Copyright 2021 Elizabeth Frerichs
The next few weeks passed in a blaze of happiness as March turned to April. The weather remained gloomy, but such joy bloomed in Elizabeth's heart that she felt as though she were walking through her own personal patch of sunshine. She and Mr. Darcy had decided to share news of their courtship with both their favourite aunts and uncles, and Mrs. Gardiner was overjoyed that Elizabeth had found someone who was so well-respected and kind.
Her sisters had continued to express their approval of Mr. Darcy, noting new instances of the man's worthiness almost every evening. Elizabeth began teaching Mary what she had learned about Longbourn, and her younger sister had proved more than capable of continuing their plans for the estate if Elizabeth's courtship concluded satisfactorily.
She and Mr. Darcy saw each other only slightly more often than had already been their custom, but the moments spent together were now frequently spent in quiet conversation in a corner of the room, and the topics of conversation had grown to include literature, philosophy, politics, and childhood experiences, among other things. More than once, Mr. Darcy had surprised Elizabeth into a fit of laughter with his dry retelling of some absurd incident from his childhood. She had retaliated with her own ridiculous stories, and Mr. Darcy's laugh was no longer an uncommon occurrence.
Even Mrs. Bennet had noticed and applauded Elizabeth for keeping Mr. Darcy occupied so that Mr. Bingley could focus on Jane. As Mr. Darcy also frequently mentioned how lovely Elizabeth looked or commented upon some facet of her character, Elizabeth was shocked that her mother did not immediately sniff out her own romance with Mr. Darcy. After some thought, she sadly attributed it to her mother's focus on Jane and belief that no one of Mr. Darcy's calibre would offer for Mrs. Bennet's least favourite daughter.
Mrs. Bennet still complained about how long Mr. Bingley was taking to get to the point, but she had become slightly less shrill. She had even stopped haranguing Elizabeth for more money, and now only mentioned it a mere once a day. Elizabeth wondered if these and other slight alterations in her mother resulted from the vast amount of time she had spent with Mrs. Annesley since that good woman had arrived in Hertfordshire. In addition to helpfully keeping Mrs. Bennet company, Mrs. Annesley had kindly slipped in advice about propriety under the guise of explaining how the ton behaved. Mrs. Bennet's manners had not yet changed, but she had sometimes appeared thoughtful after one of Mrs. Annesley's visits.
Perhaps her mother could change.
Elizabeth had not yet written to her father about Mr. Darcy, preferring to save the conversation for once Mr. Bennet returned or for after Mr. Darcy proposed, whichever came first. The latter seemed increasingly likely as the weeks went on, and Elizabeth's own certainty regarding her answer had increased. She did not think she and Mr. Darcy would ever grow tired of talking to each other—not when they appreciated so many of the same things yet for different reasons. Thus, they spoke often of enjoyable topics and their differing opinions ensured they always had something to discuss.
The Bennet sisters had continued their quest to work on accomplishments; Elizabeth could admit to herself that she was rather more motivated now that she did not wish to embarrass Mr. Darcy amongst the ton. She had confided her concerns to Georgiana, and her potential sister-to-be, who was just as elated as Elizabeth's sisters about her brother's courtship, had promised to continue helping her until she felt herself on par with the ladies of the ton.
After the stress of the past months, such happiness seemed almost indecent.
Darcy likewise went about with a smile on his face. After had responded to Lady Catherine, pointing out that he had never proposed to her daughter and that neither of his parents had ever spoken to him of their wish for him to marry Anne, Lady Catherine had written him another equally-strongly-worded letter, but he had ignored it, merely passing it along to his Uncle Stephen.
Fitzwilliam had written, offering hearty congratulations and demanding to know why the deuce he hadn't just proposed.
Georgiana had been ecstatic when he had confided the substance of his conversation with Elizabeth and had already begun planning activities with which to entertain the Bennet sisters "when they came to visit her over the summer."
Darcy was somewhat dubious as to whether Mrs. Bennet would allow all her daughters to be absent at once, or whether Bingley would wait that long to marry Miss Bennet, but he supposed they could iron out the details later.
In the meantime, he would continue his campaign. Though he could not give Elizabeth large gifts, he often loaned her books he thought she would enjoy, assisted even further with Longbourn, escorted her on her errands whenever possible, and expounded on the many things he loved about her—her kindness, wit, intelligence, beauty, determination, impertinence, to name a few. Elizabeth's charming blushes made it much easier to be open about his appreciation of her many virtues. He would not dare to write poetry, but he did, upon occasion, send little notes to her via Georgiana containing poetry that had reminded him of Elizabeth. He had even murmured a few of said lines into his beloved's ear from time to time. And, of course, he made a point of dancing with her whenever an opportunity to do so occurred.
On April 9th, Darcy straightened his cravat for what felt like the hundredth time and smoothed his breast pocket, the crinkle of the Letter proving that he had not forgotten it. After some consideration, he had decided that this day was the most appropriate for his own proposal as it was the same date the Letter-writer had proposed.
Darcy had initially planned to speak to Elizabeth in Longbourn's garden, as the idea of asking Mrs. Bennet for a private audience with her daughter and then expecting the news to remain contained seemed ludicrous. Given the fine weather though, he and Bingley had determined to ask Elizabeth and Miss Bennet to walk to Oakham Mount.
The change in plan seemed fortuitous: At Oakham Mount, Elizabeth had found the Letter, and it was there that she had given him the Letter, there that they had brokered a truce and had begun their friendship, and to there that they had walked several times over the course of their courtship. He could not imagine a more meaningful place to propose.
After the obligatory greetings to the rest of the group, Bingley asked Miss Bennet if she would like to go for a nice, long walk to enjoy the sunshine. Miss Bennet agreed demurely, and Mrs. Bennet herself suggested the inclusion of Elizabeth, "for propriety's sake," although Darcy did not doubt that she intended for Elizabeth to keep him busy so Bingley could woo Miss Bennet.
Georgiana suggested the other girls stay behind and continue to work on the piece they had been practicing, and the younger Bennet sisters agreed.
Before he could credit, they were ten minutes down the lane, Bingley and Miss Bennet lagging behind. Darcy was sure his heart was hammering so loudly that Elizabeth could hear it even as he attempted to behave normally.
Elizabeth glanced up at Mr. Darcy. Since they had begun courting, he was most often smiling—a state she too found herself in. Mr. Darcy had approached wooing her with the dedication which she had learned that he approached everything important to him. Had she possessed any doubts about his intentions, the constant attentions he showered her with would have blown them all away like a steady wind.
This morning, however, he seemed more sombre than usual. Perhaps the situation with his aunt was weighing on him? Lady Catherine's continued vituperations had caused him to cut ties with her. Last week had been Easter, and Lord Matlock and Colonel Fitzwilliam had gone to Rosings in Mr. Darcy's stead to ensure Lady Catherine's tenants did not suffer.
Or perhaps something had transpired with Georgiana?
When they were nearly halfway to Oakham Mount, Elizabeth ventured to ask if Georgiana was well.
Mr. Darcy gave her a quizzical look. "I believe so. Has something occurred to her?"
Elizabeth shrugged. "Not that I am aware of. You simply seem distracted this morning. Is everything well?"
"Oh, of course. Forgive my abstraction. I was just—thinking—about—about the Letter."
Clearly he had something else on his mind, but Elizabeth had learned that pushing him would not provide further information. "What about the Letter?"
"It was supposedly written at Rosings, tomorrow, but neither of us is in Kent."
Elizabeth nodded thoughtfully. "Does that mean you have concluded that it is supernatural or merely a poor forgery?"
"No one has approached me about it in the months since it has been in my possession. Nor has anyone approached you, correct?"
"No one has spoken to me about it," Elizabeth affirmed.
Darcy frowned. "It seems to be supernatural, but I cannot explain why the events contained therein differ so markedly from that which has actually occurred."
"Perhaps because we have differed. I believe the Letter provided us with a picture of what would have been had we followed the paths we had been on before it appeared. We have each had our trajectory shifted by the Letter. It changed how I viewed my family, and I certainly saw you differently when we met due to it."
"I cannot imagine what you thought when I treated you so badly."
Elizabeth hesitated. She had been quite hurt by his comment, but it had had little to do with her and only showcased how proud and ridiculous he had been. "You did not present the best first impression."
"Or second, or third, or tenth," Mr. Darcy murmured.
"It is a testament to your character that you were able to change people's opinions after such a poor initial showing. Even the neighbours have noticed."
Darcy thought back to the past few times he had been in company. He had worked hard to maintain an approachable demeanour and to feel, and to show, genuine interest in the people around him. It was easier to listen when one tried to understand the person and what they were saying (and what they were leaving out).
"I believe it is a testament to your character that you allowed me to make a twentieth impression," he said with a smile.
"Perhaps." Elizabeth returned the smile. "We have both changed a great deal since we first met ."
"Indeed."
They remained in meditative silence until reaching the top of Oakham Mount. Darcy took Elizabeth's hand as they stood looking out over the view.
"Elizabeth, I am so grateful for your involvement in my life," he began, shifting to face her. "As we were just discussing, I am not the same man I was six months ago, and that is due in large part to you."
Elizabeth looked down. "Actually, I believe you have only yourself to thank. If I have learned anything over the past months, it is that I cannot actually change anyone. I can only change how I relate to them. You are the one who decided to change and who has done the work every day since."
Darcy hesitated, alternately opening and clasping the hand hanging by his side while trying to figure out how to alter the speech he had practiced to fit her words. Finally, he decided that Elizabeth might prefer something more heartfelt anyway. "Let us agree to disagree," he said. "I—" He glanced around. "Almost five months ago, on this very spot, you gave me the Letter. I accused you of trying to entrap me. I remember how confused I was, how blindsided and betrayed I felt, because nothing in my experience with you had even hinted that you might be capable of such an act. Then, when we spoke here only two months ago, I realised that my first impression had been accurate: you are as principled as you are beautiful. These past weeks have been the happiest of my life and of Georgiana's life."
He took her other hand, waiting until she looked up at him. "I do not want this time to end. I want you by my side for the rest of my life and so, just as the Letter-writer asked on this date, I would like to ask: will you marry me, Elizabeth Bennet?"
Elizabeth's eyes filled, and she nodded wordlessly.
"Truly?"
"Yes, Mr. Darcy, I will marry you."
"William," Darcy urged, wishing to hear his name on her lips.
Elizabeth chuckled wetly. "Yes, William, I will marry you."
"You have made me the happiest of men," he said, bringing her hands to his lips and kissing them fervently.
"And you have made me the happiest of women," Elizabeth responded with a smile he was sure outshone the sun. "I cannot imagine marrying anyone else. You have spoiled me with your tender care and firm support, with the way you listen to me and give me freedom to express my own thoughts, or provide quiet when I need to think." She daringly squeezed his hands. "I am so glad that you are a man who is not done with growing, with life. Your willingness to recognise your faults and your determination to change has only deepened my feelings for you."
"Only because you, dearest, loveliest Elizabeth pointed my faults out to me."
Elizabeth stared into his eyes, wondering that this man truly loved her. He had not yet said the words, but, as Jane had long proclaimed, his actions spoke far louder than his words: His tender care in the middle of their difficulties with Mr. Wickham. The way he had fought for Lydia and safeguarded Lydia's reputation as though she were his own sister. The way he had supported her with Longbourn, listening to her thoughts and providing advice when she requested it. The way that he looked at her, as though she were precious beyond compare. Last autumn, she had believed his gaze to denote a search for flaws—how wrong she had been!
"I am certain that you would have realised them eventually, William."
"Perhaps this is another instance where we may agree to disagree," he suggested with a smile.
"Perhaps," she agreed lightly.
William hesitated. "I wish I could give you flowers and expound upon your beauty, but flowers are not in season. I also considered buying you jewellery, but I did not think you would desire your mother to know of our engagement before I can speak to your father. So I thought I would return this to you as an earnest of our pledge. You may now use it to force a compromise should I prove too tardy in tying the knot," he said with a hint of levity, pulling the Letter out of his breast pocket and holding it out to her.
With a smile, Elizabeth took the Letter. It would certainly be easier to conceal from her mother as that woman never disturbed Elizabeth's papers. "I thank you for this token of your intentions," she said playfully.
"You are welcome. In many ways, it is your Letter, since you were the one who found it."
"Let us say that it is our Letter."
Darcy inclined his head. "Very well." He hesitated, not wishing to break the lighthearted mood between them, but knowing that they would have precious little time before Bingley arrived. "When do you wish to be married?"
"How long do you have before you are considered tardy?" Elizabeth said pointedly. "I would hope we do not wait so long that it is even a concern." She sobered. "You said that you intend to speak to my father . . . ."
Darcy nodded. "It is necessary, and even if it were not, I do not believe avoiding the conversation would set a sound example for any of our sisters."
Elizabeth chuckled. "You shall have to brave my father just as the knights of old braved dragons to win their fair maiden."
Darcy blinked at her, unsure of the comparison.
"It is something Kitty said when she was trying to prevent Lydia from eloping—that seeking Papa's approval would be a true test of a gentleman's love."
"I see. In that case, yes, I will seek out your father and attempt to gain his approval in a knightly proof of my love."
Elizabeth hugged herself. "I do not know what you shall find. He may not even care."
Darcy pulled her to himself the way he would Georgiana, attempting to offer comfort. "Then he is a fool. You are his daughter and he has an obligation to love you, but more than that, it should be his joy to do so. His life is poorer without you and your sisters in it, whether he realises it or not." He hesitated, trying to decipher her primary concern. "Are you worried that he will not return?"
Elizabeth shivered. "I—I do not know. I cannot imagine being wed without him present, but I am more worried that he will return and reprimand me for all the changes I have made or that my sisters will revert to their previous behaviours. We are all—better and in some ways happier. Not because of his absence, but because we have changed. If he cannot accept those changes, it may be difficult for everyone."
"It may be," Darcy agreed. "But you will not be alone. Nor will your sisters. Bingley and I will support you, regardless of how he responds. And Georgiana is already plotting how she will bring all of you Bennet ladies to Pemberley for the summer. If it becomes untenable at Longbourn, you will not have to stay here."
"Am I a terrible person for wishing that we could just all live our changed lives together?" she asked into his coat. "I wish he could see that though his detachment may provide entertainment, it nevertheless diminishes the meaning from his life. He has traded away love and purpose and joy. This may not have been the life he chose, but that does not mean it could not be just as good as or even better than what he had before."
"I am sorry, my love. I wish that he could see those things as well."
Resolve filled Darcy. Perhaps Mr. Bennet had simply not had someone like Elizabeth to point out his flaws. He could not convince Mr. Bennet to do the work of change, but he could certainly have a very pointed conversation with the man. It would be awkward since he was also asking for the man's blessing to marry his daughter, but his love for Elizabeth and her sisters demanded it of him. At least, as Elizabeth's relationship with her father was nearly non-existent, he doubted he could make it much worse.
Elizabeth sighed. She was not one to imagine strong arms about her feeling like a safe harbour, but standing here in William's embrace was far nicer than she could have dreamt. Regardless of her father's behaviour, she would have the safety of her sisters and William and Georgiana and even Mr. Bingley to return to.
"Fine weather we are having this morning," Mr. Bingley called from the path where he stood arm in arm with Jane.
Elizabeth nearly jumped out of William's arms, acutely conscious of how forward she must have appeared.
Mr. Bingley kindly feigned ignorance. "May I assume that you have settled things between you and offer my congratulations?"
Elizabeth nodded at Jane, her smile growing as she was reminded that she would soon be Mrs. Darcy.
"You may," William said graciously.
"Congratulations, Darcy. Never thought you'd end up with someone so beautiful."
Jane moved to give Elizabeth a hug.
"Although," Mr. Bingley continued, "I believe I have secured the most beautiful woman in the world—at least in my eyes. No offense, Miss Elizabeth."
Elizabeth stepped back from her sister, searching her face for the answer to her unspoken question.
Jane smiled widely, happiness nearly bursting from her as though she were sending off a million joyful fireworks. "I have agreed to marry Charles."
"Then I must agree with you, Mr. Bingley, you have indeed secured the most beautiful woman in the world," Elizabeth said. "I hope you will take excellent care of her," she added, levelling him with a look.
"I fully intend to," Mr. Bingley said fervently.
"Congratulations, Miss Bennet." William turned to Mr. Bingley. "As her soon-to-be brother, I will also be keeping an eye on your treatment of my future sister."
Mr. Bingley chuckled. "Well, as Miss Elizabeth's soon-to-be brother, I will be watching you as well."
William glowered at him in mock-annoyance. "I see that the old characterisation about younger brothers being a bother holds true."
"I am looking forward to being your younger brother." Mr. Bingley turned to Elizabeth. "And to being an older one as well. I do not know about you, Darcy, but it will be a pleasure to gain such a large family. It has only been my sisters and I for far too long."
William nodded. "Indeed. Georgiana has been hounding me to obtain five new sisters for her nearly since we arrived in Hertfordshire."
Jane's smile grew. "I am certain my sisters will appreciate that. Kitty has been similarly enthusiastic at gaining new family members."
Elizabeth basked in the general joy, promising herself that they would return to the topic of her father, but unwilling to spoil this moment.
Eventually, the friendly banter petered off and talk turned to their weddings and to how having a double wedding would greatly decrease everyone's stress, as it would lessen Mrs. Bennet's opportunity for anxious planning. From there, they discussed the imprudence of telling Mrs. Bennet before Mr. Bennet's consent had been obtained, which led to a conversation about the best time to visit him. The gentlemen agreed that it was necessary—preferably as quickly as possible.
"I doubt that Georgiana will want to stay with our aunt in London. Would it be possible for her to stay with you?" William murmured to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth nodded. "We would all enjoy that. Obviously, Mrs. Annesley would be welcome too."
"Thank you."
Elizabeth and William's sisters had all been overjoyed by the news of Jane and Elizabeth's respective engagements, though Lydia had grown teary-eyed when Elizabeth and Jane had talked about their gentlemen's intentions to go see Papa as soon as possible. Elizabeth ached for her sister; she wished that Mr. Wickham had been worthy of Lydia's affection.
Mrs. Bennet had been applied to for permission for Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley to stay at Longbourn while the gentlemen travelled to London on business. Despite the expected brevity of the trip, Elizabeth's mother had been most anxious at the news that Mr. Bingley was going to London again; Jane had calmly pointed out that the gentlemen would hardly leave Miss Darcy behind if they did not intend to return speedily.
The gentlemen were to leave this morning, and Elizabeth already missed William. Georgiana and the three youngest Bennets had planned out activities for the week, but Elizabeth struggled to share in their enthusiasm. Perhaps it would be easier once William had actually left—then she could focus on spending time with Georgiana.
When William arrived with Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley in tow, the sun seemed to dim at the prospect of his departure. The past three days she could have sworn that she had danced through her day, her feet hardly touching the ground as she suppressed a song of joy. Today, however, she felt heavy and dreary. She wished she could have the extra time with Georgiana without sacrificing the moments she normally would have had with William.
"How are you?" he asked quietly.
Elizabeth gave him a chagrined smile. "Missing you already."
"As am I." He glanced over towards her mother as though to check that she was occupied. "I shall be counting the moments until we are together again. I hate that Bingley and I will both be leaving you. At least the last time I was gone, I could be certain that he would intervene should something occur."
"I believe I have the more difficult task, as waiting has never been one of my preferred pastimes."
William smiled. "Rather than argue the various disadvantages of our respective positions—as that would certainly require further quantification—I will only say that I shall do my best to conclude our trip as speedily as possible."
When the time came to say goodbye, Elizabeth straightened her spine. She refused to leave William with an image of her looking forlorn, and so she smiled widely. The moment the gentlemen were gone, Mary gave her an extra hug, and the ladies turned to the business of entertaining their guests.
Darcy's heart pounded as though it were attempting to escape his ribcage. The trip to Cambridge had flown by, and now, like Elizabeth's mythical dragon, Mr. Bennet lay just on the other side of this door. He and Bingley had called the day before, but Mr. Bennet had unfortunately been elsewhere and they had been forced to leave their cards. Today a servant had shown them immediately to a small study.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley," Mr. Bennet greeted them politely, gesturing to the seats across from the desk he was ensconced behind. "I had not expected to receive your cards, but I assume that you have an excellent reason for seeking me out."
Darcy swallowed hard, but remained silent. As Bingley was marrying the elder daughter, they had already determined that he ought to speak first.
Bingley sat poker-straight, as though determined to meet the worst. "We, er, I wish to ask permission to marry your daughter, Miss Bennet."
Mr. Bennet stilled for a moment. "I see. And what about you, Mr. Darcy? Are you here merely to support your friend?"
Darcy forced his hands to relax from where he was clinging to the chair beneath him. "No. I have come to ask your permission to marry Miss Elizabeth."
Mr. Bennet's eyebrows rose. "Well, then, perhaps you would be willing to wait outside while I speak to this young gentleman first," he said, pulling the bell for a servant.
Darcy nodded and stood. A maid showed him to a small sitting room. Once alone, he heaved a sigh of relief.
He still had not decided precisely what to say to Mr. Bennet regarding the man's poor behaviour and was hoping that inspiration might strike during their conversation. If not, he intended to ask if Mr. Bennet would return in time for the marriage ceremony. Obviously, they could have it without him as long as the necessary paperwork was signed by everyone, and said paperwork could be couriered back and forth via express.
He did not, however, wish for Elizabeth to have to endure yet another slight from her father. They had spoken several times about the man over the course of their courtship, and she had haltingly confided the truth—that she had been her father's favourite, but the moment she had challenged the status quo, he had withdrawn, and so she had learned to remain silent. The Letter had caused her to break that silence and confide her worries in her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner, who had then spoken to Mr. Bennet. The man had been so infuriated and hurt by her worry that he had delegated Longbourn to her, telling her that since she thought it could be done better, she was welcome to try.
On the one hand, Darcy understood the pain of having one's choices questioned by someone beloved. His aunt and uncle had not always approved of his decisions either. And certainly that pain might be compounded if the person was someone younger and supposedly less wise.
Yet he could not condone Mr. Bennet's method of handling the matter. The man could have been hurt and still taken time to gather information about why his daughter was so worried about their future. He could even have recognised the validity in her concerns: the Bennet daughters had been without prospects after Bingley had left, and without savings, their lives would have been quite barren after Mr. Bennet's death. Instead, he had allowed his feelings to overpower him.
Elizabeth's worries had been reasonable, and Mr. Bennet had treated them as trivial—offensive even.
Unfortunately, Darcy had not spoken to Mr. Bennet at all last autumn and had only seen him in company twice, so he was unsure how to present these facts in a way calculated to help the man hear the truth. Then again, as Elizabeth had said, you could not change people; you could only put the truth in front of them and allow them to change or not. Mr. Bennet might reject the whole notion, might in fact decide that he was never going to return to Longbourn, but that would not be Darcy's fault. The man was responsible for his own choices, and if he chose to forego a relationship with his daughter for the rest of his life, that was entirely his choice.
Darcy paced anxiously, wondering how Bingley's conversation was going. At least Miss Bennet was of age; if Mr. Bennet refused Darcy, he and Elizabeth would have to wait until the end of the year before she could marry without parental consent.
An eternity later, Bingley entered the room, giving him a wide smile, and the maid ushered Darcy back to Mr. Bennet.
"I must say, Mr. Darcy, I would not have expected you to offer for Lizzy," Mr. Bennet said as he poured Darcy a drink. "Although perhaps your opinion has changed since the day you met her—or perhaps I ought to have categorised your insult as a bit too much protestation, as Shakespeare put it."
Darcy suppressed a flush. That damned insult had sent ever widening effects into his life! He wondered if other careless words had caused just as much damage that he was entirely unaware of even now. "I have already apologised to your daughter for my thoughtless insult. It was not true when I said it, and I found it even less true as time went on. You may recall that I danced with your daughter at the Netherfield ball."
"And does my daughter wish to marry you?"
"She does," Darcy said firmly. "We have had the past few months to resolve our differences, and we have both grown in that time." He took Elizabeth's letter from his breast pocket, his nerves lessening as her flowery scent spilled from the paper. "She wrote you a letter to confirm her acceptance of my proposal."
Mr. Bennet nodded and took the letter. Leaning back in his chair as though entirely at ease, he read it. Darcy was a bit surprised to note how short Elizabeth's letter was, but perhaps that should not have been a surprise given her current estrangement with her father.
"I see here that you intend to wed in two months if I give my consent. What did my wife say about that?"
"As Miss Elizabeth and Miss Bennet requested we wait until after we had spoken to you to tell Mrs. Bennet of our engagements, she has not yet said anything."
Mr. Bennet stared at him before nodding. "I see you have taken my wife's measure," he said with a gleam of amusement.
The man appeared to be waiting for some response, so Darcy merely replied, "I have spent a good deal of time with your family over the past few months. In fact, my sister Georgiana is staying at Longbourn even as we speak."
Mr. Bennet's expression shifted as though he were weighing Darcy's words and trying to decipher what might be behind them. Finally, he blinked and then sighed. "Well, I suppose if Lizzy has already agreed, I will not withhold my consent."
"Thank you, sir." Darcy steeled himself. "Do you intend to return to Longbourn in time for the wedding?"
Mr. Bennet considered. "Perhaps."
"I think your daughters would wish you to be present."
Mr. Bennet took a sip of his drink. "We do not always get what we wish for, do we? But yes, I imagine the entertainment of seeing my wife plan a wedding will be well worth returning for."
"Mr. Bennet, may I speak plainly?"
"I thought you were already doing so," the man said mildly.
Darcy suppressed a growl. "I do not appreciate how you have been treating my betrothed. Elizabeth has never complained about the task you thrust upon her, but you still abdicated your responsibility as a landowner and as a father. I am—I am painfully aware of how difficult it is to change the habits of a lifetime. Thanks to your daughter, I became aware of how the very things I used to protect myself—my pride and my reserve—were strangling my life, keeping me separated and at odds with the things that would bring real joy and fulfilment. I do not know you well, but from the few things your daughter has confided, it seems likely that you suffer from the same ailment.
"The detachment you have used to protect yourself is keeping you separated and at odds with the things that would bring you real joy and fulfilment."
"Thank you for your advice, Mr. Darcy," Mr. Bennet said dryly. "I will have to ask you what you think of it when you have a daughter of your own."
"You are correct that I do not have a daughter, but I have raised my sister for the past ten years. It is not the same; however, I hope that I will always be willing to listen to concerns someone raises about my character and to wrestle with whether they are accurate and then make any necessary reformations. I have learned that I need others to help me see myself more clearly and that without such assistance, I will be doomed to merely existing instead of thriving."
Mr. Bennet studied him as though he were a new, interesting toy. "You are very earnest, aren't you? I rather thought that Mr. Bingley would be the more earnest of the two of you, but I might have been wrong. Now that you have assuaged your conscience, shall we discuss the settlement papers?"
Darcy bit his tongue. He could not make the man listen or force him to take his concerns seriously, and pushing the issue now would likely only drive Mr. Bennet further away. With a sigh, he moved on to the settlement papers.
Once the men entered their carriage, Bingley let out an explosive sigh. "Thank Heaven that is over!"
"Were you worried that he might refuse?"
Bingley shook his head. "No, it was the way he looked at me like a leopard in the menagerie, as though he were watching for the next entertaining thing I might do. I swear he seemed more diverted than concerned by the idea that Mrs. Bennet was not yet aware of our engagements."
Darcy nodded. "He was not very forthcoming. I hope it will not always be this difficult between him and the rest of his family."
"I—I have wondered what the Bennets are like when they are all together. Mrs. Bennet is so exuberant, but Mr. Bennet has always seemed—sardonic. The way he treated Miss Mary at the Netherfield ball . . . ."
It struck Darcy anew how difficult that must have been for Miss Mary. He had witnessed her acute embarrassment at the ball and the whole affair had disgusted him, but that had been before he had come to know Miss Mary. Now that he had spent so much time with her and had come to see her good points (and had seen how well she and Georgiana got along), he could not help but realise how truly terrible Mr. Bennet's behaviour had been. The man had held his daughter up for ridicule to the entire company. Clearly he either did not know his daughter well or simply did not care if she was embarrassed.
The thought of anyone treating Georgiana thus turned his stomach.
Well, as he had told Elizabeth, once they were married, Pemberley and Darcy House could certainly provide sanctuary for the Bennet sisters.
A/N: Thanks so much for all your encouragement and critiques and engagement this week! It definitely makes it easier to keep plugging away ;)
Thanks to my betas, Arendelle, Dawn, and Roberta for all their amazing help!
As usual, please let me know if you notice something amiss or something repetitive! It really helps me polish up the story :)