Lizzy awoke to a light knocking on her bedroom door. Lifting her head slightly off the pillow she could tell from the light in the room that the morning was quite new and that the household must be still asleep.
She turned over and pushed her head further into the pillow believing that the knocking was just her imagination.
There it was again!
Lizzy slowly sat up and beckoned the knocker to enter the room.
"Come in." Lizzy said, secretly wishing whoever it was would just go away. She was having the most enjoyable dream. She could hardly remember it now, but something about Caroline Bingley being thrown in the stocks.
The knocking was not her imagination, and as Hill entered her bedroom, Lizzy realized that she would most definitely have to get out of bed.
"Good Morning Hill, what is wrong?"
Hill had a slight look of alarm stamped on her face as she entered the bedroom.
"Nothing is wrong Miss Elizabeth, but you will need to get up now! Your father bids you to come to his study!" Hill began impatiently looking for Lizzy's robe in the wardrobe.
"He wants to see me now? Really?" Lizzy proceeded to swing her legs over the side of the bed. "Are you quite positive that nothing is amiss Hill?"
Lizzy stood and Hill assisted her into her robe. Hill had not answered the last question.
Lizzy knotted her robe shut and turned to face the loyal household servant.
"Hill you must tell me! What is wrong?"
"I am sorry Miss Lizzy but I promised your father I would not say a word!"
Lizzy brushed past Hill believing the worst as she took off down the hallway.
Taking the stairs quickly Lizzy made it down to the foyer in record time, and in her haste failed to notice the grand carriage that stood out beyond the front gate of Longbourn.
Dressed in only her nightgown and robe, her hair wild, she entered her father's study fearing the worst!
To Lizzy's great shock she was greeted not by her father but by Colonel Fitzwilliam!
With a low bow Colonel Fitzwilliam greeted the shocked Elizabeth. "Good Morning Miss Bennet. It is wonderful to see you again."
Lizzy did her best attempt at a curtsey without falling over from shear surprise.
"Good Morning Colonel. I must say I am pleased to see you but am unaware as to…"
Lizzy was stopped midsentence as he appeared behind the Colonel!
Mr. Darcy!
Lizzy looked quickly around the room to check for any other unexpected visitors; her father was sitting at his desk, Colonel Fitzwilliam stood in front of her beaming, and Mr. Darcy stood next to him looking both dishevelled and very much alert.
"Mr. Darcy!" Was all Lizzy could say as the grand gentleman came closer to offer a slight bow.
"Good Morning Miss Elizabeth. I have just finished talking with your father. Colonel Fitzwilliam was nice enough to accompany me on my travels from Town." Darcy stood awkwardly awaiting her reply.
"Well." Lizzy stood self-consciously retying her robe as she felt Darcy's eyes on her person.
Mr. Bennet stood up from beyond his desk and made his way over to his daughter.
"Colonel I hear that you are a great enthusiast of wildlife." Mr. Bennet declared as he strode closer to the two gentlemen.
"Yes Mr. Bennet, you heard correctly."
"Well then let us proceed outside and I will show you my horses."
Colonel Fitzwilliam nodded politely to his host and with that the Colonel and Mr. Bennet left the study, shutting the door behind them, and thus leaving Lizzy and Mr. Darcy quite unaccompanied.
Lizzy stood now alone in the study with Mr. Darcy who was just feet away from her.
She also perceived that as the seconds ticked by Mr. Darcy was spanning the small gap that lay between them.
Darcy could not believe his luck! Finally things were working out. Mr. Bennet had been delightful and all but welcomed him into the Bennet family, and now Elizabeth was standing before him wearing. Well, wearing her night-time attire. Her hair was untamed and her eyes were bright and iridescent.
How he loved her!
Darcy thought for a moment that all that lay before him might be a dream, but then his Elizabeth spoke to him.
"Mr. Darcy, I, well. I am not sure what is to be said at this moment. I find myself at a loss for words." Elizabeth was beginning to doubt her inner strength as she looked to Darcy to initiate the conversation.
"Well I believe I should explain Miss Elizabeth why I am standing here in the first place." Darcy moved closer to Lizzy leaving only a slim slice of air between them.
"After our discussion in the carriage two days ago I found myself in desperate need of a journey to Kent. In Kent I found it also very necessary to visit my Aunt. While visiting Rosings I found cause to politely inform my Aunt to stay out of our relationship!" Darcy's face reddened with the memory of his last meeting with Lady Catherine.
"Our relationship?" Lizzy bridged the gap left by Darcy.
"Yes, well, I hope it will become a relationship, an attachment." Darcy stammered, feeling Lizzy's body so close to his own.
"Mr. Darcy I must offer my apologies once again, for I…"
Darcy stopped her.
"No apologies are due from you dear Elizabeth, it is I who should be asking for forgiveness. I should have never left Longbourn those two days back, when Bingley came to me last night and…"
It was Lizzy's turn to interrupt!
"Mr. Bingley saw you? How? He and Jane left on their honeymoon tour yesterday."
"No they did not; Bingley came to Town to threaten me into marrying you!" Darcy smiled down at Lizzy. "I could have saved him a trip if I was candid with him before and expressed how marrying you is my dearest wish!"
Before Lizzy could respond, Darcy had bent down on his knee and removed the package wrapped by the London jeweller.
Lizzy looked down at him, and gently removed the gift from Darcy's hand.
Darcy waited a moment for the gift to be opened and looked up at Elizabeth as she removed the magnificent ring from its enclosure.
Lizzy stood in the silence of her father's study holding the glimmering ring. She had no words to offer as a reply so she did what she believed to be the most natural recourse.
She bent down to become level with Darcy and placed her lips on his!
Darcy took the gentle kiss as an adequate reply, and in standing pulled Lizzy into a strong embrace, never unlocking the kiss Lizzy had initiated.
They stood in that attitude, intertwined together and kissing for some time, until their solitude was breached by a drowsy Mrs. Bennet who had come in search of her husband.
As she opened the door to the study and strolled in she was greeted by a very distressing sight and before she had cause to speak her mind she fainted flatly on the floor.
Darcy and Elizabeth separated, but not before the future Mrs. Darcy had her engagement ring placed on her finger.
Darcy bent down to kiss Elizabeth's hand before he made his way over to collect his future mother-in-law off the floor.