Page 92 of Collins Takes Charge

“May I have a private interview with Miss Bennet with an eye to proposing marriage to her?” Hilldale requested before his cousin could speak. He would not allow William to ask first this time like he did when they had begun courting their respective Bennet sister.

“Darcy, I assume that you have the same question for me with regard to Lizzy,” Bennet guessed.

“Yes, Bennet, I do,” Darcy agreed.

“It will have to be my study as there are guests in every room on this floor. I will have one or two of the small footmen outside in the hallway, and you know about not closing the door. You each have ten minutes,” Bennet allowed. “As Jane is the eldest, Hilldale, you may address her first. Then, it will be your turn Darcy. I know that you and Lizzy share a trait of not being very patient, but in this case, you will have to wait no more than ten minutes.” He turned to Hilldale who was smirking at his cousin. “I will be available to speak to you after you have both paid your addresses. How many I speak to will depend on the replies my daughters give you.”

Now it was Darcy’s turn to smirk at his cousin whose face had fallen, when Hilldale realised permission would be granted at the same time. He, Richard, and William had been competitive among themselves since they had been old enough to compete.

Hilldale found Jane in the drawing room speaking to Charlotte Forster and one of the Long sisters. “Miss Bennet, would you do me the honour of joining me in your father’s study?” Hilldale requested. He did not miss the way his beloved lit up with pleasure at his question. He offered her his arm and led her out of the room with the sounds of Mrs Forster’s and Miss Long’s speculation wafting behind him.

Elizabeth watched as Andrew—they had all been asked to address him thusly—led Jane out of the room. She did not miss the pleasure on the countenances of Lord and Lady Matlock—Uncle Reggie and Aunt Elaine—as they watched the couple leave. She felt envious, not because she begrudged Jane her happiness, but rather because she had fallen deeply in love with William—he was no longer Mr Darcy in her thoughts—and was hoping he would not wait too much longer before proposing to her, if he intended to.

Darcy had re-entered the room behind Andrew. If he had any doubts about his dearest, loveliest Elizabeth’s desire for him to speak, they were washed away when he saw the look of longing as she watched Andrew and her older sister leave the room.

“If you are amenable, may we speak in the study after Andrew and your sister? I have a very particular question I would like to ask you,” Darcy said next to her ear as he came up behind her. There was no missing the look of pure pleasure which came over her face.

“I would be happy to hear anything you desire to ask me,” Elizabeth responded breathily. She was sure that William could hear her heart beating wildly. Elizabeth wondered if Jane was engaged already.

In the study, Hilldale had made a succinct proposal, and Jane had responded in the affirmative without wasting words. The bulk of their ten minutes was spent expressing their love with their lips. By the time either John or Brian cleared his throat—they were standing either side of the door—Jane was breathless and wished they did not need to cease kissing one another.

Jane pulled the door open, and after the minute it took to put things to rights, she accepted her betrothed’s arm and walked back to the drawing room next to Andrew. She knew her lips were red and swollen, but she cared not who knew she had been kissed by the man she loved.

There was no missing the ethereal glow of pleasure surrounding Andrew and Jane when they returned to the drawing room. As happy as Elizabeth was for Jane, the fact that William was about to propose to her had her overjoyed and feeling like she could walk on air. She did not remember William offering, or her accepting, his arm. Before she knew it, she saw John and Brian standing sentinel in the hallway as they had entered Papa’s study. She watched as William pushed the door until it was closed, except for two or three inches.

Darcy stood in front of his beloved Elizabeth after setting the door. It was not his imagination; he saw love and tenderness in her looks directed toward him. He needed no further encouragement. He took each of her dainty hands into his. She offered no resistance. Had it not have taken some of the far too precious time he had been allowed, he would have kissed the inside wrist of each like he did when they first began courting. Instead, he lowered himself onto one knee, never releasing either of her hands. “Elizabeth Rose Bennet, you must allow me to tell you how ardently I love, admire, and respect you. It is a miracle we are at this point given my behaviour when we first met.”

He continued speaking before Elizabeth could protest. “I know that I need to move forward and remember the past only as it gives me pleasure. I mention this to illuminate the fact that I have learnt from my past errors. Elizabeth, I loved you when I asked for a courtship with you. In fact, I was already in love with you the day you walked to Netherfield Park to care for your sister. The difference then was that I was fighting my inclination. As soon as I stopped, the only question became whether I was good enough for you. I pray that is so, and if it is, I beg you to be my partner, my confidant, my lover, and my wife. Elizabeth Rose Bennet, will you marry me?”

“Fitzwilliam Alexander Robert Darcy, I love you with the intensity of a thousand suns. It has been some weeks now that I have known that you are the only man I would ever agree to marry. Not only did I come to love you, William, but I respect you too. The more I learnt about you, what an excellent brother, friend, master, and landlord you are, the more my respect for you grew. With that said, there is only one reply I can offer you. Yes, William, I will marry you, and only you.”

William stood and as if by prior agreement, they each took a step one towards the other. His head tilted down and hers up. His arms snaked around her waist and hers held onto his shoulders. The instant their lips touched, Elizabeth closed her eyes, and she took a sharp intake of breath.

Elizabeth’s lips tingled where William’s had brushed hers. He had pulled back after the chaste kiss, looking at her to assure himself that she was sanguine with what he had done. Her answer was to release one of his shoulders and allow her fingers to run through his wavy dark hair. Then, she gently applied pressure bringing William’s face back to hers. This time their lips crushed together, and all attempts at chaste kissing was abandoned.

Darcy was delighted that Elizabeth had wanted, no demanded, more kisses. It was not long before his tongue flicked against her lips. Rather than pull away, her mouth opened, and soon, their tongues were exploring one another as they danced together.

There was a knock on the door. Evidently, they had missed the clearing of throats when they had been lost in their mutual passion. They each took a step back, and Darcy pulled the door open as he was closest to it. He returned to where he had been standing and with the door open, they stood panting, their foreheads touching. They jumped apart when Elizabeth’s father entered with Hilldale in tow.

“Given the evidence I see before me, Lizzy, you accepted Darcy, did you not?” Bennet asked.

All Elizabeth could do was nod, and certainly not look her father in the eye.

“Then, I suggest you return to our guests and seek out Jane. The gentlemen and I have things to discuss,” Bennet said.

As embarrassed as she was, Elizabeth did not need to be told twice.

“There is no need to make this a protracted conversation. I know from each of my two eldest daughters that they accepted the man who proposed to them. Hilldale, you do not need my consent as Jane is of age, but you do have my blessing. Darcy, you have my blessing and also my permission.” Bennet shook his head. “In a short span of time, I have gone from having no sons to having three, and one of them is named Bennet. Do not dare ever mistreat my daughters.” He looked at Hilldale and then Darcy squarely in the eye.

“I would sooner die,” Hilldale swore.

“As would I,” Darcy agreed. “Elizabeth’s happiness will be my life’s main concern.”

“Why did you two wait so long? It has been obvious to me for some days that my daughters would accept you.”

Hilldale looked at William who nodded. “We did not want to take away from our soon-to-be brother’s and sister’s celebration,” Hilldale said for both. “For myself, as much as I wanted to have Jane as my affianced, a few more days hurt nothing in the scheme of things.”

“I agree with everything he said,” Darcy added.