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Chapter 28
Elizabeth awoke to the eyes of her husband. She cuddled closer to him to savor the warmth that they created together. Nothing was better than to wake up in the arms of the man you love and knowing that all was right in the world. Elizabeth closed her eyes again and Will continued to watch her as she drifted back to sleep. The bed was so comfortable with the giant pillows and all of the blankets that kept the newlyweds warm. The fire had gone out over the night, so Will was grateful that he was under the covers. He looked out the window and saw that the snow had stopped and that there was frost on the window. He knew that it was cold outside because he could tell from the temperature in the room. Elizabeth looked so peaceful as she slept. He still couldn't believe that they were actually here and on their honeymoon. The fates had seemed to be against them, but in the end he knew that it would all work out. Will looked at the clock and saw that it was after ten, but still had no interest in getting out of the bed. He was perfectly content to spend the entire day with his arms wrapped around Elizabeth. The peace didn't last for long, however, because Emma came bounding into the room and jumped on the bed, waking up Elizabeth and causing Will to groan in pain as she landed on top of him. After all, she wasn't a puppy. Elizabeth laughed as she scratched behind Emma's ears. "I guess you want your breakfast." Will groaned some more and tried to prevent Elizabeth from leaving the warmth of the bed.
"Come dearest, it is too cold to get up. Stay here with me and I will keep you warm." Elizabeth looked at him and gave him a kiss on the nose as Will tried to put on his most innocent face.
"It is almost eleven and Emma is going to have to go out and be fed. Unless you want to sleep with Emma as well, I suggest we feed her."
"I suppose when you put it that way." Elizabeth got out of bed, but regretted it as soon as she left the warmth of the bed. The air in the room was freezing and Elizabeth ran for her robe and slippers.
"Will, I will feed Emma then let her outside. Would you try and get some fires going? It is absolutely freezing in here." Will finally got out of bed and also regretted the decision. He was tempted to get back under the covers, but he knew that if he ever wanted to get the room warm, he would have to build the fire, so he grabbed his robe and slippers and started the fire. He then went to the other rooms in the house and started fires in all the other fireplaces. When the fires were lit he went to the kitchen to see about making a late breakfast. Elizabeth came into the kitchen after she had let Emma in who was covered in snow. "I think that there is a foot of snow out there, but the sun is out and it is much warmer than yesterday. Hopefully the roads will clear so that we will get to see some of the surrounding area." Elizabeth said as she sat down and the kitchen table. Will handed her a cup of coffee and she accepted it gratefully.
"Well if the roads don't clear, then I guess I will just have to find some way to entertain us in the house and under the warm covers." Will looked at Elizabeth with a mischievous grin. Elizabeth gave him a look. "I mean we could just spend our honeymoon cleaning the house. Elizabeth laughed and Will ducked as she threw a potholder at him.
The rest of the day was spent much in the same way as it began. The snow prevented them from going anywhere, so they rejoiced in the fact that they could lounge around all day and do nothing but enjoy the peace and quiet. Will told Elizabeth numerous stories of the antics that he and Richard had gotten into and Elizabeth shared some of those things that she and her sisters did when they were younger. They each learned new things about he other and were surprised and all the new details that they didn't know about each other. They talked for hours about many things. Elizabeth, after a few minutes of solitude, turned to Will and said, "Tell me about Pemberley. I have never known anyone to own such a great estate, so I don't know what it must have been like for you growing up. My parents lived in an average-sized house and we never moved for my whole life. You, however, had multiple homes in multiple countries."
"Well, I guess I will have to start at the beginning. As you know, I was born in England. In fact, all of my distant relatives still live over here, but I rarely see them. I had a good childhood that was spent in many different places, but since we moved to so many different places because of my father's job, it was hard for Georgiana and I to make friends. That is why she is so shy I think. While we stayed at Pemberley, I was able to play with my cousin Richard and his brother Edward, but Georgiana did not have anyone her age, so I know it was harder on her. Then when I left for college and my mother became ill, she started sinking further and further into her shyness. I graduated from college and came home to England to take care of Georgie. She was still quite young and didn't understand what was happening to our mother. My father tried to give his support as much as possible, but he had a business to run, so I was the one to look out for my sister and my mother. Mother died when I was twenty-three. That year was hard for all of us. My father became depressed, so I took over running most of the business as well as taking care of Georgiana. Mrs. Reynolds was a great help during this time. Especially for Georgiana when I was away in New York. We got through it together and the bond between us will never break. I had to raise my sister and take charge of the family. My father was never the same after my mother's death. He was a ghost of a man. He loved her so dearly that he soon became ill himself. About two years after her death, he too died. I told my sister that he just couldn't live without mother and that he was now happy to be at her side once again. I always wanted to have a marriage just like my parents. They loved each other so much and lived a wonderful life together. Even if it was cut short." Elizabeth gave Will an encouraging hug and he continued with his story.
"After the death of my parents, neither Georgie nor I wished to remain at Pemberley because of all the memories in that house, so we left for America together. I bought the flat I live in now and took up permanent residence. Georgiana was enrolled in school, and I took full control of Darcy Corporations. We would still go back to Pemberley every summer and visit our family and all of the staff at the house. It is wonderful to visit the house, but it still holds bad memories. I just have to remember the good ones while I am there instead of the bad. I still cannot go into certain sections of the house because they remind me of my parents. I grew up very fast after college and in some ways I am thankful. I would never have been so successful had I not been given the responsibilities that I was given at so early an age. The one problem though was that I had shut myself out from the world. I didn't want my heart broken, so I didn't let anyone in. Sure I had friends, but I really wasn't the best friend to be around. I will have to thank Charles one day for putting up with me for all those years. I devoted myself to my work and went through life as if I was disdainful. I went to parties and was miserable. I went on countless dates where I was just civil enough to not have my date walk out on me. I have to admit that when Charles said that he had someone that he wanted me to date, I didn't want to go. He insisted that I take you out and I was prepared that night to have a miserable time. I was so wrapped up in myself that I didn't see how the hole I was digging myself into was getting deeper and deeper. When you walked into that lobby that day, I don't know what happened, but something changed. You rescued me from myself, and for that I don't know how I will ever thank you." Elizabeth sat with Will on the couch speechless. She didn't know what to say. He had just born his soul to her and it gave her a new insight on his character. She couldn't imagine what it would have been like to have been in his shoes. All her life she was loved and supported by her family and friends. She never had to go through the heartache and struggles that Will had gone through.
"Thank you for telling me this Will. I never knew how much you had to go through. I wish that I had not taken advantage of the experiences I had growing up. I took advantage of my four sisters and my mother's antics. I thought that I had it bad when my mother would embarrass me out in public or when my father would make a comment that he shouldn't have. Even all of my sisters are always there for me and I take advantage of that fact."
"You must understand Elizabeth that I never felt that I was deprived in any way. Sure I wish that my parents were still alive and that I didn't have to go through all of that heartache and sorrow, but it has made me the man I am today. We can't do anything to change the past and we must only learn from it in the future. Now it is getting late and we need to start thinking about dinner. Remember that you are the best thing that ever happened to me and if none of this other stuff had not happened, I may never have met you." Elizabeth smiled at this and drew Will into her embrace.
"I want you to know how much I love you Will Darcy. No matter where we are or what happens to us. If we fight, and I know we will. I will always love you and there is nothing that you can do to change that. We are one now." Will gave her a kiss and then they both got up to make dinner. Neither one spoke to each other while they went about their routines. All that was needed was the peace and quiet of this night where two lovers sat and shared their meal in happy times.
Chapter 29
Throughout the day, a lot of the snow had melted, so when Will and Elizabeth woke up the next day, a lot of the snow had melted, so they were able to leave the house. Will wanted to show Elizabeth the surrounding area, so they bundled up in warm sweaters, hats, and gloves and got everything ready for a trip outside. They got Emma's leash so that she could come along. The air was brisk, but not terrible. They walked for a long time in silence, and occasionally Will would point out a certain area or site that was special to him. They came to the edge of another loch and Will showed told her all the different legends that went along with the mysteriously misty water. Will loved to watch Elizabeth's responses to his stories of fairies and monsters. She was so innocent looking and it brought warmth to his heart. It was too bad that someone made to love and be loved had to go through so much in her lifetime. The scars were mostly faded, but they always lay under the surface. Every now and then he would here her talking in her sleep, or she would wake up in the middle of the night screaming. The look of terror in her eyes broke his heart every time. He still blamed himself for not being there for her when she needed him most. He sat down on a large boulder and he watched Elizabeth run around with Emma. Emma had found a large stick that Elizabeth was throwing for her. He would never let her get hurt again.
Elizabeth looked over to where Will was sitting and noticed that he was in a contemplative mood. She knew that he would get this way when he had something on his mind that was unpleasant. She threw the stick one more time then went to sit next to Will on the rock. "What's the matter Will? You seem to be million miles away." She said as she reached for his hand.
"Nothing important. I was just thinking. You looked so wonderful running around with Emma out there. You looked as if you didn't have care in the world." Will tried to brush away Elizabeth's comment. He did not want her to think that he pitied her or that he was thinking about that horrible time. He did not want to bring that moment back to her mind.
"I know that is not what you were thinking about. You looked so sad for a minute. I hope you are not unhappy here. I know you feel the stress of being away from your business for so long, but you made sure that you could be away for a couple of weeks. I know that it is hard to let go, but you have to let others do things for you as well. You are always ready to help others, but not to receive other people's help in return." Will looked at Elizabeth and was glad that she didn't realize what he was really thinking about.
"I know that I left my company in the best hands. I was just thinking about how cold it is and that we had better get back before we catch pneumonia." Will stood up and called for Emma who came running right up to him. He put the leash on her and then put his arm around Elizabeth as they headed back to the house.
Elizabeth knew that Will wasn't really thinking about the cold. She would have to make him tell her later what he was really thinking about. He is usually very good about hiding his emotions, but this time she could tell there was something troubling him. He was very quiet on the walk back to the house and when they got back, he said that he was going to take a warm shower. He went right upstairs and Elizabeth was left alone in the living room confused. She hoped that the shower would bring back the old Will. Forgetting his attitude for the moment, she went into the kitchen to see about making dinner.
When Will came downstairs, he didn't seem much different than before. When Elizabeth asked him about it again, he brushed it off as nothing and then changed the subject to their plans for tomorrow. He said that he was going to drive her to a town north of them where they could look around and all of the little shops and get to see a little more of the countryside. Elizabeth smiled at this and said that it was a great idea, but the rest of the meal was eaten in silence. They cleared the dishes up and then went into the living room for some coffee. They sat in there in silence as well and Elizabeth was about to mention his attitude again, but before she could open her mouth, Will said that he was tired and was going to go to bed. Elizabeth waited for him to ask her to come to bed with him, but instead he left her alone in the living room. She didn't know what to think, but she was not going to let his mood ruin her honeymoon. Realizing there was nothing to be done tonight, she got up and went to bed as well. By the time that she had gotten ready for bed, Will was already asleep, so she got under the covers and spent her first night not in the arms of Will.
When she woke up the next morning, she reached over for Will, but found that the spot next to her was empty and cold, so she grabbed her robe and went in search of him. He was nowhere to be found, so she assumed that he went for a walk. Thinking that she would go in search of him, she went and got dressed in her warmest clothes. The sun was out, but it looked like it might snow again.
When she was prepared for the cold, she started walking along the path that Will had shown her before that led around the loch. It was a very pretty walk, and she had almost forgotten her quest. When she reached the end of the path, she still had not seen Will, so she decided to venture a little further. She walked for about an hour, but there was still no sign of him. She began to worry that something may have happened to him. She remembered the story that she heard in the village about when Will was younger and she hoped that he was not hurt. She kept walking and walking, but she knew that she had better not go any further. She turned around to go back the way she came, but after walking for about an hour, she was in a place that she had never seen before. It wasn't long before she realized that she was completely lost. "Alright Elizabeth, don't panic. You were a girl scout. Use your survival skills and get yourself out of this situation." When she thought back to her camping trips though, all she could remember was that you weren't supposed to go wandering by yourself and to not touch the shiny leaves. "Well, that's good. I will have to remember that the next time I decide to get lost. I don't think there is going to be much poison ivy around here."
Meanwhile, Will had returned from his walk and found that Elizabeth was not in the house. He knew that he had left her sleeping and had hoped to find her thus when he got back. He behaved horribly last night and she had every right to be mad with him, but he did not expect this. He went back outside and called for her, but there was no answer. Emma looked up at him, but he just shrugged. "Where is she Emma?" Knowing that he would get no answer from a dog, he went back inside. Maybe she went for a short walk around the loch. He had shown her the path the other day, so she knew where to go.
He waited for about another half an hour before he really started to worry. It was not like Elizabeth to just wander away and it was not safe for her to wander in this area. Especially since it looked like it was going to snow again. He knew that he was going to have to go and look for her. He just hoped that she hadn't wandered too far.
Elizabeth continued to walk in the direction that she thought led back to the loch, but it only made her more confused, and she kept seeing the same tree, so she knew that she was walking in circles. "If I ever find my way home, you are going to get it Will Darcy!" she said into the wind that was blowing harder every minute. She noticed that the sun was no longer out and that the sky was getting greyer by the second. "Well this is good. Can this get any worse?" She spoke too soon. As soon as she said this snow started to fall from the sky. Elizabeth decided that the best option was to keep moving. If she stopped, she would get too cold, so she walked and walked. The countryside seemed to go on forever, and Elizabeth's spirits got lower and lower. What was she going to do? She was lost and cold.
Will made his way on the path around the loch and then continued on from there. He pulled his hat down over his ears to protect them from the wind and snow. He hoped that Elizabeth was dressed warmly because the air was really getting cold. He had been walking for two hours before he finally caught glimpse of someone in the distance. He called out Elizabeth's name and the person looked up. He then knew that it was she. He ran towards her and as soon as they met he pulled her into his arms. "I was so worried. Why did you leave the path? It is dangerous out here." Will didn't wait to hear her answer because he saw that she was freezing. "Come on, let's get you inside before you freeze to death." Elizabeth nodded her head and Will led her home.
When they arrived back at the house, he made her a cup of hot chocolate and got her all the blankets he could find. He added more wood to the fire and then sat next to her on the couch. He asked her again, "Why did you wander away from the path? You know that it is dangerous." Elizabeth looked at him and he knew that it had something to do with him.
"I woke up to find you missing and I went in search of you. I only intended to go around the loch, but I got worried something might have happened to you. Besides, I am not the only one that needs to explain. What was your problem last night? I went to bed for the first time in a long time feeling as if you didn't care. You were so distant and cold. I didn't know what I did, but you acted like you wanted nothing more than to be out of my site. Then, when I woke up this morning and you were gone, I knew I had to find you. What was the matter with you? It is you who needs to explain." Will knew that Elizabeth was not happy with his behavior of the night before. In fact, he also was not happy with the way that he had behaved.
"It was very wrong of me to act the way that I did. It was nothing that you did that made me get into my dark mood. I was just thinking about our past and all the bad things that happened. You looked so innocent and child-like when you were playing with Emma, that it made me so angry that your innocence was stolen away from you when you were kidnapped. I didn't want to say anything yesterday because I didn't want to remind you of those horrible times."
"Instead you locked me out and treated me like I didn't exist. Is that what you wanted. If there was something bothering you, I wanted you to talk to me. We are married now and I had hoped that after the past few months, we had learned to share things with each other. I guess it was too much to hope for that you would actually really open up to me and feel that you could tell me anything. I know what happened to me and I know that I will never forget it, but that doesn't mean that I can't talk about it. Yes, at first I couldn't, but now that there is so much time from that incident and that George Wickham is in jail, I don't let it get to me. You are going to have to do that too." Will looked at her and nodded. He knew that what she was saying was true. He had acted foolishly.
"I know that I should have told you, and I know that you have faced the past, but I am still having a hard time forgetting it. I thought that I was going to lose you that day, and then when you had all those complications, I never thought you would have a normal life again. I know that you still have nightmares. I hear you wake up in the middle of the night screaming. It kills me to hear the terror in your voice and see the fear in your eyes. I can't help but worry. It wrenches at my heart to see you in pain or scared. I feel so helpless yet again." Elizabeth moved closer to Will and turned to face him.
"Listen to me. I don't want you to feel sorry for me anymore. I know what happened and I have faced it. It took me a long time, but because of you, I feel safe again. I no longer fear being alone. Yes, I do have nightmares on occasion, but they are not real and I know that. I have taken control of my life and you must do the same with yours." Will hugged Elizabeth so tightly. When he broadened the distance between them he held her gaze.
"I love you so much Elizabeth Darcy. Always know that. You are the bravest person I know. You have overcome so much and instead of leaning on me to help you, it is I who must lean on you. You are like no other and I am proud to be your husband."
Chapter 30
The plans of the day had been thrown aside because of the unexpected turn in events. Instead, Will and Elizabeth had a quiet day to themselves. There was nothing left of the coldness between them of the day before. It continued to snow throughout the day and into the night, so there was no question as whether or not they were going to go touring.
The rest of their time in Scotland passed quickly and before they knew it, it was time for them to return to Pemberley, so the last full day in Scotland was spent packing up the house and taking one last walk around the loch. Will and Elizabeth were sad to leave such a beautiful setting, but they were happy to be going back to some civilization. The world could have been undergoing turmoil, and the newlyweds would have known nothing about it. They had been completely disconnected from the world. Elizabeth was upstairs packing the suitcases, while Will was making sure all of the windows were boarded up and the house was secure to face the rest of the winter.
On the morning of their departure, they loaded the car up and took one last look at their escape from reality. They knew that times like that would be all but rare in the future because they both had busy lives into which they had to return. "I hope you enjoyed your time here Elizabeth. I hope you didn't mind that we didn't go somewhere tropical and romantic, but I thought this would be a better choice: a place where we could truly be alone and not have to worry about the distractions of anyone else." Will said as he loaded the last bag in the trunk.
"I do not think there could be a better place to spend our first weeks as man and wife." Elizabeth smiled and said as she put Emma in the back seat. "Thank you for a wonderful honeymoon. I couldn't have asked for more. Besides, we still have a while before we return to New York and there is still the mystery of the paintings at Pemberley."
"I knew that you would not forget that. I must admit that I am curious as well, so what do you say to heading out. I want to get back to Pemberley before it gets dark." Elizabeth nodded her head and they shared one more embrace before getting into the car. Elizabeth looked back as the car pulled out of the driveway and onto the road. She loved the time that they had spent there, and knew that they would hopefully be able to come back to recapture this moment again in the future. It would always be a place where they could come to escape reality for a little while. She watched the passing lochs and hills as they gradually made their way out of that magical place. There was no conversation in the car, but none was needed. Will had put some soft music on the CD player, and after a little while, Elizabeth fell asleep. Will smiled to himself as he saw her slump in her seat.
When Elizabeth woke up, the sun was starting to set. She looked over to Will, and he said, "Well, sleeping beauty awakes." Elizabeth laughed and tried to wake herself up some more.
"Very funny, I must look a mess. I will not be fit to be seen. She pulled the mirror down and brushed her hair. I am sorry I fell asleep and was not able to entertain you while you drove. I just can't stay awake in moving vehicles."
"You always look beautiful and even more so when you are asleep. You are lucky to be able to sleep on long journeys. We should be arriving at Pemberley in about twenty minutes. While you were asleep, I called Mrs. Reynolds as soon as I could get a cell and told her when to expect us. She told us that dinner would be awaiting our arrival."
"You certainly think of everything. I hope everything was ok in our absence."
"Mrs. Reynolds said that everything was fine and that there is a surprise awaiting our arrival."
"What kind of surprise?" Elizabeth asked.
"She would not say. We will have to wait until we get there, which should be very shortly."
When they pulled up to the house, Elizabeth saw that there was a tour bus parked in front. Will explained that it was very expensive to maintain a house of this size, so they were forced to open it to tours for the public for part of the year. "I am surprised that there is still a group here since the house is usually only open until 3:00." Will parked the car and they both got out. Elizabeth took Emma to a grassy area while Will unloaded the car. There was no one to greet them this time, so when everything was out of the car, they entered the house. Elizabeth entered first. Inside, there was a crowd of tourists listening to a guide talk about the house. When they entered, everyone turned around and stared at them. The guide, who was obviously new, did not recognize Will.
"Excuse me miss, but there are no animals in the house. You will have to leave your dog outside." When Elizabeth didn't move, the guide started to get angry. Will stopped her though from saying anything further by coming around Elizabeth.
"You must be new here. I am actually the owner of this house, and this is my wife; therefore, there is not a problem. Please continue with your tour. We will just get out of your way." Will went to walk by her, but was stopped by her arm.
"I'm sorry sir, but the owner is in Scotland at this time. You will have to leave the premises or I will be forced to call security." Will looked at her with a strange look.
"You are wrong Miss. This is my house. If you will call Mrs. Reynolds, I am sure she will prove this fact to you." Will was growing impatient and he noticed that the entire tour group was looking at him. A short woman in the front then spoke up.
"Betsy, I think this is the owner. I recognize his face. Being from New York, we know all about the famous William Darcy, and I must say, you are much better looking in person. I thought you were handsome in the pictures, but honey, they don't do you justice at all. Your little lady there is one lucky gal." Elizabeth and Will both blushed. They were interrupted by the entrance of Mrs. Reynolds.
"Will, darling. I did not expect you here so soon. You must have made excellent timing." A horrified look came to Betsy's face as she realized her mistake. "Betsy, dear, please finish your tour while I get Mr. and Mrs. Darcy settled. Betsy did not move for another thirty seconds until she finally realized that her group was waiting for her.
"Mr. and Mrs. Darcy please forgive me. This is my first week here and I did not know that you were expected today. I am terribly sorry for any inconvenience that I caused you." Will stopped her in the middle of her apology.
"Please do not worry about it. I appreciate that you were only doing your job. Ladies and gentlemen, you must forgive our interruption. I hope that you enjoy the rest of your tour." Betsy then rushed to lead the tour group into another room. Elizabeth listened to the group as they made their way out of the room. Many of them were talking about how good looking her husband was. Others were talking about how they had read all about the wedding. Some talked as if they had actually been there. She laughed as she heard some people talk about things she also had read in the tabloids that were completely false. Will asked her what she was laughing at, but she just shook her head and went to follow Mrs. Reynolds upstairs.
Once they were alone, Will asked Mrs. Reynolds about the surprise that she had mentioned on the phone. "You never were very patient were you Will." With a shake of his head, Mrs. Reynolds continued. "I suppose I can tell you. Well, your company has been trying to reach you, but I assured them that you were not to be disturbed. They insisted that they had important news for you and I told them that I would take the message and pass it on to you as soon as you got back. When I finally convinced them that I would not disturb you, they asked Mr. Bingley and he said that they could tell me."
"Mrs. Reynolds, if it was important, you really should have called me. I saw that I had numerous messages on my cell phone when I called you from the road, but I knew that someone would have called the house if it were an emergency. What was the important news?"
"You said that you did not want to be disturbed, and I knew that you needed this break, but if it had been really important, I would have called you. I did not want business to interfere with your honeymoon. Besides, Mr. Bingley insured me that it was nothing pressing, but simply to inform you as soon as you got back."
"Well, what is the news?" Mrs. Reynolds laughed at his impatience. Elizabeth had to admit to herself that she too was impatient to learn this important news.
"It seems that because of the success of you company, you have been voted by the magazine Business Today, which I am assured is a very prominent business magazine..." Will knew that she was dragging out the news as long as she could.
"Just tell me Mrs. Reynolds. I know that you are enjoying keeping in suspense."
Mrs. Reynolds laughed and continued. "The magazine has voted you "Businessman of the Year. From what I understand it is a very great honor. I heard that only the top CEO's get this honor." Will was silent as he tried to let the knowledge sink in.
"Oh Will, this is wonderful news." Elizabeth said as she gave him a big hug.
"I can't believe it. I knew that we had very positive response to our latest product, but I did not expect this at all. Why did they choose me?" Mrs. Reynolds told him that he would have to ask Mr. Bingley because she had no more information. He stood there a little longer in a contemplative stance until the beeping of his cell phone interrupted him. He picked it up and saw that he had fifteen messages. "Well I guess there is only one way to find out." Elizabeth gave him a smile as he dialed his voice mail.
The first message was from Charles. "Will, this is Charles. I just heard from the people at Business Today. You have been chosen as businessman of the year. Congratulations. Please call me as soon as you get this message." There were several others from Charles and then a bunch from the Public Relations unit at Darcy Corporations. They all wanted to talk to him about how they were going to use this award for the benefit of the company advertising. The last message was from the magazine itself, congratulating Mr. Darcy and asking to meet with him sometime in the next few weeks so that they could interview him for the article. They also were inviting him to a banquet in three weeks time to give him the award.
Will was speechless. He didn't know what to say, and when Elizabeth asked him a bunch of questions about his messages all he could do was stare at her. "Well, what did they say?" Elizabeth asked, and he answered as soon as he could regain his composure.
"Well, it seems that I actually have been chosen "Businessman of the Year" and that they want to interview me for the magazine. I have also been invited to the awards banquet where they will present my award. The information hasn't been given out to the press yet, but it will be announced after they have interviewed me. I have to call them and set up an appointment for the interview when I get back. I can't believe it. Only the top businessmen get picked for this honor. I would never have thought to be even considered for such an award." Elizabeth hit his shoulder playfully at this comment.
"Will, how can you say that? You are one of those top businessmen. How else do you think you are so successful? You made your company what it is today. When you took over for your father it was small, but now look at it. You now have multiple offices and do business in multiple countries. Government agencies do business with you and other corporations use your products. You can not tell me that you are not on the top. Everyone knows that doing business with you is a safe investment." Will blushed at all she was saying. Elizabeth looked at him so proudly and he couldn't believe that he had just won the award that he had dreamed of when he used to look at his father's magazines as a child. He would think one day that he would be on the cover just like all those other men, but he didn't actually believe that it would come true. All of the men on the covers of the magazine were so far out of his league, but were they really. He stopped to think about last year's winner. He was a man in his seventies who had started making toys for his family to play with because he didn't have enough money. Over time, those toys turned into top selling products. This was a man who was honored for a lifetime of work. He, on the other hand, was still quite young. In fact he thought of all the winners that he could think of, and they were all much older. All of a sudden, as if she was reading his thoughts, Elizabeth said, "This is such an honor. You must be one of the youngest people to win. I always remember hearing about older men winning this award. That is quite an accomplishment Will. I am so proud of you. I know you dad would have been so proud as well. You took his company and made it into what it is today."
"All I did was run it the way I thought was best. I never thought that our products would take like they did."
"You are just a born leader and I feel honored to be your wife. Other companies do not care if their products are the highest quality, but you make sure that yours are always the highest quality. People know that they will not be cheated if they buy one of you computers. When is the banquet?"
"It is few weeks after we get back. They are going to interview me then give the award at the banquet. The magazine will be released the next day." Elizabeth gave him a big hug and a kiss, showing him just how proud she really was. Mrs. Reynolds then told them to go freshen up for dinner because Mrs. Potter had made something special in honor of the big award.
Chapter 31
At dinner, the topic of conversation was the upcoming award, or rather the topic of conversation between Elizabeth and Mrs. Reynolds was thus. Will seemed to still be in a state of shock over the recent news. "Will, are you going to pay attention to what your wife is saying, or are you going to sit there in your own little world?" Mrs. Reynolds said to Will to get his attention.
"Oh, I am sorry. You were saying something Elizabeth?" Will blushed and tried to focus on the conversation. He knew that they were both laughing at him, but he tried to push aside his embarrassment and focus.
After the laughter was under control, Elizabeth said, "What I was saying to Mrs. Reynolds, was that we are planning to spend two days here and then go back to London for a couple of days before we go home. I was asking you to confirm our plans, but you are off in some other world."
"Sorry, I just have a lot of my mind. Yes, that is the plan for the remainder of our trip."
"It's ok Will. I know that this award was quite a surprise and that you are anxious to get back to New York. If you would like to leave earlier, we can, but I refuse to leave without looking into those mysterious paintings." Will smiled at what Elizabeth had said. She was willing to give up a few days of her honeymoon for the sake of him. He had been blessed with such an angel.
"I do not want us to shorten our honeymoon. I will have plenty of time to take care of everything when we get back to the States. You are wonderful to be willing to do it, but I think our honeymoon is much more important." He thought about how much his attitude toward his career had changed since he had met Elizabeth. Before her, he took maybe one vacation every two years. He rarely missed a day and nothing was more important that his job. He liked the new life he had, and he realized that he really didn't need to put so much of his energy into his company. It took a lot for him to trust that other people could handle the running of the company while he was away. When he was needed by Elizabeth all those months, his company had run just as smoothly as if he hadn't taken any time off, so he was confidant that everything was running just as smoothly. It was just hard to not be in contact for an entire month at all. "Besides, I too am interested in learning the story behind the paintings." Elizabeth smiled as Will squeezed her hand. Mrs. Reynolds, sensing that they may want to be alone, bid the newly weds goodnight and left them to have their dessert alone. Will poured Elizabeth a cup of coffee and cut her a slice of the cake that Mrs. Potter had left for them.
"Will, I am not too tired. Do you think it would be possible to look in some of the books in the library about the infamous Mr. and Mrs. Darcy?" Elizabeth said this in her sweetest voice and she knew that he would not refuse her.
"You know that I cannot refuse you when you do that. I am not that tired either, so why don't we finish up here and then we can go to the library." Elizabeth put the dishes in the dishwasher and Will put away everything else on the table. They said goodnight to Emma who was going to be sleeping in the kitchen, and then made their way to the library. Elizabeth was once again shocked at how large it was. She had never seen a library this big in a person's house. It would take years to go through all the shelves. Luckily the Darcy family had a catalogue that listed all of the works and their placement on the shelves. She was glad that they were so organized and had everything in the house catalogued. Otherwise it would be a lot harder to solve her mystery. Will had explained that it was a project of his father and grandfather to catalogue everything in the house. A lot of scholars came to use the library because of the wide selection of books, so there was a need to be organized. Also, because the house was now open to the public, they had to make sure everything in the house was accounted for in case of a problem. Will also explained that there were also many things that went with the house in a storage facility on the property. It was impossible to have everything in the house.
When they finally found the books that they needed, they each took a stack and sat down at one of the large tables. Elizabeth was overwhelmed by all of the stories behind every single person in the book. There were numerous aristocrats and political figures. She saw how rich Will's family heritage really was and had to admit that she was somewhat jealous. She had remembered looking at her own family history, which was no where near half as long and was not filled with anyone as distinguished. Realizing that she was not getting anywhere, she flipped past all of the other people and went to the section that she knew would contain the information she needed. With everyone having the name of Darcy and several having the name Fitzwilliam, it was hard to wade through all of the names. She finally found what she was looking for, however, and she called Will over. He brought what he had found and they both looked at the page in front of them. Elizabeth read aloud from the selection.
"Fitzwilliam Darcy was the son of George and Anne Darcy. He took over the care of Pemberley House after the early death of his parents. Also left in his care was his younger sister Georgiana Darcy with whom he had joint guardianship with his cousin Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, youngest son of the Earl of Matlock. Fitzwilliam married Elizabeth Bennet, second eldest daughter of Thomas Bennet of Longbourn Estate. Elizabeth bore Fitzwilliam Fitzwilliam II, Jane, Charles, Abigail, and Thomas. The history of Elizabeth Bennet Darcy can be found in her diary." Elizabeth looked at the footnote and saw that there was a copy of the diary in the library. "Oh Will!! There is a copy in the library. We must find it. I would love to read it. I can't believe the similarities between them and us. It is almost like we were destined to be together."
"Don't you see Elizabeth? We were destined to be with each other. I have always known, but this now proves that fact. Before we look for the diary, I want to show you what I have found in my research. There is more information on the family here and then each of their children has a history. It seems that I am descendant from their son Fitzwilliam who married Lady Isabella Cramer. She was the daughter of an Earl and helped to get her husband a prominent position in Parliament. Apparently he was knighted, in honor of his great work as an Ambassador for the Queen. There is also a memoir of his in the library. I suggest we look for both of these books and then take them upstairs. It is getting late, and as curious as I am about this, I am very tired from the long day today."
"Oh, I am so sorry Will. I forgot that you had to drive all today while I got to sleep. Of course we can go to bed after we find the books. After all, we have two days here to learn all we want. You will have to get used to me becoming obsessed with things. When there is a mystery to solve, I do not want to rest until I have figured it out. I have always been this way and it is a constant joke in my family. They were always yelling at me to go to sleep or put a book down." Will laughed at Elizabeth's story and then went in search of the books. He found the memoir of Sir Fitzwilliam Darcy first because this book had been published. He was a prominent figure in history and apparently had been a great help to the Queen. Finding the diary proved a little more difficult, but not impossible. It was Elizabeth who finally stumbled across the book, which had been placed on a high shelf with several other books of recipes and notes by other Mrs. Darcys. "I found it!" Elizabeth was so excited when she reached for the book, which was not in very good condition. The pages were not all attached to the binding, so she was careful when she handed it down to Will. She climbed down the ladder and joined him at the table. She looked at both of the books and then looked at Will. She knew that he was just as curious, but was also about to fall over with lack of sleep, so she said that they should leave the books here because of their condition and then come back to them in the morning. It was hard for Elizabeth to do this, but she knew that they would have two full days to look at the books. Perhaps they could have them copied so that they could take them back to the States with them. "Come on Will. We will look at them tomorrow. You need to go to sleep." She took his hand and led him upstairs. He saw that she had led him in the wrong direction, but was trying to cover up her blunder by pretending she knew where she was going. He knew also that she would not ask him for directions. She had a stubborn nature.
After about ten minutes of wandering Will was in hysterics, and Elizabeth glared at him. Her face did not last long in this position, however, because she too burst out laughing. They had to sit down in one of the corridors to get their laughing under control. They looked at each other and the laughter subsided and was replaced by looks of love. Knowing that they weren't far from their bedroom, Will picked up Elizabeth and carried her off to their room. She shrieked at the surprise and then put her hand over her mouth, hoping that no one had heard her. The couple did not get that needed sleep for quite some time more.
Chapter 32
Even though it had been a late night, Elizabeth awoke early. Her dreams had been filled with ideas of what was in the diary. She wanted to know more about her everyday life, and about her life as the wife of Fitzwilliam Darcy. She wondered if their marriage had been one of love, or simply convenience. She hoped that there was some romantic story about this couple. Somehow she knew that a Darcy would only marry for love. At least that is what her romantic fantasies told her and she knew that if all Darcy men were like her husband, she would not be disappointed.
The sun was streaming into the windows and she could see through the slightly parted drapes that it was going to be a beautiful day. Will was sleeping soundly next to her with his one arm around her and the other near his head. He was so handsome while he slept that she didn't want to wake him. He had had a long day yesterday, so she decided to let him sleep and journey down to the library to get a look at the diary. It was only a little past seven, so she knew that there would be few interruptions. Will would probably sleep for another hour or so, so she had plenty of time to herself. She gently removed Will's arm from around her and got up as quietly and carefully as possible. As soon as she had removed herself from Will, she saw him clutch for her and then finally roll over on his side and snuggle up with the blanket. She had to smile to herself at his actions. He was so handsome as he slept. She couldn't believe the luck that she had found him. She remembered that not too long ago she was receiving calls from her mother with possible mates. She was happy that she no longer had to fear who her mother would set her up with next; however, now she would be on her back for grandchildren. It was not that she didn't want children. She would love to have them with Will, but she didn't look forward to her mother's hounding. She hoped that her mother would give her a few weeks at least before she started. At least Jane could share this as well. She hoped that Jane and Charles had had a very nice honeymoon. She forgot to have Will ask him when he called about the award.
She took one more look at her husband before grabbing her robe and leaving the room. For once she found the library without any difficulty, but when she entered, she noticed that there was someone already in there, sitting in one of the large chairs by the fireplace. She moved closer and saw that it was Mrs. Reynolds. She had fallen asleep in the chair reading a book, so Elizabeth went to the sofa where there was a blanket. She brought it over to the chair and covered up the old woman. She looked so frail and small in the big chair. Elizabeth knew that it would be very hard on Will to lose a woman who Elizabeth imagined had kept the family together over the years. She hoped that she would improve in health, so that she would be able to help with the raising of her own children.
Elizabeth stood watching Mrs. Reynolds for a little while, but was startled when she felt some strong arms encircle her. She immediately recognized them as her husband's. She leaned back into his embrace for a few minutes and then Will motioned for her to leave the library with him. He led her to one of the more informal sitting rooms and pulled her down next to him on one of the large couches. They relaxed in silence for a few minutes then Will spoke. "I knew that I would find you in the library. You are as bad as a little kid on Christmas morning." He laughed as Elizabeth tried to put on a pouty face. She did not succeed very well however, because her pout was wiped away by a kiss from Will.
"I can't help that I am curious by nature. You have to admit that you are just as curious as I am."
"Alright, I admit it, but I seem to have prevented your early morning exploration. I see someone else had beaten you to the library."
"Yes, she must have fallen asleep while reading. I did not want to disturb her. She needs the rest. She does not look well Will. Is there nothing else that can be done? I know how much she means to this family and I don't want to see her suffer. I want her to be able to help with our children as well one day." Will tightened his arm around Elizabeth.
"She seems weaker every time I see her. I am worried about her. I don't know what I will do if I lose her. She was like a second mother to me and I don't want to lose my only remaining parental figure. You are so blessed to have both your parents. I envy you." Elizabeth looked deeply into Will's eyes and saw that he was struggling to control his emotions.
"I know Will. I am so lucky to have both of my parents and I know that I take that for granted. I am sorry to complain about my mother to you, but I forget sometimes how lucky I really am. Besides, they are now your parents too. I want you to know that you are now just as much a part of the family as I am. Soon you will be receiving phone calls from my mother as well. I warn you to never give out your work number. Otherwise you will have to hire a new secretary just for her calls." Will laughed. Elizabeth was glad to have the air around them lifted. "Now what do you say to taking showers, having breakfast, and then start looking at the books in the library?" Seeing that Elizabeth was eager to get started on the books, Will led her back to their bedroom where they could prepare for the day.
About an hour later, they were both showered and ready to go down for breakfast. When they reached the kitchen, both Mrs. Reynolds and Mrs. Potter were there having tea. "Good morning you two." Mrs. Potter said as she rose from her seat to check on the eggs that were cooking on the stove.
"Good morning Mrs. Potter. Smells great in here. Good morning Mrs. Reynolds. I hope you slept well." Will said as he pulled out a chair for Elizabeth. Elizabeth took a seat in the offered chair and watched the exchange between her husband and the two older ladies. She enjoyed watching Will in a family setting. Having only really known how Will acted around Georgiana, she wondered how Will would act in his childhood home. She liked what she saw. She saw genuine love reflected in the eyes of the two elder ladies, especially in the eyes of Mrs. Reynolds. It brought tears to her eyes to see the affection in that lady. She really was a great lady. "Are you alright Elizabeth?"
"What? Oh, yes Will, I was just lost in my thoughts. The breakfast smells wonderful. Thank you so much Mrs. Potter. I am going to get used to people cooking for me. I will have to make Will start this when we go back to New York." The ladies laughed.
"I would like to see you try." Will said in response to this. "I will cook if you take care of all the other household chores."
"How about we stick with our current situation where we have the chores split. I think that has worked well thus far. I don't see why we need to change things. Unless of course you wanted to take on some of my chores." Elizabeth said as she ducked from the piece of toast that Will threw at her. "Didn't you learn not to throw your food?" Everyone laughed and they all ate their breakfast pleasantly.
After the breakfast was cleared away, Mrs. Reynolds excused herself to take care of some of the household duties and Will and Elizabeth made their way to the library. The house had been closed to tourists for the duration of their stay so that they could have some privacy. Of this, Will was glad. He didn't want a repeat of the scene from their arrival. Even though this house could be very lonely with the lack of people in its giant spaces, having Elizabeth here made it a real home. He couldn't wait until the day when they would bring their own children here to show them the history of his family. Thinking about a family with Elizabeth brought a smile to his face. He knew that Elizabeth would make an excellent mother. Her generous and kind nature made her a perfect candidate. They had not really talked about the option of having a family, but he knew that he wanted one. Elizabeth mentioned a family earlier and he hoped that she would want one as much as he did. He would have to remember to broach the subject with Elizabeth when they got back to New York. He figured that she would probably want to wait a little while to start a family since she had already been away from work for so long. Another interruption would not go over well with her office. They had been extremely generous already. Perhaps in a couple of years they could start a family. They were still young, but they did have to think about starting soon since they weren't that young.
When they got to the library, they found the books they had gotten out last night right where they had left them. Elizabeth asked Will about the possibility of having the diary copied so that they could take a copy back to New York with them. She didn't think she would have enough time to finish reading everything. Will said that he would call downtown to find out if it was possible. He left Elizabeth in the library while he went to make the call. She settled herself down in one of the big, comfy chairs and opened the diary to the first page. The handwriting on the page was neat and straight. She could tell by the hand that it was a female's writing. The first page read as follows:
The Diary of Elizabeth BennetThe examination in prose of a simple country girl.
Elizabeth was intrigued from the start. This meant that the diary would start before she married, and would therefore explain how she came to be mistress of Pemberley. There were some very pretty little flowers drawn on the title page and several little sketches of different things from nature, which gave the impression that she had a great fondness of nature, not unlike the present Elizabeth Bennet Darcy. She turned to the first page of text and found more drawings of the same kind in the margin. They were not masterpieces, but complemented the obvious feminine hand. She then began to read the first entry.
Dearest Diary,I thought that since my dear sister Jane gave you to me as a gift, I should attempt and writing down some of my thoughts. She told me that she had been in the practice of doing so for several months, and it has helped her to sift through her thoughts and solve any confusion that may have arisen in her life. Not that she needed any calming, as she is already the sweetest and most angelic creature. I, on the other hand, being unlike my sister in manner, have decided to take her advice and make you my confidante. Jane says that this is the only place where I can speak my mind and not be judged for what I have to say. She says that perhaps it will help me to think through any difficulties that I may come across in my simple life. Not knowing what to write, I have taken to decorating the pages of my little book, but soon saw that there would be little room left for words if I continue in that manner. The nature is just so breathtaking that I know I am unequal to the task of depicting it; therefore, I will turn my mind to the words as I sit in my favorite spot, under the trees that have little pink and white flowers in the spring. Even though the blossoms have long fallen off the branches and winter is approaching, the branches still afford some privacy. There is little chance that someone will happen upon me. I feel this is the only place where I know I shall be undisturbed. I must admit that it is my haven from the constant commotion of the house. Papa has his library, and I have my grove.
Not having any experience in writing diaries, I feel I am at a loss as to how to put my thoughts down onto paper. I feel they are too jumbled in my head, that if I were to write them all down, they would make no sense. I, however, shall attempt the impossible and risk the fear of writing nonsense to explain to you dear diary what is in my head. For the past few weeks there has been no stop to the conversation of the new neighbors at Netherfield Park. Everyone was anxious to make their acquaintance since the rumor of the wealth of the new owner had quickly spread throughout the county. Besides it wasn't only the owner that the town was talking but the fact that he was bringing along a friend who was more than twice his worth. When the introductions were finally made, however, I must say I was greatly disappointed. Please do not mistake my meaning in thinking that I do not like Mr. Bingley because he is a very agreeable gentleman, and has been quite taken by Jane. I cannot say that I am not happy for her, for I can tell that she too shares in those feelings. I am more than happy for her since I would only see her marry for love and not for money. Being quite five times prettier than any of us, I knew that she would catch the attention of everyone in the room. I am pleased to see that Mr. Bingley is not only a wealthy man, but a kind and respectable one. He will make a good husband hopefully for Jane, but I am getting away from myself.
They have only known one another for some weeks and I am already suggesting they marry. Whatever happens, I know it will be for the best. Now, as for his friend, I cannot have the same opinion. Though he is more than twice the worth of Mr. Bingley, his manners are rude and condescending. He makes it perfectly obvious that he wants nothing to do with the likes of anyone of such low society. As far as I am concerned, he can have his opinions. He and Mr. Bingley's sisters can think themselves all high and mighty because it is of no consequence to me. I find him to be a hateful man. I know that he thinks nothing of me because I heard his say so to Mr. Bingley on the night of the Meryton Assembly. It would be nothing if he did not constantly stare at me. I find his gaze unnerving, as if he is constantly judging me. I can't help but wish he would simply go back to London where he belongs, instead of looking down his nose at me. I may not be of the highest rank in society, but I am not a piece of meat at which to be stared and judged. If Mr. Darcy wants to look down his nose at everyone in town, I don't think anyone would mind. We all care little for his opinions. In fact I promised just this evening never to dance with such a disagreeable man even if he should deign to ask me. I do not feel slighted in the least for him not asking for a dance when Mama asked if he cared to dance. I just wish that Mama had not been so vocal in her opinions of the man. I know that that is just her manner, but I can't help being embarrassed.
I have discussed this with Jane, and she agrees that Mama can be somewhat vulgar in public, but that we should not mention it to her since it would show disrespect. I really wish that I could be as angelic as Jane, but I can't help thinking that I somehow was born into the wrong family. I am like Papa, but none of my other siblings are like me. Jane is the child that every parent wishes for, Mary is quiet and bookish, and Kitty has a head full of young men like Lydia who does not know proper decorum. I love my parents, but sometimes I wish that they had instructed us on how to act more. I look at other families and I see daughters who know exactly how to act in social situations, like Jane does, but I fear Kitty and Lydia will never learn how to act. If only I had befriended them more like Jane and I are friends. Perhaps they could have learned from our guidance. Lydia grows wilder every day, and Kitty is not far behind since she does everything Lydia does. I fear for the sake of our family if her behavior continues in this manner.
I see Jane who has come in search of me, so I must conclude.
Elizabeth looked up from the page once she finished the first entry. The excitement of being able to look into the mind of a former Elizabeth Bennet gave her a thrill like no other. She could not describe how she felt when she read about all of the antics of Elizabeth's sisters and parents. She still felt weird that this Elizabeth seemed to be herself but in a different time period. The fact that all of the names were the same as they were today made her think about her situation. Could fate possibly have played a role in bringing her and Will together? If it had, then it sure had a strange way of involving itself. After all, she was almost lost to Will when she was kidnapped. Perhaps there was a reason for her kidnapping. It did change the way that she looked at life, and it made her realize the love she had for Will and all her friends and family. Fate had a strange way of doing that. She did find it odd that this seemed to be her exact life because all of the members of her family were there. Even all Elizabeth Bennet's siblings had the same names. She had to admit it was quite odd. Wanting to know more, she picked up the diary again and read the next entry.
Dearest Diary,You must forgive me for being remiss in my entries. I feel I have failed since this is only my second entry and it has been some time since my first. I must admit that I have no one to blame but myself, although, I was forced to spend three days at Netherfield Park nursing Jane back to health. Had it not been for Jane I never would have gone through that torture. I have nothing to complain about with regards to Mr. Bingley. He was always kind and attentive. I could tell that he was sincerely worried about Jane. I know that their relationship is growing stronger every day. I can only hope that all our hopes for an announcement will not be in vain. As to the other residents of Netherfield Park, I cannot have as much praise. Mr. Darcy did on occasion inquire after Jane, but showed himself to care little what the answer was as long as it meant that we would soon be leaving, as I know the Bingley sisters wished us to do. What I must admit to be in a state of confusion over, however, is Mr. Darcy's actions during my brief stay. I caught him constantly staring at me and when I would look at him, he would only look away as quickly as he could. I must say that his manner confuses me greatly. He is constantly picking battles of words with me as if he wants to show the world how beneath him I am. I must triumph in the fact that he has not been able to catch me off guard as of yet. I feel as if I need to be ready at all times, though, when I am around him. I must admit to myself that his character intrigues me, but I must say I cannot stand the man. He is so condescending that I do not know what to make of him. Especially since I have just been made privy to some shocking information about him.
A recently new acquaintance, Mr. Wickham, whom I have grown to enjoy being around, has given me some shocking information about Mr. Darcy. He tells me that they grew up together and that he was the son of the former Mr. Darcy's steward. He tells me that he was intended for the church and that the current Mr. Darcy refused to give him what he was owed. I find it shocking that Mr. Darcy would have such little respect for his father's wishes. I cannot help but feel for Mr. Wickham. He has been treated cruelly by Mr. Darcy. I only hope that he will not leave because of the unpleasantness of being near him. I know nobody else in town will want to associate with him after they know the truth of him. I must say that the ball at Netherfield will be an interesting affair. I will look forward to being in the company of Mr. Wickham again. I find him to be a very pleasing gentleman, and I fancy I find myself thinking about him quite a bit. I know that it is not love, but I hope that our relationship may grow in the future.
Elizabeth was startled when she felt a hand on her arm. She looked up to find Will looking down on her. "I see that you have become entranced with the life of Mrs. Darcy. I have been trying to get your attention for some time now. I found out that it is possible to have the diary copied and the man at the store said that there was a visiting scholar who would do it for us in exchange for an afternoon in our library. It is very hard to get permission to study here because otherwise we would be bombarded with people. My family has always prided itself of its collection of books; so many scholars like to use the library. I decided some years ago that there would be limited access so that there was less chance that anything would be ruined in the process. With the size of the house, the security system is not what it should be. The man, a Mr. Brown, said that we could drop off the book at 1:00 and that he would have it ready by this evening. Is that agreeable to you?"
"That is wonderful Will. I am so happy that I will be able to take a copy of it home with me. I must say it is very interesting. There are so many connections between them and us. I can't believe what I am reading. You will never guess, but there was actually a man who was named George Wickham. Elizabeth claims that he told her the true character of Mr. Darcy, but I somehow doubt that what she was told is completely true. If it is, how could she have married such a man? From what I have heard of this family, it was rare that a marriage was made without equal affection. Also, I can't help but associate the name of George Wickham with anyone but of the Wickham that I know. I find her too trusting of this man."
Will was shocked at all of the coincidences between their life and the life of these people that lived such a long time ago. He was also surprised that he had not heard any of the things that Elizabeth was telling him before. His father and grandfather before him were always telling him stories about his ancestors. He figured it was probably because as a child he did not want to hear stories of love and romance. He only wanted to know about his ancestors who fought the Americans in the War of 1812 or the ancestors who were explorers. "I suppose you will have to read the rest in order to find out what happens, but as for now, I have been sent to summon you to lunch. Mrs. Potter said that you are not to forget that you need to eat." Elizabeth reluctantly agreed to come, but she noticed something when she placed the book down on the table. It had opened to the last page of the diary and where there should have been some type of ending, there was just a break in the last entry.
"Will, look at this. I don't think this is all of the diary. There must be another book because this is not finished. Do you know if there is another book? The reference in the other book I was looking in, only referred to this one book."
Will looked at the end of the diary and checked the reference again. He checked where they had found the other book and said that he did not see any other diary
"Perhaps it is with the rest of her personal belongings. I know that all her belongings are still up in the attic since there was a recent exhibit of Regency life last year and several of the objects she owned were on display. We can have a look after we drop the diary off in town." Elizabeth agreed and said that she actually was hungry, so lunch sounded like a good idea.
Chapter 33
After lunch, Elizabeth and Will got in the car with the diary and drove into Lambton. Elizabeth admired all of the places that Will pointed out on the short drive into town. She hadn't realized the extent of the property when they had first driven to the house, and she looked forward to a time when they would be able to come back when it was warmer and the flowers and trees would bloom. The landscape was still beautiful, even though all of the trees were bare and there were still remnants of the previous snow. As Will drove, Elizabeth held onto the diary in her lap. It took all of her self-control not to open the book and continue where she left off. Her thoughts, however, were interrupted by Will. "I know that you want to open that book. Don't think you can fool me." He said with a laugh as Elizabeth looked at him guiltily. They pulled into one of the spots on the street of downtown Lambton and headed for the print store. They were greeted by Mr. Brown who explained that he was a friend of the owner, and would occasionally come and help him out with special printing, like the printing that they needed done. Mr. Brown was a portly man who looked like he had spent his entire life crouched over a book. His appearance was shaggy and unkempt. Elizabeth liked the sight of him because he reminded her of one of her professors from college. Mr. Brown ushered them into the store and then asked to see the book. He examined it for several minutes before he finally spoke again.
"This book is quite old and not in very good condition, so it will take some time to copy, but I believe that I can have it finished by later this evening. I will have it put onto a CD so that you can make as many copies as you want. If you can just write down your telephone number, I will give you a call when it is ready. I usually don't do these jobs in so little time. I couldn't believe my fortune, however, when I learned that I could get a chance to have a look in your library. I have always tried to get into there in the past, but was never able to." Will wrote down the number and then told him that he should call when he wanted to arrange a visit to the library. He told him to ask for Mrs. Reynolds and that she would arrange a time when he could come. Both Elizabeth and Will thanked Mr. Brown and left the store. Will asked Elizabeth if she would like to have a look around the town before they went back to the house, so they agreed to take a little stroll along the main street.
Their walk was pleasant. They held each other's hands as they glanced in each of the windows. Several people stopped to greet them as they continued along the street. Elizabeth was introduced to several more people from Will's childhood, and got to see many of the places to which Will had been when growing up. They stopped into one of the little bakeries for some tea before they headed back to Pemberley. Elizabeth enjoyed the little town and could see why Will so loved coming here. This was his home and she knew that he was most comfortable here. She had always thought that he was a New Yorker through and through, having never really seen him away from New York and all that went on in their lives there. Now that they were here, however, she had a new view of him. Almost as if he was a completely different person, but then again he was the same person as he always was. She knew that she was not making any sense, but at the same time she knew that nothing that had been happening really made any sense. Things just happened and they met each new event one step at a time.
Since the hour was late, Elizabeth and Will drove back to the house so that they would not be late for dinner. They were greeted at the door by Mrs. Reynolds who ushered them into one of the drawing rooms where there was a fire. It was a particularly cold evening, and she didn't want either of them to catch a chill. Since Pemberley was such a large house, it was hard to keep it at a temperature that was really comfortable, especially in the winter. They were told that dinner was almost ready and that she would call them when the table was set. "Mrs. Reynolds, is there anything I can do to help? You are making me feel quite spoiled, always waiting on me. I don't know how I will ever go back to doing things for myself. That is unless Will here would like to fulfill that role." The three of them laughed as Will had an exaggerated look of horror on his face. Elizabeth batted him on the head with one of the pillows while Mrs. Reynolds assured her that she was only doing her job and that there really wasn't much else to do. "I really do appreciate all that you have done for us while we are here." Mrs. Reynolds smiled and excused herself to go check on the progress of Mrs. Potter.
They were not left for a long time in the drawing room. Although they enjoyed the peaceful time by the fire, they were both quite hungry and Mrs. Potter was one of the best cooks in Derbyshire, if not England. Will didn't know how he survived away from her wonderful cooking. She did not disappoint them tonight and everything was top quality. Mrs. Reynolds excused herself early, claiming that she was tired, so they were left by themselves in the huge dining room. As they sat at the table finishing off some glasses of wine, Will was the first to open his mouth. "Elizabeth, I have been thinking. I know that we haven't really discussed this before, but I figured now was as good as any to open the subject." Will seemed nervous and Elizabeth was curious as to why Will seemed nervous about telling her something. He was always open and honest with her.
"What is wrong Will? You know that if something is wrong that we will fix it together." Elizabeth noticed the surprised look on his face.
"Oh nothing is wrong. I just wanted to talk to you about some possible future events." Elizabeth wasn't quite sure that she was following Will's train of thought, but before her confusion could be resolved, the phone rang. It was Mr. Brown saying that the diary was ready to be picked up. Completely forgetting about their conversation Elizabeth's mind was completely taken over by thoughts of the other Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy. Will knew that he wasn't going to be able to have a serious conversation with her now, so he dropped the matter and went to get their coats. Perhaps another opportunity would arise soon where he could bring up their future and whether Elizabeth saw any children there. He didn't know why he was thinking about this lately, but he thought that since they were married now, it was a logical conversation to have. It would just have to be put on the back burner for now. Besides, he had to admit that it probably wasn't the best time to have children with all of the interruptions in their life currently. He also knew that he wasn't getting any younger, so perhaps they could discuss it when they went back to New York. They still had time. After all, they were only married a few weeks ago.
Will helped Elizabeth into her coat and then put on his. They both donned gloves and hats to try and keep out the frigid air. When they picked up the diary and copies, they thanked Mr. Brown again for doing them the favor. Not wanting to stay out in the cold temperatures for long, they made a quick dash back to the car. Elizabeth held onto the diary while Will drove them back to Pemberley. He could tell that she was dying to read some more of the diary. "Go ahead" he said to her.
"Go ahead what?" Elizabeth said as she looked up at him.
"Open it and read some more. You know you want to. You remind me of a little kid in the window of a toyshop. Open it up and read some more. In fact, why don't you read it aloud? You told me the beginning of the journal, so I will know what is going on." Elizabeth did not need anymore encouraging. She quickly undid the package and pulled out one of the copies. Mr. Brown had done an excellent job, so she did not have any problems reading the print. Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy had a very neat handwriting, so except for a few smudged areas that had be caused by age the text was perfectly legible. Elizabeth turned to the page where she had left off, and began reading.
Dearest Diary,It has been several days since I have had a chance to write, but I assure you that those days were quite filled with events. I have, in fact, just returned from the ball at Netherfield. I wish I could say that I had a pleasant evening, but when I look back, I cannot think in that way. I was greatly looking forward to this evening, but I fear much has happened to take the joy from it.
I will begin with my first arrival when I was greeted by Mr. Bingley whom took pity on me in me and offered to escort me into the main ballroom with Jane. I knew that he really only wanted to be with Jane, so I was relieved when Mr. Denny came to speak with me so that I could relinquish Mr. Bingley to Jane. He, however, did not bear good news. He informed me that Mr. Wickham had been obliged to go into town on business. We both knew that that was not the real reason of his absence. Once again Mr. Darcy has taken pleasure from me. I had been looking forward to having another conversation with Mr. Wickham, but sadly it was not to be so. I did manage to finally find Charlotte and inform her of the new information about Mr. Darcy. I don't know why people seem skeptical about it. He gave me names and facts and Mr. Darcy's temperament must be a sign of his character. From the moment I entered the room, I felt his eyes staring at me. I did not like what it did to me. It made me feel strange and uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the evening did not get any better. Mr. Collins came to claim me for the dance and I was forced to comply. I have never been so embarrassed. He actually made several missteps. He ran into one of the other ladies. I looked up and saw Mr. Darcy try to control his emotions. If all he was going to do was look his nose down at all of us and smirk at everyone, I don't know why he simply didn't remain in his room. Now, what came next was the most surprising. Out of all the ladies in the room, he came over to me to ask if I would dance with him. I was so shocked that I could not think of an excuse as to why I could not dance with him. I wish that I had been more prepared and had a ready excuse because the dance itself was not at all enjoyable. Charlotte seemed to think it showed great honor to me because he singled me out, but I shall never see the honor in this. All he really wanted to do was show how superior he is. Not only did I have Mr. Darcy looking down at me, but I also had my entire family against me. I think they all, excepting Jane of course, went out of their way to bring shame upon us. I am surprised that the Netherfield party has not packed up their bags and left our lowly company. I am too frustrated to write anymore, so I shall close for now.
"It seems to me that if she hates Darcy so much she certainly has him on the brain a lot. It seems like she cares what he thinks of her and why would that matter if she cared nothing for him? I think she really does like him and can't admit it. He is mysterious and she won't admit that she is intrigued." Will said as he pulled into the driveway.
"She is just frustrated with the way he has been treating her. How could she love a man who thought himself so superior to everyone? The only reason she keeps mentioning him is because there is not much else going on in town. She has nothing better to think about."
"Whatever you say Elizabeth. I still think that she is attracted to him and is making excuses about how much she hates him to fool everyone else and herself. We have arrived back to the house, what do you say to getting ready for bed. We have a long ride back to London tomorrow and I would like to be well rested. You will never find out the rest of the story if I fall asleep at the wheel and kill us."
"Oh why do you have to be so morbid? You just don't want to admit you are wrong about them and don't want me to read any more so that you can be proved wrong." Will laughed out loud at this comment. Elizabeth glared at him and tried to get out of the car. She pulled on the door several times, but it wouldn't budge.
"Darling, you have to unlock it. Pulling on the handle won't make it open." Will said as he laughed some more. Elizabeth glared even harder at him and unlocked the door. "You know you and this Elizabeth are just alike. Both of you are stubborn and have terrible tempers." Elizabeth stuck her tongue out at him and made for the house. What she didn't realize was that there was a huge pile of ice by the front door, so when she walked on it, she fell flat on her back. She tried to get up gracefully, but couldn't get any traction and fell down again. At this point Will was practically on the ground himself he was laughing so hard. Elizabeth had to admit that she probably looked ridiculous, but she wouldn't let Will get the best of her. Instead she crawled to the door and pulled herself up. She rubbed her sore behind and entered the house, slamming the door behind her.
"You are so infuriating you know!" She yelled as she closed the door. She walked carefully up the stairs. She wasn't sure which was more bruised, her butt or her ego. She decided that she would go and take a bath and let her pulse cool down. She didn't really want to see Will right now.
By the time Will got his laughter under control, he went in the house in search of Elizabeth. He knew that she would not want to speak to him, but she was only being pig-headed. Somehow she was becoming more and more like the Elizabeth from the diary. He went up stairs in search of her, and found her locked in the bathroom. "Come on Elizabeth. I'm sorry I laughed at you, but you must admit it was funny."
"Leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you right now." She yelled back through the door.
"You have to talk to me sometime. I am your husband." Will said through the door. He tried to sound as pathetic as possible.
"That won't work. As far as I am concerned, you are only my husband in name for right now. Now leave me alone so that I can enjoy my bath in peace." Will decided to let her cool off. He knew she wasn't really mad at him. She could be so stubborn. Instead, he went downstairs to get a glass of milk while Elizabeth finished her bath.
Elizabeth finished her bath and then went back into their adjoining bedroom. She saw that Will was gone, so she got into her pajamas and turned the light off. She didn't want to talk to Will, so she tried her hardest to fall asleep before he got back. She waited and waited, but he did not return. She drifted in and out of sleep until finally she got fed up and decided to find out what was keeping him. He did have to drive tomorrow, so he did need a good night sleep. She looked at the clock and saw that it was almost one. She put on her robe and slippers and went in search of him. She had learned her lesson before about how easy it was to get lost, so she decided to stick to the areas of the house that she knew. She was about to give up when she noticed a light coming from the library. She tiptoed down the hall and pushed the door open a crack to peer inside. There was Will sound asleep in one of the big leather chairs. He had a glass of milk next to him and a book on his lap. She tiptoed into the room, careful not to wake him up. She knew that he would regret falling asleep in the chair when his neck was killing him tomorrow, so she decided that she would wake him up. She tapped him on the arm, but he didn't awaken. She then began to shake him and finally he began to stir. He opened his eyes and screamed. Elizabeth was taken aback and practically knocked the milk on the floor. "Will, Will. It's me, Elizabeth. Will grabbed onto her arm and waited for his breath to get back to normal.
"What are you doing scaring me half to death in the middle of the night?" He asked once he could speak. Elizabeth looked at him and began to laugh. She never expected her tall, dark, and ruggedly handsome husband to be frightened by his wife. She laughed even harder and Will just sat there trying to cover his embarrassment. "Ha, ha. Very funny." He couldn't hold a straight face for long although. Soon they were both laughing at the poor state they were both in. "I'm sorry Elizabeth. Can we stop acting childish and forget tonight. Let's go up to bed."
"I'm sorry too. You are right. I was acting childish and I'm sorry. I can't help it that I'm stubborn. I was born that way." Will took her hand and led her upstairs for their last night in Pemberley.