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You will, no doubt, recognise pieces here and there from the book, or occasionally from the 1995 film. I won't insult your intelligence by pointing them out as I am sure you will recognise them.
Darcy stepped forwards eagerly, his eyes bright and a pleased smile on his face. Despite all her feelings against him, she could not but admit to herself how well it suited him. She had never seen him wear such an expression before, but then he had always seemed to her to be either thoughtful or severe when around her. She was reminded suddenly of how handsome she had thought him on first appearance, before his pride and rude behaviour had caused her to dislike him so much.
His look of delight as he reached for her hands made her realise that he must have only taken notice of her final words, her acceptance of his proposal, and had ignored the barely hidden reproof. Before she could allow him to express the joy he clearly felt at being accepted, she pulled back.
"I would ask that you not announce our engagement, not that it would be appropriate until after my father has given his permission, to your family here in Kent, at least until I have left the county."
He came closer again. "Of course not."
Elizabeth moved away again. "Indeed I think it best that for the moment that there be no hint of our engagement in our behaviour while still at Rosings. As you explained a few moments ago,your family will be against our marrying. I can not imagine Lady Catherine will be particularly pleased, and I would wish to be elsewhere when she learns of it."
He looked slightly taken aback for a moment, before he nodded in agreement. "It shall be as you say. My aunt will no doubt make her disappointment clear, and it may be best to inform her by post rather than leave you to face her disapproval. As much as I would understand her sentiments, I would save you from the expression of them. She will, I am sure, be very angry." He reached for her hand again.
Elizabeth turned her face away in disbelief at his words, biting her lip to stop herself from responding the way his uncivil words deserved. The warmth of his hand as it grasped hers shocked her. She had imagined it would have been as cold as the man itself.
"Miss Bennet…Elizabeth…" he said in a low voice that made her stomach tighten strangely.
She pulled her hand from his, clasping both of hers demurely in front of her, still unable to look up at him. He was too close for her to be easy.
"When will you speak to my father? Do you plan to go at once, or will you wait until I return to Longbourn?"
"I am due to leave Kent for town in 2 days. I had planned to stay in town for the rest of the season, but perhaps I could ride on to Hertfordshire and call on your father. Of course, I am sure there can be no objections to our engagement."
Elizabeth tried not to grimace at his arrogance, as well as his misunderstanding of her father's character. "No, I believe it is better that you wait for me to return to Longbourn before speaking to my father. It is likely that he will not agree easily, not until I have spoken to him at least."
"Surely he will see the benefits to your family of such an alliance," Mr Dary replied incredulously.
"If he only cared about the fortune and position of possible suitors for his daughters, but the eligibility of a match would never be his main consideration."
"Surely your mother…"
My mother worries about the entail on Longbourn and what might happen to her and any of my sisters who were yet unmarried. If my father's only consideration was marrying us off as soon as any eligible gentleman offered, I would now be mistress of this house, rather than just a guest in it."
Mr Darcy looked shocked, then appalled.
"You mean to say that Mr Collins made you an offer of marriage?"
"The morning after the ball at Netherfield. Although my mother declared it eligible enough for me - it would have solved the problem of the netail quite nicely, my father was wholly against it, and supported my refusal. He would not see me unhappily married."
"You believe he would object to our engagement?" He sounded disbelieving. "What reason would he have to imagine you unhappy as my wife? You will be well provided for. The settlement upon you and our future children will of course be very generous, as befitting the mother of my heirs. I will, of course, also make sure your family are taken care of, if the need arises."
He spoke the last with only the barest hint of distaste, and she could well imagine that should it fall on him to provide for her family, that it would be at a considerable distance from himself.
Elizabeth could only struggle to keep her voice even as she replied. "You misunderstand me, if you think the terms of any settlement would induce my father to give his permission for me to marry without affection."
It was not a lie. She was sure she would have some difficulty in convincing her father to approve the match. He knew her character far too well for her to easily convince him of a strong regard where there was none, so she could only hope her acting was up to the task. It had to be.
"I suppose you mean it would surprise your father to learn that you have agreed to marry me."
"He has no reason to think that you might have any preference for my company. You have shown me no particular attention before now that he is aware of."
"I danced with you at the ball at Netherfield. You were the only lady outside my own party with whom I did so.
"One dance does not constitute anything, and besides, you were not my only partner that evening. It is hardly likely that my family would suspect an attachment with any or all of them. I cannot deny that my family were surprised that I had agreed to dance with you, although that was due to an earlier conversation after the assembly at Meryton. I…" She coloured slightly, despite knowing that what she was about to confess was more embarrassing to the gentleman than to herself.
Mr Darcy only looked curious and waited quietly for her to continue.
"I said that I would never dance with you, even if you asked."
His brow furrowed. "I don't understand. Why would you make such a declaration when we had barely been introduced, and when we certainly knew nothing of each other."
"You told Mr Bingley I was only tolerable, and refused to ask me to dance because you 'refused to give consequence to young ladies who had been slighted by other men'."
His cheeks turned a deep red and he turned away from her. "I am sorry you heard that," he said after a few moments. "I have never pretended to be comfortable at large companies, let alone ones where I have few acquaintances. There had also been a… an incident… within my family, only a few months before, during the summer. I had previously promised Bingley I would accompany him while he settled in at Netherfield or I would not have left my relations at such a time. I was in no humour to be attending an assembly, let alone deal with Bingley importuning me to dance, when he knows perfectly well I abhor standing up with a lady with whom I am not well acquainted. It was rude of me, however, and certainly does not reflect the feelings with which I quickly came to regard you."
He turned and stepped closer to her, reaching for her hands once more, and in her surprise at his words and his irritatingly reasonable explanation, she did not have the presence of mind to step back out of his reach once more.
"Please, Miss Bennet, let me assure you of my sincere and abiding affection. I hope you will not hold a careless comment, spoken in anger and certainly not a reflection on your beauty, nor how I have since come to feel for you.
"You flatter me, but I am aware that I am no beauty like Jane, nor I am sure, like many other women of your acquaintance."
"No, you are not like your elder sister."
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows archly at his strange comment.
"I mean to say it is not just your beauty that has captivated me, but your wit and your liveliness of mind, and I found myself unable to contemplate a future without you by my side as my wife."
Elizabeth looked down to hide a smile as she suddenly understood some of what had led him to propose. Her behaviour towards Mr Darcy had created the opposite effect she had meant it to. Her attempts to drive him away had only succeeded in drawing him closer. She had provoked and argued with him where others had attempted to flatter. He was probably used to ladies like Miss Bingley, flirting and fawning over him, or more precisely, his wealth. She had roused and interested him because she was so unlike them.
She could not but be affected by the compliment, though. Whatever she thought of his character, his intellect and consequence were not in any doubt. That such a man as he should have been in love with her for so many months! So much in love as to wish to marry her in spite of all the objections which had made him prevent his friend's marrying her sister, and which must appear at least with equal force in her own case, was almost incredible.
Without knowing how to respond to his declaration without either offending him or lying about her own feelings, she chose to return to their earlier unfinished conversation.
"We have strayed somewhat from the matter at hand. First you need to gain my father's permission. Will you wait for me to speak to him first?"
"If that is your wish. When exactly do you expect to be back in Hertfordshire?"
"I plan to break my journey in London for two days, before travelling on to Longbourn with Jane. I will be staying with my aunt and uncle in Gracechurch street, where of course you are welcome to call on me." Hopefully with Mr Bingley. "I should be home a sennight today. I would ask that you give me a few days at home to speak to my father."
"Of course. I will aim to follow you to Hertfordshire before a fortnight is out."
"Where will you stay when you reach Meryton?" She could only hope he wasn't expecting to stay at Longbourn. Not only would her mother not understand at first why such a man so seemingly unconnected with their family would want to stay, but Elizabeth had no desire to expose Mr Darcy to her two youngest sisters, or her mother's likely response to the news of her engagement.
"I imagine the inn will be sufficient."
"It has a number of decent rooms, although I warn you that your coming to Meryton will be known amongst the entire population within the hour."
The entire village would unfortunately be amazed at his return, and it would be the stuff of much gossip, as would her family as soon as Mr Darcy was known to have visited Longbourn. The gentleman could have no obvious business in the neighbourhood, and had made no effort to befriend any of its inhabitants, so his visit would cause much speculation. Hopefully the issue of consent would be agreed between herself and her father before Mr Darcy arrived, and any possible speculation could be replaced with news of their engagement.
While she had been pondering all this, he stepped closer than he had been before, and upon looking up to meet his dark eyes, she had to glance away again with a blush, overcome by her body's reaction to his scent, the very nearness of him.
"Dearest, loveliest Elizabeth," he breathed, causing the red on her cheeks to deepen. "I know that your father has not yet sanctioned our engagement, but I was wondering… I have wanted to… since almost the beginning of our acquaintance… would you allow me to…?
"Yes?" she asked, looking up in confusion as he struggled to come to the point.
Mr Darcy seemed to take her response as an affirmative, despite the fact he had not finished his question, for he quickly pressed his lips to her upturned ones, and slipped his arms round her waist to pull her tight against him. The kiss was chaste, but it made her heart pound almost uncomfortably. Almost as soon as she began to press back against him, he retreated from her, leaving her feel oddly bereft. His eyes were wild and he fought to catch his breath.
"Forgive me, dearest Elizabeth."
She could only nod numbly, while her cheeks flared red in embarrassment.
"I will leave you now. I should return before my absence is noted."
"Yes, it would not do for Mr Collins to find you here." No doubt Lady Catherine would know before the day was out, and she would likely demand a reason for the visit.
With that they exchanged awkward farewells, both aware that they would likely not have another chance to talk privately before he came to Longbourn. On Elizabeth's part she was glad to see him go, for she needed some time to reflect on the events of the previous half hour. Mr Darcy seemed more reluctant to leave, but with one final assurance of his affection, he pressed his lips to the back of her hand, and left. Elizabeth heard him the next moment open the front door and quit the house.