A/N: I'm not Jane Austen. So REVIEW! And do the poll on my profile. Okay, now READ!
"Jane!" Mr. Bingley hissed. His fiancé looked at him in confusion and whispered back, "What is it Charles?"
They were on a walk to Meryton, and Mr. Bingley, Jane, Mr. Darcy, Kitty, and Elizabeth were all on the walk, the latter three to chaperone Bingley and Jane. Mr. Bingley quickly glanced behind him to see that his friend and future sister-in-law had stopped walking and were talking earnestly.
"Darcy's proposing!" He exclaimed. Jane's eyes popped out of their sockets. "Charles, what on EARTH are you talking about? Is Mr. Darcy... He can't be!"
Charles nodded enthusiastically. They both glanced back to see Darcy and Elizabeth walking much closer than before, probably too close to be considered proper.
"See! Right there. Miss Elizabeth would never allow Darcy in such a close proximity to her unless they were engaged, and Darcy would never attempt to walk so close to a young lady without her permission!" Bingley said. Jane just shook her head in disbelief. "I cannot believe it! I knew that my sister liked Mr. Darcy, but to the extent that she would accept marriage to him! She was convinced he didn't care for her! Mr. Bingley are you sure?"
Mr. Bingley laughed heartily. Apparently he was the only one who had noticed strange things between the two in the past year...
Mr. Bingley watched carefully as his best friend and houseguest bickered for what seemed like the zillionth time since Elizabeth and Jane arrived at Netherfield. Elizabeth turned away, having won the argument as usual. Darcy just continued to stare at Mr. Bingley's houseguest, as was his preference when their quarrels ended. This time it had been about the others faults, and everyone else in the room was too confused to participate. That is, everyone besides Bingley.
Charles knew that Darcy considered him rather daft, because of his tendency to stare off into space. Or so he thought. Mr. Bingley was extremely accomplished in the skills of observation. He made a mental list of his object of study's behavior, and compared it to how they were acting in the present. Darcy had a terrible habit of glaring at nothing in particular when he was uncomfortable, which was usually around strangers. He fiddled with his pinky ring when he was trying to make a decision, and paced when he was nervous or agitated. Darcy never participated in large public displays of mirth, and when he was happy, the only way you could tell was by the warmth in his eyes and the thin upturn of his lips.
The little Bingley knew of Miss Elizabeth had left a very favorable opinion. She was nearly always smiling, except when speaking with Darcy, Bingley noticed. Her habit of arching her brows when coming to the climax of a debate was interesting, as was the way she always had something to add to a conversation, a trait shared with her mother, though Miss Elizabeth's opinions were more sophisticated and worth listening to than her mother's. Now for the duos behavior at present and during their debate.
Darcy had been staring at the lady in question all evening, that much was obvious to everyone present, apart from the drunken Mr. Hurst. Bingley saw in that look an expression that was rarely on his friend's face when associated with a female: admiration. Darcy had never before shown an interest in ANYONE, despite all the ladies from Town fawning over him every chance they got. No, Miss Elizabeth had certainly captured the attention of his friend. That was certain. Bingley found it also painfully easy to admit that Miss Elizabeth either was indifferent to his friend, or disliked him. Charles was leaning towards the latter.
Something Mr. Bingley found extremely interesting happened around the end of their bickering. It was when Miss Elizabeth arched her eyebrow at Darcy and made him look a slight fool, by arguing about his opinions. Bingley had observed Darcy's eyes widening and heard his breath quicken slightly. The expression on his face was a foreign one for Darcy, as Bingley had never before seen his serious friend in longing. After the conversation ended and Elizabeth picked up a book, Darcy continued to stare at her, before meeting Bingley's eye and looking away. The whole quarrel left Mr. Bingley with a huge question: Was the stoic Darcy finally in love?
As Mr. Bingley danced with his beloved Jane, he was secretly watching Darcy and Elizabeth. Darcy's cheeks were pink the whole time, and seemed to get even redder at some point in their conversation. Every time the dance separated him and Miss Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy would scowl and then when she came back, his face would light up like a child on Christmas. The whole spectacle made Bingley want to laugh, but he was afraid that Miss Elizabeth didn't notice Darcy's delight in being around her. The smiles that usually graced her face were scarce when around Darcy, and when she did smile, it was either a smirk or half-hearted. Bingley was positive that Miss Elizabeth didn't like his friend, who was clearly in love with her, but Mr. Bingley just didn't know what to do about it.
Bingley was waiting for Darcy to join him in the study at Pemberley after greeting his sisters and Mr. Hurst with Miss Darcy. Mr. Bingley was very worried for his friend. He hadn't noticed the difference when they were in London, because the sadness that engulfed him after leaving Jane was too much to bear, but ever since he returned from visiting his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, in April, Darcy hadn't been himself. He glared at everyone and everything, was completely irritable all of the time, spent all of his days sulking around somewhere, and even in the company of Bingley and Colonel Fitzwilliam, hadn't laughed once. Bingley had spoke to Darcy's sister and cousin about it, for they too were worried. None of them could think of anything in Kent that would bring about this bad mood, except the Colonel had mentioned becoming with Miss Elizabeth Bennet there, and Darcy had made them leave abruptly in a bad mood. Bingley was sure he knew what was wrong.
When under pressure or nervous, Darcy had a tendency to say things he shouldn't. Bingley guessed that Darcy had professed love, and had screwed up the proposal. Even if he hadn't, Elizabeth would of refused him, and Bingley was sure that Darcy's word had only made the lady angry.
Which was why Bingley was waiting for his friend. He wanted to make sure Darcy was okay, as such a rejection must surely hurt. What Mr. Bingley didn't expect however, was Darcy to come skipping (literally skipping) into the study, a ginormous smile on his face and his eyes lit up with happiness.
"Bingley!" He boomed. Mr. Bingley was in slight shock. This wasn't the same Darcy he had seen last in town. This Darcy was... happy!
"Er, hello Darce?" The greeting came out more as a question. "Are you well?"
Darcy smiled and laughed. "Never better! She's here Bingley! She's here! And she doesn't hate me!"
Bingley had a suspicion of who it was, but wasn't positive enough to not be confused. "Um, that's great Darce. Who are we talking about?"
Darcy looked at his friend like he was a complete idiot. "Elizabeth of course!"
So he was right! "Miss Elizabeth Bennet is here? How lovely! Is she staying at Pemberley or Lambton?"
Suddenly Darcy's face fell and he glared at the wine glass in his hand. "Lambton," he muttered angrily. "No matter how ardently I wish she was at Pemberley, she is at the inn at Lambton."
Bingley laughed suddenly, and at Darcy's confused expression, laughed even harder.
After he regained control of himself, he answered Darcy's unasked question. "You mean you want her to stay here permanently, as your wife."
Darcy turned red and looked at the floor and mumbled, "I have no idea what you are talking about."
His friend chuckled again. "Don't worry Darcy, it's only obvious to me. I'm not as daft as you seem to think I am."
At first Bingley was afraid he had offended his best friend, but when Mr. Darcy looked up, he was grinning ear to ear. "Rest assured Bingley, daft is the last thing I consider you, old friend. But who would of thought the two of us fall for a pair of sisters? How cliché Bingley."
The two men laughed, and Bingley felt smug, knowing that he had been correct all along.
As Darcy and Elizabeth laughed and enjoyed each other's company, Bingley watched the scene with delight. Where Miss Bennet's manner towards his friend has previously been cold and full of anger and hate, now it had warmth, joy, and dare he say it? Love. Bingley sincerely hoped all would work out for the pair, as he couldn't imagine someone who deserved happiness more than Darcy. Indeed, in the ten years he had known Darcy, Mr. Bingley had never seen him happier than with the lady of his dreams. Darcy was smiling enormous smiles at Miss Elizabeth, who was genuinely laughing and having a delightful time. Bingley could only hope that the couple's ecstasy would last.
As Bingley and Jane continued their splendid walk to Meryton, Bingley glanced back at the couple behind them, who were both looking as happy as they did at Pemberley, if not happier.
"I should write a book," he said aloud.
Jane looked at him surprised, as they had been in a companionable silence until then.
"What about, Mr. Bingley?" She asked.
Bingley thought for a moment. "Us. All of us. You and me, Darcy and Elizabeth, you know. Us."
Jane laughed slightly. "Well, what would you say about us, darling?"
He considered it for a moment, and then grinned and said, "Everything. From the moment at the Meryton assembly to right now. I will write about how you and me fell in love instantly, when Darcy loved Elizabeth who hated him, the first proposal in Kent, she falling in love with him, your mother's matchmaking, my sister's irritating rudeness, the drama of the Wickhams' elopement, it all being righted, when you were ill, when we all went away, and how wonderful you are."
Jane blushed at the compliment, and then thought of a complication. "So you will have yourself known as a gentleman farmer AND writer, Charles?"
She laughed as he scrunched his face up in distaste. "Heavens no! Then everyone will learn about my powers of observation, and I will never be able to watch people discreetly ever again!"
Jane giggled as her fiancé continued. "No, I will have to use a different name. A pen name. Perhaps a woman's name?"
Mr. Bingley regarded Jane, silently asking for her opinion. "I think that is a marvelous idea, Charles."
He smiled and was content to continue their journey in silence, but Jane had one more thing to say. "What will this mysterious woman's name be?"
Bingley looked at her and smiled again. "Her name will be Jane, because a lovely story must be written by lovely woman. Yes darling, her name will be Jane. Jane Austen."
THE END!