Page 28 of Succession

M r. Darcy’s heart hammered as he approached Longbourn. What if Miss Bennet – Elizabeth – refused him? Would he then be forced to marry Miss Bingley? He shuddered at the thought. How had he allowed himself to be alone at Netherfield, for even an instant?

He tossed the reins to the stable boy; the housekeeper, who he had learnt was named Mrs. Hill, greeted him at the front door. “I would like to speak with Mr. Bennet,” Mr. Darcy announced.

Mrs. Hill replied, “The master asked that I bring you to him, should you come to call.”

Mr. Darcy was puzzled, but nonetheless followed her into the house. Mrs. Hill paused at a large wooden door and knocked on it.

A voice called out, “Come.”

“Mr. Darcy, as you requested, sir.”

“Ah. Good. Come in, Mr. Darcy.”

The patriarch rose to his feet as his guest entered the room. “Please sit down, Mr. Darcy.”

Mr. Darcy did so.

“You have been visiting my daughter Elizabeth rather assiduously,” Mr. Bennet observed. “I think it time that I enquire as to your intentions.”

“My intentions are entirely honourable, Mr. Bennet.”

“Indeed; then what has prevented you from visiting me here in this room to discuss those intentions?”

“Frankly, sir, she felt that we did not know one another well enough.”

“Is that not what a courtship is for, Mr. Darcy?” Mr. Bennet was clearly irritated.

“I agree with you, Mr. Bennet. In fact, I have come here today to ask for a betrothal.”

“A betrothal! Not a courtship?”

“No; a circumstance has arisen that makes an immediate betrothal preferred.”

“Preferred? That is an odd phrase.”

“May we ask Miss Bennet to join us?” Mr. Darcy enquired. “I would like to explain to both of you, if I may be permitted to do so.”

Mr. Bennet’s brows rose to his hairline; he left the room without another word, closing the door behind him.

While he waited, Mr. Darcy found himself actually praying that his suit be successful. When was the last time he had prayed, he wondered. Please, God, please please please…

***

A knock on her bedroom door startled Elizabeth from her reverie. “Come in,” she said, expecting Mary or perhaps Kitty. But to her surprise, it was her father. “Papa?”

“Your Mr. Darcy is here, Lizzy.”

She frowned at her father. “So you asked him his intentions, though I begged you not to.”

“I did, but it appears there is more afoot here than meets the eye. He asked to speak with us together. Do something with your…” And he gestured at his own receding hairline before leaving the room.

Elizabeth rang the bell and Kate appeared. “Kate, Mr. Darcy is here; might you help me with my hair?”

“Of course, Miss Elizabeth. And you mean to change your dress as well, do you not?”

“This dress is perfectly nice,” Elizabeth protested.

“It is, and he has seen you in that perfectly nice dress three times already. I think we can do better than that,” Kate said, severely.

***

Mr. Darcy rose to his feet as Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth entered the study.

“Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth said, curtseying, her confusion evident in her voice.

“Let us all sit,” Mr. Bennet suggested. “Mr. Darcy, may I offer you a drink, perhaps?”

“No, I thank you, sir. Please, let me come to the point.” He was actually perspiring!

“Is this about last night?” Elizabeth asked. “I assure you, I had no intention of being rude to Miss Bingley, but –“

“No, it is not about last night, but rather about this morning. I beg you, let me speak, as this is quite difficult. Just before coming here, I was in the Netherfield library, perusing a book. Truth be told, I was hoping to find a first sentence that would stump you both. In any case, Caroline Bingley entered the room, shut the door, tore her dress and screamed.” He dropped his head into his hands.

Ellizabeth gasped in shock. “She claims to have been compromised.” Her tone was flat.

“Of course. I should never have allowed myself to be in a room alone when an unmarried lady is present; I know better.”

“This is a grave misfortune indeed,” Mr. Bennet said, grimly.

Mr. Darcy raised his head and stared at Elizabeth. “Miss Bennet, I told Bingley that I could not marry his sister because I am already betrothed to you.”

The two Bennets stared at him in silence for a moment before Mr. Bennet said, “That was quick thinking, sir. I believe I understand now why you are here.”

“Miss Bennet – Elizabeth! – I know I have put you in an untenable position. But I love you, most ardently. And loving you as I do made me willing to take this risk. I beg you to accept my hand, but with the understanding that this incident with Miss Bingley did not force me to speak; it only forced me to speak sooner, and against your express wishes.”

“I understand, Mr. Darcy,” came Miss Bennet’s subdued voice. “I accept.”

“You do? You will marry me?” His tone was a mixture of joy and disbelief.

“I will.”

***

Mrs. Bennet’s cries of joy upon hearing of her second daughter’s betrothal were long and loud, and nothing would do but for her to give Mr. Darcy a hug. “Oh, Mr. Darcy, I could not be happier! Such joy! Such bliss! I promise that the wedding breakfast will be equal to anything seen in London!”

Her effusions were clearly making his Elizabeth – his Elizabeth! – uncomfortable, so Mr. Darcy asked if the two of them might walk in the garden.

“Oh, yes, of course! And no chaperone is necessary, since you are engaged!”

“We will stay in view of the house nonetheless, Mama,” Elizabeth said.

“Can you forgive me, Elizabeth?” Mr. Darcy asked, the moment they were outside.

“Yes, but…”

“But?”

“I still feel that we do not know each other well, Mr. Darcy.”

“Will you not call me by my given name?”

“I do not know it.”

“Fitzwilliam.”

“Is that not your cousin’s name?” She sounded puzzled.

“It is the Darcy custom to name the first boy after the mother’s family name.”

“I see; Fitzwilliam it is then.”

“Or William, if you prefer it.”

“I do, actually, as Fitzwilliam is rather a mouthful. Very well, then, William; your mother will be furious.”

He allowed that this was so.

“So I am to go into this marriage knowing that my husband’s family already disapproves of me! I know this is occasionally the case; Caroline Bingley certainly did not approve her brother’s choice of Jane, but the two do not normally live together. Will your mother live with us?”

“I believe she has an estate that was part of the marriage settlements,” Mr. Darcy said, uncertainly.

“You sound hesitant; but that is the normal course of events, is it not? The master of the estate marries and the mother goes to live elsewhere, if that is possible?”

“It is the normal course of events, yes.”

“Yet you are not sanguine; I hear it in your voice.”

“She has not been herself since my father passed on.”

“I see; how long ago was that?”

“Three years.”

“I am sorry for it, of course.” Elizabeth did not know how to say that three years was long enough for a woman to accustom herself to widowhood.

“Elizabeth, I will do everything in my power to be a good husband to you.”

“William, you quoted Genesis when you spoke with my sister Mary about Eve being created from Adam’s side. Now allow me to quote Genesis as well: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh. ”

“That is absolutely my intention,” Mr. Darcy vowed.

***

“He is betrothed, Caroline.”

“What??”

“Mr. Darcy is betrothed to Miss Bennet; he cannot marry you, compromise or no.”

“But he tore my dress!”

Her brother sighed. “We all know who tore the dress, Caroline. You fooled no one.”

“You are my brother! You must force him to marry me!”

“I most certainly shall not.”

“But –“

“Leave Netherfield, Caroline. You have done enough damage here.”

“But my reputation!”

“I do not think anyone in this house will want to repeat the sorry tale of your torn bodice; you need have no fear that your friends in London will learn of it.” Mr. Bingley was exasperated.

Miss Bingley flounced out of the room, up the stairs and into her bedroom, where she ordered a weary Nancy to begin packing at once.