Mr. Bennet pulled off his spectacles and wiped at them with a cloth pulled from his desk. "You now wish to marry Lizzy?"

"Yes."

"Why? You had been very decided against my daughter. I am disappointed that Bingley and Jane did not keep you separated. I had no notion, until you handed Lizzy out of your uncle's carriage an hour ago, that you two were in the same part of the country."

Darcy felt nervous. If he could not get Mr. Bennet to agree immediately, things would become far more difficult. He did not want to elope with Elizabeth. He wanted to marry by special license tomorrow morning. That required Mr. Bennet's permission.

None of Darcy's anxiety showed in his manner though. He spoke confidently, "I made a mistake and acted unwisely at Mr. Bingley's wedding. I have since come to see matters more clearly."

"You made a mistake?" Mr. Bennet put his spectacles back on and perched them on the edge of his nose so he could stare at Darcy over them. "I fear you now are making a mistake."

Darcy blinked and replied with a crooked smile, "Should you not worry about my finances instead of the sincerity of my affection? Surely you think highly enough of Elizabeth to believe her capable of inspiring strong devotion."

"I think very highly of Elizabeth. I also think very ill of youthful passion. Mr. Darcy, I have made many mistakes. Not six months had passed after my wedding before I was convinced I had made the deepest mistake of my life. Elizabeth is not like Mrs. Bennet. She would become miserable if she believed you regretted marrying her. I do not want to make yet another irreversible mistake by permitting a marriage which should be stopped."

Darcy leaned back and rubbed his chin. You would regret it. You still think it a mistake. Mr. Bennet's words were familiar. "Had you told Elizabeth about your unhappiness after I … after Bingley's wedding?"

"I did." Mr. Bennet showed Darcy his palms. "Why do you ask?"

"You made my task of convincing her to marry me when we met again far harder. Elizabeth has worried that I would eventually believe I made a mistake. Mr. Bennet, the only objection any man could have to your daughter is her lack of fortune and high connections. She is wise, and clever, and everything that is lovely. It is not just a matter of carnal desire. She is my dearest friend and companion."

"Those are sweet words. But she does not have fortune or connection. That once mattered more to you."

"No, it never did." Darcy held up his hand. "Please, let me explain."

Darcy paused, not sure what words would be best. The matter of how he felt about his father was too private for him to easily speak about it with anyone but Elizabeth.

Mr. Bennet frowned at him skeptically.

"My father was a very extravagant man who left great debts — debts which are not so large that they will prevent me from providing a very, very good life for your daughter and our children —"

"I never thought you were nearly bankrupt. You have the manner of a driven man, not a desperate one. Also, my brother-in-law's wife grew up near your estate, and I had her inquire of old acquaintances about your situation. I know enough to know that your income is far greater than my own, and probably Bingley's as well."

"So I shall not need to retrieve papers from my banker in London or have my uncle testify as to my finances?"

"I am concerned for my daughter's happiness — not her consequence. Talk to Mrs. Bennet if you wish to be interrogated about your wealth."

"Mr. Bennet, I was frightened I might one day act as my father did. It made me instinctively deprive myself of anything I desired to prove I was better than him. I… I am not my father. It had been stupid to fear I was. I needed Elizabeth to tell me that. I, like you, shall no doubt make many mistakes in the future. But I will listen to Elizabeth when she tells me I am being a fool. As one man who makes mistakes to another, surely you will not be so cruel as to remove my only hope of avoiding stupidity."

Mr. Bennet chuckled. "You suggest I let my favorite daughter marry you because you are a fool."

Darcy leaned back in the chair and crossed his legs confidently.

"Fine. You have convinced me — I shall miss her, but she loves you dearly. Now go and send her to me when you find her."

Darcy uncrossed his legs and tapped his foot on the rug. "There is another matter."

Mr. Bennet lowered his spectacles again and peered at Darcy.

"You see… well… that is to say, me and Elizabeth, we would like…"

"Out with it. It cannot be that awful. Hesitancy is not a good look on you."

"We wish to marry very quickly."

"Be more precise. How quickly?"

"She is not — we have not — I would not —"

"So despite the flames of youthful passion, my daughter's virtue is intact." Mr. Bennet continued in a sarcastic tone, "I am delighted to hear it. This is a conversation every father wishes to have with his daughter's suitor. I take it you wish to marry as soon as possible. Tomorrow, if you can find the Archbishop of Canterbury and buy a special license off him?"

"Yes. We have waited so long and both of us are eager —"

"Mr. Darcy, when I said this is a conversation every father wishes to have, I was telling an untruth."

Darcy blushed.

"You have my permission, but it is up to you and Lizzy to inform my wife of the whole matter. Do leave. And send Elizabeth in once you can spare her."

"Yes, sir." Mr. Bennet suddenly seemed frightening, and Darcy immediately left the room. Elizabeth anxiously paced in the hallway.

"Did he give permission? Is he unhappy?"

Darcy took Elizabeth's hand and entangled his fingers with hers. "I don't believe so. I now understand why you worried I would regret marrying you."

Elizabeth frowned. "What did he say?"

"Only that he wished he had not married your mother."

"She behaved as I did. My father was reluctant, so she kissed him to seduce him."

Darcy pulled Elizabeth into a light embrace and, aware that her father was in the next room, kissed her forehead. "Elizabeth Bennet, you are no more like your mother than I am like my father."

Elizabeth craned her neck to look up at Darcy's face. He always made her feel better. "You are right. The similarities are only superficial. After all, it is your handsome person I wanted, not your fortune."

Darcy grinned. "Precisely. And you were desperately in love with me."

"As I recall it was mainly your handsome person I wanted. Oh! — Can we marry tomorrow?"

"Yes, tomorrow." Darcy grew warm and tense. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach as he and Elizabeth stared into each other's eyes. She leaned up on her toes to kiss him.

After a minute Darcy pushed her away. "Anyone could pass this way, and" — Darcy lowered his voice and gestured his head towards the door — "your father is right there."

Elizabeth pouted.

Darcy whispered into Elizabeth's ear. "Tomorrow, I shall kiss you until our knees go weak and we cannot stand, and then we shall lie in our bed next to each other, and I shall kiss down your neck, and then I shall loosen your corset and begin to kiss —"

Elizabeth pushed him away. She was blushing bright red. "Remember, my father is in that room. He might hear you."

"He wants to see you."

After another minute Darcy went to the stables to ensure that the horses for the carriage had been changed so they could leave for London soon.

Mr. Bennet embraced Elizabeth when she entered the room. "So it ended well. I am very pleased for you."

"You do not still worry we will be unhappy?"

Mr. Bennet shook his head. "Your young man is completely certain. Though I think you know that far better than I by now. He is not a man who is acting against his better judgement."

Elizabeth smiled. "Isn't he delightful? And thank you for letting us marry so quickly. It has been so —"

"Lizzy, I shall believe you are playing cards all night tomorrow. I want to have this conversation with you even less than with him. Now go tell your mother about your plans."

Elizabeth found her mother talking enthusiastically while Lord Matlock, Anne, and Colonel Fitzwilliam listened. "Mama, I have some news. Might I speak with you alone?"

Mrs. Bennet followed Elizabeth into the breakfast room, and as soon as the door was closed, Mrs. Bennet said, "You could have told me in front of them — they already know you are to marry Mr. Darcy. I suppose with an earl for an uncle the lack of fortune does not matter so much. It is a terrible pity that he is so poor."

"Mama, we plan to marry tomorrow by special license."

Her mother exclaimed, "Aha. I knew it! You are with child. Very clever, Lizzy. Though you took a great risk. He might have walked away."

"No! I am not. Mama, how —"

"You only told him you were? He may become very angry if he discovers the truth. A midwife can help you forge a very creditable miscarriage."

"Mama!"

"You must do something to hide the truth, if you cry and there is blood — well men do not want to know about female matters."

This was why Elizabeth could not tell her mother in front of Lord Matlock. "We have not. I have not —"

"Are you certain? I have heard of women who did not know the details of the act. Has he lifted your skirts and —"

"Mama! I know what the marital act involves. It's what animals do when they come into heat. I am neither stupid nor blind. Can we never speak on this again? I am still a maiden, and I am very eager to become a wife. That is why we want to marry so soon and nothing else."

"La, I understand. Marital congress" — Mrs. Bennet giggled — "rutting with a man; it can be very delightful. I remember those first months fondly. I must tell you everything you need to know. It is not just like beasts swiving each other. There is more to it, and you must convince your Mr. Darcy to perform the act in the right way if you wish to receive as much pleasure as the man does."

"Mama, I really do not wish to hear this."

"I would fail as a mother if I did not prepare you. You shall not leave until I have told you everything."

Fifteen minutes later Darcy knocked on the breakfast room door and entered it followed by his uncle and Colonel Fitzwilliam, Elizabeth's face was far redder than he had ever seen it before. Darcy hurried to her side, but she looked down and would not meet his eyes.

"We must leave for London quickly if we are to find the archbishop today." Darcy inclined his head to Mrs. Bennet. "I wish to speak to Elizabeth for a few minutes before."

"Heavens! Of course you may, Mr. Darcy." She winked at him and giggled.

Darcy led Elizabeth out of the room, but she did not meet his eye. Darcy said quietly, "What did your mother say when you told her?"

Elizabeth's bright red blush was still there, and she shook her head no.

"Please, I shall worry if you do not tell me something."

Elizabeth giggled hysterically. "You shall find out. I shall show you, tomorrow."

"It was something to do with our wedding? Did your mother object to such speed?"

"No. She had advice — for after the wedding." Elizabeth giggled again and looked up, though her blush did not fade. "I do not know if it is good advice, but we shall experiment."

"You mean she told you about…"

"Yes. There were things I had not known." Elizabeth's mood suddenly changed, and she snarled out. "She thought I was with child. And when I denied it, she thought I lied to you about being with child."

"That was unkind of her." Darcy hugged Elizabeth. "I never needed such an encouragement to want to marry you. Even should the Lord deny us children, I will always be happy to be your companion."

Elizabeth kissed Darcy.

Lord Matlock shouted from the entry hall, "We must to London quickly. You can do more than kiss her tomorrow if we complete our errand."

Elizabeth laughed and pushed Darcy away. "Hurry — and return fast. Remember, I love you."

Darcy grinned at her with perfect happiness.

AN: So that is it, or almost. There is another epilogue chapter which is fluff and explanations of what happened to everyone set ten years after the end of the book.

I hope all of you who lasted to this point did enjoy the story and the journey. I know that at points Darcy was a bit slow, and the whole matter took too long to resolve, but I can promise that the mistakes in my next two books were entirely different. And most people liked them more. I should at some point in the next few months remove A Dishonorable Offer from Amazon's exclusivity program and start posting it here. No promise on when though, since I'd like to still have it in KU when my next book comes out. I am right now working on the second draft of it.

The story will involve Lady Catherine using information from Wickham to blackmail Darcy into agreeing to marry Anne, Elizabeth as a governess to Lady Catherine's unwanted ward, and dark deeds.