she guessed I had told him, then he said: ‘Mrs Bennet,
have you no more lanes hereabouts in which Lizzy may
lose her way again today?’
Mrs Bennet was all too ready to fall in with his suggestion, eager to allow him a little privacy with Jane. She
suggested we walk to Oakham Mount. Bingley, in lively
humour, said he was sure it would be too much for Kitty,
and Kitty agreed she would rather stay at home. It is a
change to have Bingley ordering my life for me! But I
could not complain, since a few minutes later I found
myself out of doors and free to talk to Elizabeth.
‘I must ask your father for his consent to the marriage,’ I said, as we wandered towards the mount.
‘And if he does not give it?’ she asked with an arch
smile.
‘Then I will have to carry you off without it,’ I said.
‘Do you think he will withhold it?’ I asked her more
seriously.
‘No. I am not afraid of what he might say.At least, not
once he comes to know you, though to begin with he
might be surprised.When Mr Collins’s letter came…’
She broke off.
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I looked at her enquiringly.
‘Mr Collins wrote to him, telling him that I must not
marry you, as it would anger Lady Catherine!’
‘And what did your father reply?’
‘He is too busy savouring the joke to write back.’
‘I can see I will have a difficult time with him.Will he
think I am joking when I ask for your hand?’
‘I don’t believe he will dare,’ she said.
She spoke lightly, but I could tell she was troubled.
‘I will take pains to know him,’ I said. ‘He and I will
come to understand each other better, and I will make
sure he does not ever regret giving his consent.’
We walked on.
‘And then there is my mother,’ she said.
‘Will I stop being that man, do you think?’ I asked her
with a smile.
‘Don’t,’ she said with a shudder. ‘If you knew how
many times I have blushed for her, or wished her to be
silent. I think I will tell her when she is alone,’ she went
on. ‘Then she will have a chance to overcome the first
shock, and perhaps it will make her more rational when
she speaks to you.’
‘Exactly Bingley’s feelings, when deciding it would be
better if he told Caroline!’
‘I wonder if she will continue to find your handwriting so even once you are married?’
‘I fear not. She will probably think it uncommonly
untidy.’
We reached the top of the mount.
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‘Well, and what do you think of the view?’ Elizabeth
asked me.
I turned to look at her.
‘I like it very much,’ I said.
She looked so beautiful that I gave in to the urge to
kiss her. She was surprised at first, but then responded
warmly, and I knew our marriage would be a happy one
in every way.
We walked on together, talking of the future. I am
eager to show Elizabeth Pemberley, not as a visitor, but as
its future mistress.
‘You will not mind my aunt and uncle visiting?’ she
asked.
‘Of course not. I liked them.’
‘And my sisters?’
‘Jane and Bingley will be with us often.Your younger
sisters are welcome to come whenever they, or you,
choose. But I will not have Wickham there.’
We rejoined Jane and Bingley and returned to Longbourn.
Throughout the evening, Elizabeth was not at ease. I
longed to put her out of her misery, but could not speak
to Mr Bennet until after dinner. As soon as I saw him
withdraw to the library, I followed him.
‘Mr Darcy,’ he said in surprise, as I closed the library
door behind me.
‘I would like to speak to you,’ I said.
‘I am at your disposal.You have heard, I suppose, of the
rumour that you are to marry Elizabeth and want it
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stopped, but I advise you to enjoy it for its absurdity,
instead of fretting over what is a harmless piece of nonsense.’
‘I don’t find it in the least bit absurd,’ I said to him. ‘I
find it highly desirable. I have followed you in order to
ask you for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage.’
His mouth fell open.
‘Ask me for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage?’ he repeated
at last.
‘Yes.’
‘But there must be some mistake.’
‘There is no mistake.’
‘But I thought…that is, Mr Collins is such a fool! He
is forever regaling me with some new and preposterous
story, and I was sure he must have made a mistake.You,
who have never looked at Elizabeth in your life! And yet
now you tell me you want to marry her.’
‘I do. I love her, and as for not singling her out for
attention, I have done little else.You have not been there,
however, so I cannot blame you for being surprised.When
she was a guest at Netherfield, I had the pleasure of her
company for almost a week, and I spent much of my time
with her. I saw her again in Kent, when she was visiting
Mrs Collins, and we came to know each other well. I met
her more recently in Derbyshire, and each time I have met
her, I have loved her more. My feelings are not of a short
duration.They are longstanding, and will not change.’
‘But she has always hated you!’ he said. ‘For any man
to persist against such obvious aversion is madness.’
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At this I smiled.
‘I can assure you I am quite sane. Her aversion has
been overcome long ago. I have already asked her to
marry me, and she has said yes.’
‘Said yes!’ exclaimed Mr Bennet in faint tones.
‘And as the two of us are in agreement, we need only
your permission to set a date.’
‘And if I do not give it?’
‘Then I am afraid I will have to marry her without it.’
He looked at me as though deciding if I was serious.
Then, collecting his wits, he said: ‘If it
