Page 108 of The Mistress of All & Torn

Her face was smiling, her tearful eyes sparkling, her red lips moved shyly. One of his hands took hers and lifted them to his chest while the other arm embraced her. They were so close that each other’s scent made them both dizzy.

“You are right, it cannot be gratitude, or friendship only,” he replied hoarsely. “I might know more than you about business, yet I have no certain answer now. Such sensations as you described have tortured me for a year now, but never before I met you. Last April, I believed it was admiration and ardent love that induced me to propose to you. But now, how can I name my feelings when they are so much more powerful, so much deeper?”

“Could it be anything more than ardent love and admiration?” she whispered.

“Passion, ardour, devotion, yearning, fondness, admiration, care—and much more, all together. And much more...”

They looked at each other in the darkness, lit only by the fire and two lonely candles. Outside, the blizzard shook the windows. Her face was lifted to him and his lowered towards her. Their lips almost touched, and the small distance between them became torturous.

“Mr. Darcy?”

“Yes, Miss Bennet?”

“I believe it is your turn now, sir.”

“My turn?” he seemed lost and she released one of her hands to touch his face. He turned his head and his lips pressed into her palm.

“My turn...” he repeated. “Do I dare ask? Is it not too soon? Should we not wait longer?”

“If you delay the question too long, it might become useless, Mr. Darcy,” she said, then daringly rose onto her toes and brushed her lips timidly over the corner of his mouth.

He remained still for a moment then his lips tasted hers. Shyly, gently, tenderly. She leaned against him and her hands encircled his neck, while his arms embraced her. There was no distance between their lips, their bodies, their hearts.

“I am grateful to you,” he said breathlessly when they finally broke the kiss. “Grateful that you did not let me wait one more night. That you know my heart enough to imagine that even a few hours would mean more angst. But I still need to ask, I still long to hear your answer. Miss Bennet, would you...”

“Yes,” she replied hastily, her lips pressing against his again.

The storm had ended by the time Elizabeth returned to her room. Nothing more than kisses and tender embraces had happened but they simply could not separate until dawn. Suddenly, one more sleepless night seemed easy to bear.

∞∞∞

Considering the peculiar circumstances of Elizabeth’s mourning, no announcement was made. The happy news of their understanding was most discreetly shared with the Bingleys, Georgiana and Cece, as well as Mr. Bennet and the Gardiners. All of them were less surprised than Elizabeth and Darcy expected.

Christmas passed most happily, then New Year came. At the beginning of January, a day before they were ready to return to town. Elizabeth invited her father and Darcy to the library. She was carrying a package and both men looked at her, puzzled.

She opened it and revealed a heavy morning gown, a hat and a veil, all black, that Darcy recognised as being those she wore on the day of Lord Barrington's funeral. The day when she had found that she had become the mistress of all.

With slow movements, she took the clothes and threw them on the fire, under the affectionate gaze of the two most beloved men in her life.

Chapter 33

Lady Barrington returned to London in the middle of January and she was met with a wave of calls and cards. Among the first visitors were Colonel Fitzwilliam and his friend, Mr. Cesar Johnson.

Her period of full mourning ended in February.

As the spring began, she started to implement all the changes she had planned for each estate. From the two schools, reports about the improvements came weekly and Elizabeth read each letter with the utmost pleasure, eager to visit the children again soon.

As they feared, before any inventory was made, Lady Augusta had sold most of the belongings in the two Barrington houses. Elizabeth never intervened, allowing the gentlemen of the law to act properly.

Mr. St. Claire and Mr. Lambert left London in March, right before the new season started. Their whereabouts remained unknown and the reports said they were last seen on a ship, destined for America. Lady Augusta remained at the country estate, with only a few servants. Neither the objects nor the money had been found and she refused to reveal what had happened to them.

Elizabeth’s plan to relocate the servants was successful and she encouraged them to take their families with them too. She offered them the option of renting a piece of land, or simply to work for the family.

In April, when London’s parks were in full bloom, the announcement of Lady Barrington's engagement to Mr. Darcy was released in the London gazettes. To some, the news was expected, to others it was puzzling. It was strange for a woman who had all the means to enjoy the pleasures of life by herself to give up her freedom and her fortune so easily.

In June, Lord Barrington’s earldom became extinct and Lady Augusta was forced to move into the London house. She was visited only rarely by her old acquaintances and relatives and seldom received any invitations.

In May, Mrs. Jane Bingley gave birth to a son—Thomas George Bingley. Miss Georgiana Darcy was his godmother and both Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were beside themselves with joy.