Darcy waited impatiently at the top of the stairs for the carriage with Elizabeth to arrive.
The flag had gone up on the gate tower, clearly showing that a carriage was coming through, but, as usual, the wait for an expected guest down the four miles of drive was interminable, and even more so when the guest was so very, very much anticipated. But, as all good things do come to those who wait, Darcy's wait was over when the Gardiner carriage did eventually appear on the drive and make its way to the house. Georgiana came out to accompany him down the stairs to greet their guests.
Mr. Gardiner stepped out and handed out first his own lady, and then after what seemed half an hour but was probably five seconds, Miss Bennet. She smiled up at the house, then back down at Darcy, then looked embarrassed and looked at the ground.
Darcy was dumbfounded for a brief moment - she had smiled at him! - and came back to his senses and asked the party to enter. They entered the house and Darcy led them into the formal drawing-room and they were making small talk. Darcy asked how they has passed the day. They had visited friends from when Mrs Gardiner lived here as well as a little shopping as there were several artisans in the village with distinctive goods. Darcy knew about the village artisans, of course, as he was mostly responsible for their success, as he would supply capital when it could be shown there was a good use of it.
The Darcys were surprised to learn that Mrs Gardiner had previously spent time in Lambton and she explained that her father had run the bookshop in the village for many years, at which Darcy realised this must have been old Mr. Pollard.
"Indeed it was, that is my maiden name," replied Mrs Gardiner.
"I spent many happy hours in the bookshop when I was home from Oxford, playing chess with Mr. Pollard. I was very sorry when I heard he had passed. He is missed in the village" replied Darcy. Mrs Gardiner smiled and gave her thanks for his kind words.
Presently the dinner gong was heard, and they moved to the dining room.
Mr. Gardiner offered his arm to Miss Darcy to lead her in. Darcy was pleased to see he correctly understood the rules of proprietary and offered his own arm to Miss Bennet - being gently born, she outranked her trade-married aunt, and Miss Darcy outranked Elizabeth, being the granddaughter of an Earl. The party moved into the dining-parlour.
The party sat and spent an enjoyable meal together. Elizabeth and Miss Darcy made conversation, discussing music and Lambton and her thoughts on not coming out very soon at all. This conversation caught Darcy's ear.
"You need be in no rush to come out, Miss Darcy. The young ladies in my family do not come out until they are eighteen. My eldest sister made that decision, and all her sisters are following her lead."
Miss Darcy looked intent at this remark. "My aunt says I should have come out this year already, to have the best opportunity to meet my future husband."
Elizabeth smiled, "Many mothers and aunts think that, I am sure. I know my mother does, but I think they are just mis remembering their own youth, of the fun they had when they were out and think it is all only fun and should be started as soon as possible. But coming out is such an important event, I think it can be injurious to too young a girl. She may make foolish choices through youth and inexperience. Better to wait a little while longer until she is more mature and it won't all seem so daunting, is my thought."
Miss Darcy looked at Elizabeth with some form of hero worship.
"But I have thought the same thing!" she cried in response, "I have thought I am not yet mature enough to make the decisions that coming out requires!" She turned to her brother. "Brother," she said, "that settles it. I am definitely not coming out until I am eighteen!" and before he could open his mouth she had turned back to Miss Bennet, "You will back me in this, will you not, Miss Bennet."
Elizabeth laughed and said, "I will, I will make every argument on your behalf." She looked slyly at Darcy, and continued, "but I do not see an argument against our plan on your brother's face."
Miss Darcy turned to look at her brother with a questioning hope in her eyes, "Brother, you will support me in this?"
Finally able to get a word in edgewise, Darcy gave a smiling response, "My dear sister, I was not the one pushing you to come out. Certainly, if you have made a firm decision not to come out this year I will back you, and we can speak to Richard to ensure he knows your plan too. I am glad you have finally made your own decision." He smiled softly at her, and then at Elizabeth.
Soon, the meal was finished, and the sexes separated.
Darcy and Gardiner went into Darcy's study and had a snifter of port and a cigar. Gardiner regarded Darcy with curiosity. He and his wife had discussed Darcy and Elizabeth after retiring to bed the previous night. They were both quite sure that Darcy was very much in love. So, Gardiner sat in contemplation of the younger man. He had sat through many negotiations and felt this one was one where he would leave the other man to speak first. Darcy eventually broke.
"I was very surprised to see Miss Bennet here. Surprised but pleased. I was under the impression she would never come here."
"Indeed," replied Gardiner, "she did insist we confirm the family was from home before she would agree to the tour." He regarded the younger man silently for a moment, tapping the ash off his cigar, before continuing to speak. "But she did seem very curious to see the estate once she was sure she would not encounter you here, now that I think of it."
Darcy opened his mouth twice before actually saying anything, "and… and do you think she… likes what she sees?"
"Yes," replied Gardiner, "I am moderately sure she likes everything she has seen at Pemberley." He stopped there, and seemed as if that was all he had to say, then continued, "But, women… you know. Who knows what they really think? I've been married ten years, and my wife still surprises me, so don't take anything for granted."
Darcy nodded, "Not taking Miss Bennet for granted is something I have learnt the hard way!" he replied.
After that they went back to join the ladies, to be greeted by the sound of laughter as Elizabeth was telling some tale that had the ladies in stitches.
Before long, it was time for Darcy's guests to return to their accommodations for the night.
Darcy managed to speak to Elizabeth as they were gathering their outerwear.
"May I call on you in the morning?"
She smiled shyly and breathed "You may."
~~ HoL ~~
The next morning saw Darcy on his way to Lambton at the very start of calling hours. It felt peculiar to think of calling hours when he was attending an inn, but it was still impolite to visit any earlier.
He had brought the gig over rather than ridden in an attempt to smell less of horse when he arrived. He pulled up at the inn stables and handed the reigns to one of the stable lads there. The boy nodded at him as Darcy was known in the village.
Upon enquiring inside the inn, he was led upstairs by a servant. When the door was opened, he entered to find Miss Bennet smiling. She held a letter in her hands.
"Good morning Mr Darcy." she said. "I have just been reading a letter from my sister. All is well in Hertfordshire." She smiled and put the letter down. Before the servant left, she asked for tea to be brought to them. The serving girl nodded, bobbed a curtsey, and left.
Darcy sat, "I wanted to thank you for your kindness to my sister last night." he said.
Elizabeth looked surprised, "I cannot think what you mean, sir," she said with a smile.
"Georgiana has been worried about coming out for some time, but both our aunts have been saying she must and that she has already delayed too much. I know nothing of these things. Your support for her waiting was a breath of fresh air and was obviously the opinion of another woman that she needed to hear to relieve her mind."
"Oh!" cried Elizabeth. "I had no idea. I but reported what my family does."
"Well, it was very helpful to us." he replied.
The tea tray arrived just then. Elizabeth served them both tea and, after offering the pastry selection to Darcy who demurred, selected a small pastry for herself.
"I spoke to your uncle last night," he said hesitantly, once they were both holding their cups.
"Did you?" she replied, equally hesitantly.
"He said you had liked what you saw at Pemberley".
She took a moment before she responded, gazing at him steadily, while he held her eye. "Pemberley is beautiful, and I was very attracted to it." She said, boldly.
After a short pause, her companion replied, "You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever."
Relief flooded her face. "My feelings?" she asked rhetorically, "my feelings are so drastically changed from last April that I would have to say they are the exact opposite of what they were then."
Darcy dropped to one knee. "Dearest, loveliest Elizabeth, will you make me the happiest of men and be my wife?" He looked up at her expectantly for her answer but, she saw, not with expectation of her saying yes, but only hope that she would.
"I will," she replied and smiled, "I will be your wife, Fitzwilliam. I had given up hope that we would ever come together until I saw you walk around the stables. I am so happy you came back to Pemberley early!" A feeling of heartfelt delight came across Darcy.
At that point Elizabeth's Aunt and Uncle re-entered the rooms and her aunt gasped at the sight of Darcy still on his knee before Elizabeth. Elizabeth and Darcy both smiled to see them. Uncle Gardiner raised an eyebrow and said, "I take it we shall be having a talk presently?"
Darcy rose to his feet and said "why don't we take care of that right now? Shall we walk in the inn yard?" After a final hand squeeze between the two lovers, the men went outside.
Gardiner shook his head on the way out. Darcy was concerned he would be a problem, but when they reached the yard, Gardiner burst out laughing.
"What am I supposed to ask? Can you support Elizabeth? You are the master of Pemberley! Are your connections good enough? You are the grandson of an Earl! This is a ridiculous! Shall we just say that you asked most nicely, and I was very hard on you?" Darcy burst out laughing too.
Gardiner shook his head and murmured almost inaudibly, "my daughters' suitors had better be easier than this!" then looked at Darcy and smiled. "We are very proud and happy to welcome you to the family. I think Elizabeth's relative despondency is now to be understood".
Darcy raised an eyebrow.
Gardiner continued, "Oh, don't misunderstand me, she has been happy while travelling, and Lizzy always rises to any challenge, but in hindsight I can see that she has been not quite herself on this trip." The two men went back inside.
Darcy suggested they come out to Pemberley for a celebratory lunch, so he and Elizabeth could tell Georgiana together.
When they arrived at Pemberley, they went together to Georgiana's preferred sitting room and she looked up, smiled then her eyes went wide and she gasped as she saw they were holding hands.
"Are you, are you…" she asked.
They smiled and nodded, and she almost screamed and then ran over and hugged Elizabeth and then hugged Darcy while they both laughed and then she hugged Elizabeth again.
"A sister! I finally get a sister!" She looked at her brother with a mischievous grin and said, "I may not be willing to share, brother!"
Darcy laughed, and her eyes opened wide at this then she smiled the widest he could recall her smiling in many, many months.
After luncheon, they both sat to write letters to Hertfordshire. Darcy wrote to Bingley as well as his cousin and his uncle. Elizabeth wrote to Jane as well as her father. And then upon reflection she wrote directly to her mother as well.
They wrote their letters to the background noise of Miss Darcy running around first telling the housekeeper that the master was to be married and to the delightful lady present, then she also told an upper housemaid, then she told two of the footmen. Her squeals and laughter were much enjoyed by the staff, but Darcy was sure the staff would have no need to talk amongst themselves as Miss Darcy would have told every single member of the house staff before the hour was out. Perhaps some of them would be able to take some pleasure in letting the grounds staff know, unless Miss Darcy felt the need to tell them too, he thought with amusement.
The letter writing took some time with this distraction, but eventually they were finished and Darcy spent the rest of the day with his Elizabeth. They agreed they would leave the next day for Hertfordshire, cutting short the Gardiner's trip by only a little as they would have turned south again soon, to allow the couple to gain her father's blessing and push up the wedding date.
~~ HoL ~~
"Yes, a simple tale," said Darcy nodding to himself, "it really was as straight forward as that. Not really worth getting into the details".
Charles laughed and said "I am just glad you were finally able to gain the lady's consent. I think you will be a wonderful, happy couple".
Darcy just smiled and Bingley smiled back at the sight of Darcy smiling like he had not seen him do in quite some time.
~~ HoL ~~
Elizabeth and Darcy were married four weeks later in Elizabeth's family church, after the banns had been called there and in Lambton parish. It was a beautiful ceremony and Jane cried a little tear. "It is true," she whispered to Charles, "you really did marry the second most beautiful woman in Hertfordshire." Charles chuckled softly but only whispered back "Nonsense, my dear" with a smile.
The happy couple left for their month-long honeymoon trip after a wedding breakfast which involved very little handkerchief waving from the bride's mother (she was intimidated by Darcy's relations who were attending, including an Earl and his Countess). After the honeymoon, they were planning to spend some time in town, and then retire to Pemberley. Charles and Jane were hoping to meet them in town and spend some time with them.
~~ HoL ~~
Two weeks after the Darcys departed, Charles came into the drawing-room when the ladies were sitting.
"I've just received a letter from Geoffrey Elmes," he said in pretended surprise. Jane looked up and smiled at him, but Caroline's look was blank at the name. Charles noticed her expression, "Oh, have you not met him, Caroline? Lovely chap. Mrs Hart's brother. Part of my crowd at university." He turned to Jane, "He's going to come visit for a week or so in a bit. That will be nice." And with that he winked at her where Caroline could not see and left the room.
Caroline immediately turned to Jane, "Married or single?" she asked, direct to the point.
"Oh, single, my dear, to be sure!", Jane replied with a smile.
"Tell me about him," asked Caroline.
Jane told Caroline about what a gentlemanly, promising young man he seemed to be.
~~ HoL ~~
~~ HoL ~~
A/N Couple of days delay on the next chapter, I think - its fighting me hard, but i can land the fish ;)