The afternoon following the ball, David Hurst found himself sprawled on the floor of the library, a good portion of his upper body under an ornate, teak atlas stand. "It has been sometime since I have found myself in such a position," he grunted. "But I will manage it."
As he lay there, his sisters entered the room and shut the door. They obviously did not see him. If they had bothered to look around, they would have seen him. So, he really was not eavesdropping, at least not intentionally.
"I offered to treat Louisa to anything she wished the next time we were in Nuneaton but she would not hear of it. She said when we-," Elizabeth paused, blushing yet again. "If Mr. Darcy and I marry, sometime when I am in Caroline's presence, I just need to mention in conversation that Louisa helped us contrive time alone to enjoy our first kiss."
"Oh, that is a thing of beauty. There is a cunning pettiness about it that I speaks to me," Tessa laughed.
They were interrupted by a loud growl and gasped in surprise when David appeared from behind a large wing chair. He stretched, hands at the small of his back, until something creaked. "Amazing how that is much easier when one is in one's cups." He dropped down heavily into the chair, the cat that suddenly materialized beside him, sitting on its arm.
"And you are not now," Tessa stated, studying him. "So were you just lying in wait hoping to overhear someone's private conversation. Hardly gentlemanly, you jolterhead."
David put his hands up to cover Dogberry's ears. "Ssshhh, he will think you are talking about him. He is very sensitive." He moved one hand to scratch the cat on the head. The other he raised to show them the object that he had retrieved from under the atlas case, a small ball of burlap with ribbons attached to it. Dogberry's head made a series of quick jerks, following the movement of his toy in David's hand. "Do not listen to the brat, Doggy. She can be rude sometimes. That is just how she is. I am sure she did not mean it. Here you go." He tossed the toy gently aside and the cat carefully hopped down to go after it.
"Now that is out of the way, I was not eavesdropping, and I heard nothing about Darcy kissing my baby sister. Or maybe I just wish I did not hear of such improper behavior." He shuddered dramatically.
"You are now going to tease me relentlessly for this, I imagine. Just for that you can relinquish my seat." Elizabeth looked at him expectantly.
"This is not your seat. You have only been here a month. You cannot claim a seat as your own after such a short time," David scoffed.
"I do have a seat. You drew me in that very chair. Do you have any such visual evidence?" Seeing that her brother was unmoved by her arguments, she resorted to more emotional tactics. "And for so long it was one of the few connections I had with my life before I was lost. I dreamt of the comfort of that chair surrounding me and by extension the comfort of my family. And now you deny me." When Elizabeth stuck her bottom lip out, he just shook his head.
"That might have worked at one time, but I am inured to you now. Pout all you want; it will not work on me."
Instead of challenging David further, Elizabeth turned to Tessa and changed the topic. "You know I have little bits of memory coming back to me here and there. Nothing significant, just little things, like the way to the conservatory or how I would trace the pattern on the rug in Mama's sitting room when I spent mornings with her. But beyond what I can remember, I also enjoy discovering similarities between us all. You and I have the same hair and we laugh in the same way, while David and I have the same eyes, Papa's eyes. I can draw and David and grandmama can as well, though they are much more talented. And as you learned from Lydia, I am also very ticklish. I wonder if David is as well."
She turned toward him, blinking innocently. David squinted back. "No, it is not going to work. You will have to figure another way to get me out of this chair."
Elizabeth and Tessa slowly walked toward him wiggling their fingers. And he started laughing before they even touched him. He tried to contort his body so the most ticklish parts of him were protected when suddenly they pounced, and he could not hold up against them. They exploited his vulnerabilities, but he was able to counter their attack a few times and got a few tickles in on each of his sisters. When he did, they would shriek with laughter and redouble their efforts.
"Mr. David, are you well? May I help with anything?" The footman enquired, obviously having heard the commotion from the hallway.
"Everything is fine, Douglas. Thank you."
Using his distraction, each of the ladies grabbed one of David's hands. They finally managed to haul him up, so he just let them take his full weight and they all landed sprawled haphazardly on the floor, laughing and gasping for breath. "Mercy, mercy! It is all yours, Lizzy."
"Never mind, I think I like it here." She rolled off her siblings and sat up, her legs folded beneath her. She reached out to grasp David and Tessa's hands, and they then completed the circle by joining hands with each other. "This is much better."
"I know we are much too old for this, but this feels like what it would have always been. Between us, I mean, I hope it would have been like this. That does not make sense, does it."
Tessa looked at her disheveled siblings. "I know what you mean. I think what matters most is that this is what it is like now. I hope we are never too old for this."
"Yes, well, maybe less rolling around on the ground. That is twice I have found myself on the floor today. The things I do for this family."
"I assume you realize I did not truly wish to sit in the chair?" Elizabeth asked.
"I thought you might want the chair but more likely you wished to distract me from what I overheard about Darcy kissing you and my wife's role in your indiscretion."
"I am hopeful you place no blame on Louisa for her actions. She has been such a calm and solid presence these weeks. She has tried so hard to make amends for her earlier behavior. She was not trying to buy my approbation with her aid. She genuinely cares."
"I thank you for defense of my wife, but you need not worry for her. I applaud the spirit of her efforts. And her preferred reward is inspired. When you do have that conversation with Carolyn, please let me be in the room. Otherwise, I have no wish to hear of your romantic activities any more than you wish to tell me. My teasing masks my discomfort."
"Which means he will use that as an excuse not to stop," Tessa poked him.
"How else am I to manage nearly a year of this? My previous coping strategies I no longer wish to employ. I rather like who has emerged. If teasing is now my worst offense, I shall gladly admit to it. Returning to Louisa, believe it or not, she is a romantic. I am glad to see that side of her re-emerge. Lord knows I have given her precious little encouragement in that respect. However, what she did was actually very practical too. Far better to give you some loosely chaperoned private time than to dance a waltz. If Darcy must kiss my sister-"
"I kissed him. Well, Mr. Darcy kissed me first, but he kissed my hand and my cheek, I kissed him first." Elizabeth was actually rather proud of that fact.
David held up a hand so she would not continue. "I have already pleaded for mercy. I do not need to know this. As I was saying, if Darcy must kiss my sister without benefit of an engagement, it is best to keep those moments private where they can be managed. Darcy is a man of honor. But even honorable men, and ladies," he gave her a stern look, "may get lost in a moment. The two of you engaged in a waltz might get carried away - dance too close or display too much interest. One unguarded moment and you are wed as soon as Darcy can get the license."
"Brother, I am not sure you have made your point so much as give Lizzy ideas," Tessa laughed. "Do you want to lose her to marriage so soon? What next? Shall you suggest an elopement?"
"Oh, an elopement! Lydia would love that. Wait, is it an elopement if everyone is of age and it is planned, and guests are present? Lydia would hate to miss it. When I write to Mama and Papa from Gretna Green and sign my name 'Elizabeth Darcy, I will make sure to give you credit for the idea, my dear David."
"You are both horrible, wretched little creatures. As reward for your torment, I believe you will now find I will be the strictest of chaperones."
"You shall have to wait. Tomorrow, the Grands and Miss Darcy will be our chaperones, for I am to Clessondale for the day. Mr. Darcy has planned a surprise for me," Elizabeth stated only to hear David snort in response.
Still on the floor, Elizabeth scooted closer to David and lay her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for caring and thank you for all your overprotective instincts and thank you for the teasing. It all gets jumbled sometimes but I know it all comes from the same place. You are a good brother."
David could only respond in silence, putting an arm around her and resting his head on hers.
"I do not want to be left out," Tessa scooted over to David's other side, and he put an arm around her as well.
"David, can we do something for you? Everything, everything, has been about me but you are the reason I am even here. How can I thank you beyond saying the words?"
"There is no need. I am happier now than I can ever recall being."
"I know just what we can do, Lizzy. We must get started immediately," Tessa hopped to her feet. Offering her hand, she pulled Elizabeth up and they scurried from the room, whispering.
Now that things had quieted down, Dogberry returned to David, toy in mouth, dropping it by his leg. He scratched the cat absently behind the ears, "What do you think, old boy? Should I we worried? And how did I start and end this entire interlude on the floor with you, Dogberry?"