Ok so this is going to be a one shot or maybe a two shot (depending on the outcome), of our favourite couple getting to know each other's past. Hope you all enjoy!
Xoxo Aria
Chapter 1
It was a cold winter morning at Pemberly, and as this was Elizabeth's first winter in Derbyshire she was not expecting such cold weather, as Hertfordshire's winter was warmer. She was not used to the cold of the north and found it a struggle to get out of bed for her usual walk around the grounds. Ever since childhood Lizzy had always been an early riser, much to her husbands frustration, as he would awaken to no one beside him. He would always try and rise before Lizzy to see her form in deep slumber so he could kiss her awake, however to much of Darcy's disappointment this occurred rarely. Not a moment from their wedding night had the couple slept without each others presence, and both of them were very agreeable to the sleeping arrangements.
When Darcy woke up that morning he was surprised to see his sleeping wife tucked into his chest, with her leg hitched on his hip under the coverlet. He smiled to his his wife of three months curled up against him, and decided to play with her unbounded long chestnut hair and admire her beautiful, peaceful features. He started with her creamy complexion, to her dark long eyelashes that would make more than half of the ton envious. Then he moved on to her rosy lips that were parted temptingly from sleep. She was magnificent, his very own personal angel. She was his definition of beauty and perfection.
He started trailing kisses on her forehead, down her nose, reaching her lips as his target. She started stirring and moaned as she slowly escaped sleep, she suddenly opened those eyes that bewitched Darcy and made his heart quicken everytime. They were green eyes that sometimes changed to grey, and if you looked closely into them you would see specks of gold. She started smiling at him, until a cold wind got her wonderful eyes to open wide, as she snuggled closer to her husband. He wrapped his arms around her, protecting her from the cold as she pressed her body against his.
"Mmmhhhh Fitzwilliam" Lizzy groaned speaking to his chest
"Good morning Elizabeth, I see you have refrained from taking your usual walk" Darcy said with a wide smile, resting his chin on Lizzy's head
"It is much too cold for such activities" Lizzy mumbled, as Fitzwilliam rubbed his hands in quick motions on her arms to keep her warm.
"My love it is not frightfully cold" Darcy said with a smirk
"Speak for yourself, I am from the south, I'm not accustomed to weather such as this" Lizzy spoke wide awake
"It is Derbyshire, surely you must have known how cold the winters become"
"If I had known it to be as bad as this I would not have married you" Lizzy said looking up from Darcy's chest and moving to sit upright against the headboard, like her husband.
"You tease" Darcy stated moving his arms to wrap protectively around her waist
"Do I?" Lizzy said raising one perfect eyebrow, testing Darcy's self control
"Christmas is nearing, only a fortnight remaining, would you like to invite your family?"
"It is to be our first Christmas together, I almost forgot. I love the idea of spending Christmas with you Fitzwilliam, however I do miss my family, even though they might be a bit too overwhelming at times. But Bennet family Christmas was one of my fondest family events." Lizzy said resting her head on her husbands shoulder
"And may I ask what exactly the Bennet's did on Christmas." Darcy asked interested to gain knowledge on his wife's family Christmas tradition, which seemed to be more exciting than his own
"Well it's been the same every year since I was born. On Christmas Eve as a family we would all it sit on the ground next to the fire, as we took turns reading the nativity story. Then our housekeeper Hill would bring us all hot chocolates, and as sisters, we would all bring our pillows and coverlets together, and manage to stay awake until midnight. And after midnight we would all jump around and wish each other a Merry Christmas, then we would all retire next to each other until morning. Lydia and Kitty would start throwing pillows at us and beg us to wake up in order to open the presents, and mama would come down and complain about the noise and how it affects her 'poor nerves'. We would all go to church and pay a visit to the Lucas's, then we would have this big Christmas dinner that was always filled with such excitement and energy. After that we would have our hot chocolates as we all went outside as a family with this large coverlet that we shared, and just look up at the stars." Lizzy said looking into the distance, as memories flooded back to her.
"How warm that sounds, I would of dearly wished to have a Bennet Christmas for Georgina and I" Darcy responded gazing adoringly as his wife spoke of her Christmas memories
"And what did the Darcy's do on Christmas?" Elizabeth asked her husband
"Well on Christmas morning we would arise and break our fast as normal, however Mrs Reynolds would make heavenly Christmas pudding. And then Georgina and I would exchange gifts and go to church."
"Is it all?" Elizabeth asked with knitted eyebrows
"I'm afraid so my love" said Darcy as he kiss out the crease of her eyebrow
"Well this year we shall make a new tradition, and trust me it shall be the best Christmas any of us should have" Elizabeth said enthusiastically, much to her husband delight and admiration
"I am sure you are right, and I absolutely can not wait, my lovely Elizabeth" Darcy said nuzzling her neck
"Shall we not break our fast in bed" Elizabeth suggested
"A very brilliant idea, I shall ring for a maid" Darcy said whilst doing so. After a few minutes a young maid shyly entered and presented the master and mistress and small curtsy.
"Hello miss can you please send our meal for the morning upstairs Mrs Darcy and I would like to break out fast in our beds" Mr Darcy addressed the maid in a superior tone, as the maid turned around and quickly left the room.
"You might be a very good master Fitzwilliam, but I'm afraid you intimidated that poor girl, I think she now fears you"
"Well it is not the first time someone has been intimidated of me, is not that right my lovely wife" Mr Darcy said mischievously to his wife.
"You should be very careful husband, for it is not the first time I have hit a man, and I am not in the least cautious to do so" Elizabeth said with a devilish glint in her expressive eyes
"Since when have you hit a man, I am very intrigued to see how and why my beautiful wife would strike someone" Darcy asked interested to know what his wife had done before marriage
"Well when I was about 15, a man named John Trainley went around mocking my sister Mary on her appearance and the glasses she wore to improve her sight. So one morning in the busy streets of Meryton, I was with my sisters and John was laughing with his friends when he spotted Mary. Looking at Mary's crestfallen face, I walked up to him in full rage and hit him in the nose with my fist. My hand was fractured, however it was worth it after seeing his bloodied nose. After that occurrence anytime he would spot me he would set off in the opposite direction and he never said another word about my family again." Elizabeth said proudly, as her husband looked on with amazement
"Did you really use your fist, dearest?" Darcy asked with his eyebrows raised slightly
"Why of course I did, it affected him greater than a regular strike on the cheek could." Elizabeth responded casually
"Why do I get the feeling that these sort of occurrences happened more than once" Darcy said in wonder
"Well with my Tom boy nature I would get myself in much mischief. So I might of partaken in activities that were not very ladylike, much to my mothers vexation" Lizzy said with a small smile
"And may I ask what were those activities?" Darcy asked curiously
"I play billiards better than most men, I have been taught how to shoot with a pistol, and I can climb trees better than anyone, I imagine"
"You play Billiards, pray why have you not told me sooner, we could of played a friendly match" said Darcy surprised
"Well now that you know, I suppose we should, and may the best person win, however I already know it shall be me" Elizabeth said confidently as her husband laughed
"I am not in jest Fitzwilliam, once you see me play, it will make that attractive smirk of yours vanish" said Elizabeth stroking her husbands jaw.
"Don't think I have not forgotten you knowing how to use a pistol, is their anything else of that sort that I should know" Darcy asked still in awe of his wife's abilities.
"Well I also know how to fence. You see ever since I was young I was extremely close to Charlotte's brothers Edward and William. And I expressed a wish on knowing how to fire and pistol and fence, and from then on they taught me for years in the woods. I remember we would challenge each other in duels and set targets to shoot at."
"And you mother knew of your knowledge of firing pistols" Darcy said doubtfully
"Lord no, if I ever told her she would have my head. However my father knew"
"You know Elizabeth it worries me how most of these story's have men included in them. I wonder is their anything I should know, for this morning has beheld many surprises" Darcy said worried as to what he might hear
"Oh and I feel as though I should be asking you the same question" said Elizabeth as she inched herself towards her husband until they were face to face.
"For me their has been no ladies but yourself" Darcy said honestly
"Even in your Cambridge days?" Elizabeth asked raising one perfect eyebrow
"And how would you know what men do in their Cambridge days?" Darcy asked bemused
"You men can not fool us women, and also the Lucas brothers told me" Lizzy said as the maid knocked on the door before entering the room with a tray filled with a large amount of food, and placing it on the bed before curtsying and quickly leaving the room.
When Elizabeth and Darcy finished breaking their fast, they decided that they could not neglect their duties any longer. So they unwillingly got out of bed and helped one another dress.
When it was time for afternoon tea, Darcy put away his letters to his solicitor and met his wife in the sitting room where she was planning her first Christmas at Pemberley.
"Good afternoon my love, how has your day been thus far?" Darcy said approaching his wife and giving her a quick kiss before looking out the window anxiously
"Nothing much just a little planing, what about you Fitzwilliam?" Lizzy responded not missing Darcy's anxious glance outside the window
"Just some estate work, I've got much to do with my solicitor, steward and the ledgers for the estate"
"Well if you want I can help you with the ledgers, I have done Longbourn's since I was 16" Lizzy responded as Darcy looked impressed
"Did you? Well this is a day of surprises, and if that is agreeable to you I shall give you ledgers" Darcy said stealing another glance out the window
"I would like that, I haven't done it since we got married. Can I ask you something Fitzwilliam?" Elizabeth asked as she saw her husband taking another look out the window
"Anything my love" Darcy said warmly
"Why is it that you have been stealing many looks out that window?"
"That, my beautiful, lovely wife is a surprise that you will soon find out" Darcy smiled as Elizabeth huffed in annoyance. She started pouring the tea for both of them, as they talked of estate management, then Georgina's letters she sent to Lizzy from her trip to Matlock, and finally on the topic of books. They drank their tea until Darcy reached for the biscuit that was Lizzy's favourite and she was saving until after her tea. He looked up after finishing the biscuit and saw his wife's mouth hanging open and her face in shock.
"What is it my dear? Do you feel ill? Are you alright you look dreadfully pale" Darcy asked concerned and stood up from his seat to kneel in front of his wife
"I am not ill I am fine" Lizzy said not wanting her husband thinking ill of her about her fuss over a biscuit.
Suddenly both of them heard a carriage entering the gates of Pemberley
"Finally" Darcy whispered under his breath
"Are we expecting someone" Lizzy asked as Darcy stood up from his kneeling position
"Yes we are, so come my love, this is the surprise I want you to see" Darcy said taking Lizzy's hand and leading her outside.
When the carriage made a stop the doors opened to present Kitty and Mary. They both exited the carriage and rushed up to their older sister
"Lizzy!" They both exclaimed embracing their sister
"Kitty, Mary, I don't understand how are you here right now" Lizzy said with a large surprised smile, giving each of them a warm hug
"Well Mr Darcy sent papa a letter inviting us all to come to Pemberly for Christmas, and you know how papa despises travelling. So he let Mary and I come early and papa, mama, Jane and Mr Bingley come a little later" Kitty explained enthusiastically
"Oh how glad I am you came, I missed the both of you terribly" Lizzy said happily
"We missed you too Lizzy, the house has been awfully dull these days. All you hear is mama complaining about her poor nerves" Kitty said putting a hand to her head as an imitation of her mother
"I am not surprised about that in the least" Lizzy responded
"Thank you for inviting us Mr Darcy, your house is lovely" Mary said shyly, as Mr Darcy intimidated her
"It was my pleasure. Do you know that today I am finding a lot of information about your sister and I believe this will be the perfect opportunity to discover more." Mr Darcy said mischievously
"Oh you wouldn't dare uncover secrets from my poor innocent sisters" Lizzy faced Darcy with a wide smile
"Wouldn't I, my love so far I have found your life so fascinating that I find your sisters to be the best source of information"
"Alright I shall wait till Colonel Fitzwilliam makes a visit to Pemberley for your embarrassing stories." Lizzy said nonchalantly
"Well both of you should be extremely tired after that long trip, I shall summon a servant to escort you to your chambers" Darcy said warmly to Kitty and Mary, which surprised the two sisters as they had only witnessed the proud and cold Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley.
When the maid escorted Kitty and Mary to their chambers Lizzy turned on Darcy
"You know they are awfully slow when refreshing themselves, I feel as though we have twenty minutes before they come back down, and as this morning was very cold..." Lizzy said suggestively
"Elizabeth are you suggesting to me what I think your suggesting?" Darcy asked with a small smile
"That is if you think I'm suggesting something that usually takes place in a bedroom, however the study is currently not in use" Lizzy said with a dangerous smirk as Darcy took her hand, rushed into the library with haste, locked the door and pleasured his wife on the desk in his study.
Kitty and Mary both descended the grand stairs of Pemberley, in search of their sister and her husband. From this being the first time both have visited Pemberley, they were in awe of the grand decor and the size of the magnificent estate. They had trouble navigating where the rooms where until a elderly woman with a kind smile approached them.
"Hello you must be the Miss Bennet's, I'm Mrs Reynolds the house keeper. I saw Mr and Mrs Darcy last in the study I shall escort you if you wish"
"Yes thank you" Mary said as they followed Mrs Reynolds to the direction of the study.
Mrs Reynolds tried opening the door to find that it was locked, on the other side of the door Lizzy was on Darcy's lap straddling him. They broke their kiss in panic and Lizzy tried to remove herself off Darcy's lap, however her legs became stuck on the handles of the chair and she started to fall. Their was a knock heard at the door, and after struggling Lizzy's knees bent to slide out of the handles and Darcy caught her just before she fell. Darcy stood up with Lizzy in his arms and placed her on the ground so they could quickly become presentable.
"Mr Darcy, Mrs Darcy are you in their, the Miss Bennet's are with me" Mrs Reynolds called, as Mary and Kitty waited patiently behind her.
"We just have a few quick tasks we need to compete. If you would please escort my sisters to the sitting room, we shall join them shortly" Elizabeth said straighten her skirts and fixing her hair
"I shall escort them right away" Mrs Reynolds said with a small smile as she knew what was delaying the master and mistress. Ever since the master married the mistress, Pemberley has been filled with more joy than ever before. The servants, including herself, sometimes observed more intimate moments between the two lovers. they had never observed the master to have ever been this happy, and that warmed Mrs Reynolds heart.
"Ok do I look presentable?" Lizzy asked Darcy as she fixed her hair
"Yes you do, as always" Darcy responded, stealing a kiss
"Ok I believe we are ready to greet my sisters" Lizzy said as she straighten Darcy's cravat
"Our sisters" Darcy reminded her, as he followed her out the door and into the sitting room.
When Kitty and Mary saw Darcy and Lizzy enter the sitting room, they observed that both were flushed and exchanged humorous smiles.
"Lizzy do you know I just remembered who Mr Darcy reminded me of, don't you remember Mr Coats, he was the person who leased Netherfield years before Mr Bingley" Kitty said, as Lizzy had a shocked expression on her face, as only Jane and Charlotte knew of the understanding between Mr Coats and Lizzy when she was 17.
"Oh yes I remember him a bit, but I see little resemblance besides both of them being very tall" Lizzy responded nervously, as Darcy looked at her curiously
"Oh really now Lizzy, you remember him only a bit" Mary said with a pointed glance at Lizzy
"Wait what, you knew?" Lizzy asked Mary, confused, and momentarily forgot her husband was present in the room
"Yes I knew, me and his younger brother saw when we were at Netherfield" Mary said referring to the time where Lizzy experienced her first kiss, with Mr Coats when she visited Netherfield with her sisters
"Wait what's happening?" Kitty asked confused, as Darcy listened interested as to what happened with Mr Coats
"Nothing Kitty" Lizzy said sternly
"Wait Lizzy you should of remembered Mr Coats, I remembered the two of you being extremely close. Both of you would talk and dance in every public event" Kitty said stupidly which made both Lizzy and Mary to burry their heads in their hands.
"Ok thank you Kitty" Lizzy said trying to end the conversation to no success
"And his aunt I remember despised you" Kitty laughed
"She really did" Mary agreed
"She used to call me 'the lizard', she said it was because I was apparently cold-blooded and had unblinking eyes" said Lizzy a she remembered the memory
"My wife cold-blooded, impossible" Darcy said surprised of the audacity of the aunt which reminded him so much of his own dear Aunt Catherine.
"Do you know that Mr Coats has recently become engaged, I found out that piece of information from Maria, who is still in contact with his cousin Fanny" Kitty said as Lizzy looked neutral
"And pray who is he betrothed to?" Lizzy asked curiously
"Some acquaintance in London apparently" Kitty shrugged
"Lets move on to another topic of conversation" Lizzy suggested
"I have one, I am very interested to know about your sisters past. I have discovered this morning some very surprising memories that have intrigued me" Darcy said addressing Kitty and Mary
"This shall be amusing" Mary said as Kitty looked devilishly at Elizabeth
"I have many stories, from when Elizabeth fell out of a tree and broke both wrists to when she threw her glass of punch on another man" Kitty said humorously
"I remember that, it was so long ago, however my current memories have been mostly with Mr Collins" Elizabeth said with a small smile
"Oh that odious man, he was absolute torture" Kitty responded
"Oh you have little to complain about, I was the one who was forced to go everywhere with him." Lizzy exclaimed
"Did not you escape his company by sprinting into the wood" Mary asked
"Of course, their was no other choice. And then he would try to run after me for 30 second, then he got fatigued and gave up" Lizzy said laughing
"Oh Mr Collins, what a character" Kitty said thinking of the moments shared with Mr Collins
"Lizzy after you mentioned your habit of walking and sprinting in the woods, I suddenly remembered the dog you owned, what was his name again?"
"His name was Charlie" Lizzy said thinking about the fond memories shared with that dog
"You owned a dog?" Darcy asked surprised
"Yes he was this magnificent dalmatian that my father gave to me when I was 7, he was my companion and passed away two years ago, just before you came to Netherfield" Lizzy said with her head bowed down
"I remember that, we even gave him a proper funeral service" Mary said
"To a more cheerful topic, Lydia is to give birth in five months, and we shall all be aunts" Kitty said enthusiastically
"Yes I heard about that" Lizzy said quietly
"Well I knew you would, I remember you and Lydia being extremely close until Lydia turned 14" Kitty said not sensing the awkwardness in the room
"Yes. Well if I am mistaken I believe that supper should commence soon, so why don't we all go to our rooms to freshen up" Lizzy suggested as everyone departed from the sitting room to their bed chambers.
After supper the three sisters decided to meet in Mary's bedchambers as Mr Darcy managed business in his study.
"I can not believe you remember such things" Lizzy said laughing with the two
"How could I forget, you chased me around the house with a 'spider' cupped in your hands" said Kitty, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes
"And no one would dare do it to Mary" Lizzy said nudging Mary's arm
"Indeed they would not" Mary said proudly
"Otherwise she would share with us another one of her sermons" Kitty said dissolving into more laughter
"Lizzy we dearly miss you back at Longbourne, their hasn't been much laughter since you left" said Mary, surprising the others, as she always seemed so serious.
"Well thank you Mary, but I can not lie that I miss Longbourne tremendously. Mama isn't much help, as she would always verbally abuse me, and take everyone else's side besides mine. But here at Pemberley I have the love of my life with me everyday and it has so far been perfect" Lizzy said with a smile of contentment
"I understand Lizzy, even though you had our fathers love, I feel as though you had it worse" Mary said sympathetically
"Well it wasn't that bad, look where I am today. Can you keep a secret?" Lizzy asked in anticipation
"Yes" Both Mary and Kitty said in unison
"Alright, well you can not tell Fitzwilliam as I have not told him yet, but I have checked with the doctor and It seems that their will be a new addition to Pemberely near the beginning of next year" Lizzy said excitingly
"Do you mean to say that you are with child, sister?" Mary asked with a smile
"Yes that is exactly what I am saying" said Lizzy, smiling widely
"Another nephew or niece, oh this is too much, I can not wait to spoil him or her rotten" Kitty said jumping up from the bed
"As am I" Mary said sincerely
Lizzy smiled and leaned back onto the bed to find something solid under the covers, she secretly put her hand under the cover to reveal a book
"Lizzy what do you have in your hands?" Kitty asked interested
"Is that my book" Mary said as she tried to snatch the book from Lizzy, however Lizzy dodged everyone of her attacks
"Yes what is it anyway? It looks like a novel" Lizzy said standing up from the bed as Mary stood up as well
"It's mine give it to me" Mary said approaching Lizzy, however Lizzy was quicker and started to run out of the room with the book in her possession, as Mary chased her
"This book must be very important if it made you run, I wonder what it contains" Lizzy laughed as she ran through the corridors
"Nothing that concerns you" Mary called from behind
They ran until Lizzy made contact with a hard object, which was soon discovered as her husband. She quickly put him as a shield between Mary and herself
"The Monk', you are reading 'The Monk'. Mary how scandalous, I never knew you had it in you" Lizzy laughed after reading the front page
"Elizabeth Bella Darcy, give me my book back" Mary called out irritated
"The Monk" Kitty burst out laughing
"Well...Well...Mr Coats was not just an acquaintance, he was Lizzy's first kiss and the two of them had an understanding, until he had to move away" Mary exposed Lizzy to lessen her humiliation, and for revenge. Lizzy gasped in shock, as Mr Darcy's eyes widened
"I knew something was going on when the two of you would go on little walks together in the woods" Kitty said triumphantly
"Kitty" Lizzy exclaimed "Well Mary held a tender for an officer, and just when she was about to go up to him and talk to him, she tripped into his arms and she ran away"
"Lizzy once consumed too much champaign and started laughing throughout the whole event, and also swayed into the willing arms of all the bachelors" Mary said in anger
"I do not remember that ever happening" Lizzy said confused
"That was mainly from all the champaign" Mary responded
"Truce" Lizzy demanded closing her eyes and taking a deep breath
"Truce" Mary agreed
"Ok I going to go to my chambers and I'll see the two of you tomorrow" Lizzy said as she walked towards her chambers with Darcy following. When she closed the door she faced her husband
"I'm sorry about that, I know that all that information would be extremely overwhelming" Lizzy said panicking about if her husband was regretting their marriage, however suddenly he surprised her by laughing
"What are you laughing about?" Lizzy asked in a small confused voice as Darcy embraced her tightly
"My darling wife, do you think me angry about your past?" Darcy said holding her head in his hands
"Yes, it shows how unsuited I am for you in the eyes of society" Lizzy said quietly
"Do you think I care for what society thinks, I married you, and I promise to you that I will never regret it. Lizzy until you came into my life, I have never been this happy, ask anyone of the staff or anyone I know and they will tell you the same" Darcy said as he kissed her forehead. He smiled as he saw her her small lovely smile, that made her eyes light up.
"I love you" Lizzy said quietly
"I love you too Elizabeth Bella Darcy, I can not imagine anything being better than this" Fitzwilliam said kissing his wife
"I think I can" Elizabeth said with a wide smile
"What do you mean?" Darcy asked confused, as Lizzy led him to sit on the bed
"What I mean is that it is conformed that we should be expecting a new addition to Pemberley near this coming year" Lizzy said anticipating his reaction
"We are to have a child" said Darcy with a smile of delight that showed his two dimples
"Yes we are" Lizzy whispered with her eyes sparkling
"We are to have a child! My dearest loveliest Elizabeth you have not the slightest idea as to how happy I am" he said as he picked her up in his arms and spun her around as she laughed merrily
"This truly is a day of surprises" Darcy said as he laid his wife on their bed and showed her how happy he was.
Ok I hope you enjoyed this, I am continuing 'Lies and Perceptions', however I wanted to try something new. The fate of this story is in your hands, the outcome will show me if I should continue or not.
xoxo Aria