Will closed the door to the parlour three-quarters of the way once Mrs Annesley was comfortable in her chair, which faced the door from the hall.“May I just say yes so we can proceed to the part where you kiss me?” she asked hopefully.
“We will get there soon enough, but I do want to ask properly if that is all the same with you, Lizzy.” He chuckled, and she nodded, sighing in happiness when he went down on one knee and took her hands in his.“I never believed I had the capacity to love anyone the way I love you. You are my everything, Elizabeth Rose Bennet Fitzwilliam. It has been a long time since I have known that you are the only woman that I could ever be happy with as my wife.
“I love you, Lizzy, and will spend the rest of my life dedicated to your felicity. I could not respect you more, your intelligence, charity, compassion, and your capacity to laugh. Will you do me the greatest honour of my life and accept my hand? Please marry me, Lizzy.”
“Oh, Will, I love you too and have loved you for a long time as a woman loves a man. I love you in infinite ways and could never marry anyone but you, so it seems that we were formed for one another. You are my soulmate, Will, so I will repeat what I said before you asked, yes, yes, I will marry you. You have made me the happiest of women.” She nodded, wiping aside her tears of joy as she accepted the man she loved beyond reason.
Will stood, then withdrew the box with his grandmother’s ring from his waistcoat. He took her left hand and slid the diamond, emerald, and gold ring onto her fourth finger.“It is perfect, Will,” Elizabeth gushed as she looked at the ring that fit as if it had been made for her.
Will then drew Elizabeth to him. Like their first kiss, their lips brushed, but this time he did not stop. She sighed her acquiescence as she wound her arms around his neck, so he was not able to escape, although he had no thought to try. The next kiss was deeper as they tasted each other, and soon she felt his tongue teasing her lips, and Elizabeth opened them instinctively.
Their tongues met in an explosion of passion as they pressed their bodies against one another, so there was no daylight between them. He felt her pert breasts against his chest, and she felt evidence of his arousal against her belly. As the ten-minute time limit approached, they heard Lizzy’s companion clear her throat, and the two pulled apart reluctantly.
As they stood forehead to forehead with almost a foot between them as they soaked in the sight of each other, he could not miss the points that Elizabeth’s nipples were making in her gown, and she did not miss the large bulge in his breeches. As both took deep breaths, the visible signs of their arousal receded, then they put themselves to rights and exited the parlour, trying and failing to look as passive as could be.
“The family awaits you in the drawing room, Lady Elizabeth and Mr Darcy,” Mrs Annesley informed them, trying, and failing to hide a smile.
“May I meet with you, Andrew?” Will requested on entering the drawing room.
“There is no need to, Will,” Andrew replied. Just as the newly betrothed couple was about to make their displeasure known, he continued,“You already have both my permission and my blessing, and I assume that you do not want to ask me to lengthen the three-month betrothal period. So given that, do you still require an interview?”
“No, he does not!” Elizabeth stated emphatically.
“Look at that, Will, you are not even married yet, and she is making decisions for you,” Richard teased them both.
“I know that you two will be extremely happy together,” Elaine said as she drew her daughter into a hug. She was followed by Andrew and Richard, and lastly, Marie hugged her sister-in-law.
“What an exquisite ring, Lizzy,” Marie proclaimed as she lifted Elizabeth’s left hand. While she was admiring the ring, Elaine was kissing her soon-to-be son's cheek.
“What should I call you from now on, Aunt Elaine?” Will asked after she had kissed him.
“Mother Elaine will do as Marie calls me. Never hurt her, Fitzwilliam!” she reminded him.
“Never again, Mother Elaine. It will be my life’s work,” he swore.
“See that it is, soon-to-be brother, or you will have me to answer to,” Richard warned as he shook Will’s hand.
“What he said,” Andrew added as he shook the hand that Richard had let go.
“Ignore my husband and brother,” Marie stated as she kissed Will’s cheek.“They are full of bluster, and they may not admit it yet, but they know there is no one who will be a better husband for Lizzy in the known world. Welcome as my soon-to-be brother. I just realised, I will now have more brothers and sisters than I ever dreamed I would.” Marie also realised that she already was sister to all the Bennet children, and now she would be sister to Georgiana and Alex as well, and she could not forget to count her Ashby siblings.
After the butler handed out flutes of champagne, a toast was given to the newly betrothed couple.“Have you two decided on a date yet?” Andrew asked.
“Based on your three-month stipulation, we could marry on the fifth day of June. Do you agree, Lizzy?” Will asked.
“That would be a fine day to marry, but do you mind waiting just a little more than a fortnight, Will?” Elizabeth asked hopefully.
“Of course, you want to be married on the twentieth of June, the day that your brothers discovered you in Sherwood and brought you home to your mother and father,” Will said.“I think that will be a perfect day to marry from Snowhaven.”
“That is the perfect date,” Elaine said as a few tears escaped her eyes as she thought about how much her beloved Reggie would have loved walking his daughter down the aisle to give her to Will.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Just before half-past ten, the newly betrothed couple was shown into the family sitting room at Bennet House. Jane, Perry, and Lady Rose were present in anticipation of the glad tidings. As soon as Elizabeth entered the room, all of the ladies spied her ring and jumped up to congratulate the couple.
Jane had felt the quickening the previous morning but was waiting until the next day, not wanting to detract from her sister’s news.“You will be very happy, Lizzy,” Jane promised as she hugged her sister tightly.
“I am so happy, Jane; how can one person deserve so much happiness?” Elizabeth gushed.
