"Goodbye, Miss Bennet"; Mr. Darcy said finding it almost impossible to hide the fact that only one short hour ago Miss Elizabeth Bennet had consented to be his bride. He wanted to tell the whole world, but Elizabeth had asked him to wait till the next night to ask Mr. Bennet for her hand. Knowing Mrs. Bennet Mr. Darcy could sympathize with her wanting a day in peace before receiving her mother's overwhelming joy and congratulations.

"Goodbye, Mr. Darcy,"; Elizabeth replied with a radiant smile he knew was just for him.

Darcy couldn't keep a stupid smile from covering his face as he rode back to Netherfield with Bingley, who was engaged to Elizabeth's older sister Jane. Bingley noticed the smile and the vacant look on his face, but wisely didn't say anything.

Darcy grinned at the stable boy that took his horse and gave him a couple of coins. He beamed and bowed to a very rightly confused chambermaid. He even (very generously, he thought) gave Caroline Bingley his best smile saying, "You look very well today, Caroline," before throwing himself down on a couch just to jump back up again.

Caroline's mind went whirling, ' He called me Caroline. And he smiled at me!'

Then Darcy asked Caroline to play a song on the piano that he had heard Elizabeth play often, but Caroline did not make the connection and blushed deeply when Darcy cried, "Beautiful, beautiful. I do believe that is my favorite song."

' This is so very odd,' Miss Bingley thought. ' He is acting like a mad man... or a man in love!' Caroline's heart jumped at the thought of Fitzwilliam Darcy being madly in love with her. All she ever dreamt of would be hers; Pemberley, the house in London, the prestige of being a Darcy, and most of all his 10,000 a year. Then she steadied herself, ' You have no proof, Caroline,' she chided.

Bingley asked, "What on God's great earth is the matter with you, Darcy? I've never seen you so agitated before." Darcy practically yelled back, "I must speak to you in your study, straight away, Bingley!"

While Bingley was wondering if he would have send for the doctor to examine his friend, Miss Bingley was thinking, ' He's gone to ask for Charles' permission to marry me, I know it!' She couldn't keep still so she decided to take a turn around the house. She found herself drawn to her brother's study and although she thought it was somewhat beneath her she listened carefully at the door. She heard her brother saying,

"Congratulations, Darcy! I couldn't be happier for you."

"Should you be happy to have me as a brother, Bingley?" Darcy replied and Miss Bingley could hardly keep her countenance.

Bingley answered, "I don't need to answer that do I? Jane will be very happy, too, no doubt. You know how close they are."

Miss Bingley floated happily away from the door. She didn't consider it strange that Mr. Darcy was asking her brother before her. He was probably very nervous and thinking of the best way to approach the subject. 'He did not need to worry,' she thought. ' I will make it as easy for him as possible.'

That evening as Mr. Darcy was walking at a fast pace on one of the nicer paths in Netherfield Miss Bingley spotted him and tried to keep up. "I declare, Mr. Darcy, you certainly are walking very fast. Do you have something on your mind? I would be happy to listen." She batted her eyelashes and Mr. Darcy looked at her strangely. Miss Bingley attributed this to his nervousness.

"Well, Miss Bingley, to own truth I do have something on my mind. I should say someone, someone who is very near to my heart."

In the twilight he could not see her flushed face. She thought, ' Oh, he is on the verge of confessing his love to me. Careful, now, Caroline. I don't want to scare him away.'

Out loud she asked, "And may I be so bold as to ask who this person is?"

Darcy wanted to tell her so much, then maybe she would leave him alone, but he promised Elizabeth. He knew she wouldn't mind Bingley knowing, but tell anybody else and he would be treading on dangerous ground. "Excuse me, Miss Bingley. I have business to attend to." His business was sitting in his room thinking about Elizabeth, but Caroline didn't need to know that. He walked away abruptly.

' Drat,' thought Miss Bingley, ' although his embarrassment is quite charming.'

The next morning Caroline happened upon Darcy in the drawing room writing a letter to his sister. Figuring that his engagement would be announced by the time Georgiana received his letter he thought Elizabeth would approve. He was meditating on what pleasure the two women would have living together when Miss Bingley said, "Mr. Darcy, are you writing a letter to dear Georgiana?"

Mr. Darcy quickly covered up the letter and replied, "Yes."

Miss Bingley thought, ' He is writing of our engagement. I just wish he would hurry up and ask so we could make it official.' She said, "Mr. Darcy, I want you to know that whatever you might ask me in the near future I will say yes, I want to oblige you in everything."

Mr. Darcy imagined himself asking, ' Miss Bingley, have you ever thought you have a rather duck-like face?' She would no doubt answer, ' Why, yes Mr. Darcy. Do you like it? You know I want to oblige you in everything.' These foolish thoughts brought a smile to his lips, which Miss Bingley most happily misconstrued as proof of his love for her.

That evening they were all invited to Longbourn, but Mr. Hurst had a cold, and Mrs. Hurst felt that she should stay home with him. No doubt if they were going to visit with anybody but the taxing Mrs. Bennet and her silly younger daughters Mrs. Hurst could have left Mr. Hurst to his brandy. There wasn't much marital devotion in her heart. Miss Bingley couldn't bear the thought of going into such inferior society without her sister, so she quickly came down with all the symptoms of Mr. Hurst's cold.

"Achoo! Oh, dear. Charles, I fear I will not be able to go tonight. Please apologize to Jane for me. Mr. Darcy, are you sure you feel quite well? It is always better to rest at the beginning of a cold before it gets really bad."

"I assure you, madam, I feel perfectly healthy."

Even if Darcy had been feeling sick he wouldn't have missed tonight. Tonight he would see his dear Elizabeth! And he would ask Mr. Bennet for his approval. His stomach twisted into knots at that thought.

All during dinner that night the two secret lovers sent smiles at each other that made them dizzy. After the meal when Mr. Bennet went to his library Mr. Darcy followed him in. Elizabeth looked anxious, so he tried to give her a reassuring smile, but he was afraid it didn't turn out well.

"Come in," Mr. Bennet said rather irritably in response to the knock on his door. Darcy pushed the door open and bowed slightly. "Ah, Mr. Darcy. Make yourself comfortable," Mr. Bennet said with surprise. "May I ask to what I owe this honor?

Darcy took a deep breath, "Mr. Bennet, I have come to ask for your daughter Elizabeth's hand in marriage."

"Excuse me sir, but I must have misunderstood you. Surely you did not just ask for permission to marry my Lizzy?"

"Indeed, you heard me correctly. It is my most cherished wish that I may marry your daughter."

"And you have asked Lizzy about this?"

"Of course."

"And she said yes?"

"I was that fortunate, sir."

"If Lizzy wants to marry you I have no objections. In fact if she is determined to have you, I have little authority when it comes to what Lizzy wants, but I must warn you- she will make your life quite miserable if there is little respect or love in your match."

"I have the deepest respect and love for Elizabeth, let me assure you. I, too, am not one that would be agreeable in a loveless marriage, and I believe that your daughter esteems me, may I be so bold as to say loves me, also."

"Then you have my consent. I hope you are happy. Mr. Bennet sounded a little doubtful. "Send Lizzy into see me, if you would, Mr. Darcy."

Mr. Darcy bowed again and left in relief. He had Mr. Bennet's consent! There was nothing to block their marriage, and consequently their happiness.

Mr. Darcy winked at Lizzy and told her to see her father. She smiled that wonderful smile of hers and excused herself. Mr. Darcy was so happy that he found Mrs. Bennet witty, Kitty charming, and Mary beautiful. When she came back he asked, "Could you be induced into playing for us tonight, Miss Elizabeth?" Of course Elizabeth graciously obliged.

"Well, Bingley, she is probably telling her mother right now," Darcy said as they road up the Netherfield lane.

"Let me say again how happy I am for you, Darcy" Bingley replied. "I must say I am thankful to Lizzy for finally accepting you, you were getting quite unbearable."

Darcy responded by whistling Elizabeth's song as they walked into the house. Miss Bingley was waiting in the drawing room for them. Mr. Darcy smiled at her (yes, he was being very generous). "Miss Bingley," he asked, "are you recovered?"

"Yes, thank you, sir."

"Good, good!"Darcy cried and went upstairs crying, "Goodnight Caroline! Goodnight Louisa! Goodnight Hurst, you old devil!"

Louisa came down and sat by her sister. "What on earth was that all about?" she asked.

"Oh, Louisa! I think, no, I know that Mr. Darcy is in love with me. Just the other night he called me Caroline and asked me to play for him, and then I heard him talking to Charles about them being brothers, and tonight he inquired after my health!"

Louisa gasped and pressed Caroline's hand, "Oh, sister! I can scarce believe it! Not that anybody being in love with you is amazing. Think of the jewels, the pin money you will have. Think of Pemberley!"

The sisters collapsed into giggles and Charles who could not hear what they said excused himself from their silliness and went to bed.

The next morning Jane and Elizabeth were invited to Netherfield, however disagreeable this was to Caroline. She knew that Mr. Darcy was ready to pop the question and she didn't want that hussy Elizabeth Bennet in the way. She was acquainted with Mr. Darcy's habit of rising early and reading in the library, so she took care to be ready hours earlier than she usually was. When she finally approved of her appearance (she was wearing her favorite carrot colored gown) she went down to surprise Mr. Darcy in the library.

She found him on the sofa reading some drivel by Shakespeare (Caroline could never understand what all of the fuss was about).

"Good morning, Mr. Darcy," she cooed.

"Hmmm, what? Oh, it's you Miss Bingley."

She smiled at him expectantly. 'Come on, come on, do it!' her mind urged.

"Miss Bingley there is something I should tell you before our guests arrive this morning," he began.

She fluttered her eyelashes at him (she really was becoming good at this!).

"I,uh, I," he was distracted by her rapidly blinking eyes, "is there something wrong with your eyes?"

"No, I assure you. You were saying," Caroline said, she was thinking, 'Almost there, almost there!'

"I want-need to tell you that" he paused.

Caroline thought, 'Drat. Well I will do what I must.' She jumped into his lap. "You need to tell me you love me, right? Oh, dearest Fitzwilliam, I love you too! I would love to be your wife!"

Dearest Fitzwilliam leapt up dumping Caroline on the floor. "I need to tell you that I'm engaged to Miss Bennet!" he spluttered in shock.

From her position on the floor Caroline scratched her head in disbelief, "But, no, Charles is engaged to Miss Bennet," then a horrible idea came over her, "Oh no, you can't mean..."

"I am engaged to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. I'm sorry if I mislead you. I certainly had no intention to do so," Mr. Darcy stuck his hand out to help her up, when she ignored it he shrugged and turned to leave.

"Not so fast!"; Caroline shrieked. "Do you mean to tell me that for the past year I've paraded around the most barbaric county in England, slaved over my toilette for hours, batted my eyelashes, batted my eyelashes for God's sake, so you could be engaged to Miss Elizabeth bloody Bennet! I don't think so!" She paused to through a shoe at him. "You have a little more explaining to do!

"I don't know what to say..." Mr. Darcy stammered, shocked at Miss Bingley's behavior.

"Wrong answer!" she shrieked and threw her other shoe at him.

"I'm really sorry. Really, really sorry," he said ready to duck if any more well-aimed missiles came flying his way.

"AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHH!" Caroline screamed.

Just then Charles, who had heard raised voices coming from the library walked in. He looked in amazement at his usually dignified sister sprawled out awkwardly on the floor. And why on earth was Darcy holding her shoes? "Is everything alright in here? I heard yelling."

"Um, everything is just fine. Miss Bingley and I just had a little misunderstanding, that's all," Darcy explained.

"Caroline, is this true?" Charles asked.

She closed her eyes for a moment and felt sanity resume control. When she was certain that she wouldn't scream anymore she took a deep breath and said, "Yes Charles. It was all just a misunderstanding.