Page 27 of The Next Mrs Bennet

H yde Park was relatively empty when the large group of riders, escorted by six footmen-guards, entered the park a little after eleven in the morning. The aim was to ride and enjoy the park, not to see and be seen like those who flooded Rotten Row during the so-called fashionable hour.

The four Bennet siblings, Giana, Felicity, and Harriet, who were all residing at Devonshire House, and their escorts had ridden the short distance to Grosvenor Square, where the rest of the riding party was waiting for them. From there it had been a very short ride to the Grosvenor Gate. From the gate the riders rode at a fast canter rather than a full gallop in consideration of the ladies on their infernal side-saddles.

The riders split into three groups; the largest was led by Will the Younger and Rosemarie; the other two groups consisted of two riders each. The one closest to the large group was made up of Elizabeth and Darcy, while the last two riders were Mary and Richard.

Elizabeth could see that Liam was deep in contemplation, so she did not break his thoughts by attempting to talk to him. She already knew that her cousin always weighed his words carefully, especially when he needed to discuss some weighty issue. She was contemplating if Liam would think her too forward if she enquired about his intention to dance at Mary’s ball. Her hope was he would request to share at least one set with her.

Darcy had been determined to ask Elizabeth for the first and supper sets at her younger sister’s ball, but as soon as he saw her in a hunter-green riding habit, he had felt his tongue tie itself in knots. The last thing he wanted to do was say the wrong thing and have her refuse to dance with him.

‘ Audentes fortuna iuvat! Fortune favours the bold! ’ Darcy told himself silently, first in Latin as it had been authored by Terence in his play Phormio , which had been written more than one hundred and fifty years before the birth of the Son of God. Darcy thought it appropriate to recite the words in Latin as well as English given Elizabeth’s proficiency in the language of ancient Rome. ‘ You will never know the answers to questions you are too much of a coward to ask. You, Fitzwilliam Alexander Darcy are no craven milksop of a man! ’

He manoeuvred Zeus so his flanks were close to those of Aphrodite’s. “Elizabeth, I have a request to make of you,” Darcy began. “If it is not something you desire, we will forget I said anything so it will not affect your ability to dance at Mary’s ball.”

“Liam, that is more than enough of a preamble; just ask me the question.” Elizabeth smiled and arched an eyebrow to make sure he knew she was not upset with him.

After taking a deep breath, Darcy turned to Elizabeth. “Do I ask too much to request your first set at your sister’s ball?” he asked as evenly as he was able.

“This is a little too early, is it not?” Elizabeth teased. She had to school her features when Liam’s eyebrows shot up into his hairline. “You know Ellie is but thirteen, and you would have to wait five years for that dance.”

“Teasing woman! You well know I mean at Mary’s ball in less than four weeks,” Darcy grinned. How he loved being teased by this magnificent woman.

“In that case, yes, Liam, I would very much enjoy dancing the first set with you.” Elizabeth fought to keep the excitement out of her voice. She had been hoping he would make this request of her; now if only he would ask for a second set.

“If you would take pleasure from our dances, may I add to your delectation by requesting the supper set as well?” Darcy added. He did not miss the happiness written on her face.

“Yes, thank you, Liam. I would like to dance that set with you as well,” Elizabeth agreed.

Darcy knew he was grinning like a fool as if he was the cat who had discovered all of the cream, and it was his and his alone. He did not realise that his happiness at her answer had revealed both of his dimples.

For her part, Elizabeth was beyond pleased he had asked for two of her significant sets. It proved to her that she was not the only one of the two who was falling in love. Thanks to what both Andy and Rich had told her, she knew Liam would never open the ball nor dance the supper set with one for whom he did not care. It went far further than being cousins by marriage.

Bringing up the rear, other than the two guards riding behind them, Mary and Richard had noticed something significant had passed between Lizzy and Liam. “I think he has finally gotten up the courage to solicit Lizzy for a dance or two,” Richard opined. “If Liam were not unsure of Lizzy’s feelings towards him, I believe he would be asking for more than two sets at your ball.” ‘ Like I would love to ask of you, ’ Richard added to himself silently.

“It is hard to see Lizzy’s true feelings through her playful and teasing facade,” Mary responded. “However, I can tell you that if Liam requested a courtship, he would receive a positive response. It is in her eyes. You can see that she has deep feelings for him and uses her humour as a foil to mask her true feelings in case they are not returned in full measure.” Mary got a wistful look. ‘ I know Mama and Papa want Richard to wait to declare himself until next year. I, however, wish there was no such restriction. ’ Her parents were reasonable; she would speak to them when she and the others in the party returned to Devonshire House for a belated midday meal.

“So it seems they are both holding back for the same reason. I will put Liam out of his misery and share your insights into Lizzy’s mask with him.” Richard paused. “Mary, I will be resigning from the army right after your ball. It is time.”

Mary felt great relief at Richard’s declaration. Even if…when…he offered for her, she would have never demanded he leave the army, but she would have been worried for him every second he was away from England and in a combat zone. That was no longer something about which she needed to concern herself.

“Did I tell you that I will be accompanying my parents and cousin to Kent on Monday?” He asked quickly. Mary shook her head. “It is time to go defang my Aunt Catherine. Father thought he could leave the status quo for longer, but after sending her lackey forth, having stoked the fires of his delusions to the point they took over his life, she cannot be left at the helm of Anne’s estate.” Richard looked at Mary and wondered how much she knew about his cousin in Kent. Obliquely her cousin by marriage. “Have you been told about Anne?”

“Mama and Grandmama Anna have mentioned her and that she is of indifferent health, but not more than that.”

Richard told Mary about Anne being almost taken by scarlet fever and the disease leaving her heart and lungs much weaker. He explained that since she turned five and twenty in July past, the estate, the de Bourgh fortune, and de Bourgh House on Berkeley Square were all hers. “However, her indifferent health supposedly does not allow her to manage her holdings as she needs to do. My father, who is the executor of the late Sir Lewis’s will, has implemented all of the clauses which bar Lady Catherine from accessing estate funds or causing too much damage. When we meet with the solicitor at the estate on Tuesday, an addendum to the will is to be read. My late uncle was aware that Anne’s health would more than likely not allow her to take charge of everything.”

“Has she always been alone at Rosings Park?”

“Yes. That is unfortunately correct. My Aunt Cat—she hates being called that—would not allow Anne to make any friends in the area because, she claimed, there was no one high enough to associate with her daughter. Then of course there are the absolute untruths she tells about Anne and Fitz…Liam…being engaged to one another.”

“What does Lady Catherine hope to gain if they were to marry?” Mary raised her hand. “You need not say it; it is as plain as the nose on my face that Liam has eyes for only one woman, and she is ahead of us.” She inclined her head towards Lizzy.

“Once my Aunt Anne and Uncle Robert had both been called home to God, Aunt Cat began to tell a fiction that Anne and Liam had been betrothed in their cradles. The only problem, well, one of many, was that as he is three years older than Anne, they were never in their cradles at the same time, and it is well known that neither my late aunt nor uncle ever made any such promise or signed any marriage contract. In fact, first his mother and then his father, each on her or his deathbed, charged Liam to make a love match like they had enjoyed.

“The only reason Aunt Cat is pushing her lie is that she thinks that if Anne and Liam were to marry, he would take Anne north to Pemberley and leave her to rule over her fiefdom. Unfortunately, she does not only employ delusional underlings, but she is also rather delusional herself.”

All Mary could do was shake her head. To her it seemed like Lady Catherine saw her daughter as a pawn in her game to take complete control of Rosings Park. Given her own mama and the other strong, loving women she and her siblings had been raised by, it was very hard to comprehend a mother who saw her daughter as a means to an end.

“Then I am well pleased I will not meet your aunt. Regardless of the fact I should respect my elders, I doubt I would have been able to stop myself from issuing the woman a well-deserved setdown,” Mary asserted.

“Trust me when I tell you that no one in the family would be anything but impressed if you took my aunt to task.” Richard grinned.

Mary and Richard noticed that Liam directed Zeus to close the gap between himself and Lizzy’s mare once again as he had when he had spoken to her previously in an intimate fashion. They assumed he had more to say to Lizzy.

“Are you aware I will be one of the party who travels into Kent to deal with Lady Catherine?” Darcy enquired once he was close enough to speak easily.

“No, I had not been told that,” Elizabeth replied. “Do you know how long you will be there, and who besides you, and I assume Uncle Reggie, will be among those who travel to the de Bourgh estate?”

“You guessed accurately about our uncle. Aunt Elaine and Richard will also travel with us,” Darcy revealed.

Elizabeth twisted herself to look back at Mary and Richard, who were deep in conversation. “If I did not know better, I would say that Richard is busy informing Mary about his being part of the group travelling to Kent,” Elizabeth opined once she turned back to face forward.

“As soon as the date your father gave Richard as the first time he may declare himself to Mary passes, I am positive he will be asking Mary a rather important question. I know he has been counting the days.”

“It is good they are second cousins. There is a treatise Mama and I read which claims that first cousins marrying one another can lead to deficiencies in any children produced by the union. Given how prevalent that is among the upper ten thousand, it is not a very popular opinion.”

“So then there should be no problems of that nature between cousins by marriage who have no blood ties at all.” The tips of Darcy’s ears turned red with embarrassment. He had not meant to make such a direct hint about his feelings for Elizabeth. When he ventured to look at her, rather than being upset, he saw her face suffused with pleasure. Could it be that he had been worried for no reason, and she was open to hearing him speak?

“You are correct, Liam. There would be no impediment to such a match.” Elizabeth blushed becomingly as she said the last.

Darcy could not but grin from ear to ear. He had not misheard her. Elizabeth had given him a clear message that his suit would be welcomed. “When we return to Devonshire House, you do not object to my seeing your father to beg a private audience with you, do you?”

“No, Liam, I have no objection to your doing so.” Elizabeth felt warm all over with the anticipation of what was to come.

The rest of the ride could not be over soon enough for three of the riders.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

As much as Darcy wanted to speak to Bennet as soon as they arrived at Devonshire House, the meal was called very soon after the riding party arrived, and everyone had made their way to the largest drawing room.

Mary felt the same frustration. The sooner she spoke to her parents and begged them to lift the embargo on Richard declaring himself before next year, the happier she would be. She was relatively confident Mama and Papa would listen to her reasoning and not reject her request out of hand.

Thanks to the Cavendishes observing informal seating at family meals, Becca and Bennet were seated next to one another. Lizzy was next to her father, and Liam was beyond her, with Giana on his other side.

On her return to the house, Becca had not missed the way Lizzy was glowing with anticipatory pleasure. Added to the way Liam was walking with his head in the clouds, she was fairly certain Lizzy would not be single for much longer. She leaned close to her beloved’s ear. “Has Liam asked to speak to you about anything yet?” Becca asked in a whisper.

Bennet shook his head. Then he looked from Lizzy to Darcy. He knew that look. “However, I believe it will not be long after the meal before he comes to see me.”

Becca looked down the table and noticed the pensive look on Mary’s countenance. Richard was seated between Mary and Becca’s father, with Henry on Mary’s other side. She turned back towards her third daughter and noted how deep in thought Mary was. When she looked at Richard, he looked no different than he always did; he was certainly not deep in thought like Mary. Whatever was on Mary’s mind was not a concern she had shared with Richard. Becca was sure when her daughter needed her parents’ counsel, she would seek them out.

As the meal was ending, Darcy leaned towards Bennet. “May I speak with you, please?” he requested.

“Let us retire to the family library,” Bennet suggested.

Seeing Papa leaving the family dining parlour with Liam, Mary resigned herself to waiting to speak to her parents. Could it be that Richard’s intention to give Liam a prod was superfluous?

“Do you intend to propose or ask for a courtship?” Bennet asked as soon as the door was closed.

“Am I so easy to read?” Darcy shook his head. “I suppose it is good that I am not a man who likes to play games of chance if my face gives away my secrets in this fashion. To answer your question, I intend to offer Elizabeth a courtship. I love her with all that I am, but I want to give her as much time as she needs to know the depth of her own feelings. This way, if she decides we will not suit, Elizabeth may withdraw without any negative connotations.”

“You would give her up so easily?” Bennet probed.

“Not willingly, and never easily. Regardless of my desires, if we do not both want the same thing, it matters not. My heart would shatter into a million pieces if that ever came to pass, but I have to believe it will not. It is because I love her so very much that I would never want to see Elizabeth trapped in a match she does not desire.”

“You will do. You have my permission to address Lizzy. You will have five minutes in this room. I will send her in. One of the small footmen will be stationed outside of the partially open door.” Bennet stood and shook Darcy’s hand. “If she agrees, you have permission and blessing for a courtship from both Becca and myself.” After making sure Darcy understood him, Bennet turned towards the door and exited.

A very happy looking Elizabeth entered a few minutes after her father’s departure from the family library. “Papa said you may want to speak to me.”

Darcy was still standing, as he had not seated himself since Bennet left him. He took one of Elizabeth’s dainty hands and led her to a settee. She sat at one end, and he at the other. “Elizabeth, when we spoke today, your answers gave me reason to believe that you too are seeking a deeper relationship between us, you taught me to hope like I had never dared to hope before.

“I know my own heart, but the very last thing I want is for you to feel pressured into something for which you are not ready. Hence, I would like to request a formal courtship. Elizabeth Georgiana Bennet, will you accept a courtship with me?”

“I appreciate that you want me to be sure of my feelings before you ask what I assume is a more serious question.” Darcy allowed it was so. “I believe I am close to the point where that next question will be received with pleasure. In other words, Fitzwilliam Alexander Darcy, I will be happy to be courted by you.” She paused and gave him a saucy look with an arched eyebrow. “I know Mama and Papa have bestowed their consent.”

They stood, and Darcy took each of her ungloved hands into one of his own. He gently turned each one over in turn and gave a lingering kiss on the wrist of each, just above the pulse.

Elizabeth felt a frisson of pleasure radiate throughout her body from the wrist of each arm, as his warm and surprisingly soft lips were applied to one and then the other. She was thankful he offered her his arm to lead her out of the family library, because Elizabeth was not sure her legs would have supported her on their own.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Once the well-deserved hubbub over the announcement of a courtship between Lizzy and Liam had died down to a dull roar, Mary decided it was the time to speak to her parents.

She passed Giana, who was still telling Lizzy how delighted she was to be gaining four sisters and two brothers when she and Liam married. Ellie, standing next to her future sister, was no less enthusiastic. Mary could not but smile when she noted Henry warning Liam what would happen to him if he ever mistreated Lizzy. Liam assured him that there was no worry of that ever happening.

Becca and Bennet were watching the celebration indulgently when they saw Mary standing before them. They gave one another knowing glances. Since Becca had conveyed her suspicion to her husband, they had been waiting for Mary to approach them.

With permission already gained from her father, Becca suggested they use Papa’s study. The ladies entered ahead of him, and Bennet pulled the door closed.

The Bennet parents took a seat on the large and very comfortable settee against one wall while Mary paced before them. “Mary, we could see something was causing you some consternation. What is it?” Becca enquired. “You know that you and any of our children may speak to us about anything whenever you feel the need, do you not?”

“You consider me a mature young lady, do you not?” Both of her parents agreed. “That I am not one to make rash decisions?” The Bennet parents nodded. “Then believe me when I tell you I have considered what I want to ask from all angles.” Her parents indicated she should continue. “Mama and Papa, I know I am only eighteen, but I am also desperately in love with Richard. He told me earlier today he is to resign from the army so he will not be sent into battle again. Before you ask, he neither asked nor hinted that I should approach you; in fact, he knows not why we are speaking, or that I wanted to discuss anything with you. That being said, I beg you to remove the restriction on Richard declaring himself for me. If you agree, we will not set a wedding date before March of the upcoming year.”

Bennet looked at Becca, who shrugged back at him as they communicated silently. The agreement was quick in coming. Bennet turned back to Mary. “Your mother and I agree.”

Mary threw her arms around first Papa and then Mama. “Will you please allow me to inform Richard as soon as may be?” she begged.

“You have our blessing to do so,” Becca agreed.