Hey, thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I know how much you despised the ending, I have all of the abusive reviews to prove it.
The chapter I am sure you have all been waiting for:
Darcy could do nothing but stare at the woman he had just revealed his love for with slight surprise. He assured himself that he saw emotions of disgust in her but as that moment passed he saw that she did not look away from him, instead she stared.
"You can say nothing, Elizabeth in reply to what I have told you. Does it disgust you so?" Darcy asked. She sighed heavily before looking away slightly in embarrassment.
"Fitzwilliam, to understand the true extent of my feelings I must inform you that I have waited for what seems like an eternity to hear you utter those words." Darcy could not believe what he was hearing, was she confessing love? "Prey, before you interrupt me allow me to continue. I understand that many of the things I said to you in the past were cruel and unjust but I have come to admire you as a different person. I have known for some time that I was devoted to you but I was assured by my own prejudices that you cared nothing for me." Darcy laughed at this before sighing.
"I assure you that it was quite the opposite. I cared for you a long time previous, which unknowing to you is the main reason why I married you."
"I do not understand." She said as her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
"I married you because I was besotted by you, Elizabeth. I confess that I did not care for your family, I thought only of you." Elizabeth blushed slightly at this. "It was one of the major mistakes in my life, for everyday I have struggled in vain with having you in front of me, something I thought I would never be able to call my own."
"I will always be yours, Fitzwilliam."
"What of Lady Catherine? She seemed seriously distressed by your conversation." Darcy said as he took Elizabeth's arm and continued walking toward the house. Elizabeth felt that she had to laugh at this question.
"After insulting you to your own face you cannot imagine that I would reserve myself in the company of any of your relations!" They both laughed at this.
"You cannot imagine how apologetic I am at such behaviour, it was unreasonable and unjust the harm she caused."
"But it is all forgotten!" Elizabeth added as she linked her arm through his. "We must now focus on the future!"
"Lady Catherine was the person who taught me to hope, Elizabeth. Before her visit I was assured that you despised me. It was a hope that I had never experienced before."
"Yet I am assured that her hopes including Lady Anne have soon diminished." Darcy laughed.
"Yes I presume that they have. I was given good principles as a boy but was left to follow them in pride and conceit, such which I still would have been, if it were not for you, Lizzy."
"I was unaware that I had such an effect!"
"Oh, yes! You showed me the void of every proper feeling until I came to see myself as the proud, rich gentleman everyone seemed to loathe."
"We all have flaws, Fitzwilliam, I most of all I believe. If it were not for my prejudices I feel our relationship would have taken this fortunate turn a long time ago."
"Then we are both to blame for the unscrupulous relationship we formed at the beginning of our marriage. I see now that they are all in the past, I now only wish to focus on the future with you by my side." They both looked at each other, a look of utter harmony in each pair of eyes.
At that moment in time Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam came to an agreement that they would never be separated nor their love broken. For their love was formed during the most unusual circumstances that neither would wish to relive.
There was a long silence as the couple walked the grounds of Pemberley, the horse trailing happily behind them. Neither thought that words were necessary for they both knew that the other was eventually contented. This silence however, was soon broken by Elizabeth's eagerness for answers.
"What of Lydia's marriage?" She asked this in a soft tone but even as Darcy stopped and turned toward her she knew that it was a conversation Darcy was not going to take pleasure in.
"I had dearly hoped that you would not have come to know of such a thing. My own involvement in the situation is one which I thought you would see as unjust. I do however, look upon the situation with satisfaction due to Lydia being your sister."
"Please," Elizabeth asked. "Inform me of your involvement." Darcy gripped the horse's reins tighter in anger at having to inform Elizabeth of the one thing he did not wish her to know. He did not wish her to know of his charity or the fact that he saved a gentleman that he had come to loathe.
"Very well, Elizabeth." He paused at this, contemplating on where he should start. "On your exit to Longborne I immediately vacated the house and the guests to London. There I took upon the challenge of discovering your sister, our sister. It came as no surprise to me when I discovered them under the care of Mrs Younge, Georgiana's previous companion. Do you remember my informing you of this woman?"
"Yes I do." Darcy nodded.
"At the residence Mr Wickham and Lydia were sharing, I placed a proposition to Wickham.
"What was this proposition?" She asked in no more than a whisper.
"I demanded that they be joined in matrimony under the terms that the marriage, his previous debts and a new commission would be charged to myself." Elizabeth placed her hand over her mouth in shock at this. She did nothing but stare up at her husband and beg for him to continue. "These terms were, of course, accepted by Mr Wickham, for reasons of his own enjoyment I imagine. So forthwith, I travelled to your Aunt and Uncle's residence, where I insisted that the whole expense should not be given to your Uncle Gardiner. He of course, was reluctant to give way but I gave him no other solution. You understand that it would have been very difficult for your Uncle to have covered all of Wickham's debts and the cost of a new commission in the North of the country."
"Was it such a great sum?" Elizabeth asked.
"I do not wish to give you the figures, Elizabeth." Darcy protested.
"I wish to know!" Darcy had nothing else to do but surrender.
"It was in excess of ten thousand pounds."
"Ten thousand pounds!" Darcy could do nothing but nod.
"Could you ever forgive me for intruding in your family's affairs, Elizabeth?" Darcy asked softly. Elizabeth laughed at this before she took his hand into her own and kissed it.
"It is not forgiveness that is needed, my family is after all, also yours. However, my greatest worry is how I am ever to repay such kindness." Darcy smiled down at her.
"Assurance of your love would be enough to repay me for the rest of my existence, Lizzy."
"Fitzwilliam Darcy, the love I have to give is and always will be yours!" He laughed at this before sliding his hands around her waist and lifting her from the ground.
"I feel I shall never be able to forget this day!" Darcy said as he stared deeply into her eyes.
"Nor I!"
They continued walking at this, in silence as before until they finally arrived at the entrance to the house. It was only here that Darcy turned back to Elizabeth.
"What do you wish to do today, Lizzy? I am at your disposal, but be assured that I wish to spend all day with you." Elizabeth laughed at him for a moment before composing herself.
"I do have one thing I wish to do, Mr Darcy." She said with a mysterious smile on her face.
"What is that, Mrs Darcy?"
"I wish to become Mrs Darcy, in every way possible!"
"Do you mean—
"Yes!" Elizabeth interrupted.
"Very well." He said as he quickly lifted her from the floor and into his strong, muscular arms.
"Fitzwilliam, I can walk!" He laughed at this before he started to make his way up the grand staircase.
"I am aware of such." It was only at the top of the stairs that they nearly came into contact with Mrs Reynolds. Darcy quickly dodged the old lady before calling out to her.
"My dear Mrs Reynolds! Would you be so kind as to give Miss Georgiana our excuses for we will not be at the dining table this morning."
"Very well Sir," Mrs Reynold's said as she dropped a curtsy in respect. "Can I get you anything, Sir?"
"No," Darcy said as he continued walking down the corridor to his chambers. "We are not to be disturbed!"
"Very well, Sir."
It was perhaps a few hours later when Darcy awoke and turned in his bed to see Elizabeth laid at his side, deep in slumber. He took a moment to examine her appearance, her hair spread across the pillow and the silk sheet covering her body from the waist downwards. To Darcy's advantage the upper half of her body was revealed, allowing him to take in the desirous look of her flesh. As he lay, he could not resist touching her body. Yet, as he trailed his fingers down her arm she stirred slightly before turning to reveal her large brown eyes.
"My dear, Mrs Darcy, You have finally awoken!" She laughed slightly before leaning in to kiss him. It was only a moment later however, when she pulled away and looked up at him in curiosity.
"What is it?" He asked her.
"What was the contents of the letter you sent to Charles Bingley?" He sighed at this before getting from the bed and pulling a gown around her frame. "Fitzwilliam!" He did nothing at her exclamation apart from turn and smile at her slightly.
"You will soon see my dear Lizzy, be patient." She collapsed back into the pillows at this in mock anger at his lack of response.
The next week tried Elizabeth's patience, she tried desperately to forget about the letter sent to Mr Bingley but it seemed every time she saw her husband, she was reminded of it. Numerous times over the week Elizabeth had tried to get information from Darcy. Unfortunately, his response was exactly the same as the previous.
Fortunately, for Elizabeth (and in some cases, Darcy) the next day brought an express letter to Pemberley. Strangely this letter was not addressed to Darcy but to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth could not explain why a letter from Jane had arrived from Longborne for Jane had only written a week gone. She however, was not the slightest apprehensive in opening the letter to see her adoring sister's hand.
Darcy sat casually in his chair opposite Elizabeth as she carefully read the letter. He already knew what the content was, for he had earlier received a letter from Charles Bingley. Darcy actually took enjoyment in watching his adoring wife's features change as she read more of the letter. It was only when the letter fell onto the floor that he realised Elizabeth was rushing to him. He stood quickly and welcomed her into his arms.
"Jane and Mr Bingley are engaged to be married!" She said almost like an excited child.
"Yes I am aware of such news." She looked up at him at this and smiled.
"What did you inform Charles Bingley for us to receive such joyous news?"
"My darling Lizzy, I of course informed him of how ridiculous I had been in separating him from your sister when she was clearly devoted. I assured him that if I came to have a wife like you then Jane will make more than an ample wife."
"Oh, Fitzwilliam, how can I ever thank you for such a gift of generosity to not only me, but also to my family?"
"Our family, Lizzy. Every single one of the Bennet's are my family, they always will be because they are linked with you." She smiled.
"Such as Georgiana will always be seen as a sister to me. Though I have to admit that with the exception of Jane, she is the most sensible of our sisters!" They both laughed at this before they walked out happily into the grounds of Pemberley. The grounds that they hoped they would walk their future children around. For there, in the land of Derbyshire were a couple that was extraordinary to say the least.
Please wait for the epilogue, there should be one posted but if not remind me. All comments would be welcome for this chapter, even flames (but be nice). As for the final question:
Q. What did you think of the story? Did you enjoy it?