Mr. Darcy could never regret the day he had first laid met those exquisite eyes. Never not in a million years. But some days, he could do nothing but throw his arms up in exasperation.
(-Pride and Prejudice-)
"You ask him." Bennet whispered with a nudge.
He received a sharp elbow back in return from his sister.
"Don't tell me what to do Ben," Anne said with a sniff. "I'm older."
"We're twins. We're the same age." Bennet said with offense evident in his voice.
"make Alice do it." Anne ordered.
Bennet opened the door and they both propelled their sister forward. Anne was dragging the youngest Darcy, Philip by the hand.
"Daddy." Alice said in her clear sweet voice.
Their fathers dark head rose from the paper he had been reading.
"Children." he said eyes them all in turn. "Are you not supposed to be at lessons?"
"The tutor and nurse let us out early." Bennet said.
"Did they now?" Their father asked his eyebrows raising.
"Yes." Alice answered sweetly before walking behind her fathers desk and climbing into his lap.
"It's such a beautiful day. Might you take us for a walk?"
"Please papa." Came the echo from his other three children.
Darcy opened his mouth intent on saying no as he looked into the face of his daughter. His wife's beautiful and expressive eyes stared back, full of longing and hope, that he found himself agreeing before his mind had caught on.
So Mr. Darcy found himself wondering through the gardens of Pemberley holding both his daughter's hands. He blamed it on the eyes.
He also blamed the pleading eyes the event about to unfold.
(-Mrs. Reynolds-)
Mrs. Reynolds was proud of Pemberley. She loved giving tours and talking of it's history. She was proud to work with such an outstanding master.
Today was no exception as she guided a Lord and Lady Hunt through the gardens.
"…..Believe that I had the honor of making his acquaintance once before." Lord Hunt was saying as they walked. "He seemed an upright and proper man. Civil and educated. Quite the paramount man indeed." he told Mrs. Reynolds.
"Indeed. Mr. Darcy is the best of master. Refined and dignified And caring." She said with the quiet pride of someone who had watched the boy grow and mature to the fine man he had become.
As the entered her personal favorite part of the garden the sight that met her was enough to make her jaw drop.
(-Elizabeth-)
"So this is where you got to." Elizabeth said as she entered the garden followed by a harried looking nursemaid and an irate tutor.
She then took a few moments to take in the scene around her. Nobody moved in that small garden. Mrs. Reynolds stood with two unfamiliar persons. Surprise showed on all three faces.
It was her family however that had Elizabeth sighing.
There in the grass, lay her husband grass stains covering his clothes, his hair a mess and piled with her children. They had obviously been wrestling with him, and just as obviously winning.
Her children tried to look innocent from their positions while her husband looked up at her in contriteness. The scene was just to much for her as she let out a laugh.
"Proper indeed." Mrs. Reynolds said, very quietly with a sigh as she looked at her master.
"May I introduce you to the Master and Mistress of Pemberly. Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy. And the little Darcy's, Mr. Bennet Darcy is the one there pulling his fathers hair, Miss Anne Darcy is there on her fathers stomach, Miss Alice Darcy is there by her fathers foot and last but not least is Mr. Phillip Darcy is sitting there on the grass by his fathers arm." Mrs. Reynolds introduced without a single look of dismay at the tangle of limbs that was one of the most revered families in the area, known for being proper and well behaved.
"Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, may I have the pleasure of introducing Lord and Lady Hunt of _-Shire"
"It's a pleasure." Elizabeth said with a graceful curtsey. "And might I add, welcome to Pemberley." She sent a look at her family that had them all standing properly in a flash. The two girls curtsied while the Bennet bowed and Philip smiled warmly.
"The country is wonderful." Lord Hunt said with a warm smile.
"And the ground are exquisite. I believe I have never seen the match." Lady Hunt said with another smile.
"My thanks." Elizabeth said. She absently picked up her youngest son as he tugged at her skirt.
"If it's not impolite ma'am, might I add that your family is a delight." Lady Hunt said with another warm smile.
Elizabeth decided she liked this kind couple and smiled back.
"They are tolerable I suppose." She said with a look full of affection to her rumpled husband.
"How long are you in the country for, might I ask?" Darcy added.
"A few days at least. Lady Hunt and I are taking the leisure to travel slowly and explore a bit." Lord Hunt replied.
"Lord and Lady Hunt, it would be an honor if you could join us at Pemberley for dinner at your convenience. Hopefully then my family might more resemble civilized people instead of a circus." Elizabeth gently teased her husband with a grin and fiery eyes.
"It would be a pleasure, say tomorrow night?" Lord Hunt said.
"Very well we shall expect you tomorrow." Darcy said.
(-Elizabeth and her Darcy-)
Once they had said goodbye to Lord and Lady Hunt, for Mrs. Reynolds to finish their tour, and sent the children back to lessons, and where alone in the library, Elizabeth turned to her husband, crossed her arms and arched on perfect brow. Her eyes so similar to those that had got him in this situation in the first place.
"When Mr. Miller and Miss Hardwick came to me to tell me of runaway children I did not intent to find them mauling their father in front of such civilized guests." She said her voice neutral
Darcy felt like an errant boy explaining his misdeeds to a tutor.
Mr. Darcy laughed, his laugh full of joy and warmth.
"it was the eyes my dear. I have never been able to deny anything to those eyes." he said as he pulled his wife closer to him.
Her look was so tender and full of love it melted his knees.
"I love you Fitzwilliam."
"As I love you, my dearest Lizzy."
"Proper indeed." Lizzy said with a chuckle her dark eyes dancing.
"The properest." Darcy said, leaning down towards his wife with an unrepentant grin, before no more words were said.
(-Conclusion-)
The Darcy family did indeed appear more civilized the next night at dinner. Though Lord Hunt remarked, "The first impression was surely fine indeed. It showed you to be a kind and loving father. Nothing can be said of a greater man."
The Hunts and the Darcy's became great friends despite the 'incident' in the garden as it was referred to for many years to come as the two families gathered for holidays.
For truly both men were the greatest of men and the best of fathers, which is to say, it was not uncommon for either of them to be found laughing and playing with their children as they grew into fine, refined and proper adults.
A/N Sorry if parts of this might have seemed OOC to you. This idea kept running around in my head until i gave in and typed this. Just for those who might be curious i'm going with Bennet and Anne, the twins are between seven and eight. Alice is somewhere around five and Philip is just about to turn two. I hope you enjoyed.
Wolfgirl