Page 28 of Why I Kissed You (Pride and Prejudice Variation)

Elizabeth went to bed the night of the dinner feeling light of heart.

Darcy’s confession in the library that he still loved her, that he had forgiven her angry accusations—that he had taken her words to heart and was determined to change! She could hardly believe it, but his countenance had shown only truth.

The softly spoken, almost simple words had moved her more than any other speech he’d made in the past two days.

It told her that though she might make him angry, nothing she said or did would change how he felt about her.

Elizabeth could not fathom how she had inspired such a devotion, but she had determined she would not take it for granted.

And she would earn it, she’d told herself.

As Darcy was determined to make changes he felt were necessary for her sake, and that of their future family, Elizabeth had decided to be equally so.

She would do as she had promised Jane and be more open-minded and open-hearted.

In fact, though she could not say she felt a strength of regard equal to Darcy’s, how she felt about him had so materially changed since that moment in the Darcy House library—nay, since the evening after that disastrous proposal!

—that she could finally say she did like him.

She respected him. She appreciated all the kindness he had shown her, his determination to do what was right, and his immediate acceptance of her London relations…

He had even accepted Mr. Bingley’s own angry recriminations with grace because she had asked him to confess the truth to his friend!

Elizabeth was simply amazed, and truly humbled, by the generosity of spirit Darcy had shown her, and so she had made a personal vow to be more pleasant and agreeable to him.

She would embrace becoming Mrs. Darcy with all the fervor society would expect her to feel and hoped that Darcy’s tender affection would touch her heart and allow her to one day soon reciprocate his feelings.

The next morning, shortly after the residents of Gracechurch Street returned from church, Darcy called and reminded Elizabeth of Lord Rowarth’s suggestion that they see the bishop at St. Paul’s that day instead of waiting until Monday.

“Oh yes,” said she. “Besides replying to my father’s letter, I wrote a short statement after we came home saying that there were no impediments to our being married as I was not already married, nor am I engaged or even being courted by any other gentleman.”

Darcy smiled. “I am very glad to hear it.”

“I am also bringing my father’s letter so that the bishop sees we have his permission to marry,” Elizabeth added.

“I think that a wise decision, as he may well ask,” said Darcy.

Jane joined them on their short journey across town so that propriety was observed, and she was clearly attempting to be subtle as she asked after the guests in his household.

“I trust you all had a more pleasant night last night than you did the night before,” she said.

Darcy had turned his eyes in Elizabeth’s direction before smiling and nodding his head.

“We are all doing much better, Miss Bennet—thank you for your concern. I hope that you will also accept my sincerest apologies for any… misconduct on my part. I did what I thought was best, and it turns out that what I thought was best was wrong.”

Jane regarded him in silence for a moment, then graciously offered a smile.

“That you were looking after the best interests of your friend is commendable, Mr. Darcy. But as dependent on your judgment as Mr. Bingley may be, you must remember that he is his own man, and must be allowed to make his own choices, for good or ill.”

Darcy chuckled softly. “I think this has been an enlightening experience for both of us. Bingley may well choose to depend less on my judgment hereafter, and I have certainly learned that meddling in the affairs of others is never wise.”

With another beatific smile, Jane said, “Then we shall speak of it no more, sir, and think of the past only as its remembrance gives us pleasure.”

Darcy inclined his head and smiled. “Very wisely spoken, Miss Bennet.”

The business of acquiring the standard license was fairly direct.

Bishop Albert Keller was an elderly man some years older than Mr. Bennet, or so Elizabeth judged by the amount of gray in his hair.

He reviewed both statements and the letter her father had written, then took out a blank license and began to prepare his writing materials.

“Your license,” said he, “will be valid for three months. I make a point of saying this because I am afraid you were premature in the wedding announcement released yesterday, Mr. Darcy.”

Elizabeth glanced at Darcy and found him frowning. “How do you mean, my lord?”

Bishop Keller paused as he was about to lift his pen from the ink bottle and looked up. “Couples must wait seven days from the issue of a standard license before they can marry, Mr. Darcy. Did I not tell you so yesterday when you stopped by?”

Elizabeth noted Darcy clenching his jaw and wrapped her hand around his arm. He glanced at her, sighed, and smiled before turning his gaze back to the clergyman. “If you did, my lord, I do not recall it.”

Bishop Keller let the pen fall back into the ink and sat back. “Is there any reason that Saturday next is necessary?”

Elizabeth felt her cheeks warming, understanding the question hidden in the words actually used. “No particular reason, my lord.”

“There is, perhaps, one reason,” said Darcy.

“Lady Catherine de Bourgh, my aunt, is not pleased with me for choosing Miss Elizabeth rather than her daughter for my wife. Miss Elizabeth and I agreed on Saturday next for our wedding date to give her as little time as possible to try and prevent it taking place.”

The bishop lifted an eyebrow in surprise, then said, “Your uncle, the Earl of Disley, could perchance get you an appointment with the archbishop at Doctors Commons tomorrow or Tuesday. I am sure you are aware how rarely special licenses are issued, but if you are as honest with The Most Reverend Mr. Manners-Sutton as you have been with me, he may be swayed. Otherwise, it is the standard license and a seven-day wait, or the banns and a month’s wait. ”

Elizabeth looked up at Darcy at the same moment he turned his head to look at her. “What is your opinion, my dear?” he asked her.

She drew a breath, glanced briefly at Jane—who offered a sympathetic smile—then looked up at Darcy again.

“I know I said last night when we talked of it that I would not allow your aunt to ruin our happiness, but if you are truly concerned that she may act against us, I would honestly rather be married before she has a chance to try and make things difficult. I am sorry she is disappointed, of course, but it does not give her the right to try and stop you marrying where you choose.”

Darcy held her gaze for several seconds, then nodded and said, “Then I shall call on my uncle after returning you and your sister to yours, that we may apply to speak to His Grace.”

He then thanked Bishop Keller for his time and bowed his head; Elizabeth and Jane curtsied, then after taking back their statements and Mr. Bennet’s letter, the three took their leave.

When they were in the carriage and on their way back to Gracechurch Street, Darcy heaved a sigh. “Well, perhaps it’s for the best. It may even work to our advantage, if the archbishop can be convinced to grant me a license.”

“How do you mean, Mr. Darcy?” asked Elizabeth.

Darcy flicked his eyes to Jane, then back to Elizabeth.

“After your family took their leave last night, there was some… discussion as to what Bingley might do about Caroline. He is very angry at both his sisters, though given how quickly I obtained his forgiveness, I believe he is more upset because they have shown no remorse. Despite this, he wishes for her to find some happiness, and he admitted to being ill-qualified to manage her and her ambition to rise in society.”

Elizabeth exchanged a look of wonder and curiosity with Jane, who looked to Darcy and said, “I fail to understand what Miss Bingley has to do with you and Lizzy getting married, Mr. Darcy.”

Darcy flashed a brief smile. “My cousin Philip—Lord Rowarth, that is—commented that it was just their luck, his and Colonel Fitzwilliam’s, that two beautiful women had come to town and were already spoken for.”

The sisters looked to one another again and smiled at the compliment.

“Fitzwilliam reminded his brother that as a second son, he must unfortunately exercise more discretion in his choice of bride,” Darcy went on, “to which Bingley—obviously reflecting on his vexation with his sisters—asked him if twenty thousand pounds would satisfy him.”

Elizabeth looked to Jane a third time. Her sister’s eyes were wide as though startled. “He didn’t!” she cried softly.

Darcy chuckled. “He did indeed, and from there the discussion of her fortune, what little Fitzwilliam has invested, and what else the colonel could expect from his father upon his marriage took place. The numbers bandied about, including three thousand in rents from the colonel’s favorite of his father’s other properties, would give them just over five thousand a year if they married. ”

Elizabeth had to laugh. “I do not imagine Colonel Fitzwilliam was too pleased to have you all deciding he should marry Caroline Bingley!”

Darcy grinned. “He did at one point refer to her as a ‘classist snob of a shrew’,” he replied, then quickly sobered. “I should not take such delight in Miss Bingley being insulted in such a manner, nor should I have even repeated the words.”

“We are in private conversation, Mr. Darcy—nothing said inside this carriage shall go beyond it,” Elizabeth reassured him.

“Colonel Fitzwilliam seemed a very amiable gentleman,” said Jane. “Rather more affable than I would expect Caroline to attract on her own. Have you any idea what sort of military commander he is?”