Chapter 44
After he finished reading, he glanced up and his eyes widened.
Oh, no! He'd done it again! His heart told him and looked around; there was hardly a soul in sight and the emptiness of the room was there. He knew he'd done it again and she was gone; he knew he'd hurt her feelings when he had asked everyone to leave but it was actually on the servant's request that he be left alone to read what his father had written to him by himself. But when he remembered having promised her that he wouldn't even again hurt her feelings, Fitzwilliam stood up and moved his eyes back and forth, wondering where in the world was she and his heart felt alone when he remembered how tender Elizabeth's heart was and how easily prone her feelings were to getting hurt so quickly. But he also knew she was stronger than what she appeared to be and her feelings could be turned on and off but in this moment, he knew he had hurt her big time.
As he walked forward, he heard a voice ask.
"Fitzwilliam? Where are you going?"
"I'm going upstairs to make my wife feel better," he responded to the servant who had entered. He knew that the gold bars mattered less than that of his heart and gold, money, wealth, even the manor of Hawkswood itself mattered as nothing compared to the value of Elizabeth's soul as he walked forward and with a heart full of love for his wife, who he knew was upstairs, he straight up to the woman, and asking her to extend her hand, he handed her the letter which summed everything before he announced.
"Such a fortune matters less than the love I have for her."
And turning around, praying that his heart would be able to handle her emotions, Fitzwilliam directed his feet to match up the steps, onto the second floor, and when he made his appearance in the hallway, he pushed himself forward and soon came upon the door where she was. He didn't even raise a hand to knock when he reached out, turned the knob, and stepped into the room.
Little did he know that a pair of eyes was watching him and when she witnessed this, her heart was warmed to the touch and she knew he had done the right thing. His choice and decision to reject the gold was his reward and in turn, he had flipped it around and decided to do what the calls of his heart asked him to do and she knew he had made the right decision and she would support him in this. She glanced down at his father's letter and she only guessed he would wish to take care of it in the library and she knew that summary of their love story would be done and ready. She then made her way towards his study and her prayer would be answered as she thought
"God bless you, Fitzwilliam; you've done just what your father would have asked you to do."
A hand gently was placed on her shoulder.
"Elizabeth?" His voice asked but she didn't bother to turn around to look at him. She knew he had entered the bedroom and he heard her crying near the window. Her heart ached when she felt her husband's hand on her shoulder but she knew that if she let him know how hurt she was, she was afraid he would laugh at her and she felt her heart beat more in pain when this thought entered. She felt her heart inside squeeze when she heard his movement step closer to her and then she felt both hands on her shoulders. She didn't return his attention when she felt the tears stream down her face and the hurt was hard to accept. Her heart continued to pound when she watched as he crouched down and he winced a bit as he did this and she remembered that he was still recovering. She longed to shake her head in protest but she felt Fitzwilliam's hands inform her that he would nothing to do with that. Soon, he was in a squatting position and with his hands on her shoulders, she waited for him to say something.
Her throat twisted when she heard him softy say.
"I'm sorry I hurt your feelings like that downstairs."
She only swallowed but didn't return his gaze and she felt his fingers tighten a bit.
Her heart pounded when he asked, tenderly.
"Can you forgive me? I promise I won't do that again."
She felt her throat twist huge when she slowly lifted her head and it took a moment for her to gather her spirits to look at him in the eyes. When she did, Elizabeth blinked when she saw that his eyes were full of tears and this stopped her from all anger and resentment towards her husband. She hadn't seen him cry and when she spotted this, she leaned forward, and tilting her head to one side, she asked.
"You're crying? Why?"
"Because I don't like seeing you cry."
That did it. Within seconds, her arms were wrapped around his neck and she cried against his chest. He too wept with her as he rubbed her hair and Elizabeth could feel the tenderness in Fitzwilliam's touch as he loving, masculine presence, soothed her pain and her hurt feelings when he apologized again for having hurt her downstairs and he promised that he wouldn't do it again. When she heard that thumping heart deep inside his chest, she raised her hand and reaching up, she pulled herself up to plant a kiss on that cheek of his. How in the world had God given her a man who felt her every feeling and always came running when she was crying? He placed his hand against hers and rested his head in her hand before he leaned down and returned her kiss with one from his lips and when this happened, Elizabeth's heart melted like wax and she closed her eyes. Tears of happiness poured down her face instead and melted with his and she could taste the salt of them when she allowed her husband to take her into his arms, using his hands rub her back, as well as her hair and she loved this feeling of his tenderness when he stroked her like that. When he drew back, his eyes were still watered but she had no care in the world when he did this. She knew he loved her and this time, he meant it and in her heart, Elizabeth knew that Fitzwilliam Darcy, a man who had been a complete stranger to her, had gone from the new dentist, to her loving husband who held her in his arms.
Outside, the spring birds chirped and the peace of God could be sensed as Elizabeth heard Fitzwilliam whisper.
"I love you."
Fredrick gave his uncle a high five and the others around them covered their ears.
He slapped his uncle hard on the back when he exclaimed.
"Told you so! He loves her more than stupid gold!"
He started to dance around the kitchen and didn't care how loud he was as he continued to rejoice his victory to God and he heard his uncle exclaim.
"Not too hard next time, Fredrick! It's a miracle we're all alive after what Henry tried to do to us!"
"And that means that they're going to follow through with what our fathers' wished for the two of them do with that gold and not use it for selfish ways as Henry had intended!"
"He will continue to dance around like that I will never be able to finish their meal!" the newly hired cook exclaimed as she turned around and playfully scowled at Fredrick but she was already enjoying watching how the young man was strutting around with the victory and triumph God had given his sister and brother in law to have that day. The woman resumed her cooking when she heard the police sheriff, now retired, answer.
"Let him have his dance, he hasn't done this since he left the hospital."
"And when the time is right, I'll be an uncle soon!" Fredrick's voice shouted and the glass displays inside the cabinets shook in response to him, as if they were little angels nodding their own triumph in response to his as he danced on. How good God was his heart praised!
A few days later...
Fitzwilliam opened the door and he extended his hand to one of the elegantly dressed ladies for his wife's spring festival of Hawkswood Manor. He felt her love when she greeted.
"Hello, Mr. Darcy, I'm so happy to know that you are fine and well."
"And may the grace of God be with you, ma'am, and I thank you," he answered back as he allowed her to enter the manor but he glanced above her head and met his wife's eyes. They sparkled in the afternoon light and his heart was touched when he knew she was happy. Peacefully happy with him and thanking God that both were in health and in super great spirits. He then quickly returned his attention back to the other guests as they appeared on the gravel driveway, either in carriage or horseback, majority of them arrived in carriage, and he continued to welcome each guest but he was amused with his brother in law, Fredrick, who was carrying each of the guest's cloaks or jackets, and whenever he was piled with too many, he would glance over towards Fitzwilliam and roll his eyes but he smiled afterwards.
Enough of the guests were residents of Charleston and Fitzwilliam knew most of them. By this time, he knew everyone from the his office, Miss Parkington, Jim, who had actually been an undercover police spy, Father Thomas, the doctor, the sheriff, who was Elizabeth's uncle, now retired, and he was beginning to know more of the parishioners of St. Mary's Catholic Church but Fitzwilliam loved knowing those close to his wife than those around town. He also was beginning to thank God more because He was the One who replaced his earthly father and Our Blessed Mother, who was in replacement of his earthly mother and every day, after what had happened since he arrived to South Caroline, he was intensify his prayer life and thanking God more and more and he realizing a thankful spirit pleased Our Father more than a complaining, whinny one. As he continued to welcome each person, acknowledging them and asking how they were doing, Fitzwilliam couldn't feel any better or thankful when he thought.
"Knowing what I know about the gold bars, which were found by my father and Elizabeth's father, who partnered together in 1847 during the Gold Rush in California, discovered that gold, and decided to partner together and have it taken to her manor, where they hoped the two of us would meet one day, grow to know each other, and then eventually marry, they had hoped that we would be able to use the gold wisely and for God's purposes. But the owner of the mine, Henry's father, was the owner of the mine and when he wasn't able to contact either of our fathers, he'd gotten mad and sought revenge on those two and he had conveyed the message to Oliver, who was a part of the party where my father and Elizabeth's who traveled with them to California but and had listened in on what they two men intended. But he also knew Henry's father and when they weren't watching, he'd snuck back and informed him where the whereabouts of his gold was and plotted to help him get it back because he'd been greedy from the start himself and this was something which my father had detected with Oliver."
He sighed as he concluded.
"Eventually, Henry's father died and he wasn't able to inform his son about it and he had written, in his will, that Oliver was to inform Henry about it and he penetrated such hate for my father and Elizabeth's, that he eventually grew as greedy as his father and something which Oliver helped him with."
He shook his head as he remembered what the police had reported about what was going to happen with Henry and Oliver. He didn't wish to think about it because part of their agreement was that the two were being sent out of state away from Hawkswood, along with any of the other men who had been a part of the plan and Fitzwilliam was thankful for this. He wouldn't have to worry about his family with Henry Kingston around or that disturbing Oliver who was worse than Henry!
He shuddered when he remembered what had occurred that night and Fitzwilliam even remembered how he'd met Henry at university but he pushed those aside when he welcomed another guest. When he met his wife's eyes, they glowed and he felt better when she smiled at him like that. He knew that all was fine and great and the two of them were at peace. What had become of the gold they had inherited which was concealed?
Fitzwilliam had decided to give it to the church and kept only a little piece of it for his own family. He knew that he would be needing it soon and he inwardly blushed when he watched as his wife had her father appear to her left, he'd gone into hiding when Oliver scared him away with her mother, and he watched as her father leaned down and gave her a kiss. This warmed him because Fitzwilliam pictured him kissing someone else soon but it wasn't going to be Elizabeth. It would hopefully be a grandchild and when Fitzwilliam thought this, he swallowed as he started to pray for that miracle to happen. He was thankful that the doctor had updated him that Elizabeth's blow to her head was progressing well and there was no need to worry about a concussion or permeant injury to her brain.
And for this, Fitzwilliam's heart was thankful to God our Father, Our Lord, the Holy Spirit, and Our Blessed Mother. He continued to greet the guests on this wonderful spring day.