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Chapter 18. Yes.

Posted on 2010-09-09

June 1818

Mr. Darcy was in a dither. He had very nearly kissed Elizabeth. While that event in itself would not have been a bad thing (indeed, he had fantasized about it for months), he was not at all certain that she would not have flayed him alive had he done so without first gaining her permission.

She had not moved away from him, but was that merely a symptom of her passionate nature? He did not want to seduce her (honestly, he was not exactly certain that he could). He wanted her love. He wanted to marry her. He wanted to lock them both in a bedroom for several weeks together, alone. Preferably all in that order, although the ungentlemanly, rakish part of his brain that seemed to control his nether regions would occasionally argue that the order of those last two items was not necessarily set in stone. Of course, the educated, civilized part of his mind that had spent the last two decades desperately trying to stamp out any behavior bearing similarity to George Wickham would immediately dismiss such a suggestion (though not quite as successfully in his dreams than in his conscious mind).

Regardless, he was absolutely certain that something needed to be done. Immediately.

The morning after the ceiling fell in the Rose sitting room, William rose early, hoping to catch Miss Bennet at breakfast and perhaps entice her out for a walk in the park so that he might discover her feelings. However, it seemed as if everything was conspiring against him. No sooner had Elizabeth set foot in the breakfast room than a footman arrived with a message that the steward needed to speak with his master immediately.

With an apologetic look to the lady, Darcy dutifully left for his study. His hope that the problem might be resolved quickly was soon dashed. A heavy wagon had attempted a short cut between Lambton and Kympton by crossing on a shaky old bridge near the boundary of Pemberley's park. Unsurprisingly, the bridge had shifted under the weight and, though the man and his team had made it to the opposite bank safely, the wagon had tipped and part of the load had fallen into the river below.

"I apologize for calling you away from your guests, sir, but the driver is threatening to sue, despite the fact that anyone with the least smidgeon of common sense would not have attempted it." John Timmons had been Pemberley's steward for eight years now and, though older, was of a complimentary temperament to the estate's owner. The two men grimaced in understanding. The prevalence of lawsuits over the slightest incident was rapidly spreading beyond London, much to their dismay.

William sighed heavily. "Very well, Timmons. Let us go and see if we cannot keep this out of the courts. If you would have my horse saddled, I'll just let Mrs. Reynolds know where I'll be and meet you at the stables."

When Darcy reached the bridge with Timmons and several workmen to assess the damage, he was not impressed by the man who stepped forward and immediately began to harangue Pemberley's steward.

Timmons had sent out several men to help the driver in recovering his wool bales from the river. The man--a Mr. Black, Darcy was given to understand--had made no move to assist them, and indeed, seemed much more interested in keeping his blue superfine coat clean.

While Black was demanding more workmen to help him and monetary recompense to cover his loss of time and damage to his cargo, Darcy eyed the four large Clydesdales still in their harness and the wagon which, to his eye, was slung rather low for the half load of wool bales that it now carried. He spoke quietly to one of his men before turning back to his steward.

"Mr. Black," he interrupted. "We have not been introduced. I am Fitzwilliam Darcy, owner of this estate.

Black turned to him, not having noticed the man before and clearly displeased to be dealing with a gentleman rather than a mere steward (the latter more likely to be intimidated into avoiding trouble by paying up).

With an oily smile, he extended his hand. "Mr. Darcy, of course. Timmons here did not mention that the family was at home; I am surprised that you would bother to come out for such a minor concern."

"Everything at Pemberley is my concern, Mr. Black, particularly when it involves a potential lawsuit. Now, can you tell me where you are from and where you are headed? This road is usually only used by locals traveling among Lambton, Kympton, and Pemberley, and they all know that this bridge is not meant for heavy vehicles." William gestured to a clear track that led toward a ford less than ten yards down river.

Mr. Black looked as though he had been forced to suck on a lemon. Before he could answer, however, one of Darcy's workmen called him over to the wagon. The driver's face flushed with a look of anger tinged with fear.

"How dare you! You have no right to go poking around in my wagon!"

When Darcy looked over the edge, he was not greatly surprised by what he saw. Several planks had been shifted aside, exposing a secret compartment filled with lead bars.

With a nod of approval to his men, Darcy turned back to the driver with a stern look. "Mr. Black, or whatever your name is; if you decide to proceed with your lawsuit, I shall call the magistrate out from Lambton immediately so that he may examine the bridge and your wagon in context. Also, you should know that I will be sending an express to my uncle, a judge at the Old Bailey in London, to check around on the off chance that you and your wagon have been involved in any similar lawsuits against other land-owners. The courts do not take kindly to swindlers who waste their time and twist the law to suit their nefarious schemes."

In short order, Mr. Black and his blue coat were back on his wagon, waving off Darcy's men and, with a final glare towards the master, was off at the fastest speed his team could manage.

William joined his men in a chuckle before turning to Timmons. "Have someone follow the wagon discretely and make certain that he really does leave the area. I don't know if he was angry enough to do anything, but one fire is enough for the summer."

Instantly becoming serious, Mr. Timmons nodded and proceeded to send out a pair of boys to follow the wagon. Once that was accomplished, they spent some time looking over the bridge and discussing what repairs were necessary.

Though William would have returned directly to the house (and Elizabeth) had he only himself to please, he dutifully accompanied his steward to the Greene's tenant farm where they checked on the progress made in clearing the burnt cottage. There, Darcy was drawn into a discussion over whether it might be better to build the new house on a different site, slightly uphill from the original. When Will finally returned to Pemberley House, he barely had time to wash and change for luncheon.

The midday meal itself was a pleasant affair. Elizabeth and Mr. Gardiner had taken advantage of the fine weather to explore the gardens with the children. Georgiana and Mrs. Gardiner had many stories to tell after spending several hours poking around in the attics; Miss Darcy had become quite fascinated by all the relics of her ancestors that were stored there and the older woman was obviously happy to spend time with the girl.

Best of all, they had discovered a trunk stored away years ago with things salvaged from the parsonage before Mr. Jessop had moved in. Many things had been burnt for fear of contagion, but there still remained mementos that brought tears to Mrs. Gardiner's eyes; a number of books, including her father's bible, a pendant of her mother's inherited from that lady's grandmother, and Rebecca Churchill's notebooks, filled with mathematical derivations and notes on their publication.

However, all of these had faded in importance when Jonathan and Rebecca's daughter discovered a flat, rectangular object, carefully wrapped in clean rags. When she had freed it from its covering, the normally calm mother of five had sat down on the floor and wept, for it contained a painting of her parents and the four children, posed before the parsonage on a sunny day with roses blooming on the arbor; a painting by Lady Anne Darcy.

Clutching the canvas as if it were the most precious thing on Earth, Mrs. Gardiner had immediately gone to find her husband and children. She was finally able to introduce her sons and daughters to their grandparents and her beloved husband to his in-laws. Later, in private, she admitted to Edward that she had begun to forget what their dear faces looked like and had feared facing their graves with such guilt.

By luncheon, Madeleine had recovered enough to tell some merry stories from her childhood that had been brought to mind after seeing her trunk of mementos. At the end of the meal, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner declared their intention to drive into Lambton that afternoon and visit the cemetery. The children would be resting and Elizabeth, sensing that her aunt preferred to visit her family's graves this first time with only her husband, indicated her preference to remain at Pemberley to write letters and perhaps explore the library.

After they waved the Gardiners off in a curricle, Georgiana gave her brother a pointed look and announced that she would be spending the afternoon at her music lessons. Finding himself agreeably alone with Miss Bennet, Darcy was just about to ask if he might join her in the library when, much to his irritation, another footman arrived to inform him that he was needed. However, upon hearing that Mr. Jenson had arrived to assess the plumbing problems, William knew that he could not ignore the summons.

Sighing, he turned to Elizabeth. "Miss Bennet, please excuse me." Her understanding smile went only so far toward appeasing him.

Even in his impatient state, it was nearly two hours before William was free to go in search of Elizabeth. The discussion with Jenson had begun with a short list of required repairs but had rapidly escalated to advances that had been made in plumbing since Darcy's grandfather had installed the facilities nearly fifty years previously. After poking around the exposed pipes in the walls and ceilings, they had climbed to the roof to inspect the cisterns that captured and stored the rainwater.

Darcy was always interested in modernizing Pemberley and found the craftsman's suggestions fascinating. However, his desire to return to a certain guest was greater and he finally detached himself, leaving Timmons to see to the man and requesting a full proposal be prepared for his perusal.

After a quick stop in his chambers to clean up, William was finally free to seek out Elizabeth. However, after checking the library, music room, and sitting room without discovering the lady, he began to feel as though he was in a romantic novel in which the author would never quite allow the hero and heroine enough time alone to come to an understanding.

By the time Will met his housekeeper in the hallway, he was done with disguise. "Mrs. Reynolds, do you have any idea where Miss Bennet might be?"

The servant's lips twitched at the half-petulant, half-eager expression on her master's face. "Yes, sir. I believe that the young lady left for a walk but a few minutes ago. I thought she might appreciate the prospect from the old stone footbridge by the willows, so I recommended that she walk around the lake towards the south woods."

William's face broke into a broad smile and he impulsively kissed the older woman's cheek before turning toward the front door and calling over his shoulder, "Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds! You are a treasure!"

Standing on the front steps, Will shielded his eyes from the afternoon sun and studied the distance. Catching sight of a flash of colour from between the trees, he smiled to himself and took off at a quick pace along a tack that would intercept her.

It was lucky for Elizabeth that she noticed the gentleman well before they met, for her composure might not have survived had the focus of her thoughts appeared unexpectedly before her. As it was, she blushed when he kissed her ungloved hand and averted her eyes when he straightened from a bow and looked her full in the face.

Preferring to walk, she tugged his hand slightly and he fell in at her side with no argument.

"And how was your morning, Mr. Darcy?"

As they strolled along the edge of the lake, Elizabeth encouraged him to speak of the encounter with the nefarious Mr. Black.

Hearing of the man's attempted swindle, she became serious. "You did well to attend to the problem yourself."

Embarrassed, William attempted to brush it aside. "I did no more than any estate owner would have done."

Elizabeth turned and, arms akimbo, looked him sternly in the eye. "No, sir. I am quite certain that my own father would never have left his bookroom. Had the teamster been an honest man, you would have assisted him, would you not?"

At Darcy's slight nod, she turned abruptly and began walking again, arm gestures displaying the strength of her emotions. "Papa would have brushed it off and forgotten about it by day's end. Had a lawsuit been delivered, he would have acted as if it were a joke and put the paperwork aside, eventually paying the fine if it came to that. It would have all been some ridiculous farce to him."

William was becoming uncomfortable, uncertain what had prompted the lady's critique against her father. "Miss Elizabeth…"

Elizabeth sighed and touched his arm. "Forgive me, Mr. Darcy. I am out of sorts this afternoon; I was rereading some letters and the contrast to your own devotion to your responsibilities was striking."

Rapidly sorting through what she had said, Will ventured a question. "Has something happened at Longbourn?"

Lizzy shrugged. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Charlotte--Mrs. Collins--wrote that her father had mentioned that a certain ford is in need of repairs. Technically it is in common land just beyond Longbourn's border, but the Bennets have always taken responsibility for its maintenance. We had a very wet spring and a flash flood washed out the gravel so that it is unsafe for any horse or vehicle to cross." She sighed.

Something tickled the edge of Darcy's mind. "How is it that Mrs. Collins came to write of this to you?"

Elizabeth smiled sardonically. "It has long been so with us. Even as mayor, Sir Lucas was often too genial to press any of his neighbors, and I am one of the few who has any influence over my father." She sighed again. "And if it is unlikely that I can cajole him, then I simply arrange to have the work done and inform him of it after the fact. However, I have not been home very much this spring."

The couple walked quietly for some minutes as William considered all that Elizabeth had said and intimated. He was amazed; every time he thought he understood her, she revealed a new dimension. Although he had observed Mr. Bennet's unenthusiastic attitude toward his estate, he had not realized quite how lackadaisical he was, nor what an active role his second daughter took in counteracting her father's carelessness.

After thinking for several minutes, Will turned to Elizabeth with an intent look and inquired, "What do you know of indoor plumbing, Miss Bennet?"

When the lady laughed and admitted that she had overseen much of the installation of the new plumbing system at Longbourn several years before. Improvements at the Gardiners' house had caught her mother's eye and, after a month of near constant nagging, Mr. Bennet had finally capitulated. Unfortunately, he had done little other than sign the contract with the craftsman. Fearing the repercussions of a poor job, eighteen-year-old Elizabeth had stepped in and done her best to oversee the work in her father's name, writing to her uncle with questions when she needed information.

William found himself eagerly explaining Pemberley's existing system and discussing the possibilities that Jenson had suggested.

The pair entered into an energetic conversation that lasted until the path turned between two enormous black willows. Elizabeth stopped in mid-sentence and clapped her hands together. "Oh, how lovely!"

Before them was a picturesque stone bridge that arched over a babbling brook. The lady stepped to the center and looked out on the prospect with awe. The lake before Pemberley House currently reflected blue sky and puffy white clouds, making it appear that the edifice of creamy limestone was floating on an island in the sky.

William's feet might have been on the ground physically, but emotionally the sight of his beloved standing so had launched his head into the clouds.

"Elizabeth…" He barely breathed her name but she heard him. Blue eyes met brown, and Will saw more affection and trust in them than he had ever dared hope for.

She held her hand out toward him and without seeming to move, he was by her side, looking into her eyes and cradling her hand as if it were the most precious thing on Earth. "Elizabeth… I… do you…" He felt too much to articulate the questions he was desperate to ask.

Fortunately, Lizzy knew precisely what he needed to hear. Bringing their clasped hands to rest on his chest, she touched his cheek with her left, running her finger lightly against his skin.

His face seemed on fire where she touched him. He leaned closer. "Elizabeth?"

For a moment, she closed her eyes and tucked her chin. Had her hand not remained on his cheek, he might have been concerned. As it was, his patience was rewarded for, a second later, her sparkling eyes met his.

"You are the best man I have ever known."

"Do you… dare I ask…"

Elizabeth smiled a brilliant smile, though her eyes were glassy with unshed tears. "Do I love you? Oh yes… so much that I do not know how I could not always have felt so." Her eyes traced the features of his face. "My heart is so full that I feel I shall burst with happiness. I can only pray that your affections and wishes are unchanged."

After a moment of stunned immobility, Darcy expressed himself as sensibly and warmly as a man violently in love can be expected to do. Drawing her into the circle of his arms, he kissed her hair, her forehead, her cheek, again and again, as he had longed to do for months.

Leaning away, his eyes were drawn to her slightly parted lips but he feared that once he tasted their sweetness, he would never remember to ask the question that promised so much happiness to both.

"My love for you has only grown… the feelings I spoke of in Kent seem like such pale things in hindsight. My heart recognized its other half, but I did not know you… or myself… well enough to know what true love felt like."

Taking her hands in his own, William knelt before her. "Elizabeth Bennet, I love you more than life itself and I cannot imagine going through this world without you at my side to share it… in good times and bad, in sickness and health. Will you grant me the very great honor of being your husband?"

By now, tears were running freely down Elizabeth's cheeks but she paid them no mind. "Dear man, dearest William… the honor would be mine." She tugged at their joined hands until he rose to stand before her again. The look of heartfelt delight that diffused over his face became him and she pulled her hands from his grip so that she might rest them on his chest.

"My dearest, loveliest Elizabeth…" was all Will could say before brushing her lips with his own. Tender kisses grew in passion and soon he could feel her hands on his neck and in his hair as his own wrapped around her waist and pressed her to him.

There was no telling how long their ardor might have lasted had not two geese suddenly erupted into flight from the water almost beneath their feet. As it was, the splashes and honking surprised the couple greatly; Elizabeth nearly leapt away from the low stone wall she had come to lean against and Darcy turned them so that she was still in his arms but he stood between her and the noise.

When they realized the cause of the disturbance, both blushed and Elizabeth giggled. "Are all of your wildlife such good chaperones, sir?"

William spoke before thinking. "I sincerely hope not." Then he blushed even redder and Elizabeth's peals of laughter rang though the woods. Still somewhat stunned by the volatility of their combined passions, he took several deep breaths and attempted to bring himself under better regulation.

As much as he might like to go directly to Mr. Gardiner and present their new understanding, he knew that he was not currently fit to be seen in company. Looking more carefully at Elizabeth, he realized that she was in no state to be returned to her relatives, either. Her lips were kissed red and swollen and, though he could not remember doing it, her hair had been loosened from its pins and the maid's careful work was beginning to tumble down her back.

Elizabeth noted the direction of his eyes and reached up to discover what had caught his attention.

Stepping back and turning away, she blushed slightly and began removing her hairpins. William stooped to retrieve one that had fallen to the ground and then stood with wide eyes to see her long chestnut curls fall unbound below her waist.

"I had no idea your hair was so long," he said breathlessly.

Setting the pins on the stone ledge and using her fingers to comb out the tangles before beginning to re-braid it, Elizabeth responded. "Oh yes, I finally had to cut some inches off after Christmas. It was getting so heavy that it hurt my head when I put it up. And in summer it is so hot… I begin to think of cutting it much shorter."

William reached out to brush a loose curl behind her ear. "Please don't."

With an amused but affectionate look at him, Elizabeth proceeded to pin up her hair in a simple style she often favored for precisely the reason that she could manage it herself, without need for a maid. "Very well, if that is your wish, sir."

As much as he wished to remain in their current position (or resume the previous one), Will recognized that they had a better chance of remaining relatively chaste if they were walking. Looking about him, he chose a direction and offered Elizabeth his arm. Accepting it, she rested her head on his shoulder for a moment before stepping off and leaving the lovely bridge behind them.

They strolled in silence for some minutes, hearts too full to speak. The path led them to a picturesque lane that curved through some woods and Darcy explained that it was little used but for some of the estate's groundskeepers and foresters.

Ambling along the track arm-in-arm, William's mind had moved beyond the initial amazement that she had accepted him and begun to plan. Should he leave immediately for Longbourn to finalize their engagement with Mr. Bennet, or might he indulge himself by enjoying Elizabeth's company at Pemberley for the remainder of her visit, though it was not quite proper for him to do so?

While William was busy arranging their lives, Elizabeth turned to him and spoke but the only part of her pert inquiry that he could focus on was the ending. "Is that how it is, Mr. Darcy?"

"Will you not call me by my Christian name, my love?" She had long done so in his dreams and he hungered to hear the syllables pass her lips. She directed a teasing smile at him.

"Shall I call you Fitzwilliam, then? I fear that shall take some practice; at present it makes me think of your cousin, the Colonel."

Glancing around to make sure that no one was there to see them, Darcy caught her up in his arms and spun them about in a circle, laughing with the simple joy that she allowed him to do so. "We cannot have that. My family has always called me William, or Wills. Fitzwilliam is such a mouthful that I try to avoid it as much as possible."

With her feet back on the ground, literally if not figuratively, Elizabeth looked up into his dark eyes, warm with love and devotion. "Very well, then; William it is." And received a happy kiss as a reward.

As they turned and began to walk again, she pondered. "Fitzwilliam Darcy. So Fitzwilliam is for your mother's family?"

"Yes; the Darcy tradition is to name the heir for his mother's family. My father was lucky enough to be named after the Georges, but my grandfather was Worthington." Seeing her smirk, he laughed. "Yes, another mouthful. I heard once that the other boys at school called him "Worty." Grandmother would joke that he married her for her surname, so that his own son would not have to endure similar teasing."

"So Bennet will do quite nicely," said Elizabeth before coloring when she realized what she had just intimated.

"Yes. Bennet Darcy will do superbly, amazingly, wonderfully well," said Darcy as he again picked his fiancé up and spun them around in a circle, both laughing in the sheer joy of their new understanding. Upon setting her down, they heard noises of a cart approaching from around the bend in the road, so collected themselves and walked forward again, this time on the grassy verge to give the vehicle room to pass.

The man was an old tenant of Pemberley hauling hay to the stables and he raised his cap to them. "Hullo there, Master Darcy. Beautiful day to be alive, is it not?"

"Hello Mr. Martin! It is indeed. Good day to you, sir!"

Their exchange was near rote, repeated at many such encounters before, but today William felt the full truth of the statement. He tucked Elizabeth's hand around his arm and smiled down at her as they continued their walk.

They wandered far and paid little attention to their direction, but luckily Pemberley's park was ten miles around and its master was familiar with every inch. Had Elizabeth not noted how low the sun was in the sky and prompted them to check their watches, the new lovers might have continued walking until the moon rose.

They spoke of their past and their future, of likes and dislikes, of friends and family and, most importantly, of their mutual joy in their new understanding. William was full of plans and wished for Elizabeth's input on everything. Lizzy found the realization of their love after so many obstacles and angst nothing short of amazing, and highly deserving of laughter. Will attempted to apologize again for all the mistakes he had made, but she shushed him and reminded him to follow her philosophy; to remember the past only as it brought him pleasure.

When the pair finally reentered Pemberley House, they had barely enough time to return to their respective rooms and change for dinner. Before parting on the stairs, Will stole a last kiss. "Shall we inform the others this evening, or keep it our secret for now?"

Elizabeth smiled up at him, wondering how she had ever mistaken Mr. Darcy for a cold, unfeeling gentleman. "My love, I do not think we could hide our happiness from our relations tonight if our lives depended on it."

Such a statement surely merited another kiss and it was only by the sheerest luck that the couple had drawn apart before a maid appeared in the hall. Before he could distract her again, Lizzy curtsied and teased lightly, "Thank you kindly, Mr. Darcy, but I believe I can find my way from here."

If the servants had observed William standing frozen, watching his guest's light figure tripping down the hall and entering the chamber assigned to her, he would not have cared, for he was rewarded with a happy smile from his beloved before she disappeared behind the door. After a further moment of stillness, he shook his head and laughed out loud; he was acting like some love-struck puppy. Even so, he turned and practically trotted down the hall toward his own chambers, already planning to skip his bath and change quickly so as not to miss any time in Elizabeth's company.

William would have been glad to know that the lady of his heart was of a similar disposition. After entering her room, Lizzy leaned back against the door and closed her eyes, breathing deeply and trying to regain some shred of her normal composure. She feared that if she did not, she might fling open the windows and call out 'He loves me!' to anyone in shouting distance.

"Miss? Should you like a quick bath before you dress?"

Elizabeth blinked open her eyes to see the maid who had been assigned to her. "Yes, thank you, Hannah."

In short order, Miss Bennet was bathed, dressed, and her hair arranged in a pretty style. This was primarily due to the efficiency of the maid; the young lady kept drifting off into a dreamy trance and had to be recalled to the present on several occasions.

When Elizabeth descended the stairs, she was greeted by the happy sight of both Darcys happily talking to a familiar figure.

"Colonel Fitzwilliam! It is good to see you, sir!"

With a happy smile, the Earl's younger son stepped forward and, bowing with a flourish, kissed her hand before grinning at her with a twinkle in his eye. "Miss Bennet, I cannot tell you how happy I am to see you here at Pemberley."

"Have you only just arrived?"

A mischievous glint sparked in the gentleman's face and he glanced towards his cousin. "Actually, we arrived nearly two hours ago, but no one was certain where to find Darcy…"

Moving forward quickly before his cousin began to tease in earnest, Will directed Elizabeth's attention to an older gentlewoman who was standing just beyond the entrance to the drawing room. "But I am here now and there is no reason for us to be standing here in the hall. Miss Elizabeth, please allow me to introduce you to my sister's companion, Mrs. Annesley. She has just returned to us after several weeks in Staffordshire, visiting her niece and their new son."

Lizzy stepped forward to greet the woman who had done so much for Miss Darcy over the last year. The small party obliged their host by moving into the drawing room, although the Colonel's amused look told William that he had only delayed the inevitable. While the ladies discussed the health of mother and baby and laughed over Mrs. Annesley's description of the father's euphoria upon being presented with his first child, Darcy conferred quietly with a footman at the door.

Several minutes later, Elizabeth paused in the conversation and turned slightly to her left, somehow sensing that William had moved to stand beside her. She raised her eyebrows inquiringly at his serious look.

"The Gardiners send their apologies but will not be joining us this evening; your aunt had a difficult afternoon and Mr. Gardiner feels it better that she retire early."

While the colonel inquired as to the source of Mrs. Gardiner's troubles and Georgiana launched into an eager explanation of her new acquaintances' connection to Lambton, Lizzy was flooded with guilt. Since meeting Mr. Darcy by the lake, she had not given a single thought to her relatives.

Reading her face, William touched her elbow in comfort and spoke quietly; "There was also a second message from your aunt to you, to say that your uncle is being overprotective and you should enjoy your meal."

Elizabeth pondered for a moment but soon the worry cleared from her eyes. "My aunt is frank enough that she would call for me if she had need of my company. I shall talk to her tomorrow morning, but for now I am sure that my uncle knows what is best."

Will nodded and then, after pausing, caught her eye and inquired softly, "Should we delay our announcement? I am perfectly willing…"

Elizabeth gave him an affectionate look. "No, Georgiana and Colonel Fitzwilliam are your closest family (and soon to be mine); if we do not tell them, I am sure they will guess it by the end of the evening."

Her fiancé flashed her a brilliant smile and then turned to nod at the footman standing by the door. The servant stepped out and then a moment later the butler himself entered with a tray and proceeded to pour out champagne in the most delicate crystal goblets that Lizzy had ever seen. His activity quickly caught the attention of the other three occupants of the room and the Colonel shot an inquiring look toward his cousin.

William merely smiled and waited until everyone had a glass and was looking at him expectantly. "Sister, cousin, friends," he nodded to each in turn. "I hope you will all join me in a toast." He paused and swallowed, his throat tight with emotion. One look at Elizabeth's shining eyes steadied him enough to continue. "Today, Miss Elizabeth Bennet has done me the very great honor of accepting my hand in marriage."

Will suddenly found himself juggling two full flutes of champagne, having barely caught up Elizabeth's from her hand as Georgiana leapt across the room and threw her arms around the other lady with a shriek, "We shall be sisters! Oh Elizabeth--I am so happy!"

He caught sight of Mrs. Annesley, also with two glasses, smiling broadly just before his cousin slapped him on the back. "Well done, Darce! Congratulations--I will most certainly drink to that!" And with that, the Colonel tipped back his flute and drank his wine down in a single gulp.

William managed to take a sip of his own as Mrs. Annesley congratulated him in her own quiet way. He then found a safe resting place for both glasses before Richard demanded to shake his hand.

He had only just recovered his balance when Georgiana broke from Elizabeth and moved to hug her brother. "Oh Wills, I am so happy for you," she whispered in his ear.

Richard turned to congratulate Miss Bennet in a slightly more reserved manner, allowing William to hold his sister tightly for a moment. How had he ever thought that connecting himself with the Bennets might harm Georgiana? Her transparent joy at the prospect of having Elizabeth as a sister was all that he might have hoped for.

They were a merry party at dinner that night and dallied at the table longer than usual, though few would have been able to recall the menu. It was only Georgiana's determination to quiz her future sister that finally prompted a brief separation of the sexes.

If Miss Darcy was stunned to hear that the happy couple had discussed Pemberley's plumbing during their stroll prior to her brother's proposal, she was soon reassured by Miss Bennet.

With a fond look toward her future sister-in-law, Lizzy patted the girl's arm; "It may sound strange to you, my dear, but to me, it was reassuring."

Georgie couldn't hide her disbelief. "Reassuring? Surely my brother could have thought of something… anything would have been a more romantic topic!"

Seeing that the girl was genuinely distressed, Elizabeth took her hand and leaned back in the sofa on which they sat, staring into space as she tried to summarize what was in her heart.

"I know very well how much your brother loves me; it is in his eyes, his voice, his every look and touch. I do not need him to read me poetry or shower me with trinkets. His willingness to discuss estate business… to share his most intimate worries and concerns… to include me in his planning and decision making… that means more to me than any sonnets or jewels. It tells me that he wishes for a partner in life." She smiled impishly at the younger woman who was listening intently. "For I would be no fit wife for a man who desired only a lady to ornament his arm at the opera and play hostess to Society."

Georgiana giggled but was still looking thoughtful when the gentlemen rejoined the ladies in the music room. Lizzy immediately noticed that Darcy was blushing slightly and looking mildly vexed with his cousin; the Colonel trailed him with a glass of brandy, still laughing at some joke of his own.

"Mr. Darcy, you are just in time. Will you turn the pages as I play? And then perhaps the Colonel will do the same favor for Georgiana, if she would agree to entertain us with a song?"

As she rose and moved to the pianoforte, the Colonel muttered something that the ladies could not hear but caused his cousin to blush further. Rolling his eyes, William moved to Elizabeth's side with alacrity.

While she sorted through the music and chose a piece, he leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Thank you."

She smirked at him and moved to seat herself and adjust the bench. "You appeared to need rescuing."

He leaned down to straighten the pages before her. "As a younger brother but my elder, Richard seems to believe it his cousinly duty to step in as the big brother I lack."

Lizzy chuckled and played a few scales softly to limber her fingers. "Well, as both younger and older sibling myself, I can quite understand his determination!"

William looked at her fondly and, though she began to believe that she might happily spend the evening doing nothing but stare into his eyes, Elizabeth remembered that they were in company and turned her attention to the music.

Darcy would have been at a loss to remember what compositions were sung that evening. However, he would always remember the feeling of being enveloped in a warm glow of happiness while he sat on the couch beside Elizabeth later, watching his sister and cousin at the pianoforte.

Though he might have wished for more, William had to content himself with a warm look and a kiss on Elizabeth's hand when the ladies retired for the night. The loving smile that she gifted him in return made him even more reluctant to join his cousin in the billiards room.

Luckily for Darcy, Richard was sufficiently tired from his hard ride from Newcastle via Staffordshire that he was satisfied with a single game and some gentle ribbing over his younger cousin's certain felicity in marriage.

That night, William had a dream that began like one he had had since he was a child.

Mr. George Darcy and his son drove through Lambton toward Pemberley in silence, looking out at the normally vibrant village, now subdued. The cottages and shops were all hung with bits of black crepe; the cemetery was spotted with new plots and another funeral was underway even now. Mr. Darcy took a deep breath and let it out slowly, clenching his jaw and staring straight ahead with a stony, haunted expression.

Ten-year old Will consciously attempted to imitate his father, which was difficult as his toes could not yet reach the floor of the carriage. He held his hands together so that they wouldn't tremble while he stared out of the carriage at the place which had always been his home but appeared to have changed so much in the last month. Sunken in his own misery, Will's father did not notice.

Normally, William's dream extended to their arrival at a darkened, silent Pemberley House, draped in black, devoid of people, and smelling of death. (In his younger days, Will's nightmare had included his Aunt Catherine swooping after him like some evil black vulture, trying to grab up him and his baby sister and drag them away from their home).

This night, however, his dream shifted and the black carriage pulled up just as Pemberley House and the lake before it were lit up, glowing in the morning sun as if dark storm clouds had just parted. His father had turned to him and said gently, "You must get out here, son."

William, as a grown man, stepped from the carriage and was met with the heartwarming sight of Elizabeth standing on the steps with hands outstretched in welcome. Without a backward glance, Will ran forward, catching her up in his arms and holding her tightly, surrounded with the warm certainty that all would be well; Pemberley would finally be filled with life and happiness and family again.

Chapter 19. Summer of Love.

Posted on 2010-09-16

June 1818

The next two weeks passed as though a golden bubble of happiness had settled over Pemberley. Elizabeth and William met with her aunt and uncle the morning after his proposal to inform the Gardiners of their happy news. The older couple were not terribly surprised and immediately expressed their approval. Over the past month, they had come to know Mr. Darcy as an intelligent and honorable gentlemen, and certainly the best match they could imagine for Elizabeth.

Before the morning was out, a pouch full of letters was heading swiftly toward Hertfordshire in the care of Pemberley's fastest express rider.

Although it had taken her some time to decide how to begin, Elizabeth had written a lengthy epistle to her father, assuring him that everything in Mr. Darcy's accompanying letter was true and it was her very happy choice to marry him. She did wonder how her father would react upon the presentation of such a packet; in addition to those from herself and Mr. Darcy, both Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner had each insisted on penning their own notes.

Though a quip about the beauty of her lover's grounds and size of his library could not be avoided, it was quite the most serious, sincere, and transparently happy letter that Mr. Bennet had ever received from his favorite daughter.

Longbourn's master shook his head over it and shed a few tears even as he spoke aloud to his empty study, "Ah Lizzy; quite over the moon for your young man, I can see." Turning to another letter in his hand, of equal length if more earnest and restrained in tone, he shook his head. "And he loves you just as dearly, it would seem. Well, my girl, I could not have lost you to anyone less worthy. A love match, and to one of the richest men in England! What will your mother say?"

Much to his chagrin, Mr. Bennet found no way to avoid writing three separate letters in response, although he did combine his responses to the Gardiners in a single epistle. As a result, several days later Darcy received perhaps the oddest letter in his life. Pushing his chair back from the breakfast table, he slit open the seal and spared a look toward Elizabeth who was reading her own letter eagerly with an amused smile. Taking a deep breath, Will turned to the paper in his own hand, only to be amazed by its brevity.

Mr. Darcy,

Yes.

Yours etc.,

Thomas Bennet

P.S. I shall require visitation rights to your libraries, both in town and Derbyshire.

After a moment, William could not stop his chuckle from growing into a full, deep belly laugh.

Elizabeth tugged the letter from his hand and, reading its few lines in a moment, slumped back in her chair with an exasperated smile. "Oh, Papa…" she sighed fondly.

Still chuckling, Will waved his hand at the paper. "In all of my days in society… I've always dreaded this part of an engagement… one hears such horror stories of fathers and guardians haggling over settlements and such… livestock auctions seemed simpler and more pleasant to arrange than a marriage contract… and here your father gives his permission with nothing more than a request for access to my books."

Elizabeth rose and stood behind her fiancé, resting her hands on his shoulders and bending to kiss his cheek. "He knows that we love each other and this is what will make me happy."

William turned his head and caught her lips for a quick kiss; not laced with any great passion but one which promised a lifetime of affection.

Even so, Colonel Fitzwilliam groaned theatrically and threw a bit of bread at his cousin. "Oh, come now! Must you exhibit at the breakfast table? I really must protest such a demonstration before my little cousin."

Georgiana merely continued buttering her toast serenely and said, "Don't be silly, Richard."

After sharing a warm smile with her betrothed, Elizabeth returned to her own seat and began to read her note from Jane, only looking up when the Gardiners joined them and received their own letter.

While Edward slit the seal, Madeleine looked around the table and noticed two others addressed in Mr. Bennet's script. "My goodness, Lizzy. Did your father actually write three separate letters in one sitting?" She asked with good-natured astonishment.

Elizabeth smirked. "If you call his response to Mr. Darcy a proper letter!" She handed the single sheet across to her aunt.

"Oh, Thomas." When Mrs. Gardiner had scanned it, she glanced over to William with a bemused smile. "Well, you seem to have found the humor in it, Mr. Darcy; I am thankful. Some might have been offended."

Will noted the underlying question in her comment and shook his head with a grin. "We spoke at length when I was in Hertfordshire." He glanced over to Elizabeth. "And I suppose this was not the first letter of mine that he has read, though they were written in such different frames of mind as to be assignable to two different people entirely."

The engaged couple shared a look before Elizabeth turned to question her uncle about his own correspondence, hoping to distract the others before anyone could question Darcy about what he meant.

The next morning, Elizabeth joined William and his cousin at breakfast. Seeing Colonel Fitzwilliam glance longingly at the newspaper that he had politely put aside upon her arrival, she guessed his preference would be other than polite conversation.

"What news from India, colonel? How is Sir Hislop faring after the action at Talnar?"

After some conversation on the topic, Richard glanced toward his cousin, then turned back to Elizabeth and said "You have a much greater understanding of the current political situation than most young ladies I know, Miss Bennet."

Elizabeth smiled into her tea. "I fear you are not the first to comment on an interest typically considered unfeminine. As a very wise lady once said, 'A woman especially, if she has the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can.'"

Seeing the colonel opening his mouth to protest, she waved her hand to show that she had not been offended before continuing; "My dear friend Charlotte and I have followed our military's actions for many years now." Seeing that the two men still had questions in their eyes, she decided to continue. Though it revealed details of her friend's life, it was nothing that they would not hear gossiped about in the drawing rooms of Hertfordshire.

"When she was nineteen, Charlotte became engaged to a gentleman from the next county. He wasn't tremendously handsome or brilliant, but he was a good man, and they loved each other very much. But… he was a second son, and his father had only a small estate with very little left over to give him a start in life." She smiled softly to Colonel Fitzwilliam who grimaced in empathy.

"They did have the family connections to procure him an ensigncy in the navy and so he went forth to find his fortune. He was only able to write every month or so and Charlotte was always desperate for news. Her father does not allow his daughters or wife to see anything but the society columns of the newspaper, so she took to visiting me. I am some years younger, but my father has always encouraged my sisters and I to take advantage of his book room… including his newspapers in their entirety.

"So Charlotte and I formed a conspiracy that grew into a beautiful friendship. We began simply checking the lists of dead and wounded, but grew more and more interested in reading of the political context than simply searching the war reports for news of Adam's ship. We would spend hours discussing the admiralty's strategies and effects of foreign trade on political policies."

The Colonel sat quietly for a moment before speaking thoughtfully. "I'd never really thought about how hard it is for the ladies to stay at home while we're gone. The men think of their sweethearts and often talk about them, but for the most part we're so busy… and there's a comfort in knowing she's safe at home. But it must be hideous to be unable to get news of a loved one. I remember Father teasing my younger sister Lucy about catching her reading he newspaper."

"Why did they not marry? Your friend and the gentleman?" asked Darcy, before mentally kicking himself for being so transparent; he was turning into a sopping romantic. Why did every thought turn to love and marriage when he was around Elizabeth?

Lizzy missed his tender look as she looked down at her plate sadly. "He had been gone for four years when we got word that that his ship had been sunk just off the French coast with all hands. She… well, she recovered her spirits after a year or two, but by then… society is very quick to label a young lady of disappointed hopes as a spinster."

"And so she married Mr. Collins." Richard squirmed when Elizabeth turned knowing eyes upon him.

"Yes, and though marrying my cousin had more to do with sense than sensibility, I can comprehend her reasoning. She turned twenty-eight last month; an age which, though an acceptable time for a gentleman to marry, is considered quite on-the-shelf as far as a lady is concerned. Mr. Collins is not clever, but he is respectable and Charlotte finally has a household of her own which is something that she has desired for a very long time, however much she loves her parents."

Richard Fitzwilliam had grown increasingly grim as she spoke. Finally, after a moment of thought, he stood and bowed to the others, saying only, "A home of one's own is no small recommendation, for anyone," before he departed the room.

The Colonel was still in a sober mood when he fare welled the Darcys and their guests. He had taken extra days to escort Mrs. Annesley from her nephew's home in Staffordshire and then to visit with the family at Pemberley, but his army duties required him to be in Brighton within the week.

Darcy stood by him as he checked his horse's girth. "Will you still have time to return here and travel with us to Matlock for your father's birthday?"

Richard grinned. "Oh, yes. I won't miss it for all the tea in China. I can't wait to see you inform the Earl that all his dynastic plans for melding the Darcy family fortune and connections into the Fitzwilliam clan will go up in smoke, all because of an impertinent country miss that Society has never heard of."

Seeing his cousin looking grim, Richard laughed out loud and slapped him on the back hard enough to make the younger man stagger slightly. "Ease up, Darce. She is a prize above rubies and I shall do everything I can to be sure that the Fitzwilliams acknowledge it."

William nodded his thanks and spoke solemnly. "Thank you, Richard."

The Colonel shrugged insouciantly. "Just know that I will show up on your doorstep if the Earl throws me out."

Darcy responded even more seriously. "You know that we would be happy for you to make your home with us for any length of time."

Richard turned and studied him for a moment before speaking. "Wills, you are closer to me than my own brother and I would give my life to protect you or Georgiana; you know that. I shall be there to support you."

The two men shook hands solemnly, knowing that a connection much deeper than words could ever express had just been reaffirmed.

"Safe travels, Richard," called William to his cousin once the man had mounted.

The Colonel saluted with an impertinent flick of his wrist. "Oh, get back to that lovely fiancé of yours. I'll be back before you realize I've gone!"

Darcy watched horse and rider canter into the woods along the road to Lambton and then mentally traced the turnoff they would take toward London and then Brighton. For a moment, he wondered what Richard would find there. His cousin had some official business at the encampment liaising between the militia regiments and the regular army, but he was also going to check up on Lieutenant Wickham's activities.

After several minutes of contemplation, a burst of song from a swallow nesting under the eves of the stable brought Will back to the present. It took little consideration to decide to follow his cousin's advice.

The newly engaged couple enjoyed many walks around the beautiful park, often accompanied by one or more of their relations but occasionally alone, as William reveled in showing his home to his beloved. They did part on some occasions; Elizabeth joined her aunt and Georgiana on trips to Lambton and Kympton and William took Mr. Gardiner and the children to several of his favorite fishing spots.

Though it could not be denied that the couple found their kisses grew into more amorous embraces on several occasions, a severe lecture from Mr. Gardiner to Mr. Darcy on how that gentleman would want to see his own sister treated kept William under relatively good regulation, while a firm discussion with her favorite aunt kept Lizzy from teasing her fiancé beyond his limits (for the most part).

One morning toward the end of their visit, Elizabeth rose from her bed feeling tired and, despite all the pleasure surrounding her stay in Derbyshire and newfound understanding with Mr. Darcy, decidedly tetchy. If she had been at Longbourn, she would have claimed indisposition and remained in her chamber or gone for a long solitary walk, but at Pemberley she feared to worry her host. After casting a longing look back at her bed and the book on the table beside it, she resolutely left her room to face the world.

At breakfast, she did her best to contain her poor mood. This was aided when the butler arrived with a tray of mail and everyone's attention was turned toward their letters. Elizabeth was pleased to receive a note from Charlotte, forwarded from Longbourn. Her pleasure was brief, however, as she was not far along before she realized that her friend's purpose was not to discuss general news, but one upcoming event in particular.

Although Lizzy's heart still rebelled against her friend's marriage, her mind had accepted Charlotte's reasoning. Mr. Collins might not be clever or sensible, but she did understand that a lady of twenty-eight was willing to put aside romantic notions in order to gain herself a respectable husband and a household of her own. She had resolutely avoided thinking of any part of her friend's marriage beyond that. Thus, the note she held in her hands announcing that Mr. and Mrs. Collins were expecting an addition to their family in November left her disturbed and, to be perfectly frank, slightly nauseous.

Elizabeth was distracted from her contemplation of the Collins' marital relations when Pemberley's housekeeper entered the room and spoke softly in Mr. Darcy's ear. The resulting smile on the master's face made it clear that he was pleased by whatever news she brought. He glanced from Elizabeth to the Gardiners before finally settling on his sister.

"Georgiana?" When he had her attention, he continued. "The… err… items that you ordered from Lambton have arrived."

Miss Darcy's smile was immediate and matched her brother's in magnitude. "Oh, so soon?! How wonderful! May we…" her eyes flickered towards Elizabeth. "Now?"

William shrugged boyishly and his sister, giggling with glee, rose from her chair and followed Mrs. Reynolds out of the room.

Before Elizabeth could question her fiancé, Georgiana reappeared with a footman carrying several boxes of varying sizes, made festive with green ribbons. Noting that her aunt and uncle looked more amused than surprised, Elizabeth arched an eyebrow suspiciously when William moved to stand by his sister.

Standing side by side, Will's hand casually around his sister's shoulder, Elizabeth was suddenly struck by the closeness between these two siblings, orphaned and alone in the world but for each other. Their eagerness to embrace her into their small family was a demonstration of monumental trust.

Before her thoughts could become too serious, however, Elizabeth's attention was brought back to the present when Georgiana began to speak after an encouraging nudge from her brother.

"Miss Bennet, my brother and I wished to give you a gift to celebrate your decision to become part of our family. I know that many women would expect jewelry as an engagement present, but… well, William suggested that we give you something from the both of us, and given your love of the outdoors, I thought you might like something more practical."

Georgiana's eyes suddenly widened, clearly struck by the thought that Elizabeth might be unhappy with such a sentiment. "But I'm sure that Wills will give you jewelry, as well…"

Elizabeth couldn't stop herself from standing and hugging the girl. "Dear Georgiana, you were absolutely correct. I've never been one for trinkets or jewels--I would much prefer a book and a pair of walking boots, much to my mother's dismay and my father's joy. But none of this is necessary--truly, I hadn't expected anything."

The Darcy siblings shared a grin and Georgiana squeezed her hand. "My brother loves to give presents at the most unexpected times--you shall have to get used to it."

With a boyish smile, William handed her a smallish box.

With no other choice but to accede, Lizzy carefully untied the ribbon and opened the box. Inside, she found a carefully carved wooden figurine of a horse, just the size of her hand, painted to resemble a dark bay with three white socks and a slightly jagged blaze. Plugs of real horsehair had been fastened so as to give it a long black mane and tail. Though lovely and clearly unique, it seemed to be more like a child's toy than any great work of art.

When Georgiana giggled, Elizabeth realized that she had been studying the little horse with a puzzled look for several moments. Quickly regaining her manners, she smiled and thanked both siblings, slightly confused by the gift but relieved that they had not been too exuberant in their spending.

Her compliments on the little horse seemed to amuse the Darcys and soon Georgie was pushing two larger boxes toward her. In one, Elizabeth found a pair of tall, low-heeled leather boots that looked as practical as a man's but made for a lady's foot. In the other box, she caught her breath at a lovely riding habit made in a soft sage green with some darker green embroidery.

Holding up the dress, Lizzy immediately saw that it would fit her, which had her looking suspiciously back at the small horse and then up at her fiancé. "Fitzwilliam Darcy, what have you done?" Her voice might have been stern but the twinkle in her eye contradicted any negative emotions.

Will grinned happily, looking positively boyish in his pleasure. "I wonder if you might like to accompany me on a ride this morning, Miss Bennet?"

Thoroughly amused by the pair, Mrs. Gardiner finally stepped in to explain. "Mr. Darcy came to us with his desire to show you some of the further prospects of the estate which were too far to reach on foot but inaccessible for a wheeled vehicle. He understood that you knew how to ride but was concerned that you might not have brought the necessary accoutrements."
Madeleine glanced toward the younger lady who was clearly just as happy as her brother. "Miss Darcy and I arranged a trip to the cobbler and seamstress in Lambton while you were engaged with your uncle entertaining the children. They were able to take measurements from your walking boots and a gown I brought to them."

Elizabeth hugged the dress to her chest and beamed at each person in the room. "So you have all conspired on this… I thank you; it is a delightful and truly unexpected surprise. I can only hope that I do not disappoint you all by falling before my mount takes its first step!"

William smiled broadly and looked ready to burst with pleasure. "Do not worry--the mare I chose for you is as sure-footed and well-trained as any I have ever seen." He turned toward Mrs. Gardiner and winked. "For she is a Dales Pony, and we all know that anything bred in the Pennines must be superior."

Having already guessed that the little wooden horse was only a placeholder for a living, breathing animal, Elizabeth could only shake her head fondly at her fiancé before allowing herself to be herded off to her dressing room by the ladies. When Georgiana and Mrs. Gardiner were done admiring the smart riding habit and boots on Elizabeth, she descended and soon found herself at the Pemberley stables, being introduced to a pretty dark bay mare with three white socks and a jagged blaze.

Knowing little of horses, Lizzy soon agreed that the mare possessed a sweet temperament and seemed completely unperturbed by the bustle of people around her. Regardless, she was relieved when the others returned to the house before she was expected to mount.

Rather than leave her to the care of the stableman, William himself helped her adjust the stirrup and gather the reins. To her great relief, the mare stood quietly by the mounting block and she did not embarrass herself by falling down the other side before she even settled in the saddle.

She attempted to lesson her nervousness by teasing William. "You seem very knowledgeable in the ways of side saddles and riding habits, Mr. Darcy."

The man looked up and she was struck by how the look of carefree happiness became him.

"I taught my sister to ride. Honestly, I have a great respect for any lady who can manage it, for it seems a most precarious perch to me."

Lizzy laughed out loud. "Please, sir! Do not remind me of that before I have even taken my first step!"

Swinging himself up into the saddle of his own dapple gray gelding, William came to her side and with little fan fare they started off at a companionable walk.

"When Georgie was twelve, she fell from her pony and was afraid to get on again. The only way that I could convince her to try was to allow her to ride astride as I did--I know it is not ladylike, but it was so much more stable."

Elizabeth laughed. "If it is unladylike, then so be it. I admit that at that age, I would often take Nelly out to the farthest hay fields and ride astride while I raced to see how fast we could go."

She turned toward William with a twinkle in her eye. "Perhaps your sister and I shall set a scandalous new fashion in Derbyshire, Mr. Darcy! You must remember that I am born and bred in Hertfordshire, sir, and Lady Emily Cecil has made a lasting impression on the females in our county."

When William only looked confused, she laughed again and explained. "The Marchioness of Salisbury claims to have been the first female Master of Foxhounds and still rides with her pack, the Hertfordshire Hunt; she must be seventy if she is a day."

Darcy had intended to keep this first outing brief, knowing what soreness could result from a long ride in one unaccustomed to the activity. Unfortunately, such resolutions evaporated from his mind as he and Elizabeth rode, speaking of this and that and enjoying the scenery from a new perspective. He had often daydreamed of such a companionable outing and its duration did not occur to him until he realized that two hours had passed and they were still far from the stables.

Elizabeth waved off his apologies for indeed, she was greatly enjoying the adventure. However, when they finally reached the stables again and dismounted, William easily read her discomfort by the grimace on her face and stiffness in her posture. Suddenly all of her complaints from that morning returned to her and it was with a great deal of relief that Lizzy retreated to her bedchamber and asked the maid to prepare a hot bath.

Finally admitting to herself that no amount of willpower would overcome her body's natural course, Elizabeth sent word that she would be taking lunch in her rooms and settled in for a long, hot soak. When she emerged, she donned her loosest, most comfortable gown and curled up on a sofa by the windows with a novel that she had read many times before and was comforting in its familiarity.

At the female-dominated Longbourn, such behavior would have been instantly understood and, indeed, expected. However, the master of Pemberley had little comprehension of the practicalities of a woman's physiology and took Elizabeth's absence at luncheon as evidence of something far worse.

Lizzy answered a light tap on her door to find Mrs. Gardiner. "Aunt Maddy! Please come in. I hope I have not disturbed your plans for the afternoon by taking to my room."

Madeleine smiled, reassured by her niece's looks, and the pair settled by the window. "Not at all. I would have come to check on you regardless, but your Mr. Darcy was a bit worried when you missed luncheon."

Elizabeth grimaced. "How does one explain to a gentleman that once a month, one is indisposed? I suppose I finally begin to understand Mama's proliferation of headaches and nerves and fluttering hearts." Suddenly realizing what she had just said, Mrs. Bennet's daughter covered her mouth with a hand.

Her aunt only laughed, though with a slight hint of pity in her voice when she spoke. "Yes, well… I cannot recommend her approach, but it appears to have sufficed in their arrangement."

Though Lizzy was tempted to turn to a jest to lighten the mood, she restrained the urge and took the opportunity to question the woman whose marriage she much admired. "Aunt? I… He…" She sighed and paused to organize her thoughts before speaking softly. "One of the aspects of my relationship with William that I treasure is our honesty and openness with one another."

When she paused again, her aunt spoke encouragingly. "That is an excellent foundation for a marriage."

Elizabeth focused on her hands, clasped in her lap. "Yes, I do not believe that I could manage an… intimate relationship without knowing I could trust my husband with my true self, without defense. And yet…"

Suspecting that she knew what her niece was coming to, Mrs. Gardiner prompted, "And yet?"

The younger woman threw her hands up in the air before wrapping her arms around herself. "And yet, everything we are taught says that a lady should never speak of such things--they should be kept private at all costs. One's husband should be banned from one's rooms for several nights each month, with varying excuses; headaches, exhaustion, and so forth, but absolutely, positively, never told the truth."

Elizabeth heaved a great sigh and then looked her aunt in the eye, looking almost defensive. "I do not want to lie to William."

Madeleine watched her closely. "You do not have to. I've always believed that what is between a husband and wife is their business, not something for society to dictate."

Lizzy looked at her carefully. "So Uncle Edward…"

Madeleine smiled softly. "Eddy knows it all. Indeed, it was he who first guessed that I was with child his last time; I was busy and had not noticed that I had missed my courses."

Her niece was looking increasingly relieved and, remembering the less than ideal marriage that she was exposed to on a daily basis at Longbourn, Mrs. Gardiner decided that the girl was old enough for a bit more openness on the topic.

"That is perhaps the best advice I can give you on your marriage; to keep that honesty and openness. Society has all sorts of rules and strictures on behavior; remember that it is you and Mr. Darcy who are to be pleased. Besides, most of those rules were made to give some measure of comfort to men and women in marriages of convenience."

"How do you mean, aunt?"

Mrs. Gardiner looked her niece in the eye. "I know you understand the basics of the relations between man and wife."

Elizabeth blushed slightly but nodded.

The older woman continued, choosing her words carefully. "For those of us lucky enough to marry for love, such interactions are not simply to be endured for the necessity of producing an heir. Such intimacies can be extremely… enjoyable… for both partners. I suspect that there will be no problems with passion between you and Mr. Darcy…"

Elizabeth flushed brightly but nodded, making her aunt smile broadly. "But even beyond the passion, there is nothing like the intimate companionship in being together behind closed doors, with only each other. Other than my children, my favorite sight in all the world is to wake up in the morning before your uncle and watch him sleep. He looks like a little boy…" Madeleine trailed off with a dreamy look on her face.

Lizzy was somewhat discomfited, suddenly seeing her relatives as a married couple, not that much older than Mr. Darcy and herself and with similar passions and desires. "You share a bed all night?" She burst out before clapping her hands over her mouth, thoroughly embarrassed by her inappropriate question.

Mrs. Gardiner only laughed, remembering the talk her own aunt had given her before her marriage and pleased that she had the opportunity to pass on such good advice to her niece. "We do. I believe that Society's design of separate bedrooms for husbands and wives is based on the prevalence of arranged marriages in high society. When two relative strangers are so joined, it is understandable that each needs a private space. However, it is not the sort of situation that your uncle and I have ever seen the need for. Indeed, I have difficulty sleeping alone when he is away."

Elizabeth sat quietly for some minutes, thinking carefully over her aunt's revelations. Though the Bennet girls each had their own room, it was not uncommon for her and Jane to share a bed when they were up late sharing confidences or in need of comfort. That she and William might share such a relationship made her smile broadly and she felt an anxiety that had been gnawing at her for some time dissipate.

"Thank you, Aunt. Hearing you say it, it seems obvious. I've never felt so safe and protected as when William holds me in his arms. I hadn't realized how bothered I have been by the conflict between my feelings and everything I've been taught about how to feel and act."

The two ladies smiled fondly at one another, sharing a moment of perfect understanding. After a few moments of contemplation, Lizzy spoke again. "Yesterday, William's secretary brought out the original architectural plans for Pemberley House. We were looking them over and talking about the remodeling that was done in his grandfather's time for the additional plumbing and so forth. Mr. Jenson had some recommendations for modernizing the pipes and fittings and we began talking about renovating the family wing to more closely match the original floor plan.

"You remember Mr. Darcy's story of Meg and Gowan Darcy? The present Pemberley House's first Mistress and Master?" At her aunt's nod, Elizabeth continued. "Their love shows in the original floor plan; they had separate dressing rooms, but shared a bed chamber and sitting room. It was only changed upon William's grandfather, Worthington Darcy's marriage."

Madeleine was beginning to understand why such practicalities were on Elizabeth's mind at a time when most brides would be focused on the content of their trousseaus and the planning of their wedding. She smiled and patted her niece's arm. "Lizzy, forget for a moment what society expects, or what your friends or family might think. None of that matters. What do you want?"

Shyly, Elizabeth smiled. "I should like to share our rooms. This house is so vast that we could go for days without seeing one another, and William has so many responsibilities that pull him in all directions. Sharing our rooms would ensure that we had some private time together, a private space for ourselves."

Mrs. Gardiner nodded decisively. "Excellent; that is just what you need to tell Mr. Darcy."

Elizabeth flushed a brilliant red and her aunt smiled sympathetically. "Remember how important honesty is to you, Lizzy; I am willing to bet that it is just as important to your fiancé. In fact, I would not be surprised if he wished to speak to you on the same subject, but is just as unsure how to bring it up."

The younger woman nodded and Madeleine continued seriously. "If anything, I should think that that is the most important advice I can give you. You and Mr. Darcy share a love as strong as any I have been privileged to observe. However, you are both very independent, self-sufficient, and, dare I say, stubborn people. He, in particular, is accustomed to making decisions alone; it is done in the best interests of his sister and everyone else who depends on him, but still, he has the power of doing as he sees fit and he is much more proactive in wielding that power than your father, for example.

"The two of you will need to learn to compromise, and to do that, you need to communicate your thoughts and needs to him, and make him do the same with you."

Madeleine was pleased to see her niece listening so attentively. "So, when you are feeling more yourself, I hope you pull out those architectural plans again and talk about them with Mr. Darcy."

Feeling increasingly reassured, Lizzy queried, "Is it proper to be speaking of such things before the wedding?"

Her aunt nodded in understanding of her quandary. "I suppose that the convention holds for a young lady to visit her future chambers only with her mother or another female relative and the housekeeper. They make decisions regarding wallpaper, furniture, drapes and such so that the rooms can be updated before she moves into them upon her marriage. In this situation, however, the alterations you are considering are much more extensive and will require much more time to accomplish. I think it perfectly reasonable for you to discuss it now with your future husband."

Mrs. Gardiner tilted her head and considered. "I will talk about it with your uncle; he tends to be more strict about such things, but I would suggest that you discuss the issues with Mr. Darcy privately. When the two of you have decided on the arrangements you prefer, then your uncle and I can be involved in visiting the rooms and so forth."

Elizabeth stood and hugged her aunt. "Thank you, Aunt Maddy. I can't tell you how grateful I am to have your advice; to know that I can confide in you and you will help me stay within the bounds of propriety but without going to extremes."

The two ladies sat quietly for some minutes, one thinking of her future marriage and the other considering the lasting effects of Mrs. Bennet's temperament on the character of that woman's daughters.

The pair's cogitations were interrupted by a light tapping on the hall door. It was opened to reveal a worried-looking Miss Darcy. "Elizabeth? My brother and I wanted to check if you were well, and if not, if there is anything we might do for your comfort?" She asked timidly.

While Elizabeth reassured the girl that she was perfectly well, Mrs. Gardiner checked her watch and exclaimed. "Goodness! We've been chatting for more than an hour! I'd assured them that I would report on your condition, Lizzy."

Feeling more assured, Georgie smiled softly. "My brother was somewhat concerned."

At that moment, another knock came from the door and Mrs. Reynolds appeared. "Miss Bennet, Mr. Darcy asked that I check on you and determine if the doctor should be sent for."

Elizabeth slumped back in her chair, laughing and thoroughly embarrassed that the entire household seemed to be aware of her indisposition. "For goodness sakes, 'tis my monthlies! Surely that is simple enough for him to understand!" she cried in exasperation.

Realizing in whose company she spoke, Lizzy turned and caught an amused look that passed between Mrs. Gardiner and the housekeeper. "Pardon me; with four sisters and a… shall we say, uninhibited mother, I am accustomed to frankness on the subject. How would you recommend that I reassure Mr. Darcy that I do not require a physician, only a bit of time and rest to recover my spirits?"

Georgiana was tongue-tied, having grown up first with a withdrawn, widowed father and then with a bachelor brother, she had never known other women to discuss such matters. Her maid arranged for such necessities as were needed each month and she learned to hide any symptom from her brother and cousin so as not to make them uncomfortable. The concept of having an older sister to turn to for advice was suddenly even more wonderful.

While Miss Darcy was considering the very great pleasure that a sister might bestow on a motherless girl and Mrs. Reynolds was trying very hard not to laugh, Elizabeth's forthright nature asserted itself.

She stood and announced, "Very well. If we are to be married, he shall have to understand." Before the others could say anything, she was out the door and tripping down the stairs.

All three women watched her depart with wide eyes and open mouths.

"Oh my," breathed Mrs. Reynolds before collapsing into a chair and bursting into giggles for the first time in years. Mrs. Gardiner caught her eye and the pair were soon laughing so hard that their sides began to hurt.

Miss Darcy continued to stand, shifting from one foot to the other and wringing her hands. "Should we… Do you think I should…"

Madeleine held out a hand and guided the girl to sit beside her on the sofa. Patting her arm, Elizabeth's aunt attempted to reassure her (though every time she and Mrs. Reynolds caught each other's eye, their laughter resumed). "Georgiana, Elizabeth grew up in the midst of five other women and is accustomed to being very frank about such… feminine matters. Your brother is worried enough to consider sending for a doctor and she wishes to reassure him. Lizzy values the honesty between them too much to lie about what has affected her… so she has gone to speak to him herself as it is not the sort of message that could rightly be sent by servant."

The last was spoken in an amused tone and punctuated by a "thank goodness!" from Mrs. Reynolds.

When Georgiana continued to look worried, Mrs. Gardiner hugged her thin shoulders with one arm. "Come, my dear. It is not strictly proper for them to discuss such things before marriage, but in a relationship such as theirs, I choose to be flexible with the rules. Should she attempt to hide it from him, it would cause more harm than good, I believe."

This last was said in a serious tone and Georgie nodded to show she understood.

Suddenly Mrs. Gardiner caught her breath and stared at Pemberley's housekeeper. "He does know… well, at least the basics, doesn't he, Susie?" She had just realized that Mr. Darcy had been motherless since a young age and did not give any appearance of maintaining liaisons with females as so many men of his station did. What was Elizabeth walking in to?

Mrs. Reynolds smirked at her childhood friend and allowed herself a bit of the familiarity that they had shared long ago. "Relax, Miss Maddy. I cannot tell you if the lad has any practical experience, so to speak--my impression is that his desire to be as unlike young George Wickham as possible had quite an impact on how he behaves--but he does know the basic facts in theory, at least." She nodded toward Mr. Darcy's sister with a motherly look. "He practically raised Miss Georgiana since she was a babe, after all."

Miss Darcy's face had flushed a brilliant scarlet by this point and the two older women took pity on her and changed the subject.

Meanwhile, Mr. Darcy was somewhat flushed himself. The longer he had gone without seeing Elizabeth, the more he had worried that she had injured herself after such a long ride. He had sat with Georgiana and Mr. Gardiner in the library for some time, ostensibly reading but really just counting the minutes until Elizabeth's aunt would return with a report. When that lady did not appear for nearly an hour, William had finally lost patience and asked his sister to check on them.

Excusing himself, he had then found Mrs. Reynolds and sent her to determine if the doctor was needed before tucking himself away in his study where he could pace without being observed. His self-recriminations had reached a peak when Elizabeth herself knocked on the door and entered his sanctuary. He froze in place by the window and stared at her with an anxiety that bordered on outright fear.

"Are you well?"

His obvious concern washed away Lizzy's irritation in an instant. She stepped forward and took his hand. "Yes, William, I am perfectly well. Only a little tired."

Before she could explain further, he engulfed her in a hug, holding her as if she were made of the most fragile porcelain. "I am so sorry--I cannot believe I was so thoughtless… I should never have taken you on such a long ride. Please forgive me…"

"William… William!" Elizabeth finally caught his attention. "My indisposition has little to do with our morning's activities. I enjoyed the ride very much, and I hope to repeat it soon and often."

He looked at her carefully, wishing to be reassured but still uncertain. "Are you sure? If you are ill, should I not summon the doctor from Kympton?"

Elizabeth sighed and rolled her eyes; then in a few terse sentences, she summarized her ailment and explained the likelihood of its monthly reoccurrence until she was in the family way or beyond child-bearing age.

By the time she finished, William sat down heavily in the nearest chair. Lizzy seated herself in its twin and watched him, fighting nervousness that perhaps such honesty was not such a good thing. "I thought… I could have said I had a headache, but we agreed that we wished to be honest with one another… Perhaps this was too open? Too much information?"

Darcy was deeply embarrassed by the subject and his misunderstanding, but he recognized that he needed to reassure her if they were to continue to build a relationship on trust and honesty.

"No. No, you have said just what you ought."

The pair were silent for some minutes, distress and embarrassment battling with their desire to advance their understanding. Finally Elizabeth's frankness won out. "William, you do know… some of this… already, don't you?"

Darcy squirmed uncomfortably in his chair but forced himself to answer. "Errr… yes, somewhat. I learned about the… errr… bleeding… when Georgiana turned fourteen. I didn't know about the other… symptoms. The tiredness and emotions and such."

Elizabeth smiled sardonically. "My father would call you lucky. Longbourn can be a madhouse with six women."

"Georgiana never said anything…" He turned to look at her intently. "Is there nothing you could take, to give you some relief? --A glass of wine; --shall I get you one? I hate to think of you feeling ill."

She looked at him affectionately. "No, it simply must be endured. My maid brought me some blackberry tea--it often helps to lesson the pain somewhat--and I took a long, hot bath." Seeing he still looked concerned, she chuckled. "Truly, William. I am not often affected as much as many women who retreat to their bed for days. I simply feel a bit tired and a bit irritable. Much to my mother's dismay, I prefer to go for long walks rather than stay in my stuffy room."

Seeking to change the subject slightly, she spoke softly, "It must have been difficult with Georgiana, it being just the two of you…"

William shrugged, beginning to regain his equilibrium. "After my father died, she would come in here to read or do her lessons while I was working. One day she stood up from the sofa and there was a bloody stain…"

"That must have been terrifying."

William sighed and shut his eyes, remembering the terror that had raked him at the thought of losing his only remaining family member. "I rang the bell for a servant; luckily, it was Mrs. Reynolds herself who came. Had she not been there to explain, I probably would have sent riders for every doctor in Derbyshire to tell me what any maid in the house could have explained."

"It is good that she was with you and not alone. And kind of you to let your little sister stay in your study rather than off in the nursery."

Will shrugged. "We were both lonely and I never saw any harm that could come from it."

Elizabeth nodded, easily imagining the scene. "I used to do the same in my father's study, except my goal was to escape the other members of my family. Yet, I cannot imagine them being gone."

Will sighed, remembering those miserable days when he was trying to take over Pemberley and the Darcy family business affairs and comfort his little sister while still mourning the loss of his father. "The Fitzwilliams wanted Georgie to live with them, and of course Aunt Catherine tried to take her from me… but I just couldn't part with her. I sent her to school when she turned thirteen because I wanted to be sure that she met other young ladies her age… but it made me even less willing to part with her when she was home between terms."

"I can only imagine. You have done a wonderful job raising her."

Will shrugged, uncomfortable with the praise. "I did my best; sometimes it was enough, sometimes not." He paused and looked at his clasped hands before speaking softly. "I did not protect her from Wickham."

Elizabeth moved to perch on the sofa arm beside him. "You cannot take the blame for his misdeeds. There are other men like him in the world and you cannot shield her from them all. You have taught her to be sensible and proper, and that protected her in the end, did it not? Did she not entrust you with the details of the elopement before they left?"

William heaved a great sigh and took Elizabeth's hand in his own, studying it intently. "It was shear luck that I was there in time." Seeing that she was about to argue, he ran his thumb along her palm in a soft circle. "I've never told her, but when I confronted Wickham…" He sighed again.

Sensing that he needed to share the burden, Lizzy squeezed his hand. "We both know that Wickham mixes lies with truth to suit his needs."

Suddenly desperate for the comforting feeling of her body against his, Will pulled her down to sit across his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist and nestling her head beneath his chin. "I know, but this rang true. He raged about how they had planned to depart Ramsgate two days earlier, but Mrs. Younge had let him know that Georgie's courses had come so they delayed. He said… he said some unpleasant things about… his plans to take her virtue."

Lizzy could feel the tension in his body and rubbed her hand along his arm in comfort. "You must have been furious."

Will's fists clenched. "Oh, I was. The only thing that kept me from beating him to a pulp then and there was his dear friend Mrs. Younge, threatening to tell the scandal sheets that Wickham had succeeded in his seduction." He swallowed hard and allowed the feeling of Elizabeth to comfort him.

"So that is why you could not confront him in Hertfordshire."

William tilted his head back to rest on the cushion and stare at the ceiling. "I should have exposed him. Enough time had passed that any accusations could have been brushed aside as the vitriol of former employees down on their luck."

Elizabeth touched his cheek. "You couldn't be sure, and Georgiana was your priority."

Will began to argue but was silenced by a kiss from his fiancé. After several minutes, he leaned back again. "I believe we were arguing, but I can't remember what about."

Lizzy smirked. "Then clearly it is not worth bothering about." With a last, quick kiss on his cheek, she jumped to her feet and held out her hand, urging him to follow her. "Come, let us go look over those architectural plans for the family wing again. I have some ideas I wish to discuss with you."

Chapter 20. The True Worth of a Man.

Posted on 2010-09-22

July 1818

Elizabeth returned to Longbourn with a song in her heart. Mr. Darcy… William, she corrected herself with a smile, would be here in a fortnight's time, less if he could manage it. They had parted at Pemberley, assured of their mutual love and respect. Will had remained to finish as much business as possible in advance for the fall harvest, so that he might spend as much time as possible in Hertfordshire in the weeks leading up to their wedding.

At the end of the month, Darcy and Georgiana would travel to their uncle's estate in southern Derbyshire to celebrate the Earl's sixtieth birthday. At the gathering, William would inform his family of his engagement to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Though he had not spoken with her father, he had the Gardiners' permission and Mr. Bennet's letter; Lizzy knew her father's thoughts on Mr. Darcy well enough to assure her fiancé that he would approve of their plan. Though she wished that she could be there to support William as he confronted his family, she was assured that the Colonel and Georgiana would do so.

The Darcys and Colonel Fitzwilliam arrived at Matlock on a sunny afternoon in July, three days before the Earl's birthday. That evening after dinner, the small family party gathered in the Countess' favorite drawing room. After discussing it with Richard, William had decided that the best strategy was to introduce his plans to his more sensible Fitzwilliam relations before facing down Lady Catherine. Of his six Fitzwilliam cousins, only Richard and his quiet sister Olivia, accompanied by her equally quiet husband, were present. His cousin Edward, Viscount Ashbourne, and that man's wife, Lady Almida, had arrived at mid-day but sent word that they would be dining in their rooms.

Knowing that this was his last chance before hoards of relations descended on Matlock the next day, Darcy searched for a way to introduce the topic. Luckily for him, his sister provided an ideal opening. With Elizabeth's help, Georgiana had worked on several pieces that she felt comfortable playing in company and her aunt and uncle were both pleased when she offered to entertain them.

"That was delightful, my dear!" applauded her Aunt Eleanor as the final notes trailed off. "Your brother always praises your ability to the skies, but truly you play with both technique and heart--a rare combination and a great pleasure to the ear."

Georgiana's cheeks pinked a bit as she moved to sit beside her aunt but she accepted the praise with an aplomb that her guardians would have not expected even six months ago. "Thank you. I love playing but I've always been petrified of exhibiting--fearing that people would catch every mistake, every error. I made a new friend this summer and, after practicing with her, she helped me understand that technical perfection is not what truly makes a performance enjoyable."

Lady Eleanor was nodding, clearly pleased, and Darcy felt his chest swell with pride for both his sister and his beloved Elizabeth. "We had a small dinner party for some of the neighboring families and Georgiana impressed everyone with her playing, in addition to being an excellent hostess."

The Earl was pleased at these signs that his shy niece and quiet nephew were emerging from their solitude. It seemed to him that Pemberley had been in mourning for longer than he could remember. After questioning Darcy on the families that had attended, he noted a name he did not recognize. "Who are the Gardiners? Are they the family that leased the old Holloway estate?"

Darcy missed the intent look in his sister's eyes and the Colonel straightening his shoulders--he was too concerned with his own words. "No, Uncle. I met them in London this spring through their niece, Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Mrs. Gardiner's father was the rector at Lambton before Mr. Jessop. With the exception of Mrs. Gardiner, the entire family died in the fever. She was visiting her mother's family in London at the time; the Churchills later adopted her."

All were silent for some moments, remembering the many lives lost during the small pox epidemic that had swept through Derbyshire in 1800. After a minute, Darcy continued. "The Gardiners and their niece stayed at Pemberley for a month. It was the first time Mrs. Gardiner had returned to Derbyshire since the death of her parents and siblings.

Olivia quietly expressed sympathy they all felt. "The poor woman. I hope that the visit was healing."

Darcy nodded to his compassionate cousin. "Indeed. Cathartic, I would say. We spent a great deal of time exchanging remembrances. We were even able to find a trunk stored in the attic with her parents' books and mementos. The Gardiners brought their five children, all under twelve; to them it was a bit of an adventure which kept the rest of us from becoming too maudlin."

Georgiana was as close to bouncing in her seat as a well-bred young lady of seventeen could be. "Oh, Mrs. Gardiner had so many wonderful stories about Mother--I feel like I know her a little more. And it was so much fun to have the children and Elizabeth there."

Lady Eleanor had caught the scent of something that intrigued her. "Elizabeth? Is that the Gardiners' niece?"

Darcy stepped in. "Yes, Miss Elizabeth Bennet. I made the Bennet family's acquaintance last fall when I was visiting my friend, Charles Bingley, in Hertfordshire."

The Earl tightened his brows in thought. "Bennet? Any relation to the Duke of Graften Bennets?"

Darcy had decided to be explicit on the Bennet's lack of any significant wealth and connections. "I am not certain, but it is unlikely. Mr. Bennet keeps his family in the country--he is a quiet, intelligent man with little liking for town or Society. They have a modest estate, called Longbourn, near the village of Meryton."

"And the mother?"

"Mr. Gardiner's younger sister." Darcy felt that for now, the less said about Mrs. Bennet, the better. "Unfortunately, the estate is entailed to a cousin because the Bennets have five daughters and no sons."

"That poor woman. She must be terrified that she will be thrown out into the hedgerows when her husband dies," said Aunt Eleanor aloud. She suspected she had correctly summarized the situation when Darcy looked thoughtful. Clearly something was up. Her normally tight-lipped nephew was practically gossiping about this unknown family and her shy niece was bubbling.

"Five sisters, can you imagine? We're to visit them this fall. I can hardly wait! Elizabeth told me such stories that I felt as though I already knew them all, but when we stopped there for a few days on the way north to Derbyshire… oh, it's such a warm house… that sounds silly, but I just can't describe it." Georgie hoped that this would prod her brother into revealing his engagement; she felt as though she was about to burst with the secret.

There was an expectant pause and Darcy looked up to see all eyes on him, his uncle suspicious and his aunt expectant. He sipped the last of the wine from his glass and carefully placed it on the side table before he stood to his full height. To quell the nerves roiling in his stomach, he pictured Elizabeth for a moment, smiling at him with all the love he could ever desire beaming from her beautiful eyes.

"Aunt, Uncle, cousins." He nodded to each in turn. "I have an announcement to make, although I hope it does not take attention away from his lordship's birthday celebrations."

Richard decided a bit of levity was needed. "It might be a good thing to distract everyone from counting all the candles on his cake!" He received a baleful look from his father as the rest of the family chuckled.

Darcy rolled his eyes before taking a deep breath and continuing. "Miss Elizabeth Bennet has done me the very great honor of accepting my offer of marriage. We have not set a date yet, but I hope you will all be able to travel to Hertfordshire this fall for our wedding."

He gulped for air, having neglected to breath during his little speech.

All the family rose to their feet and William was engulfed in hugs from his cousins and sister. His aunt was more sedate in her congratulations but clearly sincere. It was his uncle's reaction that most concerned him. However, Richard had arranged for champagne to be brought and the Earl kept quiet as long as the servants were moving among them. Just as he was about to speak, Lady Eleanor began questioning Darcy, guessing from long experience that her husband would not be tactful in his demands for further information about the unknown miss.

Georgiana and Richard spoke as often as Darcy, each easy in their praise of Elizabeth. It was some time before the Earl was able to insert a question.

"Do I understand correctly that this girl has no significant connections?" He spoke with enough gravitas that the general good cheer in the room quieted.

"Yes, sir," replied Darcy with equal seriousness. Elizabeth had asked him to heed Mrs. Gardiner's wish of keeping her connection to the de Bourghs quiet if at all possible.

"And her dowry?"

"Negligible," answered William tensely.

The Countess stepped in before her husband managed to offend their nephew. She loved Henry Fitzwilliam, but he was slow to accept the unexpected and could be exceptionally heavy-handed when confronted with surprises. "You make her sound quite the paragon, nephew. Are you certain that you are quite good enough for her?"

Richard burst out laughing. "I, for one, would say that he is not! But Wills here seems to have finally convinced her. Now he just needs to do the same with her father!"

"Convinced?! Why on Earth would either need convincing to marry Darcy?!" demanded the Earl, who was holding dear to his vision of a pretty fortune-hunter who had tricked Darcy into an infatuation with her arts and allurements.

Seeing the uncomfortable look on his cousin's face, Richard nudged him. "Oh come on, Darce. Tell them. There are few gentlemen of our rank who know that they are loved for their true value as a man, rather than the net worth of their wealth and connections."

Darcy gave him a long look before turning to his uncle. "The Bennets place more import on love and respect in marriage than on wealth and connections. Mr. Bennet has already refused several suitors for his eldest daughters that others might consider a good match." Darcy paused before adding. "Mr. Gardiner told me that Mr. Bennet's elder sister was extremely unhappy in her marriage and he made a vow not to allow the same to befall his daughters."

Lady Eleanor could see from her son's smirk that her nephew had not given them the complete story. "That is estimable, but we were speaking specifically of Miss Bennet."

Darcy looked deeply uncomfortable but eventually shrugged his shoulders and spoke. "I saw Miss Elizabeth a good deal when Richard and I were visiting Rosings at Easter. Aunt Catherine's new parson recently married her close friend, so we were in Kent at the same time. Before we departed, I asked her to marry me and she refused. Most emphatically." Now that it had all turned out well, Darcy couldn't quite manage to produce the baleful glare that he was certain his cousin's chuckles deserved. Georgiana giggled at her two guardians acting like schoolboys.

The Earl was still trying to comprehend this new information. "She refused you? Are you certain?"

Darcy turned from rolling his eyes at Richard's antics and faced his uncle seriously. "I am unlikely to forget, sir. I demanded an explanation in such a tone that prompted her… forced her, really… to explain her reasoning… at length. I shall never forget the look on her face when she said that she had not known me a month before being certain that I was the last man she would ever consider marrying."

Though Darcy delivered the words quietly, even his cousin Olivia's reserved husband was startled. "Goodness! And you went back for more?"

"Though a surprise, much of her opinion of me was well-founded. I had behaved poorly for most of our acquaintance. My unease with strangers was interpreted as arrogance and pride. Also, her dislike predisposed her to believe some lies about me that had been spread around her neighborhood." Darcy shrugged. "After some time spent feeling sorry for myself, I realized that, as Richard pointed out, if I were to ever win her approval, I would know that it was because she saw a true worth in me as a man."

The Earl was quiet, remembering his own quandaries as a young man, heir of a wealthy title but also wishing to be liked and respected for himself. Seeing that her husband had much to think on and wishing to speak to him alone before he said something they would both regret, Lady Eleanor rose and went to kiss her nephew on both cheeks.

"I am very happy for you, William, and I look forward to meeting Miss Bennet. We will need to discuss the best approach to dealing with Catherine…" She frowned at her son's snort and husband's groan. "…but it is late, so let us simply congratulate you for now and leave that for tomorrow. I don't expect them to arrive before afternoon tea, so there is time."

With that, the family dispersed to their rooms for the night with calls of congratulations and wishes for sweet dreams.

Later that evening, Lady Eleanor dismissed her maid after changing into a nightgown covered by a sensible wool robe. Leaving the candles lit, she sat at her vanity brushing her hair and was unsurprised to hear a soft knock on the door connecting her rooms to those of her husband. "Come in," she called, just as she had so often for nearly forty years of marriage.

Her husband entered quietly, similarly garbed and wearing the fuzzy slippers that she had given him for Christmas. He had an unsettled look on his face but she was pleased to see that he did not have a glass of whiskey in his hand as he did when he was truly angry. Finishing the long braid down her back, she placed her brush on the vanity and turned to him. "How are you, Henry?"

With the ease of long habit, he slumped into one of the armchairs by his wife's fireplace. "Hummmph. What on Earth is the boy thinking?" He demanded.

Eleanor refrained from releasing the heavy sigh that threatened. Standing, she moved to sit opposite her husband. "That boy, as you call him, is a grown man, fully capable of making his own decisions."

"Hmmph. Caught by some pretty flirt of a fortune hunter, if you ask me."

"Don't be ridiculous, Henry. No fortune hunter in her right mind would refuse an offer of marriage from our nephew. And he has been fending off such women since he came of age, and probably before."

Henry shrugged his shoulders and temporarily gave up on that line of argument. "I suppose I understand why he wouldn't want to marry Anne, despite what Catherine says."

"Catherine is not sensible when it comes to her daughter," said Eleanor bluntly. "Anne's poor health makes it unlikely that she will ever take her place in Society and I am not at all certain that she would survive a pregnancy, let alone childbirth. Surely you understand that, even if William was willing to forgo the first, he needs an heir?"

Her husband sighed and nodded slightly, acknowledging the truth of her statement. "But even if not Anne… surely he could have done better!"

"For shame-- you have not even met the young lady, Henry."

"Precisely! We have never met her! Why could he not choose one of the girls from our circle?" He argued.

"You know as well as I do that he has looked and found no one he liked. William has been out in Society for nearly ten years, much of that as his own master. Henry, think about it. Our nephew is intelligent and responsible, but there is a lonely heart under that carefully constructed façade he wears all the time. He has done his duty to his family for so long--you know as well as I do that his father fell apart after Anne died. If this young lady can make him happy, then I for one plan to use every ounce of my influence to make sure Society accepts her."

"But a girl with no dowry at all? We shall be the laughingstock of the Ton."

"Henry." Eleanor waited until she had her husband's complete attention. "Are you telling me that you believe that the true worth of a woman lies in the wealth she brings to a marriage?" Her tone was dangerously quiet and her husband swallowed uncomfortably. It was a little known fact that Lord Henry Fitzwilliam had wed a woman with no dowry whatsoever.

Henry Fitzwilliam, then Viscount Ashbourne, had met Lady Eleanor Grey in her mother's drawing room in 1780, when he was twenty-four and she was nineteen. She had won his heart over a single dance and then led him on a merry chase for the rest of the Season. Before agreeing to marry him, however, she had informed him of the little known fact that the Grey family had little more than their good name. When the American colonies had revolted against the British crown, Lord Francis Grey had lost all of his speculations, including Eleanor's dowry, and the family was practically bankrupt.

Henry had assured both Eleanor and her father that he wished to marry her, dowry or not. She had later confessed that she had finally allowed herself to care for him at that moment, for he had demonstrated that he valued her for herself. Their marriage had survived her father's suicide, his mother's senility, the birth of eight children and death of two, and had only grown stronger with time.

Eleanor sighed and then leaned forward to catch her husband's hand in hers. "William is not like Edward, Henry."

She smiled sadly at her husband's muttered, "Thank God." At the age of thirty, their eldest son had cold-bloodedly chosen a wife according to all of society's principles; Lady Almida Alfreda Warren was the only child of a wealthy Baron. She was beautiful, had a dowry of twenty-five thousand pounds, an estate in Essex, and her eldest child would inherit her father's title. She was also pretentious, condescending, and fond of wielding her power in society with astonishing viciousness. Edward's parents could not stand her.

After a few minutes of thought, the Earl slumped back in his chair with a groan. "I don't have time for this. It would be so much easier if William would just marry Anne, and then Richard could marry Georgiana…"

"What!?!" Henry looked up to see that his wife had exploded to her feet and looked every inch the disapproving Countess, frumpy dressing gown or not. "What does your time have to do with it? Our niece is barely seventeen years old, and you would marry her off to Richard?!?"

The Earl was too vexed to guard his tongue. "Her dowry would take care of his financial needs…"

"Is no thought to be given to affection?"

Henry spoke more loudly to quell a twinge of conscience. "They have known each other all their lives--of course there is affection."

"For shame, Henry; Georgiana looks up to Richard as her guardian, like a favorite uncle. I love him dearly, but Richie is more than ten years her senior and decades older in experience!"

Eleanor's husband stood and moved to lean against a window, staring out into the night. His fisted hands showed his distress. "Ellie, you have to understand. Our government is in a very delicate state, what with the King's… illness and Perceval's assassination."

"But Henry, that was six years ago! Lord Liverpool seems to be doing a reasonable job as prime minister… and not without challenges, within England and abroad, I should say."

The Earl sighed heavily. "It is just that he is so young, Ellie. And I suppose I still think of him as young Robert Jenkinson--barely twenty when he was elected to sit in the Commons from Rye. But, by God, I still remember those speeches he made against the abolition of the slave trade--just the memory gives me chills. Even if his father raised him on such convictions, Jenkinson believed in them; you could see it in his eyes. He has done well so far, but I fear what he might try if his power continues to grow… and with the King practically locked away in his madness and the Prince Regent running wild with his gambling, debts, and mistresses. Sometimes I wonder if King George doesn't have the better deal; Queen Charlotte is clearly disgusted by her son's dissipated lifestyle… and he treats her with such disrespect."

The couple were silent for some minutes. Lady Eleanor had understood that her husband had some worries with the directions of the monarchy and parliament, but she had not realized that his anxieties were as extensive as this. Finally the Earl spoke again, more softly this time.

"I returned William Lamb to his seat in the House of Commons for Peterborough because he is such a good mediator; truly they need him in these trying times, but by God, I don't know how much more of the scandal I can take… It seems as if every time I open the broadsheets there is some bit of gossip about his wife and Lord Byron. I wish he would just divorce Caroline and be done with it. Certainly there can be no question regarding her adultery."

The Countess was more than willing to provide a friendly ear for her husband, but it was late, she still did not understand how his worries related to Darcy's betrothal, and she wished the matter settled before having to deal with Lady Catherine on the morrow. "Henry, I see that all of this is causing you a great deal of anxiety, but I still don't comprehend what it has to do with Darcy's engagement?" Eleanor was pleased that her voice did not reveal quite how vexed she was at her husband's rambling.

Henry Fitzwilliam pounded his fist against the window casement hard enough to bruise the knuckles. "I do not have time to clean up after him right now! If he had just come to me and said that he was ready to marry but didn't want Anne, I could have arranged something…"

"Arranged something?" Eleanor Fitzwilliam's voice was deceptively quiet.

The Earl threw his arms up in the air. "Yes! When my sister died, I swore to look after her children as my own. Clearly I have failed in that vow. I can only hope that it won't take too much to pay off these Bennets to keep quiet and not publicly accuse William of jilting the chit. Dear Lord, I cannot even imagine the scandal if they decide to sue…"

Lord Henry's mind was well along a familiar track of planning out his nephew's life; he did not notice his wife's furious look until that lady stood before him and slapped his face, hard.

"Eleanor!" He exclaimed, feeling his cheek where a red hand print was already growing. He was more surprised than angry.

"Henry Fitzwilliam, you are acting like a fool! Or worse than a fool, you are acting like Catherine! I was Anne's friend since school and you will listen to me, since you seem not to have known your own sister. Anne would want her son to be happy in marriage; to wed a woman who cares for him, not for his wealth and connections! Look what good such a marriage has done for our Edward!"

The Earl was clearly shocked by his wife's fury. He could only manage, "But he could do so much better… a title…"

Lady Eleanor looked at her husband as if he were a schoolboy who had failed his lesson. "Our nephew is Fitzwilliam Darcy, head of the ancient and honorable Darcy family and Master of Pemberley. He has no need of a title!"

Lord Henry stood frozen for a moment before collapsing down on a nearby sofa. "But…"

"No buts! Are you so busy as to have confused the power you have in that gentlemen's club they call Parliament for consequence in the real world? Do you not remember how honored your father was when George Darcy approached him about marrying his younger daughter?

Eleanor sighed and, trying to let go of her irritation, moved to stand beside her husband, hand on his shoulder. "Henry, William has no interest in Society's power games, an attitude which is probably made easier by the fact that he was endowed with greater consequence upon his birth than many of the most ambitious peers can dream of grasping over the course of their lives. And, though I know little of our nephew's business, I cannot imagine that he is so profligate with his spending or irresponsible with his investments that his estate is in need of an infusion of cash in the form of a wife's dowry."

The Earl hunched his shoulders and rubbed his face with his hands. "Unlike Edward," he muttered, sounding exhausted.

Still trying to understand what was upsetting her husband so, Eleanor sat on the sofa beside him. "Henry, what is this really about?"

Unable to look her in the eye, Lord Matlock studied the rug at his feet for some minutes before he responded in a strained, gruff voice. "I'm tired, Ellie. As our family is so eager to remind me, I turn sixty in two days' time. When Father died, it all seemed like a grand challenge, to manage our estates and sit in the House of Lords; to make a difference in the governance of this nation. Now… parliament and even the monarchy feels like a house of cards, about to tumble down. The worst part is that I don't have any optimism anymore. We lost the American colonies--there's no going back there. Despite all our efforts, the Regency is firmly in place and when King George finally does pass on, God only knows what travesties of legislation the Prince of Wales will press upon us… let alone the treasury. And I just don't have the energy to fight it any more, though I know very well there is so much to be done."

Her husband sounded so bleak that Eleanor took his hand in her own. He looked up with a tired smile and squeezed it affectionately.

"Can you not give some of it up?"

He sighed. "I can't trust Edward with Matlock; the estate would be mortgaged within five years."

"Then pass on your seat in parliament."

The Earl grimaced sourly. "Edward would probably have them voting to lift the ban on slavery, or some other equally unscrupulous affair. It grieves me to say this, but our eldest son is not a moral man. Much like the Prince of Wales, in fact."

Husband and wife sat quietly for some minutes until Henry admitted, "I had hoped that if Darcy married Anne, the de Bourghs would aid me in arranging a title for him and then he could take his place in the House of Lords beside me."

"Ah!" said the Countess softly, finally understanding her husband's convoluted reasoning. "But Henry, has William ever demonstrated any interest in becoming politically active?"

Henry grunted and his wife smiled softly. "My dear husband, you need to talk with our nephew about what he wants in his life. He is a grown man, not some boy to be coached. How would you have liked it if your mother's brother had decided to order your life when you were eight and twenty?"

The Earl's face showed his dismay--his own uncle's interests had leaned toward horse racing and fashion.

Lady Eleanor laughed outright. "Henry, talk to William and then listen to him; I believe you will find that his priorities in life are very different from your own."

"But he has grown into an intelligent, honorable gentleman. Surely he will wish to be involved in our nation's government in these unstable times?"

Eleanor held his hands and stared at her husband until he met her eyes. "Henry, William is everything you say, but you must remember the life he has led. Orphaned at twenty-one with only Georgiana, and we both know that even before that, George Darcy was never the same after the epidemic killed Anne and so many others. Wills has been alone in that big, empty house for much of his life. I suspect that his desires are closer to hearth and home… a loving wife and lots of children to fill Pemberley with laughter and love again."

The Earl remained silent but his wife could tell that he was considering her words. "Talk with him, Henry," she urged. "But do it tomorrow, after a good night's sleep."

After many minutes of silence, the Earl finally stood, kissing his wife's hand and signaling his defeat to her argument. "Well. We can talk to Darcy tomorrow about when this Miss Bennet shall be in town. I suppose I would like to meet a lady with the courage to turn down our nephew."

Eleanor stood and favored him with a kiss. "Thank you, dear."

"Yes, yes. I shall remind you that this was your idea when Catherine erupts at the news."

The next morning, the Earl sat down at the breakfast table and looked around at his family. Darcy had arrived moments before, obviously having gone for an early morning ride, and Richard was twitting his cousin for not having taken him along. William only rolled his eyes and replied, "Your valet said that you were still abed and I did not feel like waiting an extra hour for you to prepare yourself."

Their good-natured bickering spread to the others at the table, and Lord Henry was struck by how much happier his sister's son appeared to be than in years past. Making a decision, he finished his meal and then, waiting for a natural break in the conversation, spoke to his nephew.

"Darcy, I wish to speak with you when you are finished with breakfast. I shall be in my study."

William's easy demeanor slipped away, yet it was no frightened boy who returned the Earl's gaze, but a confident, serious young man, certain of himself and his decisions. "Of course, Uncle. I shall be there in just a minute."

Lord Henry nodded and left the room, noting the silence that had followed the exchange. They support Darcy's decision and are ready to defend him to me, the Earl thought with resigned amusement.

Matlock's master had barely settled himself behind his desk when his nephew knocked on the door and entered. After the barest of greetings, William seated himself in a chair before the desk and crossed his legs, waiting.

After a minute of silence, Henry steepled his fingers and sighed. "Darcy. When your mother passed away, I swore to do everything I could for you and Georgiana, to treat you as though you were my own children."

William nodded seriously. "I appreciate that, sir."

"I believe that is one of the reasons why I was taken aback by your announcement last evening; I suppose I had expected you to come to me and discuss your options before proposing marriage, as I would expect a son to do."

The Earl noted his nephew blink in surprise before speaking in an even tone. "I meant no disrespect, sir. However, Miss Bennet is my choice and I do not need your permission, though I would very much like to have your blessing."

In that moment, Henry Fitzwilliam felt as though the last blinds had been ripped from his eyes. Before him sat a young man who had managed his family's estates and investments for nearly ten years. What he had previously seen as timidity and eagerness to please was actually a quiet self-confidence. His nephew was a Darcy and had no intention of allowing his illustrious family to be subsumed into the Fitzwilliams, Earl of Matlock or not.

Lord Henry sighed again and then threw up his hands and slumped back in his chair. "No, you are absolutely right--you do not require my permission. I suppose I still think of you as that quiet little boy who stayed here for two months, waiting to hear who had died and who had survived the epidemic."

Both were quiet for several moments before the Earl roused himself. "I apologize, William. These last few years have been difficult, between parliament and running Matlock and the other properties… and worrying about Edward, and Richard off to war, and the girls getting married. I suppose I had planned out your life to suit my needs and wishes rather than your own, and without consulting you."

Henry looked up at his nephew. "You see, I had hoped that by marrying Anne, we could arrange a title for you with help from the de Bourghs, so you might follow me in the House of Lords." The Earl could tell immediately from the look on the younger man's face that such an idea was totally foreign to him.

"Sir, I had not… that is, I do not…" William stumbled in trying to express his distaste for such a course of action without offending his uncle.

Though heavily disappointed, Lord Henry could not help but smirk at his nephew's attempt to decline politely. "You had never even considered the idea, I can see."

Darcy regrouped. "Uncle, you honor me, but I am afraid I could never accept. I…" He faltered again in trying to summarize why the thought of a public life in politics made him positively cringe.

His uncle waved him off. "You have not the personality for it, really." He sighed and made a face. "Well, never mind. Tell me more about this young lady of yours. When shall we meet her?"

William smiled and the Earl was struck by the look of heartfelt happiness that seemed to radiate from his nephew when he thought of his intended. "Miss Elizabeth has returned to her family in Hertfordshire. After the celebration for your birthday, Georgiana and I shall travel there. We wish to marry from her home parish in Meryton and hope to set a date in late September."

Lord Henry nodded, already planning ahead. "Very good; send me the date as soon as you have it so that I can mark it on my schedule. Shall she be going to London before the wedding, to shop for her dress and so forth? We will be returning to Town in early August and your aunt will want to have her to tea, and perhaps a dinner or some such."

William smiled openly, relieved that his uncle seemed so easily reconciled with his choice of bride. "We discussed it tentatively. Elizabeth wished to return home to Longbourn before making any definite plans

The Earl, father to four girls, grunted. "I'm surprised that a shopping trip was not first on her agenda."

Darcy only smiled. "Elizabeth is not like most women."

When the pair stood and prepared to return to the remainder of the family, William paused for a moment. "Have you considered Richard?"

The Earl knit his brows. "To marry Anne? I suppose it would be a beneficial match for him, but I don't think Catherine would ever agree. It still grates on her that she was married off to a second son, for all the wealth and land that Lewis de Bourgh came with."

William could not quite suppress a laugh. "No, actually I meant for parliament. He recently told me of his desire to resign his commission within the year, and that he was considering a career in politics."

Lord Henry paused in moving papers on his desk and cocked his head. "I had not considered that. I suppose I was so focused on finding someone other than Edward…" He trailed off but knew Darcy understood when the younger man looked at him sympathetically.

William cleared his throat. "I should also inform you that I spoke with Anne about marriage when I was at Rosings over Easter."

The Earl's attention was caught. "Without Catherine present? What did she say?"

"My cousin has no more desire to marry me than I her. Honestly Uncle, I my impression is that Anne has no wish to ever marry. With her poor health, it is easier to remain quiet than to oppose her mother."

Lord Henry groaned. "I can imagine, poor girl. And Catherine has been obsessed with marrying Anne to you, or should I say Rosings to Pemberley, for nigh on twenty years. I suppose it is partly my fault; I've done little enough to curb her enthusiasm.

William was already shaking his head. "No more than I, sir. I only recently realized how selfish I have been to Anne and Aunt Catherine. By not making it absolutely clear that there was no possibility of an engagement between us, I gained some protection from the matchmakers but it gave my aunt false hopes. Had I faced her years ago, Anne might have led a less isolated life."

"You spoke to Catherine about this?" asked the Earl, somewhat stunned.

"Yes. It was past time to set things straight."

"And dare I inquire as to how she reacted?"

Darcy grimaced. "Not well, as you would expect. I did my best to explain my reasons, including my concerns for Anne's health, but I am not at all certain that my aunt accepted my decision."

Lord Henry chuckled sardonically. "Based on the last letter I received from her, she dismissed everything you said out of hand. She shall be arriving here this afternoon, with Anne and every intention of announcing your betrothal."

Darcy looked at his uncle with such horror that the older man could only roll his eyes. "Well, well. Let us join Eleanor and the rest of the family. We shall need all hands on deck to deal with my sister without causing fireworks that can be heard all the way from London."

William turned and extended his hand. "Thank you, Uncle."