"Mrs. Reynolds!"
"Yes Miss Bennet... Pardon me ma'm. Yes Mrs. Darcy?"
"It's all right Mrs. Reynolds, I have yet to get used to that title," Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy said laughingly, "Mrs. Reynolds, have you got the goose ready yet?"
"Oh yes ma'm, stuffed, and dressed like you requested. The rest of the banquet is soon complete."
"Very good Mrs. Reynolds."
"Ma'm, please call me Gertrude."
"Very well, Gertrude, if you insist." Gertrude curtsied, and turned to go when her mistress called after her.
"Oh and Gertrude, please tell me the moment he arrives home."
"Very well ma'm," Gertrude curtsied once again and walked out of her mistress and master's bed chamber. She walked down the long staircases and into the great kitchen of Pemberly. Servants were bustling around to get all the food and preparations ready for the banquet, as their new mistress had ordered.
"A surprise party for the master, oh think of it! He certainly deserves it, and after all he has done for us, Mrs. Darcy, and Miss. Darcy. Aye he deserves it at that!" Sophie, the head cook exclaimed, hands flying as she kneaded the bread dough.
"Aye, the master has found a jewel in her. They are ideal for one another," Emily the maid said warmly as she picked up a silk tablecloth.
" 'Tis so good to see the master happy," Gertrude said, "And I can't help but wonder if Mrs. Darcy put this together to tell the master of some news."
"No, the wedding but 6 months past? Could it be?" All work momentarily stopped, as the thought was pondered.
"Aye, it could be, remember at the beginning of the marriage Mrs. Darcy would come into the kitchen and help, or just talk to us as we went about our work, but now can not because of fainting spells, and the strong smells?" Emily declared triumphantly. There were murmurs through out the kitchen. Then a boy but twelve years old, who was the doorman's son, came running into the kitchen.
"The master has returned, he is even now upon the lane near the pond!" The kitchen was now scrambling with servants trying to finish their duties. Gertrude flew up the flights of steps to tell her mistress her husband had returned. At the top of the staircase she was greeted by a beaming Elizabeth in a pale blue dress and violets entwined in her long brown hair.
"He has returned, after two very long weeks he has returned," Elizabeth said, with a look of love in her brown eyes, "My love has returned."
John the doorman opened the carriage door, and bowed.
"Welcome home sir, both the mistress and the lady have looked expectantly for your return."
"And I them, tell me friend is Mrs. Darcy well?"
"Oh yes sir, well and waiting impatiently to see you."
"Well we must not keep the ladies waiting, now can we?" After a signal to Clark to bring his trunk, Mr. Darcy, master of Pemberly, brother of Miss. Georgina Darcy, and husband of Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy walked into Pemberly's hall, with pictures of his beautiful wife swirling through his head.