“Darcy!” Mr. Bingley rushed forward. “Is everything…that is, are you…?”
“Everything is well,” Darcy said, his voice carrying across the suddenly quiet ballroom. “In fact, everything is better than well.”
Her father said loudly, “If I might have your attention?”
The remaining conversations died away.
“I am pleased to announce that my daughter, Elizabeth, has accepted Mr. Darcy’s proposal of marriage. They are engaged.”
No sooner were the words out of his mouth than he rushed to catch his wife, who had fallen into a genuine faint.
Jane embraced Elizabeth tightly, whispering for her ears alone, “I knew it.”
Mr. Bingley shook Darcy’s hand vigorously. The rest of the room was in chaos.
The colonel immediately requested the final set on Elizabeth’s card, only to see that Darcy had already teasingly written his name in every remaining dance. Since there was one set available prior to supper, the colonel merely welcomed Elizabeth to the family before watching Darcy escort Elizabeth to the floor.
“I am so in love with you, my Elizabeth,” he said every time they met during the dance. She quickly repeated the expression to him.
They ended the evening with him escorting her to the carriage when the ball ended early the next day.
Darcy kissed the back of her hand before handing her into the Bennet carriage. The sky was lightening to gold and rose.
First light. Again.
“I love you in the day, and I love you at night,” he said, his voice low and rough with emotion. “But I will always love you most at first light, Elizabeth. That is when I first saw you truly. When everything changed.”
She moved closer, her eyes shining. “Then, once we are wed, I shall be with you at first light every day for the rest of our lives, Fitzwilliam. And I will love you in every moment between.”
He pressed one more kiss to her hand before reluctantly releasing her.
The carriage pulled away, carrying her home through the breaking dawn. He would hold her smile in his heart until he could see her again.
At first light, she had checkmated him at chess.
At first light, she had captured his heart.
And at first light, he had finally learned what it meant to be truly happy.
The End
