for the couple, nonetheless. The youngest, May, lifted her arms and Darcy picked her up without hesitation.
Elizabeth smiled warmly as she saw how gentle her suitor was with her youngest sister. “Calling us ‘Aunt Elaine’ and ‘Uncle Reggie’ is now official. I knew how it would be and I could not be happier to welcome you into the family, Lizzy,” Lady Elaine gushed, something she never did under normal circumstances.
“Your parents would have been proud of your choice, my boy,” Lord Matlock clapped his nephew on the back.
“She has not agreed to marry me yet,” Darcy pointed out. His uncle simply shook his head. Anyone with eyes could see it was only a matter of time before that came to pass.
Last were Elizabeth’s parents. “If you marry William, then you will live five miles from my childhood home in Lambton and give us many excuses to visit the area,” Madeline told her daughter as she kissed both of her cheeks. She then moved to Darcy and gifted him with a hug. He gave his future mother-in-law a kiss on her cheek.
“Did you say you used to live in Lambton, Mrs. Gardiner?” Darcy.
“Yes, my name was Lambert. My father was the rector at the church,” Madeline informed him. “We will discuss our common acquaintances later. Please call me Mother Maddie or Madeline, whichever you are comfortable with.”
Gardiner hugged Elizabeth tightly. “You could not have found a better man,” he stated.
“I dare say I could not. Thank you, Father.” Elizabeth kissed both her father’s cheeks.
“You know I will hound you to the ends of the earth if you ever hurt her,” Gardiner told Darcy. “As her father, I feel it necessary to admonish you, even though I know it is not a worry I have for her.”
“It is time for us to deal with the unpleasantness,” Richard reminded everyone.
“Do not forget the Phillipses will be here for dinner tonight, allthreeof them,” Madeline pointed out.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The Netherfield group, numbering twenty, approached the area of the hidden Longbourn dower house. Richard intended to leave nothing to chance. Darcy had demanded he accompany them; since his beloved was going, so was he. Richard had seen that look on Darcy’s face many times—one that told any who cared to look he would not be gainsaid.
Ten men were posted at the back of the structure, while the rest took up stations in the front of it. Elizabeth stood with her two footmen-guards and Darcy stood at her side until Richard signalled all the men were in place. The big men found places to hide themselves barely seconds away from their mistress, while Darcy would stand behind a tree, a few paces behind her.
