The Engagement

by Ola Wegner

  “Complete and utter astonishment, naturally. While you and Mr. Bingley courted for quite a long time, Papa had no suspicion about Fitzwilliam’s interest in my person. However, he agreed to talk with him tomorrow, and he also wants to know him better.”

  “I dare say that your Mr. Darcy will be in no time his favourite son-in-law,” Jane observed.

  “Why?”

  “Because Mr. Darcy seems as studious as Papa is. They attended the same university, I believe.”

  “They did,” Elizabeth confirmed.

  “There, you see? They will be able to talk about it.”

  “I hope that you are right. I wish for Papa to like Fitzwilliam.”

  “He will, once he sees how happy you are. Your eyes shine like never before, Lizzy.”

  “And only yesterday I thought that I had lost him forever!” she exclaimed.

  “It is already nearly midnight,” Jane mentioned, glancing at the clock on the mantelpiece. “I should return to my room. Today’s long walk tired me.”

  “I cannot imagine how I will fall asleep today, Jane.”

  Jane tightened her shawl around her shoulders and walked to the door. “Try, Lizzy. You will want to look your best for Mr. Darcy.”

  “Good night, Jane.”

  “Good night.” Jane smiled and left the room, closing the door quietly after herself.

  Elizabeth lay back, her wide eyes open, following the shadows on the ceiling. She was tired, but sleep would not come to her easily.

  ***

  “Lizzy, wake up. Lizzy!” she heard like through a fog as someone tugged at her arm.

  In protest against such abrupt intrusion into her sleep, Elizabeth buried her head into a pillow, at the same time trying to pull the bed covers higher over herself. She was not successful in her attempt to return to the sweet heaven of her dreams, as the quilt was yanked away from her, cold air hitting her body clad only in a thin nightdress.

  Squinting her eyes against the bright sun coming from the open window, she groaned, “What is the matter, Jane?”

  “Why are you still in bed?” her elder sister demanded in a voice much more firm and decided than her usual tone.

  “I could not fall asleep last night. I finally managed to do so around two in the morning. What time it is?” she asked, and not waiting for the answer, she turned her head to look at the clock over the mantelpiece. “It is only a quarter past eight. I can still sleep some more,” she murmured, blindly reaching for the covers.

  Her head was about to touch the still-warm pillow when Jane spoke in a clear voice, “Mr. Darcy is downstairs.”

  Elizabeth sat up instantly. “He is?”

  Jane nodded. “He came well before eight, I believe. Papa was already in the library. They have been locked there together for quite some time now.”

  Elizabeth scrambled from the bed, running to the washstand. “Oh, Jane, will you help me with my hair?” she asked, splashing her face with cold water.

  Twenty minutes later, the sisters were descending the staircase together. Elizabeth had her hair arranged in a simple yet elegant style, pinned high on the top of her head. She was also wearing a new dress, which Jane had encouraged her to choose for this morning.

  It was rather quiet downstairs, apart from the muted sounds of the pianoforte coming from the back of the house. Mary was already practising. Mrs. Bennet and Kitty were nowhere in sight, probably still in their bedrooms.

  Jane and Elizabeth tiptoed to the door leading to the library. They held their breaths, attempting to hear something. Unfortunately, the door was old and solid, and no sounds were coming through.

  Suddenly the door opened, Mr. Bennet standing in the doorframe with the taller figure of Darcy right behind him.

  “Jane, Elizabeth.” He nodded, the corners of his lips lifting in an amused smile.

  “Good morning, Papa,” Jane found her voice first.

  Mr. Bennet walked past his daughters. “It is almost time for breakfast, is it not? Mr. Darcy will not join us, as he has some urgent business in London to attend today.”

  “May I speak with Miss Elizabeth before I leave?” Darcy asked, his dark, cocoa eyes resting boldly on Elizabeth’s form.

  “Naturally,” Mr. Bennet agreed pleasantly before extending his arm to Jane. “Shall we, my dear? Let us give your sister and her beau some privacy.”

  As soon as her sister and father disappeared from view, Elizabeth walked into the library, closing the door.

  “You are returning to London today?” Those were her first words, and she could not hide the disappointment from her tone.

  Darcy stepped closer to her, looking down at her from his great height. “Good morning to you too, my dearest Elizabeth.”

  “Good morning,” she murmured, still upset about the news of his departure.

  “I have a meeting with my solicitor,” he explained. “He has some documents for me to revise and sign. Only three days ago I did not plan to return to Hertfordshire anytime soon, but as you already know, my aunt’s sudden visit gave me hope to speak with you again. I was still not entirely certain of your reception, and thus I did not cancel the meeting before my unexpected trip to Netherfield two days ago.”

  “I see,” Elizabeth said, much calmed with his explanations.

  “I shall be back tomorrow,” he assured, his palm coming to rest on her cheek, stroking it gently.

  Her heart began to race instantly at his touch, her skin turning pink. All too soon he dropped his hand from her face, putting it around her shoulders, leading them towards the sofa in the far corner of the room. As they sat down, his arm stretched behind her back, his fingers tracing the details on the lace of her sleeve. His attentions filled her with great joy, and she had no intention of discouraging him in his actions.

  “You spoke with Papa for quite a long time,” she said, catching his eye. He was observing her closely, but seemed distracted, his gaze wandering, moving from her eyes to her hair, and lower to her neck and shoulders. “Jane said that you came quite early in the morning.”

  His eyes focused on her face. “I did. Your father is an interesting companion.”

  “What did he say?”

  “We talked mainly about Cambridge.”

  “Why Cambridge?”

  “Because we both went to university there.”

  Elizabeth felt herself growing impatient. “I know where my father read. What did he say about your proposal?”

  “We spoke little about that, we mainly talked about Cambridge and how we both joined the same...”

  “I do not care about you two comparing college memories,” she interrupted him. “Do not tease me, I beg you.”

  “It was what we talked about,” he insisted. “As soon as I came in and he greeted me, he said that, as you seemed adamant to have me, and as he had no control over your decisions, his wish was to know me better if we were to become a family. Then we discussed Cambridge and our literary interests. He was very keen on hearing about the library at Pemberley. He heard that it was one of the finest in the country. I invited him to visit us at the very first opportunity.”

  Elizabeth leaned back more securely against his solid form, thinking about what she had just heard. She was hardly surprised with her father’s behaviour. Mr. Bennet delighted himself in his own originality, and rarely behaved in a predictable way. Nevertheless, she had expected that he would interrogate Darcy a bit more. Most fathers in this situation would question Darcy about his character, likes and dislikes, habits, lifestyle, financial situation and plans for the future, certainly not about his library and what kind of books he enjoyed to read.

  “You seem to be deep in thought. May I ask what weighs on your mind?” His arm lowered now to be wrapped loosely around her waist, drawing her a bit closer to him but still leaving some distance between them.

  Turning her head, she looked into his kind eyes. “Only that I should have expected such behaviour from Papa. He despises to behave the way most people would.”
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br />   “He does not oppose to our marriage. In my view he seemed welcoming, if not enthusiastic to the idea.”

  “You are correct.” She nodded. “He said as much yesterday, that I was of age, and the decision was mine. However, I expected him to question you a bit more about your intentions, plans, and your character.”

  “He gave his consent. That should be of greatest importance to us, should it not?”

  She smiled, placing her head on his shoulder, her arm coming around his neck, her fingers combing gently through the thick curls resting at the nape. For Elizabeth, it felt perfectly natural to be so close to him, but Darcy stiffened visibly, as if he were uncomfortable with such close proximity. Swiftly kissing her forehead, he gently but firmly released himself from her hold and stood up.

  “It is time for me to go.”

  “So soon? Stay for breakfast,” she said, rising to her feet as well.

  “I have already eaten at Netherfield. Let us say goodbye here,” he proposed.

  “Very well,” she agreed, albeit reluctantly. She would have preferred to walk him out. “Are you riding by yourself?”

  “I have a good horse. It will be faster this way.”

  She frowned, glancing apprehensively out of the window. It was not raining yet, but the day was going to be cloudy and windy. The weather could be particularly unpredictable this time of the year.

  As if reading her thoughts, he said, “Do not fret. I shall be well. I have been riding since I was a scrap of a boy.”

  “Be careful,” she pleaded him. The awareness that he was an excellent rider, perhaps the best she knew, did not change the fact that she would worry about him.

  His arms closed around her loosely and she trustingly rested her head on his chest. But he was a tall man! As they stood like this, the top of her head barely reached his chin. He was perfectly still for a moment, his cheek pressed to her temple. “I love you, my dearest, loveliest Elizabeth,” he assured in a deep, loving voice which sent shivers down her spine. “I shall return tomorrow, and for the next days and weeks you will have me all to yourself.”

  A thought crossed her mind that once her mother learned about their engagement, she would hardly have him only for herself, but she said nothing, not wishing to spoil the moment.

  As soon as she felt him separating from her, she rose on the balls of her feet, and her hands moved up from the place on his chest to wrap around his neck, successfully anchoring him to her so that he could not move away.

  His hands settled gently on both sides of her waist, but he did not press her more tightly to himself. All too soon he put her back on her feet, taking a decided step back.

  He bowed deeply before taking her hand in his and bringing it to his lips.

  “I will see you tomorrow. Stay safe.” With those words, he turned on his heel and left the room without as much as a glance in her direction.

  Elizabeth sat down on the nearest chair, her high forehead frowned in confusion. He did not kiss her like yesterday. He acted as if is he could not wait to walk away from you, was the first thought that crossed her mind. Instantly, she scolded herself for making an observation like that. He was simply a very busy man and in a hurry to deal with his business in order to return to her as soon as possible. He had reassured her about his love. Even if he was somehow reserved, she had to remind herself that it was in his character. Surely once they spent more time alone he would become more familiar and open in her presence.

  Chapter Three

  The rest of the day dragged for Elizabeth. She was restless and jittery. Many times she told herself that it should be a happy day for her, that at last after many misunderstandings and separations, she and Fitzwilliam had found each other, but it did not help much to improve her frame of mind. She missed him. She wished him back with her not tomorrow but now.

  The fact that it began to rain heavily soon after his departure only added to the worsening of her mood. Firstly, she was concerned for Darcy, who refused to take a carriage and was travelling on horseback in such dreary weather conditions. Secondly, she was closed up in a house for the entire day, which never failed to dampen her spirits. Not being able to stand her mother’s constant chatter, she excused herself to her bedroom. Curling in a windowsill, she stared at the wet world, tracing the patterns of the raindrops on the glass.

  A light knock at the door was followed by the sound of the opening door. Without turning her head, she recognised her eldest sister’s footsteps.

  “Are you well, Lizzy?” Jane asked, taking a seat on a chair beside her.

  Elizabeth placed her head on her bent knees, managing a smile at her beloved sister. “I am well.”

  “You do not seem well to me.” Jane was unconvinced. “Did you have some misunderstanding with Mr. Darcy?”

  “No!” Elizabeth denied vehemently. “Of course not! We have been engaged for one day, Jane. How could we have a misunderstanding?”

  “You had several in the course of last year,” Jane pointed out gently.

  “It is not the case now, I assure you. I only would wish him to be here with me. I did not think that we would be separated again, and so soon.”

  “He had some urgent business in town which could not be delayed, you told me this yourself.”

  Elizabeth sighed. “I know, and I understand why he had to go, but I miss him.”

  “I have not seen Charles today and I do miss him as well. Nevertheless, I can see that there is something else which is bothering you, sister,” Jane persisted.

  “When he was saying goodbye to me, I had the impression that he was in a hurry to leave me.”

  Jane shook her head in disapproval. “Lizzy, why are you saying such a thing? I am certain that was not the case. He was in hurry because he had business in town; you must take into consideration that he is a busy man with many responsibilities. He cannot devote all his time to you. He promised to be back tomorrow, did he not?”

  “He did.”

  “Then you see that he wishes to be back with you as soon as possible.”

  “You are right, Jane, I know that you are,” Elizabeth acknowledged. “Only...”

  “What, Lizzy?”

  “He seemed rather reserved.”

  “Reserved?”

  “When I hugged him, or rather attempted to, he pushed me away from him so quickly.”

  Jane did not respond for a moment longer, her expression thoughtful. “Mr. Darcy is a very proper gentleman. He might not have felt comfortable to show his affection so openly in Papa’s library, especially so early in your betrothal. I am certain that in time he will be less reserved with you.” She reached for Elizabeth’s hand, patting it reassuringly. “Everyone is different, sister, you have to remember that. I can tell you from my own perspective, although I have been engaged for a few weeks only, that the way a man behaves in private, when you are alone, may be quite different than when you two are in the company of others. Charles was rather shy at the very beginning. However, now he has become more...” Jane blushed prettily, looking for the right word, “more bold. You must be patient with your Mr. Darcy. He is undoubtedly more stoic than you are; as you said, more reserved in his behaviours and reactions, but perhaps it is why he has been drawn to you, because of your liveliness and high spirits.”

  “You are right as always, Jane. I was being silly agonizing over it since the morning.”

  “I am afraid that moments of doubts cannot be avoided in cases like this, Lizzy. Love brings much joy, but also occasional grief. We are vulnerable as our hearts and souls are opening to another person who is, after all, a stranger. You must remember how nervous I was when Mr. Bingley returned to Netherfield. I could not believe that he was here for me. I was afraid to hope.”

  Elizabeth smiled warmly at her sister. Jane had suffered much since the last winter. It had been a turbulent year for both sisters, as well as the entire Bennet family.

  “You should inform Mama that you are spoken for.”

  Elizabeth’s expres
sion fell. “I should,” she agreed. “I have tried to postpone this moment as long as possible.”

  “Well, I think that it is high time to tell her that by the end of the year she will have three daughters married.”

  “By the end of the year?”

  “Why, of course. I trust that we will be wedded on the same day, sister.”

  “Mr. Darcy and I have not talked about the exact date yet.”

  “I do not see the reason why Mr. Darcy would not want to have a Christmas wedding together with Charles and I. Unless you wish for a longer engagement?”

  “No, I certainly do not. Now, however, I should truly go to speak to Mama.” With those words, Elizabeth rose to her feet, stretching a little. Mrs. Bennet was about to hear the news which would surely make her the happiest woman in all of England.

  ***

  Her mother’s reaction was not quite what Elizabeth had envisioned. As she delivered the news of her betrothal to Mr. Darcy of Pemberley, Mrs. Bennet sat calmly, as if transfixed, not uttering a single word. Elizabeth left her in such a state both relieved and slightly apprehensive of such an unexpected reaction. A good quarter of an hour later, she and Jane heard their mother’s hurried run through the house. Mrs. Bennet went to her husband for confirmation, and when Mr. Bennet told her that their second daughter was indeed engaged and soon to be Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the exclamations of joy were heard throughout the entire house. Elizabeth found herself glad that Darcy was not there to witness this spectacle. Mrs. Bennet was in hysterics for the rest of the day, weeping and laughing interchangeably, as well as muttering to herself over and over again ‘ten thousand a year or even more’.

  Darcy did not return the next day as he promised. Elizabeth eagerly waited for him on the early afternoon, but to no avail. Her disappointment was great, but her concern for his wellbeing was even greater. Darcy was not a man to break his promises. Something must have happened to delay his return. Most likely his business in town took more time than he had initially planned. She tried not to allow the thought that some accident happened to him. Nevertheless, she was worried about him and had a restless night.