Page 7 of The Gossip War (Pride and Prejudice Shorts #1)
He nodded but seemed to sense I was not finished, so he waited patiently as I gathered my thoughts. “Our parents are an unequal match, so we have decades of experience in the kind of life such incompatibilities provide. Jane and I have had our fill and more.”
Mr Darcy leaned even farther forward in his chair, looking thoughtful.
“Make no mistake. You and your sister are my equals. I believe you have already improved me, though this discussion would be the first evidence you have of such. I never would have admitted that even yesterday, though it seems perfectly obvious now. With my eyes so dramatically opened, I refuse to close them again.”
Now that was an interesting assertion. I had no idea how to answer, but I suspect I blushed a bit (all right, more than a bit).
Feeling overwhelmed, I said, “And to all that, I can add the asset of not the least bit similar to Miss Bingley,” which got the expected chuckles.
“I concede all your arguments. I will fully accept that in practical terms, we are a good match. Perhaps that is enough.”
He was still perched on the edge of his chair. “I am by no means finished.”
I raised my eyebrows a bit in surprise but nodded to continue.
With that, he slid off the chair and onto one knee, then reached over and took my hands.
“All that is important, but it is not the key point. Like both of you, I always hoped and dreamed of a love match. I thought success unlikely, but I hoped all the same. My parents had one, but my exposure to the social circles I inhabited all my life left me sceptical.”
I was shocked, but he continued with little pause.
“I will not insult your intelligence by saying I fell in love with you in the last hour, but I like you a great deal. I have for weeks, though in my arrogance and pride, I never did anything about it, aside from fighting the feeling. I was not yet aware of what was truly important. I am not madly in love with you, but I am remarkably close, and I doubt it would take much to push me over the line. More importantly, once I quit acting like a mutton-headed fool, I hope and believe you will fall in love with me as well.”
At that point, my mouth was hanging open long enough for Jane to warn me about catching flies.
“Love is not just infatuation. I believe it is composed of affection, respect, and faith. I like you a great deal and have for weeks. I respect you even more, especially after the events of this morning, where you thoroughly outfoxed half a dozen people. I have faith that you will return my love once I show you my true self, which I have kept carefully hidden.”
I suspect Jane thought I was about to be overwhelmed, so she asked, “Why keep it hidden?”
He seemed to realise I needed a little space to breathe and turned his attention to her without releasing my hands.
“The same reason you do! I assume your beauty attracts all kinds of attention, good and bad, but mostly bad, so you hide behind a mask of serenity and complacency. Imagine that times ten and you will understand me.”
Jane startled, but not for long. “I understand.”
He turned his full attention back to me and quite took me by surprise with a smile that would melt a horseshoe, leaned forward even closer, and squeezed my hand even tighter.
“Miss Elizabeth Bennet, would you do me the great honour of accepting my hand in marriage?”
Even though he had been working his way up to the declaration for some time, it was still shocking to hear it stated so boldly and clearly. This was serious business, and I had to make a life-altering, irreversible decision, at two in the morning.
Once he said his piece, he seemed content to give me the time I needed to think about it (much to his credit).
I spent some time looking back and forth between Jane and Mr Darcy, wondering if either of them would give me the certainty I needed.
Jane finally made a sensible suggestion. “Lizzy, I would very much prefer a more ordinary courtship than having you go from intense dislike to love in an hour.”
She then reached out to take my shoulder, which was all she could conveniently grab since Mr Darcy still had hold of my hands (which I was surprisingly sanguine about).
“That said, you must concede that this issue is time sensitive. While your plan was brilliant in its simplicity, it does put our family at risk. A war between the Bennets and the Bingleys might not go down quite so well as one between the Bingleys and the Darcys. You do not have to decide now… but soon.”
Mr Darcy was still holding my hands. “The offer is open as long as it takes you to decide, but I agree with Miss Bennet’s sensible idea that sooner beats later. May I suggest something?”
“Of course!”
“Let us do that which is unambiguously required, and defer things that require contemplation. You might like council from your parents?”
I did my best not to snort (partially successful at best), and joked, “Perhaps I can drag Kitty and Lydia from their beds and ask them!”
Mr Darcy looked somewhere between shocked and amused but surprised me by laughing heartily. I admit, at least from an appearance’s standpoint, the man was blasted handsome when he laughed and smiled at me like that (yes, yes, I know… unladylike language, cliches, and so forth).
I settled down, and just for good form, I gave a smile just for him (the first ever).
“I do not trust anybody’s advice except Jane’s but let us return to Longbourn. I will answer before the cock crows.
Mr Darcy quite gallantly pulled my bare hands to his lips and smiled. “That is sensible.”
My thoughts were in turmoil and roiling around in circles (to which the kiss on my hands was not the least bit helpful), but I had to admit that not all of them were against the man from Derbyshire.
Mr Darcy was proving himself, at least in this matter, to be all that a gentleman ought to be.