A Continued Affection

Part 36

"I think we might talk on happier things," Mr Bennet said, eyeing his wife and sensing her thirst for gossip would only be overcome by the delivery of happier news. "Elizabeth, what became of you and Mr Darcy? We quite lost track of you after your dance."

Lizzy coloured, certain that her father knew precisely where they had gone. He had to have noticed how closely she and Darcy stood, that it was to her he had turned once he had assured himself of Georgiana's safety, of the few whispered words they had exchanged before joining the rest of her family at the table the Gardiners had secured.

"Papa," she began, turning to Darcy with a question in her eyes. He was all calm, all peace, and opened his mouth to ask Mr Bennet the question that would lead to another question that would lead to happiness, all the days of their lives, but before either could say a word, Kitty burst upon them, dragging a blushing Mary after her.

"You will never believe it, Mama! Tell them, Mary! Mr Egerton, come and join your bride!"

"Bride?" Mrs Bennet gasped, her attention entirely taken up by her plain, shy middle daughter, who looked desperately around for some support, but Mr Egerton was helpless to aid her, being detained by his sister, who hung off him and clamoured to know detail upon detail of all that had transpired that evening.

"Mary, dear, sit down! You look liable to faint," Mrs Gardiner said, giving up her chair to her niece, and passing Lizzy close enough to pinch her slyly on the arm. Mrs Gardiner, it seemed, understood both situations perfectly, and was almost as happy for Elizabeth as Lizzy was for herself, but she would say nothing to detract from the true star of the moment.

"I am quite well," Mary said, fumbling her way to the seat in a manner that suggested this was not even remotely true. "It is just that Mr Egerton and I - that is, we - "

"They are to be married, Papa!" Kitty declared. "Isn't it romantic?"

"I gather weddings do tend to be romantic," Mr Bennet said, eyeing Kitty with a deadpan expression. "But perhaps you would allow the bride to tell of it?"

"Oh." Kitty giggled. "Well, go on, Mary!"

"Where is Lydia?" Mrs Bennet declared, interrupting Mary before she had even spoken a word.

Mr Darcy swallowed a groan low in his throat and when Lizzy glanced at him he smiled, somehow securing hold of her hand and squeezing it out of sight of everyone. It was a silent promise that they, too, would have a conversation like this soon, but not this evening. Not, she fancied, because he feared over-much the idea of outshining Mr Egerton and Mary, neither of whom would object to their doing so, but because he did not wish to have his whole suit picked apart by gushing females when it might be discussed calmly, at leisure, for only Mr Bennet's ears.

"Probably pouting because she is not the one with news to tell!" Kitty said, with a spiteful laugh.

"Neither are you, dear," Mr Bennet said, patiently. He looked at Mary, but she did not need to say anything for him to see the truth of the words. He smiled, settling back in his chair and looking as pleased with the situation as if he had orchestrated it himself. "I trust my meting with Mr Egerton was taken to heart, then."

The table exploded around him in a riot of exclamation.

"What meeting?"

"When?"

"I chanced to take a wander along to call on Mr Egerton and his sisters....now, when was it? Yesterday, I believe." Mr Bennet's eyes twinkled with humour, enjoying the attention. He patted Mary gently on the shoulder. "He confided his plans to me and I assured him that he would have my blessing, provided the match pleased you. Does it?"

Mary nodded, blushing and blinking rapidly as if she was on the verge of crying happy tears.

"Oh, Mary!" Elizabeth pulled her hand free of Darcy's just long enough to throw her arms around her sister, genuinely delighted by this good news. She had hoped things would end thus for her quiet, shy sister, and now that they had she began to realise the momentous shift their family would undergo. Mary would marry Mr Egerton, Jane Mr Bingley, surely, as all signs indicated they would. And I shall marry Mr Darcy! The thought sent shivers up her spine, and she could not resist glancing over her shoulder at him. It was this that betrayed them, for he met her gaze and looked at her with such affection that Mr Bennet grew suspicious.

"I am surprised you care to partake in our little family celebration, Mr Darcy." He shifted his weight in his seat. "Not that you are not welcome, of course."

"Forgive me, Mr Bennet." Mr Darcy blanched, fidgeting to find a reason for his being there.

"He is good friends with Mr Egerton, Papa," Lizzy said, extricating herself from Mary to interpose on his behalf. "Why should he not rejoice over the news of his friend's engagement, as we do? Where is Mr Egerton? Oh, here he is!"

Mary was poised to stand, to give her seat to her soon-to-be husband, but he laid one hand on her shoulder, the other resting on the back of her chair to keep him balanced. He looked younger than he had before, standing straighter, as if a burden had been lifted, or at least shared. Elizabeth slipped back to Darcy's side, her hand finding his once again.

"Isn't it wonderful?" she murmured, concealing her words behind her free hand to not betray that she spoke to him at all.

"Wonderful," Darcy agreed, his fingers brushing the back of her hand before letting go, lest they were discovered. She met his gaze and saw such love reflected at her that she wondered if he, like her, referred only to Mr Egerton and Mary's happy decision.