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Chapter 26: Home sweet home
Elise was sleepy and sore when they pulled up to the Pemberley estate. She'd nodded off somewhere along the two and a half hour journey and only began to stir when Darcy nudged her awake.
"Tell me I wasn't drooling."
Darcy laughed and shook his head.
"No, no you're good. But we're here, I thought you might like to see the land."
"The land" as he'd put it was acres of open, rolling greenery. At the edge of it was thick forestation and the city skyline, an impressive sight but not quite on the same level as the house before them. After years of reading classic literature, Elise finally had a mental image of a modern day estate.
She counted no less than sixteen windows in the red brick front of the main building. The front door was framed by large white pillars and the steps leading up to it were made from polished stone. Behind it she could see birds swooping down, no doubt to the lake Darcy had mentioned behind the house. The shutters were a crisp off white, bushes and flowers trimmed to a uniform height and the winding drive lead up to it all.
"This is.. This is your house?" Had her jaw come completely unhinged in shock or did she still have a shred of dignity left?
"Family estate, yes."
"It's.. um.."
"A bit ostentatious, I know." He sounded almost apologetic.
"Well actually I was going to ask if it was bigger on the inside."
Smiling, he pulled up front and got out of the car. The doorman hurried out, followed by an older man who looked to be in his early sixties.
"Hey Ralph, good to see you." He tossed him the keys,pausing to shake hands with the college aged young man. Ralph was clad in jeans and a work shirt, arms muscled and hands coarse.
"How's Athena?"
"Looking real good Mr. Darcy, she'll be having her colt any day now."
"Send for me when she does, I'll be around for awhile. Ralph, Thomas, this is Miss Bennett, she'll be here too. She might come by and see the colts later Ralph."
"Yes sir. Nice to meet you miss."
She did her best to smile a kind greeting,pressing into Darcy's arms as he turned. The older gentleman had soft blue eyes and sun tanned skin. His back was ramrod straight, his handshake firm and solid. With rapidly graying hair and crow's feet,he was solemn but friendly.
"Good afternoon sir, just in time for lunch. Will the young lady be joining us or perhaps will have a rest for a time?"
He was english. A real English butler.
"Elise? What do you think?" Both men looked to her for an answer and she fought the urge to squirm.
"Maybe.. maybe just enough time to freshen up, I feel sort of grimy."
"Of course Miss. Shall I bring the bags sir?"
"We don't have much, I can do it. Thank you Thomas."
"Very good sir."
"Oh! Do you happen to know where Gigi is? She'll have to lend Elise something to wear for the time being."
"I believe she was in the drawing room sir."
"Alright. Thanks again."
"You're very welcome Master Alex. Miss."
He bowed slightly and Elise nearly found herself offering a curtsy in return. As quietly as he arrived, Thomas left in the same silence. Darcy took her hand and led her inside, taking her up a wide staircase in the main hall and down to the west wing. The entire space was wide and airy with lots of natural light from windows lining the hallway and portraits hanging. She noticed one of the more recent paintings of a smiling couple standing with a young boy and a baby cradled in the woman's arms.
The man was smiling with the same softness Darcy sometimes got when he was relaxed, but the woman's eyes shone clearly from both mother and child. Shemar's parents maybe? He seemed to be looking for a specific room and it wasn't until they checked on of the last two rooms at the end that he appeared to find it.
"So this is the family wing, and your room is at the end of the hall here. Actually um.. It connects to mine, the layout of the original estate style often connected the master and mistress's rooms. If- If you aren't comfortable with that I know we have some others I could have aired out-"
"Oh please don't go to any extra trouble for me. This room is beautiful anyway, I couldn't be anywhere better."
The four poster bed was freshly made and the balcony doors were open to let in the fresh air. A sitting area had an inviting looking couch and marble fireplace with a fully stocked book shelf on the opposite wall. As Darcy put her little toiletry bag on the bed, she went to further explore and found an attached en suite with a claw footed tub and some of the fluffiest towels Elise had every seen.
"Is it okay if I clean up a little?"
"Yeah of course. You're coming on another pain med dosage so don't forget to take the pills too."
"I won't."
"I'll be downstairs if you need me. I think my sister left some clothes for you, maybe when you're up to it you can come down and meet her?"
"That sounds nice."
"Alright. Well.."
"Well.."
He gave her a peck on the cheek, almost awkwardly, followed by a tight hug they both seemed to need. Afterwards, he left her alone for the first time since she'd been attacked and both tried to return to some semblance of normal.
"Alex you're home!"
Georgiana Darcy rose from the piano she'd been plunking on listlessly, hurrying into the open arms of her older brother. She was the spitting image of their mother, carmel colored skin,slender and large doe eyes in a sweet heart shaped face. Doing the math, Gigi was well aware her birth had been an accident. Alex was nearly 10 years older than her. Since the death of their parents, he'd filled in the role of a father more than anything else. It was always the two of them against the world.
And now he was bringing a girl home.
"Hey Duck. Missed you mm!" He gave her a hard squeeze, kissing her forehead and sat them down.
"I missed you too. Look, I got my ears pierced again!" She showed off the piercing in each ear cartilage, giggling when he blanched.
"That's quite enough holes in your body gigi."
"Yeah yeah yeah.. And I'm still designing my tattoo, what do you think of a chinese dragon?"
"On your back right?"
"Yeah maybe.. I dunno. Soooo…?"
"So?"
He chuckled when she punched his arm impatiently.
"Where is she?"
"Where's who?"
"Alex!"
She beat his chest with her little fists while he laughed all the harder.
"Oh you mean Elise."
"Yes I mean Elise! Is that her name?! Is she pretty? Is she nice? Is she smart? Where is she?!"
"She's upstairs Duck, stop hitting me!"
Gigi mock glared while he collected himself, still snickering.
"Alright. Ask me your questions but one at a time Gigi."
She considered her next words carefully, then sighed in agreement.
"Is she nice?" She began. He smiled back.
"One of the sweetest people I've ever met. A little shy though so none of your shenanigans."
"Who, me?"
It was his turn to glare.
"I'm serious Gigi. She's.. Delicate. Right now. So I need you to be on your best behavior."
"Delicate? How do you mean?"
He hesitated, confusing her even more. She took her hand in his, wondering what could be going on that would have her brother so reluctant.
"Alex?"
"She was.. Attacked. I care about her a lot Gigi. I want her safe. And honestly, I don't think she's in any shape to be alone right now. So I would really appreciate it if you made her feel welcome."
"Of course but- but what happened?"
"It's not really my business to tell duck. She's got a rough history and part of it caught up with her, that's all. The man responsible for the attack is headed to jail but she's still healing up. That's all I can say."
"But is she-"
"Shemar?"
Another female voice broke in from the nearby stairs, clearly anxious and sounding lost enough for georgiana's heart to swell in sympathy.
"In here Elise."
Brother and sister stood at her entrance, the elder Darcy going over to offer his hand. She took it and finally, the two most important women in his life came face to face for the first time.
Little Darcy's, we're headed for some angst, just a warning. Stay tuned.