To Refuse Such a Man: A Pride and Prejudice Variation (4 page)

“I know what I am about to say to you might seem rather untoward, but decades from now when you look back at this moment, my greatest wish is that you will remember it fondly.”

“Mr. Darcy?”

“Miss Elizabeth, I admire you—most ardently. Will you please do me the honor of accepting my hand?”

Astounded, Elizabeth colored. She stared. Although rendered speechless by his avowal, her mind raced as a thousand thoughts competed for their share of attention. One pounded more forcefully than the rest. Even if there was no proposal from Mr. Collins threatening to destroy her every prospect for felicity, how might she reasonably deny such a petition from a man of Mr. Darcy’s consequence?

For a woman of my circumstances to refuse such a man, were it made known, would undoubtedly render me imprudent, selfish and heedless of the greater good of my family.

How was it even possible that such a man was in her power, and she did not know it? Not once had she sought his approbation and yet somehow she had managed to secure it to her greatest advantage. Even now, she was not certain she wanted it. Still, she could not be insensible to the compliment of such a man’s affection.

Finding her voice, she said, “Sir, in such cases as this, it is, I believe, the established mode to express a sense of obligation for the sentiments avowed, however—”

Darcy’s countenance reflected his disbelief. “Are you rejecting me?”

“No, sir, I am not,” Elizabeth responded tentatively, pondering the import of her next reply.

His gaze intent, Darcy said, “
Then
you are accepting me?”

“I suppose, sir, what I mean to say is I never expected an offer of marriage from you. I need time to consider. You said you have spoken with my father. I suppose I ought to talk to him as well. Pray you will allow me that opportunity before I give you an answer.”

Darcy would have been surprised if Elizabeth had not made such a request. Any other woman would have pounced on the opportunity to marry a wealthy gentleman. It merely bolstered his confidence that she would be everything his wife and the mistress of his home ought to be.

Agreeing that her decision to speak with her father was sensible, Darcy watched as Elizabeth walked away.

The
favorite of his five daughters, Elizabeth was not eager to make a decision that found her on the wrong side of her father’s wishes. With that in mind, she walked into the library. She espied her father standing before one of the tall stacks, his hands clutched behind his back. “Papa,” she said, garnering his attention.

He turned. Waving her closer, he said, “Come, my child. It seems I am very popular this morning. First, I had the honor of receiving Mr. Darcy. Then your mother sought me out for an urgent matter having to do with Mr. Collins and you, and now here you are. I shall not make light of your situation, my dear. However, I would be entirely remiss were I to fail to point out that receiving two proposals in a single morning  can best be described as a young lady’s most fanciful dream come true.”

Two proposals indeed: one from most every young woman’s idea of Prince Charming—a man blessed with good looks, untold wealth and a beautiful castle—and the other from a suitor quite plain and simply a toad. Elizabeth pondered the irony. “One might say it is the stuff of a fairy tale-like dream come true; however, I cannot help but consider it as more of a nightmare.”

Her father arched his brow. “A nightmare, you say? Pray do not allow your mother to hear you speak this way. Her mission in life is to see all of her daughters well settled. Surely you would not impede her hopes in that regard.”

“Papa, my mother is determined that I shall marry Mr. Collins. Pray you are not of the same mind.”

“To see you married to such a man would surely break my heart. However, my child, I cannot say the same as regards the possibility of your marrying Mr. Darcy.”

“Papa, I cannot fathom why such a man would even make me an offer of marriage. You’ve spoken to him. What can possibly be his purpose in choosing me?”

“Did he not tell you his reasoning?”

“He only said that he had spoken with you. He did not say what you two discussed.”

“Please come and have a seat, my dearest Lizzy.” Elizabeth did as she was told. She listened as her papa told her what she needed to know.

When he was finished, she said, “Pray you will believe me when I say that nothing untoward took place.”

“I believe you, but it is not merely my feelings that must be consulted.” He shook his head. “Were it only that simple. As I see it, you have three choices before you. You might accept Mr. Collins, thus surrendering all respectability and risking misery of the acutest kind.”

Elizabeth could tell by the anguish that washed over her father’s face how much it would pain him were she to choose such a path.

Mr. Bennet continued, “You might accept Mr. Darcy and thereby have a chance for happiness or you might reject both gentlemen. True, there may be a scandal; on the other hand, there may not. Who is to say how fickle society may be when it comes to such matters? One thing is certain. Your loving mother will subject you to misery far more unbearable than a thousand scandals. How you decide to spend the rest of your days is entirely up to you.”

A quarter of an hour later, Elizabeth was alone in the library, staring out the window. The view of how things now stood was not entirely bad. Mr. Darcy’s proposal had effectively rendered her cousin’s offer inconsequential, for if she were to marry Mr. Darcy, her mother and sisters would be saved. Jane would have no reason to entertain the idea of marrying Mr. Collins.
Do I truly have a choice?

The idea of marrying a man she barely knew was frightening—yet that is exactly what her mother would have her do in insisting that she marry her cousin.

What must it be like to marry Mr. Darcy? True, he is at times haughty and dismissive—surely he must have some admirable qualities other than being tall, handsome, and incredibly rich. If Miss Bingley’s opinion of him is to be a factor, then I must consider that there are those who liken him to one of the best men in the world.

Her stomach fluttered a little. His flattering words, the lingering touch of his hand on hers, and the way he always looked at her gave Elizabeth reason to suppose that, the threat of scandal or not, Mr. Darcy had been in her power all along.

The truth is you impress me like no other woman I’ve ever known.

Then there had been the tender manner of his proposal—his desire that when she looked back upon that moment decades from now she would remember it fondly.

Miss Elizabeth, I admire you—most ardently. Will you please do me the honor of accepting my hand?

~*~

Darcy was too much concerned with what Elizabeth’s answer would be to return to Netherfield Park. He decided to wait at that same spot he found her. Earlier he had seen her cousin, Mr. Collins, strolling the grounds, taking stock of things as though he were already Longbourn’s master. Recalling the man dancing with Elizabeth at last evening’s ball and making a fool of himself, the last thing Darcy wished to do was attract the gentleman’s notice.

The sight of the current master of Longbourn heading his way caused Darcy to cease his pacing. He walked towards the older man, and when they were face to face, Mr. Bennet said, “Mr. Darcy, my daughter is in the library. She is prepared to speak with you now.”

With Mr. Bennet’s assistance, Darcy made his way to the library undetected. Pushing the door open, he stood there for a moment. The view from where he stood afforded a chance to behold Elizabeth standing before the window looking out.

He cleared his throat and when she turned to face him, he bowed slightly. “Miss Elizabeth.”

Her spirits slightly more animated than they were when last they saw each other, she smiled modestly. “You and I ought to know better than to continue meeting in such places as this, sir.”

He rightly surmised she was referring to their time alone in Netherfield’s library. “I believe we can both agree that this particular library is much better stocked.”

“I understand both libraries are nothing in comparison to Pemberley’s.” She took a tentative step towards him. “I suppose I might soon form my own opinion in that regard.”

Darcy walked to her and took her hands in his. “Does this mean… Are you accepting my proposal?”

“Yes—that is if you will still have me.”

“I do—that is to say I will.” He smiled. “Thank you for making me such a happy man.”

She slowly withdrew her hands. “Sir, you need not pretend that this is something you actually want. My father told me what led to your proposal.”

He swallowed. “I had hoped to protect you from learning about any of that, but I suppose in as small a society as this, such a thing would have been impossible.”

“Sir, you strike me as the sort of man who would do anything to avoid being trapped into marriage. You will indulge me, I pray, by explaining why you have so willingly chosen this course. You and I both know that nothing inappropriate took place when we were left alone for so long.”

“Scandal of any kind is my abhorrence. Although you and I know the truth, measures were taken to quiet the talk of our being alone—measures so desperate as to exaggerate the situation.”

“What sort of measures, if I may ask?”

“Miss Bingley, thinking she was protecting me, foolishly dismissed the servant who spoke about our being alone, which merely served to incite rather than squelch the speculation of scandal.”

Will the irony never cease?
Elizabeth wondered. “How she must hate herself now for being the means of your asking me to marry you, sir. How you must despise her as well.”

Darcy shook his head. “I am not pleased with her interference; however, I do not despise her. All things considered, I suppose I owe her, for I am happy to be your protector. I am looking forward to making you my wife and spending the rest of my days with you.”

Stepping forward, Darcy lessened the distance between them. “Despite our situation, I am agreeable to a proper courtship period if that is your wish. My wish is that we shall be married sooner rather than later, for I fully intend to woo you even as your husband.”

She raised her brow. “Do you mind if I ask how does a man woo his own wife, sir?”

Darcy seized her hands once again. “Tirelessly,” he whispered. Moistening his lips and raising one of her hands to them, he brushed a soft, lingering kiss across her knuckles. “Yet unhurriedly.”

Smiling, Elizabeth reluctantly withdrew her hands. With such dizzying emotions as those evoked by his soft lips against her skin, she found herself wondering how a man she always believed to be cold and reserved could render her breathless—and speechless.

“When shall you like to inform your family of our news?”

Realizing how her happy news affected Jane, Elizabeth said, “I should like very much to speak with my dearest sister, Jane. My papa is already aware of what is unfolding between us. I am confident he will keep the news to himself. My mother will need to be told, but I pray you will allow me to do so after you have taken your leave. In fact, I ought to wait until the household is settled before I tell her. No doubt, she will wish to shower you with approbation when next she sees you. Prepare yourself, sir. You have been warned.”

Elizabeth silently pondered that Mr. Collins would have to be told as well. She decided she would put it off until her mother had been told.
Tomorrow morning will do quite nicely.

Darcy would certainly not argue Elizabeth’s point as regarded informing her mother. He knew enough about Mrs. Bennet to know that she would not take the news with composure.

Although there was no changing the fact that Mrs. Bennet would soon be his mother-in-law, the prospect of spending the best part of the coming courtship period under her watchful eyes was not very pleasing.

“I know things are progressing rather suddenly. You and I hardly know each other.”

“Granted,” replied Elizabeth. “But I’ve heard it said that there is time enough for a man and his wife to get to know each other once they are married.”

In saying that, Elizabeth was referring to her intimate friend Charlotte Lucas’s particular philosophy. Charlotte was a sensible woman. Moreover, she was practical, so practical that it would have come as no surprise to Elizabeth were her friend to accept a man the likes of her odious cousin.

Nevertheless, being practical was precisely what Elizabeth’s current situation called for. While she sometimes entertained fanciful notions of marrying only for the greatest love, the prospect of a scandal cast matters into an entirely different light.

Besides, there was Jane’s happiness to think of as well. Elizabeth’s marriage to Mr. Darcy would be a means of saving Jane and herself from the odious Mr. Collins.

Darcy said, “This is true. However, I want you to be happy.”

“I’ve also heard it said that happiness in marriage is purely a matter of chance.”

“That is a wise sentiment indeed, but there’s no reason that we cannot get a healthy head start. I can think of any number of things we might do to speed us along the path to happily ever after. We need not wait until we are married and away from Hertfordshire.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Spend time alone with me. Tomorrow, for instance. Come riding with me.”

Elizabeth bit her lower lip.

“What is the matter? Pray I haven’t offended you. We are to be married, but if the thought of being alone with me is discomfiting, you are welcome to invite either of your sisters to join us.”

“It is not that,” said Elizabeth after a moment’s deliberation.

“Then, what is it?”

“I am not a horsewoman, sir. My sister Jane is the only one of us who proudly boasts of such proficiency.”

“Pray you will allow me to teach you.”

“Is being a proper horsewoman a prerequisite for being the mistress of Pemberley, sir?”

He shrugged. “There are no such preconditions, I assure you. However, I would consider it an honor if you allow me to teach you. Trust me, such a talent will prove invaluable when you come to your new home.”

Recalling her mission to embrace every prospect for happiness her future life afforded, Elizabeth half-smilingly said, “When shall we start?”

“I recall your being an early riser during your sister’s convalescence at Netherfield. Meet me soon after sunrise.”

Later that day, Elizabeth opened her heart to her eldest sister. “Dearest Jane,” she said, “I have had the most eventful morning in my life. You will never guess what I have done?”