After months and countless meetings, I knew what I wanted. And I had never wanted something as much as I wanted a certain Miss Mary Bennet. In my life, for the rest of it. I knew I needed to propose as soon as possible. Which meant, the very next day, when I would meet her again.

I had never been the type to let anything I wanted escape my grasp and it wouldn't start now. Not when it was so important.


The next time Mary and I were walking through the parks of Pemberley I knew this was my chance. I needed to ask her now.

But she seemed a little distracted, had barely said two words since we had left the house.

"What is the matter with you today? You seem deep in thoughts." I asked, hoping to find out what was the matter with her and if there was something I could do to help her.

"There is just a lot on my mind, at the moment." she told me, playing with her dark gloves.

"Tell me about it." I said and looked down at her. We had stopped walking and she just looked back at me with a gentle smile on her face. I knew that she liked spending time with me, just as much as I liked being with her.

"My family and I will return to Hertfordshire tomorrow." She finally said and my heart stopped beating. The winter was already over? She would return home? I hadn't thought of that. This was my last chance to propose to her, before we had to go our separate ways.

"I forgot about that." I told her honestly. I had been more interested in her than actually thinking about how much time we had left together.

"I didn't and it is just that I am going to miss everything I had here." I could understand that. After everything she told me about her life in Hertfordshire, it was not worth returning to. And if I had my way, then she didn't have to. Then she would go with me and never leave my side again.

"That is understandable…" I answered, thinking of the best way to propose.

"Now you are the one deep in thoughts." she interrupted my thoughts, which made me smile. She knew me too well. No one besides my mother had ever known me this good, also something I liked about her. That she was interested in me, as a man and not as an Earl.

"Yes… there is something I have been thinking about for months, something I meant to ask you, I guess now is the time because …." but I couldn't continue because we heard the high screeched voice of her mother. I would recognize that voice everywhere. Mary whirled around, her mother was nowhere to be seen. But her voice was coming closer.

"Mary? Mary, where are you?"

"It would be better for you to go now, or my mother will never let you go again." she told me, even though that was exactly what I had in mind. But before I had the time to answer she hurried to say:

"Thank you for this wonderful winter, I will never forget it." With a last smile, she gathered her skirts and hurried towards the voice of her mother. I didn't want to let her go. But I did not want her mother with us, when I proposed. And this would also give me the chance to take care of the engagement to Camille first, before I asked her to marry me. I didn't want anything to get in our way.

So, while I watched her disappear, I decided to return home for a short time. Annul the engagement and tell my mother about my plans and also about Mary.

Somehow satisfied, I turned around and made my way to the estate as well.

Of course I would miss her, but I could probably take care of everything within a few days which meant, including the traveling I would be separated from her for not much more than 2 weeks.

Even though 2 weeks, was not a long time, for me it felt like an eternity. The only thought helping me was that after those two weeks, I would never have to be without her again.


I had never ridden this fast, only half a week later, I had to steady my horse in front of the entrance of Charlton Park.

I had already jumped from the back of my steed, when Gabe, the stableman hurried over to me and took my horse from me.

"Welcome back my lord." he greeted me with a bow. I smiled shortly back, but I had more pressing matters in mind.

It was still early in the morning and was sure I would find my mother in one of the salons eating breakfast.

With long strides I hurried through the house and towards the salon she liked the most. I found her sitting at the window, sipping her tea. When she heard me coming in a smile appeared on her lips.

"Henry, you are back." She looked at me and then at the door, which made me smile. She had obviously expected me to bring someone with me. And oh, how I longed for that. But I had to be patient, not one of my virtues, to be honest.

"And alone I see… Sit down and tell me what happened." She poured me a cup of tea and I sat down across from her.

"I won't stay long mother. I just want to annul my engagement to Camille before I propose to Mary."

"So that is her name. Mary. Tell me about her." I could see the happiness in my mother's eyes and I was glad she felt that way about Mary, without actually having met her.

"She is wonderful mother. You will love her. She is smart, funny, honest and the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

"What about her family, have you met any of them?"

I sighed, the only thing which I was fearing to tell my mother about because I knew how much they were under our social standing. Not to forget the behavior of her mother and sister.

"Yes, I met her mother and two sisters. One is actually married to Mr. Darcy, which is how I met her."

"Mr. Darcy… wasn't he married to the young girl, Lady de Bourgh talked so badly about?"

"You don't like Lady de Bourgh." I reminded her with a small smile.

"I know. But I heard a lot about her family. They are… common, if I am polite, at least regarding to what people told me."

"It is true, they are far below our social standing. But I don't care. Mary is the one I want. She is the woman I want to have as my wife. So I will not change my mind. Nothing you can say, will make me reconsider my decision."

She looked at me for a very long moment and I felt my heart pounding in my chest. Yes, everything I had said, was the truth. I would marry Mary, no matter what my mother or someone else said. But I hoped she would accept my decision. And more important would make Mary feel welcome in our home.

"You already have very strong feelings for her, am I right?"

"Yes." I answered, looking her straight in the eye. My pounding heart slowed down when she smiled and nodded.

"That is all I want from her. So what are you waiting for then? Go and bring her home."

"I will, after I wrote the letter to Camille's family."


Hm… I like Henry and his Mom together. It is fun to write them. Hope you enjoyed it.