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“Mr and Mrs Osborne own a neighbouring estate. Bethany is their only family.”

“If we had one more guest chamber, then we would be able to invite them as well,” Fanny lamented.

“That is simple to solve,” William stated. “Mrs Pierce told me that their children will not be able to come to the parsonage this year. They offered to host me if Mary and I are engaged by then. If I were there, would you be able to host the Osbornes?”

“Yes, that is perfect.” Fanny turned to her husband. “Include the Osbornes in the invitation.”

“Your wish is my command,” Bennet jested. Now he laughed with her, not at her.

“While you write, there is something I need to relay,” William stated. He explained about the entail on Collins Hollow with regard to the family name. “As my brother and I are of age, we are the first generation not bound to keep the Collins name. Hence, Clem is now Clem Collins Bennet, and as of this moment, I am William Collins Bennet. It has been a dream for many years to reclaim the Bennet name.”

“Even without the stipulation in the entail, a Bennet will be at Longbourn after me,” Bennet mused.

“If there is nothing else, I would like your permission to address Mary privately,” William requested. It was sooner than he had planned, but when one knew, one knew. In addition, Mary had given him hints that she was ready.

“The west parlour is unused and is warm,” Fanny volunteered.

“You may have a private interview with Mary and the door will not be closed all the way. I will have Hill place one, or both, of those small footmen-guards at the door. You have no more than ten minutes,” Bennet allowed.

With a bow to his future in-laws, William made his way to the drawing room to ask Mary if he could address her.

Chapter 31

Mary was keen to hear anything William had to say. Hence, she agreed to his request for a private interview without delay.

William Bennet led Mary to the parlour, where Johns was standing sentinel in the hallway next to the door. He guided Mary to the sofa and returned and pushed the door until it was almost closed, leaving a gap of an inch or two. He returned to stand before the lady with whom he had fallen in love.

“Before we proceed, I must tell you that I am no longer William Bennet Collins.” He saw Mary’s quizzical look. “Just before I came to speak to you I changed my name to William Collins Bennet. I was thinking of doing it for some time, and I had already decided I would before I married. If, hopefully, when, you accept me and we marry, your family name will not change.”

“As this was your choice, I am happy for you, William.”

He took a deep breath and looked into Mary’s beguiling hazel eyes with the flecks of green and gold. “There is a particular question I desire to ask you, Mary. However, if you are not yet in love with me, or are not ready to hear me speak, tell me now, and I will not proceed. As I told you when I requested the courtship, I had intended to give you more time. My heart has led me to this point where I feel I must speak,” William stated. “I must tell you that I very much love you.”

“Ask your question, William. I also love you, and I am more than ready to hear you speak.”

On hearing what Mary said, William took each of her hands into one of his own and dropped down onto one knee before her. “Mary Eloise Bennet, when I requested permission to court you, I thought that it would be far longer before you captured my heart. It was not. A day or two after the ball I suspected I loved you. I did not speak then for fear of overwhelming you.

“You are everything and so much more than I ever imagined finding in the woman who would be my partner in all things while sharing life’s journey with me. You are intelligent, pious, compassionate, generous, and willing to accept other points of view if you see the merit in the other position. For as long as I serve as a rector, I am positive that you will be the ideal parson’s wife. When that day comes, which like you I pray is decades in the future, that your father is called home to God, I have no doubt that you will be an excellent mistress of Longbourn.

“There is so much more I could say about my reasons for marrying and your many attributes, but rather than cheapen this moment with too much speechifying, allow me, Mary to tell you that I love and respect you more than I have words to express. Will you do me the great honour of accepting my hand in marriage?”

“William Collins Bennet, you are the man who saw who I truly was before I was ready and willing to see it myself. As such, how could I not love and respect you? My love for you is most ardent, and it is not that of a cousin. So yes, William, yes, yes, yes! I will absolutely accept your hand in marriage.”

Knowing that Johns was just outside of the door and counting the time, William knew he needed to be circumspect. He rose and pulled Mary up to stand opposite him. He looked at her questioningly and received a positive response when she tilted her head up towards him and closed her eyes, her long lashes resting on her cheeks. William lowered his head until their lips brushed. The touch of Mary’s lips, even though the kiss was chaste, sent frissons of pleasure shooting throughout his body.

Mary felt bliss as William gave her the first kiss from a man not her father or an uncle. She felt warm all over and felt her heart rate increase. William was about to be honourable and draw away. She was having none of that. Mary threw her arms around William’s neck and pulled his head down until their lips met again.

There were a series of kisses, each one deeper than the one before. None were chaste.

It was only when they heard the clearing of a throat from the hallway that the newly engaged couple drew back one from the other. Mary pulled the door all the way open so that Brian would know nothing untoward was occurring.

“I need to go see your father, but before I do, allow me to ask you something,” William stated.

“Ask away,” Mary returned saucily.

“For my part, I do not desire a lengthy betrothal. My parents, brother, and his wife have been invited to pass Christmastide at Longbourn. What do you say to us marrying on the first Friday in January of the coming year? All the family will be together and it will give us about a month between engagement and marriage. As far as I am concerned that is more than enough time so no one can claim we married in a hurry for some nefarious reason.”

“That day would be more than acceptable to me as the day I become your wife,” Mary replied shyly. She was aware of the double meaning and could not be sorry about it.