Chapter 16

Grabbing the tea cups off the table, Michael pushed his way out of the kitchen door. Striding down the hallway, he knew exactly where to find the one person he desperately needed to talk to. After they had seen Emily settled, Michael had requested a private audience with Mr. Bennet to talk to Mary and to ask her a certain question. Mr. Bennet had happy obliged, giving the young man a slight slap on the back as he walked out. Stopping in the doorway of the little reading nook, Mr. Bennet had set aside for his daughters a few years ago; he took in the little scene in front of him.

Mary was curled up under a blanket, leaning against the frosted up window. Her legs were tucked up underneath her and he smiled when he saw that she had decided to let her hair out of its pins. Watching her closely as she read a book, he noticed for the first time that her lips moved slightly as she read. Clearing his throat, he silently nodded to the tea cups as he walked forward.

Handing her one, Michael took a seat next to her, and took a long sip from his cup. "How is Emily settling in?"

Wrapping her fingers around the warm cup, Mary gave Michael a smile. "When I left her, she was upstairs with Lydia and Kitty talking about bonnets and dresses. I needed to escape them for a while so I came down here to read. Where are Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam?"

"They are spending time with Elizabeth and Jane in the parlor. Mama is also in there talking away about all the happenings in Meryton," she said with a slight smile as she set her tea cup on the table in front of them.

"Mary there is something I need to talk to you about," Michael said. Setting his cup on the table, he noticed that his hands were shaking slightly. Taking a deep breath, he straightened, and quickly reached for her hands. Giving them a slight squeeze, he gave her a smile. "I found out a few weeks ago that they are sending me to America to help fight over there," he said slowly trying to gauge her reaction.

All of a sudden, Mary felt like she could not breathe. Michael was telling her that he was being sent over seas to another country, while she was going to be left here. Lifting her eyes, she found him watching her closely.

"Mary?" he asked nervously after she did not say anything.

Sucking in a ragged breath, Mary whispered, "When do you leave?"

Shifting closer to her, he wanted to wrap his arms around her shoulders, but he was not sure how she would react. "We have to leave earlier than expected. I leave the day before Christmas, my love," he whispered into her hair.

Suddenly she was pushing herself away from him, trying to get distance between them. Why was he leaving her already? She felt like she had just realized how much he meant to her and now it was all being taken away from her so soon. Looking up at him, she found herself gazing in to those eyes she loved so much. Did he say love? She wondered suddenly.

"Oh, Mary please do not cry," he said suddenly and that's when Mary realized that hot tears were streaking down her cheeks.

Using his thumb, Michael gently brushed them away. "I promise you that I am going to come back to you. I love you Mary and I want you to be my wife," he said as he gently lifted her chin. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side, raising a family, and reading by the fire late at night."

"You love me and want to marry me?" she stuttered as her eyes opened wider with each second that passed by. She knew that this is what was expected of them since they were spending so much time together, but she could not quite believe this is how it was happening.

Pulling her back closer to him, Michael wrapped his arms around her small form, smiling against her hair when he felt her snuggle deeper in to his chest. He knew that this would come as a shock and a surprise to her, but he did not know how else to tell her. He also knew that he should have told her sooner about him leaving the country, but he was scared. "Will you be my wife, Mary?" he asked again after a few moments of silence.

Nodding her head against his chest, Mary raised her head so he could see her face. She felt herself smiling widely as she watched his face light up. Moving forward very quickly, she raised herself slightly and pressed a kiss to Michael's cheek. "I love you too Michael. I was unsure of my feelings for so long, but now I know that you are the one I am meant to be with."

"Since I leave the day before Christmas I would like for us to wait to get married until I come back. I do not want to marry you my dear and then leave you a widow," he said solemnly as his eyes tried to plead with her to understand.

Mary knew that he was trying to be brave leaving her alone without him, but she wished that she could go with him. "Can we not get married and then I travel over there with you?"

Shaking his head, Michael frowned. "I would rather not have you make that journey across seas. It can get very dangerous and most of the men will not be bringing their wives. The camp is not set up for womenfolk. We will be living in tents, not cabins." Grabbing her hands, he whispered, "I promise Mary that I will come back for you. We can write letters while I am away. They may take a while to get here, but it will be a comfort to have them."

Pressing a quick kiss to his knuckles, Mary nodded her head. She did not quite agree with his plan, but in the end it was probably the one that made the most sense.

"And besides," he said with a cooked grin, "Someone will have to keep Jane company while Richard is away. I know he plans on asking your sister a certain question before he leaves."

Gasping Mary glanced at the door and then back at him. "Oh, she is going to be so happy."

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"Please tell me Colonel Fitzwilliam," Jane spat as she emphasized his name, "Why I can not come with you to America? I am not some delicate flower who is going to wilt away at the first sign of danger or hardship."

Richard took a step back as he watched in fascination as Jane's blues eyes sparked anger at him. Raising his hands, he held his palms out. "I do not want to see you hurt, Janey," he said watching as her anger softened some with the use of his pet name for her. "It is a very dangerous place where we are going to be going. I would rather know you are safe here than having to move from campsite to campsite. It is not easy Jane."

Coming to stand in front of her again, he picked up her hands and pressed a slight kiss to the inside of her palm. "You will have a wedding to plan while I am away. I want you safe Jane," he replied, taking a seat next to her.

Her body still shook with anger as he pulled her into his arms. She wanted to be with him while he was away, but maybe he was right. She could be here with her sisters safe, but then we would always be in danger while he was gone. Lifting her face, she said, "Promise me that you will be safe and help watch Michael's back. He needs to come back for Mary."

Kissing her hair, he smiled, "I promise my dear."