A few hours later Elizabeth was in search of Georgiana, she had a sheaf of papers in hand and was looking down at them without looking where she was heading.
"Mmph!" She collided with a solid, immovable object and had the breath knocked out of her for a moment.
"Elizabeth, do forgive me!"
"William, you gave me a start!"
Both started to speak at the same time and then laughed a little. Darcy leant down and picked up the scattered papers, he glanced them over before handing them back to Elizabeth.
"Hmm, archery; croquet; flower arranging; pie eating; music….you have been busy!"
"Yes, it's been a very fruitful morning, but I had a few questions for Georgiana, have you seen her?"
"No, I thought that she was with you?" Darcy turned puzzled eyes toward Elizabeth who looked a little sheepish.
"I think that I got a little over enthusiastic in the ballroom, she and Aunt Lucy went off to look over some music but that was hours ago and I have some questions that Georgiana may be able to help me with." Elizabeth explained her reorganisation of the ballroom and splitting the staff into their work areas.
"I see, perhaps the music room?" Darcy suggested, he was smiling a little at the thought of Elizabeth commanding the staff as though she were a military leader.
"No, that was the first place I tried. Is there anywhere else? I do need to get this information back to Elsie today, otherwise I might have a riot on my hands!" Elizabeth tapped her papers impatiently.
"Elsie?" Darcy enquired, frowning whilst trying to recall a staff member with that name.
"Elsie, your cook?" Elizabeth looked up in askance, how could he not know the name of his own cook?
"Oh, Elspeth Matthews. I see, she doesn't usually let anyone call her Elsie…"
"Yes, well. Elsie needs to know approximate numbers for the Fayre. I also need to know how many children, adults ecetera."
"I don't think that Georgiana would be able to help you with those sorts of questions. As you know up until recently she has been away at school and it has only been this past year that she has returned home to Pemberley. Perhaps I could assist?" Darcy held out his hand for the papers and carefully looked them over. "Hmm, will you take a seat in my study? This may take some time."
"Into your inner sanctum? Georgiana mentioned that you hardly let anyone enter such hallowed ground…" Elizabeth teased as she entered the very masculine room which held traces of Darcy's citrus scented bath soap. She looked around as she took a seat in a deep leather chair in front of the unlit fireplace. Darcy's large, solid desk was in front of a window that looked out into the back gardens. She noticed however, that the desk faced into the room and not out into the spectacular vista. From the window she could see the blooming rose gardens with its twisting paths that stretched out into the woodland and beyond.
"That is why my desk faces into the room and not out…." Darcy's statement broke through her musings and she realised that she had been gazing out for quite some time. Elizabeth gave a wry grin and turned her attention to the rest of the room. Across from Darcy's desk was a small table, with a wooden globe mounted on it. On either side of the window frame, floor to ceiling bookcases stood filled with books with handsome leather bindings. At the far end of the room were another set of doors that were firmly shut.
"My Mother's reading room," Darcy stated, correctly interpreting Elizabeth's raised eyebrow. "Now, let us turn our attention to our guests, shall we?" Darcy laid down the papers and laced his hands in front of him. Elizabeth smiled a little at the use of the pronoun but held quill over paper in readiness. Darcy rose to pace in front of the windows and then came out from behind his desk to stand in front of the table which held the wooden globe. He reached out a finger to make the globe spin, around and around it went as he looked on with sightless eyes.
"William, what is troubling you so?" Elizabeth rose to her feet and crossed over to stand next to him. She reached out a finger to touch the globe, warm from his hands and raised her eyes to meet his gaze.
"Nothing is troubling me, I was just thinking of my mother. She would spend hours in that room over there, waiting for my father to finish his work. And some afternoon's they would take tea together behind closed doors…I don't think for one minute that they were really taking tea, but they always seemed so happy together afterwards…" Darcy smiled faintly in recollection, his eyes on the closed doors, but his mind in a far off memory. "After she died, my father couldn't bear to go in there and had orders that the doors remain shut. They've been closed ever since."
"Do you think…?" Elizabeth started to speak and then closed her mouth. She desperately wanted to peak behind those closed doors, but did not want to cause Darcy any further anguish. He smiled down at her and captured her hand.
"Would you like to go in?" At her brilliant smile, Darcy led her over to the doors. He slowly opened one side and led her through. Bright sunshine spilled through the casement window and shone onto clean dark wood desk. The walls were painted white and the carpet a faded dusky rose. Fresh flowers were on the sideboard making their fragrance linger in the air, not a dust particle was in sight which surprised Elizabeth.
"Mrs. Reynolds comes in here every morning, to change the flowers and air the room. It was in here that she and my mother would discuss the household matters, new staff and the menus and such…I think sometimes, she misses her as much as I do." At his words, Elizabeth turned to place a hand in caress on his cheek.
"Oh, William…" Words escaped her, and she felt a tear threaten in her, this man that stood before her, so much emotion and yet he found it difficult to express. Darcy removed her hand and pressed a kiss into the palm and then coughed to remove the emotion from his throat.
"So, Elizabeth. Numbers for attendance?" He led the way back into his study and once again closed the door to his mother's room. Instead of the armchair, Elizabeth found herself sitting in the large swivel chair behind Darcy's desk. He once again resumed pacing in front of the window and then paused assuming his favourite thinking position with one booted foot propped up against a small footstool. Elizabeth took a gulping breath as the position caused his breeches to tighten against firm, muscular thighs…
"…And there is the local magistrate and his family, a wife and three young sons. Elizabeth…Elizabeth, are you paying attention?" Darcy rose his voice a little louder and managed to rouse her from a particularly lustful daydream, in which his large swivel chair featured prominently…
"Yes, I'm listening, a magistrate with three daughters." Elizabeth nodded as she scribbled the information down, or was it sons?
"Sons." Darcy confirmed as he straightened up, causing Elizabeth to sigh a little wistfully. He looked over questioningly and at her shake of head, continued.
"There are seven tenant farmers around Pemberley, I would like them all invited. There are the Harris's; they have two sons and a daughter. The Smith's; just a daughter, the Mill's; four young boys with the youngest barely a year old…" Darcy continued to list everyone in the local vicinity that he felt should be invited, once finished the list reached nearly seventy people. Elizabeth rose from the chair, wincing a little at the stiffness in her writing hand, she gasped as she looked at the ornate clock on the mantle.
"William, it's nearly one o'clock. We've nearly completely missed luncheon!"
"I was rather hoping that you would agree to have a quiet luncheon, just the two of us. There are some things that I would like to say to you that cannot be said in front of an audience…" Darcy held his breath as he issued the invitation, hoping that he would not be disappointed. Luck was on his side though when Elizabeth shyly agreed.
"That would be lovely, if I could just have a few moments to freshen up?" They agreed to meet in the summer house in fifteen minutes, both went their separate ways. Darcy to find Mrs. Reynolds to relay his request and Elizabeth to her room to splash her face with cool, refreshing water. She had the unfortunate experience of meeting Caroline Bingley at the top of the stairs on her return journey.
"Miss Eliza Bennet! I must say your arrival here at Pemberley was such a surprise! How are you finding things? I imagine that they are a little different from what you are used to?" Caroline delighted in pointing out the differences between their stations. "That little parlour game that you were all enjoying last night and that moonlit walk – I wouldn't be so certain of those repeating now that I am here! Darcy usually has a much higher class of entertainment when he knows that I am visiting. Oh look, he's here to greet me already!" Caroline held out a hand in welcome as they reached the bottom of the stairs, certain that Darcy was there to escort her into the dining room as was his custom. She could only look on in amazement as Darcy held out a hand to Elizabeth stepping off the staircase instead.
"Elizabeth, shall we?" Darcy held tightly to Elizabeth's hand and tucked it firmly into the crook of his elbow. He nodded politely to Caroline and then led Elizabeth down the hallway. "I thought the summerhouse for luncheon…" Caroline went to follow them, assuming that everyone would be dining al fresco and was brought up short by a cough from a footman holding open the dining room doors. She flounced her way through and was met with greetings by Charles.
"Caroline, Good Afternoon, you've arrived down just in time for luncheon. I see that Darcy has finally managed to escape with Elizabeth." Charles rose from his seat to hold out a chair for his sister. Edward looked up in interest at Charles' remarks.
"Good to see that the man is capable of taking a little friendly advice."
"Uncle Edward, do you really think that he is finally going to ask her?" Georgiana excitedly chimed in. Lucy patted her hand,
"From what I hear, this will be the third time…"
"No, dear. Rosings, the truffles, the walk last night, breakfast this morning…" Edward ticked off the number of proposals made by Darcy against his fingers.
"No, Edward you can't count the number of times he has tried, I mean he was interrupted at breakfast so that doesn't count!" Charles interjected, only for Georgiana to interrupt.
"What about breakfast?"
"Georgie, Timothy was at the door of the breakfast room, as Edward and Lucy arrived this morning and he opened the door he could quite clearly see Darcy down on one knee…"
"Really, Timothy?" Georgiana turned around in her seat to address the footman directly. Timothy nodded slowly and agreed.
"Indeed he was Miss; said that the Master also showed Miss Elizabeth Lady Anne's reading room this morning when they were discussing the Fayre in Mr. Darcy's study."
"Aunt Lucy that was truly devious idea of yours that we remain out of sight this morning, forcing Elizabeth to go to Darcy for questions." Georgiana praised Lucy for her brilliance of that morning, they had heard Elizabeth looking for them but had escaped through the back staircase and watched through the banisters as Elizabeth approached Darcy and he offered assistance.
"Do you really mean to say that Darcy is quite serious in his affections for Miss Eliza? He truly means to offer her matrimony?" Caroline was shocked at the realisation that the remarks Charles had made to her the night before had not been in jest and Darcy meant to offer for Elizabeth yet again.
"Yes, Caroline. He is quite serious this time." Charles understood that his sister had always had a long burning desire to become Mrs. Darcy one day, he had imagined that it was the thrill of the prestige rather than the man himself, but at the look of total devastation on Caroline's face; he suddenly wasn't so sure.
"Excuse me, please. I'm suddenly not feeling at all well." Caroline pushed back her chair abruptly and rushed from the room.
"It appears that your sister has taken the news hard, will she be alright?" Lucy questioned Charles, concern on her face.
"I think so, I really thought that she didn't care for Darcy as a man; it appears that I was mistaken. Excuse me please, I must see that she is well." Charles excused himself and went after his sister. He found her just sitting on the edge of her bed staring into space.
"What do I do, Charles? All I've ever wanted to be was Mrs. Darcy of Pemberley." For a moment Charles felt overwhelming sorrow for his elder sister, which changed at her next remark.
"And now that little Bennet upstart has somehow managed to sink her hooks into him, taking away what is rightfully mine! Weedling her way into the family quarters…into his bed is more like…!" Caroline gasped as Charles wrapped his hands around her upper arms and shook her angrily.
"Not another word, Caroline! If you so much as utter another sentence, besmirching either Darcy or Elizabeth Bennet, I will cut off all funds entirely and suggest that Marcus Hurst do exactly the same!" Charles was almost beside himself in fury. How dare she suggest that anything untowards had occurred between Elizabeth and Darcy. True, the servants were turning a blind eye to certain happenings, but none of them were prepared to let matters go so far as to force a wedding.
"I suggest that you wake Louisa and tell her that you've had second thoughts about spending time at Pemberley. If you agree to go quietly and today, I will fund a trip for the two of you…"
"Paris, or Italy?" Caroline was thinking only how many new hats and furs she could purchase…
"Perhaps, we'll see how well you behave. Now go and prepare Louisa for travel whilst I make arrangements for you to stay in Matlock for this evening. I'll make arrangements for your onward journey and forward the details onto the Townhouse." Charles rose to his feet and looked back once more from the doorway. "Now remember, Caroline not one word from you regarding Darcy or Miss Elizabeth otherwise when you get back into Town…" He felt no need to complete the rest of the sentence, knowing by the paleness of her face that the threat had been received and understood. He returned downstairs and informed Mrs. Reynolds in a quiet murmur that both of his sisters had decided to return to Town for the rest of the summer. Mrs. Reynolds nodded her head and agreed to send someone upstairs to assist in their packing.