Jane turned again, pacing in the front room. She must have walked three miles on this little line. Her arms rested in every known position. She stared out the window. Turned, paced, moved her arms so that her hands clasped behind her neck. Turned again.
It wasn't that she was nervous. No, she felt wildly at ease with Charles. She just wanted this waiting to come to a close. She felt as though their relationship needed to progress, that it was impeded in its current state. Their relationship needed to evolve! She turned again, holding her hands to her cheeks.
Lizzy sat in a chair in the room, tracking Jane with her eyes, but wisely keeping her silence. Mrs. Gardiner drifted in to sit with the vigil, but drifted out again to see to her children.
Jane continued to pace.
She glanced at the clock and nearly threw a fit. Not yet a half hour had passed. It was not even noon, let alone after it. She wanted to scream, but kept her silent pacing instead.
Just when Jane was about to request a walk in the park, she saw him. But suddenly, now she didn't feel ready at all. She patted her hair, and smoothed her skirts. Lizzy stood up now and walked to Jane and held her hand with a noiseless smile. Jane returned it quickly, squeezing her hand before the door opened to Charles. And Mrs. Gardiner.
"How surprising Mr. Bingley," she said, walking him into the room, but not sitting. "It's not even noon yet."
"I suppose it is not," he said sheepishly, a constant blush on his face. "You'll have to forgive me, I am rather distracted. Oh, but I can't forget to apologize for last night!"
"Oh, in this instance I believe a good memory would be intolerable," Lizzy said with a cheeky grin. He laughed. They hadn't sat down yet.
"You are all too good to me. To trespass on your goodness farther, I would like to invite you all on a walk in the park," Charles said, looking at Jane.
"Unfortunately I've just put my children down for naps, they'll be so disappointed. But I'm sure Lizzy and Jane would love a walk," Mrs. Gardiner said, looking meaningfully at the two girls.
She was met with a serene smile and a mischievous grin.
OOXXOOXoXXx
Lizzy had disappeared within steps of entering the park. She may as well have vanished in the wind. That left her and Charles to meander on their own. Something she had both longed for and now intensely nervous of. That question hung heavily between them. She wished he would just ask and get it over with. She wished he would never ask and they could progress as though he had.
"Miss Bennet," Charles began, walking them down a rather secluded trail. Oh dear. But he broke her thoughts with a self deprecating laugh.
"I thought this would be easier because I love you so much, but here I stand tongue tied," he said kicking a rock. It seemed to roll away with the tension.
"Charles Bingley, tongue tied?" Jane teased, glad whatever spell was over them had broken
"I know, I even practiced with Darcy to make sure this wouldn't happen!" he said with an embarrassed smile. Jane's eyes grew wide and she threw her head back to laugh.
"Mr. Darcy… pretended to be me?" she asked, still laughing.
"Yes, and he let me get through this 8 times without laughing once!" Charles chuckled
"Poor practice indeed," she said, coming to, red faced from her laugh, with an irrepressible smile.
They continued down the trail in silence. Jane let Charles collect his thoughts in silence. Suddenly, Charles stopped walking, bringing her to a stop as well.
"I love you Jane! More than I have anyone else. I want to stay with you, and keep you with me Please marry me!" he burst with a fervency Jane hadn't seen in him before. Or maybe she had, but just a subtle exposure. A polite exposure, but now he had laid bare his feelings. And they ran deep and rich. She could only respond in kind. She let her feelings go, past the point of politeness. .
Prim and proper Jane, on a secluded trail in town, leapt at Charles. He caught her quickly and they shared a hungry type of kiss. It was one thing Jane was not graceful in, as they clacked teeth occasionally. But she learned quickly and soon they were at it as comfortably as could be.
His hands glued to her back, unmoving but holding tight. He enthusiastically participated in their kiss. Her hands did not have the same discipline. She held his face, his shoulders, hugged him tight, ran her fingers through his hair. She let her feelings go, and was surprised how deep they ran herself. She could not hold him close enough!
"Jane, please, have some mercy," Charles muttered after they pulled back for air for the fourth or fifth time.
"Did I not answer your question? If you need the word, it's yes" she asked, bumping noses.
"No, no, you answered it," he said with a chuckle, "but I just love you too dearly to continue in this manner unwed. But I also love you too dearly that if we continue then I will make mistakes that will require we wed in haste. And I feel guilt even thinking about doing that to you."
"I see," Jane said, now coming to feel the strength of his fervent love. She made to move, but Charles held on tightly still.
"But now that I have you here," he said with a grin, "I may as well enjoy it for a time." He hugged her tight, laid his cheek on top of her hair, and sighed. They stayed there for a few minutes, just holding each other, while catching their breath.
"I don't think Mr. Darcy practiced this with you," Jane muttered eventually. Charles broke into a laugh.
"No, and I'm glad of it. I love a good surprise," he said, kissing her hair and letting her go.
They corrected their clothes and hair, before continuing down the trail. At the end, they spied Lizzy standing with Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy. They seemed unaware that Jane and Charles had occupied this trail. The two of them sighed in mild relief, Charles giving her a wink.
They tried to walk up silently, but Miss Darcy turned to find them too soon.
"Hello Mr. Bingley, hello Miss Bennet!" she smiled innocently. Jane couldn't look Mr. Darcy in the eye in greeting. Lizzy stood, waiting, grinning ear to ear.
"Oh Lizzy!" Jane sighed. Lizzy squeaked in excitement, grabbing Miss Darcy's hand in a jubilee twitter step before yanking her along to embrace Jane. Jane gathered them both up with a laugh, while Mr. Darcy shook Charles hand with a wide, wild smile.
"It did not go how we practiced," Charles admitted quietly. Miss Darcy snorted, letting Jane know she was in on the practice.