Page 85 of Collins Takes Charge

Jane already had very tender feelings for Lord Hilldale. He treated her like an intelligent person and not a possession to be placed on a pedestal, admired, or displayed. She knew he enjoyed her company as evidenced by his presence at Longbourn every day. He did not ignore everyone else like Mr Bingley used to when he was attempting to pay court to her, but he did spend the majority of his time in company with them being attentive to her. Mr Bingley had paid her more attention, but there was no comparison with the quality of the viscount’s time with her. They spoke of their common interests, hopes, and dreams. Other than her family members, Jane could not think of another with whom she was so relaxed and open. As such, there was only one reply she could give. “It would be my pleasure to grant you an interview, Lord Hilldale.”

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

Darcy led Miss Elizabeth into the parlour she had indicated. Mrs Annesley followed them. She took a seat in the far corner while he led the lady he loved to the opposite corner where there was a sofa against the wall. He helped her to sit and then sat as well, making sure to leave more than enough room between them.

Seeing that Mr Darcy was not down on one knee enabled Elizabeth to visibly relax.

There was no missing her reaction. “You did not think I would be so precipitous as to propose to you so soon after we have managed to get beyond our misunderstandings and my atrocious behaviour, did you?” Darcy asked.

“I jumped to a conclusion before I knew what you were about, so yes, I was concerned that that would be what you wanted to ask me,” Elizabeth admitted.

“Before I proposed that we begin again, I was fully aware that we were in very different places, with respect to our feelings. I had already fallen in love with you, and you disliked me intensely.” Darcy raised his hand when he saw she was about to speak. “Thanks to my improper pride, I hid my admiration for you, telling myself that your lack of fortune, connections, and consequence would not allow me to offer for you. It was a battle royale between my heart and my head. It is why I was so changeable while you were a guest at Netherfield Park. When my heart governed, I was open, almost affable, with you. When my head was leading, you saw the taciturn, sometimes silent man. As I said when I apologised, I thought you were being flirtatious when in fact you were trying to needle me.

“Since the meeting I had with your Cousin Collins…” Darcy continued.

“He is now Cousin Bennet. He, and his brother, have reclaimed the Bennet name,” Elizabeth revealed.

“At that time, he was still Mr Collins,” Darcy clarified. “Since then, when I realised how bad my behaviour had been and how wrong my ideas were, my heart and head have been in accord. It is for the reason that I know that our feelings are unequal that I ask you to grant me a courtship. If you agree, I want you to come to know the true me. My hope is that you will come to love me as I love you and when you are ready to do so, you will accept me as your future husband.”

“If I accept, I want you to promise you will cease berating yourself for your past errors. Lord above knows, I made enough of my own,” Elizabeth said. “You must learn from my philosophy. Learn from the past, but then only remember the past as that remembrance gives you pleasure.”

“I will endeavour to do that, but you have not answered my question.”

“Then, I will now. Since you apologised and we began again, I have seen a man I am able to admire. Hence, my answer is yes, pending you applying to my father, I will enter into a courtship with you.”

As much as Darcy wanted nothing more than to kiss her plump, rosy lips, he restrained himself and took first one, then her other hand. He gently turned each one over and kissed her above the pulse on each wrist. He was happy to see the way her eyes got large, and she made no attempt to withdraw either hand while he held it and kissed each one.

Elizabeth could hear her heart thundering in her ears. If this was how she reacted to a kiss on her wrists, what would it be like if, when, he kissed her lips?

“I need to go to your father,” Darcy stated as he stood.

It took Elizabeth a few minutes before she was able to command her legs to move.

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

As soon as he saw Miss Elizabeth and Mrs Annesley return to the drawing room, Hilldale requested that the companion accompany him and Miss Bennet to the same parlour.

Walking out of the drawing room, they could hear someone down the hall knocking on the door of Bennet’s study.

Bennet was working on his ledgers. He looked up and saw a nervous looking Darcy before him. As much as he knew it was inevitable, he had not thought someone would be asking him for a second daughter on the day Mary became engaged. He pointed to the chairs before his desk, and the tall man ceased his pacing and sat.

“Mr Bennet, I requested that Miss Elizabeth grant me a courtship, and she has done so. I am asking for your permission and hopefully your blessing.” Darcy was about to launch into a soliloquy about how changed he was and the improvements he had made when, in his head, Elizabeth’s voice told him to concentrate on the future.

“I am aware that you two did not have an auspicious beginning, however, I am also cognisant of the fact that you apologised, Lizzy accepted your apology, and since then you two have enjoyed each other’s company. I know my second daughter’s character. If she had any serious doubt about your compatibility with her, she would have refused to grant even a courtship. As such, you have my consent and blessing to court Lizzy,” Bennet agreed.

“Thank you, Mr Bennet,” Darcy offered.

“Bennet. Please call me Bennet. If Lizzy accepts you when you propose, I believe you two will be happy.”

“Before I leave, I have written to Kildare and told him that you would like to interview him for the position of steward here. I did not want to tell you before we spoke of my request to Miss Elizabeth as I did not want it to seem like the one was connected to the other,” Darcy explained.

“That is good because I have written to my cousin near Faversham to send me a man he put forward,” Bennet stated.

Darcy stood, shook Bennet’s hand and left the study only to find a grinning Andrew in the hallway outside the door. He stood back and allowed his older cousin to pass him and walk into the study before he pulled the door closed.

Before Bennet could return to his ledgers, another suitor was before him. Even though Jane was of age, Lord Hilldale was requesting a courtship and for his blessing. “Lord Hilldale, I understand that you are serious in your admiration for my Jane. However, she is the daughter of a minor country squire with connections to trade. Will your noble parents accept your choice and, just as important, how will the Ton treat my daughter?”

“Jane, Miss Bennet, asked the same before she accepted my offer of a courtship,” Hilldale revealed. “I will tell you what I told her. My parents will love her. Their only requirement was gentle birth. My mother is part of a group of ladies who are leaders in society. Once they make it known that Miss Bennet has their approbation, none will want to commit social suicide by crossing them.”