Page 83 of The Widower of Pemberley

“You have been a good friend to my Lizzy, and I am satisfied to see you so well settled. Should I die before your nuptials, consider Longbourn as a wedding present.”

Mrs. Bennet exclaimed, “Do not joke about it!”

“One must laugh whilst one can,” Mr. Bennet replied.

Elizabeth tried to be amused.

There was a little voice in her head begging God:Do not let Papa die. Do not let him ever die.

The rest of the morning passed so quickly. She went up to her room and helped Sarah pack her belongings into her trunk, deciding which gowns would simply be given away. She gave gifts to the servants and accepted them from her mother. Emily ran about and sobbed several times before falling asleep half an hour before noon, surprising everyone since the girl seldom napped at all.

And suddenly the time came to leave.

Mr. Bingley arrived with the carriages, the trunks were packed, Elizabeth hugged her mother, her father, Jane, Mary, Kitty, Lydia, and Charlotte.

She cried.

Then she went outside in her travelling gown, Mr. Darcy helped her into the carriage, climbed in after her, and they set off into the future.

Chapter Nineteen

Darcy sensed as he watched Elizabeth tearfully part with her family that he had hurried her too much.

The way that she embraced her father, and the anxiety in her eyes, made him wonder whether he ought to ask whether she would like to remain at Longbourn until his recovery had progressed further.

Yet, he had a duty to Pemberley—the family should be present for the great Christmas dinner they held to celebrate the tenants, he needed to go over matters of business and accounts for the end of the year, and he had been too generally absent since Mary died.

Darcy wanted to be elsewhere.

Wickham had been in Hertfordshire, and Darcy did not like places that Wickham had been recently.

If Elizabeth had wished to remain longer, surely she would have asked him, would she not?

Mary had never been backwards in making requests.

Elizabeth was not like Mary.

There were hugs, tears, and laughter as Elizabeth said her farewells to each of her sisters. Then she returned to her father and embraced him again as she cried. “I shall miss you. I shall miss you. Promise to be well.”

“I shall do my best, and that is all I can promise. Nothing but porridge and other approved aliments for me.” Mr. Bennet kissed her cheek and said, “Off, dear girl, and be happy.”

Elizabeth embraced her eldest sister once more, then her mother, before coming out of the house into the bright daylight.

Emily demanded that Elizabeth pick her up, so laughingly she did so.

The little girl wound her arms tightly around Elizabeth’s neck, and Georgiana said, “You need not fret, for we are keeping Lizzy.”

They were able to set off directly on the road leading towards the turnpike.

The group in the wide, comfortable travelling coach was cheerful, and Darcy felt himself at liberty to be mostly quiet as he admired Elizabeth’s features.

She was his wife.

He felt a sense of calmness, relaxation, and satisfaction at seeing the way that Elizabeth managed Emily and talked easily with Georgiana.

They reached the post station, and Darcy helped Elizabeth down, while Emily ran off. Georgiana chased after her, and Rose descended from the following carriage that carried the servants and the extra baggage to also chase her charge.

Darcy offered Elizabeth his arm. She had a quiet manner to her.