Chapter 19

After the service, Darcy returned to Netherfield and joined Bingley in the dining room. "Good afternoon," he offered in greeting to his friend.

"Darcy, help me understand something," Bingley began, looking petulantly at his friend. Darcy looked at him in confusion as he watched his friend move restlessly as he attempted to decide what to say. "How is it that we returned so I could further my relationship with Miss Bennet, yet you are the one who is engaged? You and Miss Elizabeth argued often when we were here in the autumn, and I thought you were determined to stay away from her. How have you managed this feat?"

Grinning, Darcy sat down at the table after making his food selections and pouring a cup of coffee. "First, Elizabeth and I unexpectedly met again in Kent and came to an understanding there. My bride's tendency to walk in the mornings made it easier for us to meet and speak privately when we were there. That allowed us to come to an understanding before we left the area, though we did not say anything until after we arrived here and I could speak with her father. Honestly, I thought we would need to court for much longer before I convinced her to accept me, but well … our conversations helped clear up our misunderstandings from our previous acquaintance."

"But I thought she did not even like you," Bingley whined.

"Be that as it may, we have cleared up any wrong impressions of each other and now understand one another. I apologised for my rudeness at the assembly where we first met and that allowed her to see matters differently. We have spoken quite a bit and have come to the realisation that we are both in love and desire to marry the other."

"Should I ask Miss Bennet to marry me?"

Darcy sat back and slowly let out a breath. "Bingley, I cannot answer that question for you. Since you are the one who has spent time with Miss Bennet, you will need to determine for yourself what Miss Bennet feels for you. Before we left for London in the autumn, you believed she cared for you and were ready to offer for her. However, your sisters and I convinced you she did not return your affection, although I soon corrected my impression and encouraged you to seek your happiness. You did not go to Hertfordshire and allowed your sister to persuade you to remain in London. Months later, after you learned she was in London, you still delayed visiting her for weeks, and now you have been in Hertfordshire for ten days. I now know I should have said nothing to you about Miss Bennet's feelings toward you, as I am not qualified to advise anyone in this area. Seriously, man, what do the two of you speak about when you are together?"

"This and that. We speak of the weather, her sisters, my sisters, the neighbours…"

"Do you never speak of any deeper topics?"

"Like what?"

"Things that matter, Bingley! If you want to marry the woman, do you know if she wants to remain at Netherfield permanently? Does she want children? What does she imagine for your future? Does she prefer to live in the country or in town? Does she want the same things out of life as you? What interests do you share? Does she like to ride, to read, to knit? What do you know about her?" Darcy fired off questions as he stared at his confused friend. Even though Elizabeth had not always loved him—had not even liked him for much of their acquaintance—they had discussed quite a few topics, and he knew they shared many ideas and beliefs in common. He knew how he felt about Elizabeth and little would have kept him apart from her, especially now that he knew she returned his love.

Bingley just sat and blinked at his friend. "You have spoken to Miss Elizabeth about all of that?"

Darcy blushed a little. "No, not about all of those, though we have discussed our common interests and things that matter most to us. Of course, her father's stubborn refusal to see reason made our courtship more difficult, but it has forced us to look at matters differently. Nonetheless, we know we are well suited to each other and will do well together in our marriage."

"How do you know?"

Darcy thought for a moment. "I simply know. We share many of the same values and ideals, and while our social status may not be the same, I believe Elizabeth will benefit me far more than I will her. Her ease of manner will temper my unease in society. You know I am not at my best in social situations—I am just as likely to offend as I am anything else—but Elizabeth can speak to everyone effortlessly and naturally. My knowledge of the world may benefit her, but truly, it is I who will need to prove myself to be worthy of her. She is by far the superior creature. While she may struggle initially to be accepted by the ton, eventually, she will win them all over with her humour and wit. She is an exceptional woman and I cannot wait to make her my bride."

Bingley stared at his friend. "Never in my life would I have expected to hear you speak thus."

"Bingley, since I came of age, I have been responsible for hundreds of people under my care. Not only that, but countless women of the ton have pursued me and encouraged me to think well of myself. Elizabeth has encouraged me to think of matters differently, and I admire her for it. I love her, Bingley, and I do not feel complete without her. I need her. Think about that before you decide what to do about Miss Bennet."

Frustrated, Darcy stalked from the room, not looking back to see how his friend accepted his words.