“What?” Darcy was stunned.
“My dear man, you are no less surprised than I was. Apparently, the lad has grown in confidence under the care of the stable master. He informed my youngest sister that he was rapidly getting big enough that his new shoes were pinching his toes and that soon enough, he would be a man. He offered his hand in marriage if Lydia would wait until he got all his big teeth, and he could ride your horse by himself without falling off.”
Darcy howled. Of all the bold things that Petey could have done, that would have been the last Darcy would have ever suspected him of doing. “Did she reply?”
Pretending to be insulted, Elizabeth said, “Of course she did. Kindly, I might add. She thanked him, telling him he had the honor of being the first to propose to her. Lydia told him that if he became an honorable man like you who could afford to keep her in new bonnets, ribbons, and bows, then she would consider marrying him.” She paused. “Unfortunately, bonnets were too much for our Petey. He is saving his coins for a ‘proper gentleman’s saddle’ for himself. The marriage is off, I am afraid.”
“Excessively diverting.” Darcy laughed until tears streamed down his cheeks. He lay back alongside her, resting his hand over hers. “I wrote to Mrs. Reynolds.”
She turned to face him. “Did you ask her to return to Pemberley?”
“I did not, though I would like nothing more than for her to greet us when we walk through the door.”
Closing his eyes, his vision was of the Pemberley of his youth.
“Elizabeth, while I do not believe that our situation is dire, we will need every farthing we have to pay for what is owed against Pemberley and Darcy House. I found the principal servants here in London, only to discover that Wickham failed to reimburse them for the months they served under his oversight. By the time I set matters right with them, the money we have in our account is vastly reduced.”
“You did what you needed to do, Fitzwilliam.”
He appreciated her reassurances more than she could know.
Struggling to put his fears into words, he finally said, “Even if we sell the property here in Town, we may not have enough to repair Pemberley’s roof, the fencing, and build the school. We would need to increase wages to keep enough individuals in Derbyshire to work on the estate, making it productive again. The competition from the factories for good workers is fierce.”
“Like Mr. Bingley?”
“Yes, his prosperity is just as dependent on skilled workers as our property would be. Taxes and the fluctuating markets will affect both Bingley and me. I always felt secure at Pemberley. Yet, now that I have stepped back and looked at the larger picture, I wonder whether the wisest course is trying to recover and restore Darcy House and Pemberley. Maybe a better approach would be to rebuild the properties into smaller units permanently.”
Her palm rested on his chest. “Your heart is galloping.”
“I am unsurprised. Your character, personality, finemind, tender heart, and lovely countenance made it easy for me to decide to marry you. The decision about our future is much more difficult since there are too many unknowns.”
She leaned on her elbow. “Might I share something that might give you clarity?”
“Certainly.”
“My first sight of Pemberley, when we stopped at the overlook, was breathtaking. Every stone in the building, every tree perfectly located, and every bend in the stream delighted me. They taught me about your character, for I finally understood the pride that made you Fitzwilliam Gerald Alexander Darcy, the man with whom I fell in love.” Her fingers toyed with the dark hairs on his chest. “All of it, the entire property is incredibly lovely. But do you know what part of Pemberley is my favorite?”
Darcy said, “You did not see the inside of the house. Had you visited each room or the gardens during the summer when they were in full bloom, I suspect that either the library or the fountain at the center where the roses grow would be your favorite.”
Her smile looked forlorn. “Whether I saw the inside, it does not matter. You see, my absolute, positive favorite part of Pemberley is you. Always you.”
“You do not know how much that means to me.”
“Fitzwilliam, I fell in love with you and married you when there was no longer hope you would ever be master of a grand estate. Now that it appears to be within your reach, you need to understand that I do not need tall buildings or elegant furnishings to make me happy. Should you choose to lease it all to a wealthy financier oranother gentleman of fortune and settle us at an estate like Ashworth, we would be happy.”
“We would, would we not? I will consider your suggestions seriously.”
She kissed the corner of his mouth. “My dear husband, before you decide you will rent a single room in the darkest corner of London proper where we would only have room for a small chair and a table, know that within a few months we will need a cradle along with our bed.”
“For Georgiana, of course.”
She kissed him again. “For us.”
40
Darcy’s heart felt like it would burst.Have I ever been this happy? Oh, lord!She had just traveled almost the length of England with his uncle over snow-covered hills and miserably rutted roads.
“Are you well?”
