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Chapter 34
The next morning, the couple was up early to make sure that they were packed for their long journey to London. It was another brisk morning, and Will and Elizabeth wished they could have stayed under the covers as the fire burned, but alas it was not to be so. When the bags were packed, Will carried them downstairs while Elizabeth did a last minute run through and then went downstairs to see if breakfast was early. They wanted to get an early start because once again there was snow in the forecast, and they didn't want to be stranded anywhere. She met Will as he came in the house. "It is freezing out there. Only a crazy person would willingly go out in that."
"Well crazy person, Emma needs a walk before the long car ride." Will gave her a smirk as she helped him bundle up. "Wait here and I'll go get her. I promise to have some hot coffee and breakfast awaiting your return."
"If you weren't so cute..." Before Will could finish Elizabeth kissed him and walked off towards the kitchen. Will was left shaking his head and sweating with all of his layers on. Elizabeth returned promptly with Emma in tow, who when she saw Will ran toward him and practically knocked him over. After pushing Will and Emma out the door, she went back down to the kitchen to help Mrs. Potter finish breakfast. Elizabeth had grown very comfortable with the people that helped to bring up Will and she would miss them greatly when they went back to New York. She would make sure that they came back often.
After breakfast Will and Elizabeth said their final goodbyes. There were more than enough tears to go around and promises to keep in touch. Elizabeth assured Mrs. Reynolds that they would come back as soon as they could. She also told her that she would love to have her come stay with them as soon as she was able. Mrs. Reynolds assured them that she too would love to see their home in New York. They all bundled up and got in the car. Elizabeth waved goodbye as Will drove away from the house.
"Oh Will, I will miss everyone at Pemberley. Thank you for bringing me here." Will smiled and squeezed her hand.
"You don't know how glad I am to hear that. It was my dearest wish that you would grow to love Pemberley as I do.
The ride to London was as pleasant as a long ride in a car can be. The traffic was light, but surely this was explained by the frigid temperatures. Who in their right mind would want to travel in weather like this? The couple in the car did not mind the weather. They were together and that was all that mattered. Elizabeth fought to stay awake so that she could keep Will company and he was grateful for her attempts. They stopped for dinner at a restaurant at which Will usually stopped on his travels between Pemberley and London. The food was good, and it replenished them for the remainder of the ride home.
They arrived at the flat in London in record time and all passengers were grateful to get out of the car. They did, however, not like the sudden burst of cold air that hit them when they opened the door. While Will unloaded the car, Elizabeth took Emma over to a grassy area. Even Emma did not want to stay outside for long, so they all were able to get inside and up to the flat. Will started a fire in the fireplace and Elizabeth went in search of something in the kitchen that she could fix. She found some hot chocolate mix and decided to make them some to warm them up. Will had called his pilot from the car and told him that they wanted to fly out the day after tomorrow. The pilot told him that they would be flying out at 12:30 p.m..
As they relaxed in front of the fire, Elizabeth got out the diary. She found the spot where she left off and began to read aloud.
Dearest Diary,I cannot believe it. Mr. Collins, after being rejected by me, actually proposed to Charlotte and was accepted. I don't see why she has agreed to marry such a buffoon. Jane tells me that not everyone is like us. Some people think love in a marriage is unnecessary. I just don't understand how she could settle for him. She has invited me to visit in March with her father and sister. I still can't believe it.
Dearest Diary,
have made my journey into Kent to visit Charlotte. She seems quite content in her situation, but I can't imagine her being happy here. It is a pleasant area and the county is beautiful, but I could never settle like she did. I want to only marry for love or I will not marry at all. Of course Mama says that I will never marry since I refused Mr. Collins, but I don't care. I do want to marry, but I believe that I will be content if I do not. I just want to know what love feels like.
I must tell you of Lady Catherine. She is a woman whom I can tell intimidates all around her, but I am not afraid of her. Mr. Collins is her toady and I can see that it has benefited him. She commands the room and holds court at every visit. I am not intimidated, however, because I refuse to follow every piece of advice she gives or agree to all of her opinions.
Since starting this entry some most interesting news has arrived. I had agreed to take a walk with Charlotte and Mariah and while we were on our walk, Mr. Collins came running after us. It turns out that Mr. Darcy and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam have come to stay with their aunt. I could not believe it. With all my luck, Mr. Darcy shows up. And even more interesting, he actually came to call right after he arrived. I could not believe it. I must say that his cousin's manners are in no way like himself. I found him a willing contributor to the conversation and a pleasant companion. The entire time, although, I could barely keep my composure because Mr. Darcy kept staring at me. I do not know why he is always staring. Is he trying to find fault with me? I asked the Colonel if he knew the reason, but he did not give me a straight answer, although it seems that I have been praised by Mr. Darcy to him. How can this be? I am in a stated of confusion. The visit was not long, but I saw them often at Rosings, Mr. Darcy called alone one day, and then I ran into the Colonel in the park. He has told me the most horrible news. I could not believe that he would stoop so low. According to the Colonel Mr. Darcy is celebrating his interference in Mr. Bingley's relationship. Little did the colonel know that I am the sister of the lady that he has separated from him, but I was shocked. I was so overcome that I had to claim a headache and be returned to the house where I could think things through. My solitude was interrupted, however, by Mr. Darcy. He proposed to me. I could not believe it. He actually proposed. His manner of proposal still angers me. All he did was show how much this match should not happen, but he could not get over his feelings, so he decided to ask me. He actually insulted everyone in my family. How could I have been expected to say yes to a proposal of this nature? Then he had the nerve to be shocked when I refused him and pointed out the error of his ways. Our conversation was not long, but I feel that Mr. Darcy finally sees why I could never be induced to marry him. Hateful man and I hope to never see him again.
Elizabeth was shocked at what she read. She could not believe that Mr. Darcy would be so mean to her. How could he expect to receive a positive answer to his proposal by insulting her? Will just shrugged his shoulders and told her to continue reading. Elizabeth turned to the next entry.
Dearest Diary,I have been very much mistaken in my judgment of character. It turns out that it is Mr. Wickham who is the rake. Mr. Darcy gave me a letter in the park and I almost tore it up, but curiosity got the best of me. All along I thought he was greatly injured by Mr. Darcy, but that is in fact the opposite of the truth. I could not believe that he actually tried to elope with Mr. Darcy's sister. She was so young and gullible. She only knew him as the kind man from her childhood. Who would blame her for fancying herself in love? I truly feel for her and I know that her self-esteem must be very low now. I am still angry with Mr. Darcy about Mr. Bingley. I must begin to see where from whence he made his judgment. It is only because I know Jane so well that I knew she was in love with Mr. Bingley. Even Charlotte pointed out that Jane did not show her feelings. Perhaps he did have his friend's interests at heart and it didn't help that my mother was pushing very hard for the match and yelling to everyone about how rich he was. Of course he would think Jane was mercenary and only doing what Mama was telling her to do. Oh, I have made a mess of things. I really have been a bad judge of character. Now, Lydia wants to go to Brighton with the Colonel of the regiment and I know that will only spell disaster. I tried to explain to Papa about how Lydia's wild behavior needs to be controlled, but he would not see my point. He asked if it has scared away any of my lovers, but what could I tell him. That I have had a proposal from Mr. Darcy and that it was he who pointed out the wrongs of our family, not that I didn't know many of them already. Lydia will go to Brighton and I will go to the Lake Country with my Aunt and Uncle Gardiner. I trip to which I am greatly looking forward.
"There you go Elizabeth. I told you that she cared for him. Why else would she be so obsessed with what he thinks? She has always been attracted to him and did not want to be so because her mind told him he was a bad person, but deep down she was drawn to him. After all, that man takes up the majority of her journal."
"She is only obsessed because it embarrasses her that her family is so misbehaved. Perhaps she does care for him a little, but that only happened after she found out the truth of him. She could not possibly care for him when she thought that he had ruined the life of Mr. Wickham."
"Well read some more and let us see what happens next. We know they eventually end up together, so they must be thrown back into the same company again."
"Well, if I didn't know better I would say you read romances in secret. You really do have an imaginative mind."
"You know that I don't read those things."
"Do I know that? Where else did you get all your romantic ideas that you put into action for me?" Before Will could answer, Elizabeth continued where she had left off.
Dearest Diary,Well, our trip to the Lakes has been cut short and we are only able to go to Derbyshire. I was disappointed at first, but after having been here for two days, I must say that I feel as if I could stay here forever. It is such a beautiful area. I cannot write of such pleasantries at the moment when my mind is in turmoil. You will never believe what I have to tell you. My Aunt and Uncle convinced me to take a tour of Pemberley, the estate of Mr. Darcy. Only after being assured that all the family was from home did I agree to the journey. It was less than five miles from Lambton, the town in which we are staying. The house and grounds were so beautiful and it seems like nature itself created the house. It is so perfectly situated and nothing is overdone or gaudy even though the house was very large. I must say that had I seen the house before Mr. Darcy proposed, I may have been more convinced to say yes, but really I could in any way have agreed to such a request. I was walking down the hill towards the lake when who do you think appeared. Mr. Darcy!! Not just normal Mr. Darcy, but a wet Mr. Darcy. He had obviously just take a swim. If I hadn't been so embarrassed I would have had a more coherent conversation with him, but I could not help but be flustered, although I cannot say he made out any better. I have to admit that he was very handsome the way his shirt clung to him and showed off the muscles that I knew he worked very hard at maintaining. His curls were ruffled, and I had to force myself not to push mischievous curl off his forehead. Before I knew it, he was gone and there was nothing I could do to get away from the house as soon as possible. What must he have thought of me coming to his house and invading his privacy? When we got back to the carriage, he actually showed up. He must have set some record for getting dressed. I was quite shocked to see him again and he was very pleasant. I find myself now believing all the praise that his housekeeper had for him. He even invited my uncle to go fishing and he asked if he could introduce his sister to me when she arrived with the Bingleys the next day. I feel so honored that he would actually want me to meet her. He must not harbor any ill will towards me.
The next morning when I returned from a walk, I was quite shocked to find that he and his sister were waiting upon me in the parlor. I liked Miss. Darcy very much and found her to be sweet, but a little shy, which is to be expected with what she has been through. Mr. Bingley was with them as well and I could tell he was very curious as to whether or not Jane was still at Longbourn. I was very happy at this. Miss. Darcy then invited all of us to Pemberley for dinner.
Dinner was marvelous. I chose to ignore the comments of Miss. Bingley, but other than that I had a wonderful time. I found my eyes drawn to those of Mr. Darcy on more than one occasion. Our evening was almost ruined when Miss. Bingley brought up Mr. Wickham, but fortunately I was able to cover Miss. Darcy's slip by returning to her and insisting on turning the pages of her music. It was during her song that I had the most wonderful moment. We held each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity. I don't know what it was that kept me from looking away, but I was transfixed. I don't want you to think dear diary that I am in love with Mr. Darcy, I just see him in a new light. I do admit to being drawn to him, but I am most certainly not in love.
"Ha! She isn't in love is she? I think she is very much in love with him. They can't keep their eyes off of each other." Will said with a laugh.
"Will you stop interrupting? Of course she isn't in love yet. She could not possibly be in love so soon. She only really started to know him in a good light."
"You are doomed to blindness. What about us? I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you that I was in love with you. I know you think that is not possible, but I think it is."
"You really think that you fell in love with me at first sight? Maybe you fell in lust, but not love. That is not possible."
"Say what you want, but I was most certainly in love with you from the start." Elizabeth smiled and kissed him.
"You are so cute you know."
"Am I?"
"I always thought I was more ruggedly handsome." He tried to make himself look debonair.
"Well, now who thinks so well of themselves?" Elizabeth could help but laugh at Will's mock pout. "You are so cute. Can we please get back to the story?" Will folded his arms across his chest and faced away. "You know you are only cuter when you do that." Finally Will's face broke into a smile and he told Elizabeth to continue.
Oh dear, what am I to do? Lydia has eloped with Mr. Wickham. There is no hope for our family now. I was just about to go out with my aunt and uncle when two letters from Jane arrived. I had just finished them when Mr. Darcy arrived. He was very kind to me and very comforting, but once he had heard all, he made it very clear that he wanted to be out of my sight. I know I shall never see him again and I cannot describe what I am feeling. I hate it that I seem to care more about whether I will see Mr. Darcy than whether Lydia gets home safely. Am I a horrible person? What does this mean? Am I in love with him? I can't wait to get home to Jane so that she can explain everything to me. I don't think I can tell her all this though. I have to figure this out by myself.
"I told you that she was in love with him." Will said as Elizabeth finished the entry.
"She didn't say that she was in love with him. She said she didn't know. You may be right that she is in love with him, but there seems little hope now. It is late, so do you want me to continue or should we wait until tomorrow. What are our plans for tomorrow anyway?"
"I was thinking that we could do a little sight seeing. You mentioned before that you wanted to do that. I thought I would show you around town a little bit. We have to pack all of our things tomorrow because we fly out the next day."
"That sounds fine. I love London and I am glad that we are going to have a day here. You will have to show me all of your favorite places. Since we have a long day tomorrow, I suggest we put the diary away. As hard as it is for me to do this, I think it is best. Besides, it will give us something to do on the plane ride home."
"Very well. I am proud of you Elizabeth. I didn't think it would be so easy for you to put the book down right when so much has happened."
"What are you up to William Darcy? Are you trying to get me to read more? Admit it. You want to know what happens even though you say you are not into these romantic things."
"Good night darling" Will kissed her and then went about preparing for bed.
The next day was spent traveling around the city. Will showed Elizabeth some of the sights that a normal tourist would probably pass by without even knowing. They went to many of the touristy sights as well. Elizabeth couldn't get enough of the city and was sad when the day came to a close, but she was excited to get back to New York. They had been gone for a long time and it was about time that they rejoined the real world of responsibilities. When they boarded the plane at Heathrow Elizabeth looked back one more time at her surroundings and then followed Will inside the cabin.
Chapter 35
Elizabeth and Will settled into their seats on the plane and readied themselves for takeoff. Elizabeth looked out the window and she watched England disappear below the clouds. She was returning home to begin her married life with Will. She settled into her seat and looked over at her husband who was looking out the window, and she couldn't help but smile. She was so lucky to have found such a man. Will looked over at her and smiled back. "What is it?" he asked.
"Oh nothing. I was just thinking how lucky I am."
"Not as lucky as I am. Now what do you say to finding out if our namesakes were just as lucky?"
"So, who is the curious one now?"
"Ha, ha, you know you are curious as well." Elizabeth laughed and pulled out the diary.
Dearest Diary,I can't believe that Lydia is married. She actually married Mr. Wickham. I wonder how much money it took to make that happen. We are going to be forever in the debt of Uncle Gardiner. I can't even imagine how much his debts alone must have cost. Now Mr. and Mrs. Wickham have come to stay and already I want them to leave. I love my sister, but I feel we are better kept apart. I cannot condone what she has done, but she is my sister and I have to accept it. She doesn't even show any remorse. She thinks she has honored her family and has triumphed over all of us. Little does she know that she has ruined any chance for any of us to make a good match. Mr. Bingley will never come back to Jane, and Mr. Darcy will never come back to me. I can't believe I just said that.
Dearest Diary,
Mr. Darcy is responsible for it all. I can't believe how wonderful of a man he is. I have had a letter from Aunt Gardiner and it turns out that he was the one who made Wickham marry Lydia. Why would he do such a thing? Certainly not for me. He must feel guilty for not revealing to the world the true character of Mr. Wickham, but how can I blame him. His own sister's reputation would have been ruined. Oh, if only this hadn't happened. If only I knew this all those months ago. I guess it was my own fault for being blinded by prejudice. There is a good thing that has occurred, however. Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy have returned to town and Mr. Bingley and Jane are engaged. I am so happy for her. If only I could be as happy, but Mr. Darcy has gone back to London. I know he will never think of me again in that way.
Dearest Diary,
You will never guess who came to visit me today. Lady Catherine of all people. I never expected her to actually come to Longbourn. Although, she did come because she thought I was to marry Mr. Darcy. I don't know how she could have thought that. Everyone thinks that I hate him. I was so wrong and made everyone thing ill of him. Of course he didn't help the matter by acting like he did, but he is not as bad as I made him out to be. How could I have been so stupid? I was so insulted when she actually said I was nowhere near his level. Of course I know that I am not of the same level, but what right did she have to come to my home and speak to me in such a manner. If Mr. Darcy does not find fault in the match, she can have nothing to say about it. Even though I know that there is no possibility of him asking me again, but I could not give Lady Catherine the satisfaction. I was so mad that I stormed back into the house. A little later, Papa called me into his office to discuss a letter he had received from Mr. Collins. I don't know how so many people think I am going to marry Mr. Darcy. Everyone thinks that I hate him. How could they possibly believe this rumor? Papa wanted me to laugh at the joke, but it was all I could do not to cry. If only he knew the truth?
Dearest Diary,
I can't believe it. We are engaged. Mr. Darcy told me that he never stopped loving me and asked me to marry him once again. I am the happiest person in the world. Jane says she is, but I don't believe her. I am so happy. We are going to have a double wedding and finally joy will be brought to our family after so much heartache. He is the most wonderful man and I love him so dearly.
Dearest Diary,
I realized that my wedding has kept my attention away from you dear diary, so I have not written an entry in such a long time, but I was quite busy. I am now a married woman! It is the night of my wedding and I decided I needed one last entry before I closed this chapter on my life. From this point on I will be a married woman. I must admit to being nervous about this evening. My mother told me some horrifying stories, but luckily my Aunt informed me of the real truth. I am still very nervous. I hope that I will please my husband. I know he is waiting for me in the other room, so I better conclude. Thank for being my confidante and I will ever look back at you and remember the trials that I went through.
"That's it. There is no more." Elizabeth said as she looked up at Will.
"I am sure they had a happy marriage. They both loved each other and that is what really matters." Will said as he squeezed Elizabeth's hands. Elizabeth was glad that everything turned out so well, but couldn't help but feel disappointed at the end of the diary. She wanted to know what the marriage was like. She hoped they had a happy life together. They did have several children, so they must have had joy from them. Elizabeth smiled at Will and looked out at the clouds. They were so white and fluffy. They looked like a mound of pillows that one could lie on and relax. Everything was so peaceful. The only sound she heard was the engine of the plane and the heavy breathing of a sleeping Emma. She too soon fell asleep while looking out at the clouds and dreamt of the happy life that the Darcys must have had together. She saw them with their children and the happiness that shown from their eyes. She saw them growing older and the children marrying and returning to Pemberley with their own families. Finally she saw Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam as an older couple. They were sitting in a drawing room. Elizabeth was sewing something and Fitzwilliam was simply staring at his wife with a look of love that could not be mistaken for anything else. She knew then that they had had the happiest of marriages.
Her dream was interrupted, however, when some turbulence set in. She awoke with a start and looked over at Will who was asleep and oblivious to the bumping in the cabin. The captain spoke to her and assured her that there was nothing to worry about and that they would be approaching JFK in twenty minutes. They were about to start their descent, so Elizabeth pulled her chair back up and tightened her seatbelt. She woke up Will and told him they were about to land. She wanted to share her dream with him, but didn't say anything because she knew that he already knew the outcome.
The airplane landed and Elizabeth soon found herself back in their apartment. It was so good to be home and she was grateful to be back, even if it did mean that all the vacation was over. She would be going back to work the next week and she was happy to go back because she missed working for the paper. The award ceremony would be in a few days and she looked forward to going shopping for a new dress with Jane shockingly enough. While Will brought the bags in, Elizabeth browsed the large stack of mail on the table. There was so much to catch up since they had been gone for so long. She decided to forgo the mail and instead asked Will what he wanted to do about dinner.
"Why don't we order in? I am tired and don't feel like going out." Elizabeth agreed, but before she had time to pick up the phone, the doorbell rang.
"Yes?" Elizabeth said into the call box.
"Welcome home!!" The voices of Jane and Charles said on the other end. "We thought you two might get hungry and since you don't have any food in the house we brought takeout."
"You read our minds. Come on up." Elizabeth was excited to see her sister again. She missed her while they were away.
Jane and Charles came into the apartment and Jane immediately threw her arms around Elizabeth. Hugs were exchanged all around and the four of them settled down at the table to eat the food and talk about their respective honeymoons. All of them talked about the wonderful times they had had and they all agreed that it was good to be back. Elizabeth stopped Will when he brought up his company and reminded him that technically they were still on vacation. There would be no talk of work until the next day. Will smiled and they switched to other subjects. Jane and Elizabeth made a shopping date for the next day to go shopping for the award ceremony and the men agreed to get together while the ladies went shopping.
"Well, I think we better go before the two of you fall asleep at the table. I can see from the yawns that you are trying to stifle that you are exhausted." Charles said as he gathered the dishes on the table.
"I think you are right. If only jet lag didn't come along with traveling. Please leave the dishes. I'll take care of them later." Elizabeth said as she helped Jane and Charles out the door. When she shut the door behind them she went with Will into the living room. They sat down on the couch that was surrounded by suitcases, but they were both too tired to unpack. They decided to leave the bags and made their way to bed. As soon as their heads hit the pillow they were sound asleep. It was the perfect end to the perfect honeymoon.
The next day they awoke early because of the jet lag. They spent most of the morning unpacking and going through the mail and the messages. There were about thirty messages from Mrs. Bennet, so Elizabeth thought it would be best to get it over with and call her mother. Her mother had a ton of gossip to tell her and when she finally hung up she had to sit down so she could digest the conversation that she had just had. She didn't know her mother could talk so quickly. Will laughed and Elizabeth said, "At least I didn't make you talk to her. I was kind this time, but next time I am going to hand the phone to you."
Will put a mock look of horror on his face and Elizabeth through a pillow at him. Will then called his sister and assured her that they were home safe and sound and gave her all the messages from Pemberley. Elizabeth looked up at the clock and saw that she had to go get ready to meet Jane who would be there in ten minutes to go shopping. She quickly refreshed her appearance and as she was finishing with a little makeup she heard the doorbell ring. Will let her up and Elizabeth grabbed her coat. She kissed Will goodbye and told him to have fun with Charles.
"We have lots to shop for and very little time to do it, so we must hurry." Jane said as soon as they left the building.
"I forgot what it was like shopping with you." Jane stuck her tongue out at Elizabeth and then led the way. All Elizabeth could do was try to keep up with the long stride of Jane.
"We need dresses, shoes, and bags. This is a very important ceremony for your husband, so we must look our best. The media will be there, so we have no time to lose." Elizabeth hadn't up to that moment realized how big this ceremony was going to be. She stopped walking. When Jane realized Elizabeth was no longer with her she stopped and turned. "Whatever is the matter?"
"There are going to be so many important people there including the media. How am I ever going be able to do Will justice? I am just a simple girl who is nothing special?"
"How can you say that? You are far from simple and you are very special. You are going to dazzle them all. This is Will's night and you are going to look divine for him. Now come on. We are wasting time."
Jane dragged Elizabeth to store after store. She finally chose a strapless lavender dress that accented all her best features. Elizabeth was having more difficulty finding a dress. She had tried on so many dresses and she feared that she would never find one. They went into another dress shop and Jane handed her several more dresses to try on. She put on a dress and didn't even look in the mirror before stepping out to show Jane. "That's it. That is perfect. Lizzy, you look wonderful in the dress." The saleswoman helping them agreed. Elizabeth turned and looked in the mirror. The dress was a halter that showed off Elizabeth's curves and had a very low back. It was in the perfect shade of red that made her eyes pop out on her face and it emphasized the highlights in her hair. Elizabeth was tentative about how low the dress went in the back, but Jane assured her that it looked wonderful on her. She bought the dress and they went in search of shoes and bags. Jane chose shoes in the same color of her dress and Elizabeth found shoes that matched hers. They had a stiletto heal and a strap across the toes and around the ankle. They were very simple, but were perfect with the dress. Elizabeth also bought a black beaded purse. The two women returned to Elizabeth and Will's exhausted. Their husbands had dinner waiting for them and begged to see the purchases.
"Nope, you two will just have to be surprised." Jane said as she went to help Elizabeth put her things away. They returned to the dining room and they all settled down to a nice meal. Jane and Elizabeth asked Will and Charles what they did all day while they were out shopping.
"Oh we did this and that. Nothing that interesting." Will said. Elizabeth noticed the look that appeared on Will's face. She recognized it as the face he got when he was keeping something.
"Oh, just this and that. I know that look Will Darcy. What was it that you two were up to all day?"
"That is our little secret. You ladies have your secrets, and we have ours." Elizabeth glared at her husband then laughed. They finished their meal and had coffee before the Bingleys left.
"Now will you tell me what you did all day?" Elizabeth asked Will as he sat back down on the couch.
"Nope. Now what do you say to going to bed. I am exhausted as I am sure you are from all that shopping." Elizabeth agreed and they made their way off to bed.
Chapter 36
The morning of the award ceremony dawned bright. Elizabeth awoke with nervous excitement. She was so proud of her husband, but at the same time was nervous that she wouldn't do him justice. Of course Will would call her daft for thinking thus, but she couldn't help the doubts that swam around in her head. She hadn't seen much of Will since they had gotten back from Europe. He was busy catching up on all that he missed at work, and she was busy catching herself up at work as well. She was welcomed back to the office with open arms and found that her replacement did not mind that she was back. In fact he was grateful to be relieved of some of the responsibility. Elizabeth dove back into her work with vigor. Everything was settling back into normal and Elizabeth was happy. She got out of bed and walked into the cold kitchen. Emma followed her around waiting to be taken out, so Elizabeth threw on some clothes and grabbed her coat, careful not to wake Will.
The little area of grass across from their apartment building was surprisingly peaceful in the city that never sleeps. There were hardly any other people out and about and Elizabeth rejoiced in the solitude. She took a deep breath and let it out. She watched the cloud of smoke that excited from her mouth, reminding her of the cold temperatures. She and Jane had a whole day of beauty set aside to prepare for the big evening. They were going to a spa for the full beauty treatment. When Emma was finished, she took her back upstairs and saw that Will was still asleep. She knew he was tired from the busy week he had had, so she let him sleep and went about preparing breakfast. She put two plates on a tray and poured the coffee. She picked up the papers that she had picked up on her way back upstairs. While she waited for the toast to get done she flipped through the paper. When she got to the Business section, there was her husband's picture announcing his award. There was a full layout about the history of his company. Elizabeth was so excited when she saw this that she almost forgot to grab the toast before taking the tray into the bedroom.
She placed the tray on the floor then kissed Will awake. He smiled lazily and tried to burrow further under the covers.
"Come on Will, I wouldn't want the 'Businessman of the Year' to be thought lazy. He is such a famous person after all." With this Elizabeth laid the paper next to him. Will sat up and looked at the article. He could only shake his head as he read. Elizabeth, meanwhile, placed the tray on the bed.
"Why Elizabeth, you spoil me."
"We couldn't have the 'Businessman of the Year' soiling his hands by cooking now could we?" They both laughed and Will kissed her. "Just don't get used to this." They ate their breakfast, but were interrupted by the phone. The phone continued to ring all morning with well-wishers who had saw the paper. Elizabeth took the tray into the kitchen and finished cleaning up. Georgiana was expected at any moment. She was joining her and Jane at their spa day. They all wanted to look their best.
Georgiana arrived and welcomed her brother and sister-in-law home officially. "I'm sorry, but there is little time for pleasantries." Elizabeth said as she grabbed her. "Jane will kill us if we are late for our appointment. We must go get beautified."
"Oh dear, will there be enough time. I don't think five hours will suffice. It will take a miracle." Will said as both women stuck their tongues out at him.
"See if I ever make you breakfast in bed again Will Darcy." With that they were out the door. As soon as they were gone Will called Charles. He had a few things to take care of himself before the big evening.
The ladies enjoyed their spa day immensely. They were treated to every kind of relaxation and then underwent the hours of primping and styling. When hair and make-up were complete they made their way back to Elizabeth and Will's apartment. They were all going to get dressed together so that they could help each other. They only had an hour left and the men laughed as the ladies rushed in the door. "No need to hurry. We have an hour until the limo arrives." Charles said as they flew by him.
"Only an hour! That is so little time." Jane said in response to her husband. Both men shook their heads and went back to watching the basketball game on TV.
While the ladies were dressing, the doorbell rang. Will answered it and allowed the men inside. They had a large case with them. His surprise had arrived. He greeted his friend and invited him to sit on the couch. The men with the case chose to remain standing, so he let them.
"Who is at the door Will?" Elizabeth said from the bedroom.
"That is our surprise, but you ladies better hurry and finish dressing."
"We will be right out. We are just putting on the finishing touches." Will laughed and returned to the couch to await them. When they finally emerged from the bedroom, all the men in the room were speechless. Charles was the first to get up and walk over to Jane.
"You look magnificent my darling." He kissed her on the cheek and then complimented the other two ladies.
"Won't you say something Will?" Will stood and walked over to his sister who was dressed in a pale yellow gown with spaghetti straps. He kissed on the cheek and told her how beautiful she looked. When he looked next at Elizabeth, he couldn't think of anything to say. She was stunning. Her hair was piled on top of her head in a mass of curls. Her lips were red like her dress, but it wasn't the dress that he noticed first. It was her eyes. Elizabeth did a little spin and when Will saw the back he took a deep breath. He was going to have to keep a close eye on her tonight.
"Do you like it?" She asked innocently. All Will could do was nod his head while Elizabeth and the rest of the group laughed.
"I told you it was the perfect dress Lizzy," Jane said from the other side of the room.
"Now are you going to introduce us to your guests?" Elizabeth asked.
"I almost forgot. Charles and I thought the evening wouldn't be complete without a little sparkle, so my friend here has brought over a few things to add to your outfits. Not that you need any additions." With that, the two men with the large case revealed the jewelry that was inside their case. All of the ladies were speechless. "Now these are only on loan, but I am told all of the celebrities borrow their jewels. Please choose what you like." The ladies each chose the perfect jewels to emphasize their dresses. After one last dress check, they all waited for the limo to arrive. They didn't have to wait long, so when the doorbell rang, they gathered their coats and made there way downstairs.
The banquet hall was beautiful and Elizabeth felt like a princess. There were flowers everywhere, and an orchestra was playing soft music as people mingled. The owner of Business Today, Robert Green, greeted them when they came in the door. He shook Will's hand and then Will introduced Elizabeth and the rest of his family and friends. Someone came to take their coats and Mr. Green led them to their table. Elizabeth held tight to Will's arm as she passed many important people on the way to the front table. She did not want to embarrass Will, so she kept her head up and plastered a pleasant smile on her face, although those who knew her could tell she was scared to death.
Will looked down at Elizabeth and knew that she was scared. She was not usually the type to fear strangers, but from the look in her eye he knew that she was scared to death. When they were allowed to sit at the table Will was granted a few minutes to speak to Elizabeth. "Are you okay darling?"
"I'm fine. I just don't want to mess anything up. This is your big night and I want you to look your best."
"Elizabeth, by having you on my arm, I look my best. You have nothing to fear. You will dazzle everyone. Now get rid of that fear and kick in the confidence I know you have inside you." Elizabeth smiled. Will kissed her then stood to talk to several people that had come up to the table. Elizabeth took a few moments to collect herself, and then stood up next to Will. She smiled at the group as Will introduced her to everyone. She knew that she had to put on that brave face, and even if she wasn't totally confident, Will's support helped a lot.
It wasn't long before the ceremony began. Everyone took his or her seats and Mr. Green got up to the podium. He spoke about Will and all the wonderful things that he had accomplished in his young life. He also spoke about Will's father. Elizabeth looked over at Will with pride and could have sworn that she saw tears in his eyes when his father was mentioned. She squeezed his hand and he smiled. She was his strength as much as he was hers.
"And without further ado, please welcome Business Today's youngest ever 'Businessman of the Year' Mr. William Darcy." Mr. Green said as the magazine was revealed behind him.
As Will spoke Elizabeth had to hold back her tears. He talked about how he had gotten to the place he was today. "I couldn't have gotten here today without the support of all my friends and family. They have stood by me through the good times and the bad. There is one special person, however, that I need to thank. She may not have been a part of my life for very long, but I can't imagine a life without her. She is my strength and has made me the man I am today. I want to thank my wife for her support and love. Elizabeth, I love you." Tears flowed from Elizabeth's eyes as she looked up at the man on the stage. He was everything that she could ever have asked for and more.
After the awards ceremony, dinner was served. They were given a few moments to eat their dinner before Will was whisked away to meet all of the other guests. Elizabeth stood and walked over to where her sister was standing.
"Oh Lizzy, this has been a glorious night. You look beautiful and Will's speech was amazing."
"Oh Jane, it has been a wonderful evening. Too bad I haven't been able to spend much of it with my husband. He has to meet everyone in the room." Jane put a comforting arm around her sister. The orchestra began to play the last number of the evening and Charles came to get his wife for a dance. When Jane hesitated, Elizabeth pushed her along.
"Go dance with your husband." She watched Jane dancing with Charles and smiled.
"It is too bad you aren't dancing." A familiar voice said from behind her.
"Well it seems my husband is very popular this evening and cannot spare the time to dance with his wife. Not that I mind of course. He is a very important person."
"Well then, I think this important person needs to dance with an even more important one." With that Will grabbed Elizabeth's hand and led her to the dance floor. In his arms Elizabeth was content. Everything was right in the world. The night had been magical and now she was dancing in the arms of the man she loved. Will tightened his hold of her as she laid her head on his shoulder. Everything else disappeared as they danced.
On Monday morning Elizabeth awoke in Will's arms. Emma had made herself comfortable nestled between their legs, so it was very crowded with the three of them on the bed together. Elizabeth had plenty of time to get ready for work, so she took a leisurely shower. As she was stepping out of the shower, she heard Will's alarm go off and him sigh. She walked out into the bedroom just as he was getting up. "Good morning Will. We are going to have to do something about Emma. Perhaps we should get her a bed to sleep on. We could put it in the corner so she would at least still be in the same room. Three makes things a little crowded."
"I agree and I am tired of waking up with a drool spot on my leg." Elizabeth laughed and said that she would stop at the pet store on the way home from work. She finished getting ready and then kissed Will goodbye. He told her that he would see her later and that he would pick up something for dinner on his way home.
Elizabeth stepped out of the apartment and picked up the subway to her office. It was so nice to have life back to normal. There was no more excitement and she was relieved. She needed a time to relax. At her office she was met with tons of messages as usual. It had taken a few days to settle back into her office, but from the look of things, everything was back to the way it should. Her mother had called several times and there was a stack of articles on her desk waiting to be read. She decided to call her mother first and get it over with while she had energy. Her mother was as usual full of gossip. "Darling, have you seen the paper this morning." When Elizabeth said she hadn't, Mrs. Bennet told her to open it to the business section. She decided to humor her as she flipped through the paper. When she got to the business section there was an article about her husband and next to the text was a picture of them dancing. The caption below the picture read
"An Award of the Heart: William Darcy, CEO of Darcy Corporations and this year's Business Today's 'Businessman of the Year, and wife Elizabeth dance after an emotional speech given by Darcy." Elizabeth smiled and told her mother she had to go. She immediately called Will and told him to open his paper. They discussed the article for a few moments, but they both had meetings so the conversation was short.
Elizabeth met Jane for their usual lunch date. It had been a long time since they had been able to do this, so she was happy to be able to meet her. They talked about the article and many other things. Jane mentioned that she and Charles were looking for a new apartment and Elizabeth said that she would be happy to go apartment hunting with her. Elizabeth looked at her watch and saw that she had to get back to work, but when she stood up, everything started spinning. She sat back down and rested her head in her hands.
"Are you okay Lizzy?" a worried Jane asked.
"Just a little dizzy. Could you get me some water? I will be fine in a moment." Jane handed her a glass and Elizabeth sipped the water. She began to feel better as she drank the water. "There's, no need to worry. I am feeling better already."
"I still think you should go to the doctors. Remember what happened the last time. You ended up in the hospital. At least let me call the doctor and make you an appointment for a check up."
"There is no need. I feel totally better." She went to stand up, but everything started swimming again. She was so dizzy that she couldn't stand anymore, and then everything went black. Jane caught her as she slumped to the ground. She called for a waiter and asked him to call 911, and then she tried to revive Elizabeth. When the paramedics arrived, Elizabeth was just coming awake.
"Really Jane, I don't have to go to the hospital. I am feeling much better."
"Elizabeth Darcy you are not better and I know you hate the hospital, but you need to have yourself checked out."
"I have just been overworking myself. I will be fine." Jane would not hear of it as the paramedics finished checking her vitals. The paramedics said she was ok, but they wanted to take her to the hospital to make sure. Elizabeth put up a fight, but Jane refused to listen.
When they got to the hospital, Jane called Will at his office, but couldn't reach him because he was in a board meeting and there was nobody answering. "Doesn't anybody answer the phone?" She said in frustration. She left messages with Will and with Charles and then went to await news of her sister. She also called Elizabeth's office and explained the situation. An hour later, Elizabeth came out with a dazed look on her face. "Are you okay Lizzy? What did the doctor say?" Jane said as she went to her sister.
"Jane, I can't believe it. I can't believe I didn't know."
"What?" Elizabeth smiled and looked up at her sister.
"I'm pregnant. I guess I have been so busy that I didn't realize it. Oh Jane, I am going to have a baby." Jane threw her arms around her sister and hugged her. "They said I was free to go, so let's go home." Jane called Will and left another message saying that they were going home and to meet them there. When she and Elizabeth arrived back at Elizabeth and Will's apartment, she helped Elizabeth into bed against her protests. "I'm pregnant, not sick."
"Well pregnant women need there rest. Will will be home soon I'm sure, so why don't you rest until he gets here. I am so happy for you Lizzy. I am going to be an aunt!!" Elizabeth smiled and said goodbye to her sister. When Jane got back downstairs, her cell phone rang. It was Will.
"Jane, what happened?" Will said in a worried voice.
"Is Elizabeth okay? Please tell me."
"Elizabeth is fine. She just overworked herself. I just left her resting in bed."
"Oh thank God. When I got your message my heart stopped. Apparently my secretary had gone to lunch, so there was nobody to answer the phone. Are you sure she is okay?"
"She is fine, now go home to your wife." She hung up the phone and smiled. There couldn't be a more deserved joy for two people who had been through so much.
Chapter 37
Will cursed as he sat in traffic. He had gotten the call he feared most, and he just wanted to be next to Elizabeth. Jane assured him that she was okay, but he needed to see for himself. Why hadn't his secretary been at her desk? He would have to remember to speak with her tomorrow. "What is the hold up?" he yelled in a frustrated voice. He knew he could walk faster than he could drive home, but he couldn't just leave his car in the middle of the street, as much as he wanted to.
After about twenty minutes he finally pulled into the parking garage of his building. He raced to the elevator and pushed his floor. The elevator seemed to be moving as fast as the traffic outside, and it also stopped on almost every floor. As the floors rose, so did his anger. It was as if he wasn't meant to get to his apartment. Finally, the door opened to his floor and he ran down the hallway. He fumbled with the keys, but was finally able to get the door unlocked. Emma met him at the door, but Will ignored her as he made his way to the bedroom. He quietly went into the room and found Elizabeth sound asleep on the bed. He did not want to wake her, so he undid his tie and took off his shoes. He did not want to leave the room, so he sat down on the bed next to her to watch her sleep. He brushed the curls away from her face and then watched as she shifted in her sleep. She was so beautiful and he didn't want anything to ever happen to her. She had been through more than anyone deserved in her lifetime.
Elizabeth awoke about an hour later and found Will lying next to her. It took her awhile to wake herself up. She put her arms around her husband and snuggled up close to him. Will held her tight and stroked her back. "You scared me Liz. Then, when I couldn't get to you, I was so afraid. If only my secretary had been at her desk to get Jane's call. I am going to fire her tomorrow. What if you had been seriously injured or something had happened to Georgiana. I need to be able to be reached. To think, I was in a Board meeting talking about marketing plans, while you were in the hospital. Oh Elizabeth, I am so sorry." Elizabeth hugged her husband tighter.
"Will, you had no way of knowing that this would happen. There is no need to fire your secretary because I am sure she had a perfectly good reason for being away from her desk. I am fine, more than fine in fact." Elizabeth smiled up at her husband. "There is something that I must tell you."
"But, you must have been scared. I know how you hate hospitals. I should have been there with you."
"You can't be there every second of every day. Things may happen, but there is nothing you or I can do about it. Jane was with me, so it is okay. Don't you want to know what the doctor said?"
"But Elizabeth, you were hurt before because I wasn't there, and now this."
"Will! You are not to blame for that and you know it. Now listen to me because there is something I need to tell you."
"What is it? It isn't bad is it? You didn't find out that you have something horrible? You know you can tell me. I can handle it. Tell me what it is? Jane said you were overtired. I knew we should have taken more time off after we got back from Europe."
"Will, please! Calm down. It is not what you think. The doctor had some good news. Darling, we are going to be parents." Will was speechless. He looked into Elizabeth's eyes and watched as tears fell down her face. He couldn't believe it.
"What did you just say?"
"I said we are going to have a baby. I'm pregnant. I can't believe that I didn't know, but I guess it is because we have been so busy, but it is true. You are going to be a father." Will was still stunned, but finally Elizabeth saw it kick into his brain. He looked at Elizabeth and smiled, and then he hugged her.
"I can't believe it. Really? We are going to have a baby? Oh Elizabeth, I love you so much."
"You aren't disappointed that it is so soon? I mean we have only been married for a short amount of time."
"How could I be upset? You are going to have a baby. I am thrilled. I love you so much Elizabeth. You must rest and cut back on your hours at work. Also I don't want you lifting anything heavy. We must make an appointment to see the doctor."
"Will, calm down! I'm pregnant, not an invalid. There will be some changes that have to be made, but I can still do most things." Will pulled her closer to him and they sat in silence. He casually drew his fingers across her stomach and imagined the life that was growing inside of her.
A little while later, Elizabeth mentioned that she was hungry and that they should think about dinner. Will told her to stay in bed and that he would go fix dinner. Elizabeth, who was grateful that Will was going to make dinner, had to admit that she was more tired than she wanted to be. She hoped that she would feel up to going back to work in the morning because she could not afford to take anymore time off. She decided to try and get some more sleep while Will prepared dinner, so she shut her eyes and fell back into a light doze.
Will checked in on her while the water on the stove was boiling for pasta and saw that she was fast asleep. She was so precious to him, and knowing now that she was caring the product of their love only made her more so. He pictured what it would be like on Sunday mornings when they could all sit in bed together as a family: he and Elizabeth with a little girl or a little boy in between them. He didn't care if it was a boy or a girl, as long as it was a healthy child. Will knew that one day he wanted children, but he didn't dream that it would happen so fast. There were so many things to do to get ready for a child. The apartment alone needed to be redecorated because of the numerous hazards waiting to happen. He looked around and realized how long it had been since there had been a change to the place. He decided that this was the perfect excuse for a change because with a new life, there needed to be new surroundings. Maybe they could think about moving outside of the city to a house. Of course the commute would be inconvenient, but did he really want to raise his child in the city? He pictured having a back yard where Emma could run and he could teach the child how to play baseball or to swing on the swings. These things could not be done in a New York apartment. When did he become so domestic? Will laughed.
"What are you laughing about?" Startled, Will looked up to see Elizabeth standing in front of him.
"I was thinking."
"So that would explain the smoke."
"Ha ha, very funny. Seriously though, I was thinking what if we moved into a house. There would be more room to raise a child and we could have some breathing room from the big city life. We couldn't move very far because of both of our jobs, but I think it would be nice to live in a house again."
"Since when have you lived in a house? Judging from the places I have seen, you have either lived in mansions, vacation homes, or elaborate apartments." Elizabeth laughed. "Seriously though, I think it is something to think about, especially with a baby. I grew up in a house in Maryland and I spent countless hours outside with my sisters and the kids in the neighborhood. The city would be stifling for a child. I think that we should really look into that."
"That settles it then. We will start house hunting." Will hugged Elizabeth and then led her to the kitchen. The water was boiling, so he added the pasta while Elizabeth set the table.
The next weekend, Elizabeth and Will set out to look at several houses that their agent had picked out for them. Elizabeth was shocked at how fast things had come together, but was excited nonetheless. She looked forward to decorating her own house for her own family. She had moved directly out of her parents' house into an apartment, so this was a first for her. It really brought her life into perspective. Even though they didn't find a house on the first day, she was not discouraged. She knew that when they found it they would know it. Jane and Charles were meeting them for dinner in the city, so they had to hurry back into town in order to have time to get ready for dinner.
At dinner they talked all about the plans they had for the future, including the house hunting and the new baby. Elizabeth and Jane made a shopping date to go shopping for baby things while Will and Charles rolled their eyes, although Will was secretly just as excited about buying things for his new baby. While they were eating dinner, Will's cell phone rang. When he looked at the number, he saw that it was from London, so he excused himself to take the call, saying that he would only be a minute. The remaining three continued to talk all about babies and new houses. When Will returned to the table, he did not look happy. "What's the matter Will? Is there something wrong?" Elizabeth asked.
"It seems that there are some problems at the London office. The publicity staff is having problems with the new line's promotional series and I am afraid that I am going to have to go to London for a few days."
"Can't they fix the problem on their own? Why do you have to be there?" Elizabeth asked, not happy at the news.
"Well, it seems like the new man I hired to oversee this is not doing his job, so I am going to have to go in and oversee this major release until a new person can be hired. This is a very important line for the company, and I cannot afford to have this fail. You understand Elizabeth don't you?"
"I understand, but I don't like it. I hate it when you have to go on business trips. How long will you be gone?"
"The new line is set to be released a week from tomorrow, so I should be back in a week, pending there are no more problems. I am really very sorry about this, but there is nothing I can do. Charles, I trust you can hold down the fort at the office until I get back. Never again will I hire someone for a job this important without more knowledge of them. I let someone else do the hiring while we were on our honeymoon and I should have known better."
"Of course I will make sure everything runs smoothly at the office while you are gone, but surely this is not because you didn't hire him. I know that Mr. Ambrose came highly recommended. I am shocked that he has failed at what he was hired to do. You being away does not explain this. I am sure there must be some other explanation. Regardless, this is not the time to talk of business. We are here to have a good time are we not?"
"Agreed, now back to better topics. We were supposed to see some more houses on Saturday, but I am afraid that I will not be here. Do you mind going by yourself Elizabeth?"
"If you like, I will go with her." Jane volunteered. "I love looking at houses and would be glad to go along."
"Oh Jane, that would be a great help. Thank you." Elizabeth smiled at her sister.
That next weekend Jane and Elizabeth looked at house after house but there was still no luck. "I don't think I will ever find something I like Jane."
"Of course you will. Just give it time."
"Well, there isn't much time. I was hoping to be moved in before the birth so that I could have everything set up for the baby. Our apartment is big, but I have a feeling it will get much smaller with all the things that a baby needs." The agent saw that her client was getting frustrated and wondered if the next house would be to their liking. The house wasn't officially on the market, but the couple was a friend of hers and they were leaving New York to go back to the Midwest. The agent knew that the house would go quickly once it was on the market because of the large amount of property and the sheer beauty of the house. If she were in the market to buy a house she would snatch it up right away. "Now ladies, the next house I want to show you has to be between you and me. I don't normally do this, but for you I am going to make an exception. There are friends of mine who are going to be moving who own a house that is not on the market yet and I think you will love it. I'd buy it myself if I could. Regardless, I will give Mr. and Mrs. Clifton a call and see if they would be willing to show it to you. I think it fits perfectly with what you are looking for. Excuse me while I make that call." When the agent returned, she was smiling. "They said that they would love to show you their house. They love the house so much and are sad to move, but they moving back home to be nearer to their children. The Cliftons are elderly and cannot take care of such a big house on their own anymore.
The agent drove them the short distance to the house and once they approached, Elizabeth knew in an instant that this was the house she wanted. The house was an older house, but in wonderful condition. There was a wrap around porch on the front and a large front yard. The agent pulled into the driveway and the Cliftons met them on the front porch. Elizabeth admired the couple and thanked them for letting her see the house. She apologized for the absence of her husband and then followed the couple inside the house. When they walked into the door she immediately fell in love with the place. There was a large foyer with a staircase that led upstairs. Everything was tasteful and not extravagant.
"The house has six bedrooms upstairs and four and a half bathrooms. We have a large family, so it was nice to have so many bedrooms when they came to visit. Please let me show you the house." Mrs. Clifton said as she led them into the living room that was just off the main foyer to the left. The living room was large with a big bay window.
Elizabeth pictured herself in this room entertaining family and she got even more excited. Also downstairs, they visited the dining room, family room, kitchen, and study. Upstairs they first went to the master suite, which was wonderful. There were large cathedral ceilings and many windows that Elizabeth liked. She missed being able to open windows in the spring and hear the sounds of nature. The only sounds she could hear in New York City were the sounds of sirens and cars. Also in the suite was a sitting room and master bathroom. The closet was huge and doubled as a dressing room.
Elizabeth loved everything. As they visited the other rooms Elizabeth knew that she had to have this house. Each room had something special about it and Elizabeth found that charming. It made the rooms unique and she looked forward to decorating them. When they went downstairs she was able to see the finished basement that had been turned into an entertainment area. She knew that her husband would love this. The best part of the house, although, was yet to be seen: the back yard. The Cliftons led them out back first into a sunroom that was very cheery and then onto a deck that overlooked the back yard. There was a large grassy area with a great tree in the corner of the yard. All around the porch and the fences were trees and gardens that made it their own little world. In one corner there was a pond with gold fish, and in another there was a rose garden. Elizabeth loved everything about it. She knew that she couldn't make any decisions without her husband, but she couldn't help but want to make an offer that minute. Jane also agreed that it was perfect, so Elizabeth did the next best thing. She took out her cell phone and called Will in London.
"Elizabeth? Is everything okay?" Will said in a sleepy voice when he answered the phone. She had forgotten the time difference in her excitement.
"Yes Will, everything is fine. I just had to call and tell you that I have found our house. It is perfect. The couple hasn't put in on the market yet, but our agent is a friend and they agreed to show it to me. I wish you could be here to look at it. I know you will love it just as much as I do. The agent is talking to them now about holding off selling it until you get back. I don't know if they will agree."
"Elizabeth I want you to do what you have to do get the house if that is the one you want. I trust your judgment on this and I am sure that I will love it too. I will be back home on Monday and we can finish all the paperwork. See if they will be willing to sign a temporary agreement until I can get there and finalize things. You are a smart person and the agent will help you will the price offer. If you let me talk to her I can tell her what I am willing to offer." Elizabeth handed the phone to the agent and then went to talk to the Cliftons.
"I love this house and my husband and I would like to make you an offer. I know it is not on the market yet, but I know that this is the house in which I want to raise my family. We are expecting a child in a few months and we want to be able to have a house to bring him or her home, so will you please consider selling me your house. I know that we have never met before, but I know you are good people and you can know that we will take good care of this house." Mr. and Mrs. Clifton smiled at Elizabeth and then excused themselves to go discuss with each other. Elizabeth talked with her agent who was preparing the offer while still on the phone with Will. The Cliftons returned shortly and Elizabeth held tightly onto Jane's hand as they awaited the answer.
"My dear, we have decided that we would love for you to have this house. We saw your face light up when you entered the house and that is what we want for our house. We want someone to love this house as we have loved it and we are sure that you and your husband will do just that. We must admit that we are familiar with your husband's reputation. My husband recently retired from a company that dealt with your husband's company a great deal and he always spoke well of the business he did with them." Elizabeth had tears running down her cheeks at this point. She shook both of their hands and the agent was left to negotiate the offer. Fortunately, the Cliftons agreed that the final price could be decided when Will returned from London in two days, so Elizabeth did not have to worry about the financial part of the deal. She thanked the couple once again and then Elizabeth, Jane, and the agent left to return to the city. Everything was falling into place.
That Monday, when Elizabeth picked up Will at the airport she was so excited to tell him all about the house. He agreed that they would call the Cliftons when they got home and set up an appointment with them to see the house and then finish all of the paperwork. Will still had not seen the house, so he was anxious to see where he would be living. He knew that Elizabeth was happy about the house, so that was all that really mattered to him. He would live with her in a cave if that were what would make her happy. When they got home, Elizabeth called the Cliftons and she was happy to tell Will that they had been invited for dinner because their agent was already at the house visiting and agreed to do the deal while they were all there together. This was excellent news to Elizabeth because that meant that they were all the closer to moving in. She was excited to show Will the house and she knew that he would fall in love with it just as she had.
When they pulled up to the house, Will inspected it and smiled. Elizabeth had made the perfect choice. "It is wonderful Elizabeth. I couldn't have picked a better house myself."
"Wait until you see inside." Elizabeth said as she led him up the front walk. As they waited for the Cliftons to answer the door, Will inspected everything about the house. The house had been inspected earlier that day at the insistence of the Cliftons, so they were assured that all the foundations were sound and that there were no termites. All that was left to be done was agree to a price and to sign the papers. They decided to leave the paperwork until after dinner, so that they could enjoy a nice dinner. They talked about the different aspects of the house and Elizabeth inquired about their future plans. The Cliftons had explained that they were originally from the Midwest and had moved for business reasons. Their entire family sill lived in St. Louis, so they wanted to move closer to them in their retirement. Elizabeth told them about her family and how important they were to her, so she understood their move. Will was happy to find out that Mr. Clifton had once done business with his company, so they talked of that to a great extent.
After coffee and dessert, they decided that it was time to take care of business. Will put out an offer and luckily the Cliftons agreed to it without a fight. They knew it was fair, so the papers were signed without a fight. Elizabeth was happy at this because she liked the Cliftons and did not want to fight with them. They discussed the rest of the details and it was decided that the house would be theirs in thirty days. The Darcys were happy at the quickness of this, and the Cliftons explained that they had planned to move that soon anyway because they didn't want to have to be there while the house was shown to many people. They had decided to let their agent take care of everything, so when she called with the news that she had people interested in seeing the house, they jumped on the opportunity.
Elizabeth and Will were quiet on their way back into the city. They were happy with the many changes that were happening in their lives and looked forward to the new beginnings. Although all of these new beginnings had a lot of work that came with them, so they would be very busy for the next couple of months, but it was all for good reasons.
Chapter 38
The next thirty days went by in a haze between buying furniture, getting ready for the move, and getting ready for a baby, there was little time for anything else. Elizabeth's parent's and sisters were coming up to help with the move and to set up house which was supposed to be helpful, but turned out to be more work because Elizabeth felt like her mother was trying to take over and if she had to tell one more person that she was only pregnant and that she didn't have to sit down all the time she was going to scream. When she couldn't take it anymore she went out into the back yard and sat down under the tree. She just needed some space from everyone. The house may be big, but it wasn't big enough.
Meanwhile Will wondered what had become of Elizabeth. He knew that she needed some space, but it had been quite some time and there was still no sign of her. They had to get the rest of the bedroom furniture set up so that they would have a place to sleep that night. He looked out the back window and saw her sitting under the tree. As quietly and carefully as possible he slipped out the back, hoping he hadn't been spotted by Mrs. Bennet or one of his younger sister-in-laws. He made his way over to Elizabeth and she smiled up at him and motioned for him to sit down next to her. "I'm sorry I ran off like that. I was just so frustrated that I needed some space." She leaned her head back against the tree and closed her eyes.
"I know you are frustrated. It is a lot to handle when everyone has opinions about everything. Just remember that this is your house and we have the last say on everything. Your parents are only staying three days and then you can rearrange everything to your liking. Plus, you have to go to work, so that will give you a break from them. I fear what will happen while we are working, but perhaps we can come up with some projects for her to do while we are working. Your father is here also and he can help with her."
"I know you are right and you must think me a horribly selfish person, but I want this house to be the way we make it. I think we can go back in now. I am feeling better. Will helped her up and then put his arm around her shoulder as they walked back to the house. It turned out that having to work was a blessing. Each morning Elizabeth left a project for her mother to do, and there were only a few things that she had to change when her family finally left to go home.
As Elizabeth was helping her mother pack to go home Mrs. Bennet said, "Lizzy, your father and I are willing to stay the whole week if you want us to. I know you will be busy with work and we can't have you overtiring yourself again. You have to think of the baby."
"I'm fine mother. Will is here to help me and Jane and Charles will also be here. There really isn't anything more for you to do. You have been a great help, but really the rest of the furniture isn't going to be delivered until the end of the week and I have hired a decorator to help me, so I won't work too hard. Have a wonderful flight home and give my love to everyone. I will see you in a few months." Elizabeth hugged her mother and then said goodbye to the rest of her family. Will was driving them all to the airport and Elizabeth was staying at home to await the decorator who was coming that evening. The house seemed huge without furniture in most rooms, so Elizabeth looked forward to filling them. Will had stuff in storage that he was having sent over that weekend, so they would have more furniture and things. As of now the only rooms that were complete were their bedroom and the kitchen.
When Will came home he found Elizabeth and the decorator discussing paint colors for the living room. He decided that he would leave her to it and went in to make some tea for them. When he heard Elizabeth bid the decorator goodbye he came into the room and gave her a hug. He rubber her growing stomach and then gave it a kiss. "Do you think the baby will like it's new house?" Will said lazily.
"I am sure it will love it. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow remember."
"Of course. I will be there at 12. Oh I almost forgot. I have a present for you."
"A present?" Elizabeth looked at Will and he smiled and then left the room. When he came back he was carrying a trunk that looked very old. It had hand carvings on it of a fairy princess and her night.
"Oh Will it is beautiful. Wherever did you find such a thing?"
"It was mine as a boy. Mrs. Reynolds had it sent over when I called her and told her the happy news. She thought it might be nice in the nursery."
"It is absolutely gorgeous."
"Open it up." Will said. Elizabeth undid the latch on the chest and inside she found a beautiful christening outfit.
"Oh Will, was this yours? It is beautiful." Elizabeth carefully removed the garment and held it up.
"Yes, it has been passed down for generations. I thought our baby could wear it too."
"That is a wonderful idea. Thank you." Elizabeth hugged Will after he set the trunk down on the floor. He led her to the sofa in front of the fireplace and they both drank their tea and stared into the fire, happy to have peace and quiet for once.
The next few weeks went by very quickly between work and fixing up the house. Elizabeth was getting bigger every day and she swore she wouldn't fit through the door if she kept growing at the rate she was growing. They had a doctor's appoint that afternoon for a sonogram where they might be able to learn the sex. Elizabeth was excited to see her baby, so she arrived early at the doctor's office. Will arrived a few minutes later and they walked into the examining room together. Elizabeth got undressed and got ready for the examination. Will held her hand as the doctor prepared the sonogram.
"How have you been feeling lately?" The doctor asked. She continued asking routine questions and then told her that they were going to do the sonogram. "The picture should be coming up in just a moment." They waited for the screen to change and then there it was. Elizabeth and Will were amazed. They didn't really know what they were looking at, but they knew that somewhere in the moving picture was their baby. "Would you like to know the sexes?" Elizabeth and Will looked at one another. Elizabeth was the first to smile and nod her head.
"Yes, doctor please tell us if it is a boy or a girl." Will said as he gripped Elizabeth's hand tighter. They would soon know if they were going to have a little girl or a little boy. It didn't matter to either one of them, but they were excited to know.
"Well let's see ... hmm just as I expected." The doctor seemed to be talking to herself and Will and Elizabeth patiently awaited an answer.
"You are having a boy and a girl."
"What? Which one is it?" Elizabeth said confused. Will also looked confused.
The doctor smiled and looked at them both. "Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, you are having a boy and a girl. It is twins. I should have known earlier by the size of your stomach Mrs. Darcy. Sometimes babies like to hide behind one another so it is hard to see if there is more than one, but it is quite plain to see now. There are two distinctive heartbeats. See right here, this is the boy and this is the girl." Will and Elizabeth didn't speak for several moments. They stared at where the doctor was pointing. Twins! They couldn't believe it. They finally thanked the doctor after she gave them a few more instructions and some information about twins. Elizabeth got dressed and they left the office together.
"I can't believe it Will. Twins." Elizabeth finally said as they walked toward the car.
"I can't believe it either. Who would have thought? I guess we will have to rethink the nursery plans now." He helped her get into the car and then walked to the other side and got in the car. "I bet everyone will be in for a great surprise. How shall we tell them?"
"I don't know. We could have a dinner party and let everyone know. You can invite your friends from work and I'll invite mine. I think I will call my mother right now and she will take care of the rest of the world." Will laughed and Elizabeth got out her cell phone. The phone rang twice and her mother answered.
"Hello mother, it's Lizzy."
"Elizabeth Darcy what a surprise. I didn't expect to hear from you since you barely ever call your poor mother who worries about you so much. You must know my nerves can't take this. Perhaps I ought to come up and stay with you until after the birth. That way I can help you..."
"Oh no mother. I am perfectly fine. Besides I wouldn't want to take you away from all your responsibilities at home. I know how important you are to the community. I have plenty of help up here." Will tried to keep himself from laughing as Elizabeth tried to talk her mother out of coming up here. If Mrs. Bennet came up for that long he feared he would have to move out. Luckily Elizabeth was successful in talking her mother into only coming for the birth. "Mother I need to tell you some exciting news. Will and I found out today that you will getting two grandchildren instead of one: a boy and a girl."
"Oh Lizzy!! I am so excited. Twins!! That is wonderful. Guess what everyone...Lizzy is having twins. Lydia where is your father? Tell him to come in here. Her mother yelled into the phone and Elizabeth had to hold the phone away from her ear as her mother went on and on.
"Mother, I have to go. Give everyone our love. I'll call you in a few days." She wasn't sure if her mother heard her, but she hung up the phone. Will took her hand and they drove towards Elizabeth's office. He kissed her before she got out of the car and told her that he might be late. "Alright Will. I'll see you when you get home."
The next few months went by quickly and Elizabeth and Will anticipated the birth of their twins. The house was finally finished and the nursery anxiously awaited its new inhabitants. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were due in at the airport tomorrow at seven and Will and Elizabeth were enjoying their last evening alone before the house was turned upside down. Elizabeth tired very easily these days and was sore all over. She had been to her doctor earlier that day and was told that it could be any day now. She tried to hide her nervousness, but Will knew she was scared. He helped her support her back with some pillows and then massaged her feet and she groaned in happiness. "That feels wonderful Will. Don't stop please." Will laughed and continued to massage her feet.
"We really should pick some names for our children. We don't want to have to call them baby boy and baby girl." Elizabeth laughed and agreed that they needed to decide on some names. Will pulled out the list they had made of all the possible choices they had, but it was quite a long list.
"I always thought I would know the names I wanted to name my babies, but this is really hard." As Will read the list aloud they crossed off more and more names. They each came up with some suggestions but turned them all down. They had fun coming up with several funny names and tried them out for size, but decided they had to be serious, so they returned to the list. "Well we agreed not to name them after ourselves, but what if we gave them our names for their middle names?" Elizabeth suggested
"I think that is a wonderful idea. We now need to find names that go with William and Elizabeth." They scanned the names and Elizabeth got out the big book of baby names. Everyone had been giving her suggestions ever since she told people she was pregnant, but nothing had stuck out. She flipped through until she stopped. "What about Abigail?"
Will tried the name. "Abigail Elizabeth Darcy...hmm I like it. We can call her Abby. That is a very cute name. So are we naming her Abigail?" Will looked up at Elizabeth and she smiled and nodded.
"Abby is a beautiful name. I can't believe we have decided on a name for our little girl. Any luck with boy names?" Will shook his head and they both went back to searching.
"What about Connor, Connor William Darcy?" Will suggested. Elizabeth tried the name out and then tried it out with Abigail.
"Abigail and Connor Darcy...I think they are perfect." Elizabeth smiled and Will knelt down in front of Elizabeth and pulled her to him. They both placed their hands on the restless twins and told them each their name.
"I think you should go to bed. You are going to need all your strength these next few days." Will said to Elizabeth. He helped her get up of the couch, which was quite a challenge. Her hand went to her back to help against the pain that was her constant companion. She started to walk towards the stairs when a sharp pain hit her. "What is it Elizabeth? Are you okay?" Will looked terrified at the sight of his wife in pain.
"I think our children liked their names so much they want to make an immediate appearance." Will ran upstairs to get Elizabeth's bags and then helped her into the car. He called Jane and Charles and they told him they would meet them at the hospital.
At the hospital Elizabeth was checked into her room and Will helped her count the minutes between her contractions. The doctor came in and examined her. "It is good to see you again Elizabeth. Who would have thought that a few hours after seeing me we would be here?" Elizabeth tried to laugh, but another contraction hit her hard. Never had she felt such pain before. Will felt so helpless as he watched her go through the pain. "Everything looks good Elizabeth. You are dilated to six centimeters and have quite a few hours to go. Would you like to talk to an anesthesiologist about something to take the edge off the pain?" Elizabeth said that she could handle the contractions now, but wanted to know that pain medication would be possible later. The doctor told her that she would send the anesthesiologist in to her in about an hour. If she felt like she needed it sooner to let the nurse know.
Shortly after the doctor left Jane and Charles arrived. Elizabeth was happy that her sister was there with her and Will was grateful to have Charles's support. The pain got worse and worse for Elizabeth as time passed that she did agree to take something for the pain so that she could rest up for the birth. Jane called Mr. and Mrs. Bennet to tell them the news. They were of course disappointed that they would miss the birth, but Jane assured them that Elizabeth was doing very well.
After many, many hours Mr. and Mrs. Darcy welcomed two healthy babies into the world and no two parents could have been happier. They were content to sit and watch their children sleep after they were both placed in Elizabeth's tired arms. Will kissed Elizabeth and said, "I am so proud of you Lizzy." Elizabeth smiled and then yawned. She was exhausted and very close to falling asleep. The nurses told them that they were going to clean up the babies and asked if Will would like to come. He looked to Elizabeth who nodded and Will followed his children out of the room after giving Elizabeth another kiss.
Elizabeth was kept in the hospital for several days to monitor her health. She was kept longer because the doctors wanted to make sure that nothing went wrong, knowing her past health problems. When she was finally released Will gathered all of her belongings and the nurses placed little Abby who was quite feisty and had a head full of blonde hair in her arms followed by the much more subdued Connor who only had a few wisps of dark hair. Abby looks just like Georgiana when she was a baby, except for the eyes which are just like her mother's" Will said as he packed the rest of the diapers.
"Well Connor looks just like you, so there is no mistaking who the father is of these children. I suppose I will have to let my boyfriend know that it is too bad they aren't his." Will stuck his tongue out at her and grabbed the final bag. "Who would have thought two little people as small as them would need so much stuff.
When they arrived at home, the whole family was there to greet them and welcome them home. Everyone wanted to see the Darcy children and they took turns passing them around. After about an hour Elizabeth with the help of Will took them upstairs to feed them and put them down for a nap, something she wouldn't mind having herself. Will told her he would deal with everyone downstairs and that she should rest. They would be without sleep for quite awhile that it was best to get all the rest she could now. After tucking Abigail and Connor into the bassinets next to their bed he tucked Elizabeth in and kissed the tip of her nose.
"Goodnight mommy."
"Goodnight daddy."
Epilogue
The new family settled in nicely to their new home. A few years later they welcomed a new little brother and Jane and Charles provided four girls as cousins. They Darcy's watched their children grow up and their lives flourish. Abby, being the only girl took advantage of the fact and had her father wrapped around her finger. There was nothing that he wouldn't do for his daughter. The two boys of course were quite successful in getting what they wanted as well. Mrs. Reynolds was able to see all of the Darcy children before she passed away and it was a very sad day that they said goodbye to her. They never could quite find someone to run Pemberley as well as Mrs. Reynolds. Georgiana enjoyed doting on her little niece and nephews and spent a lot time with them. She was later married to a kind and gentle man who suited her perfectly. They decided to move to England and take care of the estate business there. Will was sad to see his sister go, but he was happy that Pemberley would be in good hands. What started with a blind date resulted in a lifetime of love and happiness. The couple who didn't even want to meet found they couldn't live without one another and they thanked their lucky stars (and Jane and Charles) everyday for joining them together. They spent many happy times together and all lived happily ever after.