Epilogue

"What do you think, Elizabeth? " Darcy said as he glanced down at her as she held onto his arm. "Was Amberwood a wise choice?"

"It was a very wise choice. Almost as wise as forgoing all the other appearances your aunt had for us last week, other then Lady Bramhurst's cousin's dinner. It was strange to meet a man I should have known as my uncle."

"It was stranger to have his daughter throwing herself at me more then she did prior to her marriage since the connection was closer now. I was glad when you cooly told her that I was quite busy with you and she should attend to her own husband."

"Her comments to you were completely inappropriate. To suggest such a thing in company, like she thought I would not notice my own husband's absence during the dinner party while she entertained you," Elizabeth said with a huff.

"But I quite enjoyed trying her suggestion with you later once we where home, my love," Darcy said with a wicked grin. "I hope to try it out at Amberwood's library too someday."

"Is that why we are here today, Fitzwilliam?" Elizabeth asked raising an eyebrow.

"As much as I would enjoy doing so right now, I believe we will save that for when we stay here and it has an actual library and make do with our bedroom at Netherfield for now. We are here so we can determine what type of renovations we would like. I think if we knock down this wall we could merge the room masquerading as a library on the other side with this parlor to make an adequate library."

"It will be nothing to Pemberley's library I am sure," Elizabeth teased, "but it is true that any Darcy residence should boast at least an adequate library, or at least adequate by Darcy standards."

"It has no ballroom to turn into a library so this will have to do," Darcy said with a shrug. "Unless we build an addition on to Amberwood."

"I still am not quite sure I believe Georgiana when she said the library at Pemberly is the same size as the ballroom," Elizabeth said.

"That is because it is bigger," Darcy said. "Now come, let us see the upstairs. I warn you now, I think we ought to turn the mistresses room into our own private sitting room or some such since you certainly won't be sleeping in it."

As the two started up the stairs they heard Lydia's voice say, "Lord, look at that Uncle Eddy!"

"Avert your eyes girl!" Matlock called out and then seeing she was pointing up at a chandelier said, "Oh never mind. I thought it was well, don't you mind what I thought."

"I don't see why Lizzy and Mr. Darcy wanted to visit Amberwood alone. I wanted to see it too. You and Uncle Eddy wanted to come also. And Kitty decided to join us. They should have invited us along and not snuck out," Lydia declared.

"I believe they were seeking some privacy," Edmund said dryly. "Nor did they know you and Miss Kitty would join Mary in the carriage to Netherfield when she came to practice music with Georgiana."

"And it would not nave done for you to stumble over here yourself alone and find them," Matlock told her.

"What type of renovations are they planning?" Kitty asked with curiosity.

"Knowing my nephew," Edmund said with a laugh, "he will want to enlarge the library. I doubt it is up to his standards. "

"Oye! Darcy!" Matlock hollered loudly. "If you have your er nose in Lizzy's book, it is time to abandon ship and make yourself presentable! You can have some private reading time later! Lizzy's little sisters are here!"

Darcy and Elizabeth appeared at the top of stairs and Darcy said dryly, "Elizabeth and I are not reading uncle. We came to view the premises and discuss renovations."

"Why would they read a book here now?" Lydia asked curiously. "Even if the Parkinsons left any books behind. Lordy Lizzy, the chandelier in the entrance way has naked people on it!"

"What?!" exclaimed Elizabeth, Darcy, Matlock and Edmund all at once.

Craining his neck and looking above more closely the Earl began to laugh hysterically and said, "She is right It appears to depict Bacchus and his woodland nymphs. I imagine countless people crossed under it but never truly looked all the way up at it. It is really to small for this entry way and seems misplaced. It is a more appropriate sized for a smaller room. Tell you what Darcy, I will take it off your hands as payment for having seen Miss Bingley onto that ship bound for the Americas the other day and having Cathy placed in Bedlam. I can put it in my Billards Room at Matlock House."

"Why would you want a chandelier with naked people on it?" Lydia asked wide eyed. "What's the joke? I want to know!"

"Yes, Uncle Freddy, What is the joke?" Elizabeth asked her eyes twinkling as the Earl turned red and gaped at her 15 year old sister.

"It's history," Matlock said weakly. "Ancient Greece and Rome. Very dry, very boring."

"Are there naked people in papa's books on that? Do you have any books on Rome or Greece with naked people, Uncle Freddy? Can I see them?"

"Auh, no," Matlock said gruffly. "You are what 15? Bloody hell."

"Bloody hell," Lydia said slowly, rolling the phrase around in her mouth.

"Lydia!" admonished Elizabeth.

"What? I just wanted to try saying it out," Lydia said with a shrug. "Who was this naked guy on Lizzy's chandelier?"

"Um, Lizzy?" Matlock said helplessly not wanting to explain any subject involving nundity to a 15 year old girl who was an overgrown child.

Darcy watched his flustered uncle with a wide smile. Lord Matlock had enjoyed shocking countless people with his language but never in earshot of children or young ladies he considered to young to be out, such as Georgiana and now Lydia and Kitty. To see the earl that spoke so explicitly in company embarrassed to speak so now was highly diverting since it would have never occurred to Matlock that one so young would ask the questions she was. Kitty had responded in the more expected manner, blushing and averting her eyes, not studying the chandelier with curiosity and asking questions about naked people like Lydia.