All characters belong to Jane Austen. Parts of Pride and Prejudice will be quoted.

Chapter 3

Darcy POV

Waking up was still painful but the dizziness had stopped. He was still thinking about Thomas words. Elizabeth was now a Darcy and apparently his staff loved her. His mother had once told him that a well-managed and respected household had a well-loved mistress. If his servants loved her, it must be good, right? He heard the door open and looked up to see who it was, but no one entered. He realized it had been the adjacent door to the mistress chamber; he had never had that door open before. I wonder how much she has changed it. He still kept a few rooms in Pemberley, decorated as his mother's taste. Has she redecorated them, did Pemberley looked more like her house then his.

She started re-stocking the fire. She had not realized he was awake and he allowed himself to look at her.

She was beautiful, her face no longer hold the roundness of her younger years but now a more slime face that made her full lips noticeable. How much more mature did he look? She clearly still walked, her hips and her well-built back indicated that, she had more bosom then he remembered and even her hair was longer but her eyes, the ones that had captivated him. They still shined.

"Do I please you, Sir?"— She said smiling at him, a twinkle in her eyes. She was teasing him or was about to.

"Barely"- he said, regretting it instantly. She smirked at him shaking her head— "No Sir, that's not the correct word"

"Then which one is?"

"Tolerable"— she said. –"Jenkins said you had questions."

He nodded; she walked up to the bed and sat cross legged in the middle into the empty space next to him. –"How difficult it will be to be nice to you when you will not have the same consideration"

"I'm confused"— he said truthfully.

"I can imagine, I have an idea"— She said and he told her to proceed.

"Let's focus on us, our story, and then I will talk about anyone else you wish to know about."

Darcy thought about it, he really wanted to know about his sister, but if he can clear the doubts of his marriage he might take Georgiana reason of absence better.

"Yes, perhaps it's best, though I wish for bath and clean clothe first"

"Of course"— she said getting up to call Jenkins. — "I should be back when you are finished."

Jenkin walked in with Tommy –"I already had your bath prepared"

After he was shaved, bath and in clean clothes. He felt like himself. His two men helped him into his bed once again and he settled into the fresh sheets. — "Tell me Thomas, how bad was it?"

"Very bad sir we were preparing for mourning." –Jenkins pointed at tommy who was restocking the fire, -"Tommy and Mr. Roger alongside Stewart, one of the stable boys found you."

"Thank you Tommy, tell me how did you found me?"—He didn't remember the boy in front of him, he assume was a new staff member.

"Nothing to thank, Sir, It was Mrs. Darcy she realized you had to be late for a reason and sent us looking for you. You were two miles north from the house, we believe you tried to cut road and got stuck. A little later and the snow would have buried you"— Tommy said kindly.

Darcy gulped he thanked tommy once again and soon both men left. A little later Elizabeth walked in.

"Miss Bennett"—he acknowledged her.

She had come into the room with supper. She laughed— "It is Mrs. Darcy Sir but perhaps you would feel more comfortable with Elizabeth for now."

"What do I usually call you?

"Elizabeth or Lizzy, My dear and love for when we are with family. Mrs. Darcy with the ton and for when we are in private, I am your precious, my sunshine or Minx depending in how good I'm behaving"— she ended that last part on a flirtatious tone, giving him goosebumps.

"Elizabeth"— he repeated he saw that she was holding only one serving "Are you not to dine with me?

"It is a little late for supper and I already did with the…"— she stopped talking.

"If it is my sister, I wish to see her"— He said coldly. Why was she keeping her away?

"It is not your sister." –She sighed. — "I had supper with our children."— She said looking straight at him.

"With our children?"— He choked out, I have children. I'm a father! He… he was a father and he could not even remember, why was god punishing him like this had he done something to offend him, that making him forget his own family had been his punishment.

"Are you well? I wanted you to hear a little of information every day. That way you will not get overwhelmed."

"We have children"— he did not asked he stated

She only nodded.

"How many?"

"Two. A boy name Benedict, he is five and a little girl named Emma she is two."

A boy and a girl close in age just like his mother had wished for. –"Are they healthy?"— He could remember Georgiana's fragile complex in her first years of age.

"Yes, very they rarely get sick though Emma gave us quite a fright few months ago when she caught a bad cold. Now she's as fresh as a flower."

"Good, I wish to see them."

Elizabeth beamed at him.

"What"— he asked

"I was afraid you might reject them."

Why would he? They were his; made in matrimony and clearly by Elizabeth's Smile they were loved. He had always wanted children and he had accepted that maybe he would not marry for love but he would love and care for his children none the less.

"Never, they are my children, no matter what"

Elizabeth smiled grew bigger and he saw her relax, the subject clearly had her concerned.

"Good, but not yet. You are still weak and Ben will notice, he's too observant." Darcy remembered the little voice. It had not been hours. It had been days.

"He was here. I heard him, though I thought it was Hallucinating"

"He sneaked through my chambers. He was trying to wake you."

"Was he frightened?"— His heart clenched at thought of his son crying over his dead body like he had with his own father.

"Only a little"

"Tell me everything Elizabeth"— he demanded.

"What is it that you remember?"

"The clearest memory I have of us is saying goodbye at Netherfield after your sister's illness, and then the whole…. Wickham situation after that everything is dark" –he said frustrated.

"Our story started since the day of the assembly but the day of the Wickham situation, our love and hate story begin. You have to understand that at the moment I did not like you."

"You flirted with me in every occasion possible"— he spat. He still remembered all the conversation they shared. The passionate arguments, how she did not shy from him and spoke her mind.

"No, William I did not. That is what you believed. I detested you because of your comment in the Assembly."

"What comment?"

"Are you going to interrupt every two words?"

"Yes. What comment"— he demanded

"I had forgotten how vexing you were back then. The comment you said to Charles "she is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me."

He felt his cheeks redden—"you heard that?"

"Yes, and a few others, you were not very discreet. You wounded my pride I was use to Mamas comments of my beauty but when you walked into that room, I was captivated by you, William. Handsome, tall and walked when an air of authority, you looked like every gentleman should."

He felt himself smile at her words; this is what he wanted her to think of him, she fancied him.

"I wanted to see if you could keep up with my intelligence but then you spoke and the enchantment was broken. You were rude, proud and believed yourself better than us. It did not help that the following gathering you kept being disagreeable. The rumors of Miss Bingley describing us as savages were being spread around, words you agreed to."—She chastise him, with no reproach the argument had been long forgotten but he still blush and looked out the window embarrass.

"In my mind, you were the most horrible man ever and when someone agreed with these thoughts giving me detail of more horrible tells of you i…I , I blindly believed them."

Darcy was paying attention to every word she was saying. He remembered a comment but he had apologized. He was sure he did, he regretted almost immediately and the talks in Netherfield he barley acknowledge them, Miss Bingley was of no consequence to him. –"I… I see I have been wrong then"—
their conversations were quarrels not flirtations like he believed, had she not enjoyed them as much as he did? Did she truly not see his regard for her, he had believed to be far too obvious, Miss Bingley had noticed.

"What does Wickham have to do with it?"—He went back the problem.

"He told lies about you."

"And you believed him" –he laughed bitterly.

Elizabeth decided to ignore his tone, god knew she would have to do a lot of that.—"He told them to anyone in Meryton who would listen, you did not have the best reputation. You insulted your host, insulted a local beauty and denied the living to a gentleman; everyone believed he was a gentleman. Everyone considered you the worst of men."

He frown he did not remember being that bad. Yes he had said some bad comments but…-"A gentleman!"—Darcy half yelled, he was about to tell her what kind of gentleman Wickham was when he remembered his sister.

"Calm down William, that was long ago and I know the truth of who he is… was. You told me months later do you remember my cousin Collins?"

Was? Is he dead he was about to ask but realized he rather find out later.

"Yes, the greasy toad look like men. Yes, barely, he was introduced to me from afar."

"Good. The day Charles hosted his ball. I arrived to the ball in hope of dancing with Wickham, but he was not there because of you and that made me furious."

"You fancied him." –Darcy said, and he could not help feel sad. He had found himself admiring her all those days she was at Netherfield and she did not even like him.

"William, My love"— she said pulling his chin up.— "I was a foolish girl who believed the words of a rake. I did not fancy him my heart was never compromised, but were you called me, tolerable he called me the most handsome woman of his acquaintance. I was stupid to believe him."—

Darcy barley nodded. How long was Wickham going to be in his life?

"What happened at the ball? Jenkins said it was bad."

"Oh, it was a disaster; Charles opened the dance with my sister. I open with my cousin. You asked for the second one and I, well I tried to find ways to refuse you, but I could not think of anything. My mother kept yelling how lucky and wonderful it would be to have a daughter at Netherfield, 5000 thousand a year, you heard her…"

"Your mother is…"

"Is your mother now you call her Mama." –She smirked at his expression, mouth hanging open.—

"I do not."

She laughed and he had to admit it was a beautiful sound. She did look more relaxed then these past weeks…. Years! Years! Netherfield was years ago.

"I'm not lying you call her Mama and she calls you Will."

Darcy Perplex said—"Please continue."

"My sisters, do you remember them?"

He closed his eyes. "Lydia, Kitty and there was another one."

"Mary"— Elizabeth nodded. "Mary decided to perform in the pianoforte without being asked. She was mocked and my father embarrassed her even more by forcibly removing her from the place. Lydia was running around with an officer's sword with Kitty following her. My cousin, Mr. Collins, introduced himself to you on behalf of your Aunt, Lady Catherine. He was her parson. You humiliated him by barely acknowledging him. Everyone saw. You and I danced and fought about Wickham in the middle of the ballroom thankfully no one paid us attention. Since my mother kept yelling, I told her to please be quiet, but she did not and insulted you instead."

Darcy just stared at her. This is what he feared. Her connections they were not good. He can only imagine what her family in trade would behave like

"Calm down Darcy they do not behave like that anymore."

"Are you certain?"

— Elizabeth rolled her eyes at him

"Yes, I am. Georgie and Kitty came out together. Sponsored by us and Aunt Helen. They both curtseyed to the queen. Trust me, they know how to behave. We have made sure."

The sting of Georgiana being out and perhaps married came back.

"Apparently I left."

"Yes, after that night you and Miss Bingley convinced Charles that my sister had no regards for him and our family was not suitable."

"But"— there was something else she was not saying.

"You confessed months later, when we met again. That you were also running away, apparently your affection for me had grown so much you were afraid you were to compromise yourself to me. Miss Bingley sent a letter saying you missed your sister and that Bingley was also in the deepest need for her company."

That is why he got involved in Charles's life. He couldn't deny once or twice he thought of Elizabeth being mistress of Pemberley but dismissed it immediately given her connections. Had he used his friends live to stop his?

"Caroline suggested that Bingley and my sister had feelings for each other?"

"Yes, I knew it was a lie, but my dear Jane did not. We sent her to London but you and Miss Bingley hid the information from Charles."

Darcy hid a yawn. He was once again feeling tired.

"We will continue tomorrow. I think we can have breakfast in the glass parlor"

"Glass parlor?"

"Yes, you will love it. It is too cold to go out, but a little bit of sunlight will not harm you."

"Very well breakfast it is."— He said his eyes barely open.

She had call for a maid that took his tray and Elizabeth stocked the fire. "Goodnight"

"Elizabeth" –he made her stop. — "Do we share rooms?"

"Yes, this one. Why?" –she smiled kindly at him. She was indeed beautiful.

"I was curious."— He blushed. Why was he being shy, they had children for heaven sakes, you are no saint Darcy. Why are you blushing?

"Do not worry once you get well, we shall share it again I do miss my husband"— she said, winking at him. Before he could say more, she opened and closed the door. He could hear her laughing.

Minx

Here it guys I hope you enjoy it.

Please review.