Page 16 of An Offer of Marriage (Engaged to Mr Darcy #7)

A RARE GEM

T he cheer around the dinner table was, at first, slightly forced.

Everyone seemed eager to move past the awkwardness of the drawing room, and it was soon enough forgot.

Mr and Mrs Gardiner proved to be excellent guests, the kind who knew when to supply an anecdote and when to listen to the stories of others.

His aunt and uncle were very approving, Darcy saw.

Georgiana had ordered an excellent dinner, even if Saye bemoaned the appearance of the lobster and the lack of beef.

Elizabeth, although not the hostess, showed how excellent she would be in such a role, coaxing conversation from even his uncle, who tended to pay too much attention to his plate and cup at such meals.

The separation of the sexes Darcy could have easily forgone, but Saye would insist on dragging out Darcy’s Cognac.

By the time he had returned to the ladies, he was nearly mad with the wish to be with Elizabeth again.

Georgiana had just taken to the instrument when the gentlemen arrived, with Jane by her side to turn pages, and thus did Darcy feel comfortable drawing Elizabeth aside.

“What say you to that tour of the house you were promised?”

For whatever reason, his words made her blush, but she rose, and set down her cup of sherry. Taking his arm, she nodded to her aunt who nodded in return and then they were free to leave the company.

“Such a lovely evening,” she said with a happy sigh.

“Did you not anticipate it?” he enquired as he guided her down the hall that led to the servants’ quarters. He thought he would do best to begin belowstairs.

She went quiet for a bit, then admitted, “It is different from what I am accustomed to. When I am with my aunt and uncle in London, we are generally a quiet party at home, or if they are invited out, I remain with the children. And in Hertfordshire…”

With an awkward smile towards him, she continued, “Well, you know.”

“I fear I do not,” he said. “What do you mean?”

She laughed lightly, and her colour rose. “The same reason you do not wish to be attached to my family is the same reason I do not wish to be attached to them at times. Most dinners in company, I am braced for whatever may come, and unable to truly enjoy myself.”

“I know very well what you mean,” he said confidingly. “After all, you have suffered through enough dinners at Rosings. My only consolation there is that my aunt rarely goes into Society, even in Kent.”

They had arrived by then in the kitchens where two young maids were busily scrubbing pots. “Such a wonderful modern kitchen,” Elizabeth exclaimed, looking round .

“Is it?” Darcy thought about that. “Yes, I do think there was something not too long ago…Mrs Hobbs was determined to get new ovens.”

“Well done, Mrs Hobbs,” Elizabeth said admiringly.

“What have I done?” The lady herself came into the kitchen.

“The kitchen,” Elizabeth said. “It seems very well fitted up.”

Mrs Hobbs nodded and then launched into a discussion of what had been done and when.

Elizabeth listened attentively throughout, nodding approvingly in places, asking the correct questions in others.

By the time they left her, Mrs Hobbs had a pink flush of pleasure on her cheeks and a gleam of devotion in her eye for her almost-mistress.

“You have made a friend, I think,” said Darcy as they continued their tour.

“Have I?” Elizabeth smiled. “My mother has always impressed upon us to take care of those who serve the house, particularly the housekeeper. She said that, being that they have given up families of their own to take care of others, they ought to be treated as if they were members of the family they serve.”

“I could not agree more,” Darcy said, surprised to hear such wisdom had come from Mrs Bennet. Then again, he had never found anything to disagree with in the housekeeping at Longbourn.

They were back in the hall by then, the same one that he had fretted over earlier. He gestured towards the wall which had so offended him. “This colour is very ugly, I think.”

Elizabeth laughed. “I do not think it ugly at all, but if you do, I wonder you have not changed it before!”

“I have been awaiting you,” he said, pausing.

He listened for a moment, then gently drew her into his arms. He had been waiting to kiss her all evening, but he did not wish to distress her with his ardour.

She did not seem unduly shocked or dismayed though; indeed, her response to him, her sweet surrender in his arms, was more than he had ever hoped.

After many, and yet not enough, kisses, he pulled away from her, looking into her eyes.

“Just as falling in love with you has taken my life from colourless and dull to colourful, wonderful, so shall you take the house—” He gently tapped her nose with one finger.

“—and turn it into a wonderful, colourful home, full of laughter and life.”

“I hope…” Her voice emerged husky and choked, so she paused to clear it. “I hope I can live up to that wish.”

“You can,” he whispered with another little kiss. “I have full faith in you.”

There were footsteps then, and they pulled apart quickly, nodding at the footman who went by with his eyes averted. Darcy took a deep breath, then reached over and smoothed her hair; he had dishevelled her, and he would not wish to cause her any embarrassment or difficulty with her relations.

“I daresay we ought to return to the drawing room,” he suggested.

“It seems the dinner was a success, sir?” Fields, Darcy’s valet, was busily helping him prepare for bed.

“Very much so,” said Darcy, then sank once again into his contented remembrances of the evening.

It had been such a happy evening, despite the brief time it seemed on the brink of disaster.

He still had no idea how Elizabeth had mollified Bingley, and got him to the point of being willing to hear him out when they spoke after dinner.

It had taken very little in the way of explanation before Bingley was exclaiming how Darcy was ever a friend and apologising himself for behaving angrily.

And that had been that. A wonderful thing to have such a friend, who so easily forgave.

A wonderful thing to have such a lady as Elizabeth to ease the way.

The quiet clearing of Fields’s throat reminded Darcy to continue on. No doubt Fields would like to find his bed before too long, and until his master was retired, there was nothing for it but to remain awake.

“Forgive me,” he said, handing Fields his watch and fob. “Wool-gathering.”

Fields smiled, more to himself than to Darcy. “That tends to happen to young men in love.”

Darcy looked down, embarrassed and yet unable to deny what Fields so readily saw.

“Beg your pardon, sir,” Fields said.

“No need.” His valet had tended to his father as he now tended to the son; he had seen Darcy through the dark days after his father’s death and had even grieved alongside him. It was not out of order for Fields to acknowledge Darcy’s happiness.

Darcy handed Fields his waistcoat then sat to have his shoes removed. Fields took both items into the dressing room while Darcy removed his trousers. Fields returned in time to take them and fold them while returning into the dressing room. By the time he returned, Darcy had donned his night shirt.

“I hope the household will be…welcoming,” he said to Fields.

Fields gave him a fatherly smile. “The household is very eager to have a new mistress. We only hope the lady will be agreeable to all of us?”

Darcy chuckled. “You may tell them belowstairs they need have no apprehension in that quarter. Miss Bennet is not the sort of lady that feels the best way to assert her new position is to remove decent people and replace them with others. She is reluctant to go so far as to choose new paint for the hall, much less replace my servants.”

“They will be glad to know it, sir. And I am glad for you as well. It seems you have found a rare jewel.”

“I have,” Darcy said, again feeling the warmth in his chest that portended his happiness. “I have indeed.”