Page 168 of Mr. Darcy Comes to Town

In spite of her compassion for her sad father, Lizzy had never felt happier. She had the hardest time maintaining a cool head for the remainder of the assembly. They parted at the end of the night in a cordial way, certain they had kept their secret.

The Bennet carriage door shut, the vehicle rumbled forward, and Lizzy’s mothered opened her mouth and crowed.

“Ooohhh, three daughters betrothed! What a silly puss you are, Lizzy, to keep this secret from me! But I am more than twenty, you know. I spied your glow of happiness from across the assembly hall!”

“Goodness, Mama, did you really?” Lizzy asked, overwhelmed with surprise.

“What?” Lydia cried. “Are you betrothed? To that fusty old Mr. Darcy? Well, you can have him. I am hoping for an officer.”

“So am I,” Kitty claimed. “But, congratulations, Lizzy.”

“Thank you, Kitty,” Lizzy said. She felt Jane’s gaze on her and looked her in the eyes. “Are you happy for me, dearest Jane?”

“More than I can say,” Jane said in a loving voice. “To think, we shall be married ladies in under a year.”

A married lady…I like the sound of that…

*

Darcy climbed the stairs and moved quietly down the corridor to his sister’s bedchamber. A light shone beneath her door so he knocked softly upon it.

“Come.”

Darcy opened the door and found Georgiana and Miss Mary in their nightclothes, shawls about them, sitting in the middle of Georgiana’s bed, a deck of cards between them.

“Good evening,” he murmured. “It is past midnight.”

“So it is,” Georgiana said, smiling broadly. “Have you come to say goodnight?”

He nodded and entered, closing the door behind him. “But that is not all.”

“No?”

Darcy shook his head and brought forward a chair to place beside the bed. He sat upon it. “This is cozy. How did your evening go? Did you have a nice dinner and supper with Mrs. Inwood, Miss Mary?”

“It has been a fabulous evening,” Miss Mary said, grinning. “Mrs. Inwood is so jolly. We enjoyed her company exceedingly, did we not, Georgiana? And the food was scrumptious.”

“Fulsome praise indeed,” Darcy said, pleased.

Georgiana narrowed her gaze at him. “You are full of news, Fitz, I can tell. What is making you so pleased with yourself?”

Darcy rubbed a finger across the bridge of his nose, his lips twitching. “Miss Elizabeth has done me the great honor of agreeing to marry me.”

Georgiana squealed, and Miss Mary drew back in surprise.

“When? Did you ask her tonight?” his sister demanded.

“I did. And, Miss Mary, I spoke to your father tonight, as well.”

“And he gave his consent?” she asked, setting down her card hand in a measured way.

“He did.”

“Was he exceedingly glum?” Miss Mary asked.

Darcy nodded.

“He will miss her the most out of all of us,” she said, taking a deep breath and sighing.