Author's Note: Please let me know if you see any inconsistencies or errors. I am trying to fix them as I go through, but I know I have missed a couple. Thanks so much, and I hope you enjoy!

Also, posting chapters will begin to slow down from this point as I will be not merely editing what was previously written before.

Chapter 17

Darcy had Mr Elliott leave him in Cheapside so he could tell the Gardiners and Elizabeth about their visit. They were unsurprised by Mr Bennet's attempts to delay the matter and would let both trustees know if they received word of his plan to visit. They expected him to delay a few days as he needed to try to get his story straight, but they fully intended to catch him in his lies.

Gardiner suggested Bennet would show up in a few days and try to convince Elizabeth to lie for him. He had always felt his brother to be indolent but had never suspected him of being an outright liar. It was fairly obvious that Mrs Bennet knew the truth of Elizabeth's inheritance, though he idly wondered what the other girls knew.

Elizabeth had no answer for this. It was widely believed in Meryton that Elizabeth was most likely Edward Bennet's natural-born child, though it was rarely spoken of. She was treated as a poor relation, but she wondered how many servants, such as the Hills who had been at Longbourn even before the present Mr Bennet became master, recalled when Elizabeth had arrived at Longbourn.

Finally, Darcy asked for, and was granted, an opportunity to speak to Elizabeth privately. The night after the theatre, they had not had an opportunity to speak, and the days that followed had been too full as the gentlemen prepared to journey to Longbourn. Darcy was near desperate for the opportunity to speak to her about what she had confessed, and after a discussion with Mr Elliott in the coach on the return trip, they had decided on a plan that would both protect Elizabeth and prevent any further attempts from either Collins or Bennet to claim her inheritance.

He had initially eschewed the idea of an elopement, but as matters progressed, it seemed a more viable option. There was still one point that needed to be discussed, which was how would the courts view it if Darcy approved his own marriage to a woman who was, in essence, under his care. While Bennet had no true claim to object, since he was not her legal guardian, it was difficult for a trustee to marry the beneficiary of the trust.

Darcy was allowed a few minutes to speak to Elizabeth in the Gardiners' parlour while everyone else left the room.

"My dearest," he began, taking her hands in his, "I have been concerned about this situation since I first learned of it. However, after discussing the matter with Mr Elliott and Mr Gardiner, there is one thing we could do that would simplify everything. I told you a few days ago that I was waiting for you to tell me when you were ready, and I believe you did just that the other night at the theatre."

He paused and took a deep breath before bringing Elizabeth's hand to his lips. Then, he slid from the settee next to her to kneel in front of her, aligning their faces at the same level. As he gazed deeply into her eyes, he began, "I declared my love for you in this same room days ago, and you have now expressed the same. Now, I ask you, Elizabeth, will you be my wife? With each day I spend in your presence, my love for you deepens, and I can no longer envision my life without you in it."

She smiled tenderly and reached her free hand to caress his cheek. "Yes, Mr. Darcy. I find myself falling more in love with you each day and longing to be your wife. I would be happy to marry you."

"Call me William," he whispered, nuzzling her hand where it lay on his cheek. After a moment, he hesitantly asked: "Might I kiss you?"

She nodded her agreement, and slowly, briefly, his lips caressed hers. He leaned back a moment and, seeing her eyes still closed and the soft smile on her lips, leaned in and kissed her again, a little more firmly and longer than the last. When Elizabeth sighed, he retreated and brought her hand to his lips once more.

"That was lovely," she whispered.

"There is one other matter, my dear," he said, his forehead pressed to hers. "There is still the question of permission, and we need to speak to the solicitors on the matter. However, Elliott has suggested that we make for Scotland before Bennet arrives. Then, Bennet can meet with Elliott alone, and the two of them can go back and forth on the legalities of the matter while we make our way north. When we return, we can put an end to his efforts to marry you to Collins and begin the process of suing him for the funds he stole."

"Is that necessary? Suing Mr Bennet, I mean."

"Yes and no," Darcy answered with a sigh. "We do not need the money, but he should not be able to get away with what he did. He has stolen thousands of pounds from you, dearest. Should he not be made to pay for at least a portion of that?"

"What about my cousins? What will this do to them?"

Darcy moved from where he knelt on the floor to the seat beside her. "That remains to be seen. Some of it depends on what Mr Bennet says and does once he is caught in his lies."

Elizabeth nodded. "When do you suggest we leave for the border?"

"Are you truly willing to elope with me? We can take my sister and my cousin along as chaperones, that is, if Richard can obtain leave. Otherwise, I will see what else we might be able to arrange," he replied. "I would prefer not to elope, but both Elliott and Gardiner thought it best to get you away from London while they meet with Mr Bennet. Perhaps we can persuade Mrs Gardiner to accompany us as a chaperone?"

"I would love to have my aunt come, but why do they want me away from London?"

"If your aunt comes with us, they can tell your uncle you are visiting a friend when he arrives. She is from Derbyshire, and we can put it out that you have gone there for a time. I can see about obtaining a special licence, but there is the question of my granting you permission to marry me, which would be problematic. Mr Elliott was going to speak to the solicitors about that before we departed. I have wondered about turning over the trusteeship to my uncle, but I have concerns about him not granting permission since he would still prefer I hold out for a title."

Elizabeth groaned. "Why must this be so complicated? Could we not abscond tonight and take a ship directly to Scotland? Then, after we are wed, we can go directly to Pemberley and pretend the rest of the world does not exist."

He laughed. "Have you ever travelled by boat, dearest? If it agrees with you, it would be an easier way to make our way to Scotland, and we would likely arrive there quicker. Once we are wed, we could hire a carriage to travel to Pemberley for a brief honeymoon. However, it is November, and I am uncertain about the weather travelling so far north."

"Does my uncle know what you intend? I have never travelled by boat. I have never had trouble with other forms of travel, but I do not know how I would do on the water. I simply want to have all of this settled and not have to worry about all these other matters, including worrying about my safety."

"Your uncle knows what I intended to ask you, my dear, but not your aunt accompanying us. Come," he said, standing and bringing Elizabeth up with him, "let us find your aunt and uncle and make definite plans. We can leave tomorrow afternoon after we discuss matters with the solicitor."

The two left the room where they had been left alone and went to speak with the Gardiners. Darcy sent a note to his home asking for a carriage to collect him later, after the evening meal. The group spent the meal discussing the couple's plan for a marriage, though there was still much to discuss.

Mr and Mrs Gardiner were not in favour of an elopement but suggested that if the couple travelled to Pemberley along with Georgiana, they could begin having the banns read there. The couple could then marry before Christmas, and both the Matlocks and the Gardiners could both travel there ahead of the wedding taking place.

Once again, it was suggested that Lord Matlock take over for Darcy as guardian, and with that in mind, Darcy decided to go early to Matlock House to speak to his uncle about transferring the role of trustee to him.