“Ahh, finally alone, Elizabeth,” he said, smiling down at her as he moved his free hand to cover her hand resting on his arm. She brought her other hand to cover his as well, entwining their fingers and smiled up at him.
“Yes, it has been hours since we walked in this same location this morning, William,” she grinned. “But I did want to ask you how you managed to convince both your sister and my aunt to order far more at the dressmaker’s than I ever would have considered necessary. We are not married yet, sir.” She fixed him with a hard glare, but it quickly became a smile as she looked at his sheepish expression.
“Georgiana spoke to me this morning after our walk. It was her idea to ensure you had clothing for a Derbyshire winter, and she wanted to purchase it for you as a gift,” he told her. “But I wanted to speak to you about this anyway; would you wish to winter in London, or would you prefer to return to Pemberley after we are married?”
“If I am to spend most of September in London, I will be eager to return to the country soon after we are wed,” Elizabeth said. “I know that we will return to Longbourn for the wedding, but I would prefer to avoid too much time in London.”
“I would like to return to London briefly after the wedding, Elizabeth. I, umm, I do not wish for you to have to spend our wedding night in an inn if it can be avoided. We could return to London for a fortnight and then return to Pemberley until Spring.”
Both coloured slightly as they discussed this, and Elizabeth nodded in agreement. “Whatever you deem best, William,” she spoke in an almost whisper, and her face was rosy.
He pressed his lips to her hair, not trusting himself to do or say more. “We should go back to the house, my love,” he said when he could finally speak.
They were quiet for a time as they walked back to the house. “When are you due to depart for Hertfordshire with your aunt and uncle?” he asked after several minutes.
“We had planned to stay for about ten days in Derbyshire. We arrived on Saturday and should leave Monday next. Three days or four days of travel would have us at Longbourn on that Wednesday or Thursday,” she told him.
“If I can manage it, I would like to travel with you and the Gardiners to Hertfordshire. With Georgiana travelling as well, you could perhaps ride with us part of each day, or I could ride with the Gardiners if they permit it. The longer you are here, the less I wish to be parted from you,” William breathed.
She smiled up at him. “I dread the idea of being separated from you, as well. I would like it if you could accompany us.”
He kissed her hand as they mounted the stairs into the house.
The days at Pemberley passed all too quickly for the couple. Most mornings, William and Elizabeth walked in the gardens before breakfast, discussing estate matters and the tenants, along with their plans for the future. After breakfast, time was spent in the larger group, taking shopping excursions into Lambton or practising Elizabeth’s new-found skill of riding on horseback. William spent most afternoons in his study, attending to his business and correspondence, while theGardiners visited friends, and Georgiana and Elizabeth laughed and talked as sisters. On several occasions, Elizabeth rode out to visit tenants with William and Georgiana and was introduced as the future mistress. She also joined him in the study for brief periods during the afternoon, and he acquainted her with details about the harvest. Quickly, they found a harmony as they worked together, and they made plans for the harvest celebration, as well as planning gifts for their tenants for Christmas.
On the Saturday before they were to leave, Elizabeth finally received a reply from Jane, and William received a letter from Mr. Bennet. Elizabeth was surprised by Jane’s letter, as it did not mention anything related to her engagement or wedding plans but did mention that Mr. Bingley had returned and had called on her several times. She had been surprised when Bingley mentioned he had met with Elizabeth at Pemberley.
Elizabeth went in search of William, carrying her letter. She found him in his study reading his letter, a strange look on his face. He looked up at her entry.
“Jane wrote but chastised me for not writing before and mentioned nothing of our engagement or my letter to her. Mr. Bingley is there but has not mentioned it, but of course, we told him not to discuss it. I had assumed Jane and he would discuss it since she was supposed to know about it. She relates that he has visited Longbourn a few times, but they have not had an opportunity to speak privately,” Elizabeth told him upon entering.
William grimaced. “Your father must have withheld your letters to her. I know you have written to her more than once since you have been here, not counting the letter the day after I proposed. I am afraid to inform you that he is not pleased withour engagement.” His hand pinched the bridge of his nose as though he were fighting a headache. “His letter to me,” he held it up, “expresses his unwillingness for our marriage to proceed. He refuses both his consent and his blessing and states that if you choose to marry me, you will not be permitted to do so from Longbourn. I know I made a poor impression in Hertfordshire, my dear, but I do not know what I have done to garner this abuse from him. From his letter, he is very angry with both me and your uncle.”
“May I read his letter?” she asked tentatively.
“I think it is better that you not, love. At least not without your uncle having read it first,” he replied. She made a face but nodded, willing to defer to her fiancé and uncle.
He rang a bell for a servant. Within moments, a footman appeared and was sent to bring Mr. Gardiner to the study. He arrived quickly and looked between the two, a letter in his own hand.
“I take it you heard from Mr. Bennet as well,” he stated. “Just you, Darcy, or did Lizzy also receive one?”
“Only I had that pleasure,” Darcy replied, his voice displaying his emotion. “Elizabeth received a letter from Jane, but it appears she has not received Elizabeth’s letters to her. Would Mr. Bennet have withheld it?”
“Not normally, but with so many letters arriving simultaneously, he may have kept it back until he read his. I do not know if he would have read her letter or merely kept it from her sister,” Gardiner stated. “I do not understand his level of vitriol directed toward you in general and myself for permitting Elizabeth to be in your company. May I read what he sent to you?”
He handed it over to the man, and they exchanged their letters. “Elizabeth asked to read it, but I asked her to let me consult you first. I would prefer she did not.”
The two men read the letters while Elizabeth watched their faces. Both grew angry as they read, but she detected that William’s face held a touch of sadness as well.
When they looked up, William looked at Elizabeth, his eyes sorrowful.
“I am sorry, Elizabeth,” he said, looking at the face of the woman he loved so dearly.
“Is it so horrible?” she asked.
Her uncle answered. “I would not like you to read all of what he says, but suffice it to say, he is unhappy about your engagement to ‘the villainous rake’. He is angry at me for permitting it and for even bringing you here in the first place. He is quite harsh in his criticism of Darcy, although I cannot imagine what would have brought such a reaction. You have told us, sir, that you appeared taciturn and haughty in Hertfordshire but nothing of what he is accusing you. I would have expected a certain measure of reluctance on his part, given that he had always favoured you, Lizzy, but for him to spew such hateful words is shocking.”
“Do I have any chance of changing his mind, do you think?” she asked.
