Next chapter: Longbourn.

PPP

After the ball, Darcy couldn't sleep for most of the night thinking about Elizabeth. As soon as the sun rose, he wrote an elaborate marriage proposal, but after reading it, he didn't like it. Elizabeth might be offended if he listed the reasons why she was inferior to him... Then he wrote another shorter proposal but didn't seem appropriate either. He finally decided to be honest and make it clear that he didn't care what anyone else thought.

Since the ball had finished so late, he waited until the afternoon to go to the Gardiners' house to once and for all propose to Elizabeth. Mrs. Gardiner, Mary, and Elizabeth were surprised that he had come alone, but they greeted him warmly and began to chat about Lady Maria's ball.

Mrs. Gardiner, who was very observant, had long ago noticed the way Darcy looked at Elizabeth, and in particular how nervous he was that day. Therefore, she suggested that Elizabeth show him some exotic flowers that had just bloomed in the small garden of the house.

Elizabeth was surprised by her aunt's suggestion since the exotic plants were nothing more than wild roses slowly beginning to bloom and not worthy of the gentleman's attention, but she went to the garden with Mr. Darcy anyway.

After showing him the 'exotic' flowers, they sat on the only bench in the garden and they talk about Pemberley's hothouse. In a pause in the conversation, he got up and walked about the garden. Elizabeth looked at him puzzled; and after a few moments, he looked at her intently and finally spoke, "Miss Thompson, Elizabeth. Surely you already know my feelings." Darcy paused again for a few seconds trying to remember the things he wanted to tell her. "You are an intelligent woman and you must have realized I am deeply in love with you. I know my family expects me to marry a rich young lady from the first social circle of London. But the truth is, I cannot imagine spending the rest of my life without you. I know many of my acquaintances will think, and say, I am marrying below my social position since you are the daughter of a minor gentleman and your guardian is a merchant. None of that matters to me; I don't need more money, I don't need more connections, I love you, and I want you to be my wife."

Elizabeth listened to Mr. Darcy dumbfounded; It had never crossed her mind that he might be in love with her. She tried to speak, but the words didn't come out and she stared at him with wide eyes.

Seeing that Elizabeth was visibly surprised, Darcy asked, "Elizabeth, I see you are surprised. Didn't you expect my proposal?"

After several seconds, Elizabeth finally answered him, "Mr. Darcy, I'm very surprised by your proposal. Believe me, I never thought that you had feelings of that kind towards me, in fact, I thought you wanted to marry Lady Patricia or another lady from the Ton."

Darcy shook his head, "I won't deny that until a few months ago, I asked my aunt to help me choose a suitable young woman to be my wife. A marriage of convenience. But since we met again everything changed and I don't want that kind of marriage anymore." He took her hand, "I think I fell in love with you when you were fifteen years old, but back then you were very young and I tried to deny what I felt back then… The reason I 'spied' on you when you came to Pemberley was not to tell Miss Taylor, but because I wanted to be with you." He smiled, "You haven't answered my question; would you do me the honor of marrying me?

Elizabeth finally met his eyes, and then their clasped hands; for several seconds various memories of the past came to her mind, the times they met at Oakham Mount, the times they danced together, and the day he comforted her because Lydia ruined her shawl…, she finally smiled, "Mr. Darcy, to be honest, I enjoy your company and I'm not indifferent to you... I think I'm halfway to falling in love with you. But I need a little more time since until now I never thought of marrying you. If you agree, I would like you to court me first."

"I must be the worst suitor in the Kingdom since I was sure I was courting you properly." He smiled, "Elizabeth, to avoid further misunderstandings, may I court you?"

Elizabeth just smiled and nodded...

Darcy kissed both of her hands and then they went into the house to tell Mary and Mrs. Gardiner the good news. Needless to say, Mary, the Gardiners, and especially Georgiana were delighted by the news, but none of them were too surprised…