A/N: I apologize for the slight delay in posting. Again, thank you for taking the time to post reviews/comments. There are days when I feel like nothing comes out no matter how hard I try to stay focused, and then I read someone's post with a different/new insight... thank you. Comments not just welcomed - they are encouraged! -DCM
Chapter 7
The next morning, Lizzy woke early to finish her packing, eager to be on the road to Blackwell House - to be outdoors. One of the things she had missed most about living in Hertford with Jane before leaving for New York – where even the vastness of Central Park and its gardens, though beautiful in their own right, could not appease her – was the English countryside.
After checking to see she had packed everything one last time, Lizzy pushed the door open with her shoulder, dragging her suitcase into the living room. William was sitting on the sofa with a newspaper, a duffel bag at his feet. His suggestion of a light breakfast in the hotel lobby café was readily welcomed, and soon after their meal they were on the freeway to Blackwell.
The silence was far from stifling, and she settled into her seat more comfortably, her gaze drifting towards the scenery. The deep timbre of his voice jolted her out of her reverie. She turned to him, wondering at his unusual verbosity.
He began to recount an amusing story that included a twelve-year-old Georgiana, her new pet rabbit and the long drive from London to Derbyshire one Christmas that had ended unpleasantly for everyone (save the little rabbit), and when he finished they laughed heartily, their voices filling the vehicle. At that moment she realized she had not thought of Jane since the morning after she had arrived at the hotel, and felt very much at ease in his company. A strong desire to reacquaint herself with him suddenly surfaced, much like one would wish to do upon seeing an old friend.
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"Two BLTS on wheat and two iced teas," the waitress – who looked no older than sixteen – placed their plates before them, flashing William a flirtatious smile before she left the table. Lizzy bit her lower lip, rolling her eyes teasingly at him.
"I'm a little scared she might have put something in my food," she teased, reaching for her drink. He gave her a dark look. "But seriously, William, I'm curious. What's it like, being named one of England's most eligible bachelors? I find it a bit hard to believe your reserve has withstood the onslaught of female attention."
He took a bite of his sandwich and chewed deliberately as he stared her straight in the eye. Lizzy rolled her eyes at him again. She knew he would prolong swallowing that one bite if it meant he could avoid answering her question.
"I'm taking your silence on the subject to mean yes, as that had always been the case in the past," she said, giving him a smug smile. Her eyes danced as she peered at him over her sandwich. He chewed a twentieth, twenty-first time, and finally swallowed.
"And you, I see, are still the cheeky little imp." He smiled at her, shaking his head.
"How have you been, William? I can hardly believe we've been together for almost two days and it's the first time I'm asking you this."
"I've been well… more to contend with at work, with the expansions, obviously, and in other areas, Georgiana's finishing her last year at the Conservatory of Music."
"Little Georgiana. Not so little anymore," Lizzy said softly, a fond smile on her lips. "Time's really flown by." He nodded at her as he sipped his drink.
"How about you, how's life in New York?"
"Quite the experience. I think much of it had to do with it being my first time on my own as well; somehow being thrust into an entirely new environment, with new responsibilities under a new superior - kept me from burning the lines to Jane those first few months. It got less and less difficult as the weeks passed by, and the daily work routine was certainly easy to follow. It's true what they say, the city is a living, breathing entity." She said the last word so emphatically that he had to smile.
"And the people?"
"Oh, they were gorgeous. My boss, she was fantastic, and everyone else - really, really nice. Everyone was very supportive."
"Was?"
"Mm-hmm," she nodded, chewing on a bite.
"I'm sorry, have you left the gallery?"
"Technically, no, but I have left the New York office. They've transferred me to head the one in London."
William's eyes widened at the realization. "You're moving back?"
Lizzy tilted her head, biting her lower lip thoughtfully. "In truth, I have. Or rather all my possessions have, they're already waiting for me in my new flat. I haven't even been by yet. The landlord is a friend of my former boss and he offered to take care of the arrangements," she explained. "Which is why, on my first flight back to England, I decided to fly straight to Manchester." She smiled at him, and he smiled back, if a bit tentatively.
"Is this… arrangement permanent?"
She shrugged. "Taking each day as it comes. I was happy working in New York for the last four years, but when this came up I felt it was the perfect time to go back."
"Perfect," he repeated.
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Blackwell House stood atop a very low hill, bordered by gardens that were surrounded by woods to the north of the estate. The area it was situated in boasted of nature's splendor, and though during winter the scenery was kept under the cover of snow, the multitude of trees and variety of greenery formed decipherable shapes of white that kept the landscape interesting.
The chateau was one of the Darcy's country estates, belonging to the family for almost a hundred years. Edward Darcy, William's great-great grandfather, was an only son, and had built the property for his wife, the Lady Susannah Hawkins, during the early 1900s.
They were a very private couple, and though Lady Susannah loved to entertain, she preferred the pleasure of her husband and children's company in Pemberley, the Darcy's ancestral home. Her love for the outdoors was passionate, and from this Blackwell House was borne. Edward Darcy commissioned Sir Edwin Lutyens, one of the great architects of the time, to design a luxurious country house suited to his wife's tastes. Three years thus the new chateau stood gloriously by the wooded hills, equipped with all the luxuries one could fit into a twelve-bedroom estate. Its function – like the force behind its construction – was purely romantic, serving as a private getaway for husband and wife, and sometimes, with their children for company.
Eventually, like most of England's stately homes, the dawn of the modern age led to Pemberley being made a heritage house and opened to the public – but Blackwell House remained an exclusive family estate where the Darcys vacationed.
This year, upon learning that Charles had acquired some property nearby, William had invited the Bingleys to join Georgiana and himself for the holiday celebrations.
He turned into the small road slowly, the wheels of the car crunching over the snowy ground. Elizabeth's breathing changed as she roused from sleep slowly, giving a small sigh as her eyes opened.
She saw, through the windshield, the façade of Blackwell House, snow covering the roofs and all the greenery around it. William pressed a button on the dashboard when they reached the driveway, opening one of the garage doors and pulling in next to a shiny black SUV. Lizzy smiled. The house may be almost a hundred years old, but the recent generations had had a hand in equipping it with modern-day amenities.
He shut off the engine and nodded to her as if to say "here we are", opened his door and climbed out, fishing through his pocket for the house keys.
Lizzy got out and stretched by the unopened trunk, glad to be back on her feet. Finally he was able to open the back door that led to the large kitchen, and he quickly moved back to the car to get their bags out. He led the way into the house, flipping the light switches on as they moved from room to room. She trailed after him, her suitcase rolling easily on the granite floors.
"Mrs. Reynolds will be arriving on the 23rd as well. When Georgiana was delayed I saw no reason to send for her just to see after myself," he said, stopping in the living room and dropping his bag onto the thick center rug.
"I'll show you to your room," he smiled, grabbing her suitcase off the floor and making his way up the stairs, Lizzy just a few steps behind.
When they reached the end of the hallway, he pushed the door open and walked in, placing her suitcase by the bureau next to a large window. "My room's the one two doors down, if you need anything," he said, "And I was planning on checking the kindling reserve, maybe go for a walk through the woods while there's still some light, if you wanted to go as well."
She brightened. "I'd like that."
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She was back in the living room in ten minutes flat. Lizzy wrapped the scarf tighter around her neck and pulled on her gloves before donning the knitted red bonnet Jane had given her years ago. [i]Oh Jane,[i] she thought, [i]if you could see me now. You have the glories of nature to thank. I forgive you.[i] She smirked to herself.
She heard him coming down the stairs and turned, greeting him with a smile.
"Ready?"
"Ready," she answered, already moving towards the front door.
He ushered her outside, glad to see that the snow was falling at a slow pace and that the wind had died down. William led the way to the shed, silently trudging through the snow. A quick look at the shed's interior showed an abundance of firewood and after tying up three bundles each took one end of the rope and began dragging it back to the rear of the house. Lizzy stood back as he stacked the bundles on the already large pile of kindling, kept nearer for easy during-the-night access.
"Central heating, automatic light switches, sophisticated security system - I thought you would have had the fireplace gutted and replaced with those digital-flame heaters."
William dusted his hands off on his pants, giving her a wry grin. "I suppose I'm old-fashioned that way."
They made two more trips to the shed before he judged the pile sufficient enough for the next few days. She looked at him eagerly, and William had to suppress a smile.
"There's a path that weaves through the woods, which will let us see the brook while keeping close to the house. The weather seems to be holding up but I'd rather not risk it, not with how temperamental it's been."
"Lead the way."
She matched him almost step-for-step, even in the spots where the snow was a bit higher, their boots sinking into the white fluff from time to time. Thankfully, Pemberley's groundskeepers also kept a close eye on Blackwell's maintenance, and there were hardly any obstacles present, whether they be fallen branches or unpacked snowdrifts.
They walked in companionable silence, concentrating on the effort each step required to be sure-footed. Had the path changed to an incline William would have not thought twice about offering her a hand; but the ground, though icy, was mostly flat, and so he moved slower than he would have had he been alone, ready should she need his aid.
Soon they reached the brook which - if one chose the right direction - would lead to Pemberley. Any other time of the year and William would have suggested the extended excursion to Elizabeth, knowing she would be up for it. He watched as she stepped ahead of him, coming nearly to the edge of the rushing water. She raised her face to the sky for a moment, eyes closed, before looking back at him with a smile.
"How often do you come here?"
"Twice a year?" He grinned at her look of dismay.
"With it being a couple hours' drive from London?"
"Not as often as I'd like, really." William moved closer to stand beside her, shrugging at her questioning look.
"What's stopping you?"
"Schedule," he answered, then shook his head. "Coming up here alone doesn't hold as much appeal as with company."
Lizzy gave him a sideways glance. "Of course."
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The sun had nearly set by the time they returned to Blackwell, and rather than feel cold, Lizzy felt invigorated by the walk they had taken. Both decided to search the dry pantry to determine what would do for dinner. Fifteen minutes later they had canned soup simmering on the stove, the aroma of spice and tomatoes filling the air. William placed bowls and spoons on the small kitchen table, along with a bag of multi-grain crackers and a bottle of wine.
She stood by the stove, stirring the pot as he went to work on the fire in the living room. William was back in no time, opening the bottle of wine and sitting down across from her as she placed the pot between them.
At some point between serving William the soup and him offering her the opened bag of crackers the thought of the day's enduring domesticity entered her mind; but Lizzy refused to dwell on it, instead quickly starting up a conversation about the following day's plans and the arrival of their respective families.
