Page 28 of Eavesdroppers Never Hear
“I would like to ask you two questions, Miss Elizabeth. You may answer them in any order and at your own pace. I will remain in the area until you answer both. Does that seem fair?”
“I suppose it depends on the questions.”
“Then allow me to proceed with the first… but I will request you hold all answers until you have heard all the questions.”
“By all means,” she said with a nervous smile.
“Miss Elizabeth Bennet. You must allow me to tell you how much I admire and love you. I would humbly ask your permission to court you, so we may decide if we can make the love match that I believe we both earnestly desire.”
Elizabeth stared, eyes round as saucers, and finally nodded to acknowledge she had at least heard and understood.
“The second question?” she asked nervously.
“Miss Elizabeth, I believe you are the love of my life, and I could be yours if we respect each other and work for it. I humbly request the honour of your hand in marriage.”
Mary and Elizabeth both stared with tears in their eyes. This wasnothow proposals were supposed to work, but it was a thing of beauty in its simplicity.
Darcy chuckled. “I suppose I should have gone on my knees for the last one, but it would have given the game away early.”
The ladies laughed along with him, feeling much more sanguine about the whole thing.
Mary said, “I suppose the freezing cold ground had no effect on your decision.”
“As I told your sister, we are tougher than average up north… but not entirely stupid, my behaviour the last month notwithstanding.”
Mary laughed but noticed Elizabeth had not really been paying attention. She raised an eyebrow in question.
Elizabeth reached out both hands to Darcy, and he took them in his.
“To the first question, I would be very happy to have you call on me, so you may consider that one answered. I suppose you should speak to my father so we can do this courtship as properly as possible, but let us keep it among our tight circle for a few days. I should like to break the news to my mother gradually.”
“Agreed! I assume the small circle includes Miss Bennet, as well as my sister and my cousin. It will not include Bingley until Mrs Bennet knows.”
“Agreed,” both sisters said simultaneously.
“I suppose we should get out of the cold, and you should speak to my father,” Elizabeth said.
“It seems advisable to do so before I muck it up,” Darcy said with a chuckle.
He offered an arm to both ladies, and they walked toward Longbourn and their shared fate.
Just before they entered, Elizabeth said, “I promise an answer to your second question before the new year.”
He smiled and gave her a brief kiss on the back of her hand.
14.Backgammon
Mrs Bennet startled when Mr Darcy appeared in her parlour at the start of calling hours the next day, but she recovered well enough to welcome him cordially.
Once civilities were exchanged, the matron said, “Pray, be seated,” barely refraining from suggesting he choose between Lydia and Jane as a partner, even though she had arranged the seating so there was little choice.
“I fear I will not have leisure for extensive discourse this morning, madam. Miss Elizabeth and I are engaged for a game of backgammon. I shall lunch at the Schotte estate, so I can only stay an hour or so.”
“Oh, that is a shame. We shall have a good meal today.”
“I shall endeavour to avail myself of your hospitality at my earliest opportunity,” he said gently (much to Elizabeth’s approval). “I am engaged with the Schutte’s today and am shooting with the Gouldings and a few other gentlemen tomorrow, but I shall share a meal as soon as might be arranged.”
Mrs Bennet idly wondered when the backgammon challenge was made and accepted (as did Elizabeth) but gamely thought anything that kept the man in the house for an hour was to be commended—even if there was a good chance Elizabeth would drive him away in the end.
