Author's Note:
Hi, guys! Thank you so much, as always, for your reviews! I'll try to answer some of the questions I received. So, I did some research on Regency pregnancies before I started writing Elizabeth's and I was surprised to find that it wasn't as censured then as it would become during the Victorian era. Women still traveled and even attended the theater, so they were not hidden until they gave birth. Still, I assume that pregnancy was not a polite topic of conversation and that men were pretty much kept in the dark. I didn't follow this path because I thought you'd prefer to read—and I to write—a family that is more involved. Actually, I think aristocrat fathers would have very little to do with their sons until they were "old enough" and almost no relationship with their daughters. At least that was what Lady Catherine thought. But, I have always written my Darcys a bit unconventional for the time, so they will be involved. Oh, and Elizabeth hasn't told Fitzwilliam yet because, as many of you already know, she wants to surprise him.
I was very surprised by how much you guessed. Someone even mentioned a picnic! I had the picnic in Emma (2009) in mind when I wrote this. Even the part when Mr. Churchill rests his head on Emma's lap (scandalous!).
And last but not least, promise me that when you finish reading this chapter, you won't try to track and kill me! This ends in a cruel cliffhanger. In exchange, I promise I will try to post tomorrow or the day after at the latest and I also promise that I will go back in time a little—just a few minutes—so you can see the last part of this chapter through Fitzwilliam's POV. I won't skip such an important moment, because I know how frustrating it is as a reader when you're waiting for something that is never shown. So, don't worry, you'll get to read it!
Stay safe!
Jen
"You are still keeping secrets?" he smiled at her.
After that demonstration, he could no longer be bothered. No, he would stop waiting for something to be wrong and he would trust her love for him.
"Of course! A wife must, you know? How else can I keep an air of mystery and allure? You might lose your interest in me."
"That shall never happen," he promised.
23.
Fitzwilliam woke up the day he turned nine and twenty with the feeling of soft kisses down his cheek. He kept his eyes closed as he felt Elizabeth kissing his cheek, his jaw, his throat, and then moving to the other side to kiss her way up. She kissed his smiling lips once before she whispered against them:
"Devious, deceitful husband! Playing possum to his own wife!"
He chuckled. "I did not wish for you to stop. I believe I am still asleep."
"Oh, you must be talking in your sleep, then," she said and moved to lie on top of him. She kissed his forehead, his temple, and his mouth again until he began kissing her back. "There, you seem to be awake now. Happy birthday, my dearest."
"It is definitely a very happy birthday."
He grabbed her chemise at her waist and marvelled at the softness of it and the warmth of his wife underneath it. Last night was one of those nights when she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, and so she was still wearing her chemise, much to his chagrin.
"May I unwrap my present?" he asked, tugging her chemise up her legs. He cupped her bottom and pushed her hips down against his.
"Am I your present, sir?" she smiled down at him. "Then you do not want your real present?"
"It cannot be better than you," he said and began kissing her neck.
"Oh, I do not know about that. It is quite a good present."
"I only want you," he groaned.
"You shall change your mind," she argued and sat up astride him. "But... you can unwrap me," she smiled mischievously and raised her arms above her head.
He did not hesitate and slid her chemise over her head. He threw it away and forgot all about any other present, but his wife.
By the time they walked down the stairs to join their family for breakfast, it was later than usual, but he believed it was within his birthday rights. As soon as they entered the breakfast room, Georgiana jumped at him squealing 'happy birthday!'
"Thank you, Georgie," he smiled and kissed her head.
"Happy birthday, my love," his mother said, kissing his cheek.
"Thank you, Mother."
After his father had also congratulated him on his birthday, he realised the table was empty.
"Have you broken your fast already?" he asked.
"No, we were waiting for you," Georgiana replied and joked: "Today, of all days, you had to wake up so late?"
Her brother and sister's blush did not arouse any suspicion to Georgiana's innocent mind, and so she did not comment on it, or on her parents' amusement. Lady Anne quickly informed him they would spend the day together to celebrate.
"We shall have a picnic," Lady Anne said.
"A picnic? Is it not a little cold for that?" Fitzwilliam asked.
"It is a bit cold, but it is also a beautiful Spring day and we shall make the best of it. Unless you would prefer something else?"
"No, I am perfectly happy as long as Elizabeth promises she will tell us if she is too fatigued or cold."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and gave him the required promise. The picnic, which had already been arranged by Lady Anne and Elizabeth, was set in their beautiful gardens. Fitzwilliam watched servants coming and going and he insisted they brought chairs for his parents, who argued that they were not so old as to be unable to sit on the floor for some time. Still, he insisted and a few chairs were brought, just in case, he said before he sat down. He was immediately impressed by the time they had clearly spent planing this. In front of him, there were his favourite pastries, cheesecakes, tea, fruits, cabinet pudding, blancmange, bread, butter, jelly, rolls, cheese, and wine. It was not long before he had taken his waistcoat off, sat back, and stretched his legs comfortably in front of him. Georgiana was in high spirits and lay down on the ground next to her mother talking about the new duet she and Elizabeth were learning.
"You must play it for me tonight," Fitzwilliam said.
"Oh, we are not ready," Elizabeth said.
"I am sure we can do it, Lizzy," Georgie said.
"I am sure you can, dearest, but I do not have your talent," Elizabeth smiled and tweaked her sister's nose playfully.
"You must indulge me," her husband said. "It is my birthday."
Elizabeth laughed. "Shall you keep using that argument for the rest of the day?"
"Yes or for as long as I can get my way."
"It is for your own good that I did not wish for you to hear me play something outside of my abilities, but I shall torture your poor ears if that is your birthday wish."
They ate slowly, talked, and laughed, and Fitzwilliam was sure he had never had a more agreeable birthday. His parents and his sister gave him presents, but Elizabeth sat back, her face turned to the sun and smiled at him as he opened them and thanked his family. He saw his father raised a brow in question and he knew he was wondering what she had or had not bought for him at Lambton that day, but he had since overcome that worry and he could not care less if she had no gift for him. She was more than enough, but then he remembered her comment that morning—before her tempting, curvaceous body took any coherent thought from him. She had said 'It is quite a good present' and now he could not help but be curious. Perhaps she would give it to him after they retired when they were alone.
He shrugged it off and lay down, resting his head on his wife's lap. He was always sleepy after eating and the wine and the warm sun on his face were not helping him stay awake. Elizabeth started running her fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp, and he almost moaned out loud. He checked himself just in time as he remembered that Georgie and his parents were still there. He closed his eyes at the feeling and could not help it, he felt himself falling asleep and when she began caressing his face, so softly, with the back of her fingers, he finally succumbed.
He woke up some time later—he did not know how much time had passed, but it could not have been long—and she was playing with his curls. He felt a kiss on his forehead and smiled.
"Playing possum, again?"
"Guilty as charged," he grinned and delighted in her laughter.
"Did sleeping beauty wake up?" he heard his mother ask.
"He is playing possum now, Mother."
"And why is that?" Lady Anne asked.
"I found I get cuddled while asleep."
"And not when you are awake? Liar!" Elizabeth teased.
"Not nearly as much," he teased back and opened his eyes.
"Maybe it is because you speak while awake."
His father guffawed as Fitzwilliam sat up and pretended to be offended. Elizabeth laughed and kissed his cheek and he mellowed like a kitten, making his little sister giggle at the change.
"I need to stretch my legs," Lizzy said and asked her husband: "Would you walk with me?"
"Of course," he replied and stood up.
He saw her remove something from one of the baskets and rearrange her gown as he put on his waistcoat. He reached for her hand and instead of resting it on his arm, he intertwined their fingers together. They walked the gardens silently, enjoying each other's company.
"What are you doing, Georgie?" Lady Anne smiled and followed her daughter's intent gaze.
"I am watching them," she replied, whispering as if Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth could hear them—which they certainly could not.
"And why are you watching them?" Mr. Darcy whispered back teasingly.
Georgiana looked at her father for a second, smiled at his jest, and returned her eyes to the couple.
"I think Lizzy has a great gift under her sleeve," she explained in a normal tone.
"Literally or figuratively?" Lady Anne chuckled.
"I do not know."
"We should not be spying on them," Lady Anne said.
"We are not," Georgiana argued. "They are in plain view of us. I want to see what she got for him."
They watched as the couple stopped near the white roses and Elizabeth turned to Fitzwilliam and reached for his other hand to hold. Georgiana watched them and sighed.
"What is wrong, my love?" Lady Anne asked her daughter. "That was a very melancholic sigh."
"Oh, nothing. It is just..." she looked down at her hands in her lap and then back to her mother and then her father.
"You can tell us anything, dearest," her father said gently.
"I so much hope... many years from now, I know, but..."
"Yes?" her mother encouraged her.
"I so much hope to have what you have," she finally said and then nodded at Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam, "what they have."
"And you shall, when the time is right," Lady Anne said, caressing Georgina's cheek with her hand.
"Georgie," Mr. Darcy said, reaching out to take her hand. "Let me tell you something. I did not allow you to marry—"
"Oh, Papa, no!" Georgiana interrupted. "I did not mean him."
"I know, but let me finish," he scolded her, gently and she nodded. "I did not allow you to marry Wickham for three reasons: first, an elopement would bring scandal to the family and you deserve to be properly courted; second, you were, and still are, too young to marry; and the third and most important reason is that I knew he was after your dowry. His being the son of my old steward had nothing to do with it, though I admit I would prefer you to marry at least a gentleman."
"I agree with your father. Had he been a good, loving man who courted you openly, asked for your father's consent, and waited until you were older, our answer would have been quite different," Lady Anne added.
"I want you to be older, at least have a season or two, you deserve that. And most importantly, I want you to be loved as Fitzwilliam loves Elizabeth. I shall have to be absolutely sure he is not a fortune hunter, for once you marry, you shall not be under my protection."
"I understand," she nodded. "And I believe you are a better judge of that than I am. I shall never marry without your consent, Papa," she said, her voice breaking. "I am sorry."
"You have apologised a hundred times, my love," Mr. Darcy said and kissed her hand. "I believe you. I trust you. And I trust your judgment more than you seem to trust your own."
"You have grown a lot under your new sister's wing," Lady Anne commented. "We are proud of you."
"And there is no hurry at all," Mr. Darcy added. "Remember that Pemberley will always be open to you. Neither I nor your brother and sister, after I am gone from this world, would ever ask you to marry or leave. You can marry later in life or not at all if you so wish it. It shall be up to you alone."
"Thank you," she smiled. "You have reassured me so much. I do not wish to marry unless I have what you have."
"It shall happen at its own time," Lady Anne said. "Look at your brother! It took him long enough," she teased.
That last comment made the three of them turn back to the couple and they watched as Fitzwilliam stared at something in his hands. They could not see his expression from where they were sitting, but they saw him look up to Elizabeth suddenly, wrap his arms around her waist, hoist her up and twirl her around as they laughed.
"It must be some gift!" Mr. Darcy laughed.
I do not own any Pride and Prejudice properties, nor do I make any money from the writing of this story.
Characters and situations, created by Jane Austen, are taken from Pride and Prejudice and from the Pride and Prejudice (1995) adaptation created by Simon Langton and distributed by BBC.
This story is released under the GPL/CC BY: verbatim copying and distribution of this entire work are permitted worldwide, without royalty, in any medium, provided attribution is preserved.