Apprehension and Desire: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice by Ola Wegner Read Free Book Online Page A

him, both his eyebrows arched. “Oh, come now, Mr. Darcy, we both know that is a lie,” he stated good humouredly.
    “We do?” Darcy asked stupidly, then shook his head with a frown. “ I am afraid I do not understand your meaning, sir.”
    Mr. Bennet sighed and spoke with little patience in his voice. “Let us be truthful, Mr. Darcy, shall we? So far as I remember, you refused to even dance with her, finding her not tolerable enough, if I recall correctly, not handsome enough to tempt a man such as you.”
    Darcy closed and opened his mouth several times before he stammered. “I... I was not aware that she heard...”
    “She did.”
    “I must apologize to her then,” he said quietly. “Mr. Bennet, I was in bad mood that evening. Bingley insisted that I attend that Assembly, and in general, I dislike such gatherings... I usually prefer to stay home in my own company or with the people dear to me, like my sister.”
    “I can understand your dislike for large gatherings, believe me, Mr Darcy. I feel the same about it. Still I do not know why you decided to slight my daughter without even knowing her.”
    Darcy squirmed in his chair. “I thought that Bingley was trying to force another dull young lady into my company,” he admitted  “The remark was not directed against your daughter but rather against all the ladies present at the Assembly that evening and the other women in Hertfordshire, London, and, in fact, the entire of England.”
    “I see, very interesting, young man, very interesting...,” Mr. Bennet pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes twinkling in amusement. “You dislike all females, I gather.”
    “No, not all, there are some women whom I hold in high esteem, perhaps not many of them... my sister is one of them, my late mother, my housekeeper and now your daughter. You must believe me that very early in our acquaintance, I started to discover and admire all the admirable qualities of  Miss Elizabeth...”
    “Such as?”
    Darcy smiled and spoke more confidently, “Not only her beauty, but everything about her: her kind, compassionate heart, her lively disposition, her intelligence and, so rare nowadays, her integrity and self respect, her grace, her manners, her voice, the way she expresses her opinions and defends them even when she is wrong, the passion in her eyes when she speaks about something. I have never met a woman like her, never thought that someone like her existed. When we met again in Kent, I understood that there was no point in fighting my feelings for her.”
    “Well, Mr. Darcy, that was perhaps the longest speech I have ever heard from you,” Mr. Bennet noted.
    “Thank you, sir,” Darcy murmured.
    Mr. Bennet did not say more and looked out of the window.
    Darcy stared at him without comprehension. Then he stood up abruptly.
    “May I have the honour to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage?” he asked loudly.
    “Sit down, young man.” Mr. Bennet waved him down. “Are you aware that my daughter has no dowry to speak of?”
    Darcy sat as ordered.“I am aware of that.”
    “It does not bother you?”
    Darcy shook his head. “I am in a fortunate position to marry where I wish. I am fully able to support her so she would lack nothing. My income estimates at...”
    He did not finish, because the older man interrupted him again. “Mr. Darcy, I will be sincere with you. I am not willing to give my favourite daughter to a man I know so little about nor without speaking with Elizabeth directly.”
    “You refuse,” Darcy mumbled incredibly.
    “Not exactly,” Mr. Bennet said slowly. “I can agree to a courtship. You may stay in the neighbourhood as long as you wish, come here every day, accompany her on walks and to parties, assemblies and church. If after..., let us say six months, she still wants you, I will not oppose.”
    Darcy gave him a heavy look. “Is it your last word, sir?”
    “Yes, you do not like it?”
    “Not particularly,” he murmured.
    Mr.