Hello everyone!
This one came when I watched (yet again) pride and prejudice, the movie (to be fair it was its 15th birthday since it went out) I hope you will enjoy this little one :)
stay safe everyone
madilizzie
Elizabeth stared at the bust of the man in front of her. He looked handsome and very similar to the real Mr Darcy, maybe too close.
She could not cease to study the statue, struggling to identify faults like she did before. So much changed since he proposed the first time. How in the past she sought to uncover flaws in all he did or say? And now she could only find the positive in him.
She chuckled to herself; she had been a silly girl indeed. All these years, she had tried to figure out how her sister Lydia was acting the way she did. But today she could establish some of her sister's personality in her behaviour.
She sighed happily. How she loved that man so much. He was the most infuriate person she had ever encountered, but she could not stop thinking of him.
Since they met at the Meryton ball, Mr Darcy had been in her mind. When she looked back, she had not hated him as plenty as she claimed it to be.
He stung her pride and self-esteem that night. Elizabeth had assumed to be strong and not interested in looks or to attract any partner. It did not help that her mother expressed repeatedly, that she was not as beautiful as Jane and so she should make some effort to be pleasant.
He had proven her wrong, as deep down she needed him to find her attractive. That is why it hurt her most. That is why she got so angry at him. She probably wanted to prove to her mother that you did not need to be pretty to attract a rich gentleman.
She remembered now telling charlotte and even Jane when they pointed out that Mr Darcy was decidedly watching her, that he was only staring at her to uncover her imperfections. In hindsight, she was the one seeking for defects in him. And how she believed Wickham's lies. The distasteful man, he had so much the appearance of the gentleman but on the inside he was rotten. But she trusted him instantly, without a second thought, at that point, she honestly wished to hate Mr darcy, to prove that the man was indeed of evil nature.
It would be something she would regret all her life.
Her words to him came back to her notice, she winced.
Without warning, two warm hands appeared around her waist. She jumped at the intrusion.
"Your fascination for that piece still surprises me!"
She giggled while leaning on him.
"Why so, Mr Darcy, are you not glad of your spouse's worship?"
"On the contrary, my dear, I am flattered but would prefer my wife to turn her affection only on my person, not to some cold rocks."
She bursted into a laugh.
"What a selfish man you are!"
"Only with you, my love, only with you" He replied while he buried his head in her neck, making a warm path with his kisses.
She moved a little to give him more access to her.
Even after a decade, his attentions to her will never bore her.
"And please Mrs Darcy, what brings you here today? I understood you were with your aunt roaming the garden."
"I was, but I got a little fatigued." She felt him tense against her.
"Are you alright, Lizzie?"
"Yes I am, you know I invariably feel tired around that point." She reassured him. He pressed her even closer to him and landed his palms on her ever growing belly.
"I noticed my love, but you experienced that when it concerns you, I cannot stop myself from worrying."
"I learned that my love! but after three pregnancies I presumed you became less anxious about it?"
"Believe me, I expected it would happen! It is true it developed into something more bearable but the doubts never end and after I nearly lost you during the birth of the twins, it would never leave me. There is nothing more frustrating than to be unable to support your wife during a difficult period."
"Oh my love! I wish I could take your fears away." She turned around to look at him, held his worried face into her hands. "I understand your worries William and I have quite the same worries, but it all went well for Elinor, remember? So we can hope the same for this little one."
"Yes, I do, but…"
"No buts darling, it would not serve to worry, I know you and when you doubt you lock yourself to everyone and that is not good. Your children need you and I most of all need you. So cry if you require crying, scream if you need to scream, go hunting or fishing, I am sure my uncle would be ecstatic to join you. But do not close yourself to us, we love you very much and these things are out of our control so we should enjoy every moment we have."
He was smiling with soggy eyes. looking at her with ardent love. Never Darcy had any doubt during those last ten years about his choice as a wife. His Lizzie had brought joy to his heart and to Pemberley. And today was not different, their four children could not wish for a better mother than her.
"As usual my darling are right!"
"I am always right and you know that!" He was now laughing.
"Really, even when vehemently you declared me, and I quote, the last man in the world that I would prevail upon marrying?"
She laughed as he held her in his arms inch away from her face.
"Hum, maybe not on that occasion. No one is perfect!"
"But you are!"
His lips muffled her giggling.
If you were a curious soul wondering around Pemberley, you might have noticed the master and mistress escaping the gallery room like two young lover trying to hide from the world. And their state might shock you to the least, but servants had learned with time to get accustomed to the passion shared between the two spouses. You would be asked to just look the other way and pretend nothing had happened.
If you ask here and there you will realise soon enough, that everyone was happy about it. Lots would proudly say they have the best mistress they could wish for, other would happily remark life at Pemberley had never been sweeter.
Hope it was alright! I sometime wished Jane Austen was still alive so I could ask her what our lizzie and will would have been up to after their marriage (I know she did say a few words at the end but I think we could all agree we wouldn't have some more :)
madilizzie