A/N - this has been updated to correct grammar and spelling - a big thanks to my beta reader Ann ( goclimbatree), who has begun reading through and helping me fix errors and ensure clarity.
Let me know if you continue to see any issues. This story will be published on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited at some point once it is finished (August?).
Chapter 5
At the Matlock home, Lady Matlock escorted Elizabeth to an opulent bedroom and, since it was quite late, simply wished her a good night before heading to her own rooms. While this house appeared to be decorated very nicely, Elizabeth much preferred the understated elegance of Darcy House. The maid assigned to her by Lady Matlock assisted her with her hair and clothing, and Elizabeth requested that she be awoken by seven in the morning to bathe and dress in time for Mr Darcy's arrival.
Elizabeth reflected on the events of the last few days as she sat down to write the letter to her father. She needed to explain how her opinion of Mr Darcy had changed so completely in a matter of days. This was made more difficult as she did not know what Mr Darcy would include in his own letter. After some reflection, she began to write of her changed opinion of her suitor, their conversations at Rosings, and his apology for his slight at the assembly. She glazed over the circumstances that required her to leave for London early but let him know that she was currently staying with Mr Darcy's other aunt, the Countess of Matlock, who requested Elizabeth be allowed to remain with her in London for a month or longer as she and Mr Darcy courted.
Elizabeth left the letter open on the writing desk until she had an opportunity to speak further with Mr Darcy. She blew out the candles by her bed and fell quickly asleep, dreaming of William.
William also wrote a letter to Elizabeth's father that night, apologising for his poor behaviour when at Netherfield in the autumn. He struggled with confessing his love for the man's daughter while maintaining his dignity, and finally decided to explain his feelings and desire for a courtship leading to marriage with Elizabeth. He hesitated to share too much of his aunt's actions in Hunsford and left his letter unsealed so he could discuss it with Elizabeth in the morning. He was worried he might reveal too much or that Elizabeth might reveal a different story, and he wanted to consult with her to ensure their thoughts were being similarly expressed.
Darcy would have been surprised to learn that Elizabeth's thoughts were the same. His letter completed, he requested his valet wake him early, so they could be at Matlock House by eight the following morning. Soon, he was asleep and dreaming of Elizabeth.
The next morning, William hurried Georgiana to ensure they arrived at Matlock House early enough to speak with Elizabeth before breakfast. At ten minutes past eight, the surprised butler, who had not been warned of their early arrival, led them to the breakfast room, where they found only Elizabeth. She blushed when she saw Mr Darcy and quietly greeted the siblings.
William and Georgiana quickly filled their own plates and sat on either side of Elizabeth at the table. They spoke quietly for several minutes before William broached the topic of his letter to Mr Bennet.
"Elizabeth," he said softly, "I need to speak to you before I am able to finish my letter to your father. It was easy enough to make my request, but I was uncertain of what to say regarding your being at my aunt's house in London and not at Hunsford. I cannot imagine what he will think about your being so abruptly removed from the parsonage or how he will respond to the steps I took to protect you. There is still the danger that my doing so might have compromised your reputation especially if Collins or Lady Catherine have said something."
She smiled. "I struggled with that part of my letter as well and wanted to speak to you before it was sent. Would you read my letter and see if it matches yours? I do not know that we need to tell the whole story in a letter at this moment. I asked Charlotte to try and prevent her husband from sending a letter to anyone in Hertfordshire."
He nodded, and she handed him her unsealed letter. He read it slowly, raising his eyebrows as he read about her changing feelings. Before he handed it back, he took her hand and placed a lingering kiss on her fingers. "Elizabeth," he breathed, forgetting they were not alone in the room.
Georgiana cleared her throat beside them, but William was most surprised by the clap across William's back from his uncle. "Well, William, I gather congratulations are in order?" he asked.
"Uncle," he said as he quickly stood. "This is Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn in Hertfordshire, the young lady I am courting. Miss Bennet, I would like to introduce you to my uncle, the Earl of Matlock, Lord Henry Fitzwilliam."
She stood when he did and curtsied to acknowledge the introduction. "Good morning, my Lord. I am pleased to meet you."
"I am pleased William is courting such a beautiful young lady and, according to Richard and my wife, one who is ideally suited to him. I have heard only good things about you since my son returned from Rosings, and you should know that Catherine's disapproval makes you that much more ideal to me," the earl said before a flash of anger passed his face. "I apologise to you on behalf of my family for my sister's treatment of you. I will be addressing it and her ridiculous claim of a cradle betrothal between Anne and William. We have told her many times it will never happen, but she seems to believe that if she says it often and loudly enough, William will eventually capitulate."
Elizabeth smiled at that. "I do not hold you or anyone in your family, other than Lady Catherine, responsible for her actions. I appreciate and accept your apology on her behalf, however."
"Still, I feel ashamed that my sister has behaved so poorly as force her parson to turn a gentlewoman out of his home without concern about where and how she should go. Had my nephew not taken steps to protect you just in case, you would have not only been ruined in society but potentially injured or worse. What she did could have had much more significant and lasting impacts than it did," the Earl said, his face growing angrier as he spoke. "William, I am nearly tempted to go to Rosings myself to speak with her immediately."
"Uncle, I have been considering cutting all connection to her, given her reprehensible treatment of Miss Bennet. If Mrs Collins was not Miss Bennet's dear friend, I would write my great-uncle, the bishop, about Mr Collins' actions to see what can be done about him. Elizabeth, you were quite right in describing the man as a toad," Darcy replied, colouring lightly as he realised he had called Elizabeth by her Christian name in front of his relations. However, she did not seem to react or notice.
Elizabeth looked between the two of them. "What could your great uncle do to Mr Collins for his behaviour?" she asked.
Darcy drew in a deep breath before he explained. "He could do anything from censuring him to defrocking him and removing him from his position. I have spent a considerable amount of time since Georgiana received your note announcing your arrival thinking over the options. However, I would hate it if any action I took resulted in hurting your friend. I imagine she has quite enough to contend with just being married to that … man."
"Thank you, William," she said softly, not considering how she addressed him in company and pleased at his anger on her behalf. The earl grinned at the interaction between the couple and stepped away from them as they stood there, locked in each other's eyes.
Richard's loud entry shook them out of their contemplation of each other. Darcy helped Elizabeth back into her seat as they sat back down to finish their meals, both of them blushing.
As he and Elizabeth finished eating, William recalled that they had been discussing their letters to Mr Bennet before his uncle's arrival and asked him for the use of his study to speak to Elizabeth privately. At his uncle's nod and with Elizabeth's agreement, he helped her stand, escorted her to the study, and then handed her his letter to read.
"We had similar thoughts about what to say in regard to your being in London," he said when she looked up after reading his letter. Noticing tears in her eyes, he stopped, wondering what he had said to cause her distress. "What is it, Elizabeth?" he asked gently, retrieving his handkerchief from his pocket and pressing it into her hand.
"I … I love you too, William. Reading what you wrote to my father made me realise it, I think. You truly are the best of men," she said as a tear made its way down her cheek. He stepped to her and brushed it away with the handkerchief he took back from her, then gently lowered his head and kissed the cheek where it had been.
"Oh, Elizabeth," he said, touching his forehead to hers. "I do love you so very much; you are my heart. You deserve a public courtship so others can see what you mean to me, especially since I hid it for so long. I can hardly wait for you to agree to be my wife."
She sucked in a breath. "Yes," she whispered.
He abruptly stood straighter. "Yes?" he asked, confusion and hope warring on his face.
"Yes, I would be happy to be your wife," she whispered.
He was elated that she would agree so soon, but he wanted to be sure. "Are you certain, Elizabeth? Just a week ago, you nearly held me in contempt, and I do not wish to rush you. You deserve to be courted properly and publicly."
"I assure you, dear William, I am completely certain. I wholeheartedly wish to be your wife," Elizabeth tenderly affirmed, her hands delicately brushing against his cheek. Then, her eyes became teasing for a moment as she commented, "In fact, you may continue to court me even after we are wed if you so wish."
Her touch was a comforting reassurance, and her voice once conveyed her sincerity. "Once I removed the blinders from my eyes, it became clear to me how truly remarkable you are. Recent experiences have only highlighted your many admirable qualities. But reading your words just now made me realise how much I love you in return. Please understand that I have never been indifferent towards you, which is precisely why your comment at the assembly caused me such pain. Now that I see you for who you really are, I cannot help loving you."
"Oh, my love," he replied, his voice a breathy sigh as he bent his head and gently caressed her lips. He intended it to be a simple, chaste kiss, but when his tongue lightly brushed her lips, she opened her mouth in response. He could not resist deepening the kiss until they were both breathless. Several minutes later, he drew away, pressing his forehead to hers as he attempted to gather himself and bring both his breathing and his heartbeat back under regulation.
A mischievous grin spread across his face. "Miss Elizabeth," he began playfully, his voice laced with amusement. His words and tone caused her to raise an eyebrow and note the expression on his face. "It occurs to me that you have given an answer to a question I have not yet asked."
She stared at him for a moment in surprise, then turned a teasing grin back toward him. "In that case, sir, you have been very presumptuous in claiming a liberty that comes only after you receive a positive answer to the unasked question. Perhaps I shall inform my father that you have taken unwarranted advantage of me and demand he insist you fulfil your duty and marry me immediately." She continued to grin up at him as she stepped slightly away.
Darcy chuckled at her playfulness before clasping her hands. "Elizabeth, you must know that you have bewitched me completely. Since my father passed, I have been relentlessly pursued by the avaricious ladies of the ton and have become unsociable and taciturn in company to avoid their unwanted attention and advances. I came to believe all women were like that — unintelligent, insipid, even annoying. However, you, my dearest Elizabeth, have brought life and happiness to me once again. You are intelligent, impertinent, vivacious, witty, and so very beautiful, and you challenge me to be a better man. I am completely captivated."
His voice grew earnest and tender as he continued, "I love you, my dearest, completely and utterly, and want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you. Would you do me the very great honour of becoming my wife?"
A tear trailed down her cheek as she smiled broadly at him. "Yes, William, I would be pleased to become your wife. There is nothing I desire more, for I love you as well."
He kissed the hands he held before rising, drawing her into his arms, and once again kissing her deeply for a long moment. When the sounds of a throat clearing and a loud guffaw startled them, Elizabeth would have stepped away, but William held her in his embrace.
"Wish me joy, Uncle; Miss Bennet has agreed to become my wife!" William exulted as his uncle and his cousin grinned from the doorway. After delivering this pronouncement, William removed one arm from around her, wrapped the other possessively around her waist, and held her to his side. She silently thrilled at his touch.
Both men heartily slapped William on the back and offered Elizabeth their congratulations. The earl chuckled and said "Nephew, I would like to be the one to announce your engagement to my sister. I will journey to Rosings on the morrow to inform her of it. Richard, would you like to accompany me? I feel the need to confront my sister about her temerity in expelling a gentlewoman from her home without thought or care for her reputation or safety, as well as to share our happy news."
Richard grinned. "I would be happy to accompany you, Father. William, I think you and Miss Bennet need to rewrite your letters but suggest you do so in separate locations if you hope to actually accomplish it this morning," he teased, causing both to blush brightly.
"Uncle, I will need to obtain Mr Bennet's consent today if you are going to inform Lady Catherine on the morrow, as she may confront him when she learns of it." Turning to Elizabeth, William said, "My dear, if you would finish your letter to your father, I can deliver it to him this afternoon and be back in London this evening. I will be able to answer his questions when I request his consent for our marriage, inform him of what has occurred with my aunt, and ask him to allow you to remain in London to prepare for our wedding."
She hesitated before agreeing. "I would like to accompany you, but I cannot ride so far on horseback, and my father might not allow me to return if I arrive home with you. If you will give me a few moments, I will rewrite my letter to include the new information. Since you will tell him of Lady Catherine's and Mr Collins's actions, I will leave that out of my letter."
The earl provided writing supplies and invited Elizabeth to use his desk for her letter. While she wrote, Fitzwilliam shared what he learned from Colonel Forester the previous day. Wickham had amassed significant debt, including debts of honour, in Meryton and, when confronted, had attempted to escape. He was presently being held in a military stockade awaiting court-martial after being charged with conduct unbecoming and desertion. As a result, he would likely face a sentence of death. Neither gentleman was particularly surprised by this news, and Elizabeth, who was listening as she wrote, was ashamed of having been taken in by such a man.
Fifteen minutes later, Elizabeth rose from the desk and took her rewritten letter to William, who used the opportunity to kiss her hand once again. The gentlemen stood, and William asked her to escort him to the foyer, hoping to steal another kiss before he left. He was successful, and he reluctantly took his leave of her. "Richard asked to come with me, but Georgiana will remain at Matlock House until we return. That means I will see you again tonight, my love. I hope your father will give his consent, but I realise he may not think favourably of me after my behaviour last autumn."
"I have explained my changed opinion of you, and surely any damage done by Mr Wickham has been mitigated with the news of his debts and attempt to desert," Elizabeth replied, attempting to bolster her love. "I do hope Charlotte was successful in keeping Mr Collins from writing my father."
"I do as well, my love," Darcy whispered, kissing her cheek once more. "But I trust our marriage will mitigate any possible rumours."
They stepped apart when Richard appeared "Come, cousin, we have a long ride ahead of us, and you have an interview to conduct. How I wish I could be in Mr Bennet's study with you when you make your request!" he laughed loudly. "Miss Bennet," he said, bringing her hand to his lips for a kiss and smiling as Darcy scowled. "I am pleased you have accepted my cousin and will bring happiness to his life. You are too good for him."
Darcy clapped his cousin's shoulder and laughed. "You are right about that, cousin, but keep your odious hands off my betrothed." He smiled broadly as he took Elizabeth's hand, wiping away the imaginary traces of Richard's kiss and placing a lingering kiss on her fingers, never taking his eyes from hers. She melted at the look in his eyes and laughed at their boyish antics as she watched them leave.
They stopped briefly at Darcy House, where Darcy changed into riding clothes, and then were off to Hertfordshire. As Elizabeth went to seek out Georgiana, she was surprised to realise how much she would miss William's company that day. She also wondered if anyone had told Georgiana of their engagement and her brother's departure.
Lady Matlock and Georgiana were bursting with excitement when Elizabeth returned to the breakfast room. "Congratulations, my dear!" Lady Matlock exclaimed. "My husband just shared your and William's news and said the boys departed straight away to Hertfordshire to inform your father of your whereabouts and to request his consent for the engagement. We will be very pleased to welcome you to the family."
"Elizabeth, I cannot tell you how excited I am that you will be my sister! William wrote of you last autumn, and I wanted to meet you then, but he never spoke of you, and I did not want to ask. Miss Bingley was always so insistent that she was the perfect match for my brother when she visited, and I shuddered at the idea he would eventually marry her," Georgia paused and shuddered at the thought. "But then, he stopped talking to both Bingleys – I do not know why – and has seemed so miserable since. He has been ever so happy ever since he returned from Rosings, and I know that it is all due to you."
Elizabeth laughed at the flood of words coming from the previously shy girl. "Nothing is official until my father gives his consent. William and I did not have the best of relationships in Hertfordshire, and my father knows nothing of my change of heart. I wrote him a letter, but I am not certain how he will feel about it. I hope my letter will convince him to approve."
"Everything will be fine, Elizabeth, if I may address you as such," the countess said, laying her hand on Elizabeth's arm. Elizabeth nodded, and Lady Matlock continued. "Then, please, call me Aunt Helen, as we will be family soon. Do not worry about your father giving permission; William will do all he can to convince him of it."
"Lady … I mean, Aunt Helen, I do not believe I thanked you yesterday for your hospitality and for inviting me, a complete stranger, into your home. I realise it was not completely appropriate for me to stay at Darcy House with William in residence, but with my aunt and uncle away from home, I did not have other acquaintances who could have hosted me."
"You are most welcome, Elizabeth, and I do hope your father will allow you to stay for at least a month, if not for the rest of the season. I will help you obtain your trousseau, and William can escort you to events and introduce you as his betrothed. As Mrs Darcy, you will need to spend at least part of the season in town most years, and you participate in events of the ton. William is not very keen on parties and balls and the like, but he knows he must do his duty to his sister and, eventually, your own children." Lady Matlock grinned at the blush that crept up from Elizabeth's chest to her face at the mention of children. "With Georgiana coming out soon, you will need to maintain a presence in town. I will sponsor you, of course, and help when Georgiana comes out."
"I do not know if my father will give me permission to stay away much longer, Aunt Helen. I have already been away from home for five weeks, and in his last letter, he was anxious for my return," Elizabeth explained. "My younger sisters do not provide much company for him, and he has likely closeted himself in the library for much of my time away."
Lady Matlock frowned slightly. "We will need to persuade him then," she said, then, abruptly changing topics, asked. "I cannot think you have had time to discuss the wedding; do you know what you would like? William would prefer something small and simple, no doubt, but I am sure he will agree to whatever you want."
Elizabeth smiled. "I agree with him, Aunt. Small and simple, yet elegant, would be my preference. And I would like to marry from Longbourn. A shorter engagement period would prevent Mama from becoming overly enthusiastic with the plans, so if we could marry in a month or two, that would be ideal."
Lady Matlock looked at Elizabeth as she considered this. "Six weeks then – three here in town and three at your home before the wedding. I will introduce you to my modiste so she can begin work on your trousseau, and we will introduce you to the ton at a few social events: the theatre, a musical or two, and at least one ball in addition to the engagement ball I will throw for you. We can easily plan an engagement ball in three weeks, but we will need to get started right away …."
She trailed off, and Elizabeth looked at her askance. "Aunt Helen, might we wait to make any plans until William returns with my father's permission? I would like to know what Papa says and ask William's opinion on these matters."
"I have no daughters, only two unmarried sons and a nephew. These boys of mine have steadfastly avoided marriage for years. Now that one is finally getting married, I am anxious to plan a wedding, I think. I do apologise," Lady Matlock confessed. "Might we at least start planning the ball?"
Elizabeth laughed. "My mother has five unmarried daughters and will struggle to contain her excitement once she knows of our engagement. Perhaps we could begin planning the ball, I have never helped plan such a large entertainment would appreciate learning from you how it is done."
The ladies moved to Lady Matlock's study, where she explained the initial steps for planning a such a large entertainment. They consulted a calendar, selected a likely date, and began making lists of many things to be arranged: guests, musicians, entertainment, menus, and the like. As Lady Matlock began a guest list, she spoke to Georgiana and Elizabeth about those she would invite and whether they would support the match or were persons of whom Elizabeth should be wary.
Once their many lists were well begun, the two girls drifted to the music room where Georgiana and Elizabeth prepared a song for that evening for Georgiana to play while Elizabeth sang. When Elizabeth was not singing, the girls chatted about many different things. An hour or so later, Lady Matlock listened at the door of the music room and recognized that William's betrothed was the ideal choice for her orphaned nephew and niece. Already, Elizabeth was drawing them both out of themselves; she had rarely seen William smile more or Georgiana talk as much as she had done since last night. "Yes," she thought, "Elizabeth will work miracles on these two and will bring much good into their lives."
Copyright 2023 by Melissa Anne
