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A quick conversation with Elizabeth and Mrs. Bennet had encouraged him to act sooner rather than later.

Darcy soon found himself shown into the study and came face to face with a disgruntled Mr. Bennet.

His life of indolent negligence had hastened him towards a well-stuffed form.

His clothes looked as if a tailor had made them for someone much smaller than him.

He sat at a desk littered with books of various sizes and colors, with loose sheets of paper intermixed in the mess.

Though it was slightly surprising to see that besides the copious amounts of books, everything was spotless.

In fact, there was not a speck of dust on any of the shelves.

There were bookshelves on every wall of the room; the only blank area was at the door where he entered and there was no chair for anyone but Mr. Bennet to sit in the room. Darcy supposed it was a statement.

“You have requested to see me, Mr. Darcy, and yet you are more fascinated with my collection. I would have thought a person of your standing would exhibit better manners.” Mr. Bennet enjoyed watching how Mr. High and Mighty’s eyes widened at his comment.

Darcy figured it would not hurt to butter him up if he needed time to gather information.

“As a fellow bibliophile, I appreciate all the work you have put into your collection. I laud the work you have done here.” Glancing around for further details, he spotted a polished chessboard on the corner of his desk, nearly obscured by the stacks of books.

He recognized that several of the books were on chess mastery.

“I think it’s an amazing accomplishment, considering I was working without the assistance of my Oxford peers. I have even collected most of Benjamin Striker’s series on the importance of the Greek hero.” Mr. Bennet preened under the acknowledgment of his success.

“That is an amazing coup, sir,” Darcy replied.

“Yes, I am short only the third book in the set of seven. Regardless of your love of books, I would not have allowed you admittance if I knew you were going to stand there and gape at my library. Get to the point.” Mr. Bennet grew frustrated and wanted to return to his study of Homer in the original Greek.

“I have come to ask you for your permission to enter a formal courtship with your daughter, Elizabeth.” Darcy felt his palms becoming uncomfortably moist but did not want to show the weakness of wiping his hands on his pants.

“Has Jane turned you down? I would not have thought that of her. She has so few thoughts in her head, and all of them yearn to see people happy. I would not have guessed she would risk hurting someone like that.” Mr. Bennet watched his opponent closely, trying to pick up on any signs of discomfort.

Darcy was used to dealing with family discord, yet this time, he was an onlooker, and the victim was the woman he loved.

He expected to feel the familiar panic or anxiety that he dreaded so much, yet he did not.

All he felt at that moment was outrage. His rage towards the person in front of him enabled him to push past his uneasy emotions and be able to do what he had to.

“Though Jane has many positive traits, I have become enamored with Elizabeth and wish to begin a courtship and eventually marry her.” Darcy knew Elizabeth said that her father was insulting, but to hear it himself was painful.

“Oh, that is not something you need to be concerned with. She is not worthy of marrying a gentleman like you. If you want to skip the whole courtship and marriage issue, you can take her as your bit of muslin if you think you can control her.” He would not allow her to land in a happy castle that easily.

“I know I often mistakenly say things I did not entirely mean, so I would like to check that I understand what you mean. Are you stating that you feel I should take your daughter as a mistress?” Darcy was incredulous.

“Elizabeth has a modicum of intelligence, but I did not groom her to be the proprietress of a grand estate. I have refused to provide a dowry. She has no connections that would not embarrass you with your friends among the ton. Even her sisters should put you off. Take, for example, this painting I have resting on the floor. Her youngest sister Lydia painted it. There is no greatness in the art, and the subject is pedestrian. I am sure you would be ashamed if the sister I hear you have painted so poorly. That she gave me this painting is questionable. I have treated her and her sisters with derision for her entire life and yet she has not the intelligence to see it. You would be in a much better position if you opted to choose another bride. Take her as your mistress if you feel if you must have her.” Mr. Bennet questioned the boy’s intelligence.

He could reach so much higher for a bride.

His family was part of the nobility. As the grandson of an earl, he could get almost any woman he wanted and have a few mistresses besides.

Choosing his daughter the way he had was not a smart move.

Darcy drew on his years of experience in dealing with troublesome people of the ton in an effort not to lose his composure.

“Be that as it may, I have come to ask for a formal courtship with the intention of marrying her. Do you grant me my request for an official courtship?” Unable to look at his smug face any longer, Darcy looked over the painting.

It was a picture of yellow carnations, orange lilies, and petunias in a vase with buttercups scattered at the base.

Suddenly, he remembered Elizabeth told him that Lydia was obsessed with the language of flowers.

Even though the painting was simply done, he was sure that the message it conveyed would be remarkable once he figured out how to decipher it.

“My answer is no; you do not have my permission. She is not yet of age, so there is no way you can proceed for the next eight months. If you follow this course, I will cast her off and forbid her contact with any of her sisters and her mother. Good day, sir. I would like my study back.” Ignoring the interloper, Mr. Bennet turned his attention back to his book.

Aghast, Darcy turned and left the room. Elizabeth had warned him that her father was not a good person, but his views and suggestions were astounding.

What landed gentleman in his right mind suggests that his daughter become a mistress?

Snake, indeed, but he was turning out to be a cobra, not a common adder.