Revelations an adaption of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 9

The next morning he remembers his dream as if everything has really happened, and it makes him a little afraid to meet Elizabeth, what if he cannot control himself any longer and kisses her as he did in that dream?

His reception at Longbourn is as cool as the day before, but Bingley greets Elizabeth with a most hearty handshake and a broad smile, and Miss Bennet greets Darcy with a very sweet, knowing expression and as warm a handshake. Elizabeth has been as open to her sister as he has been to Bingley, and Miss Bennet's approval need not be doubted. She has always been very friendly towards him, and Darcy feels some shame at having ever thought her mercenary or without much feeling. She has strong feelings, she just doesn't flaunt them.

Bingley is in such an excellent mood that he suggests familiarly that Lizzy might want to lose her way again today, and Mrs Bennet jumps on the idea, even without the addition of Miss Catherine, not at all put out that her unmarried daughter of tender years would ramble for hours with an adult male, without chaperone. For a moment he suspects her of trying to make a match, but Mrs Bennet clearly has no such idea, she dislikes Darcy too much to even consider him as potential suitor.

Elizabeth is not herself, not yet, she's still rather silent and grave. But that will all change once they are safely married, they will be together always, never having to worry again over what other people say or think.

And when they indeed walk out by themselves, towards the view her mother has suggested, she does loosen up, exercise makes her happy, and Darcy can see that she is feeling an urge to run. No matter, once they're at Pemberley she can run as much as she likes, no-one will mind the slightest, or even notice.

'I suppose I'll have to face your father tonight to ask his consent to marry you,' Darcy says. 'I'm not too proud to admit that the idea has me week-kneed with anxiety, your father frightens me to no end.' That sets her laughing, and she asks: 'Whatever for? My father is the sweetest man, though he will not be pleased at first. He has no idea who you really are, but he will not be angry or refuse consent.'

'I know, Elizabeth, but still I fear him. His sarcasm has me totally helpless, I cannot arm myself against it. He could easily maim me for life with the sharpness of his tongue.'

Now Elizabeth looks at him with a twinkle in her eyes, and observes: 'That's good, you should respect your father-in-law. You'll grow to like each other soon, I hope, my love.'

She looks a bit unsure now, and observes: 'You have it easy, you just leave the Miss off, Bingley apparently already calls me Lizzy, but I've never heard anyone call you anything else than Mr Darcy. But I can't very well call you by your last name anymore. I know your first name is Fitzwilliam, same as your cousin the Colonel, for you signed your letter with it, but I never heard anyone call you that. What do you want me to call you?'

There it is again, as his mind softens at her moment of indecision, she looks so vulnerable all of a sudden, his body uses that as an excuse to want to reach out for her, take her hand and press it to his lips, or take her in his arms and feel her head rest on his shoulder. He takes a moment to show it who's in control, then replies, thoughtfully, for it has never come up before: 'I guess Georgiana is the only one to ever call me by my first name, everyone else always calls me Darcy, with or without honorific. My sister never shortens my name, though I shorten hers all the time. Do you suppose you can start with calling me Fitzwilliam, as Georgie does, and then we see what happens in time? You may need to say it twice though, at first, it will take some getting used to. You always said 'Mr Darcy' in a way that got my attention instantly, I'll miss that sometimes.'

Now her uncertainty is gone, and she looks at him cheekily and says: 'Don't worry, Fitzwilliam, I know exactly what you mean and if I ever need your attention quickly I will not hesitate to use it.'