Mr. Darcy's Diary, Amanda Grange [elon musk reading list TXT] 📗

so that I am sure

she guessed I had told him, then he said: ‘Mrs Bennet,

have you no more lanes hereabouts in which Lizzy may

lose her way again today?’

Mrs Bennet was all too ready to fall in with his suggestion, eager to allow him a little privacy with Jane. She

suggested we walk to Oakham Mount. Bingley, in lively

humour, said he was sure it would be too much for Kitty,

and Kitty agreed she would rather stay at home. It is a

change to have Bingley ordering my life for me! But I

could not complain, since a few minutes later I found

myself out of doors and free to talk to Elizabeth.

‘I must ask your father for his consent to the marriage,’ I said, as we wandered towards the mount.

‘And if he does not give it?’ she asked with an arch

smile.

‘Then I will have to carry you off without it,’ I said.

‘Do you think he will withhold it?’ I asked her more

seriously.

‘No. I am not afraid of what he might say.At least, not

once he comes to know you, though to begin with he

might be surprised.When Mr Collins’s letter came…’

She broke off.

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I looked at her enquiringly.

‘Mr Collins wrote to him, telling him that I must not

marry you, as it would anger Lady Catherine!’

‘And what did your father reply?’

‘He is too busy savouring the joke to write back.’

‘I can see I will have a difficult time with him.Will he

think I am joking when I ask for your hand?’

‘I don’t believe he will dare,’ she said.

She spoke lightly, but I could tell she was troubled.

‘I will take pains to know him,’ I said. ‘He and I will

come to understand each other better, and I will make

sure he does not ever regret giving his consent.’

We walked on.

‘And then there is my mother,’ she said.

‘Will I stop being that man, do you think?’ I asked her

with a smile.

‘Don’t,’ she said with a shudder. ‘If you knew how

many times I have blushed for her, or wished her to be

silent. I think I will tell her when she is alone,’ she went

on. ‘Then she will have a chance to overcome the first

shock, and perhaps it will make her more rational when

she speaks to you.’

‘Exactly Bingley’s feelings, when deciding it would be

better if he told Caroline!’

‘I wonder if she will continue to find your handwriting so even once you are married?’

‘I fear not. She will probably think it uncommonly

untidy.’

We reached the top of the mount.

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‘Well, and what do you think of the view?’ Elizabeth

asked me.

I turned to look at her.

‘I like it very much,’ I said.

She looked so beautiful that I gave in to the urge to

kiss her. She was surprised at first, but then responded

warmly, and I knew our marriage would be a happy one

in every way.

We walked on together, talking of the future. I am

eager to show Elizabeth Pemberley, not as a visitor, but as

its future mistress.

‘You will not mind my aunt and uncle visiting?’ she

asked.

‘Of course not. I liked them.’

‘And my sisters?’

‘Jane and Bingley will be with us often.Your younger

sisters are welcome to come whenever they, or you,

choose. But I will not have Wickham there.’

We rejoined Jane and Bingley and returned to Longbourn.

Throughout the evening, Elizabeth was not at ease. I

longed to put her out of her misery, but could not speak

to Mr Bennet until after dinner. As soon as I saw him

withdraw to the library, I followed him.

‘Mr Darcy,’ he said in surprise, as I closed the library

door behind me.

‘I would like to speak to you,’ I said.

‘I am at your disposal.You have heard, I suppose, of the

rumour that you are to marry Elizabeth and want it

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stopped, but I advise you to enjoy it for its absurdity,

instead of fretting over what is a harmless piece of nonsense.’

‘I don’t find it in the least bit absurd,’ I said to him. ‘I

find it highly desirable. I have followed you in order to

ask you for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage.’

His mouth fell open.

‘Ask me for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage?’ he repeated

at last.

‘Yes.’

‘But there must be some mistake.’

‘There is no mistake.’

‘But I thought…that is, Mr Collins is such a fool! He

is forever regaling me with some new and preposterous

story, and I was sure he must have made a mistake.You,

who have never looked at Elizabeth in your life! And yet

now you tell me you want to marry her.’

‘I do. I love her, and as for not singling her out for

attention, I have done little else.You have not been there,

however, so I cannot blame you for being surprised.When

she was a guest at Netherfield, I had the pleasure of her

company for almost a week, and I spent much of my time

with her. I saw her again in Kent, when she was visiting

Mrs Collins, and we came to know each other well. I met

her more recently in Derbyshire, and each time I have met

her, I have loved her more. My feelings are not of a short

duration.They are longstanding, and will not change.’

‘But she has always hated you!’ he said. ‘For any man

to persist against such obvious aversion is madness.’

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At this I smiled.

‘I can assure you I am quite sane. Her aversion has

been overcome long ago. I have already asked her to

marry me, and she has said yes.’

‘Said yes!’ exclaimed Mr Bennet in faint tones.

‘And as the two of us are in agreement, we need only

your permission to set a date.’

‘And if I do not give it?’

‘Then I am afraid I will have to marry her without it.’

He looked at me as though deciding if I was serious.

Then, collecting his wits, he said: ‘If it