Page 143 of Twice Chosen

Perhaps love repeated itself in smaller ways even when lives did not.

As the children grew, Darcy and Elizabeth debated whether they should ever tell anyone the truth. The question returned every few years and never produced the same answer.

When Clara was twenty and preparing to marry, Elizabeth wanted to tell her.

Darcy did not.

"Why?" Elizabeth asked one night after Clara had gone to bed.

"Because what would she do with it?"

"Know us."

"She knows us."

"Not all of us."

Darcy looked at his wife for a long time. "No child knows all of a parent."

Elizabeth sighed. "You have become insufferably sensible in old age."

"Marriage improved me."

She threw a cushion.

They decided against telling Clara.

Years later Matthew almost discovered the truth by accident. He found one of Darcy's old notebooks containing references to events before they happened. Darcy had recorded only fragments during the first year--dates, names, questions--and forgotten the notebook existed.

Matthew brought it to him. "Father, why did you write 'Wickham--Forster--before Brighton' years before Aunt Lydia ever went there?"

Darcy looked at the page.

Then at his son.

Elizabeth, across the room, stopped breathing.

Darcy said, "Because I was concerned about Wickham before Brighton."

Matthew frowned. "And 'Bingley--do not interfere'?"

Darcy closed his eyes.

Elizabeth turned away to hide a smile.

"A reminder to myself," Darcy said.

Matthew looked suspicious. "You needed to remind yourself not to interfere with Uncle Charles?"

From the doorway Bingley, now silver-haired, said, "Constantly."

Everyone turned.

Bingley grinned. "Your father considered my life a public works project when we were young."

Darcy glared.

Matthew laughed and returned the notebook.