“Nonsense. We all do stupid, selfish things. You just were more stupid and more selfish than most. But done is done, and you are properly regretful of it all.”
Caroline laughed at the matter of fact way that Mrs. Gardiner spoke.
“In any case, it is all forgotten byme,” Mrs. Gardiner added, “since you saved our Lydia from such a threat.”
Elizabeth sat next to Darcy, gripping his hand occasionally under the table. When their knees — almost by accident — pressed against each other she felt a thrill travel up her spine.
There was a sensation in her stomach that promised future delight.
However, she was also exhausted.
Elizabeth yawned, and Darcy yawned.
Despite this Darcy performed being a proud owner who wanted to display his house to good advantage to his promised bride. He pointed out everything — portraits, the table, a comment on the history of the place settings and another on the chandelier. There was a giant painting of Pemberley over the dining table, and he eagerly explained parts of the estate’s history, and how several additional buildings had been added since the big painting had been made.
Even though she had gained an expectation that she would marry well during her time in school, and even though she had heard Caroline talk at great length about Pemberley, to see this reproduction of it gave her a sense of small awe.
To be mistress of such a place would be something indeed.
Darcy was clearly delighted to put his London townhouse on display for her perusal, and he was confident that she would be impressed.
She was as delighted as she ought to be.
Besides the portrait of Pemberley — it was to be her new home! — Elizabeth was particularly delighted by the pyramids of fruits, circles of fine cheeses, piles of bread, and layers of cut meats that the staff had conjured forth for them on such short notice.
She caught Darcy’s eyes, she remembered their kisses, and she felt light and floaty.
Elizabeth was so happy!
She was to marry Mr. Darcy, Caroline was alive and safe, and Darcy seemed to no longer resent Caroline — he was at least reconciled with her to the point that there would be no significant awkwardness in her and Caroline remaining friends. Caroline had no resentment towards her foractuallymarrying Mr. Darcy when she had failed to do so herself.
In sum: Life was achieving something like perfection.
When they parted Elizabeth had a half minute of privacy with Darcy in the vestibule. He took her hands, and she looked into his eyes. She smiled at him. “Quite a day today. Not at all what I expected for the next day yesterday morning.”
“Nor I.” Darcy sighed in a way that told Elizabeth he thought of Mr. Wickham.
Dead.
Hole in head, and lying in a pool of his own blood on the floor of that bawdy house. The face still pretty.
Elizabeth squeezed his hand. “You are sad for Wickham’s death.”
“I do not mourn him… I only… I mourn the memory of one long gone who was dear to me in my childhood, before he became who he was as an adult.”
Elizabeth wrapped her arms around Darcy and rested her head against his chest. His chin pressed down on her hair, and Elizabeth thought that she fit inside his arms perfectly.
They kissed, but only briefly because Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner waited for her on the other side of the door. Charlie was also there, but after the freedomshe’dgiven him and Jane in her turns as chaperone for them, she planned to consider his presence in such matters not at all.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I ardently love you,” he replied. “I also wish to say that…”
Darcy paused. He took a deep breath and sighed, and then with a half resigned expression, he said, “Your Miss Bingley is not what Mr. Wickham was. She can learn and change. He did not, and he would not — Any case, I shall call upon you early tomorrow, and then ride direct to Longbourn.”
They briefly kissed again and then went out onto the street. Darcy handed her up into the waiting carriage.
Both she and Caroline fell asleep during the carriage ride to Gracechurch Street.
