Happy Valentine's Day, you guys! I'm terribly sorry for the late update but real life has gotten the best of me since school came back. I so badly wanted to update earlier but I still haven't finished this chapter so yeah… Anyway, though there are still a lot of deadlines I tried my best to post this today.
Enjoy your day and thank you for reading : )
Chapter 26 – Lizzy meets her Aunt, Uncles and cousins, George Darcy regrets his actions and Lizzy and Darcy finally see each other again.
© 2019 Zest Layne
His mother informed him yesterday evening that all of their invitations had been accepted, so when a servant informed them that they saw a carriage entering the premises he and his family hurried out to the front door to greet their guests. Unlike their usual positions, Fitzwilliam did not stand beside his Father, choosing the place beside his sister instead, which was as far away from his Father that he could get.
He knew that Richard would notice the change and he was unsure if he was going to talk to his favourite cousin about it. However, to his surprise, it was not his cousins coming towards them atop their horses but his childhood playmates.
"William!" Alex greeted mounting off his dark brown steed.
Naturally, Fitzwilliam rushed to greet one of his closest friends. "Alex, it is nice to see you so soon!"
Alex smiled and patted him on the shoulder before leading him to the others. To Fitzwilliam's delight, all of his childhood playmates were there including Tony, Ben, James and Adam. All he needed was the arrival of Richard and Henry and they would be complete.
"We were visiting our cousins when Godmother Anne wrote to Mama and Aunt," James informed him.
"We can talk more in a minute. Now, William, why don't you go back there with your family?" Tony said gesturing to where his family was, where it looked like Ben and Adam were asking his parents to get back to their previous position.
Not waiting for his reply, Tony and Alex ushered him to stand beside Georgie, after they greeted her happily, as well. Because of this, he vaguely remembered not greeting Tony and Alex's father and their uncles. He would greet them later, right now, he watched as his friends escorted the ladies out of the carriage, one by one.
The first one to get out was their cousin, Lady Beatrice, who was escorted down by Ben. The last time he's seen her was when she was still a babe because he had never encountered her in Town even in passing. He stayed connected with her Father, though, who was the Earl of Manchester and one of his Godfathers.
"You seem very excited," Fitzwilliam commented, turning to Tony, who was standing beside him.
"I am, and my brother and cousins are too."
"Will you tell me why?"
"You'll find it out for yourself soon enough."
Because of their short conversation, he missed Alex and Ben escorting down their mothers. He wanted to catch a glimpse of them since he could not remember their faces but his mother was obscuring him from the view, hugging both women. Before he could go and properly greet them, Tony called his attention and Fitzwilliam watched as Tony lined up with Ben on his right while James and Adam stood across them on his left. Alex was in the middle and standing by the door of the carriage.
He thought everyone was out of the carriage. As far as he knew, their family was only composed of all the people that had exited the carriage. Did he forget someone? Seeing the big grins on his friends' faces, perhaps this was the reason they were all happy.
"You look like soldiers welcoming their superiors," He said, amused and curious at his friends' actions.
"But she is our superior," Alex replied with a smile as he opened the carriage door, "The princess of our family."
Before he could process what Alex said, his other friends tried to make trumpet-like sounds while pretending to hold invisible trumpets with their hands. His gaze did not linger at them, however, for he saw Alex escorting down a young lady. She was wearing a pale pink gown with a pelisse of a darker shade and white long gloves. Something about her felt familiar.
Her head was bowed to the ground so he could not see her face and her curly hair was the only thing visible to him. It seemed to vary from reddish-brown to a deep dark. Some strands also appear like dark gold under the rays of the sun. It looked so much like…
"Elizabeth…" He heard himself say and she looked up to face him with a startled gasp. Her dark green eyes, the one that haunted him since he first saw her that day in the rain, confirmed her identity. He stilled and everyone else faded except for her. Was she real? Or was it a mirage?
"Fitzwilliam…" The sound of his name on her lips, so sweet and full of the same longing he felt for her, told him that she was indeed real and right in front of him. Unconsciously, he felt his feet move towards her until they were only a foot away.
He knew not how long he stood there, memorising his beloved's features. Her dark curls still framed her face perfectly. Her bewitching eyes were still framed with long lashes, her cheeks rosy from the cold and her lips, plump and pink was smiling warmly at him. She looked the same, but she lacked the little freckles that adorned her face. She probably hadn't spent much time outside then.
He felt himself smile. His Elizabeth…
Before either of them could do or say anything else, a loud clearing of the throat was heard from behind him.
-p&p-
Elizabeth felt better knowing that her Mother, Aunt and Cousin were very accepting of the fact that she was already engaged. Considering that they had many men in the family to deal with, having all the women on her side was very welcome. She just hoped that the men could be open to the idea of her having a fiancé as well.
"Keep your windows close, Mama, and we shall be escorting Ellie last." She heard Alex tell Mama from the window and she looked at her Mother nervously. She was a sociable person but she wanted to make a good impression on their family friends so she was anxious for the introduction.
"Do not worry, darling," Mama gave her an assuring smile. "They just wanted to show you off as their sister."
She smiled back, "I understand, Mother."
And she did. She knew how excited her brothers and cousins were to meet their friends. However, as minutes passed by, she became more and more anxious. She would be meeting the people she would have grown up with if circumstances were different. Would they be as welcoming as her family?
Soon, her Mother was being escorted out of the carriage leaving her alone inside. She did not know what was going on for Alex closed the carriage door once their Mother exited. When the door opened, she could hear Alex's voice. "She is our superior, the princess of the family."
Then, she heard Tony and her cousins imitate a trumpet sound with their voices. While she would normally be amused at their antics, at this moment, she only felt nervous and embarrassed at their efforts to introduce her. So as she walked down the carriage, her head was bowed to the ground. Her eyes trained on every step of her feet.
Sensing her anxiousness, she felt her brother squeezed her hand in assurance. Still, she refused to look up. That was until she heard a familiar voice call her name. Could it be? Could he be here? Instantly, her head shot up to find the owner of the voice.
She was not disappointed, for there, standing in front of her, was her beloved looking at her in awe and disbelief, probably mirroring her own reaction.
"Fitzwilliam…" His name escaped her lips unwittingly.
Unconsciously, she felt herself let go of her brother's hand to meet her betrothed halfway in small, but excited, steps. Finally, they were only a foot away from each other and she could not help the smile that graced her face.
It had been so long since they had last seen each other that she found herself staring at him. His curly dark hair was in its usual pristine condition and so were his clothes which were composed of a dark blue coat, black breeches and white vest and cravat. Worry filled her once she looked at his deep blue eyes. Though his eyes were now shining with happiness, there were dark circles underneath them.
She was just about to reach for his hand when someone cleared their throat.
The sound broke her out of her trance and she realised what she had done. She had basically broken the news of their attachment to her family… very badly.
"Will someone explain to me what is going on?" Her Father asked sternly.
"Papa, I…" she paused, unsure how to continue.
Luckily, Aunt Cassie immediately rushed to her side and looped her arms in her. "Niece, I am sure you will like Pemberley even better on the inside." Then, Aunt Cassie turned to Fitzwilliam, "Godson, will you lead us to the drawing room? The journey is exhausting, you know?"
Before Fitzwilliam could reply, Aunt Cassie practically dragged them inside the manor. When they were a couple of feet away from the others, Aunt Cassie whispered: "Walk faster so we can plan our defence. The other ladies will handle the men for now."
They did as she instructed and soon they were inside the drawing room. Again, Aunt Cassie took charge of the conversation. "Niece, is William the fiancé you are talking about?"
At her nod, Aunt Cassie smiled. "Oh, good, I shall express my opinions about the match later. For now, sit on the settee quickly." Once they complied, she added, "No matter what you do, do not stand up or leave your position or else you might never get to sit together again."
Aunt Cassie then sat on her other side. "You must resist showing how besotted you are with each other for now. We need the men to get used to the idea of the two of you being together so not too much physical affection, alright? I'll do my best to help, as well as your Mothers, but remember to be careful with your words, clear?"
When they both nodded, Aunt Cassie smiled. "Now, do go on and talk to each other. Pretend I am not here. Do not be shy or else you might not get the opportunity to have some privacy like this."
Although embarrassed and nervous, Elizabeth turned to her betrothed with a small smile. "I see you and my brothers and cousins are very well acquainted."
"Yes, we are very close friends but I doubt that will be the case after this." He gave her a wry smile.
Feeling brave, she reached for his hand and tried to convey the happiness she felt at seeing him. "I'm very glad to see you again, Fitzwilliam."
"As am I, Elizabeth," he said, bringing her hand that was holding his up to his lips and placing a soft kiss on her knuckles. She squeezed his hand in return as she placed their entwined hands back on her lap.
"I hope we can talk longer." She whispered.
"We will," he assured her, "soon." With one last squeezed off her hand, he let her go.
As much as she missed the warmth of his hands through her gloves, she was relieved that he let go just in time because she could already hear the voices heading in their direction. With one final look at him, she stood up, ready to greet her family. In turn, he nodded, understanding her meaning, and remained seated on the settee, ready to assist her.
Even if they might not get the chance to sit together again in a few days, it would be better if her relations saw them apart than sitting together.
-p&p-
"Elizabeth…"
"Fitzwilliam…"
As soon as Sophia Leighton registered the longing and warmth in their voices as they called each other's Christian names, as well as the surprise and happiness that grace their countenance, she realised that her darling daughter's secret betrothed was Fitzwilliam Darcy all along. The same young man who was one of her sons' closest friends, one of her husband's Godsons, and the son of her dear friend and fellow duchess, Anne Darcy.
She was not certain how the men in her family would react to this. Looking at Annie and Cassie, they exchanged nods and smiled at each other. They might not get to see each other as often as they would like these past years but their silent communication was still as excellent as it had been when they were little girls. By the look on Annie's face, she knew what was going on too.
Seeing her friend and her sister knew what to do, she turned to her niece with a look that says 'follow our lead.' While it was not fun that there were more men in the family, having limited company did come in useful because they developed a close bond with each other. Beatrice knew how to read Sophia and Cassie's gestures and expressions more than half the time.
"Will someone explain to me what is going on?" Arthur asked. Sophia could tell that her husband could clearly guess what was happening but he refused to see it. If she hadn't known that Elizabeth was engaged beforehand, she would probably have had the same reaction as him. If not, then she'd be frozen on her spot in shock like the rest of her family who looked like they were still processing what they saw.
With a wink towards her and Annie, Cassie rushed towards the pair in the middle and hooked her arms with theirs. "Niece, I am sure you will like Pemberley even better on the inside. Godson, will you lead us to the drawing room? The journey is exhausting, you know?"
Following her sister's actions, Sophia looped an arm around her husband. "My love, I think the cold has gotten to me. I feel a headache coming over." She leaned heavily on his arm for further effect. Then, she turned towards her younger son. "Tony, will you be a dear and help your poor Mama?" Instead of waiting for a reply she dragged Arthur to their son and looped an arm around Tony. Then, she leaned her weight on their arms once again for two purposes; to at least make them believe that she was not feeling well and to slow them down.
As soon as Anne Darcy saw Cassie and Sophie made their move. "Alex, James, my dear Godsons, won't you come and walk with His Grace?" She said, gesturing to her husband.
Before the two young men could protest, she narrowed her eyes at George and he thankfully took his cue. "Come, James, Alex, I need your opinions on what kind of horse should I purchase for Georgie."
When that was solved, she rushed towards Ben and Adam and looped her arms around theirs. "My, the two of you have grown so much. I am sure your Godmothers will be very happy to see you again after so long…"
Anne smiled when she saw Beatrice was doing the same thing with her Father and Uncle, beside her.
"We are not ignorant of what you are doing, daughter." Anne heard Lord Manchester tell his daughter.
"I do not expect you to be ignorant, Papa. It is quite obvious that I am walking with you." Beatrice replied innocently.
Behind her, Anne smiled as she saw Georgie trying to slow down the three men behind them by pointing at random objects and asking questions about them. Glad to know that they were buying some time for William and her Goddaughter, who also surprisingly happened to be his fiancé, to talk alone, Anne once again began a conversation with Adam and Ben.
Once they reached the drawing room, Elizabeth rushed to her Father and Tony who looked relieved to see her away from William, who sitting on the settee. Sophia raised a brow at her sister but Cassie only mouthed that she would explain later. She was still leaning heavily on their arms so they would not be able to get away. It never hurt to be careful. Luckily, the men followed when Elizabeth led them to the settee across Fitzwilliam.
Her niece and brothers entered after them and she smiled as Beatrice easily guided Stephen and Daniel into a settee diagonal from them. Then, with a smile, Beatrice stood up and went behind them, placing one hand on each of the men's shoulders so they would not move from their assigned position.
Anne entered next, with Ben and Adam in tow and she led them on another settee across the one where Stephen and Daniel were sitting. Like, Beatrice, she did not sit down next to them but went behind them instead.
Soon, Alex and James entered the room with the Duke of Derbyshire and Georgiana. Sophia immediately called out to her son and made him sit on her husband's other side. It was a tight fit so she decided to end her charade and stood up with her daughter while Anne called for James to join his brothers on their settee.
"Mama," Elizabeth began, fiddling with her gloved hands but trying her best to smile unaffectedly, "Do you not think Papa and my brothers look handsome sitting together?"
"Why, yes, my darling," her mother replied with a smile, "but do fix your cravat Alex, and husband, I must say that your frown is unbecoming."
Papa only sighed and looked at them pointedly, "Daughter, say what you need to say. If it is what I think it is, then I am afraid no flattery will soften the blow so out with it now."
As Elizabeth contemplated on how she would break the news, she felt Fitzwilliam's presence beside her. "I have asked for your daughter's hand in marriage and she has accepted, Sir. I hope that you will give us your blessing and permission."
-p&p-
Alexander, along with his brother and cousins, were very excited to inform their old playmates that his little sister was alive. He did not know he would be the one surprised once he escorted her out of the carriage.
Apparently, William, his closest childhood playmate outside of his family, was engaged to his little sister, who had just been reunited with them for a month. The fact that his little sister did nothing to deny William's statement made the situation more real to him. He did not know what to think of the news; he was still shaken by what he had witnessed outside earlier. And so, he stayed silent, letting his father take the lead.
"I think the two of you should sit down first," his mother suggested, leading William and Ellie to sit on the settee directly across from them. "Then, you can tell us all what happened, right from the beginning."
And so they did. Ellie and William alternated in telling them the story, starting from when they first met. When they got to the part about their secret encounters at the Gardiner Warehouse – something Alex did not approve so he could not help but interrupt.
"I thought you were better than meeting with a young lady secretly, Ashbourne," Alex said, intentionally using his friend's title, and not calling him by his nickname, to show his disapproval.
"I know," William replied, "but I could not resist coming back to her."
"It was not his fault," Ellie added, defending William. "He tried to ask for my name many times but I refuse to reveal my identity. As you know, my dearest understanding brother," the endearment and compliment was said with an adorable pleading look but Alex refused to cave in (he could hear his Aunt Cassie suppressing her laughter on the side), "my freedom is very limited and I do not want to lose another friend. I have already been forced to cut ties with a lady my age whom I met before and I do not want to lose another one. Also, we were never alone. Save for our first meeting there, my lady's maid was always with me."
"Still," Tony began, supporting Alex. "William should have known better than to have secret meetings with a young woman."
This time Ellie acquiesced, "He should." He was glad for her agreement but then she continued to talk and Alex knew that he would not win with what she was going to say next. "But, if you are going to lecture William, then you should lecture me as well. Young ladies are not supposed to meet with gentlemen secretly either. We are both at faults. In fact, the blame should fall on me more – for it was I who refused to give him enough information to call on me properly."
Sighing, Alex conceded for the moment and motioned for them to continue their story. He could not scold his little sister. And even if he would like to, there were many eyes around them that it would not be right. At the thought of this, he realised what his little sister was trying to say; if they had any problem with William, it should be discussed privately and not in front of their whole family.
So he listened patiently, even though he was angry at some of his friend's actions towards his sister. At first, Ellie tried to embellish her misunderstandings with William but the latter did not let her, taking over the story and telling them the whole truth – like how he had gotten mad at Ellie for 'deceiving' him and how he had insulted her at an assembly.
Ellie had looked at William in shock and worry when William revealed their uneasy parting in London, but Alex noticed that once William squeezed her hand and shot her a pleading look, Ellie sighed and let him continue. A part of Alex was amazed at how they could communicate with gestures and looks, so easily, but he pushed that thought at the back of his mind. He was still not comfortable with the thought of Ellie being engaged – he was not ready to accept, much less be in awe of their relationship. From the looks of it, the other men in his family also felt the same way.
When William got to the part when how he tried to talk to Ellie to apologise for both how they parted in London and his comments at the assembly, Ellie took over the narration. Alex did not fail to notice that his little sister's posture was tense and that her hand was gripping William's tightly. He could tell by her rigid stance.
"I always run away before he could apologise, for what woman would like her vanity wounded?" Though Ellie sounded nonchalant and smiling, William's concerned expression bothered Alex. What was Ellie trying to hide? "But then, my elder sister – at least, the girl whom I thought was my elder sister, at the time – fell sick at Netherfield, so I went to check on her. I encountered Fitzwi – Lord Ashbourne in the garden just as I was about to leave. He tried to explain his actions to me but he must have sensed my desire to flee, for he handed me a letter instead, which contained his apology. I daresay he is much better with written words," she teased.
However, her teasing did not lighten Alex's mood, who did not like the impropriety of William writing a letter and Ellie receiving it. Nonetheless, he decided to remain quiet and talk to them later about it. Instead, he listened as Ellie proceeded to tell them of Anne and Richard calling on her, and how William came with them the next time they visited.
"I talked to Fi – Lord Ashbourne and we cleared our misunderstandings. After that they became frequent callers and we got closer." Alex noticed that William was once again looking at Ellie with concern but Ellie continued her story with a smile. "Then, one time, we went riding and I wore the hair comb Grandma Claire had entrusted me with and Lord Ashbourne noticed it and so, I showed it to him and he was surprised at the symbols engraved at the back of it."
"I saw it in Aunt Catherine's frames at Rosings so Anne, Richard and I suspected that she might be Sir Lewis' illegitimate child," William paused and did not elaborate further about Sir Lewis and though Alex did not like not knowing everything, he knew that it was a personal matter.
"Oh, yes, the symbol," Mama said, smiling fondly. "You saw it at Rosings because it was the sign of our friendship. The flowers represents your mother Anne and your Aunt Elinor. The crescent moon symbolizes me and your Godmother Cassandra, while the thorns on the vines of the roses was for your Aunt Catherine."
"Indeed," Godmother Anne seconded. "We also have similar frames here, William. However, I kept it hidden. We can explain the reasons some other time. For now, let us hear the rest of your story."
William then continued telling them about their argument the night of Netherfield's ball and Alex wanted to kick his friend for the words he said to Ellie. He had almost forgotten. William had told him and Tony this story before, back when they stopped here at Pemberley before heading to Rosewood Manor to meet their little sister.
"But Ellie was already with us by that time," he said, confused. "This should be your first meeting since then. How come my little sister is not glaring at you in anger? You did part horribly, enough for Ellie to easily come to your Aunt Catherine."
He saw William winced and his sister answered his unvoiced question. "I wrote to him. Well, he wrote to me first through a mutual acquaintance and my Abigail's help. He apologised in his letter and I feel guilty running away. I replied to his letter, using the address of the inn at Warwickshire. The same address that Mama and Papa allowed me to use to remain in correspondence with the Gardiners."
"The inn owned by the Drydens?" His Godmother Anne, asked.
"Yes," Mama confirmed. "You know that the Drydens worked for my parents before they started their innkeeping business. When Elizabeth returned, I asked if we could use their address as a way for my daughter to write letters, they agreed. You know that the elder Mrs Dryden used to be my mother's Abigail and she remained loyal to our family. Whenever they received letters addressed for Elizabeth, they forward it to Rosewood via express and we pay them for their services and discretion."
"How long had you two been corresponding?" Alex asked.
"More than three weeks," Ellie admitted.
"You know William's location, Goddaughter. How come you seemed just as surprised as the rest of us to see him?"
Beatrice giggled at Godmother Anne's question, and all eyes fell on her. "Liz was so distracted that morning when Aunt Sophia announced that we will be going here that she did not hear the name of the estate we will be visiting. She tried to ask us later on but my cousins would not tell. They also made me promise to do the same thing. They said they wanted to surprise her, and while I can certainly say that she was pleasantly surprised, the rest of us were even more so."
"Had I known we were going at Fi – Lord Ashbourne's family estate, I would have talked to you all before we left," Ellie said.
"But how come your mother seemed to know?" Father asked.
"Mama knows," Ellie confirmed. "She knew that I am engaged but she did not know to whom. I refused to tell her the name of my betrothed for I thought it was unfair if she knew his name while Lord Ashbourne remained clueless about my family. Aunt Cassie and Beatrice knew of it too. I told them about it in the carriage on our way here."
Father turned to Mama and looked at her questioningly. "I was planning to tell you too, husband, once we arrived here because I do not want to delay our departure and I know you and the boys – you will all get restless. If I knew that it was William, I would have told you sooner."
"'Tis my fault, Papa, please do not be mad at Mama. If I paid attention to her announcement that morning you would not have found out this way," said Ellie.
"But why are you distracted that morning, Liz?" asked Beatrice asked curiously.
Ellie blushed and look down. "I received a letter from Fitzwi – Lord Ashbourne before that and the contents made me worry on how he was faring."
At his little sister's statement, Alex focused his attention on William. While his friend was gazing at Ellie warmly, there was no denying the dark circles under his eyes. As much as he did not like the thought of William – or any other men, for that matter – courting his little sister, he was concerned for his friend.
His concern lessened, however, when he saw William whispered something to Ellie, which caused her to colour even more. He noticed that his cousins and brother also took note of this. Before they could do something about it, Mama smiled. "Are we done interrogating them now? I am sure my darling daughter is exhausted."
"Oh, yes," Godmother Anne seconded, "I shall escort my goddaughter to her assigned chambers. William, will you please ask Mrs Reynolds to deliver tea to the pink room? Georgie, dear, why don't you come with us, I am sure your father can keep our guests entertained. Cassie, Sophie, you do not mind playing hostess for a little while, do you?"
"We'll take care of everything here," Mama assured Godmother Anne and kissed Ellie on the forehead before ushering them out of the drawing room.
Usually, Alex would be amazed at how his mother and her friends so effectively work together to get what they wanted, but as of now, he wished they did not communicate so efficiently. Alex did not want to stay in the drawing room. He wanted to be with his little sister. They had just recently gotten her back. And now, they were in the danger of losing her again…
Tony's expression told Alex that they were thinking of the same thing, so were his cousins. Unfortunately, this was Godmother Anne's house and they had rules to follow.
-p&p-
Elizabeth was relieved that her family was taking the news calmly. From Beatrice's stories, she knew how overprotective they could be and she did not want them to separate her from Fitzwilliam. She did not think her family could do that, but it was better to be safe than sorry so she tried to avoid telling them her misunderstanding with him.
However, Fitzwilliam did not approve of this. When he noticed what she was doing, he took over telling the story and gave her a knowing look, which was a mixture of assurance and determination. He did not want to hide his horrible behaviour. If they were going to tell them anything, they might as well be completely honest.
But Elizabeth was uncomfortable with that. She saw her cousins and brothers glared at her betrothed when Fitzwilliam confessed that he had raised his voice at her during their last meeting in London, when he had slighted her looks and their last argument before she went with Godmother Catherine. She knew that Fitzwilliam could feel their eyes on him but he did his best to ignore it.
To lessen their irritation at Fitzwilliam, Elizabeth did her best not to call her betrothed by his Christian name and used formal address every time she would refer to him. And to support her brave fiancé for facing her overprotective family straight on, she never let go of his hand. Doing this would weaken the effect of not calling him by his name but what else could she do? Squeezing his hand was the only comfort she could bring him at the moment. He was clearly not doing well with his father, he did not deserve to be teamed up on by the men of her family.
Holding his hand was a small act of defiance she could do to somehow shield him. Besides, they were both wearing gloves so it could not be truly improper. During the part when the Bennet family was involved in the story, she knew that her pressure on his hand was not for support but to signal him to not tell her family about her past with the Bennets. She was still resolved not to tell her family about it. They were just starting to heal from the past; they did not need another reason to blame themselves for things out of their control. Thankfully, Fitzwilliam let her be but she could tell that he was concerned why her family did not know everything.
Near the end of it, she was embarrassed when Beatrice asked her why she had been distracted that day Mama announced they would travel to Derbyshire. However, the twinkle in her cousin's eye showed that she was not doing this for mere curiosity. She wanted Elizabeth to say something akin to a confession of her feelings to Fitzwilliam, without outwardly declaring her love. So even though, she was feeling kind of shy, she replied: "I received a letter from Fitzwi – Lord Ashbourne before that and the contents made me worry on how he was faring."
Though she could feel the heat on her cheeks, she could not regret her admission, especially when the moment she dared glanced at him, Fitzwilliam was looking at her with eyes full of love. Perhaps, her words emboldened him, for he leaned towards her slightly and whispered, "I am well, now that you are here, my love."
She felt her face flushed further and she inwardly winced when she noticed that her male relations noticed the exchange. Fortunately, the females in the rooms were just as perceptive; before anyone could react, both their mothers took hold of the situation. Before Elizabeth knew it, she was practically being pushed out of the room by her Mama.
"Rest, love, and bond with your Godmother Anne," Mama said kissing her lightly on the forehead, before closing the door.
It was just the four of them – Fitzwilliam, his mother, his sister, and herself. She smiled at the two ladies, hoping to give them a good impression despite what happened in the drawing room. Sensing her apprehension, Fitzwilliam was quick to perform the introductions. "Mother, sister, this is Lady Elizabeth Leighton. My lady," she blushed lightly, for though he called her formally, the bright glint in his eye told her that he just found a new endearment for her, "this is my mother, the Duchess of Derbyshire, Lady Anne Darcy, and my sister, Lady Georgiana Darcy."
"A pleasure to meet you, Your Grace, Lady Georgiana," she curtsied.
Her Grace only waved a hand at her and smiled, "None of that, dear. Call me Godmother Anne."
"You can call me Georgiana or Georgie if you like," Fitzwilliam's sister offered timidly.
Elizabeth smiled at her, "You must call me Elizabeth or Lizzy, then."
Turning to Fitzwilliam, Godmother Anne said: "What are you waiting for, son? I asked you to fetch tea, did I not? Run along now, you can deliver it yourself in the pink sitting room if you like, but for now, the three of us would like to spend some time together."
Though it was obvious that he was reluctant to, after giving her one last glance, Fitzwilliam turned to his feet and left.
"Now, let us go upstairs."
She smiled and let Godmother Anne loop her arm around hers.
I didn't want it to end like this but it's all I could do for now. The next chapter would be better and more informative but we needed this bridge and I wanted to post on Valentine's Day to spread some fluff.
Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter and thank you for the continuous support even though it's been more than a month since I last updated this. If you're still craving for more fluff, especially since it is Valentine's Day, check out the one-shots I posted today: "A Bloody Solution, or Regency Period" and "Darcy the Second".
By the way, if you are reading "Proving Him Wrong" it was also updated today.
Thank you for all the follows, favorites and reviews. Have a great day!
