Page 51 of When Elizabeth Said Yes

It was hard for Darcy to admit such a thing. He wasn’t sure why. He’d told her he loved her. He knew he loved her. But to say it out loud to someone else…

And yet he felt Bingley deserved the truth.

"Yes," he said simply. "I do love her, and I didn’t realise what that meant when I was separating you and Miss Bennet before, and I apologise."

Bingley leant forward and clapped him on the shoulder. "Apology accepted," he said.

"And have your feelings towards Miss Jane Bennet changed?" Darcy asked.

Bingley shook his head. "Not in the slightest. As you know, I have heard many reasons against the match, most of those from my sister. And I must admit her opinion in such matters is not always in alignment with mine. But I believed your word to carry more weight, and so I left because of you. But if you think you were wrong, well, I shall be very pleased to renew my attentions to the elder Miss Bennet, if you think she will be agreeable."

Darcy smiled. He was sure she would be, and sure that Elizabeth would be pleased with the outcome and that, overall, had been his goal. He was happy. His friend would be happy.

He had not liked to think that he had inadvertently upset Elizabeth.

"I think she will be happy," he told Bingley.

"Excellent," Bingley said. "Then tonight will be a merry party indeed, I’m sure."

***

They took the coach and horses, because as much as Elizabeth loved to walk, none of the ladies wished to enter Netherfield with their dresses covered in mud. The winter had been fairly mild, but it had also been wet, and riding across the fields, or even worse, walking, would only result in mud-splattered dresses, similar to the state in which Elizabeth had arrived when Jane had been ill at Netherfield.

That seemed so long ago now. So much had changed.

Papa was gone. Charlotte was Mrs Collins, and Elizabeth was to marry Mr Darcy.

If someone had told her all of that back then, why, she did not think she would have believed a single word of it.

How strange life was, changing and twisting in ways one could never possibly expect.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

They were shown into the parlour at Netherfield, where their hosts were waiting, dressed for dinner and making polite conversation.

When they were announced, Elizabeth was rather gratified that Darcy’s eyes immediately found hers. She smiled at him. This wasn’t at all how she’d expected to feel.

She’d accepted his proposal, angry, infuriated by the man who thought he knew better.

And now… And now she found herself looking forward to spending time with him, another thing she couldn’t have predicted.

"Miss Elizabeth," Miss Bingley said, coming over immediately. "How wonderful to see you again." She smiled. It did not quite reach her eyes.

"And you, Miss Bingley," Elizabeth said. "I trust you are enjoying your time back at Netherfield."

"Oh, yes," Miss Bingley said with a chuckle. "It is nice to have a rest from all the delights of London."

"Indeed," Elizabeth said. "My sister Jane was in London recently."

"Oh, yes, we did get to see her once," Miss Bingley said, and Elizabeth forced a smile, for of course she knew that.

And she also knew that they had been trying to keep her away from Bingley.

Well, they could not do so any longer. Elizabeth had seen him approach Jane immediately when they had walked in, and they were now conversing quietly in the corner, under the watchful eye of Mrs Bennet.

Mr Darcy, it seemed, had made good on his word that he would make sure his changed views were made clear.

"I must admit we were all very surprised when Darcy said you two were to wed," Miss Bingley said, glancing towards Mr Darcy, who had been caught in conversation by Mary.