The day of her sister's arrival at Pemberley was finally here, and Elizabeth felt her heart swell with happiness.
"Dearest Jane!" Elizabeth cried out, her voice filled with excitement as she ran towards her sister with open arms. The sound of her laughter echoed through the grand halls of Pemberley as she embraced her sister tightly. "I have been counting down the minutes until your arrival!"
"Oh Lizzy, it is so good to see you!" Jane replied, her eyes shining with happiness as she returned the embrace. "I must say, Pemberley is even more magnificent than I had imagined."
Elizabeth beamed with pride as she led Jane to her sitting room, located on the second floor of the estate. The room was elegantly decorated with plush furnishings, delicate lace curtains, and a warm fireplace that crackled invitingly. "Indeed it is, but it can be quite lonely when Mr. Darcy is occupied with estate business all day."
The sisters settled into comfortable armchairs by the fireplace and began chatting away. The room was filled with the sound of their laughter and animated conversation as they discussed everything from Meryton.
"Can you believe it, Lizzy? The militia will be departing soon and we shall no longer have a steady stream of eligible bachelors to entertain us."
"I do hope some of the officers have formed lasting attachments with the local ladies," Elizabeth replied with a soft smile, but she hoped Wickham was not one of them.
If she had a way to warn the women of Hertfordshire she would have, but she was positive they were safe. None had the dowry or family funds necessary to draw the attention of a mercenary such as Wickham.
"But what of you and Mr. Darcy? How have you been getting on since your wedding?"
"I must admit that it has been an adjustment," Elizabeth said thoughtfully. "But Mr. Darcy has been a considerate and attentive husband. I am learning more about him every day and discovering that there is much more to him than I had originally thought. He may be reserved and proper, but he has a kind heart and a quick wit that I find quite endearing."
"Ladies," Mr. Darcy announced as he strode into the room, his tall and imposing figure commanding attention. "I have some news that I believe will be of great interest to you."
Elizabeth and Jane both looked up at him expectantly, their eyes bright with anticipation.
"I have received a reply from Mr. Bingley, and he and his sisters will be arriving at Pemberley within the week," Mr. Darcy said, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his lips.
At this announcement, Jane's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she looked away, clearly uncomfortable. Elizabeth, however, couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement at the prospect of having more guests at Pemberley.
Elizabeth held out hope for her sister that Mr. Bingley's arrival would reignite his affections for Jane. However, the fact that Mr. Bingley had not returned to Netherfield and that the Bingley sisters had not written to Jane was not a good sign for Jane's chances of happiness and the state of her heart.
Colonel Fitzwilliam was swift to devote himself to Jane's distraction at Pemberley, leaving Elizabeth and Mr Darcy to get to know each other on their own.
Elizabeth and Mr Darcy took strolls through the gardens of Pemberley, enjoying the beauty of nature and the peace of the countryside.
"It's quite impressive," Elizabeth said, admiring the well-manicured flower beds, ornate topiaries, and vibrant greenery. "You ha'e done an amazing job with the grounds."
Mr Darcy smiled, pleased with her admiration. "Thank you. I'm glad you could experience it."
"You must be quite proud of it."
The two continued their walk until they reached the lake, where Elizabeth couldn't help but be taken in by the tranquil atmosphere.
"It's so peaceful here," she murmured, feeling a warmth in her chest as she looked out over the calm water.
Mr Darcy stepped closer to her, gently placing a hand on her back as if to guide her, and Elizabeth glanced up at him, surprised. His expression was unreadable, yet she could sense something more in his gaze.
The moment was quickly broken by the sound of voices on the other side of the lake. Colonel Fitzwilliam and Jane were walking together, their figures small and distant against the horizon.
Elizabeth chuckled and turned to Mr Darcy. "It seems your cousin is quite taken with Jane," she said, her lips curving into a smile.
Mr Darcy nodded and smiled back, though his gaze seemed to linger on her for a second before he looked away.
"Yes," he said quietly. "He certainly is."
As Elizabeth strolled alongside Mr. Darcy, her thoughts turned to the impending arrival of Mr. Bingley at Pemberley. Would he, she wondered, renew his affections towards her dear sister, Jane?
Her musings were interrupted as she cast a sidelong glance at her sister, who was walking with Col. Fitzwilliam. The Col. was a true gentleman, and Elizabeth could not help but feel grateful that, should Mr. Bingley not return to his senses, Jane had another suitor in the form of Mr. Darcy's charming cousin.
"He would make a good husband, would he not?" Elizabeth ventured, breaking the silence between them.
Mr. Darcy, who had been lost in thought himself, started at her words. "I beg your pardon," he said, "to what are you referring?"
"Why, to Col. Fitzwilliam, of course," Elizabeth replied with a smile. "He is an accomplished gentleman, and I am sure he would make a fine husband for any young lady."
Mr. Darcy gave a nod of agreement, "Indeed, my cousin is a most eligible gentleman, and I am sure that he would make any lady a fine husband."
Elizabeth couldn't help but feel hopeful for her sister, and she cast another glance at the Colonel and Jane as they walked ahead of them. It was clear to see that there was a spark between them, and she could not help but feel that this could be the beginning of a beautiful romance.
The next few days, as an accomplished horseman, Col. Fitzwilliam escorted Jane on long, meandering rides about the Pemberley estate, pointing out sights of interest and keeping up a lively stream of amusing anecdotes from his visits over the years and commentary to fill the hours.
Indoors, he willingly turned the pages of Jane's sheet music as she played fortepiano, complimented her skill in duets and displayed an adequate baritone in the songs she chose. During other moments, they strolled leisurely through the terraced gardens in conversation that touched on subjects weighty and frivolous by turns.
Bit by bit, Jane's initial shyness in the face of Colonel Fitzwilliam's perceptive gaze and quick wit thawed, bringing a renewed bloom to her cheeks and brightness to her eyes. The faint shadows that had lingered since Mr. Bingley's sudden departure from Netherfield faded with the Colonel's attentions, restoring her dimpling smile.
As Jane and Colonel Fitzwilliam's attachment deepened through shared pursuits, so too did the bond between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth grow ever stronger - and more passionate. Each day found new excuses for lingering in one another's company or innocent pastimes that afforded opportunity for intimate touches and increasingly heated glances.
Within the shadowed recesses of Pemberley's formidable library, books on matters botanical or historical lay forgotten in favor of sweet congress of lips and meeting of minds and hearts. The morning room hosted more than one fiercely whispered debate on the proper distance to maintain before guests when all they desired was to lose themselves in one another's embrace, white panelling and portraits of grim ancestors bearing silent witness to pleasures that left heated blushes and thoughts in disarray.
When their hips brushed together or hands clasped accidentally in the gardens, the memories of past reckless abandon would ignite, setting their strolls adrift without a destination. They would be drawn to hidden pathways and grottoes, stealing stolen kisses and caresses from the oblivion of possibility and undiscovered eyes. As soon as they heard footsteps or a carriage nearby, their prudence would drag them back to reality, reminding them that they were not alone.
When night came, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth found solace in his bedchamber, away from any outside judgement or the need to restrain themselves. They could finally satisfy the burning passion that hovered between them with every word or brush of skin, and take pleasure from one another without worrying about anything else.
Their increased affections did not go unnoticed. Jane even teased her sister about their growing affection.
Elizabeth's eyes danced with mischief at the opportunity to repay her sister in kind. "Yet it seems you and Col. Fitzwilliam grow well acquainted," she said with feigned gravity. "I have noticed how you seek out one another's company on walks and in the music room, and even manage to wedge yourselves together at the dinner table each night, as if no other seat would do."
Jane's blush was answer enough, yet she protested, "You are mistaken, Lizzy. The colonel is most amiable, but as a cousin of Mr. Darcy's, his attentions are those of a kinsman, nothing more."
"If you insist," Elizabeth said airily, though her conviction remained that Col. Fitzwilliam had found more than companionable merit in her fair sister, and Jane was not entirely indifferent to his charms.
However, Elizabeth knew that Jane needed to arrive at her own acceptance of these feelings and not through teasing, so she let the subject drop. There were more pressing matters to discuss, such as the difficulties their parents would face when the militia left Meryton and Lydia and Kitty were without company to keep them entertained.
Scarcely had the laughter over Colonel Fitzwilliam's latest absurd tale faded than approaching hoofbeats heralded new arrivals. Elizabeth hastened to the window, here was the familiar Bingley coach rolling up Pemberley's drive.
She watched with delight as Jane's normally composed demeanor faltered at the sight of the Bingley's arrival, a charming blush rising in her cheeks. Yet, as always, Jane quickly regained her composure and followed the Darcys outside to greet the Bingleys with her customary grace and serenity.
Exiting the carriage, Mr. Bingley could not hide his astonishment at finding Jane at Pemberley, but it quickly turned to pleasure at this happy reunion. "Miss Bennet! I had no notion I might have the felicity of meeting you here. You are staying with the Darcys, then?" he asked in delight.
"Indeed, I am," Jane replied, with a shy smile. "The Darcys were so kind to invite me to stay with them for awhile, and I can not express my gratitude enough. It is such a pleasure to be here with them, and to make your acquaintance once again."
Mr. Bingley's face lit up at her words and he returned her smile with his own, his admiration for her evident in his gaze.
Caroline Bingley exchanged a long look with her sister. Elizabeth was sure that Miss Bingley had been hoping that her brother would have forgotten his former attachment to the eldest Bennet sister, but it was clear to see that Jane still held a special place in Mr. Bingley's heart.
Elizabeth was pleased for Jane, and she could not help but feel hopeful for her sister's future. Yet she could not but wonder how Col. Fitzwilliam would view this renewal of intimacy between the former budding romantics, and whether Jane's heart might be swayed to favor the Colonel's suit or return to Mr. Bingley once more.
Though Col. Fitzwilliam had shown Jane marked attentions these past days, no formal understanding had been reached between them, nor had Jane confessed attachment beyond enjoying the congenial company of an amusing new acquaintance.
With both Mr. Bingley and Col. Fitzwilliam under Pemberley's roof, the next fortnight promised to afford Elizabeth more than usual entertainment as she witnessed the gentlemen's attempts to secure preference in Jane's eyes. While the Colonel had enjoyed advantage of first attentions, the strength of Mr. Bingley's feeling for her sister and their established accord might sway Jane's heart to renewing an attachment once thought lost forever.
Dun dun dun! What shenanigans will happen now that Mr. Bingley and Col. Fitzwilliam are both vying for Jane's affections? Will Caroline Bingley do something to thwart her brother from getting too attached to Jane?
Saw orthopedic doc today. Hip not fractured or chipped, most likely a bad bruise. My spine though...I'm getting referred to spine doc, have physical therapy, MRI scheduled and back xrays taken. Pain is constant 6/10 except when I move then it's 7/10. At least it's not as bad as it used to be! I'm still walking funny in a shuffle and I'm hoping physical therapy will help with that.