Chapter One
"Elizabeth, darling, you would never guess who I just saw in town," Mrs Bennet announced as she entered the house, still removing her navy blue heavy coat. It had been drizzling the whole day, but Mrs Bennet had decided not to miss her weekly mass. So, she had faced the bad weather to pay her respects to God. Mary had accompanied her, but surely she had gone up to her room as soon as she entered the house.
"No, mother, I doubt I would be able to do so," Lizzie said, barely raising her eyes, from the book she had been reading by the window in the drawing room.
The heavy black clouds in the sky had taken away almost all the daylight. Despite it was only four o'clock in the afternoon, it was getting dark very fast, for being already late January.
"Of course, you would not," Mrs Bennet took a seat in one of the sofas, with a pleased sigh, "I was on my way to the church when I saw him walking down the main street. I have to admit I did not expect to see him again around these parts."
Lizzie let out a silent sigh and turned to look at her mother. She knew she would not let her proceed with her reading until she finished telling her the events she had lived that afternoon.
"And of course, I told him so. He was very polite, very cold and distant, as usual, and obviously, eluded my all interrogations, giving me no answers at all," Mrs Bennet continued her monologue.
Something in her mother's words sent a shudder down her spine. Cold, distant… could it be possible? But what could he possibly be doing back here?
"I insisted not but I decided to be as polite as he was and invited him for tea," Mrs Bennet sighed once more, "Clearly, I expected him to refuse the invitation and resume his way, but he never ceases to surprise me. And he said yes. He even said he had matters of importance to discuss with Mr Bennet. So, now, we have a guest for tea, who probably will be arriving in just a few minutes."
"A guest, mother? Who did you invite?"
"Well, Mr Darcy, of course. He's staying at Netherfield. Did you not listen to what I have just told you?" Mrs Bennet frowned, looking displeased to her second daughter. No matter how hard she tried, she would always have trouble understanding her.
"You invited Mr Darcy for tea? And he said yes?" Lizzie could not come out of her astonishment. How was that possible?
"Yes, Elizabeth, that is exactly what I said. According to his own words, he wishes to talk to your father," she repeated.
"Did he say about what?" Lizzie put the book she was holding down and got up.
"No, he did not. You know him, he only speaks what he finds utterly necessary," Mrs Bennet protested.
"Have you warned the kitchen about the unexpected guest?"
"But of course, as soon as I got in. I also warned your father about this visit."
"What do you think is the matter he has to discuss with father?"
"I have absolutely no idea and he hinted not anything when he mentioned it to me," Mrs Bennet explained, still frowning.
"I guess we will have to wait and see,"
Lizzie decided to go to the kitchen and check on the preparations. She wanted not to hear criticisms from Mr Darcy about her house and her family.
She was returning to the drawing room when she saw Mr Darcy entering her father's study. The latter closed the door behind them.
Lizzie joined her mother and the girls that already waited for the tea.
"He is already here," Lydia said, in a low, conspirator tone.
"Any idea of why he is here?"
"Nothing good, I'm sure. He has never tried to socialise with us before," Mary assured as she resumed the reading of the book she was holding in her hands. She held it up for a few moments, before putting it down on the small table next to her, "Perhaps, he requires father's advice on what to do with Netherfield, since I doubt the Bingley's will ever return."
"Yes, you are probably right about that last point, but why would he seek father's help?" Lizzie considered, taking a seat on an armchair, near the window. The servants had turned on enough candles for them to enjoy their tea, but there was not enough light as for her to ready at will.
"We will know soon enough, I am sure," Mrs Bennet said, in a cold tone.
Lizzie was able to notice she was quite upset about being left out of whatever conversation was taking place in father's study.
"Shall we wait for them for tea? I'm hungry," Lydia protested squirming on her chair.
"Of course, we have to wait. You can have a sandwich if you are that famish, though," her mother accepted.
"Gluttony is a sin, Lydia. You would know that very well if you would go to mass more often," Mary warned her sister, with a sigh, "Today's sermon was so filled with wisdom and righteousness that it was a true pleasure to listen to it," she added turning to look at Lizzie.
"I am sure of it," Lizzie replied, intending to please her sister. But, pleasure was not something she associated to listening to the priest's sermons.
One of the servants came to the door and called out to Lizzie. "Miss Elizabeth, Mr Bennet requires your presence in his study," she announced.
Startled, Lizzie looked at her mother.
"Well, girl, do not stay there aghast. Go see what desires your father," her mother scolded her as she seemed petrified by the maid's words.
With a deep breath, she got up and walked towards her father's study. She knocked gently on the door and waited for him to allow her in before she opened the door.
Mr Darcy was still there, sitting on a chair in front of her father's desk. Mr Bennet, on the other hand, was standing near the door as if he was ready to leave the room.
"Did you send for me father?" she asked, ignoring Mr Darcy's presence, even though she knew she was acting rudely and not by her usual manners.
"Lizzie, yes… I did. Mr Darcy has come to see me with a request that I was very happy to hear and to grant. I am sure your mother will as well, as soon as she hears about it," her father said, closing the distance between them and taking her hands in his, "Since it concerns you, I thought you should hear it as well. But, before you do, I want you to know how proud this would make me. I am sure Mrs Bennet will agree with me on this subject as well," he kissed her forehead, "I will leave Mr Darcy to explain it to you."
With those words, her father left the room, leaving her alone with Mr Darcy who was now standing a few feet away from her.
Confused and intrigued, Lizzie watched her father leave the room before she turned to look at their guest.
"Mr Darcy," she said in the manner of greeting.
"Miss Bennet," he bowed his head but showed no hurry in elucidating her on the matter that had brought him to Longbourn.
"What do we owe the pleasure of your visit to our humble home, Mr Darcy?" she finally asked, too curious to hold back the question.
He crossed his hands behind his back and looked at her in silence for a few seconds.
"This is the first time I do such a thing so I beg of you to bear with me, Miss Bennet," he started, closing the distance between them and stopping a couple of steps away from her, "I have been considering this for quite some time, pondering all the reasons and motives I have to make or not, this decision. At the end, those in favour weighed considerably more than those against."
Like her father, he took her hands in his, locking his look on hers.
"And that's why I decided to come back here and ask your venerable father your hand in marriage," he finally revealed.
To say Lizzie was surprised would be an understatement. She was in shock, total and completely flustered by the words she had just heard coming out of his mouth.
"I found my heart completely captivated by you and I decided it wasn't worth fighting against it. And so you have me here, at your feet, asking you for the honour of having your hand in marriage," he added.
"You must forgive me, but I am having trouble assimilating your request. Would you please confirm it to me? Are you asking me to marry you?" she finally managed to utter the words.
"Yes, Miss Bennet that is exactly what I am asking. Your father has given me his blessing and received me into the family. But I would like to hear the acceptance from your lips,"
he confirmed his request and what was worse, he confirmed her father's approval to what sounded like the most insane idea she could have thought of.
Marrying a man that had considered her to be only tolerable and not beautiful enough as to allure him? A man she objected to so vehemently, for all she had learned about him from words of dear Mr Wickham. And the role she suspected he had had on Jane's misery and loneliness.
"And you say my father approved of this?" she had to be sure. She knew her parents, especially her mother, wanted to see all of their daughters well married. And she also knew they would not see any objection on Mr Darcy, but she needed him to confirm his words.
"Yes, of course. Like I said, he welcomed me to the family,"
Lizzie did her best to control her temper as she heard his words. It was quite clear her acceptance was merely a formality. But she was determined to make him suffer for a little while longer for her answer.
"Would you mind if I discussed this with my parents? You must realise your offer has taken me by surprise since in none of our previous encounters did you even hint any possibility of such event."
"By all means. I will join your sisters in the drawing room and ask your parents to join you here," he suggested as if he was expecting that from her.
"Thank you, that would be perfect," she nodded, and he abandoned the room.
When the door closed behind his back, Lizzie held herself tight, trying to control her distress.