A/N: I'M NOT JANE AUSTEN. STOP MAKING ME SAY IT. IT'S LIKE PUTTING SALT ON THE WOUND. Anyways, review, and check out the poll on my profile about which Pride and Prejudice character is the most irritating! I am sincerely looking forward to seeing the results. AND REVIEW!
Laughter and merriment echoed from the small room, from different small groups of people. The obvious and expected joy was from Miss Jane Bennet and her fiancé, Charles Bingley. The duo had been all smiles and happiness since becoming engaged mere days ago. Kitty and Mary Bennet were working on their different occupations, sewing and reading, while ignoring the joyous raptures of their mother about their eldest sister's upcoming marriage. Mr. Bennet was not seen, as he had just left for his study to read, and avoid company as was his preference.
The other occupants of the room were so busy with their own private enjoyments, that they didn't question where the laughter came from. It was not from Jane and Mr. Bingley, not from Mrs. or Mr. Bennet, and certainly not their youngest unmarried daughters, Mary and Kitty. No, the laughter came from a most unexpected and (thankfully for the pair) unnoticed couple of persons. Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy were sitting together laughing, smiling, and, surprisingly, not bickering and yelling as was the norm when the pair were forced to converse with one another. This would have been recorded in history as a phenomenon, if anyone who witnessed it was paying attention. In fact, none of the others seemed to register the couple's presence in the room at all, which in itself was extraordinary, considering Mrs. Bennet's knack for spotting possible marriages no matter how un-intimate the situation.
Elizabeth was laughing at something Mr. Darcy had said, which caused him to look in amazement and feel proud of himself. The gentleman was simply overjoyed that he pleased her, and made her laugh.
"Mr. Darcy, as you know my father just left for his study. Are you going to speak to him today?" Elizabeth asked cautiously.
Darcy's happy expression faded slightly at the idea of his conference with Mr. Bennet, but he still smiled as he said, "Certainly darling. I will go immediately, and if I become too frightened, will picture your sweet face as my motivation."
Elizabeth blushed at the compliment, and squeezed his hand to encourage him. He stood up and left the room, and with a soft smile to his betrothed, which was returned, he left the room. Darcy's absence was only noticed by Mr. Bingley and his future wife, as the both shared encouraging smiles to a nervous Elizabeth.
As Darcy made his way down the hallway, he felt a bead of sweat on his forehead, from fear of what he was going to do. He had barely recovered from the shock and excessive joy from her acceptance, and now he was going to have to share his joy with others. The thought had crossed his mind to simply elope with her to Gretna Green, and for a moment envied Wickham, but Darcy was determined to avoid any circumstance that might make him remotely similar to the wicked man, so he would endure the engagement. After a long night of relating his happy news to Bingley and trying to not wake up from what he was sure was a dream, Darcy had finally come to terms with the splendid fact that he was an engaged man. Well, almost engaged. He had never once before feared another human being as he did Mr. Bennet at that moment, because the knowledge that with a simple 'No', all of Darcy's pain and suffering he went through to win Elizabeth's heart would be lost. Not even when Georgiana told him of her near elopement had the gentleman been so scared. Although Elizabeth had reassured Darcy most pleasantly of how her father's consent really didn't matter.
"Elizabeth," He had said uncertainly on their walk to Oakham Mount. "What if, that is to say, what if your father denies me his consent?" Darcy had been thinking of that all day, and the very concept of not being allowed to marry her made him want to jump OFF of Oakham Mount.
She had stared at him incredulously for a moment, before taking his arm and saying, "Fitzwilliam, I am almost certain that my father will give his consent. After I finally found the only person who could possibly make me happy? I think he cares for me too greatly to deny the only thing I will ever want."
Mr. Darcy had smiled at this, and the walk continued in silence, until Elizabeth added as an afterthought, "And I suppose his consent doesn't matter to me at all."
He had looked at her in surprise. "What on Earth do you mean by that?"
She laughed. "Only that if by some miraculous reason that he does refuse, I will simply elope with you to Gretna Green. Indeed, that sounds most preferable, as I will be able to be your wife much sooner which is certainly appealing, and we both would be able to escape the torture of Mother's excessive wedding plans."
They both laughed, and Elizabeth had kissed him on the cheek, leaving him too speechless and overjoyed to continue any attempt at conversation.
The memory made Darcy straighten up, as he boldly knocked on the study door.
"Enter," He heard from within. Darcy gulped, thinking of it as his death sentence. He walked into the room to find Mr. Bennet in his chair, feet crossed on the table, with a book in his hand. He didn't look up from the book as he said, "Hello Mr. Darcy."
Darcy felt strangely intimidated by the unusual sight, and stammered, "He- Hello Mr. Bennet. May I speak with you on a matter of upmost importance?"
Mr. Bennet set his book down and took his feet off the desk as he sighed and said crossly, "Very well then, if you must." He gestured for Darcy to sit, but the young man was so nervous that he would definitely squirm uncomfortably if he did, so Darcy politely refused and started pacing.
"Mr. Bennet, I wish to marry your daughter. She is beautiful, lively, completely charming, and I am in love with her. She recognizes me for the deeply flawed human being I am, and I appreciate that more than you could ever know. She doesn't see me as just a single man of large fortune, but as a person. We have had a bit of a rocky past, sir, but she has accepted my proposal of marriage, which brings great joy to the both of us. I promise to do everything in my power to secure her happiness and general welfare if you would do me the honor of giving your consent."
Mr. Bennet still appeared amused at Darcy referring to himself as a "deeply flawed human being", but grew more serious as the well-prepared speech continued.
"Well Mr. Darcy," he began. "I understand that you have financial means to support her enough, and by your apparent "love for her", will treat her well. Yes, I will give you my blessing."
Darcy felt a wave of relief wash over him, as he thanked Mr. Bennet profusely, got up from his seat and was on the way out the door when Mr. Bennet said, "Mr. Darcy, I must thank you. You will make Kitty a very happy woman. Good day, sir."
Darcy nodded and continued out of the room before what his future father-in-law said. Kitty?
"Pardon me sir, but did you say Kitty?" He said incredulously. Mr. Bennet had picked up his book and looked satisfied and amused as he replied, "Yes I did say Kitty, though perhaps in a different tone of voice." He resumed his book as Darcy slowly re-entered the room.
"Actually Mr. Bennet, I was referring to your daughter Elizabeth. I thought we both understood that," he said slowly.
Mr. Bennet just waved his hand in the air as if to say, 'Who you're marrying is inconsequential.', without glancing up. "Yes, yes, very well, marry her if you must. Though poor Kitty will be heart-broken. I'm sure that with my wife's encouragement lately, she has fully expected you to whisk her off to Pemberton, or wherever it is you live. Anyhow, yes, Elizabeth is all yours, just please send her in here when you are done congratulating yourself on the miraculous accomplishment of speaking to an old man. Now leave me in peace sir."
Darcy was ridiculously happy and slightly confused as he left the office, and closed the door behind him, registering what had just occurred. So did that mean he could marry Elizabeth? He glanced back and forth before throwing his hat in the air and catching it gleefully. He straightened his jacket as he set off to find Elizabeth, with two thoughts in mind. One, how incredibly lucky he was to be marrying the woman of his dreams, and two, Mr. Bennet was an certainly an oddity.
THE END
A/N: REVIEW! And check out the Pride and Prejudice poll about which character is most irritating on my profile! But don't forget to... REVIEW!