May the Rain Fall Softly on Your Fields
Note: The title is a twist to an old Irish Blessing to St Patrick. Harks from pagans who evoked earth, wind, water and fire in their Celtic ceremonies. It is often recited in weddings, funerals and christenings. I thought it fitted my story who is a sequel to the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie, a family saga and a mash-up of several of Jane Austen's other works. Can you spot which ones? It started with the thought: What if Mr and Mrs Bennet had blue eyes and Elizabeth had brown... Picks up at the most romantic scene I have ever watched in a movie, during the sunrise in the fields of Longbourn.
Content:
Chapter 1 Morning Mist 2
Chapter 2 Mr Bennet's study 7
Chapter 3 Sisterly Affection 16
Chapter 4 Planning and anticipating 26
Chapter 5 New and old acquaintances 35
Chapter 6 Marital relations 56
Chapter 7 The Wedding 65
Chapter 8 The Wedding Night 72
Chapter 9 The Matlock Ball 77
Chapter 10 Honeymoon 84
Chapter 11 Animosity Amongst Friends 98
Chapter 12 Christmas and Weddings. 109
Chapter 13 Twelfth Night Epiphany 124
Chapter 14 A Little Sea Bathing Would Set Her Up Nicely. 138
Chapter 15 The Back And Beyond. 155
Chapter 16 Miscellaneous 168
Chapter 17 A Long Journey Home. 188
Chapter 18 Romantic Interludes. 203
Chapter 19 Unforgivable 215
Chapter 20 Yuletide Sorrows 229
Chapter 21 The Growth of Spring. 243
Chapter 22 A Close Encounter. 250
Chapter 1 Morning Mist
The first ray of sunlight touched the field while Elizabeth's mind was preoccupied with self-reproach. Darcy, tenderly caressing her cheek after so eloquently expressing his feelings, made her feel unworthy of his affection.
'What a ridiculous, nonsensical, utterly dim-witted, not to forget, unromantic thing to say, Well then. At least, your hands are cold, spoke of her concern for his wellbeing.
She had kissed his hand, hopefully, he understood the sentiment behind the gesture.
After he had practically dumbstruck her with his confessions from the heart, the usually expressive and eloquent Elizabeth Bennet had become tongue-tied in matters of the heart. With their fraught past interactions in mind, Elizabeth was anxious that her inarticulacy would inadvertently spoil her chance at happiness.'
"I love you!" She finally blurted out what was in her heart.
Darcy jolted back, eyes wide and his mouth agape.
Blood rushed through his ears, making him question his own hearing. He let his deep blue eyes bore into hers. Elizabeth matched his gaze, allowing him to search her soul through its windows.
Reassured by their silent exchange he cupped her cheeks with both his hands and slowly lowered his head to brush her lips with his. A swift tender touch, significantly shorter than their first kiss.
Searching her countenance for approval, finding what he was looking for, he enveloped her in his arms. Pulled her tightly to his chest and kissed her hair. Marvelling at her fitting perfectly under his chin.
Cocooned in warmth and tenderness, Elizabeth could feel the percussion of his heart beating wildly under the thin layer of his lawn shirt whilst relishing the feeling of his frame enveloping hers.
Although Elizabeth had been embraced before, mostly by members of her family, it had never created the feeling of belonging nor peace that descended upon her at this moment. She exhaled, a deep, long-lasting, cleansing breath.
Too soon, he released her and dropped to one knee, grasping her hands in his.
"Marry me, Elizabeth?"
"Yes," she whispered. "You are the only man I could ever be prevailed upon to marry" she added sheepishly, earning a deep chuckle from her betrothed. "Does it make you happy?"
Elizabeth caressed Mr Darcy's countenance with her hand, grazed her thumb over his slightly parted lips before it travelled upwards to lightly touch the crevice between his brows, to erase it. She noticed an inch-long scar on his right cheek and a smaller one above his upper lip. Little fragments of his previous history, she must remember to question later.
"Can you not tell?"
"No, you look so serious and..."
Contemplating if she dared to be completely honest she whispered: "Vulnerable?"
His face cracked into a lopsided smile as he looked up at her fretful countenance.
"It is a rather daunting prospect to bare one's soul for the first time in my life. I am in awe that you did not reject me, that you love me and have consented to be my wife. Bear with me Elizabeth, it still feels a bit illusionary. Like I am dreaming and may wake up at any moment, alone..." The last sentence was uttered in a barely audible whisper.
She kissed him then, firm on the lips.
"It feels like a dream to me too. But the odds of us having the same dream, at the same time, is highly unlikely, do you not think?" Urging him to rise from his kneeling position on the damp ground by tugging on his hand.
"What made you change your mind", he asked with some apprehension for her answer.
"By understanding myself better, I could finally see you for what you are really like. Not the picture my wounded vanity had painted. I have been so blind..."
She bent her head towards the ground, to hide the tears welling up in her eyes but he would have none of it and lifted her chin gently with the tips of his fingers.
"I thought that vanity was my failing not yours", he said while the corner of his mouth twisted slightly. "By the bye, why would your vanity be wounded?"
"Remember the past as it gives you pleasure", she tried to match his previous levity.
"No Elizabeth, we have had enough misunderstandings..."
He trailed her cheek and jawline with his fingertips, sending thrills down her spine while he waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts.
The words stumbled hastily out of her mouth. "She is tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me".
"I have wondered for a long time, how you came to hear my thoughtless insults," he admitted warily.
"Charlotte and I were hiding under the benches after you refused to dance with me. She thought I needed some encouragement". She gave him a wry smile.
"I never refused to dance with you," he replied incredulously.
"Do you dance Mr Darcy? - Not if I can help it." She matched Mr Darcy's tone of voice perfectly.
"I am so sorry, love. If you were blind I was ignorant... Will you ever be able to forgive my offences?
Bingley is partially right about me being an ogre, 'tis just not confined to the Sunday afternoons with nothing to do...
I was so preoccupied with Georgiana and her disastrous affair at Ramsgate..."
He paused and drew his hand through his hair, leaving it even more dishevelled than before. Elizabeth thought he had never looked more handsome. It made her feel special, to see this unguarded, private side of him.
"There are no excuses for my behaviour at the time Elizabeth, what can I do to make amends?"
"Sorry, my mind wandered after you called me love... May we now only remember the past as it gives us pleasure?"
"Not quite yet, Elizabeth," he gave her a half-smile.
"I believe, the next time I make the request, I will be rewarded with a dimple", she smirked, "pray continue".
"You are determined to thwart every effort of reflection upon the past " he raised an eyebrow.
"No, I am sorry for my poor attempt at making a jest". She took his hand and cradled it in both of hers.
"I hate to see you hurt and I want this profound moment in our lives to be remembered with pleasure. We have both said hurtful things, some we meant, at least at the time it was said, and some we regret...
I have forgiven your previous proclamations, a long time ago, Mr Darcy. I hope you can forgive me my abdominal accusations at Hunsford. I should warn you though, I do have a temper. I may say things in anger I do not mean..."
"I think it is time to remember the past only as it gives you pleasure," he winked at her.
"Thank you!"
Suddenly aware of an amusing fact, Elizabeth lifted her hand and lightly touched the hair, protruding from his shirt.
"Do all men have hair on their chest? None of the male statues or paintings I have seen, have had hair on their chests..."
Arresting her wandering hand in a firm grip he chuckled and answered.
" 'Tis quite common."
Looking at Darcy's hand still firmly gripping hers she frowned.
"I am sorry, that was rather impertinent of me."
In a voice dropping lower than his usual tone, he replied. "Not impertinent but dangerous."
He loosened his grip and took her other hand cradling one in each of his.
"I need to speak to your father, do you think it is too early in the morning to call on him?"
"No, my father is an early riser like me." Elizabeth took another step, lessening the gap between them to a few inches.
"How do you think he will react to my suit? I am well aware that I made a poor impression on the Meryton residents during my last visit."
"He will lament the fact that there will not be spoken two sensible words together in his house after his two eldest daughters leave. You might be able to win him over though, with an open, forthwith invitation to peruse Pemberley's library."
Which earned her a deep-throated laugh and a dimple.
"I might take you up on that."
He closed the few inches left between their frames.
Brushed his thumb along her lips and whispered.
"May I?"
She answered with a slight nod, lost in his intense gaze and his body's close proximity.
This kiss was more demanding and of longer duration but he tore himself away before the kiss escalated and rested his forehead on hers.
"I really should not be doing this, not until we are wed" he whispered softly.
"I know, but it feels wonderful, does it not?"
"Yes, it does," he said while taking a step back. Still cradling her hands.
A branch snapped nearby, startling the two lovers.
Mr Bennet came strolling into view making Elizabeth blush furiously.
"Lizzy! On your morning constitutional in your nightgown? Must be a new fashion from London. What do you say, Mr Darcy? You are more accustomed to the whims of fashion than I."
"Mr Bennet, I need to speak with you on a matter of importance. Are you available now or should I come back later?" Mr Darcy requested, pretending not to hear Mr Bennet's sarcastic remark, silently wondering how long he had been watching them. He didn't look angry but he doubted he knew the man well enough to discern.
"Now is a good a time as any Mr Darcy. Follow me to my study. Lizzy, do not make yourself scarce, I want to talk to you later."