Chapter 8

When they arrived back at the suite, Elizabeth was surprised at the elegant dress hanging in her bedroom. "William," she called, as she walked back into the living room. He reappeared from his room and saw her there holding a dress. He broke into a wide grin. "Did I miss some shopping that we did today?"

"No, you did not, but I asked the concierge to obtain a dress for you for tonight," he said. "You had mentioned that you did not have anything particularly nice for tonight's dinner and the theatre, so I thought I could help. Do you like it?"

"It's gorgeous," she said. "But how did you know …"

"Oh, well, the concierge asked for permission to take look at your clothes and was able to obtain sizes for the dress and shoes from that," he said, suddenly concerned. "I did not think you would mind, and I did want to surprise you."

"Thank you, William," she said, watching his face turn from pleased to worried. "The dress is beautiful, and you said something about shoes?"

"Yes, they were supposed to obtain shoes and anything else you might need," he told her. She hurried back into the bedroom to look, and he heard a clear sound of appreciation when she found them. She rushed back into the living room, coming to him, and throwing herself into his arms.

"It is all so beautiful, William. I cannot thank you enough," she told him, pulling back from him. "Will the others dress like this? What will you wear?"

"I have a suit, of sorts," he admitted. "A hairdresser will be here in about 15 minutes to do your hair. She can do your make up as well if you would like her to."

"Seriously?" she asked. "I feel like a teenager getting ready for prom."

He laughed. "Prom?"

"A fancy dance for high school students where we dress up and use limousines to go to the gym and dance for an hour or two. There is usually a bad DJ or a terrible band and cookies and punch for snacks. It's a rite of passage for American high school students, I think," she explained.

"Ahh," he acknowledged. "I will meet you in the lobby in an hour and a half."

"The lobby?" she asked.

"Yes, I will meet you in the lobby where there will be a car waiting to take us to dinner and the theatre," he teased.

Exactly an hour and a half later, Elizabeth entered the lobby of the Balmoral Hotel, dressed in the stunning navy gown and Louboutin shoes that William had arranged for her. When she finally spotted him, her jaw nearly dropped in surprise.

William looked every bit the dashing Scottish gentleman in his kilt, with his knees on full display between the kilt and the high socks traditionally worn below. His suit coat and waist coat displayed his broad shoulders and tall frame well. As he approached, Elizabeth couldn't help but blush at the sight of him. He was the very picture of masculinity, with his broad shoulders, chiseled jaw, and piercing blue eyes. And he was hers.

William chuckled as he noticed Elizabeth's reaction. "I take it you approve?" he said, his voice husky, with just a hint of mischief evident in.

Elizabeth smiled up at him shyly. "You look so very handsome," she replied, her eyes traveling over his form. Dropping her voice to a whisper, she added, "And I was relishing the thought that you will be mine."

William leaned in closer, his voice low and seductive. "And you, mo ghràidh, look positively breathtaking," he whispered, his breath hot against her ear. "And I am extraordinarily proud that you will be mine, very soon."

Taking a deep breath and standing straight. "I have one or two other gifts for you tonight, mo ghràidh," he said, pulling a small box from behind his back. "For you." He held out the brown box and she opened it, finding inside it a corsage, made to be worn on the wrist made of snowdrops and bluebells, tied with a navy ribbon that matched her dress perfectly. The snowdrops formed the base of the corsage, and the bluebells added a touch of color. William carefully removed it from the box and gently placed it on her wrist.

As Elizabeth admired the flowers, she failed to notice the other item William removed from the box. It was another box, much smaller, and she looked up just as he opened it. The box contained a ring, made of yellow gold with one large diamond in the center, guarded on either side by slightly smaller sapphires. "Marry me, mo ghràidh?" he whispered. "Richard brought me the ring while I waited on you, and I could not wait to present it to you."

"Oh, William, it is gorgeous. Of course, I will marry you, dearest. I do love you so much," she said, tears in her eyes. William slid the ring on her finger, a motion that did not go unnoticed, especially as Georgiana and Richard entered the lobby at just that moment.

Her squeal of delight precluded William's intention of kissing his intended, as all attention in the lobby centered on them for several minutes. They received congratulations from strangers until finally, with some effort, they were finally able to make their way outside and into the waiting car. Once in the car, Richard and Georgiana offered their congratulations to the happy couple. "I cannot wait until you are officially my sister, Elizabeth," Georgiana said. "But I do wish William could have waited a few minutes longer to give you the ring."

Under his breath, William muttered, "And I wish you could have waited a few minutes longer so I could have kissed my soon-to-be-wife." Elizabeth squeezed the hand she had held since he had slipped the ring on her finger and leaned into him. "Me too," she whispered in his ear.

Richard also offered his happy wishes as the car made its way through town. They only had a short way to go, but it would have been made difficult in the high heels the ladies wore. The car delivered them to the restaurant and Richard and Georgiana were the first to exit. Before they got out, William pulled Elizabeth to him for a quick kiss. "It is not nearly enough, Elizabeth, but I wanted to express how thankful I am that we are soon to be wed. I love you, mo chridhe."

They were interrupted by Richard. "Come on, you two, quit snogging. The rest of us are hungry for food."

William and Elizabeth blushed slightly, but William exited the car and then offered his hand to help Elizabeth. Placing her hand on his arm, he led her into the restaurant behind his sister and cousin. Quickly, they were escorted to their table, which also contained snowdrops and bluebells. Champagne was also awaiting them and was being poured as they were seated.

"Congratulations, Mr. Darcy," the maître-d offered. Indicating Elizabeth, "This is your lovely fiancé?"

"Yes, it is," William said. "We plan to marry in Inverness in July."

"We wish you very happy, sir," the man continued. "All is arranged as you requested."

When each had a glass of champagne, they once again toasted the engagement. "Elizabeth," Georgiana began, "did William tell you about the ring?"

Elizabeth shook her head, but William spoke. "I did not have a chance to, sister, since you came in just as I was presenting it to her," he told them. Turning to Elizabeth, he told her of the ring. "The ring is a family heirloom, mo chridhe. It was presented to a great grandmother, who was also named Elizabeth, by my own namesake, Fitzwilliam James Alexander Darcy. Like us, they were a mixed couple – you are American, and I am Scottish – while he was an extremely wealthy landowner, and while this Elizabeth was a member of the gentry, she was not in the same 'class' as her husband. But they were a love match as well, rare for those days, and they were happily married for many, many years. It was their grandson who moved to Scotland to marry a woman he loved and established the distillery in the late 1800s."

Touching the ring on her finger, she looked at William with eyes filled with love. "I love the story behind it, William, and I am honored that you have chosen to give it to me. I will cherish it for always, much as I cherish you."

"I know you will, mo chridhe," he said, taking her hand in his and placing a kiss on her knuckles. He did not release it as the four once again began to discuss the wedding plans. Soon, the food began to arrive, and they continued to talk as they ate salmon and venison, along with various vegetables. Most were familiar to Elizabeth, but a few were presented with unfamiliar names or were unknown to her. Finally, dessert came, a dish called Cranachan, a traditional Scottish dessert made with a mixture of whipped cream, honey, toasted oatmeal, and raspberries, along with a splash of whisky.

"This was delicious," Georgiana said. "William, you should invite me to dinner more often."

William laughed. "I imagine you do not like this very often, but neither do I. This was clearly a special occasion."

They all agreed with that and after a dram of whisky for the gentlemen, they rose to leave the table. The car was waiting for them outside and they boarded for the short ride to the theatre. Upon arriving at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, they were greeted by a doorman dressed in a traditional red coat and top hat, who escorted them swiftly to their private box to enjoy the play. The box held plush red velvet seats, and Elizabeth noted the ornate gold detailing on the walls Looking out across the room, she noted the box offered a perfect view of the stage, and she was excited about the play they would see that night.

All four took their seats, and William encouraged Elizabeth to sit beside him where he sat on the upper edge of the box. He had managed to place their chairs slightly behind the other two and fully intended to take advantage of their relative privacy during the play. Edging his seat closer to hers, he grasped her hand in his as the lights lowered. As the orchestra played, he leaned down to kiss her deeply, attempting to convey the depth of his devotion in his kiss. "Thank you, mo ghràidh, for your love and for agreeing to marry me," he whispered.

She kissed his lips lightly in return. "I love you so much, William," she said, before laying her head on his shoulder. He released her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to him more closely and then clasping her hand again with his opposite hand. They two watched the first part of the play in that manner and only moved to separate as the lights came back up at intermission.

Richard and William made their way to one of the bars to obtain beverages for their group, while Georgiana and Elizabeth stayed behind to chat. Once or twice, they were interrupted by friends of Georgiana's who attended school with her. When William and Richard returned with whisky for themselves and wine for the ladies, several more people stopped by, frequently well-dressed women who sought the attention of the two men in the box while largely ignoring the women. At one point, William deliberately reached around several to draw Elizabeth tightly to his side, introducing her as his fiancé. Several of the women seemed to look her over appraisingly and could find nothing wrong with her manner of dress, although one of them in particular looked at her ring for long moments.

"Congratulations," the least sincere of them said in a clipped voice. "I am amazed as one such as you choosing to marry a Yank. I would guess your Aunt Catherine does not know about this."

"It is none of her business," William said in an abrupt tone. "As I have said to her and others before, she has absolutely no say in who I marry. I have chosen Elizabeth and I am extremely happy with my choice in wife. Aunt Catherine may not like it, but I really do not care."

Elizabeth wondered if this was one of the women his aunt had tried to push in his direction before, and so she placed her hand on William's arm possessively. "We are both extremely happy. William is one of the best men I have ever known." She smiled up at him just as he turned to look at her. His smile in return was full of his love and it was noted by all in the box.

The lights flashed, indicating it was time for everyone to return to their seats. The snotty woman attempted to draw William away from Elizabeth, but Elizabeth refused to let go, nor would William move. "Good evening," he said to the group as he encouraged them to leave the box.

Returning to their own seats, Elizabeth once again leaned into William's side as he wrapped his arm around her. "Was that one of the ladies your aunt threw you at?" she asked quietly.

"Yes," he answered. "She noticed your ring, which frustrated her. She wanted that ring, which is one of the reasons I think she was so willing to marry me, despite our lack of anything in common. I cannot imagine what she is doing in Edinburgh. However, I am certain I will have a message or two from my aunt before morning."

"Ahh," Elizabeth said. "By calling your aunt, she hopes to change your plans and force you to give me up, or something along those lines, doesn't she?"

"Probably, although she cannot really do anything. It is possible she can block me from getting a marriage license in the United Kingdom, but it will not matter since we will marry in Tennessee. No one else knows of those plans, not even the solicitors," William informed her. "While I did not suggest that because of Catherine, it may prove to have been a good idea to prevent Catherine from attempting any foolishness. I need to ask Richard if he has mentioned you to his parents."

The play began and they stopped talking as they watched, although they did exchange a couple of heated kisses before during the second half of the play.

When the play was over, they foursome exited the theatre and once again, their car was waiting for them. All four got in, arriving first at the hotel, where just Elizabeth and William exited. They would all meet again the following afternoon for more sightseeing and to treat Georgiana to at least one more good meal before they returned to Inverness on Tuesday.

Neither were surprised to find several messages on William's phone from his aunt when they returned to the suite. He read them before deleting them but chose not to respond, although he did send his uncle a text with his news and promised to call sometime Monday to explain more.

The next morning, they woke late and took their time getting ready. A light breakfast was delivered to the room, and it was mid-morning when they took a taxi to the solicitor's office.

This meeting lasted several hours as details were first worked out for the marriage contract, stating what would remain in the Darcy family and outlining what Elizabeth would be entitled to at William's death, as well as in the case of divorce. It was a difficult conversation at times, as Elizabeth protested at some of the amounts that were being discussed. Neither liked discussing the death of the other, and the idea of a divorce was equally difficult to discuss. In the end, however, they were able to work out the details to everyone's satisfaction and the draft was initialed by all parties. A final document would be forwarded to William's office later that week, and they would both sign it, before it would be filed with the appropriate parties.

The visa conversation was much more straightforward. Copies were made of Elizabeth's passport, and she was told which documents she would need to bring after the wedding. Once done, they made their way back to the Royal Mile and met Richard for lunch.

"Wills, my mobile has rung off the hook this morning," he called when she saw them approach. "Have you looked at your messages?"

"I silenced Catherine at some point in the night. We have been with the solicitor all morning, so other than calling you, I haven't even glanced at it," William told him.

"Call my father, right now," Richard commanded. "I have spoken to him and told him she was absolutely lovely and all of that, but he is desperate to hear from you to confirm what I have said. According to Catherine, you have 'been entrapped by a cheap American floozy' – I would love to know exactly what she reads – and you are clearly out of your mind."

William rolled his eyes. "Please buy Elizabeth lunch while I call your father and tell him the truth," William said, offering his cousin his card, which was waved off. "And be nice to my fiancé!"

Richard led Elizabeth in the direction of a pub a few steps away. "Fish and chips, lass?" he asked and at her nod, he placed the order at the window.

"Don't worry about Wills," he said as he directed her to an open table. "Pops is more bark than bite, and Aunt Catty has ruffled his feathers a bit. She's always sticking her nose into Pemberley; she's still mad that James Darcy married her sister instead of her. Catty has always wanted Pemberley – both the estate and the distillery – and every so often make a desperate attempt to get some control of it. She can't actually do anything other than make a lot of noise."

"Are you certain?" Elizabeth asked. "I wouldn't want to cause any kind of rift in the family."

"William already avoids 'Catty' like the plague. She's an old tyrant who spouts a lot of nonsense that doesn't concern her," Richard explained. "Even if she did 'cut him off' as she frequently threatens, it wouldn't mean anything. They barely see each other unless absolutely necessary and even then, William actively avoids her. Ever since she tried to engage him to that ice queen you met last night, he has made deliberate efforts to pretend she does not exist. Catty even went so far as to get hold of that ring you're wearing and give it to her, and William had to go through all kinds of legal battles to retrieve it from the two of them. That was nasty."

"How did she manage to do that?" Elizabeth asked.

"She bullied some flunky at Pemberley into letting her into the family area of the estate. Somehow, she had figured out the safe's password and simply went in and took it," Richard said, smiling at Elizabeth's shocked expression. "It took the threat of legal charges of theft to get it returned and now she is permanently banned from all Darcy-owned properties. Since then, it has been kept in a bank vault that only he and I have access to, along with some of the other Darcy family jewels."

"There are other family jewels?" Elizabeth asked feeling slightly awed.

"Lass, do you have any idea just who you've agreed to marry?" Richard asked, turning serious, his accent thick.

William walked up just then, placing his hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. "Please do not frighten her, Richard. I worked hard enough to persuade her to marry me as it is," he joked. Turning to Elizabeth , he sighed at the news he needed to convey. "Mo ghràidh, we need to extend our stay one more night if you do not object. Richard, your father will be arriving in town tomorrow afternoon and requests that you ferry him from the airport to the hotel."

"He knows there are car services that can do that, right?" Richard asked sarcastically.

"He does, but he prefers your attendance on him so he can question you," William responded with a significant look at his cousin. "Elizabeth, he asked that we extend our stay another day so he can meet you to be able to counter what Catherine says or will say. He is worried that between her and Caroline, they will attempt cause issues, although the only thing they can do is likely delay your visa approval. Last night, I only gave her your first name, so it will take her some time to gather any information about you. Mrs. Reynolds can be trusted not to say a word and they will have little to go on."

"Damage control?" Richard asked, sitting up straighter.

"Shouldn't be necessary until either Caroline or Catherine do something. It is my hope that Uncle will be able to put a stop to anything before it starts," William told them, exchanging a look with Richard. "Elizabeth, do you mind if we skip our sightseeing for today? At least for a bit. There is something we need to talk about."

Elizabeth looked at him with worry in her beautiful eyes. "Will we have to change any of our plans, William?"

"I do not to intend to alter anything we have planned so far," he said, his eye fixed on hers. "There is just one small thing we need to discuss before my uncle comes."

She looked at both men warily, aware of some undercurrent that she could not quite understand. "Can you both manage to eat while we walk?" she asked. Seeing them both nod, she picked up her paper basket and left the pub not waiting on either man.

The entire way back to the hotel, Elizabeth worried about whatever this was he needed to tell her. She imagined any number of scenarios, but the one he told her was not one she had even considered.

Elizabeth sat in the wingback chair upon entry forcing William to pull another chair toward to her to remain close. When he took her hand, she did not withdraw, but she was obviously worried by whatever she thought she was about to hear. Smiling at her softly, William attempted to ease her fears. "Elizabeth, mo ghràidh, I promise it changes nothing. It's just… well, the uncle you'll meet tomorrow, he's an Earl."

"An Earl? Like he's some kind of royalty?" she asked.

"Not royalty, but a peer. He is a member of the House of Lords, which means somewhat less than it several decades ago," Richard explained. "He has a title and he's 'Lord Fitzwilliam' and on occasional, he acts the part of 'Lord of the Manor'. Of course, Darcy here occasionally forgets himself and attempts the same. Elizabeth, just remember that one if the tasks you're taking on is to knock him off his pedestal when he begins to think too well of himself."

She smiled slightly at this attempt at humor. "So how does this impact our marrying?" Elizabeth wondered.

William rushed to respond. "It doesn't, not really, but you needed to know this about him before you met him. And … well … you also should probably know that, technically, I am entitled to a similar title, if I chose to accept it. I have not done so because to do so would mean spending a significant amount of time in London each year during Parliament. I have never desired this as I despise London and do not want to give up running the distillery."

"That title is one of the reasons my aunt has always pushed me toward the women she has, because she thought that in marrying one of them, I could be persuaded to accept the title. She thinks it is 'plebian' of me to work, regardless of my position, because a 'peer does not work'. My aunt, and probably Caroline as well, hate it when I appear in public in a kilt as I did last night. Even though my family has lived in Scotland for more than a century, she thinks I should do away with all things Scottish and embrace my English heritage." He rolled his eyes as he spoke the words.

"Dues marriage to me affect any of that?" Elizabeth asked.

"It makes no difference whatsoever," William answered quickly. "I could still claim it, if I ever decided I wanted to, but I have no intention to do so now or ever. In my aunt's eyes, it will no doubt 'lower me' somehow, but as I do not care for her opinion, what she thinks about the match is irrelevant."

Elizabeth took a deep breath and looked at him, capturing his eyes with hers. "So tomorrow, we will meet with the Earl to convince him that I'm a 'proper' match for you or, at the very least, that I'm not some gold digger or 'floozy'. Then, we will continue to move forward with the plans we have already made. Is that right?"

"Yes, mo ghràidh, we move forward exactly as we have planned," he stated, his eyes remaining on hers as he conveyed his intentions to her.

Remaining this way for several moments, he sighed when she leaned forward and kissed him, despite the presence of Richard. This kiss reaffirmed their commitment, and he did his best to express every bit of his love through his kiss.

The three spent a little more time talking about ideas for thwarting the opposition and Richard even suggested the idea of marrying when they returned to the States. William and Elizabeth thought they gave nothing away, but Richard had caught the look that passed between them.