Elizabeth sat staring in shock at the partially closed door of Darcy's mothers writing room. He had been so careful about closing the hallway door to his study but neither man had noticed the partially open other door, where Elizabeth was carefully going over plans for the Fayre. She had started towards the door to announce her presence when she heard her name mentioned and sat back down again to listen in. At first she was angry that Darcy had revealed their secret engagement and then squirmed with embarrassment when their most private of conversations was discussed. Embarrassment turned to bemusement when she heard how reluctant Darcy was in revealing his discomfort and then shock at his confession had her sitting in silence ever since. She sat back against the comfortable chair and twirled a set of keys that Mrs. Reynolds had pressed on her earlier that afternoon. A label on one of the keys had her sitting forward in thought. An amused smile lit up on her face and she slipped silently out into the hallway to put it to good use. Spying Henry waiting by the grand entrance she whispered a few sentences in his ear. He mimed a zip going across his face and then proceeded to clear the hallway, Elizabeth tiptoed across to the hallway entrance of Darcy's study and was grateful that the servants kept Pemberley like a well-oiled machine as the lock turned with not even a snick. Henry whispered that he would ensure that no one would enter the hallway without warning her first, two knuckle raps on the outer door would give her warning. She smiled in gratitude and slipped back into the smaller reading room, where she also slipped the lock to ensure complete privacy.
Darcy's only warning that he was not alone in his study was when a swish of muslin skirts had him looking over his shoulder in surprise. Before he could turn around, he found Elizabeth had stepped right up to his back and was clasping him firmly around the waist. She pressed a kiss against his coat in the middle of his shoulder blades and leant her forehead to rest against his broad, muscular back.
"William, I am so sorry for my actions after luncheon. I really do not know what came over me, I was hardly a fitting future Mistress of Pemberley was I? Forgive me?" Elizabeth muttered against his back and felt one of his hands reaching behind to pull her around to face him.
"My darling girl, you don't ever need to apologise to me for anything that you do or say. Don't you know that's one of the things that I love best about you?" Darcy pressed her chin up with one lean fore finger and forced her to meet his gaze. "I admit I was a little shocked at first, but only that you felt so much emotion for me that you were unable to hide it away, and that was a most precious gift and one that I will treasure always." He leant down to lay a soft kiss against her forehead and she sighed a little in return. Gently turning her to face the garden, they both stood quietly watching the afternoon sunlight glinting over the water of the stream and the lake in the distance. Elizabeth nestled back into his warm frame and felt him relax against her back. She tugged both of his arms around her middle and gently played with the dark hairs sprinkled on the back of his wrists revealed by the way he had tugged his shirtsleeves over his forearms. He had removed his coat and rolled his sleeves up once Edward had left in preparation for preparing paperwork for the settlement he had intended to lay upon Elizabeth once they were married. She continued to play with his hands and then found herself toying with the signet ring on his right little finger, wondering whether she should reveal that she had overheard his conversation with Edward.
"How long were you in my mother's room?" Darcy asked quietly, pressing a gentle kiss against the side of her neck, he wasn't upset with her in anyway at all – in fact he was quite relieved that it was out in the open. Elizabeth gasped and tried to turn in his arms, Darcy only held her a little tighter and kissed her neck again.
"I've been in there since you left, trying to sort out the last little details for the Fayre." Elizabeth held her breath, a little uncertain at what his reaction might be. She felt him nod against the side of her neck and then tugged one hand out of her grasp to reach into his trouser pocket and then place something sparkling into her palm.
"I don't want our love to be some sort of sordid secret or to make you an object of scorn or gossip. This is the only thing that I will ever insist upon, Elizabeth that is if you still wish to marry me." At this statement Elizabeth forcibly twisted herself around to face him. She reached up her free hand to force him to meet her eyes.
"Now, listen to me Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy! You are mine, now and I am never letting you go! Now, out that ring on my finger where it belongs and you can be certain that I will never, ever take it off." Darcy nodded solemnly all traces of amusement vanishing from his eyes, he kept his gaze firmly upon hers and dropped to one knee in front of her. Elizabeth immediately dropped to her own knees which caused him to chuckle.
"Am I not even allowed to do this properly?" He complained laughingly. Elizabeth shook her head.
"William, I am determined that we should start our life together as equals, I know that I am not your equal socially…" She held up a hand when he started to protest. "No, let me finish. The only thing that I know we are equals in, is our love for one another and for me that comes first."
"For me too, although I do not think that anyone could ever match the love that I feel for you in this very moment; not even yours for me." Darcy couldn't help himself from reaching out and placing a tender kiss upon her lips which very quickly ignited a flame within them both.