Page 30

By the time her mother and sisters returned home, Elizabeth was less distressed, more at peace with her decision, and a sensation of quiet joy and comfort had slowly enveloped her. Even Hill glanced at her enquiringly several times, but the good woman did not force a confession.

The news that they expected guests for dinner excited Mrs Bennet’s nerves to the point where she threw the entire house into chaos. Her laments that she did not have sufficient courses for such illustrious company, which would upset Mr Darcy and Lord Dunnroy and cause them to leave, taking Mr Bingley with them, echoed through Longbourn. Mr Bennet’s efforts to calm her failed entirely; therefore, the gentleman chose to retire to his library. Happily, Mr Collins decided to remain at Lucas Lodge for dinner — a happy outcome for all the Bennets.

Eventually, the guests arrived, and Mrs Bennet transformed into the perfect host. Mr Bingley’s sisters were missing — as expected — but nobody asked about them.

Elizabeth assumed she would be calm by the time she saw Mr Darcy again; however, his appearance caused her cheeks to burn, her heart to race, and her manners to become clumsy and awkward. The joy that had slowly flourished in her heart earlier remained, though, and no regrets shadowed it. They did not speak more than propriety required; he was as restrained as always, except for his lips twisted by that little smile and the warmth in his eyes.

Mr Bennet invited all the gentlemen into the library before dinner, and they joined him; the ladies remained in the drawing room to amuse themselves.

Lady Cecilia led most of the conversation, together with Mrs Bennet. After a while, Lord Dunnroy and Mr Bingley returned, and the viscount told Elizabeth that her father needed her assistance in the library. His words were unassuming, but his tone and his expression showed he was well aware of the nature of that assistance — unlike Mr Bingley, who returned to his usual place near Jane and seemed blissfully ignorant of anything else.

Flushed and nervous, Elizabeth quit the party, walking to the room which had become not just a place of enjoyment but one that had shaped her life in recent days.

Her father was there, and with him the man whom she would soon call her betrothed and then her husband. The man whom, until a week ago, she had considered proud, arrogant, unpleasant, and conceited. The man who, shockingly, had confessed his admiration for her fine eyes to Caroline Bingley, of all people.

Only a few days had passed since she had been certain he only looked at her to find fault, since she had happened upon him in the library, since the rumour she considered dreadful had begun at Netherfield and spread through their peaceful neighbourhood.

A day ago she had received his proposal by letter and rejected it immediately, and only a few hours ago she had met him during her walk, and he had convinced her to change her mind. How could such a short amount of time feel like a year or even more?

“Miss Bennet, thank you for joining us,” Mr Darcy said.

“Come and sit, Lizzy,” her father invited her. “This will only take a moment. We do not have much time before your mother becomes suspicious. Mr Darcy and I have been discussing some details. I shall read my book and allow you a little privacy so he can explain it to you.”

She nodded, her emotions growing stronger every moment. Her father settled in his armchair and opened his book, while she and Mr Darcy sat together on the sofa.

“Miss Bennet, I have prepared the outline of a settlement here. Please read it and tell me what more you wish to be added.”

“Settlement? Oh, I am sure Papa knows better what should be in it. I have nothing particular to add to it, I am sure.”

“As I told Mr Darcy, it is more than I expected,” Mr Bennet remarked from the corner.

“Also,” Mr Darcy continued, “do you have any preference as to the wedding date?”

Her heart pounded, and his gaze became even more distracting.

“Oh…I have not thought about that yet. Have you?”

“The decision is yours,” he said. “Should it be before or after Christmas?”

“So soon?” she answered, surprised.

“I apologise. I did not mean to hasten you… It can be whenever you wish,” he said, his features contorted with apparent distress.

“No, no…it is just…is it not too soon?”

“As you wish…” he repeated.

“Oh, for Heaven’s sake! If you continue in this way you will not finish this conversation by midnight,” Mr Bennet interjected. “Lizzy, Mr Darcy must go to London to inform his family and complete the legalities. So he must know. Just choose a date, my child, before your mother comes to discover what we are doing in here. Dinner will be ruined in any case as soon as she finds out about this arrangement.”

Elizabeth’s face heated even more, and she stared at her father, then at Mr Darcy, and finally she laughed. Mr Darcy smiled.

“Perhaps after the new year would be a good time?” she finally suggested. “So you have time to complete your business and to inform your family and allow them to become accustomed to the idea. I know there will be many objections and more rumours.”

“Very well…though I must tell you that for all that I need no more than a week,” the gentleman answered, stunning Elizabeth. He observed her with a frown and immediately added, “I did not mean to… Miss Bennet, please know that I am willing to wait as long as you want. We may even postpone the announcement of our engagement if you so prefer. I want you to be certain. I am well aware this hasty marriage is inconvenient and uncomfortable for you. I wish you to have at least the comfort of certainty that you have no regrets in accepting it.”

He looked so agitated, so preoccupied, so concerned, that she had an impulse to caress his face. She even lifted her hand, then placed it back down.

“Do you have this comfort, Mr Darcy? Of certainty?”