On the road to Scotland, 6 August 1812

The trip to Scotland passed much as the journey to Pemberley had. They travelled slowly and frequently stopped to enjoy the sites. Elizabeth had never travelled this far north and enjoyed every new vista they discovered. On Saturday, they reached Carlisle, just shy of the border with Scotland, where they were to stay for the Sabbath. Darcy had arranged with a friend to use his estate for them to remain in both nights, and the couple enjoyed all there was to explore. There was much around Carlisle for them to see, and they took a picnic and two horses from the stables and spent most of the day exploring the sights and enjoying their newly married state.

One more day on the road saw them arriving at the Darcy estate near Dumfries. Darcy found it necessary to balance his dedication to his task — meeting with several of the local gentlemen about a partnership to ensure the sustainability of several estates. Darcy's own estate was self-sufficient, but this project with the other gentlemen would not only aid them but would increase the profitability of his estate. While this idea pleased Darcy, he was more interested in ensuring that his neighbours would be able to maintain their estates.

Elizabeth was pleased to see this side of him, and she met with the housekeeper while her husband worked on business. He had given her permission to change anything that required changing, and while she had not wanted to make changes for the sake of change, she had found the house did require some changes to make it more hospitable. Several rooms needed new wall coverings or furnishings, as none in the Darcy family had visited it in many years.

Despite the business that occupied them there, they found much time to be together, and they celebrated the anniversary of their first month of marriage with a special dinner and music. Darcy had arranged to hire local musicians for the night, and the couple enjoyed the opportunity to dance together, although their attempts would have scandalised many in the ton. It was still relatively early when they dismissed the musicians and retreated into their rooms, where they remained for the rest of the night and late into the morning.

The couple spent a fortnight in Dumfries before travelling south once again, taking a detour to the Lakes and spending several days at the 'cottage' owned by the Darcy family there.

"This is a cottage?" Elizabeth had laughingly cried when she saw the house. "I believe it is at least as big as Longbourn, or very nearly."

Darcy scoffed. "I did not give it this name; the generations before me did. I call it a cottage because my father did, and his father did before him. I suppose in comparison to Pemberley, it seems like a cottage," he suggested.

She laughed at the face he made as he said this, but they delighted in exploring the cottage and the surrounding area. The cottage, despite its misleading name, was a charming retreat and perfectly positioned on the banks of Lake Windermere in the heart of the Lake District. Surrounded by ancient forests and verdant hills, it offered a sanctuary of natural beauty for Elizabeth and Darcy to explore and savour.

From there, they were able to embark on countless adventures, venturing into the forests for exhilarating horseback rides and invigorating treks on foot. Darcy, always attentive to Elizabeth's desires, arranged a romantic outing on a radiant afternoon, rowing her gently across the glistening waters of the lake. As the boat glided along the peaceful surface, they revelled in the tranquillity, sharing tender moments and whispered conversations. They had packed a picnic and enjoyed the offerings within when they reached the opposite side of the lake.

For both, they felt it had been an idyllic honeymoon. They stayed late in bed every morning and had few demands on their time aside from the time spent in business while in Dumfries. Although they had spent an evening or two dining with their neighbours there as well, they had spent much of this time alone, coming to know each other better, discovering more things to love about the other and a few things to aggravate. These last had been few and were frequently handled with humour, although there had been a moment or two when tempers had flared. This was bound to happen for two such passionate people as Elizabeth and Darcy, and they made up as passionately as they argued.

Two months after their wedding, they returned home to Pemberley. Elizabeth, feeling much more confident about her ability to manage such a large estate as Pemberley and secure in her husband's love after so many weeks in his sole company, approached the estate ready for the challenge that would inevitably come. They both felt the weight of arriving home but were prepared to face it together, and they easily settled into their roles.

Soon after they arrived, they hosted the traditional harvest celebration. Many of the plans had been made by Mrs Reynolds before Elizabeth arrived, but Elizabeth had made a few suggestions that improved the event. It also gave her an opportunity to meet all the tenants soon after her arrival, and while she had joked that she would never recall all their names when she met them all at once, she did become very acquainted with them and with their needs soon after this event.

The people of Pemberley and the surrounding areas were happy to have a mistress once again, especially one who seemed to make the master happier than anyone could ever remember seeing him. While Darcy had been a diligent master since inheriting the role, the influence of his wife softened him and helped him find the sense of humour he had previously lacked.

On the morning of the Bingley's expected arrival, Darcy and Elizabeth were cuddled in bed discussing their plans as had become their habit. Elizabeth, growing a little pensive, had reached her hand out to caress her husband's cheek and asked, "Would you have ever come back to Longbourn had I not written that letter?"

"I believe I would have eventually, but, at that time, I was still struggling with my feelings for you. I had been working to become a man worthy of you and wanted to show you that I had attended to your reproofs. I hoped the next time I saw you, you would have softened somewhat toward me, especially since Bingley had returned and was engaged to your sister," he told her.

"Would you ever have proposed again?" she asked again.

Darcy thought for a moment, reaching out to kiss her forehead. "I would have in time if I ever thought you would have accepted me. I was in love with you, and that was not going to change. By that point, I knew I would never love another and that if I did not marry you, I would marry no one at all."

"So we owe our current happiness to my impropriety in writing you a letter?" she teased.

"No, dearest, we owe our happiness to Charles's accidental posting of one." And with that, he pulled her to him for a deep, passionate kiss, and neither spoke again for some time.


A/N - what do you think about this new ending?