Page 82 of The Heroic Mr Darcy's Bad Manners
At dinner that evening.
The small party containing only family forwent formality and assembled more intimately in Edensor’s smallest dining room.
“We should all move to Pemberley,” Darcy suggested.
“Elizabeth cannot stay at Pemberley now that you are engaged,” Richard contradicted.
“I assure you that she would be perfectly safe under my roof,” Darcy declared.
“Her safety is not the issue,” Richard argued.
He resented the implication. “I am a gentleman,” he replied coolly.
“You forget that I have recently entered the married state myself and know something of the madness that befalls a man violently in love. Besides, who is to say that it is not Elizabeth about whose behaviour I am the most concerned?”
He whipped his head round to Elizabeth, whose cheeks were turning the most delightful shade of red. He could not let the disparagement stand even if she were most tempting, and, as their kisses had shown, of a passionate nature.
“I give you my word,” he declared firmly.
“On this I shall not be moved,” Richard countered.
The cousins glared at each other, neither inclined to yield.
“I do not mind remaining at Edensor,” Elizabeth soothed.
She was so sweet and always obliging.
“I dare say Eudora is only happy to host you for the few days before we return to town,” Richard suggested, then turned to Darcy. “Elizabeth is not yet one-and-twenty, so you need Lord Glentworth’s consent, though I suspect that will be easily granted. But…” He paused and glanced at his wife. “Glentworth might be less inclined to give his blessing if your honour is not intact…”
Darcy heard Elizabeth’s short intake of breath beside him. She looked astonished before she erupted into a wry smile directed at her sister. He followed her gaze, and Lady Jane smiled as serenely as ever and would have fooled him had he not discovered a red spot forming on her neck.
Darcy glanced at Richard, who looked less comfortable by the moment. This was a turn he would never have surmised, but he decided against prolonging the awkwardness by enquiring, even though it irked him no end that Richard was thwarting his wish to move Elizabeth to Pemberley.
“Out of the question, Darcy!” Eudora said firmly.
“I have been overruled and bow to the majority.”
Elizabeth patted his knee under the table, and Richard’s insistence she could not reside in his house suddenly became more understandable. The simple touch enflamed him.
Before the Pemberley party left Edensor for the night, Darcy requested a moment of Elizabeth’s time in private, whilst holding a small box tied with a tattered blue ribbon.
Mrs Bennet and Eudora exchanged significant looks and allowed the betrothed couple a moment in Edensor’s library. He grabbed Elizabeth’s hand and grinned at the clandestine glances she sent at the box in his hand. He hoped she would not be disappointed…
“Open it!” Darcy handed it to her once the door had closed.
Elizabeth pulled off the ribbon and peered into the box. The contents made her laugh, and he sighed in relief. She was not offended.
“In Hertfordshire, and later in London, I noticed your devoted interest in this. At first, I worried I had sullied myself because your eyes never lifted from that silver button, and I was left utterly bereft of the pleasure of gazing into your beautiful eyes. I thought you should have it, so that you can occasionally enjoy its allure and never again avoid my eyes. If you ever give it back to me, I shall know I have disappointed you and promise to immediately amend whatever concerns you have. I want you to have it in exchange for the blue ribbon you lost during our ride back from the picnic in St James’s Park, because I have grown rather attached to it. I would like to continue carrying it for the times we may spend apart.”
Elizabeth laced her arms around his neck. “I shall cherish it,” she promised and pulled him down for a blazing kiss. She pulled back only to mutter, “You may keep the ribbon,” before she resumed her ardent expression of gratitude, love, and passion…
#
Georgiana returned to Pemberley the next day and expressed her joy over the prospect of a sister. She chose to stay at Edensor to become better acquainted with Elizabeth.
Whilst his most precious ladies were chatting amicably, Darcy used the opportunity to pull his aunt aside. There would be no time to commission a new wedding ring for Elizabeth—at least he hoped not. He had therefore brought a small selection of what was obtainable at Pemberley and sought his aunt’s opinion on which would suit his blushing bride.
Eudora studied the rings. They were all old, ostentatious, and not the current fashion.
