“Georgiana will come out this winter, so I daresay we will often be in London. I imagine you and she will do a lot of shopping together; perhaps you may join Lady Allen in frequenting Sir Edward’s warehouses. We will invite theBingleys to join us in London, perhaps as guests so that he does not have to receive his relations at his house in Belgrave Square. Miss Morland and Miss Smith will be in town with Sir Edward to make merry, and Georgiana will be delighted by so many new friends. Bingley and I, and Sir Edward, shall not be so blinded by our newlywed bliss that we cannot be imposing protectors for the ladies. And you will no doubt rise to the challenge of teasing Richard relentlessly if he flirts with any of your sisters. It will become a great game between us.”
Elizabeth laughed at this picture of their future, and then he displayed his finished sketch for her. “You have made me far too beautiful.”
“Nature has done that.”
The sketch was breathtaking; Elizabeth had never felt so lovely. He had captured her likeness well, and all her proportions were perfect, as she lay reclined against the cushions, the low branches of the willow tree giving the impression of a gentle breeze behind her. Mr. Darcy leafed through his old sketches, and showed her his finest work. “This is Pemberley.”
She drew in a sharp breath and her eyes went so wide she thought they might fall out of her head. The manor was one of the largest she had ever seen, and the grounds were breathtaking. There was so much exquisite detail in the drawing, from the gently lapping waters of a large pond in front of the house, to the many columns and windows of the manor’s facade, to the distant, hazy mountains beyond. “It is magnificent. Am I really to be the mistress of such a place?”
“You shall be the mistress of Pemberley, and of Ashford Green, a little place I have in Sussex.” He revealed another sketch, this one featuring a small, rustic looking manor atop a seaside cliff.
“This is happy news, for I have promised Cathy a trip to the seaside,” she said, marveling at what it would mean to be Mrs. Darcy. The man she had thought herself so clever to despise, and whom she presumed felt the same disdain, wished to give her a life beyond her comprehension. Beyond her wildest dreams.A world of possibilities.
“I shall require a great deal more pondering than I can manage today,” she told him. “My life is soon to change entirely.”
“We can have a long engagement, if you wish time to acclimate yourself to the alterations in your family.”
“I donotwish it,” she said archly. “If there are to be changes, I should like to proceed directly.”
“Thank God,” he breathed.
The sun began to sink in the sky, and Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy were thinking of returning to their friends, when there was a loud outcry of many voices. Elizabeth groaned, fearing the worst.
“I… I think those are happy cries,” Mr. Darcy said cautiously.
“The royals? Or some rescue, anybody!” Elizabeth took his hand as Mr. Darcy helped her to her feet, and they hurried toward the sounds of the commotion. All of their companions were in the corridor, running toward them.
“Lizzy, they are here, they have come!” Cathy bounced toward Elizabeth and threw her arms around her.
“That is wonderful news, though we cannot let them in.”
“I was certain that perfumed ass had the key all along,” Lady Susan tutted. “I thought he must have pocketed it when he searched the captain’s body. I helped Mrs. Rushworth and Mr.Crawford search the rooms of all our prisoners this morning, and found nothing more interesting than some very lewd drawings of myself in Sir Walter’s bureau.”
“Aunt,” Emma cried, wrinkling her nose with disgust.
Mr. Tilney made a jovial face. “Well, now is our moment! We must get up to the battlements.” He held up one end of the banner they had made. A dozen paces away, Sir Edward held the other end. The paint had not yet dried, but the message was clear enough.
Locked in! Help!
Send blacksmith,
magistrate, boat
“We must get up to the battlements,” Cathy said, tugging Elizabeth along with her. The whole party went to the front of the castle and up the narrow stairs in the turret, until they reached the top. The battlements were wide, and they all went to the embrasures and looked out across the blue-green moat, waving at the royal party.
Elizabeth gaped with wonder at nearly a dozen fine carriages, several luggage carts, and an escort of several soldiers on horseback. Sir Edward and Mr. Tilney made short work of carefully lowering the banner over the side of the castle; they tied ropes at the corners, and then lashed the ropes through the arrow loops.
A plump woman with brown hair a few shades lighter than Elizabeth’s got out of the first carriage and began regally directing some of the servants and soldiers. A few men in red coats broke off from the convoy in all haste, presumably to seek the aid that was begged for.
“They are headed in the direction of Denbigh, that is a fine thing,” Mr. Tilney observed. “But it may be a couple hours yet.”
“Then we have time to prepare ourselves. I shall have a bath before I dress,” Lady Susan declared.
Elizabeth could not tear her eyes from the finely attired woman she presumed to be the princess. The woman continued commanding the servants, who retrieved a large rug and several trunks from one of the baggage carts. They began setting up for a picnic. “I suppose we better find some way to occupy ourselves,” she mused.
“I have asked the servants to make the great hall ready,” Mr. Tilney said. “I am going to have a look at their progress; we may require some additional help.”
Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy, and Cathy all offered up their services in putting the finishing touches on the great hall, which already looked a vast deal tidier than when last she had seen it. The cobwebs had been cleaned away, the rubbish removed, and the stained glass windows all shone in the sunlight. A pair of maids were sweeping the floor at either end of the room while two others dusted, and a few strong lads arranged the positioning of a dais at the end of the room, with a large arced table and a row of chairs facing into the large room.
