by P A Hill
The announcement of the engagement did not surprise Elizabeth or Darcy and the two secretly grinned at each other because they had their own secret. Elizabeth knew there would be great jubilation at Longbourn and suspected her news a few days later would bring more joy, but Jane delayed telling her news until the following day. That night Jane and Elizabeth talked before bed about the engagement.
“Lizzy, I am so happy and never believed I could feel this way. Your trip to Rosings and your telling Mr. Darcy what you did has brought Mr. Bingley back to Netherfield.”
“I am certain it helped, but Mr. Bingley had already made the decision to return. Still, Mr. Darcy convinced him that such a trip was necessary.”
***
That next morning the story in The Times appeared and all celebrated the news of Wickham’s release. Mrs. Bennet was very excited as she heard the news and all knew Mr. Darcy was mainly the person responsible for saving Wickham.
Back at Netherfield, Darcy and Bingley and Georgiana prepared to visit Longbourn where Bingley would meet with Mr. Bennet.
As the three friends arrived at Longbourn the sisters came outside to greet the others as Mr. Bingley wasted little time in going directly to Mr. Bennet’s library.
“Come in Mr. Bingley,” Mr. Bennet responded to the man’s knock. “Come have a seat and tell me what you may wish to speak of this fine glorious day.”
“You appear to be very happy today Mr. Bennet. I like to see you this way.”
“Thank you, but will what you are going to say make me feel better or worse? You see, I am just ecstatic that Mr. Wickham has been set free.”
“Mr. Bennet, last evening I asked Miss Bennet to marry me and she accepted my proposal. I hope this news does not make you unhappy, but my desire is to marry her and make her the happiest woman in all of England. I have come for your blessing, sir.”
“You act nervous, Mr. Bingley. As you know I have never had a son but I am very pleased to have you as my son-in-law. Please go and get Jane and return to see me.”
Jane and Mr. Bingley came into the library and Mr. Bennet spoke with them and bestowed his blessing for their engagement. After a toast with his best cognac, he let them leave and tell the others in the house. Moments later Mrs. Bennet was so overcome with unbridled exuberance that she nearly had a fainting spell.
Darcy and Elizabeth let Jane and Bingley have their day and knew that this process would be repeated in another day. As Georgiana and the younger Bennet sisters went off together, Darcy and Elizabeth walked into the garden.
“I need to ask you something, Mr. Darcy. When Mr. Bingley returned to Netherfield did you believe you would ever see this?”
“Yes, Miss Bennet, I did. I was confident that they would marry and I am so very proud that you and I will also soon be married.”
“Were you confident that you and I would marry? I should imagine that after Rosings you considered I would never care to see you again.”
“Miss Bennet, I did not give myself much of a chance after Rosings, but I was determined to see you under happier circumstances and seeing your sister and Jane back together was my first priority. After that I desired to take every opportunity with you to show that I am a better man than you thought. I did think my letter to you may have helped my cause. Every night I prayed that you might love me and give me a second chance.”
“I am very much in love with you Mr. Darcy, but do you believe my papa will give his blessing?”
“I pray he will, Miss Bennet, but if he does not, I have another plan, for I will ask for Mrs. Bennet’s help to get him to change his mind.”
Elizabeth and Darcy laughed at the same time.
The next day Darcy arrived at Longbourn with Georgiana and whilst Elizabeth and Georgiana were visiting, he knocked on Mr. Bennet’s door.
“Come in Mr. Darcy,” Mr. Bennet said. “I am glad to see you sir and to congratulate you on your campaign to free Mr. Wickham. Have you got any more articles coming out anytime soon?”
“I hope to have a small story, Mr. Bennet, but that depends on you.”
“You are making things hard for me, Mr. Darcy. The last two days I have heard very exciting news whilst sitting here. There was the good news about Mr. Wickham and then there was the news yesterday about Jane and your friend. Unless you have news to compete with those headlines, you might wish to speak with me another day.”
“You will have to be the judge, Mr. Bennet. On the very day that my friend proposed to your daughter, I proposed to Miss Elizabeth and she accepted my proposal. I am here to ask for your blessing to marry. When Miss Elizabeth and I learned of my friend’s and Miss Bennet’s engagement we thought to hold off on our announcement to give them their day.”
“I see, Mr. Darcy. You must think I am an awful man to hesitate on giving you my answer but please hear me out. From the first time I saw you and Lizzy interact I felt she was fascinated with you and I noticed how you both acted around each other. It certainly took you a long time to recover from your remark about her beauty when you met at the assembly, but you did. You have earned her love and I am certain she loves you very much. I do approve of your marriage and I am happy to have a second son-in-law. Now please go get Lizzy and bring her back with you.
Darcy left and minutes later Elizabeth and him returned.
“Lizzy,” he said, “your friend has asked for my blessing for your engagement and I have granted it. I am very happy to have you marry this fine man. Mr. Darcy, I do not know another man that I would approve of my Lizzy marrying, so I shall drink a toast to you both and then let you go and bring Mrs. Bennet into another bout of hysterics when she hears of the news.”
After they left the Library they walked outside a few minutes before returning inside. All were in the drawing room as Elizabeth went over to her mother and whispered to her about the engagement. Longbourn again saw a grand celebration as Mrs. Bennet had never been as excited as the last two days. Georgiana hugged her brother and Elizabeth and her soon to be new sisters.
That evening the grand dinner that Mrs. Bennet had planned to celebrate her eldest daughter’s engagement now served to celebrate Elizabeth’s engagement as well.
The dates for the weddings had not been scheduled but all was well for the two gentleman and their ladies.
Darcy was probably the happiest of all present. He knew that his prayers had been answered and he had made the best of it. That night he prayed long and hard and thanked his maker for all his many blessings and for his second chance with Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
