Chapter 4: THE DINNER.
"My first dinner at Pemberley," said Elizabeth
"But not the last," completed Darcy.
"Or I should say my second dinner here," replied his wife.
"It is your first dinner here as my wife"
"And as my sister" said Georgiana.
"I still can't believe it," said Darcy. "I am still afraid that two letters will take you away from me."
"But it is true. I'm here and I will never leave unless you become insufferable and I will be obliged to go back to Longbourn."
"Oh but you shouldn't dearest because I will lock you in your room and never speak to you again if you do that."
"Did you know my mother threatened me to do the same if I had not accepted Mr. Collins' proposal?" Darcy shuddered at the thought. "Do you imagine me bearing a sermon every morning on how to be an elegant female and how to offer those little delicate compliments which are always acceptable to great ladies or bearing Lady Catherine's advice on how to best place shelves in a closet!"
Darcy and Georgiana laughed as they shared the comic reminiscences of Mr. Collins' manner and Lady Catherine's "advice".
"I didn't know that Mr. Collins had proposed to you," said Georgiana.
"Oh yes he did after the Netherfield ball. And moreover I was obliged to dance with him the first two dances. He was as gracious as a grasshopper!" They all laughed "And this man there," gesturing towards Darcy, "was very amused to see who paired with me."
"Really brother?" said Georgiana
"I'm sorry but I couldn't help it. But then you have a partner who was a professional dancer. It must be a relief!"
"A graceful dancer indeed! A relief indeed!" she answered smirking "You were so unwilling to speak. If I remember correctly, I had to start the conversation. I had to work so hard to extract from you more than a polite sentence."
"My emotions made me tongue tied. You were so lovely that night with little flowers in your hair and that beautiful yellow gown."
"I didn't know that you approved so much my appearance, sir. Did you think the same when I jumped in the mud to see Jane?"
"Even more so. Your eyes were so clear and your cheeks all rosy. I was totally entranced by your appearance."
"So I was not then tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt you?"
"You never were but I was too conceited to acknowledge it."
"Mr Darcy is all politeness" said Elizabeth smiling knowingly.
"Indeed I am, madam," he replied laughingly.
Part A: Georgiana's thoughts.
Georgiana was very surprised to see her brother laughing so heartily. He had laughed so little or joked with other people before. Elizabeth had a good influence on him, although Georgiana was a little shocked to see her tease her brother so much. But she could see he was totally enchanted and able to answer in kind. She herself was surprised to talk so much, but she was so at ease with her new sister and she knew she and her brother would think well of her, no matter what happened. Georgiana loved to laugh, even if she was not quite brave enough yet to join Elizabeth in teasing Darcy. Moreover Elizabeth's assurance in company began to work on her. She began to be able to give her opinion more freely, knowing she would be valued and listened to. Of course Fitzwilliam had always taken her opinion into consideration, but finally things went for the main part on his own way. Elizabeth, however, seemed determined to include herself more in the life of the estate, and to have her opinion on almost every subject. Under Elizabeth's influence, Georgiana's shyness with strangers began slowly to dissipate. Her fear of entertaining guests at the pianoforte was not as strong as before. She was more able to sit and play her music without unease. Elizabeth was good not only for her brother's disposition but for her as well. When she received the letter of her brother with news of his engagement, she was overjoyed and wrote back quickly saying how delighted she was to welcome her new sister. Miss Bennet wrote to Georgiana, thanking her kindly for her gentle welcome and telling her obvious happiness to be her brother's fiancée and how she appreciated having made her acquaintance a few months ago.
Miss Bennet was far a better choice than Miss Bingley who hurt Georgiana's sensibilities with her blunt tongue and her nasty comments. She couldn't quite believe that Bingley was the brother of Caroline. Their personalities were so different. Bingley was all that is kind, friendly, considerate, easily pleased whereas Miss Bingley was...well...sharp indeed. When Caroline mentioned Mr. Wickham obviously to embarrass Miss Bennet, the silent and subtle support Elizabeth offered, when Georgiana's distress made her stop her playing, had greatly increased Georgiana's regard for her, and her understanding of why her brother had fallen in love with her. But Miss Bingley never ceased to lower in her esteem when she witnessed all the jealous actions she took to humiliate her sister-to-be both in front of her and behind her back. She never liked her or felt at ease with her and was very relieved when her brother told her even before knowing Miss Bennet that he had no intentions of making her his wife.
Part B: Darcy's thoughts.
As for Darcy, he could not have been happier this evening. To be the target of his wife's witty and loving arrows, to be able to dine with the two women he loved most in the world, and knowing that Elizabeth belonged at Pemberley from now on, that he would not lose her for long lonely months. That he would be blessed with her company every day. That he would be able to protect her from any evils which might befall her in the future and comfort her by taking her in his arms and kissing her as he wanted so much to do some months ago. That he would not dream this time that she was here. That she loved him as much as he loved her. Darcy could not prevent his eyes from following her each rustle of her gown and even the more slightly shifting of position commanded his full attention.
He was still amazed that just one look from her drew him immediately into her spell. But he not only loved her beauty; he loved her strength of character, her perceptive, sensible, rational and at the same time, highly sensitive, mind, her ability to face truths unpleasant as they may seem. She was noble in her aptitude to forgive errors. She was charming, compassionate, and generous, with a warm and tender heart towards her loved ones. This quality he had recognized from the beginning of their acquaintance, when he witnessed her loving care of her ill sister at Netherfield. Perhaps she was somewhat satirical, impetuous, headstrong, opinionated, and impertinent, but he found those qualities refreshing from the cacophonic chorus of praising women he had met before. Elizabeth, however, had no such claims. She expected to be respected and listened to. She didn't regulate her behaviour to please others but had a firm sense of right and wrong. He loved her ease and liveliness, her ability to make him laugh and be a bit more informal, her amusing wit, her love of life so clearly shown in her laugh and in her exquisite eyes. The aliveness he felt in her presence never ceased to amaze him.
Perhaps in some years they would have the dinner with their children. He was in no doubt she would be an excellent mother. He couldn't wait to hear her suggestions to better his old home to make it her own as well. He made a mental note to see that she would have her likeness hung in the portrait gallery.
He smiled tenderly while watching the conversation between his sister and Elizabeth. Darcy listened with delight to the flow of wit and intelligence of his wife as she made her sister laugh at one of her jokes that he witnessed many months ago and again felt exceedingly grateful to have found and won such a woman who was everything he had always hoped for in a wife. Elizabeth continued what she had left off a few months ago in the inn at Lambton and in the music room here at Pemberley. She tried to encourage Georgiana's share in the conversation, to improve her embarrassing shyness, to bring her out of her shell. She was as true as she appeared. There was no artifice, no Attitude in her. She was so out of the common way. She didn't pretend to play a game like other women did.
She didn't talk to Georgiana solely to please him, but because she found her an interesting, kind, intelligent, compassionate, loving and likeable girl contrary to the likes of Caroline Bingley, who conversed with Georgiana only because she was his sister. She treasured her new sister's inner qualities, not solely her name and wealth. Her charming actions had shown that her sole intent had been to give pleasure to his sister and to make her feel important, loved, cared for and valued. She was all that Georgiana needed to be more confident on her social skills. Elizabeth was able to bring out the best in the people she loved.
Part C: Elizabeth's thoughts.
Elizabeth was very happy and her whole face showed it. Her aunt often told her that if she was happy it could not be by halves. So Elizabeth was happy. She was happy to help Georgiana to be more self-assured in company. With her sweet, kind, gentle and deeply sensitive disposition, she reminded her of her sister Jane. Georgiana was both elegant and graceful and considerate of others' troubles. She was confident her uncomfortable shyness and reserve would improve with time and under her gentle guidance.
She was happy to have found such a wonderful man who answered all her emotional needs. He was even more attentive as a husband than he was as a fiancé. Fitzwilliam was not only her husband and her lover, but also her friend, her most faithful protector, her most trusted adviser. He was so good, so tender with her. She loved him so. They each have devoted themselves to one another. She was so ashamed to have thought ill of him. To have welcomed the scoundrel Wickham's attentions and spurned the love of this man. She couldn't hide anything from him and she knew that sometimes he understood her even better that she understood herself. She did the same with him. She could barely remember a time when they were not together. They possessed a wonderful tie so they couldn't bear to be away from each other for a single moment. She was amazed to notice the power of his fascinating stare. She was completely spellbound by it. She loved the sound of his voice. She had never experienced anything that even approached her love for him. His kisses were absolutely delightful. One time sweet, gentle and tender and the other filled with passion.
As Darcy did for her, she treasured his other qualities: His strength of character, his right and sensible judgement, his wide knowledge, his generous behaviour, his uprightness, his concern, attention and thoughtfulness to the comfort of all. He was completely trustworthy. Even his critical seriousness and reserve in large company that so antagonized them before became dear to her. She was so unlike him in disposition but she succeeded to bring out his best qualities just as he did for her. She was delighted to have found her equal in intelligence and wit and someone who could match her spirit and independence.
Darcy, seeing and immediately understanding his wife's thoughts, took her hand, furtively squeezing her fingers under the table and smiling widely at her. He trailed his finger across her hand, savoring each finger with a marvellous slowness; he continued to caress her hand and fingers. Elizabeth sweetly smiled in understanding and approval. She pressed her fingers against his hand as she also caressed his hand in discreet response. A deep joy colored her cheeks and brought a sparkle to her eyes. "Fitzwilliam"...she whispered under her breath. He heard her and whispered back "Lizzy" in the same tone.
With Elizabeth's face only a few inches away, he was immediately enthralled by the sweet expression of her relaxed and happy countenance. Did I deserve to be so blessed? He thought. I want her in my arms. There is no other place more suited for her. She was so beautiful and she held a power over him from which he never wanted to be released. He wished that they were alone.
As usual she heard his silent entreaty and sensed his ardor. She returned with equal passion. How much she wanted to be in his arms! That was her place of peace! She wanted to nestle closer to him and bury her face in his neck. Every other word became unnecessary as they silently communicated to the other their shared heartfelt passion. They wished to be always so loved and cared for by the other. Their marriage had indeed surpassed all their expectations. They loved each other with conviction. Their happiness was true and complete. They looked at each other with undisguised joy and eyes bright and lost all sense of time and place. Their whole world was now the other.
Georgiana, seeing their lovesick expressions, and since the dinner was finished, decided it was best she left them alone. Her brother, usually so attentive, now ignored her. But she was so happy for him. To think some months ago, he thought he would never see Elizabeth again. He was so in love with his new wife and everyone could see that. Elizabeth was truly the best woman for him. She mumbled her good nights and left Darcy and his starry-eyed wife in the room.
Immediately Darcy approached his Elizabeth and encircled her waist with his arms, pressing her against his body as tightly as he could. Elizabeth nestled against him and sighed with happiness. Suddenly she pulled back, unpinned her hair and let it hang loose leaving only the white rose. She came back in Fitzwilliam's arms as he caressed tenderly her curly hair saying how much he loved her. He took the rose and trailed it caressingly all over her face. Elizabeth took the rose from his hands and put it on the table near her. She slid her arms around his neck and pulled his head down. She buried her fingers in his hair and he did the same. Their lips met. Darcy lifted her in his arms.
Elizabeth rolled back in her pillow to observe her husband sleeping. Darcy was so handsome when he slept, so peaceful but at the same time with a serious air belied by his hair tousled and curlier than they were as usual. Elizabeth decided to wake him up as she did each morning since their marriage. She took some of her curls and swept them gently across his face. It worked each time. Her husband stirred, yawned and smiled lovingly at his wife.