“You are a sight, Mr. Darcy,” she whispered with a playful smile.
“Whose fault is that, Mrs. Darcy?” he shot back, his grin returning as he leant in for one more stolen kiss before whoever stood behind the door forced him back to propriety.
Darcy rolled his eyes when a servant responded to his brusque enquiry. “Mrs. Reynolds sent me with a tray of tea, thinking that you and Mrs. Darcy might wish for it,” a voice called through the door.
Standing, Darcy straightened his own clothes with a wry look at his wife and moved to open the door. “Thank you,” he replied. “Please set it on the table in front of Mrs. Darcy. Where are my sister and my cousin?”
“Miss Darcy is in the family sitting room with her companion, sir, and Colonel Fitzwilliam is in the game room,” the maid replied. “Miss Darcy enquired if you wished to join her.”
Darcy exchanged a glance with Elizabeth, a smile tugging at his lips. He had missed his sister during his weeks away from her, but the thought of spending time alone with his wife filled him with anticipation.
“Has she already had her tea?” he asked, his brow slightly furrowing with concern.
“She has not,” came the maid’s reply.
“Please ask her to join us here,” he instructed. “The Colonel as well. Have someone bring more cups.” He glanced at the modest spread on the tray intended only for two, then added, “Bring more cakes and biscuits. There will not be enough if Richard intends to join us since he can eat enough for an army.”
The maid nodded and slipped away, leaving the door ajar. Turning to Elizabeth, he encouraged, “Open your other letter while we wait, so you do not have to occupy yourself with them later.”
As Elizabeth complied, a soft giggle escaped her, a sound so rare it startled her. It was a sound reminiscent of her youth, and in that moment, her heart felt light. Being here with Darcy again brought forth a side of her that had lain dormant for years, and she relished in the warmth of their shared joy.
She opened the outer envelope and found several folded letters nestled within. “It is as you suspected,” she said to her husband, examining the addresses of each. “One is from Jane, another from Mary, and a third from Mama. I am not surprised that neither Kitty nor Lydia bothered to write although I would notbe shocked to find their messages in all three letters.” Bending her head, she unfolded the letter from Jane and began to read.
“Jane sends her congratulations. If we journey to London any time soon, she requests to join us there. It seems to me she desires to get away from Longbourn although she does not explain why. Perhaps Mary’s or Mama’s letters will reveal more, because Jane is reserved and rarely speaks her mind,” Elizabeth told him. She moved from Jane’s letter to the other two and, after a moment of indecision, picked up the one from her mother.
Georgiana arrived just as Elizabeth was raising her head. Darcy was a little concerned by the tears apparent in her eyes and did not hesitate to ask his wife what was troubling her. “Elizabeth, what is wrong?”
Seeing her new sister in tears caused Georgiana to rush over to her and sit on her side unoccupied by Darcy. “I am well,” she reassured them both, “merely surprised. Mama congratulates us on our marriage, and while she wishes we had not needed to elope, she is thrilled that I am wed. Of course, there is a mention of your income and a request to host all my sisters in town, not that I would have expected any less from her. However, she reports that she and my sisters are upset with my father for his actions that led to us being kept apart. She can offer no explanation for my father’s behaviour since he has locked himself in his study and refuses to speak to anyone, but she desires us to know that we are welcome to visit Longbourn whenever we wish. As thrilled as I am to be married to you, one of my regrets in eloping was that it might have meant I could never see my family again. But that will not be so, and I am delighted that at least Mama will still allow me to return home.”
Darcy wrapped one arm around her and drew her into his side. “I am so happy that your family is accepting of our decision. While Georgiana and Richard are pleased for us, I am certain my aunts and uncle will protest. That reminds me, I need to send a notice to the London papers of our marriage, and with this business about my solicitors, we will have to travel to London sooner than I had hoped. While I would like to think that we can slip in and out of town unnoticed, I doubt it will be possible.”
“When will you need to go?” asked Georgiana.
He shifted his gaze to his sister. “I sincerely hope you will want to travel with us. There are several reasons I do not wish for you to be without me right now, but I also simply want you to join us. If I can arrange matters as I intend, we will not need to go to London until the end of the month and will stay no longer than a fortnight. Elizabeth, the dressmaker here in Lambton can assist you in acquiring a suitable wardrobe for Pemberley, but you will need to visit amodistein town once we arrive. Georgiana, do you think it would be possible to send Elizabeth’s measurements ahead? Perhaps yourmodistecould prepare a few things for her before we arrive.”
Both Elizabeth and Georgiana agreed, making plans for a trip into Lambton in a few days while Elizabeth served everyone tea. A few minutes later, Fitzwilliam joined them, and they began sharing stories about their childhoods, recalling family traditions and amusing mishaps from past celebrations.
“Do you remember that winter when we went skating on the frozen pond?” Darcy asked, a smile on his face.
Georgiana giggled. “How could I forget? Richard fell more times than I could count!”
Fitzwilliam chuckled, shrugging nonchalantly. “I was merely testing the ice, Georgiana.”
Laughter rang in the room until it was time to separate to dress for dinner.
Chapter Fifteen
Afew days later, Colonel Fitzwilliam departed to rejoin his regiment, but not before dispatching letters to several former soldiers, offering them positions as guards for Elizabeth and Georgiana.
On the day of the colonel's departure, all three Darcys made a trip into Lambton. The outing served a dual purpose. Elizabeth had the opportunity to meet many of the town's residents, quickly winning them over with her warmth and kindness, while also visiting the dressmaker to acquire the necessities she had left behind at Longbourn.
Strolling through Lambton, Darcy pointed out a few shops he frequented, the small church on the edge of town, and the village green where locals gathered. Georgiana remained close to Elizabeth, speaking with pride about the villagers she had known since childhood.
The dressmaker's shop, tucked between the bakery and the general store, was charming, with wide windows displaying various fabrics. Inside, Mrs. Simmons, the dressmaker, warmly greeted Elizabeth and promptly began measuring her and showing her fabrics suitable for both daywear and evening gowns. Darcy remained nearby, offering his thoughts sparingly while Georgiana eagerly gave her opinions on the various choices.
Once the fitting was completed—and far more dresses ordered than Elizabeth felt entirely comfortable with—the trio visited afew more shops to procure other small necessities for Elizabeth, including gloves, ribbons, and a bonnet, before stopping for tea at the local inn. While there, Darcy engaged in easy conversation with the innkeeper and with the villagers who stopped by the greet him.
Elizabeth observed her husband with pride, noting how frequently a pleased smile graced his face whenever he spoke of their recent marriage. She thought back to when they first met, recalling the uncertainty that had once accompanied the role thrust upon him too soon. Now, he carried himself with assured confidence, fully embodying the master of Pemberley. The sight stirred a rush of love—and perhaps something deeper—within her.
