"Can you give me a little hint? I promise I will not tell anybody you aided me," David pouted to his mother. He did not know that his words mirrored his sister's from only a few days ago. He and Louisa were seated in a carriage across from Mrs. Hurst, headed they knew not where.
It was just then that they slowed, pulling up to a dwelling he had not even thought of in years. "The dower house? I do not understand."
"The girls are waiting. It will become plain very soon," his mother said as she urged him to leave the carriage. She followed her son and daughter-in-law into the house. The last time any of them had been in the home, the furniture has been shrouded to protect it from dust and there was little by way of staff. It was just an older couple, who left their positions at the main house for the lighter workload, and their granddaughter with whom they were able to manage the minimal upkeep of this smaller home. However, now the cloths were removed, and everything shone bright and clean, ready for habitation.
"My darling sisters, what are you up to?" he asked upon finding them in the large sitting room.
"I should think it would be obvious. This." Tessa made an expansive gesture, indicating the room around them. "With the aid of Mr. and Mrs. Stack and Lily, we have prepared the house for you."
"Why would you need to prepare the house for us?" David was confused, while by his side Louisa clutched his hand, indicating he should be patient. "Louisa?"
"I know my disappearance affected you greatly and you did not think you deserved to be happy. And yet, with Louisa, you had a glimmer of hope that things might change for you but then…" Elizabeth looked apologetically at Louisa.
"But then, Caroline." Louisa finished the thought for her.
"Yes, exactly. You, neither of you, have really had the chance to let your marriage flourish, living on your own, without the obstacles and obligations that come with having sisters underfoot. I wanted to do something to let you know how much I appreciate everything you have done, and it was Tessa who thought this might be just the thing," Elizabeth explained.
Mrs. Hurst continued for her, "If you like, you may make this house your home, serving as master and mistress, modifying it to suit your needs, and we will adjust the staffing levels and increase your budget. You are, of course, welcome to remain in your rooms at the main house or just come and go between the houses, as you please. The girls thought you might welcome the opportunity to…how did you put it, Tessa?"
"Think only of yourselves. I know what it was like when Henry and I married. It was nice to set our own routines, and make plans for ourselves, without thought to anyone else. Brother, I know the weight you have carried for so long. Now you are free of it, enjoy this time with your wife. We will never be far from you, you big bully." Tessa found herself becoming surprisingly emotional.
"So you say. Are you not leaving to return home tomorrow, brat?" David attempted to joke as he pulled her into an embrace. He then gave Elizabeth a similar hug, lifting her slightly off her feet.
"Thank you for finding me," she whispered. "All of this happened because of you. I do not think I could want for anything more but for that statement to be true for you as well." Elizabeth then moved to hug Louisa as well, with just as much feeling. Louisa, unused to such physical displays from her own sister, just stood for a moment before tentatively returning the embrace. "This is for you as well, Louisa, and not just because you are David's wife. Your steadfast support, in general, and in the face of Caroline's rancor has been appreciated by both me and Jane." Once again, she dropped her voice. "I left some things for you in your rooms."
"We will leave you to your day. You have some things to discuss. Tessa, Henry, and the children will be leaving after breakfast tomorrow if you would like to see them off." Mrs. Hurst kissed David and Louisa both on the cheek and led her daughters back to the carriage, leaving the couple alone.
"Do you think they are trying to get rid of us?" David joked, as he sat down beside his wife.
"Do not joke. It is a lovely gesture." She laced the fingers of one of her hands through his.
"So, would you like to accept this proposal?
"I think I would. I should be more productive, and it is past time that learn how to run a household. I let Caroline direct things in town. Perhaps Elizabeth and I can learn together."
"That is not a bad idea. I am the heir to Raber Hill and I know almost nothing about it. I should see to my own instruction." He was thoughtful for a moment. "Will you be lonely with only me?"
"I look forward to it. We were not even alone on our wedding trip because Caroline insisted it was the fashionable thing for a sister to accompany newlyweds." Louisa snuggled up against David.
David stretched out his legs and rested his feet on the table in front of the sofa where they were sitting. His wife protested, "Your boots, you will leave mud on the table."
"My boots, my mud, my table, my house," he said firmly.
"So, we are staying? I shall be very content here, I think. Can we tour the rest of the house?"
They spent some time investigating the various room. David's memories of the place were blurry, but they were mostly of his grandmother. The last time he had been there was right before she had passed. Luckily, the rooms prepared for them were not hers.
"There is but one bedchamber prepared," Louisa said after exploring the attached sitting room.
"Does that concern you? We have been sharing a bedchamber every night since we were at Netherfield. Do you wish to go back to separate chambers?" David did not wish it so for himself.
"No, I guess I am still hearing Caroline in my ear. She always said sharing a room is vulgar. When one is a guest, it is different. But I truly do not wish for separate chambers. I have enjoyed our closeness. I grow happier every night that we are together."
"Romantic," David whispered to her as he kissed her ear. "That shall be your nickname."
"Without the alliterative B? Seeing as I do not relish being called 'buddy' to your 'bully', it is probably for the best." Louisa smiled at him.
"What about beautiful or beloved?" David thought his wife blushed rather charmingly. "Though I prefer romantic. Let the Rs be ours."
"Oh, that is awful." She laughed, a free, undisguised laugh that David heard far too infrequently. He promised himself that he would make her laugh like that at least once each day.
"And what shall I be?" he asked.
"Is it not obvious? Given your family's predilection for Shakespearean names, you are Romeo, with much less drama and a better ending, of course."
"Of course, I would have it no other way. If Darcy and Bingley learn of this, I will never hear the end of it."
"If you do not like it, I will not insist," Louisa was a little disappointed. She liked the idea of this small intimacy between them.
"But I shall. My mind is racing at how I can whisper it into your ear when we are in company and watch you blush." He wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned in for a kiss. When their lips were a hairsbreadth away there was a knock on the door.
"Mr. Hurst, sir, there is a footman here asking if you would like your maid and valet to prepare to transfer your belongs from the main house or if you would just like a trunk packed. Would you like to speak to him?"
"I will be but a few moments," He said quietly to Louisa before answering the housekeeper. "I shall be down to speak with him directly, Mrs. Stack."
When David left, Louisa wandered into the dressing room which would be hers. It was not empty as she expected. There were a number of parcels. It must be what Elizabeth spoke of earlier. She opened the first one to find a dress. It was pale green with a floral pattern of a slightly darker green. It was a fabric she had admired on the London shopping excursion last autumn. The cut of the dress was much different than she usually wore. It was simply beautiful, though Caroline would have thought it too 'country'. The note just said, From Lizzy, With Love (and in gratitude for your admirable redirection of holiday greenery). Most of the other parcels were things that Louisa had expressed partiality for at the shops in London or Nuneaton. She was touched that Elizabeth had taken note of her preferences and made such an effort to acquire things she would enjoy.
However, her mind kept going back to the note, With Love. Caroline had never once expressed any sort of love for her. She suddenly realized how much she thought of or mentioned Caroline in the course of the day. Every good thing turned bad by thoughts of something Caroline said or did. Louisa already decided to excise her sister from her mind, though obviously with less success than she had hoped, but now she was also determined to participate more actively in her new life. Not just with her husband but with the rest of the Hursts. She was no longer content to be on the outside looking in on someone else's life. They had come to accept her, she thought. With Love.
"Louisa?" David entered the dressing room. "Our rooms are to be packed up and everything sent over tomorrow but I am having what we will need for today and tonight sent over this afternoon. Though, perhaps, I need not have bothered. You seem to have quite to array of items already here." He ran a finger over the green dress. "Pretty, you will look wonderful in it."
"Thank you…Romeo."