Page 59 of When Elizabeth Said Yes

And he found he too was full of energy, because her trusting his judgement, well, that meant a lot to him. More than he knew how to put into words.

◆◆◆

After her talk with Darcy, Elizabeth felt better about the situation with Jane and Bingley. Darcy had been misguided in his judgement of Jane and Bingley’s relationship, certainly, but she did not believe he would think a man was good if he was the sort of man who would kiss a girl and walk away.

He had left her at the bottom of the garden. He had been keen to walk her straight to the door, but she had told him there was little trouble she could get into in that short distance and decided it would be better if her family did not know they had been alone.

She would never hear the end of it.

And, after all, nothing had happened. They had merely talked. She had worn his coat, which, as she entered through the kitchens, she belatedly realised she was still wearing.

She should have given it back to him for the walk back to Netherfield, for he would surely be cold without it, and she knew it would not do for anyone to see her with it. It suggested they had been together in a state of undress, did it not?

And that was certainly not the case.

So she shrugged it off, folded it and hid it behind some pots and pans in the kitchen, planning to go back later in order to retrieve it and return it to its owner.

He had not kissed her, and yet she felt more settled than she had.

Because there was something about the air between them in the church that made her think he wanted to.

And that was all she had worried about. What if she wanted to and he did not?

But as long as they both wanted to, well, it could wait until they were married, could it not?

Mrs Elizabeth Darcy.

She sat in the parlour that afternoon, writing a letter to her Aunt Gardiner, who would soon be travelling to Longbourn for the wedding, and on an errant scrap of parchment, she wrote those three words.

Mrs Elizabeth Darcy.

She had not wanted to marry him.

She had only said yes to save her family.

So how was she counting down the days until they were legally wed?

Chapter Thirty-Four

Christmas passed quietly, as they were all still in mourning, and therefore attended no celebrations, nor hosted any of their own. The first Christmas without Papa hit all of them hard – and Elizabeth felt herself keen for the New Year.

For many reasons.

The night before the wedding had felt like it would never come.

The banns had been read three times and there had been no objections.

Elizabeth had purchased a new gown for her wedding. Simple and in blue rather than her mourning black, which felt rather odd, but was certainly more appropriate.

Darcy had, of course, offered to pay for anything she might need, but she felt like she should not accept his money until they were married. After all, before then, she was not his responsibility, was she?

Finally, the wedding was the following day, and the waiting was over.

And yet, as excited as she had been, as much as she had anticipated this day, she found she was full of nerves.

What if he did not turn up? What if Lady Catherine did and caused a scene? What if she did not have a clue what to do on their wedding night?

What if he realised she did not love him?