Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth broke apart when they heard someone clear his throat. They looked towards the door. There the Gardiners stood, smiles on their faces.
"I trust we are to wish you joy," said Mr. Gardiner.
"Yes," said Mr. Darcy.
"No," said Elizabeth. Seeing the Gardiners' smiles changing to frowns she added "It's complicated." That did nothing to delay the descent of their smiles into disapproval.
"Perhaps you could show them your sister's letters," Mr. Darcy said to Elizabeth.
After they were all seated at the table by the window Elizabeth handed the last page of the thick letter to her aunt. "This is the last page from the earlier of the letters Jane sent. The first pages were just the usual news from home. This page is the important one."
The Gardiners leaned together and read the page. As he did Mr. Gardiner made a sound that sounded a lot like a growl; Mrs. Gardiner murmured "Lydia, Lydia, how could you." When they finished reading, they looked a question at Elizabeth. She handed them the single page of the thin letter.
This time the Gardiners were quiet as they read but when they were finished, they tried to speak at the same time. Mrs. Gardiner deferred to her husband and he said "So I take it Lydia is not ruined …" he looked at Elizabeth "which means that you are not ruined." After she nodded, he concluded "You owe a great debt of gratitude to Mr. Bingley."
"We do" agreed Elizabeth. By 'we' did Elizabeth mean she and her sisters, or did she mean she and Mr. Darcy? Since she looked to Mr. Darcy when she said it, it appears she meant the latter, which is how the Gardiners interpreted it.
"Well then, perhaps the two of you…" Mr. Gardiner emphasized the last three words "can explain the 'complication' we found you in when we opened the door?"
Elizabeth put her hand on Mr. Darcy's arm to forestall him replying, and she said "In Kent, when I was visiting my cousin, and Charlotte, Mr. Darcy declared himself, but I needed more time to consider his proposal…" she squeezed Mr. Darcy's arm, hard, "… now that I'm here, with him, I have made a decision, I just haven't said the word yet, then Lydia …" Elizabeth gestured at that first letter and sighed "… and I thought all was lost. Then Mr. Bingley rescued her and …" Elizabeth's voice trailed off as she smiled one of her glorious smiles at Mr. Darcy.
Ignoring the Gardiners, indeed forgetting they were there, Mr. Darcy turned to Elizabeth, grabbed her shoulders, and urged her "Say the word!"
"Yes."
Mr. Darcy would have pulled Elizabeth into another embrace and sealed their betrothal with a kiss but was estopped by Mr. Gardiner once again clearing his throat.
The happy couple, having been brought back to realty, blinked away the haze of romance that had overtaken them, and accepted the congratulations of their aunt and uncle.
-}{-
When finally the two couples embarked on their planned walk to the church the younger couple lagged a little back from the older one.
Mr. Darcy patted Elizabeth's hand which was on his arm and said "I'm not complaining mind you, but I must say that when I left you at Hunsford, I was under the distinct impression that the lady had said no."
Elizabeth laughed and put her free hand on top of his. "You must know that in such cases as [this], a good memory is unpardonable. Perhaps the lady said she didn't know."
