Elizabeth cranked up the car stereo, singing along with the Christmas tunes. Her first set of university exams had gone well, and she'd been happy with her grades. Christmas break was upon her, and she was driving back home. Life was good! On top of that, she hadn't seen or spoken to Will in nearly three weeks.
Absentmindedly, she turned the radio volume down as she thought back to the one time she'd seen Will since deleting his number, the very next day at class. He'd turned up late, and had glanced up at Elizabeth. She had turned her head away, but could see from the corner of her eye that he was still looking at her. He slumped into a spare seat next to Caroline.
Elizabeth smirked as she recalled Caroline's face at that moment. Surprise gave way to sheer delight and she turned to shoot Elizabeth a look of triumph. Elizabeth pretended not to notice. All through the lecture, Caroline attended to Will. Leaning in to look at his notes, whispering in his ear, stroking his arm. She batted her eyelashes at him, and flashed him her perfect white smile. And through it all, Will remained nonchalant. Elizabeth couldn't help a smile surfacing. If only Caroline knew how pointless her pursuit was!
As if reading her mind, Patrick had chuckled and leaned over. "I don't think I've ever seen someone as determined as Caroline!" He whispered. "She wants him about as much as he doesn't want her!"
Elizabeth bit her lip to keep from laughing. "I almost feel sorry for her," she whispered back. "She has no idea of the heartbreak she's in for, chasing after him. That boy's a lost cause!"
Patrick looked seriously at Elizabeth. "He sure is. He just doesn't know it yet."
Elizabeth returned his stare. "Yes he does." She had said. "He knows exactly what he's doing. He's a master at burning people."
That was all Elizabeth said, but Patrick seemed to understand. He spoke no more of Will, and when the class ended she was the first out the door after saying goodbye.
That was the last time she'd seen either Patrick or Will. They'd sat the exam a day early, so Caroline loudly announced, since they had to travel that day for a road game. Elizabeth had breathed a sigh of relief. Now she could concentrate.
Elizabeth turned off the highway, and turned up the music once more. She was grateful the weather wasn't miserable, for she really didn't want to spend the holiday break snowed in at Pemberley. She needed this break to get away from all things Will Darcy, and get herself back together. She concentrated on taking in all the familiar landmarks as she neared home, and pushed Will to the very farthest corner of her mind. She was determined it would be a good Christmas, despite what could have been.
Elizabeth pulled into the driveway, marvelling at how much life had changed in the five or so months since she'd reversed out of it.
"Fran! She's here!" Elizabeth's dad bounded down the stairs before Elizabeth had even turned the engine off.
Elizabeth got out of the car and folded herself into her dad's embrace. "Hey Lizzie-bear, it's so good to see you." He said in a warm, genuine voice. "You have no idea how much we've missed you."
"I've missed you guys too." Smiled Elizabeth, hugging her mother.
"Get her bags, Tom! Before she gets herself a cold!" Cried Fran. "How was the drive dear? We were so worried about you, afraid you'd get stuck in a blizzard." She ushered Elizabeth inside.
"Mom!" Laughed Elizabeth. "There were blue skies the whole way here! The drive was fine- totally safe!"
"Is she going on about a snow storm again?" Chuckled Tom, carrying Elizabeth's suitcase.
"Stranger things have happened!" Exclaimed Fran. "Now, who wants coffee and chocolate cake?"
The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent catching up on her parent's news, and filling them in on college life at Pemberley. Over dinner, they listened with rapt attention to Elizabeth's depictions of her classes, and the college in general. Elizabeth apologised for the umpteenth time for not coming back for Thanksgiving, but her parents waved her guilt away. They understood it was a busy time of year, and that Elizabeth would be home three or so weeks later. Fran asked after Elizabeth's room mates, who they'd seen several times when face timing Elizabeth. They'd even seen Charlie once, so Elizabeth quickly informed them that he and Jane were no longer dating. "What a shame." Said Fran, her eyes full of pity. "He seemed a nice young man."
Looks can be deceiving, thought Elizabeth.
Eager to change the subject, Elizabeth turned to her father. "Seen any good documentaries lately Dad?" It was an interest they shared. "I don't think I've seen a better one that that ancient King found in a parking lot!"
"That was a good one!" Her Dad agreed.
"What was the one you watched the other night? You said it was really interesting, and that I'd really like it..." Fran frowned, trying to remember.
"Oh yes!" Cried Tom. "That WAS interesting. Although I only saw the last part of it. I wouldn't mind watching the whole thing. Luckily it's on again tomorrow night."
"What was it about?" Asked Elizabeth warmly. "If it caught your interest, I'd probably like it too."
"It was a documentary on several homes in England, presented by... Hmm, someone Reynolds? I think? Anyway, they took you through a couple of the old homes in the English countryside. You know, the grand manor types. But instead of just panning the camera around each room, they actually researched the families that have lived there over the generations and share their stories. Fascinating stuff."
"Sounds interesting, dad."
"Yeah, I'm glad I found it. I was just flicking through the channels, and heard them say 'Pemberley.'' At first I thought they were talking about your school, Ellie, so I stopped to watch, but then I realised they were talking about some place in England. It was pretty interesting though, so I watched it anyway."
Elizabeth had turned pale. "The documentary was about an estate called Pemberley?" Elizabeth fought hard to keep her composure.
"Yeah! Isn't that something? No connection to the school that I know of."
"No. No connection."
Her parents raised an eyebrow. "You know of this place, Elizabeth?"
"No, not really." Elizabeth looked away before she put her foot in it further. Oh, was she never to escape Will Darcy?!
*o*o*o
"Lizzie-bear! That documentary starts in five minutes!" Elizabeth's father's voice bellowed up the stairs.
Elizabeth poked her head out of her room, spying her Dad's eager face.
"Thanks Dad, but I think I might give it a miss. Reading a pretty good book right now..." She trailed off as she saw her dad's crest-fallen face.
"Oh, well, ok then. It'll just be me and your mom then." He turned to walk back to the den, and Elizabeth felt ashamed. She rarely saw her parents now, and they obviously missed her company acutely. She couldn't bear to upset them.
"Hold on, Dad. On second thought, I'll be right down."
Elizabeth and her dad entered the darkened den just as the introduction music began. Three bowls of ice cream and three mugs of hot chocolate sat on the coffee table, with her mom waiting expectantly on the couch. Elizabeth smiled softly. Even if the documentary was about Will Darcy himself Elizabeth would still grit her teeth and watch it for her parents sake.
She took her traditional spot in an armchair and soon lost herself in the documentary. The presenter, Cynthia Reynolds had a lovely lilting accent that Elizabeth could listen to all day, as she spoke of the different counties in England, their proximity to London and what each was known for. The scenery was breathtaking, and Elizabeth found herself falling in love with the region.
She was engrossed as Ms Reynolds walked them first through Blenheim Palace, then Chatsworth House. She showed the art work, the fine furnishings and lavish grounds, but her main focus was discussing the families who had lived there. Elizabeth could hardly believe that such places were actually people's homes, they were so grand.
The program paused for a commercial break, promising to return to showcase the estate of Pemberley.
"I think they saved the best til last, having seen the other two now." Said Elizabeth's father.
"They certainly are lovely estates," chimed Fran. "I wouldn't mind travelling if I had a place like that to stay in!"
"Right, well I'll just go and win the lottery so we can!" Joked Tom.
"Can you believe that these are people's HOMES?!" Cried Elizabeth.
"Yeah- makes our little cottage seem like a shoebox." Said Tom.
"What does anyone need so much space for?" Elizabeth asked. She was determined not to think well of the Darcy's of Pemberley.
"Who knows? But it would be lovely to live somewhere that has so much history attached to it." Said Fran wistfully. Elizabeth recalled Will saying a similar thing.
The music started, and the camera panned up the majestic estate of Pemberley. Elizabeth's jaw dropped.
When Will had mentioned his father having an estate, she pictured a large two storey house on a sprawling block of land. It seems she had vastly underestimated Will's English home. Elizabeth struggled to think of the enormous building as a house- for at four storeys high and at least five house blocks in length and width it was quite the fortress. With a handsome, welcoming facade, the sandstone building rose proudly among the beautiful rolling hills and valleys of Derbyshire. As the camera took in the landscape, Elizabeth couldn't help laughing in disbelief. Will's estate had its own lake, and its own woods. And not just miniature versions. Pemberley estate was grand in all senses of the word.
"My word!" Breathed Fran, as Cynthia Reynolds took them inside Pemberley's rich yet restrained furnishings.
"Pemberley is extra special," explained Cynthia, "for the portion of the house open to the public is free of the mod-cons that simplify life, yet are so anachronistic. In essence, if the Darcy family from the 1800's were to reappear in their home today, not much would have changed." She then pointed out various curious tools and knick knacks that would have been everyday objects back in the early eighteen hundreds, before coming to the most enormous library Elizabeth had ever seen.
A man's voice was heard, as the camera moved about the room, struggling to taken in the sheer volume of books. "This room is my personal favourite," the voice said. "For it is the work of many generations, and I feel a sense of connection to each of them when I come and sit here."
The camera now showed the man who had been talking, and Elizabeth knew instantly who it must be, even before the text at the bottom displayed his name. George Darcy- current owner of Pemberley. Will's father. It was like looking at an older version of Will.
"So the Darcy's are voracious readers then, judging by the size of this library."
"Well, some more than others. There was probably one particular standout contributor, my ancestor Fitzwilliam Darcy. He lived at the turn of the nineteenth century, and about half of the books in this library were purchased by him at some point in his life."
"My goodness, that's extraordinary! Whatever did he do with them all, that must have been thousands of books!"
"Do you know, I've never actually tallied them, but I believe you're right. Both he and his wife, Elizabeth, were passionate readers, and a lot of the books were purchased as gifts for her. Both Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth lived until well into their eighties- that's quite remarkable for back then- so that's quite a span to be collecting books!"
"Indeed it is. I can see why this is your favourite room."
The program then showed some footage of elaborately furnished bedrooms, an elegant dining room set ready for dinner and displaying some model eighteenth century traditional dishes of food. Then George Darcy was shown again in a beautiful, light filled room, where an exquisite golden harp filled one corner, and a sleek dark grand piano took pride of place in the centre of the room. Overstuffed couches were arranged about the room to see the piano.
"The music room." Said Will's father proudly. "Music has always run deep in the Darcy family, although few have been so talented as Georgiana Darcy. She was actually the sister to Fitzwilliam, the 'voracious reader' as you call him, and it was he who gifted her this piano. See the inscription here? She of course took it with her when she married but upon her death it was returned to Pemberley, where it has resided ever since. Fortunately for us, Georgiana's husband was a cousin of the Darcy's, and we have been eternally grateful to the Fitzwilliam family for returning such a precious heirloom to us."
The tour went on, and detailed how the estate was inherited. Unlike some unfortunate families, whose properties were forfeited if no male heir was produced, Pemberley would always pass to the eldest Darcy daughter, if no sons were born. Given that it was still in the Darcy name, Elizabeth supposed that hadn't happened yet. And it wouldn't happen with the next generation, either, Elizabeth realised. An overwhelming thought struck her. Will would one day inherit this, for he had never mentioned having an older brother. The thought made her head spin and she became cross. It had just got harder to forget Will Darcy.