Author's Note: Wrapping it up. Let me know what you think, and again, if anyone is familiar with the Scottish dialogue and wants to offer some advice on how to fix William's dialogue, it would be much appreciated.

Chapter 21

For the most important people in their lives, it turned out that William and Elizabeth's first 'secret' wedding was probably one of the worst-kept secrets ever. His uncle had known of it since Catherine had protested Elizabeth's visa, and naturally, he had spoken of it to his wife. Richard had guessed at it even before they left to go to America, so it had come as no surprise when William revealed the reason for his lack of nerves on the days leading up to his wedding. The fact that they moved in together only after their trip to the United States was also a giveaway to those who knew William well. Only Georgiana never really suspected anything, though she went along with it when it was mentioned along with the news of the pregnancy a few months later.

Elizabeth convinced William to wait until she was well into her second trimester. They had attended two more appointments with the obstetrician his general practitioner had recommended—and, of course, William had attended all appointments with her. Since Georgiana stayed with them for the rest of the summer, they managed to keep their news a secret until the week they took her to Edinburgh for the new semester. There, they invited his entire family to join them for a dinner where they shared their news, much to the delight of the family who attended.

Aunt Catherine was unavoidably required to miss this celebration: the judge had decided since her forgery was a fairly mild crime and did not actually injure anyone, she would be required to do 480 hours of community service over the next year. Catherine believed she would get off with a warning if she did not make any effort to comply, but when the judge learned she failed to complete any during her first month, he threatened her with additional punishments since he was aware of the break-in at Pemberley that William had chosen not to report. So far, the whole incident had been kept quiet, and Caroline, who was ordered to half the amount, had grudgingly complied and was volunteering at a homeless shelter for the requisite 20 hours a month.

When Catherine heard of the first wedding in America, she had initially tried to claim it was a fake and that Elizabeth was merely trying to take advantage of the Darcy wealth. She was somewhat modified to hear there was a prenuptual agreement although she was upset when neither her nephew nor brother would share with her the contents. Truly, Uncle Henry trusted William enough not to ask for too many details, but knew the ancestral estates would be well protected in the unlikely event of a divorce.

"Catherine, William has been in control of Pemberley since he was twenty-two and has done very well as the caretaker of both the distillery and the estate. I have not questioned our nephew on his business but trust him to do what is necessary. The estate is already well protected from any 'fortune hunters' and I can assure you, Elizabeth is not one. If these two divorce, I will be shocked as they are well and truly in love. I have never seen two more clearly suited for each other."

"Pah," Catherine mocked. "Love does not guarantee a successful marriage. He would have been better off married to Caroline. He could have had an earldom, Henry."

"And he did not want one, Cathy. Why are you so insistent that he have the title restored when three or four generations of Darcys before him have refused it? It was originally granted to our nephew's namesake in 1850 before his grandson began the distillery in Inverness. He refused to claim the title then, and it has been in limbo as no Darcy male since has wanted to return to England, despite their love of the estate. Our nephew is a diligent man and has no need or desire for even greater responsibility than he already possesses. Now, enough of this and tell me what you are doing to meet your requirements for your community service."

Catherine sputtered in disbelief, her composure momentarily shattered. "How dare you dismiss such matters! I will not stand by while the Darcy and Fitzwilliam names are tarnished by a marriage to an American with no regard for tradition and legacy."

But Lord Henry was resolute in his support for his nephew, turning the conversation abruptly to her community service, a task she found distasteful and beneath her station, though after her initial attempt to disregard it, she was now required to check in weekly with the judge to ensure she was working toward meeting her obligation. As the daughter of a peer, she clung to her courtesy title with pride, even as she begrudgingly fulfilled her mandated obligations.

Catherine had always been upset that the only man who offered for her had been a baronet. She had wanted a match higher in the peerage but had not been able to convince another to marry her and had settled for an older man who wanted a young wife. Unfortunately, they had never been able to have children, although that might have been for the best since Catherine had never been particularly "motherly" and was more prone to being manipulative, as evidenced by her actions toward William and Caroline. Her reaction to the news of the pregnancy only served to prove that point further.

"How can she already be with child? They have scarcely been married a month!" Catherine screeched after learning the news the week after the family had gotten together in Edinburgh. She had been grudgingly invited to the family dinner, and all had been gratified when she refused the invitation, though never more so than when she had spoken to her brother and learned the news.

"They have been married since early May," he informed her blandly. "Anticipating your objection was one reason they 'eloped' when they traveled to America when Elizabeth finished her degree. The wedding in Scotland was done to ensure there would be no objections and to formalize the matter in the United Kingdom, but they had been married for more than two months before that ceremony. Your actions prevented you from attending, but it did not change anything."

Again, she spluttered. "This cannot be borne! How can you have allowed this travesty to occur?"

"Catherine, enough!" he bellowed. "William has chosen a lovely girl, and while you may not like her because she is an American or because she is not the socialite you wanted for him. He, however, has chosen a girl he wanted, not one you wanted, and since he is the one who has to live with her, it seems that he has chosen precisely what he wants and needs. I will not hear another word from you on the matter."

With that, he stalked away and refused to engage his sister any further on the matter.

The Darcys did not know or care about Catherine's objections and were happily spending their free time shopping to complete their nursery. The bedroom closest to the master suite was being converted into a nursery, and the two had spent hours online pouring over reviews and looking at furniture for their baby's room.

They had decided not to find out the child's sex and intended to make the room as gender-neutral as they could while still honoring their respective traditions. Elizabeth ordered several items from Tennessee in Volunteer Orange, and there were a couple of Highland 'coos' already decorating the room. He teased about adding a few bottles from the distillery, but that suggestion was quickly nixed by Mrs. Reynolds, who had not been amused by the suggestion and had given her employer a stern glare. Elizabeth had been unable to restrain her laughter at this, and soon the two women were discussing things the baby would need while William returned to his work.

Elizabeth settled into the role of "curator" for the new Pemberley Museum. It wasn't a real thing, at least not yet, but when she had the chance, she began going through the boxes of materials that had been collected over the years, pictures and other mementoes, and began writing down what she could by talking to many of the older employees. Pemberley evoked loyalty from its staff members, and quite a few were up there in years, and some who had already retired were still in the area and willing to talk about what they remembered. There were also the journals of several Darcys who had managed the distillery before him.

As she met with some of these older workers, she was given other photos, even a couple from shortly after the distillery opened in the late nineteenth century. Their stories were recorded, some of which were retellings of stories from a previous generation, and a couple of other old journals were discovered.

Along with working on this project at Pemberley, Elizabeth worked steadily with William on preparing the nursery at home. Once the furniture arrived and was put together, they began to decorate. As Elizabeth's belly expanded, her energy levels rebounded somewhat, and she was less tired, though she still took the occasional nap. William worked shorter hours, delegating even more, and began to settle into a more normal work-life balance.

Michaelmas came and went, and then Samhain and All Saints Day and Guy Fawkes Day. These were not days Elizabeth had normally recognized in America, and she enjoyed learning the traditions of her husband's country, though she laughed a bit when he explained how many of these seemed to be celebrated with bonfires. As November unfolded, Elizabeth reciprocated by introducing William to the American holiday of Thanksgiving, extending an invitation to his family for a grand celebration of the day, though it was celebrated on a Saturday instead of a Thursday. Together, the couple prepared a large meal featuring a blend of her American traditions and the ingredients and favorites of her husbands. The aroma of roasting turkey and the spices of pumpkin pie filled the Darcy home as the couple prepared for the feast.

In the midst of the Thanksgiving preparations, Elizabeth and William found a moment to reflect on the whirlwind of changes in their lives. Nestled in the nursery they had lovingly adorned, William ran a hand over the crib's smooth wood, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

"Can you believe how much has happened in such a short time, Elizabeth?" William mused.

Elizabeth, arranging tiny baby clothes in the dresser, looked up with a warm smile. "It's been incredible, hasn't it? From our wedding to the baby on the way, I wouldn't change a thing in our story."

William chuckled. "Nor would I, mo ghrĂ dh. You've brought so much joy to Pemberley and to me. Our bairn will be blessed with a loving home."

When the day of Thanksgiving arrived, the Darcy family gathered around a table laden with an abundance of dishes. Uncle Henry and Aunt Helen came up from London, along with Georgiana and Richard, who traveled from Edinburgh, each bringing a date. The viscount, Anthony Fitzwilliam, and his wife Rebecca also came. They had met and liked Elizabeth at the wedding but had not had many opportunities to speak to the couple since. Anthony was a few years older than William and had never been as friendly with his cousin as Richard had been. The room buzzed with conversation and laughter as they shared tales of the past and expressed gratitude for the present as they learned about this new tradition.

As they sat down to feast, William raised his glass, his eyes fixed on Elizabeth. "To family, to new traditions, and to the love that binds us all."

Over the following weeks, as winter settled into the Scottish Highlands, Elizabeth and William continued to build their life together. The nursery transformed into a haven of anticipation, filled with the soft glow of a nightlight and the scent of lavender. The couple cherished quiet moments by the fire or in their room, discussing names for their soon-to-arrive bundle of joy and reflecting on the blessings that had graced their lives.