Darcy kissed the top of his slumbering wife's forehead, reflecting over the past month and the many changes it had brought to their marriage. Elizabeth now slept in his room, they had both confessed their love for one another, and the bickering had stopped. Yes, Darcy thought to himself, he was quite content.
"Good morning, my love," Elizabeth murmured sleepily. "Shall we go for a walk today?"
"I am afraid I can not. I have some business with Mr. Ford in Lambton. I will be gone for most of the day."
Elizabeth frowned and wrinkled her brow. "I shall miss you."
"I am not gone yet. I have a good hour before I must get ready."
"We shall have to make very good use of that hour. We would not want to let it go to waste. Can you not think of something productive we might do?"
Darcy climbed on top of his wife, a hand on either side of her head. He nuzzled her neck, taking a nip now and then and said. "I can think of something," before capturing her mouth in a kiss.
Elizabeth laughed huskily, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Well, if you can think of nothing else..."
She was bored. Very, very bored. Without her husband to keep her company, Elizabeth felt as if she might go mad. She was all alone at Pemberley for the day. Georgiana had gone to visit friends in London and her sister and Bingley were happily honeymooning.
Her housekeeping duties had been completed earlier in the day. Elizabeth had made sure that the cook knew what to make for dinner, the grounds were taken care of properly, and the house was neat and orderly.
In vain, she had tried to read a book, but it was not keeping her interest. Neither had the letter she had started to Mrs. Collins. She was contemplating inviting her for a visit. Unfortunately, Mr. Collins would be expected to visit as well, causing her to reconsider.
Darcy would not return for a couple more hours. She could not just sit around like a ninny. She must do something. Wrapping her shawl about herself, Elizabeth decided to take a walk.
Two hours later, Darcy returned home, expecting to find his wife in the sitting room. When he did not find her there, he looked in the music room, his bedroom and even her rarely used bedroom. Not finding her in any of these rooms, he stopped the housekeeper and asked, "Do you know where Mrs. Darcy is?"
"Not exactly sir. I did see her walking to the pond a while back."
"Do you know how long ago it was?"
Anxiety crossed the woman's face. "Now that I think about sir. It has been a long while. Maybe two hours ago. We were so busy. I did not even think. She knows the grounds well, does she not sir? You do not think she could be lost? I will not be able to forgive myself if anything has happened to the Mrs.," she answered with panic in her voice.
Striding past the housekeeper, he called for one of the servants to fetch his horse.
After a good half hour's search for his wife, he found her under a tree, fast asleep. Relief flooded through him. She was safe, that was all that mattered. He quietly approached her, gently shaking her shoulder to wake her.
Elizabeth's eyes opened. She looked a tad disoriented for a moment until she remembered where she was and why she was there. Her laugh filled the silence. "I did not realize I was so tired. I must have taken a long nap indeed if my dear husband had to come find me."
"I am glad you find this so amusing, wife," Darcy snapped. His relief had been replaced with anger at her nonchalant attitude about the whole situation. Did she not know how terrified he had been? Did she not think of how he must have felt not knowing where she was or what had happened to her? If he lost her, he dared not think of what his life would be like.
His wife was taken aback. Standing to her feet, she brushed grass off of her skirt. "I don't understand why you are being so cross. It was a simple mistake."
"You are the lady of the house. It is quite unbecoming for a woman of your stature to wander off as she pleases. You can not go off anytime that you like, especially alone."
Elizabeth's face reddened. "It was only a walk upon the grounds. It was not as if I were trying to navigate the streets of London by myself. Really Fitzwilliam, you are making too much of this. Let's go back to the house."
As Elizabeth passed him, he took hold of her arm. "I am not making too much of this. You are not allowed to go anywhere without an escort - the grounds of Pemberley, Lambton, London, or anywhere else."
"Just because I am your wife does not give you permission to order me about so."
Darcy barked a short laugh. "The fact that I am your husband is precisely why I am allowed to order you about and I expect my orders to be followed."
"Is this how partners treat each other? I thought we were equals. Would you order Caroline Bingley around this way if she was your wife?"
"I wouldn't have to. Caroline would never act as foolishly as you have done today. She is too well bred for that."
Darcy knew he should not have taken the bait about Miss Bingley. He immediately regretted his words the instant they were said.
Elizabeth's face fumed, but she kept herself in check. She did not speak the words that he knew were racing through her mind. Removing her arm from his hold, she walked to his horse. He assisted her in mounting the horse and then climbed on behind her.
When they arrived at the house, the maids and housekeeper fawned over Elizabeth, placing her by the fire and fetching her some tea.
"Would you like some supper Mrs. Darcy?" the housekeeper asked.
"Actually, I'm quite tired. I think I shall retire early."
"I will go light the fire in Master Darcy's room," said one of the servants.
"I would be much obliged if you would light one in my own bedchamber as well," his wife said.
Damnation! Darcy thought. Their disagreement had taken a turn for the worse. Elizabeth must be very upset indeed to wish to spend the evening in her own room. With the servants afoot, there was nothing he could do about it this evening. He would have to try and remedy the situation tomorrow.