A/N: Characters belong to Jane Austen. Also, I owe a lot to the fantastic books written by Marsha Altman, because they have inspired me and gave me ideas for this fanfic.
A/N: I am so terribly sorry that it took me a year (!) to update. I had the biggest writer's block history has ever seen! I was not even fully aware of the fact that it took me a year to finish this chapter, until just now, when I looked at the last update-date. I am almost ashamed that it took me so long, but well… It is now finally over and done with. I hate this chapter to the bone because of the writer's block, but it is worth the reading. I shall soon update Chapter 5. (And this time I will keep my word!)
Have fun, xxx
~Mrs Nomau.
Chapter 4: The Honeymoon, Week 2.
Pemberley, day 7.
When Darcy opened his eyes, he saw he was the only person in the room. 'Where is Lizzy?', he thought, as he got out of bed. 'What time is it?' He reached for his pocket watch, which lay on his bed stand. 'Half past eight.', it said.
Darcy was confused. Where could she be at this time of day? Maybe in the drawing room, he thought, as he put on some clothes. He went downstairs to the drawing room and opened the door to find it empty.
He asked every servant he saw if they had an idea of the whereabouts of Mrs Darcy, but no one had seen her this morning. He went to the kitchen, where he found Mrs Reynolds and Lizzy's maid.
When they noticed him, they both curtseyed and said: "Mr Darcy."
"Ladies, I can not seem to find Mrs Darcy this morning, do you know where she is?", he asked in a somewhat hurried voice. "Oh, yes. I know, Mr Darcy", the maid obliged. "She woke up just after dawn and expressed a strong wish to walk the Pemberley grounds by herself. So I.."
"By herself? Just after dawn! She does not know the Pemberley grounds yet and it is freezing cold outside! What if she gets lost? Oh, I must go and seek her!", Darcy exclaimed in horror and he quickly made his way to the stables for his horse.
He left Mrs Reynolds and the maid in surprise, from which Mrs Reynolds soon recovered and she started to giggle. "M- Mrs Reynolds..? What is so funny?", the maid asked confused.
"Oh, that foolish boy… All in an uproar over his wife strolling the grounds as if she was walking trough the middle of a battlefield!", Mrs Reynolds said, after which the maid began to giggle too.
Once he had his horse, he began to think about the next problem. 'In which direction is she walking? She has been walking for an hour and a half now, so she could be anywhere!'
Darcy decided he would ride to the lake first. He looked everywhere and finally, he saw a black and brown spot on the other side of the lake.
'Elizabeth!', he thought, as he rode there as fast as his horse could run and when he was sure it was Elizabeth, he called her name.
Lizzy was sitting on the edge of the lake, looking up at the sky and enjoying the cold air brushing her face. It had been more than 7 days since she had made her last walk. 'I was not even married, the last time I was outside. Well.. Really outside.', she thought and smiled.
She shook up when she heard someone scream and looked in the direction of the noise.
She was shocked to see her husband racing towards her, looking like a madman, with only half his clothes on.
"Elizabeth! Why are you sitting? Are you hurt? Did you fall? Can you walk? Oh, thank God I noticed you were not at the house! Come on, on my horse, you must be freezing! I will sent for the doctor immediately!", Darcy exclaimed, all in one breath.
Lizzy burst out in laughter. "Darcy? What is the meaning of this?", she said, when she was somewhat recovered. "The meaning of this? I thought tha- … you wer- … Wait. Why are you laughing when you are in pain?", Darcy asked rather confused.
Lizzy tried her best not to laugh. "I am laughing because you behave like a fool. I am not in pain, silly man. Who put that ridiculous idea into your head?"
Darcy's face turned red. "Uhm… Well… I think I did that myself. I- It's just-… I am.. Afraid to lose you… I just panicked when I could not find you.."
Lizzy got up and hugged Darcy. "That's so sweet, but you need not worry. I am very capable of making sure that nothing will happen to me."
When all was sorted out, they returned to the house on horseback and had breakfast.
"Sunshine, will you never scare me like that again? I do not think I can handle such panic even one more time.", Darcy said, when they were sitting in the drawing room with tea.
"If you are quite certain you cannot handle it, I promise I will never do it again. No one will be blaming me for my husband's death! No indeed, I will leave a note on your bed stand to inform you of my early-morning endeavours.", Lizzy said with a sly grin on her face.
"But dear husband, you still owe me a tour of the Pemberley grounds. And seeing that the weather is quite perfect, I suggest that we go outside after tea."
Darcy smiled at this remark. "It seems you are right. But we can not leave until you are properly dressed for this cold weather. I insist on ten layers of clothing at least! And I am not even mentioning the thickness of your coat.", he said.
Lizzy laughed. "Bravo! It seems you have learned how to be funny. But I assure you, I will wear no such thing as ten layers of clothing and a coat on top of that. Oh no, I will put on my thinnest summer dress and you will just have to live with that!", she said, after which Darcy stood up, walked over to her and kissed her.
"Oh… This is truly lovely. It is winter, but it is still very beautiful… I can scarce imagine what it will look like in the spring and summer!", Lizzy said in awe, looking around at the trees in the Pemberley grounds.
"It is always beautiful around here, Lizzy." Darcy sat down on a bench on the edge of the Pemberley woods. "I used to run away from here. With my parents gone and Georgie in town, there was nothing to keep me here. So I would rather stay with friends for months, then to be at Pemberley on my own."
Lizzy sat down next to him and took his hands in hers. "But that has changed now, has it not?" Darcy looked Lizzy in the eye and kissed her softly. "Yes… That has changed now."
After dinner, they went to the drawing room to read. While Lizzy sat by the fire with her eyes on her book, she thought about today.
'He really opened up to me, by saying those things about running from Pemberley… I am glad he feels different now, because I would feel so alone here if Darcy would be gone so often. I understand completely why Georgiana preferred to live in London in the past… Oh, I am so happy she will live here. I hope we will be friends and maybe she will like Kitty… For she can definitively use some good influence to erase Lydia's silliness from her behaviour. When Georgiana is here, I shall ask her how she feels about that and invite Kitty somewhat earlier, perhaps.'
She smiled, which Darcy noticed. 'She is lovely. I can not believe I was once indifferent to her. She has turned my world upside down! I live at Pemberley again, Georgiana will live here, too. She has good sense, which will help my sister, for she is too shy at the moment. How empty my life was before I met her. Before I fell in love with her…'
When the clock hit twelve, they both shook up from their thoughts and books and decided it was time to go to bed.
Netherfield, day 7.
Jane woke up to find the rest of the bed empty. 'Where is Charles? Did he sleep with me or did he went to his own chambers?', she thought, as she got out of bed and called for her maid.
After she was dressed, she went downstairs to breakfast. She asked the first servant she saw where she could find Mr Bingley.
"I trust you will find Mr Bingley is out ma'am, riding."
'Riding? On our honeymoon? Oh… He must be still mad at me. I am sure he is avoiding me. This is all my doing! I should just ask mama to have a little respect for our privacy. Of course she can come visit… But not every day, the whole day! I must do something.. I will say it to her when she comes next… Or perhaps I can ask papa to give mama a small hint… Oh, when will Charles be back?', she thought, while eating her breakfast.
She went to her chambers to sit and read, so that, when Charles would come back, he would have the choice to himself if he wanted to see her or not. 'I hope he will come and see me, because, if he doesn't, my marriage may be ended before it really began…', she thought. Her eyes were filled with tears and she started to weep soundlessly.
There was a knock on the door and Jane hurriedly dried her tears while asking: "Who is it?" "It's me, dear. May I come in?" 'He is here! Oh thank God. He may still love me!' "Yes, come in.", she said and the door opened.
"Why are you in your chambers, darling. Are you unwell?", Bingley asked, though less anxious then the last time. "No, I am not unwell…. And yet.. Yes, I am." Bingley looked confused. "Which one is it? Shall I sent for the doctor?" "No! No, I mean… I am physically well, but mentally I am not sure."
If possible, Bingley looked even more confused. "Okay… Might you be able to explain what you mean? Because I am failing to understand you." Jane took a deep breath. "Do you still love me or.." Her eyes filled with tears again. " Or is my mother separating us?"
It was silent for a while, as Bingley stared at her in a total state of confusion. "….. What..?" The tears were rolling over Jane's cheeks and not yet having had an answer, she started to cry. "Jane! What…. Why…." Charles muttered, still not understanding what this was all about.
He walked over to her and hugged her. She buried her face in his chest and he caressed her hair with one hand, using the other to put it around her waist. They stood there for some time, while Jane wept.
When she was a bit more at ease, Bingley lifted her head up and cupped her cheeks. "Lovely, beautiful Jane… Of course I love you! How could you think I stopped loving you? I can not stop loving you, even if I wanted to." Jane smiled through her tears. "R- Really?" As a reply, he kissed her long and passionately.
"I know this has to do with your mother…. But Jane… It has nothing to do with your mother whether I love you or not. I love you for you and not for your mother!"
"Oh Charles, I am so happy that everything is fine again.", Jane said, smiling. She hugged him and felt very save in his arms. "Charles, can we stand like this forever?" He smiled. "Why would you want that, dearest?" "I feel so save when I am close to you… I want to have that feeling now and forever." And as Charles took a step back to look her in the eye, she took a step forward to kiss him.
They decided to stay in bed all day and dinner was served in their bedchambers.
Late at night, Jane and Bingley were lying in bed. Jane had put her head on Charles's chest and he was playing with a strand of her hair.
"Charles?", Jane said, softly. "Yes?" "Let us not ever fight like that again, all right?" "Agreed, Jane, agreed."
Pemberley, day 8.
Even though they had decided to skip breakfast to sleep in, Lizzy was not at all awake when they where eating their lunch.
"And, my Sunshine. Do you have anything particular in mind for the way we spend our day?" "Well, yes… I have had some very nice thoughts about our bed, ever since we left it an hour ago.", she replied. Darcy smiled. "Well, I like the sound of that.", he said.
And so, when they had finished their lunch, they went back upstairs to stay in bed until an hour before dinner.
'Where would Mrs Reynolds be? Maybe I should check the kitchen. If she is not there, someone else might be able to tell me where she is.', Lizzy thought and she walked to the kitchen, where she did find Mrs Reynolds, who was seeing to the preparations for this evenings' dinner.
"Mrs Darcy.", Mrs Reynolds said, when she noticed Lizzy entering the kitchen. "Mrs Reynolds, I have a question, would you care to join me in the drawing room?" "But of course, Mrs Darcy."
"Mrs Reynolds, I would like to know what Christmas was like before I came to Pemberley. And especially what it was like when the late Mr & Mrs Darcy were here."
"Oh, well, Mrs Darcy. In previous years it was always very festive, but there was no one to take time and effort to make it better. Miss Georgiana tried her best, but there was no one to help her. Mr Darcy seems to like Christmas very much, but he never took interest in the planning of it. But when the late Mr & Mrs Darcy ruled Pemberley, it was better than one could imagine. Every inch of the estate was decorated and the guests were entertained with various games. Dare I ask why you asked me this, Mrs Darcy?"
"Yes, Georgiana and I are planning our first Christmas together when she arrives here, so I wanted to know to what kind of Christmas she is used to."
"Very well, Mrs Darcy. I hope my information be of some kind of help to you.", Mrs Reynolds said and stood up. "If you will excuse me, Mrs Darcy." "Of course, thank you, Mrs Reynolds."
After dinner, Darcy and Lizzy went up to their chambers as soon as they could.
"I am of the opinion that we should have more days like these. The whole day together in our bed and only coming down for our meals.", Lizzy said. She sat in front of her dressing-table and looked at Darcy, who lay in their bed, through the mirror.
Darcy looked back at her. "I share that opinion, Sunshine. But I fear that it would be quite dull when we had nothing but 'bed-days'." Lizzy smiled. "Yes, I suppose you are right."
She stood up from her dressing-table and walked over to the bed. "But there is something that I do not think can be dull, even if we did it every day.", she said, as she lay down next to him.
"Really?", Darcy said with a smile. "What is that something, then?"
Netherfield, day 8.
When Jane and Bingley had had a nice breakfast, Jane went to her bedchamber to write a letter to Lizzy. Meanwhile, Bingley went to his study to write a letter to Darcy. After he had posted the letter, he went to Jane's bedchamber and knocked.
"Yes?" "Jane, it is me, can I come in?" Jane opened the door. "Of course, Charles."
Bingley went in and closed the door behind him. "How are you, dear?", he asked, as he walked over to her. "I am fine. But wait a second, please. I would like to finish my letter to Lizzy, so I can post it." "Of course, love." Bingley said, as he walked over to their bed and sat down on it.
When Jane had finished her letter, she walked over to the bed and sat down next to Bingley. She kissed him and they sat there for several minutes.
There was a knock on the door and Jane and Bingley broke their kiss. Jane stood up and opened the door. "Yes?" "Excuse me, Mrs Bingley, but Mrs Bennet is waiting for you in the drawing room." 'No! This is not true! Everything is well between Charles and me and then my mother shows up again.' "Yes, thank you. We will be down in a minute.", she said and closed the door.
"I am going to put on a somewhat more decent gown, will you wait until I am finished?" "But of course, my love." Bingley said in reply. 'I would do anything as long as I do not have to be alone with Mrs Bennet! Oh, Charles! Stop thinking such things about your mother-in-law!', he thought, as he once again slapped himself in his mind.
The afternoon seemed to last ages, Bingley thought. 'I cannot stand this any longer!' "Excuse me, Mrs Bingley, Mrs Bennet. But I must see to some business.", he said as he stood up. "I will join you again, later this afternoon." And with that, he went to his study. 'No! Not again… He has no business, because he told me himself that he had finished it all!', Jane thought, while Mrs Bennet chatted.
After another hour of Mrs Bennet's chattering, Jane finally made a decision. "Mother?" "Yes, my darling, what is it?"
"Well… Ehm… I was wondering if you could ehm… Well, let me put it like this… I am very happy that you take such an interest in my life as Mrs Bingley.. And I am absolutely not ungrateful, but.. I.. I.. We.. Mr Bingley and I want to spend some time by ourselves during our honeymoon… To get to now one another better…"
Jane carefully overthought what she would be saying next. "And.. Ehm.. It is difficult to do so when you enlighten us so frequently with your visits… So I wanted to ask… If you could stay at Longbourn for some 5 days… After that, our honeymoon will be over and Mr Bingley will have all kinds of matters to see to, so I will have more time to receive visitors.. You understand, mama?"
Mrs Bennet did not say anything, which was actually quite a notable event. When she regained her speech, she stood up somewhat timidly and said: "I see… Well, I shall not disturb you any longer then… I will see you when you once again have some time for your poor mama." And before Jane could stand up and say goodbye, Mrs Bennet had reached the door.
Jane immediately walked over to Bingley's study and knocked on the door. "Yes?"
"Charles.. It is me. Can I come in?" Bingley opened the door. "Hello, dear. Is something the matter?" "Well… Charles… Are you well?" "Yes, Jane.. Why would you ask that?"
"Because I know that all your business matters were settled some days ago…", Jane said, with a sad look on her face. Bingley's face turned slightly red. "Ehm… yes… But we have been over this, my dear… You know I feel your mother's company is somewhat overpowering… And… I really could not think of another reason to excuse myself, dearest. I am sorry."
"It is alright… I.. I told mother how we feel about her visits… and…" Jane's eyes started tearing. "And she left being quite upset… Oh Charles… This is exactly why I did not want to say anything!", she said, and walked over to Bingley to hug him.
Bingley comforted her and when she was a bit more at ease, he said: "Not to seem heartless, dear Jane… But she will not disturb us for a few days… And I am sure she will not be angry or hurt for a long time.." "Do you really think so, Charles?" "Yes, I do."
When Jane was convinced Bingley was right, it was time for dinner.
Later that night, Jane and Bingley were lying in their bed. "Charles?" "Yes, dear?" Bingley kissed her cheek. "I am glad I told my mother… Even though I hurt her by telling her how I felt, we can now at least be sure that we will be alone for the days to come." "Indeed, we can, my love." Bingley said, and he kissed her passionately.
Pemberley, day 9.
When Lizzy opened her eyes, it was dark and grey in their room. 'Oh, what a shame, it rains.' Lizzy thought, as she got up and peeked through the curtains out the window.
She looked around, to see Darcy still vast asleep in their bed. She grinned while an idea gained form in her head. She walked over to her dressing table and took one of her make-up pencils. She walked back to the bed and unbuttoned Darcy's shirt. She wrote something on his chest with her pencil, smiled and got dressed. Then she walked out of their room, to leave Darcy still sleeping soundly.
About an hour later, Darcy woke up, to see his bed once again empty. He looked in the direction of his bed stand, expecting to see a note lying there. Nothing. 'That's odd, Lizzy promised me to leave a note if she got up early…' he thought.
He walked over to the mirror, to use the ewer to splash some water in his face. But he did not get the chance to do that, for he immediately saw something written on his chest. 'Okay, and what is this?' he thought, as he angled his head, making him able to read the text.
"My love, I am taking a walk in our extended home. You need not worry, it rains, so I will not go outside." It said. Darcy smiled, got dressed and went downstairs to locate his Lizzy.
He found her in the library, with tea and a book.
"Good morning, Sunshine." He said, walking over to her. "How was your walk?" She grinned. "Oh, nice enough, but I like our home better when the sun shines. It is more… more joyful with rays of light dancing on the walls."
"Indeed, it is. But I am afraid I cannot arrange for the sun to shine more, my love." "You cannot? But I imagined you capable of anything! You disappoint me, dearest." She said, smiling.
"I am sorry to disappoint you, dear, I know I have many flaws." He said grinning. "But I know one thing. I am hungry, and you must be too. So I say we go down and have some breakfast." "I am all in agreement." Lizzy said. She stood up, kissed her husband and walked out of the library, Darcy following her.
After breakfast, they had tea in the drawing room. Lizzy was sitting in a large armchair by the fire, when a maid came in. "Mrs Darcy, a letter just arrived, ma'am." Lizzy stood up and walked over to the door, where the maid stood, waiting. "Thank you." She took the letter from the maid and looked who sent it. "It is from Georgiana!"
Darcy looked up from his book. "Really? How is she?" "A little patience, dear. I have not even opened it!"
"Dear Elizabeth,
How do you like Pemberley as your home? I hope you love it just as much as I do.
I am very much looking forward to the planning of our first Christmas together! I am sure we will make it a Christmas party which no one at Pemberley shall ever forget!
Mrs Annesley will unfortunately be spending Christmas elsewhere, but she has agreed to help us with some of the party planning.
I also write to seek both your and my Brother's approval to add another guest to our Christmas party. My dear friend, Ella Fairfax (My Brother will perhaps recall her family owns Fairview Park, some three hours from Pemberley by coach.) has recently lost her mother, making her parentless, for her father died 6 years ago. She is having a hard time with the loss of her mother, so I am of the opinion that a change of scene will do her a world of good. If you and my Brother approve of this, please sent word, for than she can travel with me to Pemberley on November 15th. I am convinced you will like Ella very much, dear Sister!
Oh, how wonderful to call someone 'Sister'! I am so glad my Brother married you! You are the best Sister I could wish for! I am longing to spend more time with you, for I actually hardly know you at all, apart from our few short meetings since last July. But I can feel you are the best Sister, for you have so much experience in being a good Sister! Oh, what fun we shall have together! I just know we will.
Well, I shall leave it at this, perhaps, for I can continue to fill countless sheets of paper with how wonderful I think it to have a Sister, but I shall spare you that, for I am sure you do not want to spend your whole afternoon reading my letter! But enough now, dear Sister.
I will wait for your answer and I shall see you soon,
Yours affectionately,
Georgiana Darcy."
When Lizzy finished reading the letter aloud, she looked up to see Darcy's eyes were filled with tears. "Are you okay, dearest?" Darcy quickly dried his eyes and smiled. "I could not be better, my love." "Why the tears, then?"
Darcy stepped towards her and kissed her. "Because my lovely Sister is so fond of you already, even though she does not even know you properly, as she said. She likes you more than I ever dared to hope for. And I could see, by the way you spoke and by your expression while reading, that you care about my Sister too. And that you are also very happy you get along so well."
Lizzy smiled. "Indeed, I am very, very happy with that. She is such a lovely creature. So joyful and friendly. She sees only the best in people. She reminds me a little of Jane, you know." Darcy smiled in agreement.
"But Darcy, about Miss Fairfax. I think it is a wonderful idea of Georgiana to help her friend. And if Fairview Park is only three hours by coach, she can leave whenever she pleases." "Yes, I agree with you, Sunshine. Miss Fairfax is most welcome, of course!"
Lizzy kissed Darcy and smiled. "Well, I shall write to dear Georgiana immediately, she will be very happy with that."
Lizzy walked to her chambers and sat down behind her writing table.
"Dear Georgiana,
I was very happy to receive your lovely letter this morning! I am very much in love with Pemberley, it is perfect! I am of the same opinion as you are, the house and grounds are truly lovely.
I am very much looking forward to the planning of our first Christmas party as well! And it is a shame that Mrs Annesley is spending her Christmas elsewhere, for I like her very much. But it is very kind of her to assist us in our planning nonetheless.
You can inform Miss Fairfax that she is most welcome at Pemberley, for as long as she chooses. Both your Brother and I do not have any objection as to the company of Miss Fairfax. And if she wants, she can assist us too in the planning of our Christmas party! It is wonderful of you to help your friend with this loss. I cannot imagine what it is like, but it can never be easy, I am sure.
I am very glad you like me and think I am a good Sister, but I assure you, there will no doubt be times ahead of us when you think otherwise. I am certainly not the best Sister in the world, though I do have the great privilege to have the best Sisters(!) in the world myself!
Speaking of Sisters, that reminds me of something I have been meaning to ask you: I would like to invite my Sister Kitty earlier than the rest of our Christmas company, for I think she would benefit greatly from your influence. She is a smart girl, but my youngest Sister Lydia has let her astray and she is now a little too foolish for her own good.
I think that staying at Pemberley in the company of you, Miss Fairfax and myself, her manner shall improve greatly. I hope you are in agreement with this. Your Brother and I are very much looking forward to your arrival.
Yours affectionately,
Elizabeth Darcy.
Lizzy sealed her letter and called for a servant to post it. She walked to the drawing room to find Darcy reading by the fire. He looked up as she walked in. "Are you finished, dear?"
"Yes, I am. It has become quite a long letter. But there was so much to say and to reply to. I hope her journey is a pleasant one and that she will arrive on the 18th without delay." "I cannot agree with you more, I am always a bit apprehensive when Georgiana travels a long distance without me."
Lizzy smiled. "I am convinced all will be well, dear. She travels with both Mrs Annesley as Miss Fairfax, so if something might happen, they are smart enough to find a solution. And she has been save in the care of Mrs Annesley since you contracted her, is that not so?"
"Yes, it is… Well, let us not talk about these matters, for I get restless when I am thinking about all the things that could happen to her." Lizzy smiled. "Okay, dear." She took his hand and pulled to show she wanted him to stand up. "Mr Darcy, I believe it is 3 hours until dinner, am I correct?"
Darcy smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You certainly are correct, Mrs Darcy." "Well then, would you do me the honour of joining me in my chambers?" "I cannot object to that idea in the slightest, Mrs Darcy." He kissed her and when they broke their kiss, they had trouble not to give in to the urge to run up the stairs as a couple of kids.
Netherfield, day 9.
Jane and Bingley took advantage of their 'alone-time', by staying in bed the whole day. All their meals were served in their bedchambers and they did not even get dressed.
"Oh Charles, I love it. Just you and me alone here, no one to make us get out of bed… Can't all our days be like this?"
Bingley smiled and hugged her. "I think we could do this every day, if we would like, but I also think your family will not like me for that." Jane frowned. "What do you mean?", she asked, thinking he meant Mrs Bennet.
"Well, I think the Darcy's will not like it if I would keep you all to myself. Elizabeth shall soon travel here to take you from me by force, she would miss you far too much!" Jane laughed. "Do not be so absurd, Charles. She would not do that!"
"Well, I am not so sure. You remember when you were here at Netherfield, about a year ago, sick from the rain?" Jane smiled. "Yes, but what has that happy occasion to do with Lizzy?"
"She walked here, from Longbourn, to see to it that you were okay and well cared for. She goes through great lengths for you, Jane. And I am sure she would not hesitate to do so again, if I keep you in your bed all day."
Jane laughed and kissed Bingley. "All right, dear. You have convinced me. We will not be spending all our days from now on in our bed, but shall we at least enjoy the remainder of this day?" Bingley smiled and kissed Jane to answer her question.
Pemberley, day 10.
Darcy woke up, to find his bed empty once again. He sat up and saw Lizzy at her dressing table, putting on her necklace. "Good morning, Sunshine." He said, and Lizzy looked at him through the mirror.
"Hello dearest." She said, smiling. She stood up and walked over to the bed. "The weather is beautiful and I wish to go horseback riding, husband."
A sly grin appeared upon Darcy's face. "I am sorry Mrs Darcy, but I cannot possibly let you go without me." Lizzy smiled. "Well, Mr Darcy, I suppose I shall have to live with that burden."
Darcy smiled. "Yes, I suppose it is your destiny to have a husband who is nothing but a burden to you. Also, I insist on having breakfast before we mount our horses."
"Well, alright. But know that I do not agree to please you. Only to please my stomach." She said, smiling. He smiled too and kissed her.
They rode for quite a while and Darcy pointed out many parts of the estate where, in his childhood, something funny had happened.
"Look here, Sunshine." He said and pointed at a big oak. "When I was little, this was my play-oak." Lizzy snorted. "A play-oak?" Darcy looked a little affronted. "Yes, a play-oak. My father had had some ropes installed, so Wickham and I could play here. And later, when Georgiana was old enough, he had a swing installed, so she could be a part of our games." "Wonderful… But where are all these ropes, then?" Lizzy asked, wondering.
Darcy blushed. "Well… I… After the whole… You know, 'Wickham-incident'… I wanted to get rid of everything that reminded me of that scoundrel… So I had them removed."
"That is a pity, my dear. But I can see why you did it. I only hope that Wickham will not spoil the pleasure of having a play-oak for our children?" she asked, smiling.
Darcy grasped her hand, because he was not able to kiss her while on horseback. "Indeed, he will not. As soon as we have the pleasure of having children, I will have the ropes and swing installed immediately!" Lizzy laughed. "I am glad to hear it, dearest."
They rode on and about an hour later, Darcy stopped and got off his horse. Lizzy did the same and asked: "Why are we stopping, dear?" "Because I am quite hungry and I brought a picnic." Lizzy smiled. "What a wonderful idea, Darcy! I must say some food sounds quite agreeable."
"Dearest?" "Yes?" "What was your childhood like?" Lizzy smirked. "You mean 'Did you have your own play-oak?' I must disappoint you, we had no such thing in our yard." Darcy smiled, but his expression stayed serious. "You know what I mean, Sunshine."
Lizzy frowned a little. "Well, it was quite pleasant. We would play in the yard or pick flowers from the garden. And we had a swing, just like Georgiana." She said, smiling over the fond memories.
"My mother was not as nervous then as she is now. And my father would play with us every once in a while. We would play hide and seek… I remember one time, when Jane and I hid together, we were so convinced that Pappa would not be able to find us and we giggled so loud in our cleverness, that Pappa found us in no time."
Lizzy smiled somewhat sad now. "You know, I miss my mother as she used to be when we were little. She was not at all like she is now. She was sweet, calm and reasonable… I think the pressure of having so many daughters to safely marry off, in so little time, made her a nervous creature. I hope her old self comes back when Mary and Kitty are married as well."
Darcy smiled and kissed her gently. "I will hope it as well, dear. However, and I am sorry to say it, I do not think she can become any worse." Lizzy looked a bit shocked. "Darcy! That is my mother of whom we are speaking!" "I know that, hence the comment." He said, knowing she was not seriously affronted.
After their lunch stop, they rode on, but when clouds started to gather above them, they decided it was time to go back to Pemberley.
The rain drummed against the windows when Lizzy and Darcy were lying in their bed. Lizzy sat with her head on top of Darcy's chest and he slowly stroked her hair.
"I love the grounds of Pemberley, dear." Lizzy said, smiling. "They give me so much comfort. I dare say they are equally as fine as the woods near Longbourn, perhaps even better."
"I am very pleased to hear that, Sunshine. I want you to be happy here and I know how fond you are of walking!" he said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Remember Netherfield, when Jane was ill?" "Of course I remember! I dare say you thought me quite silly at the time." "Yes, I think I did. But I also secretly admired your stubbornness to see to your sister's health." She smiled when he said this and kissed him.
Netherfield, day 10.
When Jane and Bingley were having breakfast, a pleasant surprise awaited Jane. "Mrs Bingley, a letter arrived for you this morning." Jane smiled. "Oh, thank you."
She opened it. "It is from Lizzy, dear!" Bingley smiled. "Anything new?" "Wait, I will read it aloud." Jane said, smiling.
"Dear Mrs Bingley (!)
I know what you mean! I find it also odd to sign my name 'Darcy' now!
Oh, I really cannot wait to see you at Christmas and I cannot wait to show you Pemberley.
It is beautiful! Only this morning, my dear husband gave me a tour of the interior of Pemberley. It is all so grand and beautiful.
And I am happy to inform you that the staff is very kind and obliging to me.
I must say, if only you were here, dearest Jane, I would feel at home right away.
But please, do not think that I am an ungrateful creature!
My husband is the best and kindest man in all the world (except for your Mr Bingley, maybe!) and everyone is very nice to me. But I do not feel at home here.
Well, not yet, I must say! Mr Darcy has made it clear to me that he will go through great lengths to make me feel at home here!
And I dare say, please do not hate me for it, I look forward to Georgiana's arrival in 2 weeks. Oh, I have not told you! Georgiana will live at Pemberley again! It is a very comforting thought to know that I will soon have her company.
And I will see you again at Christmas. Why is Christmas not sooner, dearest Jane? I long to see you and share my happy life with you. I wish Netherfield lay closer to Pemberley, close enough for an afternoon tea call, for instance. But I sound so ungrateful, please do not blame me for it.
Dearest Jane, I hope you are equally as happy as I am! Though I think it would be quite hard to be as happy as I am! I adore you and I will see you soon, but for now I remain,
Your affectionate Sister,
Elizabeth Darcy.
P.S. Oh, I just had the most wonderful idea! I hope that it is convenient, but you must come somewhat earlier than the other Christmas-guests. I hope this will suite both your and Mr Bingleys plans, but why not come to Pemberley around the 7th of December! I hope you can, dear Jane. I will hear it in your next letter."
Jane smiled and Bingley looked at her. "Dear, I could not help but notice that you agree with your sister."
She looked at him, wondering. "What do you mean, Charles?" "Well, I could see from your expression that you miss Lizzy too, even though you are happy here."
Jane smiled a little sad. "Yes, I confess I am. I love you, dear, but I miss my confidante, so to speak." "Well, in that case, I think we should do it." Bingley said, smiling.
"Do what, dear?" "Travel to Pemberley earlier than the others." Jane smiled broadly. "Really?" Bingley smiled. "Yes, of course! Everything to see you truly and utterly happy!" Jane laughed in joy and ran over to him to hug him.
"I will write to Lizzy immediately!" she said, and left the breakfast table without finishing her toast. Bingley smiled at her enthusiasm and joy and finished his coffee.
Later, when they were in the drawing room by the fire, Jane looked at Bingley and said: "You and Mr Darcy are very close friends too, is it not?" Charles looked up. "Yes, we are. He is the best and most loyal friend I will ever have."
"How did you meet Mr Darcy?" Jane asked. "Well, we both studied at Cambridge, although Darcy was a few years above me. I met him at an assembly of his fencing club, to which I was invited by a friend. I do not exactly know why, but Darcy liked me and at one point he even helped me with Latin, which is not my forte, to say the least."
Jane smiled at this. "So you got to know him and he got to know you and you stayed friends?" Bingley smiled. "Yes, that is what happened. Darcy is a very valuable friend, he is very faithful. He goes through great lengths to see to his friends' welfare."
Jane smiled and got up off her chair to kiss Bingley. "I am sure he values your friendship as must as you value his."
Pemberley, day 11.
Lizzy was having a cup of tea in the library when a maid came in. "Excuse me, Mrs Darcy, but a letter just arrived for you." Lizzy got up from her chair and walked over to the maid to take the letter.
She looked at the back of the letter for the sender and smiled. "Thank you, will you please be so kind as to call Mr Darcy for me?" The maid curtseyed. "Yes, ma'am, I will."
Lizzy went back to her chair and opened Charlotte's letter. She read it through and just as she finished the last sentence, Darcy came in. "Sunshine, is anything the matter?" Lizzy smiled. "No, do not worry, I am all well. I just received a letter from Charlotte. And you will never guess what she writes!"
Darcy thought and came to the conclusion he had no idea. "I am sorry to disappoint you, dear, but I do not have a great insight in female news." Lizzy grinned at this remark.
"Well, I will just read her letter to you, and then you must know of what it is I am speaking."
"Dearest Lizzy, or shall I write 'Dear Mrs Darcy'?
I am so very sorry that I had to miss your wedding as well as Janes'.
But Lady Catherine would be upset if we had gone and you know how much my husband has set his heart on the happiness of her Ladyship.
I would have very much liked it to see you so happy. And I would have loved to see your reaction upon our meeting! My posture is somewhat different since last April! I think you have already guessed by now, so I will not withhold the details any longer.
I am likely to confine in 3 months! I am a bit anxious, but her Ladyship is very obliging in the giving of information about this sort of thing. I think you can imagine what I mean.
My husband has, of course, set all his hope on a little heir, but Lady Catherine says I am likely to have a girl. I had all my hopes set on you as a godmother, but my husband will not hear a word of it. Of course, Lady Catherine should get the honour. So I can only hope for another child, because I will have my way eventually!
Furthermore, this also robbed us of an opportunity to see each other at Christmas, for I am unfit to travel, as you may understand. And I have no hopes of seeing you at Rosings soon, for Lady Catherine would sooner stop talking than have you here!
Well, in any case, I may be able to travel with my little one in the summer. So maybe we can arrange something then? I will hear from you soon, you must tell me what Pemberley is like and how degraded it has become since you polluted the grounds and house!
I long for some news which is not about Mrs Webb and her lovely daughters or some other acquaintance of Lady Catherine!
Dearest Lizzy, I have told enough. We shall soon write again, but for now I remain,
Your affectionate friend,
Charlotte Collins."
Darcy smiled when she finished reading. "I dare say Mrs Collins found a way to escape the nonsense of her husband and my aunt. Did you teach her?" Lizzy looked at him, confused. "Whatever do you mean, dear?"
"The witty comments in her letters. She escapes the daily nonsense in her life by making fun of it, just as you do." Lizzy smiled proudly. "Well, maybe I did not teach her, but she indeed has done a great job in this letter."
"But is it not wonderful, Charlotte with child? She will at least have a distraction in that horrible place."
Darcy smiled. "Yes, it is quite wonderful. Would you like to go to her to stay by her side during her confinement?"
Lizzy smiled, but that smile immediately faded again. "I would love that, but it cannot possibly be done. Lady Catherine would not tolerate it. And therefore, Mr Collins will not tolerate it."
Darcy smiled. "I might know a solution. Georgiana is very fond of Anne the Bourgh and they write each other with much interest and devotion. It would of course only be coincidence that you join Georgiana on her trip to Anne and that that trip is planned in the first weeks of February!"
Lizzy smiled as happily as ever. "But of course, Mr Darcy, how could you have thought that it was not coincidence!" She jumped up and hugged him tightly.
"I will write to Charlotte immediately!" she said, and was about to leave the library, when Darcy stopped her.
"You may, Sunshine, but you might want to leave out the part about Georgiana and Anne. You may want to seek their permission before Charlotte is expecting you. I dare say she has enough expecting to do for now!"
Lizzy laughed at his joke. "You are quite right, dear. I think I might leave that part out for just a while."
"Dearest Charlotte,
This is the most wonderful news, to be sure!
I wish I could do something to make your companions less aggravating, but I am sorry to say I have no idea how I could do that.
Do you have names yet, or is there no choice but Catherine or William?
I was very sorry to miss you at my wedding, but it has passed and I do not blame you.
My life at Pemberley is wonderful! I hope you can come in the summer, because I must have had you as my guest at Pemberley before your child has turned one!
In comparison to Rosings, I think Pemberley is bigger, but I cannot be sure. Maybe it just seems bigger to me!
Mr Darcy is lovely and Georgiana is so sweet. But I miss your company and I miss Jane. It is the small price I have to pay for my happy and fortunate life!
When you come next summer, I shall ride with you and your child through the grounds, so you can enjoy the air and see all the beauty Pemberley has to offer!
Dearest Charlotte, I hope your confinement will end well with a new addition to your life.
I hope I shall see you soon, but for now I remain,
Your affectionate friend,
Elizabeth Darcy."
When she finished her letter, she handed it to her lady maid to have it posted. She lay down on her sofa and spent the remainder of her time before dinner with happy thoughts about Charlotte and daydreams about children.
Netherfield, day 11.
When breakfast was finished, Bingley and Jane thought about an activity for the afternoon. "I do feel like a game of billiards." Bingley said. "But I do not know how to play, dearest… Or can one play billiards on his own?" Jane asked, wondering.
"It is your choice, dearest. Would you like me to teach you or would you rather watch me and keep me company?"
Jane grinned. "I would very much like to do both, dearest. I would like to keep you company and watch. And when I think I have a little idea of what to do, I would like you to teach me."
Bingley smiled. "Your wish is my command, dearest." And with that, they walked to the billiard room.
Jane had watched Bingley play for an hour or so, and she now felt confident enough to try it for herself. She stood up and walked over to Bingley. "Could you show me now, Charles?" Bingley smiled. "Of course!"
He showed her how to hold the cue and how to position her hands and body. He showed her which ball she should hit and which ball she should use to hit it. After more than two hours of practicing and slight adjustments and tips from Bingley, Jane wanted to play a match.
"Are you sure, dear?" Bingley asked hesitantly. "Yes, I am sure. But you must promise to go a little easy on me, dear." Bingley smiled. "I am only happy to promise that!"
They played a match and Bingley won. But Jane was not planning to quit without trying again, and so, after another match, Jane had won.
Jane smiled. "I can do it! I beat you, dearest!" Bingley smiled. "I can see that, dear. But you cannot stop now. I have to play another match with you. I must attempt to reclaim my manhood!" Jane laughed. "Your manhood? Pff, well, I you insist."
But Bingley had no luck in reclaiming his manhood. Jane won again.
After dinner, Bingley still was a little bit ashamed about the lost game. Jane went to him and kissed him on his cheek. "I have an idea, dear." She said. "What is that?"
"I know a way to cheer you up. However, this is not the place. It is an activity that people mostly do when they are in the privacy of their bedchambers." Bingley smiled as he took Jane's outstretched hand and walked with her to their bedchambers. He did not have another thought about the lost games at all.
Pemberley, day 12.
When they were thinking about something to do in the afternoon, Darcy voiced his desire to go hunting. Lizzy decided to walk along with him.
When they were quite far from Pemberley House, Lizzy saw the 'play-oak' again. She smiled and asked Darcy if she was right. "Indeed you are, Sunshine."
"Dearest?" "Yes?" "What was Georgiana's childhood like? I mean.. Well.. Having no mother and all." Darcy smiled at this question, though there was a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"She dealt with it wonderfully. Maybe that was because she never knew what it was like to have a mother, maybe because she has such a high-spirited character. She was always happy as a child, always willing to help someone from the staff carrying something, for instance. And she always had energy to play. Sometimes she had so much energy that she drove me crazy, but she was never tired, it seemed."
Lizzy smiled. "It sounds like she has not changed at all. At least, not among relatives and close friends." Darcy smiled too, the sadness disappearing. "Yes, you are quite right. She is the same, but with more class and education."
"Did I hear proudness, Mr Darcy?" Lizzy said, mocking. "Yes, you did hear proudness, Mrs Darcy!" He said, and he kissed her.
Netherfield, day 12.
After breakfast, Jane and Bingley went to the drawing room to have tea and sit in front of a roaring fire, for it was beginning to get cold, even inside the house.
When Jane rang the bell for a servant some time later and asked for a cup of hot chocolate, Bingley smiled in fond memories.
"You know, dear. Hot chocolate reminds me of the winters in Town, with my Sisters." Jane smiled. "Tell me, I would love to hear a story about your childhood!"
Bingley nodded and smiled. "When our governess had taken us outside to get some exercise and fresh air, we always got hot chocolate as a treat if we had behaved ourselves. My Sisters and I would watch each other's behaviour very closely, so we could blame someone if we did not hot chocolate after our walk."
Jane smiled. "Lovely. So you were very close to your Sisters once?" Bingley smiled a little sadly. "Yes, we were close, but it all ended when Louisa became a woman and entered society. Not long after that, Caroline entered society too, and I was the only child in the family."
Bingley shook up from his other memories. "But tell me, dearest. What about your childhood?" Jane smiled. "I remember when Lydia was born, I think I was six years old at the time and Lizzy was four years old. We went upstairs together to see our new Sister and Papa lift me and Lizzy up to watch Lydia. And I was so proud to be the big Sister of all my cute baby Sisters."
Bingley smiled. "And I take it you are still proud of being their big Sister?" Jane laughed. "Well, yes. To some extend of course. I am not proud of all the mistakes Lydia has made, but I am proud in general."
Jane and Bingley entertained each other the rest of the afternoon with funny childhood stories and memories.
Pemberley, day 13.
Lizzy woke up to see Darcy watching her. "Mr Darcy, you are doing it again." "What am I doing exactly?" He asked nonchalantly. "You are staring, Sir. I will not have it!" She said mockingly.
"You are insulting me, Madam. Staring, Puh!" He said, and he turned his back to her, faking an angry voice. Lizzy got up and hugged her husband from behind. "Well, alright. You may stare at me." Darcy turned his head to kiss her. "Very good, Madam."
They took another hour to cuddle and have fun, but then their bellies started to protest. They got dressed and went down to have some lunch.
Lizzy was pleasantly surprised when the letter from Jane arrived. She immediately went to Mr Darcy's study to read it and write a reply.
"Dearest Lizzy,
Oh, I miss you so much too. Even though I have Mr Bingley and my parents and other sisters nearby, I miss you. You always understand me, no matter what it is about.
So, it will come to no surprise that Mr Bingley and I accept your proposal for an early trip into Derbyshire! If all goes well, we will be at Pemberley on the 7th of December. I can scarce wait for it!
You are absolutely not an ungrateful creature, it is only natural to miss ones family. I am happy to hear that Mr Darcy is so kind to you and Georgiana will soon keep you company.
I have the company of our mother, although I have told her to respect our privacy during our honeymoon. I felt awful at first, but now I have peace with it. Charles and I have had the best two days since our mother's last visit, so I am actually a little glad that I told her. But no, now I am an ungrateful creature!
Well, as you can read, everything at Netherfield and Longbourn is peaceful.
I will see you very soon and I will await your next letter.
Your affectionate Sister,
Jane Bingley."
Lizzy smiled and thought about her mother. 'I would have done the same in Jane's position. But I think I would have said something sooner. Oh Jane…'
She shook up from her thoughts as the dinner bell rang. 'Oh, dear! Dinner! Well, I will write a reply after dinner, then.' Lizzy thought, as she stood up and walked to the dining room.
Netherfield, day 13.
Jane and Bingley had no desire whatsoever to come out of their bedchamber before lunch. They were much too occupied to think about normal things such as breakfast.
But around lunchtime, their roaring bellies won and they rose for lunch. After that they settled in the drawing room. Jane with her knitting, Bingley with a book.
"Dearest, how do you know which colour to use in your knitting?" Bingley asked Jane, who was passionately knitting little pink socks. Jane smiled. "I would really like to have a girl. No, I would like to have two girls. So they can be just as close as Lizzy and I are."
Bingley smiled. "Yes, I would like that very much too. But I would also like having a boy. So I can go shooting with him when he is older. And I could teach him how to keep young men away from his sisters, so I would not have to worry about doing that on my own."
Jane laughed. "Keeping young men away from his sisters? What if I would have had a brother with such instructions from my father? I think we would not even have been married!"
Charles grinned. "Well, yes. In that case, I am glad that you do not have a brother!" At which Jane laughed and got up to kiss him.
Soon, dinner was ready. Jane took a little of every dish available, it was all delicious. After dinner, they went to their bedchambers again.
They talked a little more about their hopes and dreams for a family and went to sleep short after that, only to dream of little feet with all ten toes attached.
Pemberley, day 14.
After breakfast, Lizzy and Darcy decided to go horse riding. Darcy showed Lizzy yet another part of the vast grounds of Pemberley. They rode for a long time, and Lizzy was quite in raptures over the beautiful landscapes she saw.
When they returned to the house, it was far past lunchtime and Lizzy and Darcy could feel it, they were hungry.
After lunch, they settled down in the drawing room with tea and a book. Lizzy looked up when she heard a maid say her name. "Mrs Darcy, a letter just arrived." Lizzy took the letter and smiled. "Thank you."
"Dear!" Darcy looked up, startled by her yelp. "What?" Lizzy laughed at his reaction. "Oh, I am sorry, dear. It is just, it is Georgiana's reply to my letter!"
Darcy smiled. "What does she write?" Lizzy got up to kiss him. "Shall I read it aloud again?" Darcy grinned. "If you please.."
"Dearest Elizabeth,
It is wonderful to hear that you like Pemberley! I am sure we will have great fun together, once I am there.
I am so happy that you approve of my plan to take Miss Fairfax with me! She is quite happy at the prospect of Christmas at Pemberley!
And you should not be so hard on yourself, dear Elizabeth, for I am sure that you are the best Sister someone could wish for! Your question about your Sister Kitty only proves that.
Of course, she must come early, I would very much like to meet her properly. And she could help us with the planning too! What a merry party we will be together!
As we will most likely already be on our way when you receive this letter, it would be a waste of your time to write back, but I will hear all the news when we arrive on the 15th!
With much love and regard,
Georgiana Darcy."
Lizzy smiled when she finished reading and so did Darcy. "She writes so passionately, it makes me so enthusiastic!" Lizzy said. "Yes, I know. She is always quite enthusiastic." Lizzy grinned. "I love that about her."
"But well, if there's no point in writing to Georgiana, I shall write to Kitty instead, to inform her of the arrangement. She can come this way with Jane and Mr Bingley." Darcy smiled over the cleverness of his wife. "Indeed, that is a very good idea, Sunshine."
Lizzy went to Darcy's study and sat down behind his desk.
"Dear Kitty,
I write to ask you if you would like to come to Pemberley a little earlier than our other Christmas quests. Georgiana and I, as well as Georgiana's friend Miss Fairfax and Jane, would like it very much if you would want to help us planning the Pemberley Christmas-party!
When you have seen Pemberley, you will understand why such a big planning-committee is required!
Jane and Mr Bingley will come this way on the 3rd or 4th of December and will arrive here on the 7th of December. I do not think they will object to taking you with them, especially if you show them this letter.
I am looking forward to your reply, but for now I remain,
Your devoted Sister,
Elizabeth Darcy."
Lizzy got up and handed the letter to a servant to have it posted. She then went looking for her husband, to spend the remainder of the day with.
Netherfield, day 14.
Jane and Bingley were happy. They loved to be in each other's presence and they liked to talk about their lives before they got married and what might come next now that they were married.
But all that happiness faded for a bit, when a servant came in while they were having lunch and announced the arrival of Mrs Bennet.
Jane was mortified. 'Oh no! Our last day in maybe a long time that we can be utterly alone. And here is my mother again!'
Bingley was just as surprised and a bit angry. (However much against his character.) 'She is really insufferable! I had almost forgot about Mrs Bennet these past days, but yet here she is again!'
When the servant left again, Jane looked Bingley in the eye. "I am so sorry, my dear. I thought I had made it clear to her what we wished." "Well, we can see that she did not entirely take in your message, is it not?" Bingley could not help but sounding a bit bitter.
At this, Jane got tears in her eyes. When Bingley say this, he immediately slapped himself in his mind and hugged Jane. "I am so sorry, dear, I did not mean that. It is just, I was looking forward to a last, peaceful day together."
Jane smiled through her tears. "I know, dearest. So did I."
They rose from their seats to go to the drawing room, where Mrs Bennet was waiting.
After dinner, when Mrs Bennet finally went back to Longbourn, Jane and Bingley sat in the drawing room with tea.
"Jane?" Jane looked up from the fire, at which she had been staring and smiled. "Yes, Charles?" Bingley hesitated. "I… Ehh… I wanted to talk to you again about… About moving house."
"But dear, we have gone over this, there is no reason why we should move house. And where would we go? I do not wish to live in London all year."
Bingley smiled faintly, glad that she stayed calm. "Well, dear, I have thought about that. You want to see Lizzy more often, is it not? But since Netherfield and Pemberley are so far apart, it is quite impossible for you to see your sister regularly."
A small smile grew on Jane's lips. "I think I can see where you are going, Charles. Indeed, you are right. I would like to see Lizzy more often. But I do have to think about this. Will you please give me some time to do so?"
Charles grinned and walked over to her chair to kiss her. "Yes, I will give you some time, dear."
Next up:
Chapter 5: Miss Georgiana is back!
A/N: Oh, am I glad that this chapter is done! You have NO idea how much effort I put into getting this chapter finished! I had major writer's block, which I explained earlier, but I think it just has to do with this chapter alone. I can only hope that from now on I will be able to write and update regularly. I hope you like it and please review!
xxx
~Mrs Nomau