Page 174 of Near Pemberley

“Do not be reasonable.”

Elizabeth frowned. “Mr. Darcy?”

He smiled at her.

“Spoil her as outrageously as your consciences permit.”

Chapter XXXIII

Having obtained the special licence, Darcy travelled to Longbourn on the fourth day.

Although the bruising had begun to fade, it remained sufficiently visible that he viewed himself in the carriage mirror with little satisfaction. His ribs, too, continued to remind him of Wickham whenever the carriage encountered an uneven stretch of road.

Elizabeth had been right. He ought to have rested longer.

Unfortunately, resting had become quite impossible. He was, indeed, a man of action.

After ensuring Mrs. Bennet that Lydia was fine, he was shown into Mr. Bennet’s library almost immediately.

Mr. Bennet rose from his chair with evident curiosity.

“Mr. Darcy.”

“Mr. Bennet.”

They exchanged bows.

“Is everything in order?”

“Yes, please do not be uneasy. Everything is fine in London. I have come on a different errand.”

“I confess,” said Mr. Bennet as they sat, “your note gave me no little cause for speculation. It is not every day that a gentleman requests a private audience with such urgency.”

“I apologise for that, sir.”

“No apology is necessary. I merely hope the matter is a happy one.”

Darcy hesitated.

“It is.”

Mr. Bennet smiled. “Then you have already relieved half my anxiety.”

Darcy drew a careful breath.

“I have come to ask for your daughter’s hand.”

It was a good thing Mr. Bennet was not drinking at the moment, for surely, he would have choked on it.

“You-you want to marry Lydia?”

Darcy stared at him in complete astonishment.

“Lydia?” he repeated, blinking. “Good heavens, no!”

The words escaped with such genuine alarm that Mr. Bennet almost smiled.

“No, sir,” Darcy continued, recovering himself. “No, sir, most decidedly not. If anything, we have a sister-brother relationship.”