Now that they were engaged, Elizabeth’s playful spirit returned. One day, she asked Darcy, "How did you ever fall in love with me? I was so rude to you at the beginning!"
Darcy smiled. "I don’t know exactly when it started. I was already in the middle of loving you before I even realized it."
"You probably liked me because I wasn't like other women," Elizabeth said. "Other women were always trying to please you and agreed with everything you said. I was the only person who dared to tell you the truth!"
"That is true," Darcy admitted. "I was tired of people always being too polite to me. You interested me because you were different."
They also talked about Lady Catherine. Elizabeth laughed, "Your aunt has been very useful to us! By trying to separate us, she actually gave you the courage to propose again."
"Yes," Darcy agreed. "When she told me you wouldn't promise to stay away from me, I knew I had a chance."
Soon, it was time to tell the rest of the world. Darcy wrote a letter to Lady Catherine, and Elizabeth wrote to her aunt, Mrs. Gardiner. She told her aunt that she was the happiest creature in the world and invited her to visit them at Pemberley for Christmas.
Mr. Bennet wrote a short, funny letter to Mr. Collins:
"Dear Sir, Elizabeth will soon marry Mr. Darcy. Tell Lady Catherine to be calm. But if I were you, I would take Mr. Darcy’s side. He has more money and power."
When Lady Catherine heard the news, she was furious. However, Darcy’s sister, Georgiana, was delighted. She wrote a long letter to Elizabeth, telling her how much she looked forward to having her as a sister.
The weeks before the wedding were busy. Some relatives were a bit rude or focused too much on Darcy’s wealth, which was difficult for Elizabeth. But she didn't mind too much. She looked forward to the future. Soon, she and Darcy would move away to his beautiful home, Pemberley. There, they would live a quiet, happy life together, surrounded by the people they truly cared about.