## Chapter 8 Elizabeth
The piano truly was a fine instrument. The keys responded to the lightest of pressure. She could softly touch the keys to play the sheet music before her without it being loud enough for the gathering at the other end of the room to hear. Though she could hear the notes in the air, the sound was not loud enough to drown out her pounding heartbeat as Mr. Darcy stopped next to the piano. If she raised her eyes from watching her fingers pluck the keys he would be within her view.
"Miss Bennet," Elizabeth let her fingers move over the keys another bar of music while she composed her breathing. Surely he could not hear the pounding of her heart? "Do you like the piano?"
She raised her head to see a grimace on his face that was quickly replaced by polite interest. Slowly she answered, "It is an exquisite instrument."
Mr. Darcy shifted his stance and held his hands behind his back. He reminded her of Mr. Collins about to pontificate, except her cousin had never displayed any signs that he was nervous. "I would like to continue our conversation from earlier." He cleared his throat.
She frowned. He suddenly seemed more nervous. Surely he was not, not here in front of —
"I am sure your uncle acquainted you with the nature of our discussion yesterday." Elizabeth moved her hands off the piano and sat up straighter. This was not what she had expected to hear from him. "I will travel to London to purchase a Special License tomorrow. We will be married in three days time."
Elizabeth blinked and closed her mouth, which she had not realized had dropped open. She curled her hands on her lap, her fingernails biting into her palms.
A frown appeared on Mr. Darcy's face. "Is something the matter?"
It was unfortunate he chose a public room for this. She would have greatly relished being able to express herself freely. Instead she had to control her features so her feelings were not displayed to those watching from the far end of the room. For she knew all of them had to be watching them. "Mr Darcy, I know not what to say."
His frown grew more pronounced.
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and tightened her fists. "Since I have arrived at your estate the day before, I have been humiliated and embarrassed; thrown into the lake by your sheep, dressed in a maid's uniform with no maid to even help me and now you are not apologizing but instead have presumed to tell me how, when and where we shall be married without even doing me the expected courtesy of asking me first!"
Mr. Darcy now stood stiffly, his hands by his side. "I had expected your uncle to share the details of our meeting yesterday. I ap—"
"A marriage contract was drawn up before you had asked if I would even accept your proposal?" Her voice trembled with anger.
Mr. Darcy hesitated before answering. "We were compromised, Miss Bennet."
"Yes, I am aware of that," Elizabeth said eyes flashing. "But it is also customary for the man to at least ask the woman before they are betrothed."
He paused and she wondered if he was remembering the last time he had proposed to her. She only had the day before to ascertain if his behavior had improved to a more gentlemanlike manner, and yesterday at the lake she would have answered in the affirmative. Until she was given a maid's uniform, with no maid to help her dress. And no apology from him yet on the matter either.
"Miss Elizabeth Bennet, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
She stilled on the bench in front of the exquisite piano, in the beautifully appointed room but material goods and money had never concerned her. No, she was more interested in love. Elizabeth had told her family and friends that she would only marry for true, deep and abiding love.
And now she was compromised. To the man she had rejected the year before. She grimaced at what she had said to him then, before she had read the letter he had written for her, divulging secrets regarding Mr. Wickham…and his own doings to keep her sister, Jane, apart from the man she loved.
Elizabeth looked up at Mr. Darcy, who had stiffened with a blank face. It was apparent he was expecting to be rejected again. She wanted to just for yesterday's embarrassing treatment, but ever since she had read his letter delivered to her in Rosings park, she understood him and her feelings towards him had undergone such a material change that she knew he was not a proud, arrogant man. Just misunderstood. And before she had been thrown in the lake by his sheep, it seemed he had still cared for her.
Would those sentiments, that she guessed at, be enough to ensure the success of a marriage? But it did not signify as there was only one course of action forward, one that would preserve her family's respectability and her sister's chances of a good marriage. "I accept."
His eyes lit, his features so transformed that she could only stare in amazement. Mr. Darcy smiling was a sight to behold. She felt a stirring in her chest, her breath quickened. She had never thought him ugly. No, quite handsome but his arrogant pride had always overshadowed his looks. But now… no, she would still not fall into this marriage just because of a sheep.
"I do have a request though, Mr. Darcy—"
"Please, call me Fitzwilliam."
Elizabeth blinked. They were betrothed, she had leave to call him by his name, but it had all happened so quickly. She still did not even know him well, this version of him, the more gentlemanly one. "I would like to be courted. Our marriage I believe would have a greater chance of being satisfactory to both, if we —"
"Miss Bennet!" Mr. Bingley rushed into the room with a young, tall, blonde girl on his arm. He stopped next to his sisters at the other end of the room.
Miss Bingley sourly looked down the room in their direction and made no move to introduce the Gardiners who were on the settee on Mr. Bingley's other side.
"I had heard you were here." Mr. Bingley smiled at the Gardiners then quizzically looked at his eldest sister. "Please forgive me, I would have come down right away had I — well, you are here and I am happy to see you again!"
He looked down at his sister again, his smile greatly diminished. Miss Bingley studiously ignored him.
Elizabeth stood up and smoothed her dress to hide her hands' shaking. Truly she was surprised at how overcome with emotion she was. They were compromised, they had to wed. Why had her heart leaped when he had proposed?
She returned Mr. Darcy's smile, her heart fluttering. He bent his arm, she hesitated, then placed her hand on his in what felt like a momentous occasion. They walked to the other end of the sitting room. Elizabeth hoped none of her thoughts were displayed on her features, it was a failing she had worked to overcome but on occasions of great emotion she struggled with the task.
Mr. Bingley looked back and forth between Mr. Darcy and herself as they approached the grouping. "I can not tell you how delighted I was when Darcy informed me you were not five miles from Pemberley. How do you do? I can see that you are well."
"Very well, indeed. Thank you."
"Good, excellent. And your family?"
"Very well, sir." An impish smile came to her lips. "Some of my family is here," she motioned to the settee where the Gardiners sat, "may I introduce them to you?"
Mr. Bingley's surprise was evident. The sting of his expectation that her relations would behave like her family hurt less than it would have last year, before she had time to realize Mr. Darcy's criticism of her family was nothing she had not thought herself.
Introductions were made between the Gardiners and Mr. Bingley, who then said, "I shall allow Darcy to make the introductions of this fine young lady."
Elizabeth studied the pair. Why would he not introduce the woman he escorted into the room? She had thought them courting. But the girl left Mr. Bingley's side to stand near Mr. Darcy.
"May I introduce my sister, Georgiana? Georgiana, this is Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and her relatives, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner."
Her eyes widened but quickly she smiled and greeted her betrothed's younger sister. Georgiana was incredibly shy, not at all proud and arrogant as Mr. Wickham had wanted her to believe. Elizabeth looked between Mr. Bingley and the younger girl, but did not see any signs of matrimonial interest in either. Just natural affection such as they were family friends. For Jane's sake, she hoped that was a correct supposition.
"Pray, tell me," stated Mr. Bingley, "are all your sisters still at Longbourn?"
Elizabeth could not help the twitch of her lips. "All except one." He waited expectantly for her answer which lifted her spirits. Mr. Bingley would not be this anxious to hear her answer if he was indeed engaged to anyone else. "My youngest sister is at Brighton."
"Ah. It seems too long…It is too long since I had the pleasure of speaking to you."
"It must be several months."
"It is above eight months at least. We have not met since the 26th of November, when we were dancing together at Netherfield."
She could not even remember how long it had been, and it was telling that Mr. Bingley remembered the exact date he had last seen and danced with Jane.
"Do you know," said Mr. Bingley looking off into the distance, "I do not think I can remember a happier time than those short months I spent in Hertfordshire."
"I hope, Bingley," proclaimed Mr. Darcy, "that you will be in residence in Hertfordshire again this fall in time for the holidays." His statement was meant with puzzled looks from his friend and sister. "For my betrothed and I will be visiting relatives there."
Elizabeth glanced at Mr. Darcy to her right and clasped her skirts. This was not how she had expected him to inform those gathered. A movement from the sofa to her left, where the Bingley sisters sat, caught her attention. The Bingley sisters were sitting straight up, Miss Bingley pale and staring at Mr. Darcy with barely concealed horror and hope. Elizabeth looked away biting her bottom lip.
"Brother?" Georgiana looked up confusion evident on her features. Elizabeth sighed. She would need to make sure she was the one communicating any announcements in the future. Or at least guide him on how to do it without causing consternation in the listeners.
"May I present my betrothed, who has accepted my suit and made me the happiest of men," Elizabeth had tried to stop the flushing of her cheeks but had failed miserably. She could feel all eyes upon her. "Miss Elizabeth Bennet."
The shock on Mr. Bingley's face, a quick glance to Georgiana showed the same, was discomfiting. But she could not blame them their amazement for she would have felt the same if a betrothal had been announced out of the blue with no courting before hand.
Mr. Bingley, now recovered, was the first to speak, his gaze repeatedly darting from her to Mr. Darcy. "Darcy! I…I congratulate you." His face filling with a smile at the happy news.
The men shook hands while Georgiana stood staring at Elizabeth with her eyes shining with excitement and happiness. "I have longed for a sister, Miss Bennet! And had have so much about you from my brother."
"I can not imagine what he has said." She was struck that he talked of her to his sister, when she had not even known the depth of his affection. "Please, call me Elizabeth, we are soon to be sisters."
The Gardiners approached, relief and happiness filling them at the news. "I had thought he would propose immediately today," Mrs. Gardiner said quietly to Elizabeth grabbing her hand.
"I believe he was in the process earlier in the foyer when interrupted by Miss Bingley." Elizabeth admitted, her cheeks flushing pink with embarrassment.
Elizabeth chanced a glance at the Bingley sisters who were standing, both looking stricken though Miss Bingley looked the worst, as if she was on the verge of fainting dead away from horror.
Sorry about the delay in posting this chapter. I hurt my back, herniated disc and vertebrae slipped forward, two weeks ago. This year has been something else!