A week passed without incident. Jane and Charles had made plans to return to the estate and evaluate its suitability as a home for their family. It was a good distance from the Darcys and hoped it would be proper place to raise a family. They were to take Georgiana to meet her Aunt on their way.

The party said goodbye to Elizabeth in her chambers before being escorted to their carriage by Darcy. She was sad to see them go, but happy to have the house to herself with Fitzwilliam. Jane and Charles would be back in less than a fortnight. Georgiana would be gone for the whole season and she would miss her dearly. While they had been apart during their wedding trip, they had been together ever since and had grown quite close.

Doctor Perry was to visit the next day and re-evaluate her. She hoped she would be cleared to take short walks and perhaps to engage in intimate behavior with her husband. She felt much better. Her injury was much improved. Her head ached less and the sight of her injury looked less severe. She was feeling so much better and looked it too.

Doctor Perry arrived as expected the following morning and was sent up to Elizabeth's chambers for his examination.

"Good morning," she greeted as he entered. She was seated in her bed, her legs under the covers.

"Good morning Mrs. Darcy. How are you feeling?"

"Much better! My head does not ache as it once did. I can feel my energy and I long to walk the grounds."

"You do appear better. The color has returned to your face. Would you find getting up and walking towards me?"

She nodded and climbed out of bed. She had been taking short trips down to dinner and believed it had helped her regain her strength. She walked the short distance with ease and then demonstrated her strength and endurance.

Doctor Perry cleared her to walk short distances through the garden as long as she rested in bed after. He made a point of encouraging her to take only one walk a day and then rest for the rest of the day. If she did not walk, she could entertain guests while seated in the parlor. She listened to his recommendations in silence and finally found the courage to ask the one question she really wanted the answer to.

"Doctor Perry, will I be able to exert myself in other manners, perhaps those of a more intimate nature?" she asked him with a shade of mortification.

"You may, but please, do not exert yourself too much. You must ensure that you get enough rest and that you limit any activity of that nature to days on which you do not walk."

"Very well," she nodded, "Thank you, Doctor Perry."

After Doctor Perry had gone, Darcy entered the room and inquired after her. She knew he had been waiting in his chambers going over estate business while she was examined.

"Everything is fine, dear husband," she said with a smile.

"Have you been cleared to take walks?" he asked. She could tell that he wanted to ask about the marital bed but held back.

"I have, as long as I rest afterwards. I have other news that will excite you. I have been cleared to resume our intimate activities," she told him with a grin.

"That, my darling, is excellent news."

"Perhaps we can spend some time alone this morning," she suggested with a sly smile.

"That is a wonderful idea," he said walking over to the bed and kissing her. He had missed her these past weeks. Holding her in the night had not satisfied the need he had for her. She too was eager to resume their activities; she found them to be the most enjoyable part of their marriage.

An hour or so later, they were snuggled together in bed.

"How I have missed this," she breathed.

"Me too," he said placing a kiss on the uninjured part of her head, "so much."

"Though I have enjoyed our guests, it is nice to be alone in this home once again. This may be are only real time alone before the baby comes. Kitty will be here and once the baby is born everything is going to change."

"Yes, it is. Everything is going to change for the better. I am so pleased. Elizabeth, I have loved every second of our time together. I never imagined I could be this happy. You have made me the happiest man in all of England."

She laughed, "I appreciate the sentiment and I feel the same. It appears as if everything is going so well. Just think, Jane and Charles should be settled and Georgiana will be in town. My only concern is what may happen if Caroline should do anything to her in town. I think I should write to Georgiana about the whole thing."

"I believe that is for the best. Georgiana has not experience how vicious the ladies of town can be. Sweet Georgiana has never had an enemy before and I never thought she would make one, but it appears she has one now in Caroline Bingley."

"I agree. I shall begin now." She rose from the bed and slipped on a robe, tying it at the waist, right above the small swell of her stomach. She went over to her writing desk and sat down, pulling out her supplies and beginning to write at once.

"What have you written so far?" he asked after a few minutes.

"Here, I shall read it to you. 'Dear sister, I believe you shall already be in town when you receive this and I hope your journey has been good. I confess I have little to tell you other than that Doctor Perry has cleared me for short walks and other activities. (I know this must not be exciting to most, but it is most exciting to me). I am so pleased. What I mean to talk to you about is what you may expect during the season. While I have never had a season myself, I am aware that not all ladies are kind. As you are aware, Caroline Bingley is not pleased with our family. She may make snide comments to you or might be downright hostile to you. I cannot prepare you for what you may encounter from her, but I can warn you."

"That is very good. I think it is a long enough letter for now. There is not much we can do because we cannot predict what Caroline will do. I would have never predicted that she would have teamed up with Lydia."

"I know. I hope Georgiana will be able to handle herself."

"I hope so too, but only time will tell."