Page 102 of The Matchmaker’s Mistake

At last the boy nodded. “Very well. You may pass.”

“I am much obliged.”

The boy led him down the passage with great importance, stopping once to look back and make sure his prisoner had not escaped. Darcy followed.

At the parlour door, the small Gardiner knocked, opened it, and announced, “Mamma, Mr. Darcy has come. He did not know the password, but I let him in because he is not a link-boy until after dark.”

Mrs. Gardiner, to her credit, received this intelligence with only the smallest pause.

“Very kind of you, Edward. Mr. Darcy, good afternoon. Edward, now that Mr. Darcy has been admitted, you may return to your lessons.”

Master Edward frowned, apparently considering this dismissal by his mother a poor reward for his protection of the house. But he bowed to necessity and withdrew.

Miss Elizabeth sat near the window with her workbox open beside her. She was putting her things away, not having expected him, he thought, until the hour.

Both she and her aunt rose to greet him.

Mrs. Gardiner offered him a chair. She asked after Lady Anne and Miss Darcy, and Darcy inquired after Mr. Gardiner and Miss Bennet. He was told that the warehouses had never been busier, which was both a blessing and a trial, and that Miss Bennet was currently providing the Gardiner girls with a sewing lesson.

Miss Elizabeth did not look up until Mrs. Gardiner mentioned their outing.

“I am grateful you allowed me to call,” Darcy said. “I was sorry the visit to The British Institution was so brief. There was more I had wished to say.”

Mrs. Gardiner set down her cup. “Then it is fortunate you have come.” She stood. “You will both forgive me. Thursday is the day for the housekeeper’s accounts, and she keeps the hour quite strictly. I shall bring the tea with me when I return.”

She went out calmly, closing the door almost all the way.

Darcy glanced over at Miss Elizabeth, who was not looking at him. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

“My sister sends her compliments,” he said, although Georgiana had not known he was coming. “She is learning the second part of a duet for the spring, which she intends to ask you to play with her.” That, at least, was the truth.

For a moment, it worked. Miss Elizabeth met his gaze. There was the small tilt of her head he knew so well, and something warmer came into her expression.

“Miss Darcy does nothing without a plan. Tell her the first part of this duet had better be worth learning, for it is more difficult for me than for her.”

“I will tell her.” He hesitated. “Miss Elizabeth,” he said.

She looked up.

Darcy had meant to begin with Hertfordshire. Then London. Then his mother, because some part of that had to be explained. But her face was very still, and he thought that one more careful sentence might lose her.

“I love you.” He sat up straight. Leaned forward a bit. “I have loved you before I even knew what I was feeling. Since Hertfordshire, I think. Certainly since you came to London.”

Elizabeth did not speak. She did not move, except that her lips had parted slightly.

He drew a breath. “I had thought to say this more eloquently, but I find I cannot. I can only say that I came here because I did not wish you to say yes to someone else.”

She still appeared confused.

“Miss Elizabeth, will you marry me?”

At that, something changed in her face. He saw it before she could hide it. Surprise, sharp and unguarded.

“I fear you have the advantage of me, Mr. Darcy.” Her voice was level. “I had prepared myself for several conversations today, but I must confess this was not among them.”

Darcy held still. She had not said no. She had not said yes, but she had not said no, and for the moment that was enough to keep him from losing the little sense he had remaining. “I did not ask you properly. I am sorry, that was not as I planned.”

“On the contrary. It was very plainly done.” She clasped her hands together, then unclasped them. “Before I make you any answer, I ask that you satisfy me on one point.”