What happened next: Elizabeth and Darcy

The courtship of Darcy and Elizabeth was as tempestuous as one might expect of two such decided personalities. Elizabeth persisted in testing the gentleman's character at every opportunity. Darcy bore with her inquisitions with relative good humour, but refused to bend his views on literature, politics or estate management simply to oblige his lady. Instead, he relished the chance to engage her in long, complex and sometimes heated debates where his own ideas and hers were thoroughly tested. Bingley and Jane were often surprised, when wandering back towards the house from their own meanderings, to find Darcy and Elizabeth pacing the rose garden in what looked to all the world like acrimonious argument, only to learn that both were enjoying the contest of wits.

Their secret courtship lasted the full month until the departure of the militia for Brighton. Concerned above all else to protect Georgiana Darcy from the least suspicion on Wickham's part that her brother might have any connection to his recent fall from grace, they were both determined to do nothing which would bring their understanding to public notice while that … person … remained in the neighbourhood.

On the morning after the militia decamped, Bingley and Darcy visited Longbourn as usual. Due to a persistent drizzle, there was no opportunity to walk out, and the young couples were confined to the public spaces of the house. After a dull half hour in company with Mrs Bennet and Lydia, Jane had the inspiration of suggesting that she would like to show the gentlemen the still room. She was skilled in the drying of herbs and flowers, and the distillation of scented water for herself and her sisters, and particularly wished to show them the process of distilling lavender water that she was currently engaged in. This scheme was quickly approved by the visitors, and Elizabeth expressed her interest in seeing Jane's work. As the still room was quite small, there was no prospect of anyone else joining them: indeed Mrs Bennet and Lydia were much happier left to their own devices in the parlour.

Bingley was delighted by anything to do with Jane, and took a keen interest in everything she showed him. He could not but think how lucky he was to be marrying a woman who knew these little things about how to manage a house – he could not imagine Caroline or Louisa ever deigning to dirty their hands with such a process, but he thought it the finest thing in the world for the mistress of his future estate to manufacture her own scents and tonics from the bounty of their gardens.

Darcy, who had been in a still room many times before and had little curiosity about the process, was preoccupied with finding some opportunity for a private discussion with Elizabeth about whether they might now make their courtship public. Elizabeth obviously felt equally desirous of a private conference, since Darcy felt a firm tug on his arm leading him out of the still room and back into the quiet corridor that adjoined it.

Elizabeth looked a little flushed as she began: "Mr Darcy, there is something I have wanted to tell you. I apologise for the setting. It really would be better to do this out of doors, but I am a selfish being and cannot wait for the weather to clear, and who knows when we will get another chance to talk, so this will have to do."

Darcy was unsettled by the solemnity of her words, by the anxious way she had fixed her gaze on his cravat rather than his face, and by the fact that she had reverted to calling him Mr Darcy, having called him simply Darcy for some time now. Perhaps she had finally decided against him, and was about to end the courtship and send him on his way. He took a deep breath and braced himself for the worst. "I will hear whatever you have to say, Miss Elizabeth."

At this toneless statement, she looked up sharply, noticing that he was even more anxious than she at this moment. How unfair. She was about to make a declaration that would irrevocably affect her future, and he was more worried than she! In order to break the tension, she gave him a gentle, affectionate shove and said, "Then I bid you pay attention, sir, for I shall not say this twice."

Darcy's eyes widened slightly. He could not read her at all, and waited in anxious confusion for her to continue, which she did with commendable dispatch.

"When we started our courtship I could not then reply to your offer of marriage, as I did know you well enough. I now feel I know you much better. I have also had time to examine my feelings towards you, and I am ready to give you an answer now, sir, if the offer still stands."

"You must know it does," he said feelingly. "I am even more in love with you now than I was then."

"Then I must tell you, sir, that I no longer wonder whether I could grow to love you, because it seems that I already do."

Darcy's relief at this declaration was profound. "Elizabeth!" he cried joyfully, "can this be true?"

Her warm smile assured him it was, as she attempted to explain: "I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun. But now I am so far in love that I know there is no way out: I will love Fitzwilliam Darcy for the rest of my life. Therefore, my dear Will, if you will take me to wife, I will be yours, and if you will be mine, I will most definitely take you to husband." Her eyes sparkled as she spoke, and when she called him "Will" in such tones of affection and regard, he nearly melted on the spot.

The happiness which her words produced was such as he had never felt before; and he expressed himself on the occasion as sensibly and as warmly as a man violently in love can be supposed to do. Elizabeth was warmed to see how the expression of heartfelt delight, diffused over his face, became him. Darcy's happiness spilled over in explanation of his feelings, which, in proving of what importance she was to him, made his affection every moment more valuable.

They stood talking quietly in the corridor without noticing the passage of time. There was too much to be thought, and felt, and said, for attention to anything else.

She noted that he had not objected to her shortening of his name, so ventured to call him "Will" again. This time, with a better understanding of her heart, he responded by leaning in for a quick kiss, which was every bit as delightful as she had dreamed it might be. In the afterglow of that first kiss, they gazed silently at each other, each considering whether it was too soon for a second. Luckily for their decorum, they were interrupted by Bingley and Jane at that moment.

Of course they could not keep their happy news from their dearest friends, and congratulations were offered and received in great good humour. Then Darcy repaired to Mr Bennet's book room while the others returned to the parlour. It was only a few minutes later that Mr Bennet and Darcy appeared at the parlour door, and Elizabeth's betrothal was announced.

The effect on Mrs Bennet was most extraordinary; for on first hearing the news, she sat quite still, unable to utter a syllable. Nor was it under many minutes that she could comprehend what she heard; though not in general backward to credit what was for the advantage of her family, or that came in the shape of a lover to any of them. She began at length to recover, to fidget about in her chair, get up, sit down again, wonder, and bless herself. At last, she approached Darcy to heartily welcome him to the family. If she did mention his income and Lizzy's pin money a little too often, and wonder aloud at why he should have preferred Lizzy to Lydia, Darcy was too happy to be much bothered by it. He simply smiled genially – a sight which inspired Mrs Bennet to comment "Such a charming man – so handsome – so tall!" and Lydia to giggle behind her hand – and let the chatter wash over him. Miss Elizabeth Bennet had agreed to marry him, and he could bear with any embarrassment for that.

The gentlemen were invited to stay for dinner, and somehow after the second glass of wine Darcy let slip that he had a special license and had only to discuss the settlement papers with Mr Bennet and then they could marry whenever Lizzy preferred. Before her mother could intervene to propose an exceptionally long engagement, Lizzy grasped Jane's hand across the table and said joyfully, "Oh Jane, shall we have a joint wedding ceremony?" She added for her mother's benefit, "Wouldn't that be the most fashionable thing imaginable? We would be the envy of the whole neighbourhood. I'm sure Hertfordshire has not seen anything like it for years!"

Before the meal was over, the matter was settled, and Elizabeth Bennet forsook her maiden name in a joint ceremony with her favourite sister, not five weeks later.

Who can be in doubt of what followed? She and Darcy lived a long and mostly happy life at Pemberley, visiting London and Meryton from time to time, but both preferring the country life at home. They remained devoted until the end of their days, often astounding observers with their intense arguments about all manner of things. Neither would give ground easily: both relished having their ideas challenged and tested by the person who they most respected in the world.

There was the added bonus that they always settled every argument with a kiss.

- THE END -

Copyright © 2018 by Margaret Gale

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