Page 68 of An Accidental Meeting
“Well, you certainly succeeded.”
He crouched before her, taking both her hands in his. “It was not all a jest, for it was your fine eyes that first caught my attention and your wit that held it. When you sing . . .”
“Not when I play?" It was not a good jest, but it was the best she had to offer, as her senses were in disarray.
Mr. Darcy paused a moment, and then began again, more seriously now. “Miss Elizabeth Bennet, my love for you is difficult for me to express because it is beyond words.” He gazed at her, his dark eyes more intense than she had ever seen them. “You are my beginning and my end, and that is all.”
Elizabeth felt a chill run down her spine and was embarrassed to feel the sting of tears. He would think she was a terrible watering pot. After a moment to compose herself, she said, “For a man who claims to have no words, you have certainly chosen yours well. Could any woman say no to such a proposal?” She tipped her head to one side. “Thatwasthe proposal?”
He chuckled. “It was.” His brows pinched together as he lifted one large palm to her cheek and wiped away a tear with his thumb. “As for your answer, I could not be sure.”
Elizabeth placed her hand over his to hold it in place. Mr. Darcy’s breath hitched.
“Be sure,” she said plainly. “For my answer is yes. With all my heart, yes.”
Mr. Darcy leaned down to touch his forehead to hers. “Dearest Elizabeth,” he breathed, and then his lips were pressed to hers.
“I presume Lizzy has accepted you?” Uncle Gardiner said acerbically from the doorway. “For if she has not, I shall need to speak with you privately, Darcy.”
“She has,” Mr. Darcy said. He sounded befuddled, as though he had no idea how deeply his declaration had touched her.
“Well, that is one niece taken care of,” Uncle Gardiner said with a satisfied smile.
Darcy helped Elizabeth to sit in his mother’s comfortable armchair and pulled the two wooden chairs placed near the window over to face her.
“Now we must determine the rest of the plan,” he said, his eyes seeking hers.
“Lydia will not be silent about her journey here,” Elizabeth said, shaking her head. “It is not her way.”
“The simplest thing to do would be to suggest that they married in Brighton and then made their way here,” Gardiner said.
Darcy shook his head. The simplest thing was not always the best.
“Please, Uncle,” Elizabeth pleaded. “Even if Lydia must wed, is there no way to find a more deserving man?”
“It is not my decision, of course, but I do not intend that Miss Lydia marry at all,” Darcy said.
Elizabeth’s expression brightened with hope as she addressed him. “We will have to convince her that she has been ill-used by Wickham.”
“Despite her heedless behaviour in this, Lydia does have her pride,” Gardiner said. “She would not want to tell a story that reveals her to have been so easily fooled. But how are we to accomplish it?”
Darcy rubbed the back of his neck. “Perhaps Georgiana should speak with her.”
“I cannot guarantee Lydia’s discretion,” Elizabeth said. “It would not be fair to expose Georgiana to save Lydia.”
Gardiner looked from Elizabeth to Darcy. “I appear to be missing some important information.”
“Miss Lydia is only the last in a long line of young women Wickham has trifled with.” Darcy sighed. “Georgiana was one. She nearly eloped with him, but I arrived in time to foil his plans.”
Gardiner lifted his eyebrows. "And you told no one?"
"He told me," Elizabeth said hurriedly. "I attempted to warn Papa, but I was not at liberty to tell him about Miss Darcy, and he was convinced Lydia would come to no harm." She sent a contrite glance in Darcy's direction. "Truly, the general feeling towards Mr. Darcy was such that Papa would not have believed me in any case."
That hurt, but Darcy knew he had no one to blame but himself.
This produced a grimace from Gardiner, but he moved on. “I suspect your sister has a significant fortune.”
“She does.”
