Chapter 10

10

E lizabeth knew the tears running down her face must be causing the shock on his face, and she hastily smiled through her tears.

"They are tears of joy, William. Do not be dismayed."

He rose from bended knee and hesitated, still appearing uncertain, and her own heart knew pain at the sight of this and she pressed herself into his embrace. "Yes, dearest William. I will marry you. I believe I love you more than you love me."

"Impossible!" His arms came round her fully and he crushed her to him, his lips meeting hers in the briefest of pleasures, and the sensation echoed right through her.

"Beloved Elizabeth, thank you. Thank you for consenting to be Mrs. Darcy." His voice was thick with emotion, and his forehead touched hers. "Might you agree to it being as soon as possible? I am impatient to make you mine before some other drama tries to part us."

She huffed a little laugh. "I am not certain how much Mama will wish to make of the occasion — having not had the pleasure of arranging Lydia's wedding, I expect she will wish to make much of the next."

His arms tightened further around her. "Then we will have to hurry Bingley and your sister to make a declaration. Then she will be so busy planning that one, we can be married and gone, causing her barely a ripple."

"Oh, William! We cannot do that; I must be with Jane on her wedding day — I promised to stand up with her, you see."

There was a quiet cough from the door, and William reluctantly dropped his arms. Elizabeth shivered at the feeling of loss.

They turned to see her aunt smiling gently in the doorway. "Am I to wish you joy?"

William took Elizabeth's hand. "We would be glad of your good wishes, madam. Elizabeth has honoured me by accepting my plea for her hand."

Elizabeth reached up on tiptoe to his ear. "And the rest of me," she whispered, and his hand tightened around hers.

"Perhaps, Mrs. Gardiner, we might change our plans for the morning. Rather than the museum, I would like to walk out with Elizabeth in the park. Might we see if Miss Bennet and Bingley would agree?"

Soon they were walking along the Serpentine in the Great Park, the sun sparkling on the water, and Elizabeth sighed happily. Her hand was resting on William's arm, the warmth of his presence doing strange things to her equilibrium, and, as she glanced at him, her heart beat a little faster. For the first time, he seemed relaxed, standing a little taller, his stance more open than she remembered before.

What would it be like, to be married to him? She knew she blushed at the thought.

He chuckled and looked down at her. "I hope you are not becoming concerned about all the new things that you will learn, my dear." He sounded indulgent, before he dipped his head towards hers, and lowered his voice still further. "You are the strongest of ladies. A lady who will even do the unthinkable to discipline her sister who had needed such from the nursery. No, we will learn together, dearest. All I ask is that we end each day in full accord with each other and that you tell me at once if I do anything to offend."

She knew her smile was rather uncertain. "I remember how much I loved Pemberley when I visited, William. I am a little troubled whether I can be a good mistress of such a large estate."

"Together, Elizabeth. We will care for the estate together. My staff are very good and you will be perfect — you are kind, strong, and experienced from looking after the tenants at Longbourn. Pemberley is no different except in scale." He squeezed her hand with his arm.

"Now, madam, if you would care to step off the path just here, there is an interesting planting around the corner."

Elizabeth tried to stop her lips twitching. She had been aware that William was steering her away from the busy path, and somewhat ahead of Jane and Mr. Bingley, and she was right. No sooner were they secluded behind a planting that was only interesting because of its dense foliage, than he drew her to him, and took her in his arms.

His lips on hers were both gentle and demanding. Elizabeth wasn't about to try to work out how that could be, she was more concerned with her legs, which were threatening to buckle beneath her. His arms tightened more and he lifted his head. "Are you well?" he murmured.

"Mmm-hmm." Elizabeth wound her arms round his neck. "Do pay attention, William. You can hold me up while you continue."

He chuckled. "I could. But we might be discovered." He dropped a brief kiss on her forehead. "Perhaps you will agree now to marry me very soon."

"You have an — unusual — way of being persuasive, Mr. Darcy." Elizabeth laughed. "Very well, if Papa consents and if you can persuade Mama. And, if you can arrange it that I will still be available to stand up with Jane, then I will agree."

His eyebrow rose. "And the other nine requests?"

Elizabeth frowned. "Nine?"

"You seem to be setting me the twelve labours of Hercules, Miss Elizabeth. I would know them all before I begin the list."

They laughed together and returned to the path.