"... what are you thinking about my love?" Darcy asked Elizabeth tenderly after making love while caressing her hair.
She smiled, "I am thinking about you."
"Ummm, tell me."
"I'm thinking of you and the different facets of your character…" she kissed him softly, "do you know you are the most complex man I have ever met?"
"A long time ago, you told me you liked to study the character of people and how they evolved over time. You told me that the most complex people were the ones you liked to analyze the most." He replied smiling.
Lizzy shook her head and smiled, "Ummm, it's not fair you have such a good memory." She caressed his cheek, "You're right, and I'm very happy that I will have the rest of my life to study your character."
He smiled tenderly, "You have all the time you want, Mrs. Darcy…, and I hope to always live up to your expectations…"
The next morning, they set out for Pemberley in two carriages. Rose, Mrs. Barton, and Mrs. Shaw were traveling in the largest one and Darcy and Elizabeth in the other.
The three days trip passed without incidents, the roads were in very good condition and the weather was fine. Rose was very excited all the way and the times they stopped at the different inns, she asked all kinds of questions to her uncle Darcy. Her favorite questions were about her new house "Pembely", her new cousin Anne and about the cats she was going to have at Pembely...
Finally, on the third day, they entered Pemberley. Darcy asked his coachman to stop near a small hill since from the top of the hill there was a beautiful view of Pemberley.
Darcy asked Elizabeth to close her eyes and led her to the top of the hill... when he told her she could open her eyes, Elizabeth was breathless for several seconds... She saw a beautiful light-colored house with a beautiful garden with a lake that reflected the house and the mountains in the background.
"How do you like your new house, my love?"
She smiled, "It's beautiful... the place is even more beautiful than I imagined. The house is in perfect harmony with nature."
"You have no idea Elizabeth how happy I am that you are finally here with me. I love you." He kissed her lips gently.
They stayed a few more minutes embracing and looking at the landscape and then continued to the mansion.
To Darcy's surprise, in addition to Mrs. Reynolds and the servants, Georgiana and her husband, and Richard and his wife were waiting for them at the entrance.
With a big smile, Darcy made the respective introductions, and they happily entered the house. To his great satisfaction, he saw his sister and Elizabeth conversing pleasantly, and both seemed delighted to meet each other.
A few minutes later, Elizabeth and even Rose asked Darcy to take them to meet Anne. Darcy nodded, and they agreed with the others to meet in two hours in the dining room for tea.
Elizabeth's first impression of Anne Darcy was that she was extremely shy and physically nothing like Darcy. It was obvious the little girl was not used to displays of affection because when Rose hugged her and kissed her, Rose was petrified.
Anne looked at the strangers with a mixture of fear and curiosity, and Elizabeth at that moment decided that she would treat her as if she were her own daughter. Gently and with a smile on her face, she lifted her up in her arms, gently kissed her head, and tenderly said, "Hello Anne, my name is Elizabeth and I am your father's wife; And if you want, I can be your mother."
After hesitating for a moment, Anne smiled.
Over time, Anne began to call Elizabeth 'mama', and came to love her even more than her father, with whom she always had a more distant relationship... For her part, Elizabeth always tried to treat Rose, her own children, and Anne with the same affection.
